Weekly Recipe

Oven Fried Chicken
(great recipe to use those $0.99/lb chicken thighs!)

3 lbs. chicken thighs
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter (or margarine)
1/2 all purpose flour
1 tsp. season salt
1 tsp. paprika
black pepper to taste
cayenne pepper (we like to add just a dash to spice it up a bit)

Heat oven to 425 degrees.  Wash chicken & pat dry.  In oven, melt shortening and butter in your baking dish.  In separate bowl mix flour, season salt, paprika, pepper (and cayenne).  Thoroughly coat chicken thighs in the flour mixture.  Once shortening/butter is melted, remove dish from oven and place the coated chicken thighs skin side down in shortening/butter mixture.  Cook uncovered 30 minutes.  Turn chicken and cook for 20 minutes (until thickest pieces are fork tender).

Chicken & Noodles

list #1-
6 chicken thighs
2 carrots, cleaned and chopped
2 stalks celery, cleaned and chopped
1 white onion, chopped
6 cups water (enough to cover the chicken & veggies)
2 tbsp season salt
1 tbsp oregano (dried)
1 tbsp basil (dried)
1 tbsp sage (dried)
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list #2-
2 carrots, cleaned and chopped
2 stalks celery, cleaned and chopped
1 white onion, chopped
1 pkg egg noodles (I prefer No Yolks)
remaining broth
cooked chicken

In a large pot add all ingredients from list #1 and bring to a boil.  Once boiling reduce heat and simmer 2-3 hours (until chicken is tender and falling off the bone).  Once done, allow to cool (you want it cool enough to handle) about 30 minutes.  Strain liquid and reserve (this is your broth).  Remove the chicken meat from the bone (it will just fall off) and discard all bones, celery, onions and carrots.

In same pot add cooked chicken, fresh celery, fresh carrots and fresh onion.  Add the broth you just made.  Bring pot to a boil.  Allow to boil for approximately 45 minutes (until veggies are fork tender).  When veggies are cooked to your liking, add the noodles and cook for another 5-6 minutes.  DO NOT OVERCOOK the noodles or they will become mush.  Ladle into bowls and enjoy!  (the chicken & noodles will be VERY hot and the noodles will continue to cook so this is why I don't continue cooking the noodles for the entire 12 minutes that the package calls for).