Favorite Feel-Good Food

Old Man Winter recently made his arrival to southern Ohio, and I don't know about you, but cold weather certainly gets me into the mood for cozy comfort food. When I'm looking to warm up, one of my favorite foods to eat is a timeless classic- chicken noodle soup. 

Old Man Winter recently made his arrival to southern Ohio, and I don't know about you, but cold weather certainly gets me into the mood for cozy comfort food. When I'm looking to warm up, one of my favorite foods to eat is a timeless classic- chicken noodle soup. 

I love chicken noodle soup for its simplicity and versatility. It's usually kid-approved and difficult to mess up! When I was pregnant with each of my boys, there was a rocky time during the first and second trimesters when nothing sounded good to eat. What did sound appetizing generally left my tummy feeling "heavy" and queasy. Broth-based soups were packed in my lunch nearly every day for weeks.

Soup is also a great option when making freezer meals in preparation for a new baby's arrival, or when you just might need something on-hand and easy to reheat and serve.


Chicken Noodle Soup
6 ounces egg noodles 
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 ribs celery, sliced
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
3-4 cups cooked chicken
4 quarts chicken broth

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Add garlic and onions and saute 2 minutes.
3. Add carrots, celery, bay leaves, thyme, chicken and broth.
4. Bring to a boil.
5. Add noodles.
6. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 10 minutes.
7. Remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs.
8. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

For an added taste of home, I like to serve this soup with homemade Jiffy corn muffins.