Vietnamese noodle soup simmered slowly

Prepare a pho soup in a slow cooker is a great idea. Fragrant broth is the soul of this soup and slow cooker allows the heat to a simmer and intensify the umami all day - without you having to do anything. In Asia, where the simmering broth usually overnight, people welcome the day by eating noodles. Here, there is no better soup comforting meal when we get home. Fortunately, it only takes about 10 minutes to prepare, then you can do before going to work. If you're like me however, measuring something other than coffee spoons in the morning is too painful, so instead of preparing soup in the morning, you can prepare the day before and refrigerate. Reduces the risk of overcooking the chicken using chicken with bones into pieces. Simmer the soup in the morning before leaving and returning, finish the soup broth foaming and shredding the chicken, then dip the noodles in hot broth. In 20 minutes, they will be soft - and the meal is served.

Ingredients

• 3-4 chicken breasts

or

• 8 chicken thighs, preferably with bones

or

• 3 legs with thighs
• 12 cups (3 L) chicken broth
• 1/3 cup (75 mL) fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar, preferably brown
• 10 slices of fresh ginger
• 8-10 star anise
• 3 cinnamon sticks, halved
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes or chili garlic sauce spicy (optional)
• A large package of vermicelli 2 inches (5 cm), about 80 g
• 1 cup (250 mL) basil leaves and mint coarsely chopped
• Trim - green onions, cilantro, lime wedges, Thai basil and mint leaves, Thai bird chili thinly sliced ​​or dried red pepper flakes, fresh bean sprouts.

1. Set the slow cooker to high. Remove skin from chicken if you want (to get a low fat chicken recipes). Let add flavor. Keep chunks so they do not overcook. Add the broth in the slow cooker with the fish sauce, sugar, ginger, star anise, cinnamon and dried chilli flakes. Add the onions, separating the rings progressively. Dip the chicken, bone side on top, in the broth as possible.
2. Cover and cook for four hours at elevated temperature to chicken bone or three hours for boneless chicken. Then place the chicken in a bowl. Cut the noodles in half. They should fill about a measuring cup 4 cups (1 L). Add to soup simmering separated. Cover and cook until softened, 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the type of noodle. Stir occasionally to separate noodles.
3. Meanwhile, shred or cut the chicken into small strips, shedding skin and bones. When the noodles are almost ready, remove cinnamon sticks, slices of ginger and star anise soup and discard. You can keep them if you want. Put the chicken in the soup while stirring. Just before serving, add the basil and mint and stir. Serve with a ladle into bowls and sprinkle with green onions and cilantro. The soup keeps well in the refrigerator for at least three days.

Make available to your guests a full plate of toppings and let them choose which they prefer.  
Traditionally, a little lime juice is pressed into a bowl of soup. Sprinkle shredded herbs with chili.  
Truss bean sprouts in the center of the soup.

Frozen chicken breast with peaches and red peppers

During the fishing season, I feel that I should enjoy every day. The season is so short and Canadian fisheries are the best in the world. Here is my quick recipe to make during this period.  

Where this is not the season for peaches, mangoes work wonderfully.

Ingredients

• 8 chicken thighs, skinless chicken breasts or 4
• 1 c. tbsp (15 mL) butter
• 4 peaches or nectarines ripe but firm, peeled or peeled mango
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 c. tbsp (15 mL) dried tarragon
• 1/3 cup (75 mL) orange marmalade or ginger or spicy red pepper jelly
• 1/2 c. tsp (2.5 mL) each dried red pepper flakes and salt
• cooked white rice or brown rice or quinoa
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) basil or cilantro shredded (optional)

1. Remove visible fat from chicken. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until pale golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
2. Meanwhile, cut peaches in large areas or mangoes and cut into small strips red pepper. Set aside. Measure 1 c. tsp (5 mL) tarragon and when the chicken is browned, sprinkle both sides of chicken. Add marmalade to skillet and 1/3 cup (100 ml) of water. Stir until the dissolution of the marmalade.
3. Place peaches and peppers around the chicken. Sprinkle the remaining 2 Tbsp. tsp (10 mL) tarragon, pepper flakes and salt. Cover and simmer until chicken is tender to the touch, the fruit is hot and peppers are tender and crisp, an additional 5 to 12 minutes. Stir repetition fruit and turn the chicken during cooking.
4. Place chicken on a plate. Put the fruit and peppers on top. Adjust the heat to high temperature. Boil the sauce, stirring frequently, until the liquid is reduced to glaze, about 5 minutes. Place chicken on rice and pour the sauce, peppers and peaches on top. Sprinkle with fresh basil or cilantro.

Chicken drumsticks in honey Dijon mustard

Take five ingredients that most of us still have at home, and in five minutes, you can easily have a healthy meal baked. Serve with a spinach salad or frozen green peas over rice - and the meal is ready in about 30 minutes. More good news - the dish is low in fat and calories and if you are cooking for one person, it is easy to cut the recipe.

Ingredients

• 6-8 chicken drumsticks or thighs
• 3 c. tbsp (45 mL) Dijon mustard or regular mustard
• 3 c. tablespoon (45 ml) honey
• 2 c. tablespoons (30 ml) melted butter or vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 c. tsp (7.5 mL) curry powder
• 1 1/2 c. tsp (7.5 mL) paprika (optional) 

1. Preheat oven to 375 ° F (190 ° C). Remove skin from chicken if you want. Place chicken on a baking sheet greased or covered with aluminum foil.
2. Stir the remaining ingredients together. Brush each piece of chicken.
3. Bake at 375 ° F (190 ° C) for 15 minutes. Watering again and continue roasting until the chicken is tender to the touch, an additional 15 to 25 minutes.