Chicken Soup - Christensen Style

The boys spent some quality time sledding...



...and warmed up with some hot chocolate. Even Joey, who doesn't like chocolate (he got that from me, I guess), slurped it down.



While they were sledding, I whipped up a batch of our family favorite: chicken noodle soup. I love two things about this recipe. 1) it's so easy to make, and hard to mess up; and 2) everyone loves it!



The recipe was originally based on the Chicken Vegetable Soup recipe found in the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book.

Chicken Noodle Soup - Christensen Style
3 1/2 qts chicken broth (or 3 1/2 qts water and 5 chicken bullion cubes)
1/2 cup onion
1/2 tsp garlic
1/2 tsp dried crushed oregano (I use whatever spices I have on hand, and I'm not exact with the measurements)
1/2 tsp dried crushed basil
1/2 lb fresh or frozen sliced carrots
1 bay leaf
salt
pepper
1 lb chicken
5-6 handfuls dry noodles

In a large pot: combine water, bullion cubes, onion, garlic, spices, carrots. Add a few shakes of salt and pepper. Add bay leaf. Bring to boil.

In a medium pot: fill 2/3 full with water, add some salt and pepper, add the chicken, and bring to boil. Let the chicken boil while the soup is cooking.

Be sure to watch both pots, or they will boil over.

Fast method: Once the large pot is boiling, add the dry noodles. Cook according to the noodle package directions.

Longer method: If you have extra time, let the large pot boil for 15 minutes or so before adding the noodles. Then add the dry noodles. Cook according to the noodle package directions.

Once noodles are cooked, remove chicken from medium pot, chop up, and add to the soup. Salt and pepper to taste, and you're done!

Additional note: The water the chicken cooked in is a good chicken broth now. I usually strain some of it and add it to the soup at the end.

The noodles I use are the Country Pasta Homemade Style Egg Pasta. You can find them at Walmart or Costco.