Tis The Season...For A Cold!

I don't know how it is at your house, but in our house, when we get colds, we like to share them with everyone! Jellybean gets it first, then Daddy gets it, and then Mama gets it in the end.  I try so hard to avoid it by using good hand washing and alcohol soap, but somehow it always manages to get me.  I am just getting over a terrible cold, one that completely knocked me on my backside and stayed awhile.  It was one that made it physically hard to breathe, and made it impossible to sleep.  I woke up in coughing fits more times than I can count, so I'm glad to be on the tail end of it!

One of the only things that I really wanted to eat was Chicken Noodle Soup, but I wanted to find something that was really low in sodium and would be really healthy.  I wanted big pieces of chicken and vegetables, but I wanted them soft and mushy.  There wasn't anything canned that would fit the bill, so I made my own!  I wanted to share my recipe, as I know that there are a bunch of different illnesses going around.  And for those of you who have more than one kid or a child in daycare or school, you'll be needing this before too long!!

Supplies Needed

Chicken Broth

4 stalks of celery

4 large carrots

4 cloves of garlic

Salt and Pepper to taste

Chicken 

1 medium white onion

Garlic salt 

Garlic powder

1.  Prepare your chicken broth.  I happened to have a chicken carcass from the night before, so I boiled my chicken bones for about 3-4 hours on low.  I also used some chicken broth from Epicure (amazing, low in sodium and no MSG!).  You could use canned or boxed broth, whatever floats your boat!  I think I did about 16 cups of broth and 8 cups of water.

2.  Remove your chicken bones and discard, if you chose to make your own broth.  Crush your garlic with a garlic press or chop it into tiny pieces.  Garlic is a natural illness fighter, so use it profusely!!!  Chop and add your chicken.  Chop your onion, celery and carrot into bite-sized pieces and add those as well.  **Note!  When you add your veggies in, remember that your broth is hot!!  Do not drop them from a great height or you will splash and potentially get burnt!!**

3.  Add your spices.  Don't be stingy!  Remember that you're working with a large volume of liquid, so you will definitely want to taste as you go.  I thought I had added too much salt, but it was actually not quite enough.  The garlic salt is great because it adds a ton of flavor.  I also add about 1-2 tablespoons of butter as well.  It sounds really weird, but it actually adds a ton of great flavor.  I don't know if it's the salt from the butter or the fat content, but it just tastes so yummy!  You'll be amazed at the difference in the taste!

4.  Let this boil for 3-4 hours on low.  You could do this whole thing in a crock pot (without boiling the bones, of course), and leave it on low for the day while you're out, and it would  taste awesome, too!  I served mine with some baking powder biscuits; it was the perfect sick day food!!!