Chicken, and it's uses!

I found this blog called $5 dinners, and I got this recipe and many other ideas from the site! Go and check it out, it looks like a feasible idea and plan, and with a family of 8, I need it.

While I was at the museum with my friends... I had a whole chicken cooking in the crockpot.

Some water, chicken rub over the top and it was on high. I left fairly confident of the outcome.

It came out even better than I thought. Juicy, wonderful. I took all the meat off, and fed three of my kids chicken, broccoli and rolls for dinner.

I had over two cups of chicken left over, so I took another idea from the blog. I decided to make Homemade Chicken noodle soup. Here is the recipe, and I added a few twists.


Chicken Noodle Soup

1 tablespoon butter ($.10)
2/3 cup chopped onion ($.25)
2/3 cup chopped celery ($.25)
3 cups chicken broth (free, if you save it from the chicken you cooked)
water
2 cups chopped chicken ($2)
3 cups egg noodles ($.30) (I used some Fideo Cortado, awesome!!)
1-1/3 cups sliced carrots ($.40)
1 teaspoon dried basil ($.05)
1 teaspoon dried oregano ($.05)
salt and pepper to taste ($.05)

In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Cook onion and celery in butter until just tender, 5 minutes. Pour in broth and stir in chicken, noodles, carrots, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Add water until all the ingredients are covered with liquid. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes before serving. Serve with a loaf of crusty bread.

Now.. I forgot the basil and oregano, because I'm a dork!
I also used a different kind of noodle (Fideo Cortado- Fino) , something smaller that I dished into the bottom of the bowl before I put the soup over the top of it, that worked out REALLY well!

I also had leftover broccoli that I added to the recipe. I had lightly steamed them the night before and they really mixed into the soup very well (It was also $1 a pound for florets, so I couldn't pass it up!)

I made Grilled cheese sandwiches with it, and rounded out the meal quite nicely!

I also have enough left over for two lunches! One for me, and one for my roommate!