I just happened to have two chickens, so I made two versions of chicken soup. Hubby liked he wild rice better. I liked both. There’s nothing like homemade noodles. They don’t turn to mush the next day, and they have a great texture.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken with Wild Rice Soup

leftover chicken carcass (such an ugly word, but what else would you call it?)
water
onion
carrot
celery
bay leaf
salt
pepper

Roast bones (I didn’t have time, but it gives a better flavor to the stock). Place all ingredients in a large stock pot, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, keep at a gentle boil for 2 or more hours. Add more water as stock reduces. Reduce until you have a rich stock. Remove chicken and vegetables, strain. Remove chicken from bones, add back in to stock. Then add:

1 small onion, chopped
2 carrots, chunked and quartered
2-3 stalks celery, chopped
noodles or wild rice (cook 1/2 c rice, then add)

Bring to a boil, cook until vegetables are soft. If adding noodles, boil for about 10 minutes.

Homemade Noodles
2/3 c flour (ap)
1 egg
1 T water
1/2 t salt
1 t oil

Make a well with the flour. Drop the egg into it. Combine with the water, salt, & oil. Work the mixture with your hands, folding the flour over the egg until the dough can be rolled into a ball and comes clean from the hands. (For green noodles, add 2-4 T very well drained and dried, finely chopped cooked spinach) (I usually need to add in a little more flour, maybe 1 T) Knead the dough for about ten minutes. Let stand covered, about 1 hour. Roll the dough, stretching it a little more with each roll. Between each rolling and stretching, continue sprinkling with flour to prevent sticking and holes. Repeat about 10 times until dough is paper-thin and translucent. Let dry about 30 minutes (I’ve put it in without drying, and it’s fine). Roll and slice (use a pizza cutter) to desired width. Use about 3 T uncooked noodles for each quart soup. Cook noodles in rapidly boiling salted water (or add to soup) for 10 minutes.

*I didn’t have any celery, so I added celery seed to make the stock.

*One of the chickens was a Costco rotisserie chicken, and it gave the stock a great flavor.

*I think I’ll take the leftovers and combine them for a chicken noodle with wild rice soup.