Soup of the Day... Better Than Yo Mama's Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken Soup and Sickness

Chicken soup, a popular home remedy for the common cold since at least the 12th century, may really help. The steam from chicken soup may open up congested noses and throats. Soup also provides fluid, which is important for fighting infection. Some researchers suggest that substances in chicken soup reduce the inflammation associated with the common cold, thus providing some relief of symptoms.

Although researchers have not been able to prove that chicken soup helps cure the common cold or other illnesses, you may want to take advantage of these apparent healing properties.

Today's recipe... Remember... Disclaimer: Some folks don't always follow updated USDA canning methods, they may live in another country where the standards are not the same, they may use heirloom methods passed down through the generations, they may choose other canning methods not recommended. Use this recipe at your own discretion, or adapt it to your own method. I am sharing these recipes EXACTLY as they were sent to me and take NO responsibility for them.

Better Than Yo Mama's Chicken Noodle Soup­­

shared by Karen McMaster and Nancy Compton Huskins

4 lbs. chicken thighs and drum sticks 

Cold water (2 gallons) 

2 lg onions coarsely chopped 

2 large carrots coarsely chopped 

Celery leaves, coarsely chopped 

2 celery ribs, coarsely chopped 

Salt and fresh ground pepper

4 whole, peeled garlic cloves

2 bay leaves

1 Tbsp. dried thyme leaves

1 pkg. extra wide no yolk noodles 

¼ cup finely diced parsley

Rinse chicken thoroughly.

Add raw, chicken to stock pot along with the water, onion, carrot, celery leaves,celery, dried thyme, bay leaves, pepper and garlic cloves.

Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 ½ hours until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

When done, remove chicken from pot. (remove bay leaves)

When chicken is cooled, debone and cut chicken meat into small pieces.

Add chicken back to broth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil then turn heat to simmer until vegetables are done to suit your taste add noodles and cook halfway (approximately 5 minutes). skim as much fat off the top as possible.

Add parsley.

In the meanwhile make your 8 jars jars sterile and hot...add soup and noodles evenly to each quart jar leaving 1/2" headspace. process in pressure canner for 80 minutes for quarts at 11 lbs. pressure.


Note from Granny: There's a list of food items that the "powers that be" do not recommend for canning... I do realize that pasta is on that list. There are good reasons for these ingredients to be on those "no-no" lists, however, many people just assume that if an ingredient is on the "no-no" list, that means it's unsafe... not necessarily... do a little more research before you condemn! Pasta is on the list simply because the "powers that be" assume the end result of canning pasta will be a mushy noodle and hence not optimally flavorful or texturally appealing. Same goes for cabbage, summer squashes, etc. Not every "un-recommended" food is unsafe, some are on the list for being "unappealing." I personally have never canned a soup with the noodles in the jar... I can mine without the pasta and add the pasta when I open the jar to cook for a meal... some folks prefer to can the noodles in with the recipe, it's their decision. There is a big difference in "not recommended" and "unsafe."

Tomorrow's Soup of the Day... Black Bean Soup with Ham