Try a New Recipe: Emily's Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

One day last Spring, I called my friend Emily and told her I had no kids. H-Bomb was in school and Sawed Off was helping his daddy on the ranch. She had her kids plus an extra, so she couldn't accompany me to the new thrift store in town. (Excitement-ville, I know). She said something to the effect of, "Do you want to cook dinner for me?" I immediately said no, but I did offer to come over and give her some ideas if she let me peruse her freezer.

When I got there, she had some ideas of her own. She had everything for this yummy soup that someone had made for her after the birth of one of her children. Everything, that is, except noodles. She did, however, have all the ingredients for homemade noodles mixed in the bread machine, a recipe she had never tried. "Let's do it," I said.

We had such a nice afternoon, making fresh pasta, cooking, talking. I did change the technique from her recipe, which called for boiling the chicken and then the vegetables (and then I changed it more when I got home). By the time the noodles and soup were put together, it was time for me to go pick up H-Bomb from school. And I had a fresh loaf of Emily's bread (she put 4 loaves in the oven when I got there) AND inspiration for my own dinner!

After a quick trip to the store for some celery, I came home and made this again! I had to find a different noodle recipe because of course our grocery store doesn't have the Semolina Flour Emily had picked up on a trip to the Big City. I decided on a recipe for Homemade Egg Noodles from cooks.com, mostly because I love egg noodles and the recipe didn't require any special ingredients.

This soup IS creamy and delicious, and I like it a lot. Thanks for a fun afternoon, Em!

I meant to put some fresh flat-leaf parsley in the soup tonight, but I forgot. Also forgot the garlic salt...Next time!

Emily's Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

1 stick butter

1 to 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken, cubed

1 large onion (about 1 cup diced)

2 large carrots (about 1 cup diced)

2 large celery stalks (about 1 cup diced)

1/2 cup flour

6 cups water

6 chicken bouillon cubes (or appropriate amount of granules for 6 cups water)

homemade noodles (or substitute 1 pkg frozen noodles or a few handfuls dried egg noodles)

1 cup milk

Melt butter in soup pot over medium heat. Saute onions and chicken, stirring and cooking until chicken is done and onions are translucent. Season with garlic salt if desired. Add carrots and celery, saute for a few minutes until bright and beginning to soften, add flour. Cook and stir until flour is incorporated (no longer white), about 2 minutes.

Add water and bouillon cubes, stir and bring to boiling. Add noodles, boil for recommended noodle cooking time, stirring in milk during the last 5 minutes of cooking.