Easy Cooking Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

This easy-cooking-for-men Chicken Noodle Soup recipe is one of those comfort meals that warms your body in the winter. It's everyones favourite, and a great way to get the kids to eat vegetables. This recipe is one that i can easily prepare in the morning before work in my morphy richards slow cooker, i find that the longer the chicken is cooked the more tender and more full of flavour. In fact this recipe is part of my slow cooker cookbook series.

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts, finely diced
• 1 litre chicken stock
• 1 litre vegetable stock
• 1 table spoon crushed garlic
• 1 brown onion, diced
• 2 medium sized carrots, finely diced
• 2 stalks of celery finely diced
• 1 parsnip finely diced
• 1 turnip finely diced
• 3 medium sized potatoes, diced
• 1 packet white egg noodles
• Your choice of dried mixed herbs
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Dried chilli flakes (optional)

Method:

• Make up equal portions of chicken and vegetable stock.
• Bring the mixed stock to a boil in a large cooking pot.
• Finely dice the chicken breasts and place in the pot.
• Diced the vegetables and add into the pot.
• Bring the stock to a boil, add the garlic and herbs into stock and reduce heat to a simmer. Place a lid on the pot.
• Let simmer for a minimum of 1 hour and no longer than 3 hours, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes.
• Remember to check the stock levels as it will evaporate off, replace as necessary.
• 5 minutes prior to completing the cooking process chop the egg noodles and place into the pot.
• Turn the heat up to induce a boil.
• Serve immeaditely, grind salt and pepper over each bowl to taste.

Serve with:

Fresh crusty bread and butter.

Variation:

To add some kick to this Chicken Noodle Soup recipe sprinkle dried chilli flakes over each bowl just prior to serving.

Note:

# 1 - The amount of stock used will depend on the cooking time, the longer the cooking time the more tender the chicken. When the chicken starts to break apart it's perfect.

# 2 - You can substitute just about any vegetables and herbs you like with this recipe, within reason. If you think a different vegetable or herb will taste good, it probably will.

# 3 - If using a store bought stock it will likely have a high salt content so careful with salt

# 4 - For best result allow the chicken to cook for an hour before adding the vegetable for another hour, this will help to make the chicken more tender and make this the best Chicken Noodle Soup recipe anyone has ever tasted.

Easy Cooking Cabbage Soup Recipe

Soups are a great source of vitamins without being a heavy meal ie low in fat and carbs, this easy-cooking-for-men Cabbage Soup recipe is based on the famous Cabbage Soup diet where this recipe claims people can loose 10 pound (or 5 kilos) in a week.

The other great thing about soup are they are usually a cheap meal, are a real treat to warm you up in winter, and although cooking time is a little on the high side the preperation time is low.

Ingredients:

• 8 cups of water (can be substitited for chicken or vegetable stock)
• cabbage leaves
• 2 medium sized carrots
• 1 brown onion
• 1 green capsicum
• 1 tomato
• 2 celery stalks
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• salt and pepper
• chilli flakes (optional)
• 1 tomato (optional)
• 1 chicken breast diced (optional)

Method:

• Add water to a large pot and turn on medium heat.
• Cut all vegetables and place them in the warm pot with brief stirring.
• Add the thyme.
• Turn on the high heat and let it boil for 5 minutes with constant stirring.
• Turn down to low heat, cover and let it simmer for 30 to 45 min.
• Scoop into a bowl and serve with freshly cracked salt and pepper.
• To add a little kick to your cabbage soup recipe try a sprinkle of dried chilli flakes on top just prior to serving.
  

Variation:

For a finer cabbage soup recipe add another tomato and 1 teaspoon of minced garlic into the mix prior to boiling. After boiling pour all ingredients into a blender and blend until desired cabbage soup consistency is achieved.

Easy Cooking Pumpkin Soup Recipe

This easy cooking for men pumpkin soup recipe is not only very simple and healthy but is probably the cheapest main course meal you could ever serve up at the dinner table.

Ingredients:

• Half Pumpkin
• 4 large potatoes
• 1 brown or white onion
• tablespoon minced garlic
• mixed herbs
• 3 litres of water (vegetable stock optional)
  
• ground rock salt and cracked pepper
• Handful of parsley

Method:

• Pour the water into a large pot and boil. While the water is boiling cut the skin off the pumpkin and cut into pieces, large or small it doesn't matter.
• Peel the potatoes and cut into pieces.
• Peel the onion and dice finely.
• Once the water starts to boil add the pumpkin, potatoes, onion, garlic, and mixed herbs.
• Put a lid on the pot and turn the heat down to a point where the water is just able to remain boiling for 30 minutes.
• Monitor that the water does not evapourate off.
• Test that the pumpkin abd potatoes are soft by prodding with a butter knife. If the knife goes through easy the the soup is cooked.
• Remove the pot from the stove, drain off any excess water into another pot or bowl. Mash with a masher or beat with a hand held beater into the desired consistency.
• If you like the soup thin and runny you can add more of the water back in and mix well. I prefer a very thich pumpkin soup recipe that is roughly mashed, ie still just able to see small bits of potato.
• Scoop into a bowl and serve. Note, warn your diners that soups are very hot, i have burned my mouth on this one more times than i can remember.
• Garnish the top of each bowl with a small picking or parsley.
• Crack rock salt and pepper over the top of each bowl to taste. Note, if using vegetable stock instead of water be aware that stock usually contains high amounts of salt and that additional salt should not be required.
  

Variation:
Substitute the water for vegetable stock, or part there of.

Serve with:
Serve your easy cooking pumpkin soup recipe with fresh crusty bread and butter.
If the soup is thick (as per my ideal above) then you can easily scoop the soup onto the bread.