Easy Slow Cooker or Stove Top Italian Wedding Soup

Easy Slow Cooker or Stove Top Italian Wedding Soup

by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Wedding soup has everything good: great broth, chicken, meatballs, pasta, and hearty vegetables! This soup can be made in the slow cooker or on the stove, so I’ll provide you with my recipe for both options!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup onion, finely chopped
  • 1 cup carrots, peeled and diced
  • 1 cup celery, diced
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil (for stovetop recipe)
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 8 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • Salt, to taste
  • Pepper, to taste
  • 1 pound frozen mini meatballs, precooked (regular size will work fine as well!)
  • 1 cups Acini de pepe pasta, cooked to package instructions
  • Cooked diced/shredded chicken, according to taste (optional)
  • 1-1.5 cups fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated (option for topping)

Stovetop Directions

  1. Add olive oil to a large Dutch oven or stock pot and heat to medium high heat.
  2. Add onion, carrots, and celery to the heated pot and sauté vegetables until soft. Add garlic and sauté another 30 seconds or until fragrant.
  3. Add broth, water, and seasoning to the pot and bring to a low boil. Once the pot has reached a low boil, add frozen meatballs and turn heat to medium-low and allow to simmer covered for an hour or until vegetables are soft and meatballs are heated through.
  4. While ingredients are simmering, cook Acini de pepe according to package directions and set aside.
  5. Once all ingredients have simmered, remove soup pot from heat and add diced or shredded chicken and spinach. Stir until spinach is softened. Serve immediately with shredded mozzarella for topping.

Slow Cooker Directions

  1. Add broth, water, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and seasoning to a slow cooker. Cook on low 7 hours or high 3 hours.
  2. Add frozen meatballs to the slow cooker and cook another 30 minutes on high or until meatballs are heated through. Cook Acini de pepe according to package instructions and set aside.
  3. Add shredded/diced chicken (optional), pasta, and spinach until spinach is softened. Serve immediately with shredded mozzarella.
Copycat Chick-Fil-A Kale Crunch Salad

Copycat Chick-Fil-A Kale Crunch Salad

by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Chick-fil-a’s Kale Crunch salad is one of my favorite salads. I was determined to find a great copycat recipe and this one fits the bill! If you’d like to check out the original, you can find it from State of Dinner.

Ingredients

  • 1 small shallot finely chopped
  • 3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Kale Crunch Salad
  • 4 cups curly leaf kale chopped
  • 2 cups green cabbage or Brussels sprouts chopped or shredded
  • ¼ cup almonds sliced or slivered
  • ¼ cup shaved Parmesan (optional)

Directions

  1. Whisk the chopped shallots, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, and dijon mustard in a small bowl or jar. 
  2. Slowly pour the olive oil in with a steady stream while whisking continuously. You can also use an immersion blender to mix the oil into the dressing.
  3. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  4. Toss the chopped kale and cabbage in a large serving bowl. Sprinkle with almonds and Parmesan cheese, if using.
  5. Drizzle with the apple cider-dijon dressing and toss to coat.
  6. Serve immediately.
Set and Forget Slow Cooker Bone Broth

Set and Forget Slow Cooker Bone Broth

by Engineered Mama ♥ 3 Comments

Chicken broth is used in so many recipes I make frequently that I thought I would attempt bone broth after making a whole chicken. This recipe turned out fantastic, so I’ll definitely be making it every time I make a whole chicken from now on!

Ingredients

  • Chicken carcass (this must be a carcass from an already roasted chicken) and any additional pan drippings from roasting or slow cooking
  • 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 medium onion, halved
  • 2 carrots, peeled and halved
  • 2 ribs of celery with leaves, cut into thirds
  • 2 cloves of garlic, smashed
  • 1 bay leaf (optional)
  • 12 cups filtered water (I use distilled water for this recipe)

Directions

  1. Add carcass and any pan juices to the slow cooker. Add all other ingredients and cover with 12 cups of filtered water.
  2. Cook on low for 15 hours.
  3. Remove all solid pieces such as carcass pieces and vegetables.
  4. Using a fine mesh strainer, strain the liquid into a container and allow to reach room temperature. Cover with an air right lid and refrigerate overnight.
  5. Scrape any fat off the top of the liquid after refrigerating or strain again. Refrigerate for up to 4 days or place broth into a freezer container and freeze for up to 3 months. Broth will expand when frozen, so be sure to leave extra space in the container for expansion.
Easy Slow Cooker or Dutch Oven Whole Chicken with Vegetables

Easy Slow Cooker or Dutch Oven Whole Chicken with Vegetables

by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

1. This is easy-set and forget in the slow cooker or Dutch Oven in the oven, 2. An entire meal in one pot, 3. Broth may be easily made from the carcass (you can find that recipe here!).

Yes, I know my chicken is upside down-I was experimenting to see if I could make sure the chicken breast didn’t dry out. This one is up to you-it did turn out juicier than normal, but I think I prefer breast side up better still because of the oil and seasoning that cooks into the chicken.

Ingredients

  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped into 1 inch pieces
  • 4 medium carrots, chopped into 1 inch pieces
  • 2 medium Yukon gold or red potatoes, chopped into 1 inch pieces
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • Dried rosemary, to taste
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 4 pound whole chicken
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 lemon (cut in half)
  • Water, to cover bottom of slow cooker/pot

Slow Cooker Directions

  1. Add vegetables to the bottom of a slow cooker in an even, single layer. Add just enough water to almost cover vegetables so they don’t burn during cooking.
  2. Rinse chicken well and remove any giblets or organs that remain inside the chicken. Place half of a lemon inside the chicken. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables and water with the chicken breasts facing up.
  3. Brush olive oil only the chicken and sprinkle all seasonings onto the chicken evenly, coating the entire chicken. Sprinkle fresh or dried rosemary over the chicken according to taste.
  4. Cook on high 5-6 hours or low 8-9 hours or until an instant read meat thermometer reads 165 degrees F.
  5. Remove chicken and vegetables from slow cooker. Reserve carcass to make bone broth if desired.

Dutch Oven Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Add vegetables to the bottom of a large Dutch oven in an even, single layer. Add just enough water to almost cover vegetables so they don’t burn during cooking.
  3. Rinse chicken well and remove any giblets or organs that remain inside the chicken. Place half of a lemon inside the chicken. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables and water with the chicken breasts facing up.
  4. Brush olive oil only the chicken and sprinkle all seasonings onto the chicken evenly, coating the entire chicken. Sprinkle fresh or dried rosemary over the chicken according to taste.
  5. Cook covered in oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Uncover and roast another 30 minutes to brown the skin. Ensure the chicken is thoroughly cooked to 165 degrees F by inserting an instant read meat thermometer.
  6. Remove chicken and vegetables from the Dutch oven. Reserve carcass to make bone broth if desired.
Easy Japchae Noodles (Glass Noodles)

Easy Japchae Noodles (Glass Noodles)

by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

I have always loved glass noodles, but they intimidated me for some reason. Well, guess what? They’re just as easy as any other noodle to make-boil and done! The great thing about these glass noodles is they absorb any flavor or sauce after cooking and the sauce for this dish is absolutely fantastic! Check out the original recipe from Drive Me Hungry.

Ingredients

Stir Fry Noodles

  • 8 oz Korean glass noodles
  • 2 large eggs, whites and yolks separated
  • 2 Tbsp avocado oil
  • 6 large shiitake mushrooms, sliced 1/3 inch thick
  • 1/3 large yellow onion, sliced 1/3 inch thick
  • 1/2 large red bell pepper, julienned 1/4 inch thick
  • 1/2 large yellow bell pepper, julienned 1/4 inch thick
  • 1/2 large carrot, julienned 1/8 inch thick
  • 3 cups baby spinach, packed
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 stalks scallions, chopped (for garnish)
  • 2 tsp toasted white sesame seeds (for garnish)

Sauce

  • 3 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 Tbsp brown sugar, packed
  • 1 Tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil

Directions

  1. This noodle dish goes quickly, so prepare all ingredients and sauce prior to cooking the noodles.
  2. Mix all the sauce ingredients together in small bowl until the sugar dissolves. Set it aside.
  3. Cook the Korean glass noodles according to the directions. Be sure not to over cook them as they can get soggy. Drain the water and add the hot noodles to a large bowl. 
  4. Add the sauce to noodles and toss to combine. Let sit on the counter for the noodles to absorb the flavors of the sauce. Any excess sauce will be absorbed by the noodles.
  5. Cook the egg whites and egg yolks separately in a flat pan and cut them into strips. Set it aside.
  6. Heat the avocado oil in a pan over medium high heat and add the mushrooms and the onions. Stir fry them for 2 minutes.
  7. Next, add the red and yellow bell peppers, carrots, and minced garlic to the pan. Stir fry for 1 – 2 more minutes. Be careful not to overcook the vegetables, they should still be crunchy.
  8. Add the spinach and toss everything together until the spinach starts to wilt. Add a pinch of salt to season the vegetables and remove it from the heat. 
  9. Add the stir fried vegetables and egg to the seasoned glass noodles. Toss everything to combine and garnish with sesame seeds and chopped scallions.
Easy Cookie Bars for a Crowd

Easy Cookie Bars for a Crowd

by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

I LOVE fresh baked cookies. What I don’t like? Plopping them on the baking pan and trying to get them even. This solves that problem! Cookies for a crowd without the spooning and multiple sheet pans! If you’d like to see the original recipe, check it out from Jamie Cooks It Up!

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups butter
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 4 tsp vanilla
  • 4 1/4 cups flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 cups milk chocolate chips
  • 2 cups M&Ms

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
  2. Place butter into a large microwave safe bowl. Melt the butter in the microwave.
  3. Add brown sugar and white sugar and stir to combine. Then, add 2 eggs, 2 egg yolks and vanilla. Whisk it together until well combined.
  4. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda.
  5. Stir the dry mixture into the sugar mixture. Don’t mix it in all the way. The trick to making these bars nice and soft on the inside is not to over mix and not to over bake. So, at this stage, leave a bit of the flour showing. It will incorporate nicely as you stir in the chocolate.
  6. Add milk chocolate chips and M&M’s. Stir the chocolate in to combine.
  7. Spray a large cookie sheet with cooking spray (I use a 12” x 17” pan). Press the dough evenly into the pan.
  8. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until the outside is slightly golden. You want to be sure not to over bake. They are much better if the inside is nice and soft.
  9. Allow them to cool for about 10 minutes then slice into bars and enjoy!
Green Smoothie

Green Smoothie

by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

I love smoothies-all kinds. If I know I’m going to be insanely busy I love to make a meal of my smoothies. This one is perfect for a breakfast smoothie-packed with fuel food!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 medium ripe avocado, peeled & pitted
  • 2 cups spinach
  • 2 cups frozen pineapple chunks
  • 1 to 2 Tbsp honey or agave, or to taste

Directions

  1. Add all ingredients to the blender in order if most to least liquid: water, avocado, spinach, frozen pineapple chunks. Blend until smooth.
  2. Add honey or agave to taste, then blend until well incorporated.
Savory Roasted Chickpeas

Savory Roasted Chickpeas

by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

When I’m in the mood for something salty and crunchy this easy snack definitely delivers! You can customize the flavor to whatever your craving happens to be. Ranch? Done. Salty? Done.

Ingredients

  • 1 can garbanzo beans or chickpeas
  • seasoning of your choice:
    • Ranch seasoning
    • salt and pepper
    • chili pepper and cumin for some spice

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  1. Rinse and drain the chickpeas and blot dry with paper towel.
  1. Cover chickpeas in desired seasoning and place evenly on baking sheet.
  2. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until crisp.
How to Steam Frozen Soup Dumplings

How to Steam Frozen Soup Dumplings

by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Why, oh why did I not invest in a bamboo steamer sooner?! Seriously… bamboo steamers are a complete game changer. I kept seeing ads on Facebook for frozen soup dumplings and my hunger got the best of me and I made an impulse social media purchase. I have to say, it was a great investment and these dumplings and sauce pairings did not disappoint!

Xiao Chi Jie pork soup dumplings and their three sauce soup pack were excellent! The soup dumplings and sauce packets came packed in a cooler with dry ice and were so well packaged. I also purchased a bamboo steamer. The soup dumplings came with steamer basket liners, which made such a huge difference to allow for great steaming without sticking. You can purchase your own here on Amazon. You can also purchase your own bamboo steamer set here on Amazon. You’ll find my instructions below on how to steam your very own dumplings-it’s easier than you think!

Ingredients and Materials

  • Frozen soup dumplings
  • bamboo steamer
  • bamboo steamer mats/liners
  • large skillet
  • sauces (optional)

Directions

  1. Add about an inch of water to a large skillet over medium heat and bring to a boil.
  1. Place bamboo steamer mats or liners onto the bamboo steaming tray. Place frozen dumplings at least an inch apart in each basket. Stack the baskets and place the lid on the top once they are full.
  1. Place the stacked baskets into the skillet and allow to steam for approximately 11 minutes or heated through.
  1. Allow the dumplings to rest in the bamboo steamers for several minutes.
  2. Serve with sauces and enjoy!
Easy (Frozen or Fresh) Air Fryer Salmon with Sushi Seasoning

Easy (Frozen or Fresh) Air Fryer Salmon with Sushi Seasoning

by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

I love salmon and love finding new ways to cook it. I do believe this may be my new favorite. Bonus? It’s finished in 10 minutes in the air fryer with easy cleanup. Winner!

Ingredients

  • Salmon filets
  • Dijon mustard
  • Onion powder
  • Japanese Inspired Sesame Seaweed seasoning
  • Yum Yum sauce or spicy mayo, for serving (optional)

Directions

  1. Spread Dijon mustard over salmon filet evenly.
  2. Sprinkle onion powder over Dijon mustard. Sprinkle Japanese Inspired Sesame Seaweed seasoning evenly over Dijon mustard and onion powder. ** Wait to add toppings if cooking from frozen.
  3. Preheat air fryer to 390 degrees F. Cook salmon in air fryer for 8 minutes at 390 degrees F or until the internal temperature of salmon reaches 145 degrees F. If cooking from frozen, cook on 390 degrees F for 7 minutes. Add toppings to salmon and continue to cook for 8 minutes on 390 degrees F or until internal temperature of salmon reaches 145 degrees F.
  4. Serve over rice, quinoa, or Asian noodles. Top with Yum Yum sauce or spicy mayo, if desired.