Chicken Noodle Soup from scratch

I have a sick kid at home today. He has croup. Its pretty scary but mostly harmless. Whenever a kid is sick I make chicken noodle soup from scratch. I can't tell you the number of people who don't know how to do this. I guess not everyone was raised by a german grandma. I also made bread with this soup but I just used the bread machine so its no biggie.

Here we go...

Buy some chicken ON THE BONE. I can't stress this enough. Quit being an pansy, save yourself some money and buy some chicken thighs. The bone is where the marrow is and that is where the flavor comes from. If you use chicken breast or a Costco rotisserie chicken you will have to add bouillon. Here this was 11 bucks at Safeway which was actually sort of expensive compared to winco. I used half of this enormous chicken pack and I like my soup pretty meaty. If you wanted to you could cook it all and then use half the meat for enchiladas or something...This is a budget meal. It makes a ton and it cost me under ten dollars.

Ingredients:
1. Chicken on the bone (8 chicken thighs is sufficient)
2. Salt
3. Water
4. Pepper
5. Egg Noodles or really any kid of pasta. You could even use rice if you have leftover rice or if you are gluten free.
6. Carrots (I like the baby ones because I am lazy but normal ones are cheaper)
7. Celery
8. Onion
9. Garlic (optional)
10. Chicken Bouillon
Time: 4.5 hours

Directions:

I am visual so this is going to be mostly photos...

Open the chicken

Rinse the chicken. This is an optional step. The slime grosses me out so I rinse it pretty well.

 Put the chicken in a big pot and totally cover it in water. Like a lot of water.

Chop an onion. I use a whole onion. If you don't like onions just use less and chop it tinier.

 Add some carrots. My kids like them this size so that they can pick them out.

 Chop some celery. Like 4 big stalks. I don't even peel it.

 Add some of this chopped garlic. Garlic is so good for you and helps you immune system. You can't even taste so no worries. One teaspoon will do the trick.

I buy mine at costco and it looks like this. It lasts pretty much forever.

 Add two tablespoons of salt.

 Turn your burner on to medium and put a lid on it.

This is time I started it, about 12:30. Don't you love my ex wallpaper. So vintage 1990. HA HA!

Now after it has all been boiling for some time...

About 4 hours its time to take the thighs out.

 This is the part a lot of people don't like. Wash your hands and then pick all the meat off the chicken. Put it right back into the broth you have in the big pot. Yes its greasy and warm.  It is worth it.

Now cook those noodles. Use another pot and cook them. I like egg noodles which is not the same thing as italian pasta noodles. My kids also like it when I use broken spaghetti noodles so it looks like Campbells. 

 Do a taste test. It is too bland? Add some bollioun, salt and pepper. Try it again. Add seasonings a little at a time.

 Add your noodles and BAM. You have a huge pot of healthy yummy soup.

This post has not been spell checked. I have kids.

First Day of School for Samson

Samson started preschool at the sweetest Christian Preschool. He was so excited. We went to Target and bought him a lunch box and a backpack. In typical Jasmin fashion we were almost late and I didn't get enough photos.

But he had a great day and only got in trouble one time for running. I love my little man.

The catch up post.

So it has been almost a year since I posted and I am so ashamed. I solemnly swear to make a post at least once a month. I am so scared I won't remember all these times if I don't. I don't even know where to start...

Maybe I'll just go month by month.. Last post was last June...

Last June we decided we had to move. It was sad. I was sad but hopeful this would make our lives easier. Our old home was beautful and in the BEST area. But it was small and we couldn't afford it really even at all. And I really really wanted to stay home. So we sold it ourselves. NO REALTOR. It worked fine and we moved from this rural little 2 bedroom place to this amazing mansion. JUST kidding. We moved to a much larger but it worse shape house in September. With people around us and kids next door and a fenced backyard and affordable payments. God was working for us overtime. He is great. Now we have been here 9 months and feel so at home. I quit my job and I am doing childcare in my home. It is such a blessing to be here with my kids. To not have to drop them off here and there and stress about my boss not liking certain things.. Thank you JESUS.

 So we moved in and promptly started painting... we are still painting. ha ha! And attacking the yard. Typical home ownership stuff..

So the concludes my moving post. Next post will be the thanksgiving post. I think.

Christmas 2012

 Promptly when I returned from Utah we went and got our Christmas tree. I wanted to tie it to the tree but the kid at the shop didn't look excited when I asked him to. Oh well this year they can tie it my van. This was our first real tree. I had to get my favorite type. (the name of which escapes me..)We decided to take the kids to the local Christmas store and pick an ornament. New tradition for us. Of course Samson got an airplane and I picked Shirley a cupcake one.

   

 

I STILL don't have a nativity scene! So I used my willow tree figure and some Ikea mice. Oh well. You get the scene. (ok ok I'll get a less blasphemous set). 

I also did a little "craft" this Christmas. This was my very first time, I think, being totally creative on my own. My last years tree was a white fake one. You know the kind:

Anyways somehow it developed an odor. I took it out of the shed and it smelled FUNKY. Like old cat pee smoker funkee. I was so sad. I really wanted a Christmas tree in the bedroom too. I know. Its over the top. I love Christmas its so sparkly! and lovely and fun! Thank you Jesus for being born. I couldn't bear to part with the funky white walmart tree so I took the top third and put it in a cute mason jar with lights. I put all our sacred ornaments on it. Far from the cat and dog and children. Then I knocked it over with a pillow and broke Shirley's glass ball baby ornament. I suck. Please find me a 2012 pink glass ball one, anyone!

It is hard to keep kids off the tree. Case in point: Little miss and the ribbon:

 

And FINALLY Christmas

Well thats all for now. I am going to bed.