The following post is from Shaina of Food for My Family and Olmanson Photography:
We’ve been hiding. Hiding inside our house behind the glass, curtains pulled closed to block out the winter wind. I’ll emerge again in February. February always seems closer to spring than farther from it. The promise of snow melting down the sidewalks and of the sun shining long into the night seems to make the cold more bearable, even if the temperature has remained constant through the whole of the two long months of winter. Plus, Valentine’s Day means we can stop being healthy and start eating chocolate again, so that’s always nice.
For now, however, I’ll continue hiding in my hobbit hole, pretending that the adventure is buried deep inside books read around the fireplace (note to self: install fireplace). I’ll feed my children warm bowls of food that double as lunch in their Thermos the next day. Warm food for cold nights and cold days is just what winter ordered.
Chicken and noodles are a lot like chicken soup. The difference is we use less broth in the stockpot and also use it to boil the noodles. The result is a creamy chicken and noodle dish that can be eaten just as easily with a fork or spoon. The leftovers reheat easily, turning this into a family staple for us cold-weather types.
| Chicken and Noodles |
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1/2 cup chopped onions
- 1/3 cup flour
- 3 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1/2 cup sherry or white wine
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cup cooked chicken
- 1/2 pound uncooked pasta
- Salt and pepper
- In a large stockpot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add in the celery, carrots, onions, and cook for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and stir in the flour.
- Continue cooking, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes until flour starts to turn golden. Mix in the sherry and spices. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.
- When the broth is boiling, add in the noodles and continue to boil until the pasta is cooked. When noodles are done, add chicken.
- Turn off the heat and allow to thicken as it stands. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.
What foods keep you warm through the dead of winter?
| Shaina Olmanson is the freelance writer, photographer, and home cook behind Food for My Family. Cooking daily with and for her four kids and husband, Ole, drives her desire to inspire other families to do the same. Shaina is also the author of Desserts in Jars and regularly contributes to various online sites and traditional print magazines. | |
