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Chicken Alfredo Soup

Chicken Alfredo Soup

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Chicken Alfredo Soup

It’s not chicken noodle soup. It’s not chicken alfredo…..

It’s an Impasta!

My Chicken Alfredo Soup is a noodle-lover’s dream come true… all swimming in a lake of garlic cream soup with parmesan cheese. Mmmmm, love at first bite!

A Bit of “Nosh”talgia…..

I also love frozen yogurt. The first frozen yogurt I ever remember having was when a frozen yogurt parlor opened up in our little town, way back in the 80’s.

“Yogurt Country” was located next the Drive ‘n’ Save Market to which my mother (with me in tow) drove my grandparents every week to shop. In addition to eight ever-changing flavors of yogurt, the shop featured a rotation of excellent soups.

We often went in, with my grandparents, and ate a bite of lunch there either before or after shopping. We always had the same thing — the “Small Lunch Special” — featuring a cup of soup, choice of bread (I usually had cornbread or a bagel with cream cheese), a small yogurt, and complimentary water.

It bothers me that I can’t remember the name of the smiling, grandmotherly lady who owned the place. But I can picture her face. And I remember her soups. She always had four or five to choose from, and they were all so delicious that it was hard to pick just one. But my hands down favorite was her Chicken Alfredo Soup — a soup I have never encountered before or since… until I set out to re-create it.

And, a Few Delicious Taste Tests Later…..

My Chicken Alfredo Soup tastes just the way I remember it — creamy, faintly redolent of parmesan and garlic, and chock full of thick, homestyle noodles. I’m in the habit of making this in the crockpot, but, if you’re in a hurry, it can certainly be made on the stovetop. I think frozen peas or sliced mushrooms would make nice additions to this, but my nostalgia has yet to allow me to try it. It’s just so good as it is. This is even a favorite with my father-in-law, Grandpa Tony, a real chicken soup aficionado! Just make the soup — you won’t be sorry.

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Chicken Alfredo Soup

This Chicken Alfredo Soup is creamy, faintly redolent of parmesan and garlic, and chock full of thick, homestyle noodles.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time3 hours
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 12
Author: The Country Dish

Ingredients

  • 15 – 22 oz. jar of Alfredo sauce
  • 1/2 cup sweet onion finely diced
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1/2 – 1 cup chicken breast (shredded or chopped) OR 1 can of chicken breast, drained
  • 2 Tbsp Better than Bouillon (chicken flavor) optional
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
  • 1 Tbsp dried parsley
  • 1 tsp Johnny's Garlic Seasoning & Spread
  • 2 tsp garlic finely minced (optional)
  • 8 cups water OR 8 cups chicken broth, if not using Better than Bouillon
  • 12 oz. Reames frozen noodles OR 12 – 16 oz. dried or fresh homestyle egg noodles
  • salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Place all ingredients, except noodles, in a 5 – 6 quart crockpot, and cook on high until boiling.
  • Add noodles to crockpot, and continue to cook on high until tender.

And, of course, it’s the favorite soup of my Chicken Alfredo kid!

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Chicken Malibu Sandwich

Chicken Malibu Sandwich

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Chicken Malibu Sandwich

A Cure for the Common Cold Cuts….. (Part 2)

This culinary delight features flavorful rotisserie chicken, sliced deli-thin and piled high, topped with sweet honey ham, along with lots of melted Swiss cheese and a tangy mustard sauce on toasty bread… mmmmm. The Chicken Malibu Sandwich is my favorite, as well as that of my youngest daughter. And it was always a best-seller when I owned Aunt B’s Cafe. Just one bite, and you’ll know why!

Of course, many of you will immediately recognize its distinctive nod in flavor profile to a certain similarly named menu item at a popular chain restaurant. And, just like its namesake, this Chicken Malibu Sandwich is big on both flavor and popularity.

One great thing about this sandwich is that its ingredients are items commonly found in many of y’all’s fridges most of the time. If you don’t have the rotisserie chicken lunchmeat (although I suggest you try it, because it’s pretty great), feel free to substitute the, more common, oven-roasted turkey. And the sauce is so crazy delicious, it’s hard to believe it’s just mayonnaise and yellow mustard!

I, personally, prefer this sandwich on a croissant, but it’s also fine on just about any other bread you might have on hand. I made one recently on sweet Hawaiian bread, and it was positively delish. So don’t wait! Go whip up a Chicken Malibu Sandwich right now!

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Chicken Malibu Sandwich

Rotisserie chicken, sliced deli-thin and piled high, topped with sweet honey ham, along with lots of melted Swiss cheese and a tangy mustard sauce on toasty bread!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Author: The Country Dish

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. Deli-sliced (thin) rotisserie chicken
  • 1/2 lb. Deli-sliced honey ham
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tsp yellow mustard
  • 8 slices Swiss cheese
  • 4 large Croissants OR (8) slices sourdough bread or Texas toast

Instructions

  • To make Malibu sauce: Stir mayonnaise and mustard together until smooth and creamy.
  • If using a croissant: On inside top of each split croissant, spread 1 Tbsp of Malibu sauce, top with 1 slice Swiss cheese and 2 oz. honey ham. On inside bottom of each croissant, place 1 slice Swiss cheese and 4 oz. rotisserie chicken. Heat open-faced on cookie sheet at 350F for 10 minutes. Assemble sandwich.
  • If using bread: Assemble sandwich as above. Cover outside of both slice of bread on each sandwich with butter or mayonnaise. Pan-fry over medium-low heat until outside is golden brown and inside is hot and melty. Cut in half to serve, if desired.

Chicken Malibu Sandwich

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In case you missed it, you can check out “A Cure for the Common Cold Cuts… (Part 1)” HERE

Aunt B’s Chicken Salad

Aunt B’s Chicken Salad

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Aunt B's Chicken Salad

Poultry in Motion

The ingredients may be simple, but the flavor are anything but! Aunt B’s Chicken Salad features succulent rotisserie chicken tossed in a light sour cream sauce along with juicy chunks of Fuji apple and crunchy pecans — a fresh, updated take on an old-fashioned favorite!

(Butcher) Block Party

It seems as though everyone has a preferred version of chicken salad, with some opting for the classic savory, celery and onion only method, and quite a few others paying homage to the 80’s by adding halved grapes and toasted walnuts. The purists use mayonnaise only for the dressing, while some folks like to add yogurt, sour cream, or even a little cream cheese.

But, while I like many versions, this one is my favorite. Sometimes I add additional ingredients if I’m needing to serve a crowd, but I find that the combo of sweet apple and pecan is what really does it for me. If I don’t have any sliced cheddar on hand to eat it with, I also like to throw in a very little bit of crumbled feta or bleu cheese.

I’ve gone ahead and listed a few other complementary optional add-ins on the recipe card. I don’t usually use them, but they’re offered just in case you’re having a party, or just want to play around and find your own favorite combination!

‘Tis the Seasoning…

For my chicken salad recipe, the seasoning that I greatly prefer to use is a blend called “Chip & Dip” seasoning available from Penzeys Spices. It really does make a difference, but if you can’t get your paws on any, just use your favorite seasoning salt, to taste.

Creamy and satisfying, Aunt B’s Chicken Salad is a delightful thing to have made up in a bowl in the fridge, just waiting to be made into lunchtime sandwiches, nibbled on before-dinner crackers, or just eaten by the bowlful whenever a fresh, hearty snack is in order… so go ahead, and get choppin’!

Chicken Salad Ingredients

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Aunt B’s Chicken Salad

Rotisserie chicken tossed in a light sour cream sauce along with juicy chunks of Fuji apple and crunchy pecans — a fresh, updated take on an old-fashioned favorite!
Prep Time20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 – 12 servings
Author: The Country Dish

Ingredients

  • 3 – 4 cups rotisserie chicken chopped
  • 1/2 large sweet onion finely chopped
  • 3 stalks celery finely chopped
  • 1 Fuji apple chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 2 tsp Penzey's Chip & Dip Seasoning OR your favorite seasoning salt to taste
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, sour cream, and Chip & Dip Seasoning until smooth. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, combine remaining salad ingredients. Top with mayonnaise mixture and stir well to combine. Salt to taste, if needed.
  • For low carb or gluten free: Serve on a lettuce leaf with a sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese or crumbled bleu cheese.
  • For appetizers: Serve alongside crackers, or on mini bread rounds.
  • For a sandwich: Serve 1/2 cup of prepared salad on a split croissant or your favorite bread, with a slice of cheddar cheese, and a side of lettuce & tomato.
  • Optional add-ins: 1/2 c. of crumbled feta, halved grapes, dried cranberries, or crumbled bacon. Or all of the above.

Chicken Salad Croissant

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Turkey Pesto Provolone Sandwich

Turkey Pesto Provolone Sandwich

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Turkey Pesto Provolone Sandwich

A Cure for the Common Cold Cuts….. (Part 1)

Premium deli turkey breast, piled high and topped with melted mozzarella and provolone along with fresh pesto on toasty bread — it’s no wonder the Turkey Pesto Provolone Sandwich was the number one best-selling sandwich of all time back when I owned a cafe.

But, in actuality, its origins date back to several years earlier…

I don’t like to think of myself as a helicopter parent, but I definitely have always kept a close eye on my kiddos. I volunteered at least once a week at their schools, I (or one of the grandparents) went along on their field trips, I made sure I knew who their friends were.

And then came high school…

When my eldest daughter was a freshman, she went on an all-day field trip to the Shakespearean Festival in Ashland, several hours south of where we live. Only the teachers went as chaperones, but I had gone on this trip myself thirty years earlier, so I understood how eager my daughter was to go. I couldn’t say “no.” Even though I was slightly appalled that the day’s schedule called for “lunch on your own in Ashland” with “free time for shopping.”

Back in my day, we brought a brown bag, and everyone ate together in the park. And no one was allowed to buy souvenirs, lest it make the poor kids (most of us) feel badly.

Anyway, I lectured both my daughter and her friend who was also going on the trip about the importance of staying together no matter what. Everywhere. Every minute. All day. And I worried about my precious little 14-year-old firstborn offspring inordinately. She would have rolled her eyes if she knew how much. She probably did. Roll her eyes, I mean.

Of course, she was fine. She had a wonderful day, which she gushed about at length. And the one thing that impressed her the most was the lunch she and her friends had at a little place called Zoey’s Cafe. She described her turkey pesto sandwich in great detail, and asked if I could, possibly, re-create it at home for her.

Quite a Turkey…

And, thus, the Turkey Pesto Provolone Sandwich was born — which my daughter kindly claims is even superior to its antecedents. Or maybe she just wants ol’ mom to keep on happily cranking out sandwiches for her. I guess she knows on which side her bread is buttered, errr… pesto’d.

Print Recipe

Turkey Pesto Provolone Sandwich

Premium deli turkey breast, piled high and topped with melted mozzarella and provolone along with fresh pesto on toasty bread.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 4 sandwiches
Author: The Country Dish

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. deli-sliced oven-roasted turkey breast
  • 1/4 cup prepared pesto
  • 4 slices mozzarella cheese or 1 cup shredded
  • 4 slices provolone cheese
  • 4 large bakery croissants, split or 8 slices of sourdough bread

Instructions

  • On inside top of each croissant (or one side of 4 sourdough slices), spread 1 T of pesto per each sandwich.
  • On inside bottom of each croissant (or one side of 4 additional sourdough slices), place slice of provolone.
  • If using a croissant: Place mozzarella on pesto on each sandwich. Place 4 oz. of turkey on provolone on each sandwich. Heat, open-faced, on cookie sheet at 350F for 10 minutes. Assemble sandwich, and serve.
  • If using sourdough bread: Place 4 oz. of turkey on provolone on each sandwich. Top with mozzarella, and other bread slices (pesto side down). Cover outside of both slices of bread on each sandwich with butter or mayonnaise. Pan fry over medium-low heat until outside is golden brown, and inside is hot and melty. Cut in half before serving.

Ylektra — Lover of All Things Pesto

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Bacon Potato Corn Chowder

Bacon Potato Corn Chowder

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Corn chowder, text "Immaculate Cornception"

They say that necessity is the mother of invention, and I must say that was certainly the case with this Bacon Potato Corn Chowder, chock full of smoky bacon, sweet corn, and hearty potatoes. Although I appreciate the art of making delicious, perfectly seasoned soups entirely from scratch, I can also appreciate the art of making so-called “shortcut” soups that simply taste as if you’d been slaving over a hot stove… err, crockpot, all day.

“Only the pure in heart can make a good soup.”
— Ludwig van Beethoven

Back when I owned a small coffee shop, I made soup every morning, and I often relied on frozen soup bases to shorten my prep time.

One particularly hectic Monday, I realized belatedly that I had neglected to thaw my frozen soup base and I only had about an hour left before patrons began descending in hungry, soup-demanding hordes. In a panic, I quickly rifled through the cupboards, like Old Mother Hubbard, only to discover, to my chagrin, that the only thing I had any real quantity of was, inexplicably, canned corn.

Armed with this, along with an old bag of hashbrowns I found in the bottom of the freezer, and a few odds and ends, I managed to throw together a corn chowder that would go on to become my best-selling soup of all time, and a favorite I offered on a near weekly basis. Try my Bacon Potato Corn Chowder today!

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Bacon Potato Corn Chowder

Easy homemade Bacon Potato Corn Chowder is full of smoky bacon, sweet corn, and hearty potatoes, & only takes minutes to get started!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time3 hours
Total Time3 hours 10 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Servings: 16
Author: The Country Dish

Ingredients

  • 1 6.6 oz. pouch Idahoan brand soup mix "Creamy" or "Loaded" flavor
  • 3 15 oz. cans sweet corn
  • 3 15 oz. cans cream-style corn*
  • 1 c bacon cooked and crumbled
  • 1 bag frozen Potatoes O'Brien 18-24 oz. size
  • 4 tsp Better Than Bouillon chicken or vegetable flavor
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp Johnny's Garlic Spread & Seasoning
  • 8 c water

Instructions

  • Place all ingredients in large (at least 6 quart) crockpot, cover and heat on high 3-4 hours, or low 6-8 hours, stirring occasionally.
  • Soup will thicken as it cools. To reheat, thin with water or broth as necessary.
  • *This recipe is gluten-free when prepared as stated, just make sure that the brand of creamed corn you purchase doesn't contain gluten (it usually doesn't).

For More Weekend Recipe Ideas, Click HERE

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Aunt B’s Egg Salad

Aunt B’s Egg Salad

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Aunt B's Egg Salad, text "An eggceptionally momentous decision" and "'Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes...' -- Henry David Thoreau"

Welcome to the first page of my new website “The Country Dish”, where I’ll be sharing all the favorite recipes you remember from Aunt B’s Cafe (like Aunt B’s Egg Salad!), as well as some brand-spankin’-new ones. At least the work description of “blogger” definitely meets the ideal new job requirements as laid out by Thoreau (see above). In fact, I don’t know about you, but if this pandemic goes on much longer, I might forget entirely what “pants” are… In the meantime, we all still require a bite of lunch with monotonous regularity.

“A egg today, is better than a hen tomorrow.”
— Benjamin Franklin

Today’s recipe is a delightfully simple, old-fashioned favorite that never failed to sell out quickly in the deli every week. My egg salad is creamy and decadent even in its simplicity — I greatly prefer to leave that long list of crunchy add-ins for my chicken and tuna salads.

As written, Aunt B’s Egg Salad is gluten free if served on a lettuce leaf or gluten free bread, or even just a scoop of it in a bowl with a nice sprinkling of grated cheddar — and it tastes every bit as good for breakfast as it does for lunch. I typically serve it with a slice of cheddar cheese on a split croissant, but it’s also excellent on soft deli rye, or even toasted sourdough. Lettuce, tomato, and pickle slices are optional.

This recipe makes enough egg salad for approximately six large sandwiches. It can easily be cut in half, but it will keep, covered in the refrigerator, for five days — it’s never lasted that long around here, believe me! It does tend to separate a bit in the fridge, but if you just give it a good stir, it will look and taste as good as new. So without further ado, this is what a memory tastes like:

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Aunt B’s Egg Salad

Creamy and decadent, Aunt B's Egg Salad is a delightfully simple, old-fashioned recipe that's still an all-time favorite today!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time0 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Salad, Snack
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Author: The Country Dish

Ingredients

  • 12-14 hard-boiled eggs peeled
  • 1 c mayonnaise
  • 2 tsp yellow mustard
  • 1 tsp Johnny's Garlic Spread & Seasoning
  • 1 tbsp chives minced
  • Salt & black pepper to taste

Optional Ingredients for Egg Salad Sandwiches

  • Croissants, deli rye, or gluten free bread
  • Leaf lettuce
  • Tomato slices
  • Pickle slices
  • Cheddar cheese sliced

Instructions

  • Roughly chop hard-boiled eggs and place in large mixing bowl. Using the back of your mixing spoon, mash yolks up as well as possible to soften them up a bit.
  • Add mayonnaise, mustard, and seasonings. Stir well, taking care to incorporate yolks into mayonnaise mixture as much as possible. Salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve in a bowl, on a lettuce leaf, or as a sandwich, with optional cheese, lettuce, tomato, and pickle slices. And that's it! It really is that simple!

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