Welcome to My Kitchen

Cold, damp weather, plus cold and flu season is here, but still we have to eat. Chicken soup is good for what ails you, or if you are one of the rare, lucky ones who have skipped the bugs this year, chicken soup is a savory, warm dish for winter days.

Soup from a can will keep you from starving, but it is a poor substitute for homemade. You might ask, who has time or energy to make soup when you don’t feel good? Chicken Wing Broth is an easy substitute for simmering a stewing chicken all day.

Chicken Wing Broth

4 cans (15 ounces each) chicken broth

1 can water

6 chicken wings

1 bay leaf

1 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp onion powder

Combine all in a soup kettle, bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.

Scoop out the chicken wings and if you are too tired, discard. If you have a bit of energy, you can pull a bit of meat from the bigger parts of the chicken wings.

You can now sip the warm broth or add a handful of extra thin noodles and simmer 8-10 minutes until noodles are tender.

Yield: about 6 servings.

Note: you may use this easy broth in any of your favorite chicken soup recipes.

Bowl game party planning usually includes some snacks and finger foods. Honey-Sriracha Chex Mix is a new recipe from the Chex Cereal Company. This sweet-hot snack will add a spicy kick to your bowl game spread.

Honey-Sriracha Chex Mix

3 cups Corn Chex cereal

3 cups Rice Chex cereal

1 cup roasted, salted peanuts

1 cup snaps pretzels (waffle shape)

2 Tbsp butter

3 Tbsp Sriracha sauce

2 Tbsp honey

In a large microwave safe bowl, combine cereals, peanuts and pretzels; set aside. In a small microwave safe bowl, microwave butter uncovered on high about 20 seconds or until melted (watch it closely). Stir in Sriracha sauce and honey. Pour over cereal mixture; stir until evenly coated.

Microwave uncovered on high 5 to 6 minutes, thoroughly stirring every 2 minutes. Spread on waxed paper lined pan to cool, about 15 minutes. Store in airtight container. Yield: about 8 cups.

Note: you may substitute honey roasted peanuts in this recipe. Also, it you can’t find waffle pretzels, you may substitute bagel chips, corn chips, cheese crackers, popcorn, chow mein noodles or other small pretzels.

Oven directions: if you like, you may spread the coated mixture in a large roasting pan and bake in preheated 250 degree oven for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool and store as directed above.

Charlene Kagele recently made Veggie Ranch Tortilla Pinwheels for a finger food spread. She found the recipe on the website http://www.tasteofhome.com. The recipe for these bite size, savory and creamy wrap pinwheels is attributed to Lori Kostecki, Wausau, Wisconsin. You can make these a day ahead for the flavors develop fully.

Veggie Ranch

Tortilla Pinwheels

2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

1 envelope or 3 Tbsp ranch salad dressing mix

5 green onions, chopped

1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies, drained

1 can ( 3.8 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained

1 stalk celery, chopped

1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper

2-3 Tbsp real bacon bits

8 flour tortillas (10 inch)

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and dressing mix until blended. Beat in onions, green chilies, olives, celery, red peppers and bacon bits.

Spread over tortillas. Roll up fairly tight and cut into 1 inch slices. Refrigerate until serving. Yield: about 5 dozen.

Several folks asked about using bananas in yeast bread. Bananas work very well in yeast breads. Sweet Banana Bread, a recipe in the 1973 Better Homes and Gardens, Homemade Bread Cook Book is a favorite of mine.

Sweet Banana Bread

5 1/2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour

2 packages active dry yeast

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1 tsp salt

1 cup ripe, mashed banana (about 2 medium bananas) Do measure carefully

2 eggs, divided

In a large mixer bowl combine 2 cups of the flour and the yeast.

In a medium sauce pan, combine milk, sugar, butter and salt and heat until warm (115-120 degrees), stirring constantly to melt butter.

Add to dry mixture in mixer bowl; add banana, 1 egg and one egg yolk (reserve 1 egg white).

Beat at low speed with mixer for 1/2 minute, scrape sides of bowl, then beat 3 minutes on high speed.

By hand, stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough. Turn out on a floured surface; knead until smooth (5 to 8 minutes).

Place in a large greased bowl, turning once to grease surface. Cover and let raise until double in bulk, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down. Divide in half. Cover with a towel and let dough rest 10 minutes.

Grease a 10 inch round on 2 baking sheets. Shape dough into two round loaves and place on baking sheets. Make vertical cuts about 1/8 inch deep about 3/4 inch apart around loaf.

Combine reserved egg white and 1 tsp water and brush loaves with the mixture. Let rise until double in bulk (about 30 to 45 minutes. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 30 minutes. Yield: 2 round loaves.

Note: this recipe makes a very good dough for cinnamon rolls. Add about 1/2 cup chopped pecans and 34 cup chopped pitted dates to the sugar cinnamon mixture you use for yummy breakfast cinnamon rolls. Bake 15 to 20 minutes in a 375 degree oven. Yield: 20-24 rolls.

Soup supper season is coming, do you have a new soup recipe your family likes? Share any of your favorite recipes by sending them to: Welcome to My Kitchen, c/o The Odessa Record, P.O. Box 458, Odessa, WA 99159,

email therecord@odessaoffice.com or drop them in the Welcome to My Kitchen mail tin in The Odessa Record office. Check your flower beds for signs of spring sprouts that may need mulching material raked over them. The winds have uncovered plantings.