Chicken Wild Rice Soup

This is one of my favorite soups to make during the colder months. It is very yummy and has several "Micah friendly" steps. When we are working in the kitchen together, he has started calling us Big Chef and Little Chef. So cute. He is hoping that Santa Claus will bring him a kitchen like the one Ansley and Nathan have. How could Santa resist? Personally, I think Micah's chances are pretty good. :)

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

3 cups cooked wild rice (the real deal rice that requires 50 minutes of cooking)

2 cups cooked chicken

1 cup cubed cooked ham

1 cup shredded carrots

1 cup sliced celery

1 quart Half & Half (I usually use fat-free)

3 cubed cooked potatoes

3 cans chicken broth

1 medium onion chopped

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons melted butter

Combine all ingredients, except flour and butter, in large pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until heated (30-40 minutes). In a small bowl, stir together flour and melted butter. Stir into hot soup and continue cooking 8-10 minutes until thickened.

Monkey Macaroni

Ariana shared this very simple concoction with me several years ago, and I have been making it ever since. This is, hands down, Micah's favorite thing to make and eat! He has helped me make this so many times that I am positive he could make it all by himself. I always feel good about him eating this... tons of good healthy protein and fiber!!

1 box Annie's Organic Whole Wheat Shells & White Cheddar
1 Handful of Organic Sweet Peas
3 Slices of Turkey Bacon
Parmigiano-Reggiano (The real thing. No imitations.)

Cook the macaroni according to box directions. Toss in a handful of peas during the last minutes of cooking time. Strain. Add splash of milk, touch of butter and cheese powder. Crumble up turkey bacon (cooked in toaster oven/microwave) and stir together. Sprinkle grated parmigiano-reggiano over the top.

The majority of the time we make this, I don't add the bacon or Parmesan. Those only get added when Mommy is partaking in the meal. Micah will happily gobble, gobble up the macaroni and peas all by themselves!

Buttermilk Baked Chicken

I found this recipe years ago in Southern Living (October 2001). Since it is one of Justin's favorite meals, I have made it countless times for our family and guests. It has a simple ingredient list that requires very little planning.

Buttermilk Baked Chicken

2000 Recipe Hall of Fame

1/4 cup butter

4 boneless chicken breast

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 1/2 cups buttermilk, divided

3/4 c all-purpose flour

1 can cream of mushroom soup

Melt butter in 13x9 baking dish in 425 oven.

Sprinkle chicken w/salt and pepper. Dip chicken in 1/2 c buttermilk and dredge in flour.

Arrange chicken in baking dish. Bake chicken at 425 for 15 minutes. Turn, and bake for 10 minutes.

Stir together remaining 1 c buttermilk and soup, pour over chicken and bake additional 10 minutes. If necessary, shield with aluminum foil to prevent excessive burning.

I have always served this meal with brown rice (perfect for the buttermilk gravy) and green beans. Sometimes, I will add a nice crusty bread if I feel like putting in a bit more time.

In the pics below, you can see Micah pouring the green beans into the colander and then rinsing them. Next, he is unwrapping the butter before placing it in the baking dish. And, the last pic is the final product! Voila!!