Chicken Noodle Soup

Nothing goes with salad like soup.  And this is some really good soup that you can customize based on your tastes.  I like to eat it with those little Keebler® Club Crackers, but have what your favorite is.  This recipe is especially good to nurse one back to health. 

A tip we use all the time, is to take the leftover soup and fill a zip top freezer bag with a portion or two and freeze it flat in the freezer.  When you need a quick meal just plop a bag of the soup in a sink full of hot water and it will be thawed in no time flat.  Pop it in the microwave for the final heating.  In sickness or health, enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 - 4-5 lb Chicken (whole or cut up) 
• 1 - bunch of Celery
• 1 - 2 lb package of those little carrots
• 1 - 12 oz package of egg noodles
• Special Shit
• 1 - small carton of fresh mushrooms
• 3 - 32 oz containers of store bought Chicken Broth

In a large stockpot add the chicken, a couple of cut up stalks of celery, a pound of the carrots (cut in half lengthwise), and enough water to cover the bird.  Bring up to boiling and then back off the heat to a simmer.  In an hour or two the chicken will literally fall of the bone.  Remove the chicken and set aside to cool.  Strain the stock to remove the celery, carrots, and other undesirables.  Put this in the fridge until tomorrow.  After the bird cools, remove the chicken from the bone and skins.  Cut this into bite size chunks and stash in the fridge.

Tomorrow's here.  Take the "stock" from the fridge and spoon out the fat that is floating on top.  It will be more solid than the broth.  Put the stock into the stockpot you used yesterday along with about 2/3 of the store bought Chicken Broth.  Bring to a boil and add the celery and carrots that have been diced.  Now this is where you can take creative license.  If you like more carrots, add them.  More celery?  Add it!  Anything else? Throw it in!

 After a few (10) minutes, add the egg noodles.  As the noodles soak up the liquid, decide how much liquid your soup is going to have.  If it's too thick add some more broth.  If it's too thin, reduce down to the the thickness you want.  Last but not least, add the mushrooms that have been sliced and the Cream of Chicken soup.  Cook for couple of more minutes and then turn off the heat.  Now that everything has been brought together, season to your liking with Special Shit.