Remembering Ma Over a Bowl of Chicken and Noodles.

Tomithy’s Grandma was a very inspiring woman. She had a heart that loved to teach. She had a way of challenging everyone to be a better person. She would always remind us that It Doesn’t Cost Anything To Be Nice. She was right. She would go out of her way to help anyone. Whether it be something as simple as how to zip up your winter coat or something more challenging like how to teach your child to do math or read. She had such a compassionate soul. One of my favorite things to do was call her after Tomithy went to work. He used to work overnights and I knew she would be up and ready to “Solve the worlds problems” as she would say, until the wee hours of the night.

She used to make these home made chicken and noodles. It was perfect for several occasions. If you were struggling with illness, this soup was full of all the healing properties that are in Chicken soup. It was a wonderful way to warm up after a day sledding in the snow. It is probably my husbands favorite comfort food as it reminds him of home. When I got married, Tomithy made sure this was one thing I learned to make. It was a requirement, an absolute must. He wanted to be able to enjoy this meal whenever he wanted. And since we lived far from Ma, I had to learn. In all honesty, it is a tradition I am glad to be able to continue for my family.

The first step is to take 2 tablespoons of butter and 1/4 cup of chopped onion and saute the onion. You want to soften the onions and saute them until they become translucent.

Next, combine 4 quarts of home made chicken broth (store bought is fine, but home made is best), 2 cups of water, 4 chicken bouillon cubes in the stock pot and bring up to a boil.

Next take a palm full of lovage and crush it up and add it to the liquid. You can use 4 stalks of chopped celery in place of the lovage if you don’t have any.

Before I came along, Ma used to make her own noodles. She showed me this little trick to save time and clean up. She used about 36 ounces of these home style noodles. You can find them in the freezer section of your grocery store. When the liquid is boiling, you can add the noodles and simmer for about an hour or until they are tender and cooked all the way through.

Now it is time to add the 6 cups of cooked chopped chicken. Gently add it to the soup. Be careful so it doesn’t splash when you add it. Since the chicken is already cooked, you are just heating it up. When it is heated,  salt and pepper to taste. Now it is ready to eat.

I am so thankful Ma showed me her recipe before she passed. I feel that I am able to keep her legacy alive every time I can share this soup with her family.

---

Ma’s Chicken and Noodle Soup

4 quarts of home made chicken broth

2 cups water

4 chicken bouillon cubes

¼ cup chopped onion

2 tablespoons butter

36 oz of noodles

6 cups of cooked chicken, chopped

4 stalks of celery, chopped or Palm full of dried Lovage

Salt and Pepper to taste

 

-Chop the onion and saute in the butter until the onions are tender. You can use the same pot you will be cooking your soup in.

-Pour in the chicken broth, water and 4 bouillon cubes and bring to a boil. Add the Celery or the Lovage. (if using celery- be sure to boil longer to soften the stalks

-Reduce to a simmer and add the noodles and cook for 1 hour or until the noodles are cooked.

-Add the chopped chicken and cook for another 20 minutes. Salt and Pepper to taste.