I should have really titled this post Chicken Noodle Soup – The Good. The Bad. And the Ugly.

 

The Good = the homemade chicken noodle recipe I’m sharing here today.

 

The Bad = the fateful day my mom decided to make homemade chicken noodle soup.

 

The Ugly = the four obnoxious tweens and teens my mom fed her chicken noodle soup to on that fateful day.

 

It all started when my husband Mike decided to make homemade chicken noodle soup. From a recipe he saw on a friend’s Facebook post.

 

I was doubtful.

 

And nervous.

 

And scared.

 

Not because Mike is a bad cook. He’s quite wonderful, actually. I was doubtful, nervous, and scared because the memory of my mom’s homemade chicken noodle soup fiasco came flashing back …

 

… in all its terrible horror.

 

Let me preface this by saying my mom is an excellent cook. One of those amazing cooks who never consults a cookbook. She never wrote her recipes down. And when I ask how she makes this or that, I get instructions like a pinch of and a smidge and when you see steam rising off of …

 

So when my mom tried her hand at homemade chicken noodle soup, my then tween and teen siblings and I weren’t worried.

 

At first.

 

Right on up until the smell in the house just didn’t smell … well … all that appetizing.

 

And so began the bad.

 

Being the insensitive tweens and teens that were were back then, of course we walked into the house and questioned what smelled so bad …

 

And so began the ugly.

 

When my mom served up her homemade chicken noodle soup, I have a clear memory of my two sisters and brother and I sitting outside at our picnic table. Each of us staring into this bowl of fowl smelling soup. Turning it over with our spoons. Trying to avoid the layer of grease on top. Ladling a hot spoonful. Blowing on it to cool it down. And then, with great trepidation, taking a taste …

 

… and it lived up to its terrible smell. Ten fold.

 

And being the insensitive tweens and teens we were back then, the heckling began. We were ruthless. Brutal. Mom was not happy …

 

Sorry mom. Please forgive our silly tween and teen selves. We really do love you!

 

That was my last experience with homemade chicken noodle soup. Until …

 

 

And so begins the good.

 

 

Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

(adapted from allrecipes.com; makes 6 servings)

Ingredients

1 TBS butter

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 cup sliced carrots

4 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth

1 (14.5 ounce) can vegetable broth

1/2 pound chopped, cooked chicken breast

1 1/2 cup egg noodles (Mike doubled the noodles)

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken breast on tinfoil-lined cookie sheet. Cook for 10 minutes. Turn over. Cook for an additional 10 minutes. Cut into cubes.

2. In a large pot over medium heat, heat butter. Cook onion and celery in butter until tender (5 minutes).

3. Pour in chicken and vegetable broths. Stir in chicken, noodles, carrots, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.

4. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes before serving.

 

So easy. So delicious …

 

I wonder if I should share this recipe with mom …

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