Chicken Noodle Soup

It's that time of the year again! FALL  FLU SEASON!

I'm not sure how it's happened so early, but hubby has some how managed to get sick already.  Well, I guess it's not that surprising.  Baby John is in daycare and he carries the plague home to us probably on a daily basis.  Last week I started to feel a tickle in my throat and immediately reached for the Emergen-C (that stuff works, I swear!)  Was in a little bit of denial at first, and thought it was just some allergies, but it must've been some kind of bug because it hit the hubs full force on Friday night.
He sounded like crud and has been super congested.  So yesterday afternoon I made some chicken noodle soup.  I know, I know.  I deserve the wife/mommy-of-the-year award! Thank-you, thank-you! (that was total sarcasm; as the hubs pointed out yesterday, I'm sometimes not very nice).

Didn't have carrots on hand but lucked out and had everything in the house.  Bonus! No grocery trip!

Also, usually I also put in mushrooms, but I was doing this off-the-cuff.  So give me some slack.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Serves: 4-6 people
Time: About 2 hours
Ingredients:
Broth:

• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast and 2 BL/SL chicken thighs
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• salt and pepper
• half a large yellow onion, quartered
• 2 stalks celery
• 2 tsp. or cubes of chicken bouillon or 1 tbs. 'Better Than Bouillon'

Soup:

• 2 tbs. butter
• 1 tbs. olive oil
• 2 stalks celery, chopped into ~1/8" cubes
• 1 carrot, chopped (I didn't have this on-hand for the photos)
• second half of a large yellow onion from broth, chopped 
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tbs. of fresh minced herbs (Italian/flat leaf parsley or dill or rosemary), optional
• 12 oz. bag of wide egg noodles
• the reserved chicken from broth, chopped into ~1/2" cubes

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. I used an 8 quart pot and filled it up to the handle screws.
2. Add chicken, allow to return to a boil, then reduce to medium heat.  
3. Add bay leaf, garlic clove, onion, celery and chicken bouillon.  
4. Simmer for 20 minutes.  With a slotted spoon, remove chicken breast and allow to cool in a medium bowl.
5. Simmer rest of broth for an additional 10 minutes (or until chicken thighs cooked through and no longer pink in center) and remove chicken thighs into same medium bowl containing chicken breast.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Remove from heat and allow to cool about 15 minutes.
7. Strain over a fine mesh strainer into a very large bowl or second pot.  Discard stuff in strainer.  Wipe out the large pot and replace the broth in the large pot (or put the second pot on the stove).
8. Once chicken has cooled, dice the chicken meat.
9. Return the broth to a boil over medium-high heat.
10. While you are waiting for that, add butter and olive oil to a large pan over medium-high heat and saute the chopped onion, celery, and carrots.  Take off heat and add lemon juice and optional herbs.
11. Pour the sauteed vegetables into the large pot and add back in chicken meat.  
12. Cook egg noodles in the soup for 1-2 minutes less than directions, or until al dente.
13. Scoop into bowls and serve with rolls, sandwiches, or croutons.