By Request

Several have asked for my recipe for the infamous Furry Chicken Noodle Soup, so here goes. Soup is so easy that I really don't go by a recipe. You just kind of taste your way through and throw in what you have. This is what I had:

o small roaster chicken
o chicken breasts (I don't like dark meat)
o two containers of chicken stock
o celery
o onion (we like the *sweet onions)
o garlic
o carrots
o **bouquet garni (I have a mix, but you can make your own of course)
o noodles
o olive oil
o salt & pepper

Again, this is all to taste, so add what you like, how much you like!

Chop the onion how you like (we like it on the smaller side) and the garlic. Saute in olive oil in large stock pot until translucent. Rinse and add roaster and brown on both sides. Add two containers of the stock and about 4 cups of water. Chop carrots (I had baby ones, but if you have the big whole ones, add a couple chopped and the leaf too). I chopped off the end of the celery--about 4 inches with the leaf, and added whole (easier to remove later). Add your spices, I put about a tablespoon of the bouquet garni mix in. I cooked it for about three hours, but it's not necessary to cook that long.

Remove roaster and pour "broth" through colander into another pot. Remove leafy items and toss and return onions and any other goodies you like back to the broth. Again, since I am neurotic about dark meat.....brown chicken breasts lightly then add to the stock. (I use the roaster for chicken salad or pulled chicken sandwiches--the flavor is great!) I chop some more celery and carrots to add a little crunch, salt, pepper and spices you like and cook for another hour or so. Remove the breasts and chop or "pull" into pieces and replace them.

About 10 minutes before serving, add the noodles. That's it! Oh yea, cat fur is optional.

*Sweet onions: I remember, not that long ago, when a "vidalia" onion was just that. It was an onion that was grown in Vidalia, Georgia. My mom, coming from Georgia, knew about these long before "sweet" onions were found at the grocery. Each year, she would order, yes order, these straight from the South. I used to be so embarrassed as friends would ask why there were onions tied in panty hose lining our basement stairway wall. These days, you can get "sweet onions" anywhere. But, they're not the way I remember the good ol' Vidalias. Keep an eye out for them; and remember, get the flattest ones you can. They say these are the best. http://www.vidaliaonion.org/index.cfm

**Bouquet Garni: I am adding this only because my brother, Jim, (who should be a professional chef) turned me on to Penzey's spices years ago. Whenever we move, he buys me this HUGE box of Penzey's spices to welcome us to our new home. Over the years, I have had quite a selection. (You see, he IS making up for being so cruel to me as a child!) You HAVE to check the website out. You will never buy bottled spices from the grocery again! I swear. Enjoy. http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/shophome.html