Homemade Chicken Soup

Bread Pudding

Yield: 6

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Bread Pudding

• 3 cups milk
• 3 x eggs
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 x loaf day old bread, cut into cubes and toasted
• 1 cup raisins
• 2 tbsp course sugar

Directions:

Bread Pudding

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Whisk together milk, eggs, brown sugar, spices and vanilla. Toss in bread and raisins. Pour into a 9” by 9” ovenproof casserole dish, sprinkle with course sugar and bake for 30-45 minutes, until eggs are set, and the top is golden brown.

Chunky Monkey

Yield: 2

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Chunky Monkey

• 1 x banana, peeled
• 2 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 x small tortilla

Directions:

Chunky Monkey

1. Spread peanut butter over entire surface of tortilla. Lay whole banana across one edge of the tortilla and flatten slightly. Roll tightly. Slice into 1-inch discs.

Cucumber and Carrot Salad

Yield: 4

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don?t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Cucumber and Carrot Salad

• 1 x cucumber
• 2 x carrots, peeled
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• dash of Tabasco sauce or other hot sauce
• pinch of salt

Directions:

Cucumber and Carrot Salad

1. Thinly slice cucumber and carrots. Place in a bowl and add vinegar, olive oil, honey, Tabasco sauce and season with salt. Toss well.

Homemade Chicken Broth with Matzo Balls

Yield: 4

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don?t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

For the Broth:

• 1 x chicken carcass, meat removed and reserved for another use
• 3 x carrots, cut into chunks
• 3 stalks of celery, cut into chunks
• 3 x onions, cut into quarters
• 1 x small bunch of fresh parsley
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme

For the Matzo Balls:

• 4 x eggs
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 cup matzo meal
• Salt and pepper

For the Soup Base:

• 1 x recipe of chicken broth
• 1 inch piece of ginger, grated
• 2 cups of baby spinach leaves
• 3 x green onions, sliced
• 1 cup of bean sprouts

Directions:

For the Broth:

1. Roast chicken carcass in a 400-degree oven until golden brown. Place into a stockpot along with the carrots, celery, onions, parsley and thyme. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil and then let simmer for 1 hour. Strain.

For the Matzo Balls:

1. Whisk together eggs, oil, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.
2. Stir in matzo meal and let rest for 20 minutes. Form into balls with two spoons.

For the Soup Base:

1. Bring chicken broth to a simmer and add matzo balls. Cook for 10 minutes; they are done when they float to the top. Add ginger, spinach, onions and bean sprouts and stir to wilt, just prior to serving

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