Granny's comfort food

The meals my Granny (my Dad's Mom) made were the definition of comfort food! 


Most of the meals Granny made would cook for hours, filling the house with the most amazing aromas. Aromas that filled us with anticipation for the evening's meal. Aromas that made the house feel warm and inviting. And Granny's meals never failed to deliver on the promise made by those magnificent aromas! 


Today I continue to make some of those same recipes that my Granny made. I love that my children appreciate them as much as I did and still do. 


Granny's Chicken Soup


3 pounds chicken (Granny used chicken breast and thigh, I like to use only chicken breast)


1 med. onion, diced


2 carrots, chopped


3 celery stalks, chopped


2 dried bay leaves


3 cloves garlic, minced


1 teaspoon dried thyme


2 teaspoons dried parsley


1 1/2 teaspoons salt


1/2 teaspoon pepper (Granny's recipes often did not list exact amounts, these are the amounts of salt and pepper I use)


Dash of cayenne pepper (tastes so good and makes sure the soup completely clears out the sinuses!)


Place chicken in dutch oven with onion, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, parsley, salt, pepper and cayenne.

Add cold water to cover all ingredients. (Again that is as specific a measurement as we could get!)

Bring pot to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour.


It will smell so good!!


After an hour, when you can barely stand to wait any longer, remove chicken from pot. Allow chicken to cool enough to remove meat from bones. Discard skin! Chop meat into bite sized chunks.


Remove and discard bay leaves. I also like to skim any fat or gunk from the soup.


Here is where my soup varies from Granny's. Granny would make the most delicious dumplings! I think they're delicious anyway. The Family, not so much. No, they are not fans of the dumpling. Sometimes I make them anyway because I am a big fan of the dumpling, but typically I make my soup with noodles. 


I like to use Stelline noodles. Yep, stars! The Family really likes the stars! Go figure!

At this point bring the pot back to a boil. Add pasta and cook per package instructions. Add in your cut up chicken a few minutes before the pasta is done. Serve!

That my friend's is comfort food, the way Granny used to make!


Christine