Chicken Soup to Soothe the Soul

Since I'm taking a small break from planning meals (since I would be the only one eating them and I still have three meals purchase for the cooking from last week's menu), I thought I would post the thing that I am (and just did) cooking for this week's menu....Chicken Noodle Soup for my husband and Chicken Noodles for my daughter.

I started making chicken noodle soup after college for sick roommates, friends, boyfriends and occasionally for myself (isn't that funny how that works out).  I don't know of the medical facts that say what it cures or wards off, but I know that I feel better when eating homemade chicken noodle soup, and I'm really big on trying to make other people feel better when they aren't feeling their best; I don't like to see people not feeling well and there's really not too much I can do....other than cooking or baking them something.  So, with my husband under the weather and not wanting to eat a lot (forever is how long he's thinking he's not going to eat), I decided to soup it up! 

I thought I would explain my "recipe" in case there are any of you out there that haven't made soup enough that you just wing it (like I do now). 

(You don't need everything here....I usually use what I have in the house and pick up minimal things from the store)

Chicken Noodle Soup:

1/2 stick of Butter
2-3 cans/cartons of Chicken Stock or Broth  (If someone is really sick, I go for the stock---I don't know why...I'm crazy and think it will bring them back to life). 
2-4 Cloves of Garlic
1 White or Yellow Onion
Celery
Carrots
Salt
Pepper
*Optional:  Celery Seed, Dried Rosemary, Dried Oregano
1 Rotisserie Chicken (the ones waiting for you at the checkout at the grocery store)
Noodles *Any kind really, but I like the little Stars and Ditalini since they are small (they are usually sold in bags in the noodle aisle. 
*Optional Green Beans, Spinach, other veggies

-Melt 1/2 stick of butter in a pan.  Throw in 1 chopped onion, garlic, chopped celery, carrots, salt and pepper.  Cook for about 5-10mins on medium heat.  Add other seasons if desires (I add probably about a 1 tsp of celery seed, and 1 tbs of rosemary and oregano). 

-Add Chicken Stock/Broth.  (depending on how much you use and the noodle/liquid ratio you desire, you may want to add a couple of cups of water.  You can also do this at the end to get the desired soupy-ness.)

-While the soup is coming to a boil, chop up the meat on the rotisserie chicken and add it to the soup.  (I also use the drippings from the bag/container that had the chicken.)

-Once it reaches a boil, add in the noodles.  Like everything else, I use the amount the occasion or illness calls for (or what I have on hand)

-You only have to cook it for about 10-20 minutes depending on your noodle choices. 

NOW YOU HAVE DELICIOUS AND HEALTHY SOUP!!!


When making soup today, I also made a batch of chicken and veggie noodles for my daughter since it's healthy and I was going to have everything on hand for cooking.  Here is what I did....

Altering the above recipe for TODDLER CHICKEN NOODLES (and a batch of soup, too!):

-I made the butter, onion, garlic, veggie mixture in one deep pan.  Once I finished that step, I transfer about half of it to a stock pot for the soup and left some for the noodles. 

-I added about 2 cups of broth/stock to the pan. 

-I chopped up the chicken and divided it up about even (The soup had about 4 cups of broth/stock and I added water, so it was significantly soup-ier). 

-I added frozen green beans and finely chopped spinach.

-I added noodles (probably about 1/2 cup Stars and 1 cup Ditalini). 

-Simmer on medium heat until all liquid is absorbed.  (if there is too much liquid and you know the noodles are done cooking, just add in some cornstarch to thicken)

*I freeze this healthy noodle deliciousness in ice cube trays (or in silicon muffin cups), then place them in plastic bags in the freezer.  That way I can just throw a couple of chicken noodle cubes in the microwave and we're ready to eat.  My daughter really loves this dish and it is SUPER easy.

Please let me know if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions.  I'm sure you can see why I don't write more of my own recipes on my blog....I "talk" way too much through them. 

Hope everyone is healthy and well....if not, soup up!