Actually Mmm Mmm Good!

A few days ago I contracted the swine flu virus. I realize I probably should say that due to legal liability crap since I don't actually know that it was the swine flu and the actual probability of it being the swine flu is minuscule to none, and it's not even the "swine" flu, it's h1n1 or some such nonsense, but I just really wanted to say I had the swine flu even though my symptoms didn't match the h1n1 symptoms or anything, but it just sounds pretty badass. Plus I just love to mock the hysterical reactionists out there who hear a handful of symptoms and suddenly think the world is coming to an end. Oh God! PIG FLU WILL KILL US ALL! Loyal readers, I found the cure to swine flu, dog flu, cat flu, hamster flu, and even parakeet flu (but not guinea pig flu...that's a tougher nut to crack) and it's my homemade chicken noodle soup.

We've been talking a lot about chicken and chicken stock, and this is a perfect application for your homemade chicken stock. It's the circle of life for a chicken; be born from an egg and grow into a roaster, be roasted with TWO butters, and then be made into chicken stock. Of course chicken stock has many applications, but the most obvious one to me is chicken noodle soup.

2 cups chicken stock

1 small handful of egg noodles

1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped OR 1 teaspoon dried parsley

Optional: 1 large carrot peeled and chopped into thin disks, 1 large rib of celery chopped thinly, fully cooked chicken scraps, lemon slice

Bring your stock to a simmer and add your optional veggies and chicken. I use carrots only. I don't add extra chicken and I don't really like the stringiness of celery. Simmer veggies with lid on the pot for 5 minutes. Add egg noodles and cook for as long as the noodle package says to cook. If you are used dried parsley, add the parsley 3 minutes before cook time is up. If you are using fresh, then hit the soup with your herbs about 30 seconds before cook time is up. A squeeze of fresh lemon over the top of the bowl right before eating makes everything bright and fresh.

This meal is a food hug. If you make it for someone else, it shows how much you love that person and that you want them to feel better. I felt better after making it for myself, because self love is the greatest love of all.