Name: The Ultimate Chicken Noodle Soup
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h
Ingredients: Store Bought Rotisserie Chicken, chicken removed and chopped, discard skin and bones; Drizzle of Olive Oil; 2 carrots, sliced into thin circles or chopped; 1/4 onion, chopped; 2 celery stalks chopped; 1 cup macaroni, cooked according to package directions minus 1 minute; 1/2 cup frozen peas; 1 cup fresh spinach, washed; 1 32 oz. low sodium chicken broth; 1 can of cannellini or white beans (optional); 1/2 teaspoon jarred, minced garlic; 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano; 1/2 teaspoon dried basil; 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley; salt and pepper to taste

What is the first food you crave on a cold, winter day or when you are feeling under the weather? Chicken Noodle Soup, of course! This is has always been a favorite of mine because it is hearty, healthy and inexpensive. There is so much potential after it has been cooked: lunches for your kids in thermoses, freezing (without the noodles) for quick meals in the future, and to warm you up on a cold night! Not to mention, there are so many variations YOU can do to have different flavors in your soup. Some of my favorite alternatives to my classic Ultimate Chicken Noodle soup is to use rice or matzo balls instead of noodles, add cream to have creamier broth and add in different spices to have a different flavor. The possibilities are endless, so let’s get cooking!

The Ultimate Chicken Noodle Soup

Store Bought Rotisserie Chicken, chicken removed and chopped; discard skin and bones

Olive oil
2 carrots, sliced into thin circles or chopped
¼ onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 cup macaroni, cooked according to package directions, minus 1 minute or ½ bag of egg noodles (or any noodles that you want!)
½ cup frozen peas
1 cup fresh spinach, washed
1 (32 oz.) Low sodium chicken broth
1 can of cannellini or white beans (optional)
½ teaspoon jarred, minced garlic
½ teaspoon each of dried oregano, basil, and parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook macaroni or egg noodles according to package directions. Set aside. In a Dutch oven (large pot), sauté carrot, onion, and celery in a drizzle of olive oil. Sauté until soft about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, the frozen peas, the chopped chicken, garlic, spinach, cannellini beans, and spices. Taste the broth; salt and pepper to your taste.

To serve: Put the amount of macaroni or egg noodles that you want into a bowl. Ladle the soup over the noodles.

Tip: I cook and keep the pasta separate. That way the pasta does not get mushy, especially if I am having leftovers. Store the pasta and soup separately, that way you have fresh soup each time.

Tip: If the pasta gets a little dried out from being refrigerated or too stuck together, just run it under hot water for a few minutes. It will be as if you just cooked it.

Tip: You can always substitute rice for the pasta. Again, keep the rice separate so that it does not get mushy. 1 cup of uncooked rice will yield 3 cups of cooked rice.

Grilled Cheese Anyone? Which would you prefer?

Italian bread, sliced thin or your favorite bread
Butter, softened or at room temperature
Garlic Powder
Dried Parsley
Very thin slices of American cheese, Sliced Gouda, Sliced Colby Jack, or Sliced Pepper Jack (if you like spicy) usually one to two slices of cheese per sandwich.
Slices of tomato (optional)
Slices of Cooked Bacon (optional)
Slices of Smoked Turkey (optional)

Decide on how many pieces of bread you will need (2 for one sandwich). Butter one side of each slice of bread that you are using. Lightly dust the buttered side with garlic powder and the dried parsley. Set aside. Add your cheese or cheeses, tomato, bacon, and turkey, if you are adding all of these. You can do just cheese as well. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium high heat. When the pan is heated, carefully put your sandwich in the skillet, butter side down in the pan. Do not leave the kitchen! It will cook very fast! With a spatula, carefully lift the sandwich to see if it is golden brown; if it is, then, carefully flip it over the other buttered side and cook until it is golden brown. Eat with a bowl of your chicken soup.

Here is a variation to get you started: Hot Turkey and Raspberry Jam! This one is an inspiration from a little restaurant in a small town, Tennile, which is about 40 minutes from Georgia College in Milledgeville.

Sourdough bread, sliced thin (ask the baker or deli person if they can slice it thin, if not, that is okay) or your favorite bread
Butter
Smoked, sliced thin, turkey (from the deli)
Seedless raspberry jam
Sliced thin, Gouda or Havarti cheese
Bacon, cooked and drained (1 or 2 pieces depending on how many sandwiches)

Over medium heat in a skillet, cook bacon in a skillet until crispy or chewy (depends on your taste), flipping after a few minutes to cook the other side; drain well on a plate with paper towels. Cut in half. Wipe the skillet out with a paper towel so that you can use the same skillet to cook the grilled cheese

Decide how many sandwiches you are going to have. If one sandwich, butter one side of each slice of bread. With butter side down, spread a layer of raspberry jam, and top with 2 to 3 turkey slices, and 1 slice of cheese, and bacon halved to that it fits on the sandwich. Then, spread a thin layer of raspberry jam on the other side of bread that does not have the butter on it. Place that piece of bread, butter side out, on top of the sandwich. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium high heat. When the pan is heated, carefully put your sandwich in the skillet, butter side down in the pan. Do not leave the kitchen! It will cook very fast! With a spatula, carefully lift the sandwich to see if it is golden brown; if it is, then, carefully flip it over the other buttered side and cook until it is golden brown. Serve immediately.

Yield: 6-8

Author: Kelly Meer