Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

 Jeepers! It is cold here! I think it probably feels colder because we had such a warm December. Yesterday I had a fire going in the fireplace trying to warm up, and spent a good bit of time in the kitchen. There is something about busying myself in the kitchen, with the oven going, that just seems so warm and cozy. Another thing that makes me feel warm and cozy is soup, particularly one as comforting as this creamy chicken noodle soup with wonderfully thick noodles.

Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

1 large skinless, boneless chicken breast
7 c. homemade chicken stock
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
3 scallions, chopped
1 t. dried parsley
1 t. seasoned salt
1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper
2 10.5-oz. cans condensed cream of chicken soup
1 c. sour cream

6 oz. wide egg noodles

Place chicken, stock, celery, carrot, scallions, parsley, seasoned salt, and pepper into the bottom of a 5-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low until chicken is no longer pink, 5 to 6 hours.

Remove chicken, shred or dice it, and return it to the pot. Stir in soup and egg noodles. Continue to cook until noodles are tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Stir in sour cream, and taste for additional seasoning.

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Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup

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Years ago there was a brilliant comedy called Seinfeld. It was a show about nothing, and ended up being a show about everything. In one episode, the main characters were ruminating over whether or not a bowl of soup could be considered a meal. Finally, it was decided, that if crackers were crumbled into a bowl of soup it can, indeed, be considered a meal.

I got to thinking about soup garnishes, and I decided to get a little crazy with mine. If you’re going to turn soup into a meal, why not begin with a simple, nutritious, fan favorite like cream of tomato soup, and go crazy with the garnishes. You can be as creative as your imagination allows.

Here, on top of this delicious roasted tomato soup, I have added chopped parsley, chopped bacon, toasted ravioli, and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. Hearty and delicious, this was definitely a meal. As I was eating it, I started to think about other garnishes that would work equally well. Here’s what I came up with:

Tater tots
French fries
Popcorn chicken
Popcorn shrimp
Popcorn
Mini grilled cheese sandwiches
French fried onion rings
Full sized onion rings
Mini sliders

See how many you can come up with on your own and be sure to tell me about it. I am definitely open to suggestion. Meanwhile, make yourself a bowl of this delicious and warming soup, and enjoy it in front of the fire.

 

Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup

2 T. olive oil

1 3-oz.pkg. Melissa’s shallots, chopped

½ c. diced celery

½ c. diced carrots

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 14.5-oz. cans of fire-roasted diced tomatoes with juices

2 14.5 oz. cans petite-diced tomatoes with juices

1 c. beef broth

½ c. heavy cream

1 bay leaf

¼ t. dried basil

1 t. smoked paprika

1 t. kosher salt

 Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large stockpot. Add the shallots, celery, and carrots, and sauté until tender, about five minutes. Reduce heat to medium and stir in garlic. Add remaining ingredients, give it a stir and simmer over medium/low heat for 15 minutes.

 Remove the bay leaf and use an immersion blender to blend the soup to your desired consistency. If you don’t have an immersion blender, well, get one, but in the meantime you can use a food processor or blender. If the soup is too thick, thin with more cream, beef stock, or tomato juice.