M'm! M'm! Better!

As cooler weather makes its appearance, soups will, too. I love soup! I even eat it during the summer. (I receive some grief for this, but it's not like I eat it outside in the 100 degree weather. We do have this special thing called air-conditioning.)

In my head, I've lined up the soups I'll make through the fall & winter, interspersed with Crock-Pot creations. On Tuesday, I made our first pot of soup. Can I just say that sharing a pot of soup with a boy is great?! Not only because I have a boy sitting next to me at meals, but because I won't have to eat the same soup for 9 days.

First up? Chicken Noodle Soup. If you're like me, you associate this soup with being sick. Along with Sprite and saltine crackers. And orange Gatorade with sugar added.

But this is actually pretty decent Chicken Noodle Soup. Really, it is.

Chicken Noodle Soup

3 chicken breasts

4 quarts chicken broth, reserved or canned

1 medium carrot, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1/2 medium onion, chopped

2 T butter

1 t fresh thyme

1 1/2 t garlic, chopped

2 t lemon juice

2 packages Reames Egg Noodles (in the freezer section)

Salt & pepper, to taste

Boil chicken in 5 quarts of water; reserve broth for later use. In the same pot, saute carrot, celery & onion with butter until translucent. Add garlic & thyme, and continue to cook about 10 minutes. Add broth and lemon juice to mixture; add salt & pepper, to taste. (Remember, the more salt & pepper, the less it tastes like sick-people food.) Bring to a boil. Add frozen egg noodles and return to a rolling boil, stirring to separate. Cook, uncovered, 45 minutes or until noodles are tender; stir occasionally. Add chicken, stir. Allow to cook another 15 minutes before serving.

Serve with crusty bread, toasted lightly in the oven with butter and rubbed with a clove of garlic.

*Time-saving tips: use canned broth & rotisserie chicken