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Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Halloween Recipe Ideas

Here are some of my family's favorite Halloween and fall recipes from over the years!  Our two regulars are monster salads and ghost pie! It's great to start traditions like this because then you don't have to be creative anymore ;) My other Halloween tradition is after dinner I send everyone out with dad so that I can read and drink hot chocolate in a quiet house while handing out candy to the 8 people that come by.  I look forward to it all year! Anyway, give one of these recipes a try before you head out to trick or treat tonight!

Monster Taco Salad

Ghost Pie

Apple Nachos

Lil' Smokie Mummies

Cupcake decorating ideas for kids

Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Glaze

Taffy Apple Tartlets

Chocolate Caramel Apples (and other topping ideas)

Hot Chocolate Add In Ideas (Step 1- send family out in the cold dark world to hunt down candy. Step 2- make hot chocolate just the way you like. Step 3- drink it in the quiet of your house while reading a book.  Bonus points if it's by Steinbeck or Fannie Flagg!)

Monday, October 9, 2017

Chicken Noodle Soup (In the crock pot)

It's getting cold outside and I love it!! Fall is my favorite! And this is my favorite chicken noodle soup recipe.  It's super quick to throw together and it cooks in a crock pot- making the house smell delicious. I love to make it with homemade egg noodles but it's also delicious with store bought noodles.  I've also updated the recipe with the freezer meal instructions I used in my freezer meal workshop last month! Combine all the ingredients in a crock pot for a yummy meal today or combine them all in a freezer bag and cook it on a busy day in the future!  Enjoy!

Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients:
3 chicken breasts
5 large carrots (peeled and chopped)
3 celery stalks (chopped)
½ sweet onion (chopped)
6 tsp. chicken bouillion
½ cup butter
2.5 tsp. minced garlic
½ tsp. dried thyme
½ tsp. sage
1 T. Parsley
6 cups water (if freezing only use 1 cup water and add the rest when ready to cook)
3 cups prepared egg noodles (use store bought or my favorite homemade recipe from mel's kitchen cafe)

Regular Prep Instructions:
Place all ingredients (other than egg noodles) in a large crock pot.  Cook on low for 7-8 hours or until chicken is cooked through and veggies are tender.  

Take chicken out of crock pot and shred, then return to soup. 

Cook noodles according to package or recipe instructions and add to soup.  Enjoy!

Freezer Meal Prep Instructions:
Combine all ingredients (only use 1 cup of the water, and exclude the noodles) in a gallon sized freezer bag. Label and freeze.

When ready to serve- place in crock pot with the other 5 cups of water (and 1 bay leaf if desired). Cook on low for 9-10 hours if frozen, or 7-8 hours if thawed or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender. 

Take chicken out of crock pot and shred, then return to soup.

If adding noodles:
Boil egg noodles in water according to directions in recipe and add to soup OR pour soup into a large stock pot and bring to a boil on the stove. Boil noodles in soup according to the noodle recipe and serve!