OLD-FASHIONED CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

OK, so you know you have a winning recipe when your 5-year old and 7-year old neighbors give it a thumbs up!

I had oral surgery a couple of days ago, so not much has been able to be eaten except for McDonald's flurries (Oreo, if you must know)! So, with my eating challenges combined with the fall air, I thought chicken noodle soup was a perfect thought.

I have made this recipe before and I come back to it again and again. It's very basic, has great flavor, is easy to make and even freezes well.

As you scan the ingredients, you'll probably see "mushrooms" and wonder why they are in chicken noodle soup. OK, I have some friends who don't like this vegetable, so you can either eliminate it or just skip this blog entry completely. However, for those that do dare to try it, I assure you it adds a depth of flavor that your normal chicken noodle soup would not have. You saute' the mushrooms in butter until browned, then add a splash of lemon and add to the soup just before adding the noodles for cooking. The browned butter flavor of the mushrooms is wonderful, in my opinion, and makes for an interesting and hearty soup.

And if Olivia and Estella, my young neighbors, enjoy this soup, I guarantee all of you will too! Slurp up and enjoy! It'll make you feel good -- inside and out!

OLD-FASHIONED CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

Serves 12

Ingredients:

16 cups low-salt chicken broth (or more if you like a lot of broth)

1 3-1/2 pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces

1/2 c. chopped onion

2 carrots, peeled, thinly sliced

2 celery stalks, cliced

2T butter

1 c. sliced mushrooms

1T fresh lemon juice

8 oz. dried wide egg noodles

1/2 c. finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

1. Combine chicken broth and chicken in heavy large pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover partially and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Using tongs, transfer chicken to large bowl. Cool chicken and broth slightly. Discard skin and bones from chicken. Cut chicken meat into bite-size pieces and reserve. Spoon fat off top of chicken broth.

2. Return broth to simmer. Add onion, carrots and celery. Simmer until vegetables soften, about 8 minutes. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover chicken meat and broth separately and refrigerate. Bring broth to boil before continuining.)

3. Melt 2T butter in heavy large skillet over medium high heat. Add mushrooms and saute' until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Add mushrooms to broth; stir in noodles, parsley and reserved chicken. Simmer until noodles are tender, about 5 minutes. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.

Adapted from Bon Appetit, December 1998