Tag: chicken noodle soup

Carrot Straws

Meal times have sure been quiet this week.

My oldest three children are at Teen Pact all week – so it’s just Angel Girl and Buddy around the table with mom and dad.

Now while it may be quieter – it is no less silly.

Take last night for example – we had a simple meal of chicken noodle soup (I’m still living on the stuff!), homemade buns and carrot sticks.

Everyone was quietly eating their soup with a minimal amount of slurping when Angel Girl picked up her carrot stick and started to use it as a spoon.

I raised my eyebrows – but her daddy just laughed.

Then he said, “I bet you can make a straw out of that carrot – and suck up your soup.”

Now it was Angel Girl’s eyebrows that went up – as did Buddy’s.

The carrots flew out off the plate as they first tried their knives – then some toothpicks to pick out the soft center of the carrot stick.

I was the hero of the hour when I suggested a nut pick.

Soon both Buddy and Angel Girl were sucking up their soup through a carrot stick straw.

It was a little messy – and a little slurpy – but I can’t complain – they sure consumed a lot of veggies!

And while it may not be a socially correct  form of soup consumption – it sure was fun!

Hmmm… I wonder what other veggies can be hollowed out into straws?

Stay tuned!

Homemade Chicken Soup

Here’s Nana with a delicious way to stretch your food budget. How do I know it’s good? We just enjoyed some tonight!

Chick Noodle Soup & Buttermilk Bread

We purchase whole chickens and turkeys when they are a good price and cut them up into meal-sized pieces for us.

Then we take all the bony pieces and make a delicious homemade broth. Delicious fresh, its also wonderful to have in the freezer for those busy days or last-minute meal guests (hospitality!)

Homemade Chicken Soup
From Papa & Nana’s kitchen

Put the bony pieces (*ribs, back, wings) of chicken in a stock pot and cover with water.

Cut the following vegetables into chunks and add to pot:

2 med Onions
4 Carrots
2 Stalks of Celery (or 1 tsp. celery seed)

Add following herbs & seasonings:
1 tsp. Turmeric
2 tsp. dried sage
1 tsp. dried thyme
2 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. dried marjoram
1 tsp. garlic powder

(You may substitute fresh herbs for any of these or 2 tsp poultry seasoning)

For additional flavoring we add:

1 cube or 1 Tbs. Chicken Bouillon

Bring to boil and simmer until meat is tender.

Take out pieces of meat to cool until you can pull it off bones.

Strain the broth and return to stock pot.

Taste. Adjust seasonings by adding salt & pepper and perhaps more bouillon.

Add chicken.

Add either noodles or rice and simmer until done.

(Amount of noodles or rice depends on amount of broth)

Serve or put in serving size containers, cool & freeze to reheat later in the microwave.

* If you want more meat, also put in a leg and/or thigh or breast.

You can do the same thing with a turkey, too!

Until next time,

Nana