Restart

I have this idea that I'll start posting here again, but who knows? Yet again this new year I'd like to cook more and eat fewer processed foods. I'd also like to try to work in more vegetarian meals. We'll see how any of that goes. But I'd also like to just post a few more recipes. None of these are mine, of course, but they're often tweaked by me. So here's one of my recent favorites. I swear it takes me twice as long as any recipe says it will. This one says 45 minutes, but it takes me closer to an hour and 45 minutes.

Easy Chicken Noodle Soup (with Dumplings)
(adapted very slightly from The Kitchn)

Ingredients

• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 3 celery stalks, sliced
• 1 carrot, peeled and sliced (I just sliced a few baby carrots because that's what I always have on hand)
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 6 bone-in chicken thighs
• 1 bay leaf
• roast chicken better than bouillon. Enough for 4-5 quarts or so.
• 1 lb good egg noodles
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1-3 tsp salt

For Dumplings

• 1 egg
• 1/4 C. milk
• 1- 1&1/4 C flour
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Chop veggies and mince garlic.
2. Remove skin from chicken thighs and discard.
3. Warm teaspoon or so of olive oil in dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions, celery, carrots and cook until they're just barely soft (3-5 minutes). Clear out a space in the middle and add garlic. Cook until fragrant (30 seconds) and then mix into the vegetables. Clear space in the middle of pan and add another teaspoon or so of oil. Place chicken in pan in single layer. You want them to brown, so don't move them for 3-5 minutes. Then flip and brown the other side for another 3-5 minutes.
4. While the chicken is browning, make 2 quarts chicken stock using better than bouillon. Then add bay leaf, 1/2 tsp of salt, and 1 quart of chicken stock/broth to the pot. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes.
5. While that's simmering, make the dumplings, if desired. Put one cup of flour in a smallish bowl. Beat one egg with some salt and pepper and add it to the middle of the flour. Pour in 1/4 C. milk and combine, adding flour into the milk and eggs from the side. Try not to overwork. Combine until well, errr, combined. It'll hold together as a ball but still be sticky in the middle. Add more flour if necessary. Cut off small chunks (using a spoon) about half the size of a thumb and drop into a separate pot of simmering chicken broth. It helps to wet the spoon with the broth. When they float, they're about done. Remove, add salt and pepper, and repeat with more dumpling mix. Set aside when done.
6. After a half an hour, take the chicken out of the soup and shred it. Discard the bones and return the chicken to the soup. Add more chicken stock, if desired. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Boil noodles in separate pot of chicken stock/broth. When the noodles are done, drain. 
8. To serve, put a handful of dumplings in bottom of a bowl, add noodles, and then add soup.