Comfort food…

So I know, I haven’t been here in forever and along I come without a recipe. I apologize for that. But I’m sitting here, and the house just smells amazing. And the smells just got me thinking about how funny it is that certain smells can bring you to a place of such relaxation and comfort. 

Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:
4-5 chicken breasts

4 Knorr Chicken Homestyle Stock (1 box)
1 bag frozen veggies (mirepoix blend)
1 (16oz) box small noodle of your choice (tonight we are using Farfelle)
14-18 cups of water

Put the Knorr Homestyle Stock and 7 cups of water in stock pot. Set to medium heat. Put chicken breasts in pot. Boil, stirring occasionally for about an hour. Remove the chicken breasts and shred them (you can eliminate this step by cubing them before you boil them). Put chicken back in pot. Add 7 cups of water and veggies. Allow to simmer for at least half an hour. Add noodles. If soup seems to full of fillings and not enough broth add water until desired “soupiness”. Cook noodles for about 15 minutes (or recommended time on the box) until desired doneness. Serve with crackers. Enjoy.

**This soup is filling. I recommend you serve it as a main dish.**

Pumpkin Bread

2/3 cup shortening
2 & 2/3 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 (16 oz) can pumpkin (pure pumpkin not pie pumpkin)
2/3 cup water
3 & 1/3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 & 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
2/3 cup coarsely chopped nuts
2/3 cup raisins (I skip the raisins)

Heat oven to 350*. Grease bottoms of 2 loaf pans (9x5x3) or 3 loaf pans ( 8&1/2x4x2&1/2) [I grease the full pan, and use mini loaf pans].

Mix shortening and sugar in large bowl. Add eggs, pumpkin and water. Blend in flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and cloves. Stir in nuts and raisins. Pour into prepared pans.

Bake until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes; cool slightly. Loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove from pans. Cool completely before slicing.

To store: wrap and refrigerate no longer than 10 days.

**This recipe comes from Betty Crocker Cookbook circa 1976**

Nana’s Zucchini Bread

3 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
2 tsp vanilla
3 tsp cinnamon
2 cups grated zucchini
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup nuts (Nana preferred pecans)
2 ¼ cup flour

Mix first 5 ingredients in one bowl. Mix last 6 ingredients in 2^nd bowl.  Slowly add first bowl to second bowl. Pour into well greased loaf pan (or mini loaf pans) **Nana preferred a tube pan** Bake at 350* for 1 hour. Toothpick inserted in center should come out clean or with a few crumbs on it.

Optional glaze:

2/3 cup powder sugar
¼ tsp vanilla
2 tbsp soft butter
a little warm water

**This is a family recipe, passed down from my Nana (great grandmother)**

Fresh Apple Bread

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 & 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
2 Granny Smith Apples-peeled, cored, finely grated (I use the food processor)
3/4 cup chopped nuts (I use pecans)

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.

Cream butter. Gradually add sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat eggs, one at a time, into sugar mixture.

Alternately add the flour mixture and apples to creamed mixture. Stir in nuts.

Pour into well greased 9-inch loaf pan. (Or multiple mini pans).

Bake in a 350* oven for 50-60 minutes, or until bread is browned and springs back when lightly pressed in center. Toothpick inserted in center should come out clean or with only a few crumbs.

Cool for 10-15 minutes in pan before removing. Cool completely before slicing.

Hungarian Goulash

2 lbs stew beef
1 medium onion, sliced
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup ketchup
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp packed brown sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dry mustard
dash of cayenne
1/4 cup cold water
2 tbsp flour

Cook and stir beef, onion and garlic in shortening until beef is brown; drain. Stir in 1 1/2 cups water, the ketchup, Worcestershire, brown sugar, salt, paprika, mustard and cayenne. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until beef is tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Shake 1/4 cup cold water and the flour in tightly covered container; stir gradually into beef mixture. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute.

Serve over egg noodles.

**This is an old Betty Crocker Red Book recipe**