Chicken Noodle Soup

16 cups (4 qts) canned chicken broth

1 3 1/2 lb chicken cut into 8 pieces (or you can buy a rotisserie chicken and chop meat)

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

2 Tbs butter

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

8 oz dried wide egg noodles (I buy Grandma's egg noodles in frozen section of grocery)

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

Combine chicken broth and chicken in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover partially and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Using tongs, transfer chicken to a large bowl. Cool chicken and broth. Discard skin and bones from chicken. Cut meat into bite sized pieces and set aside. Spoon fat off of broth. (If using a rotisserie chicken, skin and bone and cut up meat).

Return broth to simmer. Add onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Simmer vegetables until soft, about 8 minutes.

Melt 2 Tbs. butter in heavy large skillet over med-high heat. Add mushrooms and saute until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Add mushrooms to broth, stir in noodles, parsley and reserved chicken. Simmer until noodles are tender. Season soup with salt and pepper.

Serves 12

Great with chopped kale and swiss chard or other greens.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 large dried Pasilla (negro) Chile, stemmed and seeded - I bought the only dried chiles my store had, somewhere on package it said rista chiles.

One 15-oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes

2 Tbs. vegetable oil

1 med white onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick

3 garlic cloves, peeled

2 quarts chicken broth

salt

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves cut into 1/2 inch cubes (or a store bought rotisserie chicken, meat pulled from bone and chopped or shredded)

1 large ripe avocado, cubed

1 1/2 cups shredded mexican cheese (I just use quesadilla cheese)

4 cups (about 6 oz) broken tortilla chips

1 lime, wedged

Sour cream

Chopped cilantro

*we add one hot, roasted chopped chile which we have bought in the fall. This year we have nitros and only need less then a tsp. to get very spicy soup. Try adding a dash of hot sauce to replace this ingredient.

quickly toast the chile by turning it an inch or two above an open flame for a few seconds, until aroma fills the kitchen. Break into pieces and put in blender along with tomatoes and their juice. 

Heat the oil in a large (4 quart) sauce pan over med-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 7 - 10 min. Scoop out the onion and garlic and add to blender. Process until smooth.

Return to the pan and put over med-high heat. Stir nearly constantly until the thickness of tomato paste - about 6 minutes. Add the chicken broth, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste (usually needs a generous teaspoon of salt). 

Just before serving add the chicken to the simmering broth. If using the raw, cubed chicken cook until done (about 5 min). if using the rotisserie chicken just stir it in.

Ladle into bowls with chips, cheese, avocado, etc.