Chicken Vegetable Soup with Wide Egg Noodles

I've found that the secret to avoid mushy noodles is not putting them right into the soup pot while all the other ingredients are simmering.

I cook them separately until half way done and still quite chewy. Drain, rinse and soak them in icy cold water. When they're very cold to the touch, drain again and put aside for now.

Another wonderful benefit to doing this is the noodles become what's know as Resistant Starch.

The method I outlined above is the quick version. Click on this ↑ link for directions and the science supporting this chilling and reheating technique.

Chop-slice all the vegetables then separate them by cooking time. Start with those that require the most time in the pot. Here, it's carrots, celery sauteing in a generous amount of single origin EVOO, with a little of the purple onion.

Next, when everything in the pot has sizzled, over low-medium heat, for 10 minutes or so, add the chopped cabbage, the rest of the onion and sliced kale-making sure to strip the leaves off the tough center stem first.

Add seasonings. Today I added 3 bay leaves, about a 1/2T of Orange Pepper, some garlic salt and a couple big spoonsful of Better Than Bouillon soup base, along with about 48oz. of my most recent chicken bone broth - also about 1/3c of cooking Sherry that I forgot to include in this photo.

Simmer over heat just high enough to create a slow bubble, for about 40 minutes. Check the carrots and stop now or continue to simmer until they're cooked the way you like them.
Stir them into the pot, heat again to a low bubble and. . .Soup's Ready. . 😃. .Lin

Lemon-Ginger Chicken Noodle Soup

As a point of reference, drop down 3 recipes to see what my big spatchcocked chicken looked like when it was done roasting. 😋

After it cooled, I separated the meat, shown on the plate, and returned all the skin and bones to the roasting pan. Along with all the great browned fat drippings, in the bottom of the pan, I added some chopped celery, carrot and kale. Then I added 1/3c white vinegar and fresh cold, water to fill the pan 2/3 of the way to the top. Dropped in a few bay leaves, then brought it all to a low bubble simmer. Covered it and let it quietly do its thing for 3-4 hours.

I scooped out all the solids, threw those away, then strained the broth several times through successively finer mesh strainers. At the very end, I filtered it all through a big clean dishtowel into a big pot with a tightly fitting lid. This was then chilled outside, overnight, in a snowbank. In the morning I scraped off all the fat. . .and now all 5 quarts of it is ready to use in soup, or just heat a cup and drink it to fight off a chill or virus.

For this soup, I cooked 6oz. thin spaghetti to al dente, drained and rinsed it well in cold water. Then add the following chopped vegetables to a big pot.

2-3T single source EVOO

2c+ celery and tops

4 med. carrots

1 ex. lg. purple shallot

juice and zest of 1 lemon

1" cube of ginger - minced

2 dark kale leaves (remove spine)

1-2t ground poultry seasoning

3T± Better Than Bouillon - chicken

8oz. bite size pieces of roasted chicken

Sauté the prepared vegetables gently for 5-10 minutes, over low-medium heat, while stirring. The object here is to just warm everything up to begin to release flavors, NOT to brown anything.

Measure out 10c of bone broth. Add 2 cups now, cover and simmer 15 minutes, stirring a couple times. Add the seasoning and soup base now, once that's stirred, in add the remaining 8 cups of bone broth. Stir, cover and simmer another hour over low heat.

Check the celery and carrots for doneness. Once those are the way you like, basically the soups done regardless of the time it's cooked. Add the chicken and cooked, cold pasta now. Stir and bring everything to a simmer for a couple minutes. . .Soup's Ready!!

My prayer for you today, is that you stay healthy. If you catch something in your travels, rest, eat well, sleep, stay properly hydrated with lemon water and tea. . .Lin

A Chicken Adventure. . . !

I appreciate quality raised meats and vegetables, but at times, a really good sale catches my eye.  This herb-seasoned chicken looked so good and was only 99¢ / pound.  First step is simmering.  Put 3# of chicken legs and thighs in a 3 quart pot and cover with 6c water.  Season with 3 bay leaves and a tablespoon of dry dill.  Let this cook, covered, on low heat for about an hour.


When it's cooled for 20 minutes, pour everything into a colander over a larger pot, catching the liquid.  Strain this liquid several times using progressively finer mesh.  Chill this several hours or overnight in the 3 quart pot.  Skim off the fat, heat the gelled liquid and strain one more time, using a very fine strainer.  This chicken broth will keep 5-7 days, refrigerated.  When the chicken is cool enough to touch, remove the skin and bones and throw those away.  Put the meat into a zip-top plastic bag.  This will keep in the 'fridge for 3-5 days or can be frozen in smaller amouts for future use.

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Chicken Curry Salad

10oz. cooked chicken

1c each: chopped celery, onion and dried fruit & nuts

¼ lg. red bell pepper - diced

¾c mayonnaise

½c plain Greek yogurt

1" piece of fresh ginger - finely minced

1-2t curry powder

Combine everything in a medium glass bowl.  Cover and chill a couple hours to blend all the flavors before serving.

I'll add to this post in the next day or two.  I'm thinking of a soup recipe using this chicken. . .Lin

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Lemon-Ginger Chicken Noodle Soup

2T coconut oil

1½ lg. Vidalia onions

2 lg. celery stalks

2 med. carrots

8 cloves garlic

¼ lg. red pepper

¼ lg. yelow pepper

½ lg. bunch of asparagus

1 lemon - zest and juice

1½" cube of ginger = 2T minced

10oz. cooked chicken, cut in pieces

4oz. dry, thin pasta (this time I used No Yolk stir-fry pasta)

1-2t dry dill

2t Penzey's Shallot Pepper

2T +/- Better Than Bouillon Chicken soup base

Combine the chopped vegetables and coconut oil in a 5-6 quart pot.  Saute'-simmer until they begin to scent your kitchen.  Add the lemon, ginger, and about 16 oz. of liquid.  I used the chicken broth I made, plus some corn water from 6 ears of fresh corn I cooked, cut off the cobs and froze.

Cover this and let simmer on low about 15 minutes.  Add the chicken and dry pasta and about a quart and a half more liquid.  Simmer until the pasta's almost done, then stir, cover and turn off the heat.  All the flavors will blend, mellow, and it'll be ready to serve in abut 10 minutes.  Top with some fresh, homemade, crunchy croutons.  Ahhhh. . .I Love Soup!  This will probably be what's-for-breakfast-lunch-and-dinner for the next few days!  SOUP!  It Floats MY boat! 😉 Lin