Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken noodle soup is one of those perfect meals that can make you feel all warm inside. Especially one a cold and windy day or when you’re sick. I made a big (huge) batch of chicken noodle soup a couple weeks ago. We froze half of it in individual servings. That came in really handy this past week when Hubby and I were both sick. I know some people don’t freeze their soup with the noodles in there so they don’t get all mushy, but the soup was just fine in my book. Of course, when you have strep throat, the more mushy the noodles, the better.
I doubled the recipe since all of the recipes I saw called for a 1/2 bag of noodles. It ended up making a TON of soup and it barely all fit in our big stock pot (the recipe below is for a single batch). I was a bit short on the chicken broth, but I like my soup really full of the good stuff (last week when we were sick, we ended up adding some broth to our soup since the broth is really what you’re after when you’re sick).
I used the leftovers from a butterflied, broiled chicken Hubby had made. I also threw in the veggies from under the chicken because they’re so flavorful.
One Year Ago: Kitchen Storage and Organization, Our Spice Rack, and Kitchen Renovation Before and After Pics
Two Years Ago: Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Three Years Ago: Cake Balls, Oreo Truffles, and Peanut Butter Balls and Holiday Cupcakes
Chicken Noodle Soup
Yield: 6-8
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 carrots
3 stalks celery
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp fresh chopped thyme
2 quarts chicken broth, homemade or best quality
1 bay leaf
2 cups cooked chicken meat
6 oz egg noodles
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Directions:
Heat oil over medium heat in a large stock pot. Add carrots and celery. Cook until just beginning to soften, about eight minutes. Add onion and cook five minutes more.
Add garlic and thyme. Cook until fragrant, about one minute.
Add all broth and bay leaf. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 15 minutes.
Add noodles and chicken. Simmer 8-10 minutes more until noodles are cooked through. Add salt and pepper taste.
Recipe adapted from Chaos in the Kitchen and Apple A Day
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
I have been looking for a great dip recipe, and this one looks delish! I’m glad you got your brother to share your recipe =)
Spinach and artichoke dip is my very favorite. I don’t make it often, but it’s one of those things my family expects at family events. My goddaughter even made me a special artichoke plate to serve it on!
Lucky you to get to share your brother’s secret recipe. Family recipes are the best.
Love this recipe and the fact that fresh spinach is used and not frozen! I love spinach and artichoke dip, but have always been intimidated to make it…. WHY!?!? It looks so simple. On my to-do list! 🙂
Yum…so trying this one on Sunday!! Thanks!!
One of my all time favorites! Yummy!
Yummy! This dip seems to be a favorite of almost everyone 🙂
Dear bean town baker
I’m afraid this isn’t the best way to cook corned silverside – it’s a very tough cut and needs to be braised in water and vinegar to get it tender. I add a range of aromatics and whole spices to the braising liquid – you can try fennel seeds, mustard seeds, star anise, any pickling spices …. But you are right that traditionally bay, peppercorns, cloves, allspice are the mainstays.
I add celery carrot and whole brown onion. I’ve also tried using ginger ale or coke for the braising liquid as suggested in a few online recipes (American) but I don’t think the expense is justified by the extremely subtle differ action in flavor. This is a dish for when you are low in funds after all.
The cut of silverside you get is also key … my mother would always ask the butcher for a piece of silverside from the H-bone – though todays butchers don’t always know what you are talking about when you ask for this!
Simmer it until the beef floats to the top (timing will depend on the size of the piece of beef but usually 3-5 hours). You pop in the carrots and spuds towards the end, and can also steam sliced cabbage over the pot in a colander which traditionally accompanied the dish. (I retrieve the whole onions from the braising liquid and add these to the cabbage along with butter, seasoning and occasionally a few sultanas). The small spuds, once tender, should be tossed with butter salt and pepper and parsley.
It’s crucial to cut the beef against the grain, and you must keep leftovers in the fridge submerged in the braising liquid or they will dry out.
Traditionally the dish is accompanied by a white sauce made from the braising liquid, cream, Dijon mustard (I also add horseradish) white pepper and (my own addition) a dollop of Mayo along with some parsley. It needs to be quite runny.
I hope this is useful to you. This is the way my family have been preparing corned beef for generations. The leftovers are terrific in sandwiches with mustard pickle and cheese.