One of the things that gets me through winter… is food. When the weather is cold – I turn into a corny, June Cleaver-ish, cooking and baking freak.
I’m not a cold weather person. The chapped lips, cloudy skies, and freezing cold temperatures don’t exactly do it for me. I need some sunshine. Some warmth. Some life, please.
While I’m cooped up inside with two antsy children all season – I turn to Jesus. And then I turn to my stove.
Throughout the winter months – I make my Old-Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup at least once a week. It’s a great way to get some veggies into our bellies. It’s not loaded with junk. (Like bouillon cubes, for example. Those things might be totally safe – I have some sitting in my cupboard. But seriously, what’s in those ‘chicken flavored’ little squares? Kinda scares me.) It’s not super expensive. And I read somewhere that chicken soup really is good for your immune system. I’m up for anything that will fight off a virus or two. Sign me up, please!
You want to sign up, too? You got it. Here’s the recipe:
Old-Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup – from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook – 14th Edition
1 3-4 pound chicken, cut up, or 2.5 pounds meaty chicken pieces
8 cups water
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 cup chopped carrot
1 cup chopped celery
1.5 cups dried egg noodles
2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley (I don’t always add this.)
1) In a 6-8 quart Dutch oven combine chicken, water, onion, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 1.5 hours or until chicken is tender.
2) Remove chicken from broth. When cool enough to handle, remove meat from bones. Discard bones and skin. Cut meat into bite-size pieces; set aside. Discard bay leaf. Skim fat from broth. (I don’t always skim the fat.)
3) Bring broth to boiling. Stir in carrot and celery. Simmer, covered, about 5 minutes. Stir in noodles. Simmer, covered, about 5 minutes more or until noodles are tender but still firm. Stir in chicken and parsley; heat through. (I let it simmer for a bit after I’ve added all the ingredients. Maybe 15-20 minutes.)
It’s so good. While it warms up our bellies – it warms up our hearts. I told you the cold makes me corny 🙂
Hey! It's been awhile, I sorta lost track of you last year, sorry! Been thinking about you, wondering if you have started school or are still thinking about it. Guess I'll have to go catch up on old posts to find out.
I just read your January 1 post about looking directly to God for who he is, not looking to anyone else to explain him to us. And I have this to say: AMEN!!
That is all.
Sounds like you are well and experiencing renewal in your heart. I look forward to hearing more of it.
I LOVE soup in the winter. I make some kind of soup once a week. Tonight I tried a cheesy tomato soup (a recipe that came with my blender–I was trying to clear out some fresh ingredients before they went bad). Anyway, the kids HATED it. My daughter said, and I quote, "This tastes like vomit when it's coming up into my throat."
True story.
Sounds delicious Kate, I look forward to making it sometime soon! 🙂 Glad to have you blogging more frequently again!
I've been nursing a cold these past few days. So, this soup sounds like just the thing I may need to make. And I love that it's healthy and you know what you're putting into it.
I love to read that you enjoy cooking for your family. They are so fortunate!
Love you,
Debbie