Italian Chicken Noodle Soup

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving.  As the wife and mother of the home, my day before a big feast day should not be filled with writing papers for my college class.  The question is, how do you balance being a wife and mother and preparing for a big eating holiday and finishing a paper that should’ve been turned in yesterday?  Sad to say, I am so consumed with writing research papers that I did not even buy a turkey until today.  I guess I won’t be thawing it in the refrigerator for a couple days.   Right now it is thawing in my bathtub where our dog Fen won’t get to it.  I hope Mika, one of our cats, does not get any bright ideas.  After working on my paper first thing in the morning, shopping for three hours, preparing chicken soup, nap time and finish my paper, I actually achieved all my goals for the day.  At this point I even have a pumpkin pie in the over.  Just call me “Super Mom”.

            Italian Chicken Noodle Soup

            Boil the bones of a smoked chicken; make sure that there is enough meat left on the bones to put in the soup. Cook for about an hour first bringing to a boil and then letting it simmer.  Strain out meat and bones from broth, dump meat back in the pot.  Add 2 cups of spiral noodles, 2 bay leaves, 1 tablespoon of Basil, 2 lg bouillon cubes, 1 can tomato sauce, and salt to taste.  Chop fine: 2 carrots, 2 stalks of celery, and half a green pepper, add to soup.  Chop on onion and 2 cloves of garlic, sauté in 2 or 3 tablespoons of olive oil, cook until tender.  Next, sprinkle salt and paprika over all of the onion mixture and add ½ cup of flour, cook until golden brown, add to soup and cook for about 10 minutes.  Add 1 cup of Parmesan cheese and stir in well.  

  

            This is a great meal soup if you eat it with a fresh loaf of bread.  Enjoy!