Quick & Cost Effective Chicken Noodle Soup

When I cook I look to a recipe for inspiration, but rarely follow one closely.  Part of our budget plan is to stretch leftovers and pantry staples to make hearty and pocket-friendly meals.  One of our sweet church friends brought us a whole chicken the other night, so I cut the remaining meat off the bones to save for this soup.


Here’s what I did:


Chop 3 long and skinny carrots.  
Chop 1 medium onion.
Add to stock pot and drizzle with a little olive oil.  Add garlic.  I didn’t have any fresh, so I had to use powder.
Sautee for about 5 minutes to soften them a bit.


After the 5 minutes were up, I added 6 cans of chicken broth.  
Add the shredded leftover chicken.
Season to taste with:
Salt & pepper
Basil
Oregano
  *This is what I had on hand.  You can also use parsley, thyme, etc.


Bring to a boil.
Turn heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
While the soup is simmering, make ½ a bag of egg noodles according to the package.  Drain and add to the soup when done.  You can cook the noodles in with the soup, but you would need a lot more broth because it will soak it all up.


That’s it.  Very basic so you can add whatever your family likes.

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone enjoyed a safe New Year's Eve! Here are a few of my main resolutions for the new year:

1. Take better care of myself (healthier eating, more exercise, & 8 hours a night).
2. Organize and MAINTAIN all of my "junk".
3. Create a budget and try to stick to it.
4. Pass my exam and find a full time job that I love!
5. Buy a house when this apartment lease is up.

What are some of your resolutions?