Jennifer Lambert

A Sacred Balance

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Cockaleekie Soup

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Less Busywork & More Learning with Notebooking

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A quick and easy meal for weeknights is cockaleekie or chicken and leek soup.

Leeks are typically a spring vegetable. They’re lighter and sweeter than onions.

They look like giant green onions or chives.

I love having leftover chicken in the freezer and chicken stock on hand for easy meals like this one.

I chop up celery and carrots. I clean and slice up the leeks.

Sauteed in butter or oil, they smell heavenly.

I add herbs, black pepper, chicken stock, and chopped cooked chicken.

It’s ready in fewer than 30 minutes!

With a salad and some 1-hour bread machine soda bread, it’s a hearty meal for a cold night.

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Cockaleekie Soup

Course Soup

Ingredients

  • 1 c sliced leeks
  • 1 carrot, peeled and sliced
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • 1-2 T butter, oil, or bacon grease
  • 1-2 T white wine or sherry
  • 3 c chicken stock
  • 1 c cooked chicken
  • 1 T black pepper
  • 1 T thyme leaves
  • 1 c cooked brown rice

Instructions

  1. Saute vegetables in fat for about 5 minutes. Splash with wine.

  2. Add stock and chicken. Heat to boiling.

  3. Add seasoning and rice. Serve warm with soda bread.

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Chicken Noodle Soup

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I almost always have chicken stock in my freezer.

I make a fresh slow cooker full every time we have chicken bones.

Easy slow cooker chicken stock:

  • chicken bones (or turkey)
  • 1 T apple cider vinegar
  • 1 small tomato or 3-5 grape tomatoes (optional)
  • 1-2 carrots ( I don’t even peel them)
  • 1-2 celery stalks
  • 5 whole cloves
  • 5 whole peppercorns
  • 2 Bay leaves

Fill with water and set slow cooker on low for 12 hours.

*I don’t add onion or garlic to stock because it makes it bitter.

Strain and use immediately in recipes or freeze in labeled quart bags.

I sometimes can get a second slow cooker pot of slightly weaker stock if there are a lot of bones.

Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

Sautéing up a mirepoix, making a roux, and adding fresh boiled noodles or leftover rice with cooked chicken and veggies is super easy and quick.

This is a great soup when someone is feeling sick in my house. I can usually whip it up quick with leftovers or freezer items I keep on hand. I can update this soup with various veggies and herbs for brighter flavor.

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Chicken Noodle Soup

Course Soup

Ingredients

  • 1-2 stalks celery, minced
  • 1-2 carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 1/4 c butter
  • 6 c chicken stock
  • 1-2 lbs chopped cooked chicken
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 T minced garlic
  • 1 t thyme leaves
  • 1 T parsley
  • 1 T lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 package good quality egg noodles boiled to al dente

Instructions

  1. Boil noodles according to package instructions.

  2. Saute veggies in butter for a few minutes.

  3. Add chicken stock.

  4. Add chicken and seasonings. Simmer for 30 minutes until flavors meld.

  5. I sometimes like to add dill, sage, or rosemary for extra flavor.

  6. Remove bay leaves and serve warm with noodles.

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KaTom Cooking Thermometer Review

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We love the features on this cooking thermometer from KaTom.

It has an on/off switch and handy dandy case so the therm stick doesn’t get bent or upset. It’s become our favorite!

We tested out the thermometer on this tasty Caribbean Chicken Recipe.

I used boneless skinless chicken breasts, but thighs would work well too.

Fun spice combos

Mix with oil and honey. I added seeded chopped jalapenos later so it’s not too spicy.

I marinated the chicken almost all day.

Alex did great grilling the checking the temperature!

Easy to read!

I grilled jalapenos from the marinade and they turned all sweet and delicious.

I served the chicken with yellow rice and black beans.

We’re really happy with the thermometer and chicken recipe!

Get the KaTom thermometer and the Caribbean chicken recipe.

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Cashew Chicken

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Cashew chicken is a favorite at our house.

It’s easy to make on a weeknight.

It’s even easy enough for my kids to make it!

Everyone loves it – even my baby niece who eats next to nothing. They now call it “Aunt Jennifer’s Chicken.”

We chop up boneless skinless chicken breasts into bite-size chunks. Sprinkle on a little cornstarch and stir in some sugar, salt, sesame oil, and soy sauce. We let it sit for about 30 minutes. This makes a delicious crust when it’s stir-fried in hot oil. We use peanut oil, but coconut oil or olive oil works well too. We avoid canola and most other oils.

Marinating Chicken

My kids love to help by chopping up veggies and setting the table. They often help cook too! The hot oil is a bit too dangerous – even for me. The husband usually does that part.

Yes, she knows she’s supposed to have her hair pulled back. Sigh.

Chopping Vegetables

My husband heats up peanut oil in the wok. He stir-fries the chicken in batches.

Sauteeing Chicken

After stir-frying the chicken, we let it drain in a colander.

He stir-fries the veggies, then adds the chicken and sauce in.

Draining Chicken

These are our favorite cashews.

Our Favorite Cashews

I blend the sauce in a measuring cup. It’s just chicken stock, cornstarch, and Hoisin sauce. Super simple but very flavorful! I often use lots of minced garlic.

Sauce for Cashew Chicken

I like onions, peppers, and mushrooms in mine. The kids prefer just water chestnuts. I make jasmine rice and usually steam some broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower also.

We always have happy kids on Cashew Chicken night!

Cashew Chicken for Dinner

 

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Cashew Chicken

Course Main Dish
Cuisine Asian
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 4-6 chicken breasts or thighs boneless skinless
  • 1 c vegetables water chestnuts, onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, etc.
  • 2-3 T peanut or coconut oil
  • 1/2 c cashews

Marinade

  • 2 T soy sauce
  • 2 T sesame oil
  • 2 T cornstarch
  • 1 T sugar

Sauce

  • 1 T cornstarch
  • 1.5 c chicken stock
  • 2 T hoisin sauce

Instructions

  1. Slice chicken into bite-sized pieces.
  2. Roll chicken pieces in cornstarch. Marinate in soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar.
  3. While chicken is marinating, chop veggies and prep rice. Mix sauce in a small bowl or measuring cup. Set aside.
  4. Stir fry chicken in small batches in wok or large skillet. Drain in colander or on paper towels.
  5. Stir fry or steam veggies.
  6. Return chicken to pan and pour in sauce. It should thicken quickly. Add veggies to saucy pan if desired. Sprinkle cashews over top. Garnish with cilantro if desired.
  7. Serve over jasmine rice.

Other Kids in the Kitchen recipes:

Raspberry White Frozen Hot Chocolate – Cooking with Kids | The Gifted Gabber

Super-Healthy and Super-Yummy Strawberry Pineapple Smoothie | Living Montessori Now

Linking up: LouLou Girls, Modest Mom, Strangers & Pilgrims on Earth, Tell Me a True Story, What Joy is Mine, Pat and Candy, VMG206, Oh My Heartsie Girl, Southern Beauty Guide, Classical Homemaking, Holly Barrett, Holley Gerth, Live Laugh Rowe,  Feeding Big, Creative K Kids, Life Beyond the Kitchen, Sincerely Paula, Create with Joy, Happy and Blessed Home, Juggling Real Food and Real Life, Sugar Spice and Family Life, Being a Wordsmith, Strawberry Butterscotch, Saving 4 Six, Kids Activities Blog,
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Dill Chicken Soup

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Less Busywork & More Learning with Notebooking

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The kids love this creamy dill chicken orzo soup in springtime – or anytime!

It’s a great way to use chicken leftovers.
Or, I roast some seasoned chicken breasts in the oven while I prep everything else.
I seasoned these with paprika, garlic, lemon, salt, and pepper. I drizzled olive oil to make sure they didn’t stick to the pan.
Roast Chicken Breasts
A super easy way to shred cooked chicken is to use the paddle attachment on the stand mixer.
paddle stand mixer
Give it a whirl until it’s the desired shredded consistency.
shredded chicken
I sliced a leek, chopped some celery and carrots. Close enough to the holy trinity of cooking: mire poix.
mire poix
I sauté those up in a little butter and bacon grease.
vegetables
You need a good chicken stock. We usually have some homemade chicken stock in the freezer. But we like Kitchen Basics too.
chicken stock
I dump in the frozen stock and put a lid on it. It melts in a just few minutes.
melt frozen stock
I prefer fresh dill, but we used dried this time.
dill and orzo
I throw a handful of sea salt in a pot to boil the orzo al dente.
salted water
When the water has big bubbles, I dump in about a cup of orzo.
1 cup orzo
I drain the orzo and spritz on some olive oil so it doesn’t get all sticky.
drain orzo
The stock is melted, so I blend the vegetables with my stick blender.
stick blender
The soup is hot, so be careful with the blender.
blend soup
It’s all pretty now.
blended soup
I add in the orzo and shredded chicken. I sprinkle in about 1 T of dill.
about 1 T dill
It smells amazing.
dill chicken soup

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Dill Chicken Soup

The kids love this creamy dill chicken orzo soup in springtime - or anytime!
Course Soup
Cuisine Soup
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 1 T olive oil or bacon grease
  • 4-6 chicken breasts or thighs boneless, skinless
  • 1 leek sliced
  • 1-2 stalks celery chopped
  • 1-2 carrots chopped
  • 6 c chicken stock
  • 1 c orzo cooked to al dente
  • 1/4 c fresh dill or 1 T dry dill
  • 1-2 T lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Season and roast chicken breasts in oven at 350* until cooked through, about 30-40 minutes. Or use leftover rotisserie chicken.
  2. Cook leek, celery, and carrot, in oil or grease, stirring often, until soft, 5-8 minutes.
  3. Set water and salt to boil. Cook orzo according to instructions. Drain. Drizzle with oil so it doesn't stick together.
  4. Add broth to vegetables and bring to boil.
  5. Shred chicken with stand mixer or forks.
  6. Blend vegetables and broth with stick blender.
  7. Add chicken, orzo, and dill to soup and warm.
  8. Season with lemon, salt, and pepper.

Dill Chicken Orzo Soup

Linking up:  Relentlessly Fun Deceptively Educational, Practical Mom, ABC Creative Learning, Life of Faith, Making Our Life Matter, The Quintessential Mommy, Marilyns Treats, The Modest Mom, The Crazy Organized Blog, Sarah Celebrates, VMG 206, F Dean Hackett,Time Warp Wife, Rich Faith Rising, Donna Reidland, A Proverbs 31 Wife, What Joy is Mine, Curly Crafty Mom, The Natural Homeschool, Classical Homemaking, Oh My Heartsie Girl, Adventures of Mel, Crystal and Co, Raising Homemakers,  A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, A Little R&R, Wholehearted Home, Pat and Candy, A Bountiful Love, Lamberts Lately, Bloom Designs,  I Choose Joy, Frog’s Lilypad, Organized 31, Our 4 Kiddos, Sugar Spice and Family Life,  Life with Lorelai, Susan B Mead, Coffeeshop Conversations, Create with Joy, Sincerely Paula, The Crazy Organized Blog,  Oh My Heartsie Girl Friday, Being a Wordsmith, Bloghetti,

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Chicken Marsala

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Our stuffed chicken marsala is sweet and salty and layers of deliciousness.

Stuffed Chicken Marsala

I get very thin chicken breasts and stuff them with cheese, spinach, and prosciutto or ham. I salt and pepper and flour them and then sear them in olive oil.

searing the chicken

I drain off most of the oil.

par cooked chicken

Add chicken stock and Marsala wine.

marsala

Add the chicken back to the soup and let simmer until fully cooked and the liquid is reduced and thick.

marsala simmering

Look at those layers! Gorgeous.

layers of yumminess

Now that my kids are growing up and becoming rather large eaters, I have to buy a lot of chicken to feed our little army. I love using my All-Clad Saute Pan!

 

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Chicken Marsala

Course Main Dish
Cuisine Italian

Ingredients

  • 1 package thin-sliced chicken breasts or butterfly regular breasts
  • 1 package Prosciutto or thin ham
  • Provolone, Parmesan, or Gruyere thin cheese slices
  • baby spinach leaves
  • basil or sage leaves
  • 1 small sweet onion or shallot, chopped
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 package sliced button mushrooms
  • 1/2 c olive oil
  • 1/2 c Marsala wine
  • 1 c chicken stock

Instructions

  1. Stuff chicken breasts with ham, spinach, sage, and cheese. Roll and toothpick closed.
  2. Salt and pepper and flour and set aside.
  3. Heat olive oil in a large pan. Sauté onions, mushrooms, and garlic (I actually do this in butter in a separate pan since no one else eats this). Sear chicken on all sides and set aside.
  4. Drain all the oil except a couple tablespoons.
  5. Add stock and wine to pan. Return chicken to the pan with onions, mushrooms, and garlic.
  6. Simmer until chicken is cooked through and soup reduces. About 30 minutes.
  7. Serve with pretty noodles and steamed asparagus or broccoli. Lots of shredded Parmesan cheese and garlic bread.

Linking up: Kids Activities Blog, A Bowl Full of Lemons, Our Table for Seven, The Recipe Critic, Your Homebased Mom, Eats Amazing

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