Grandma Noodles (Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup)

This recipe came from my Grandma Lloyd and my mom made it all the time growing up in our home. It is one of my most favorite comfort foods that just tastes like home. It's pretty versatile in that you can add or leave out whatever veggies you want. We usually just eat it with the carrots and celery, but sometimes I throw in some corn. My mom's sister also makes this but pours it over mashed potatoes. It's just delicious.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
For the Egg Noodles:
3 Eggs
4-5 T. milk
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 3/4 cup flour

Mix with fork then knead it on a well-floured surface.

Roll out thin, about 1/8 - 1/4-inch thick, and let sit, covered with a light towel, for 4-5 hours. Make sure you have enough flour underneath the dough when you roll it out because it will be pretty hard to get it off the table otherwise. My mom has even left hers out overnight and she says it works well too, but you don't want it so dry that it cracks when you cut it. (I sometimes flip the rolled out dough over after a few hours so that both sides can get dry. To do this just flour the top of the dough, fold it back on itself, then flip it over.)



Cut into 4 sections, then layer them, with straight edges together, generously sprinkling flour in between each layer.





Cut into thin strips. I find a pizza cutter to be helpful.



Once they are all cut, sprinkle them again with flour and separate any noodles stuck together. (All this flour will help them not stick to each other, as well as help thicken the broth when they are cooked.)




For the soup:
1 whole Fryer Chicken, Cut Up (or about 2 Cups Cooked Chicken)
olive oil
1/2 onion, diced (I sometimes leave this out-not a huge onion fan.)
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1/4 tsp. thyme
1-2 tsp. parsley
pinch of turmeric
salt and pepper, to taste
Egg Noodles
10-12 cups chicken broth

Cover chicken with about 3-4 quarts water and cook for 20 to 30 minutes or until done. Remove chicken to a large platter or cookie sheet to cool. (If you do this step ahead, you can put the broth in the fridge then scrape off the fat that solidifies on top--IF you want.)

Once the chicken is cooled, remove it from the bones; shred. Set aside. Return bones to broth and simmer on low, covered, for 45 minutes. Remove bones from broth and any small bones that may have separated.

In a dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat olive oil and saute onions, carrots and celery for about 5-8 minutes. Add thyme, parsley and turmeric and saute another minute or so. Add broth and bring to a boil-this is also when I occasionally add fresh or frozen corn. (If you don't have enough broth from cooking the chicken and bones, you can add more water and then chicken soup base to it.)

Once water is boiling, add shredded chicken pieces and egg noodles. Bring to a boil again, stirring so the noodles don't get stuck together. Boil for about 8-10 minutes or until noodles are done. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.