Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Homemaking Tip – What’s Your Secret Ingredient?

One of my favorite features in the Taste of Home magazine is the “What I Add to Make _________ Special” section (or something like that).  One lady said that she always adds grape jelly to her spaghetti sauce, so whenever I have grape jelly in the fridge and I’m making spaghetti I add a spoonful.  I’m not sure grape jelly makes a big difference (at least not like garlic), but it feels good to add it because that lady is sure it makes spaghetti sauce special.


This afternoon I fixed supper for a couple of families and thought chicken noodle soup might be a good choice (because fresh bread is always a good choice and it goes with soup).  The best thing about sharing soup is it’s easy to make a big pot, the not so good thing is chicken noodle soup varies from batch to batch and you have to hope this one turns out respectably.  To the potatoes, onion, celery, shredded carrots, diced chicken, chicken bouillon, handful of rice, salt, pepper, parsley flakes, and homemade noodles, I add some yellow food coloring and poultry seasoning.  Those are the two ingredients that help the soup taste similar from batch to batch (the food coloring makes you think it's extra chicken-y which is a necessary flavor for chicken noodle soup, right?).   


Another little tip is to not let the homemade noodles intimidate you.  They make the soup (yellow food coloring and poultry seasoning only help the soup).  Homemade noodles are quick and easy to make . . . and cheap.  Just melt a couple of tablespoons of butter and add a half teaspoon or so of salt, then add a beaten egg and a cup or so of flour.  Stir well until you have a nice dough, then roll it out on a well floured counter until it is about ¼ inch thick.  Cut the dough into skinny strips and drop the noodles into your boiling soup.  Continue cooking (stirring occasionally) for 20-25 minutes or until noodles are done.  That’s it.  

Do you have a secret ingredient that you add to something?  Praytell, will you share it?

11 comments:

Tiffany Fackrell said...

I'm not sure what this post was about because the homemade bread and homemade raspberry jam were distracting me...wanna bring some down?! HAHA

Jill said...

I love homemade noodles, but never have them! I need a return to domesticity.

Deidra said...

Poppy seed dressing in chicken salad. It makes it. Mmm!

I feel the same way about sharing soup-- it's easy to divide and you can throw in whatever is on hand. But you're never quite sure what you'll end up with. (Is that why people use recipes?!)

Derek-Jenny-Kaitlynd-Ethan-Dylan said...

I love dried cranberries in my chocolate chip cookies!

Tiffany Fackrell said...

eggnog in your hot chocolate! YUM!

melanie said...

I'm not sure what my secret ingredient is but I sure love this tip. I'm really going to try the noodles. I never have before but I know they taste much better.

Ande said...

I add honey to lots of things. Sauces, marinades, tea :).

I wish I had some of your chicken noodle soup and bread and cookies tonight. In fact, I wish I had it most nights.

Sara said...

I love using dehydrated or frozen onions when cooking. I can not stand cutting onions. They make me so emotional.

michelle said...

I love homemade noodles! I can't go back now that I've tried them. And they really aren't that hard.

I like adding raw oatmeal to smoothies. And most cookies. And I love my rasp so much I look for reasons to add lemon or lime zest or fresh ginger to recipes.

Susan Walker said...

Jane,
I haven't read your blog in ages but I have thought of you often! Trying to catch up on your life now.

I add Tumerac (sp?)to chicken noodle soup, per the Pioneer Woman's advice. It gives that yellow color, too. Her chicken and noodles recipe is a good one (you can fine it online).

XOXO
Susan

Samantha said...

I don't know if this is a secret tip or not, but my dad taught me to add brown sugar to store bought spaghetti sauce. It makes it yummy.