Grandma's Chicken Noodle Soup

I thought now is the perfect time with all this flu talk to whip out my Grandma's Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe.  It's my kids absolute favorite soup.  It lasts for about 2 1/2 days in the refrigerator and I never have enough to freeze because it is eaten in my house so quickly.  I like basics and this recipe is certainly back to the basics.  It's healing powers are the best there is to offer and it tastes delicious.  How can you go wrong?  We make this when any member of the family falls ill, and we make it when we are healthy because it just tastes so darn good plus it's comforting.  Everyone can certainly use a little comforting!

Let's start off with the ingredients for the recipe.  Remember I said basics!  I prefer to get as much organic as I can.

whole chicken 
6 stalks of celery (I clean my veggies with GSE grapefruit seed extract, rinsed and chopped.)
1/2 of a white onion (chopped)
1 big clove of garlic (minced)
salt (I prefer sea salt.)
pepper
paprika
poultry seasoning
parsley
hot sauce
water
flour (I use unbleached all-purpose flour.)
4 eggs
stockpot

First gather all ingredients.  I like to have everything sitting on the counter together in a group before I begin.

  

Rinse the chicken.  I pull out the bag of innards to boil for my husband.  It's all his...he can have it.  Then rinse outside and inside of chicken well.  Clip off the dangling lower part of the chicken that my Grandma used to call the stoots and throw it away.  Place chicken inside of the empty stockpot.  Pour water over the chicken until it is mostly submersed.  I usually go about a little more than half full.  

Now dump in the chopped celery and chopped onions and 1 big clove of minced garlic.  Sprinkle in all of your seasonings.  I do not have measurements here I simply go by what feels good to me.  I use very little salt like a few dashes and then once I serve the soup everyone is allowed to sprinkle in a little extra salt on their own for taste.  Salt (very little), pepper, paprika and poultry seasoning.  I love Penzeys brand of poultry seasoning.  If you have a Penzeys near you I highly recommend their seasonings.  It's such a fun shop to visit.  If you don't have one near you then you can always order online.  To go to their website click on Penzeys Spices.  Best spices ever!  Also add parsley and about 3 to 5 drops of hot sauce.  If you are ill these spices all together plus the combination of celery and onion will provide such healing powers and get that nose running which is a good thing people!

Now, askew the lid and let steam come out. Get it to a high and let it get to a boil.  Then turn it down to medium low heat.  You want it to bubble a little and cook for 30 minutes.  Then turn of the burner and take the stockpot off the burner and put the lid on real tight.  Let it cook in the hot water for another 30 minutes in the broth.

While this is cooking it is time to make the noodles.  I use 4 eggs.  Beat eggs in a bowl and add flour gradually until it gets to a perfect place for kneading.  You'll get a nice round ball.  Roll out on a floured surface to however thin you like your noodles and cut into 1/2 inch wide strips about 2 1/2 inches long.  It's however you like your noodles.  I like mine to be thinner strips but some people like big thick noodles.  Eye it and with practice you'll eventually get your desired noodles.

Take chicken out and place in a large bowl and be really careful with the bones.  I always take a large spoon and search for anything that may have dropped into the soup.  Cover the chicken with a plate and let it cool before deboning.  Now you have your broth.  Turn back on the heat and set at a low boil and drop in your noodles for about 10 to 15 minutes.  Add all of the seasonings again to taste.  Cut up chicken meat remove all bones.  Be careful to not let any bones into the soup.  Gently stir in the cut up chicken meat after the noodles are cooked.  Cover and set aside.  Ready to eat!  Ready to heal!

Enjoy!

On a side note with the other half of the onion I put it face up in a bowl and put in the room where the sickies are.  The onion honest to goodness just sitting in the room absorbs infection floating in the air.  I'm a believer.

Hope you are all staying very healthy and well!