This Mama's Chicken Noodle Soup

This soup is absolutely from scratch. Well, except for the noodles. But it is total comfort food. Great served with crackers or biscuits and awesome to serve on chilly days. It just warms you up and makes you feel better. Serves 4.

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 onion, cut in half
1 tsp garlic
2 teaspoons peppercorns
2 stalks celery, broken up, plus 2 chopped
1 bay leaf
1 carrot, chopped finely
2 tsp parsley
8 oz wide egg noodles
salt and pepper to taste

Get your pot and fill it halfway with water. Put it on the stove, set on high heat and toss in your chicken breasts. No need to thaw! I just toss it in along with the onion, garlic, peppercorns, broken up celery and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and set on medium. Let simmer covered for about 1 hour (or even more). Add some water if it has gone too low.

Take the chicken breasts out and set aside. Get a strainer and put it over another pot, pour the broth through. I like to get a fork and just press on the onion and celery to get the juices out. Throw out what was strained, you just need the broth. Now put that on the stove on medium heat along with the chopped celery, carrot, noodles and parsley. Chop up the chicken breasts (or shred them with a fork). They should be well cooked and very tender now.

Add your chopped or shredded chicken into the pot and let simmer for about 10-15 minutes, till noodles are done and carrots are tender. Salt and pepper to taste. If you want it a little bit thicker, add 1 tbsp flour to 1/2 cup water and mix into the soup. Let stand for a few minutes to thicken before serving.

5 points a serving. Now curl up and enjoy your soup.

I chose to thicken it a bit!