Chicken Alphabet Noodle Soup

Okay, Erin--I thought it was only fitting to submit a soup this week. After all of your blogging about soup week, and all of the recipes you've received, it just made me crave some! So this week, It's Chicken Alphabet Noodle Soup!

It is truly amazing what little things like special-shaped noodles can do for food consumption with kids! The boys haven't really been super eager soup eaters. I've been working on ways to improve that, and I decided I wanted to try the alphabet letters. The first challenge was finding the darn things! I visited 3 stores before I found them!

Fortunately a bag like this will only set you back about $1.20 here, and it will make a couple huge batches of soup! This went over HUGE! I kept this recipe pretty simple so it would be kid friendly. And it fits within budget!

8 cups chicken broth or stock ( I made mine Sunday from a chicken frame) .00

3 cups cooked, chopped chicken (again, from chicken over the weekend) .00

1TB olive oil

2 carrots, chopped .15

2 celery stalks, chopped .10

1/2 onion, chopped, .10

1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley .15

1 cup alphabet noodles .55

Heat olive oil in dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and celery for 5 minutes. Add broth and chicken, bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove lid, add pasta and parsley and continue simmering for 10-15 minutes until noodles are tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with oyster crackers as desired.

So...if you save your frame and leftover chicken, you too can make a big vat of yummy, kid friendly soup for $1.05!!!!