Chicken Noodle Soup

3 celery stalks
3 large carrots (or 30 baby carrots)
2 T. butter
salt & pepper
1 can of chicken broth
2 – 32oz. chicken stock
3 T. flour
1 lb. chicken tenderloins
1 lb. pasta or egg noodles

In a saucepan, boil chicken tenderloins in one can of chicken broth until tender. Let cool; chop chicken and save broth. Slice carrots and celery. Sautee carrots and celery in a small stockpot with butter, salt & pepper, and about 1 cup of the chicken stock until veggies are tender and most of stock is evaporated. Sprinkle flour over celery & carrots, stirring until evenly spread. Cook for 2 minutes, and slowly add chicken stock, while stirring, until stock incorporates with the flour. Add remaining stock and the broth from the chicken saucepan; bring to a boil. Once boiling, add pasta and chopped chicken, and cook according to recommended pasta time (usually 8-11 minutes, depending on shape.) 

Serve with grilled provolone & american cheese sandwiches. 

Chunky Chocolate Pecan Salty Oat Cookies

[Similar to Kayak Cookies]

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature


3/4 cup brown sugar, (mostly light)


1/2 cup, scant ounces sugar


1 teaspoon baking powder


¼ teaspoon baking soda


¼ teaspoon salt


2 large eggs


1 teaspoon vanilla extract


1 cups flour

2 cups rolled oats (not quick-cooking)

½ ounce coconut, shredded & lightly toasted


1 1/2 cup pecans, toasted & chopped


1 bag of semisweet chocolate chunks (12 oz.)

1 cup ghirardelli milk chocolate chips

Sea salt, for light sprinkling

In stand mixer, beat the butter for a few minutes on med-high until fluffy. Add sugars, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, beating until well blended. Reduce the speed to medium and add eggs & vanilla, mixing until well incorporated. Add the flour, oats, coconut, nuts and chocolate, and mix by hand until everything is incorporated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough for at least an hour before baking.

Preheat oven to 375, use parchment paper on a baking sheet.

Form the dough into balls (mine are 2 ounces, Kayak's top 3 ounces) and place about 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly. Sprinkle sea salt generously on top of each ball of dough, as you would sugar. Bake 13 - 15 minutes or until the cookies are puffed & beginning to turn golden, being careful not to over bake. (The cookies should have a tender interior.) Cool on wire rack.

Notes:
You can pre-make the dough and freeze in 2" balls; then just remove the ones you want to bake from the freezer about 20 minutes before baking.

This also makes delicious breakfast cookie cake, decorated with cream cheese icing. It takes about 25-30 minutes to cook in a 9x13 dish.