Chicken Soup with Egg Noodles

Well friends, you had to know this one was coming.

It appears I may have overdone it yesterday, as I've slid backwards on the feeling-good scale. The hubby is not happy I haven't been taking it easy, and thus has relegated me to a day of rest. I don't know about any other housewives out there, but resting at home is a near impossible task for me. My home is my job, and there's always something to be done. Always. Sitting on the couch, surrounded by reminders of chores not being completed really rattles my cage. Tis' frustrating. I understand the hubby's irritation though, it's no fun coming home to someone who's sick and trying to pretend they aren't. Like Monica on "Friends".  Plus, we've got a ski weekend planned next weekend, so I suppose I do need to take it down a notch.

Whilst I'm lazing on the couch today, I'll be dining on homemade Chicken Noodle Soup. Last week, when the hubby was sick, I was kicking myself for not having any homemade chicken noodle soup prepared in the freezer. I mean, chicken noodle soup is a necessity when you're sick. Instead, I picked up a can of Campbell's Chunky Chicken Noodle Soup. Ick. It's bland, yet seems to be 100% sodium. Funny how that works. The canned stuff just wasn't going to cut it for a drawn-out illness. I've found that the ingredients needed for the homemade version are pretty much pantry staples that I always have on hand. Therefore, I threw this soup together without a trip to the grocery store. That's what I like to call "winning". A helpful hint about making this soup- I prepare large batches of soup because I freeze the leftovers for future meals. I've found with this soup it's better to prepare the pasta on the side, and then add it to your soup. The pasta has a tendency to overcook and start to break down if left in the soup. No one likes crumbly, mushy pasta, right? I freeze the soup without the noodles, and simply prepare noodles the day I defrost the soup.

All right friends, please send positive thoughts my way. I cannot stand one more day of being sick and resting. I'm young, and there's running to be done! Have a great weekend everyone!

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 large carrot, peeled and chopped

2 large celery stalks, chopped

9 cups chicken broth (I use homemade, but if using commercial, use low sodium broth.)

1 tbsp kosher salt

2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp dried parsley

2 cups cooked chicken, chopped

hot prepared egg noodles

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. When hot, add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté 5 minutes, or until tender.

2. Add chicken broth, salt, pepper, and parsley to the pot. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Uncover and add chicken to the pot. Let chicken warm in the soup while you prepare the noodles.

4. To serve, place a spoonful of egg noodles in a bowl. Ladle soup over the noodles. Serve immediately.

Linked to: Weekend Potluck