it's deep into autumn and it's 95 degrees outside

One of my younger sisters came up last weekend to visit and commented on (well, really poked fun at) my lack of Halloween decor. So last week as it became dreary and stormy outside, I wore a hoody 2 days in a row and nestled into the harvest season by setting out an orange and red tablecloth, a few orange/brown candles and made some chicken noodle soup. Two days later the sun washed away the gray clouds and it's back to tank tops and flip flops. Two days later we were still eating soup.


At the request of a few soup loving pals, here is my (what Evan and I consider DELICIOUS) chicken noodle soup recipe:

• Heat 1 tablespoon unsalted butter & 1 tablespoon light olive oil in a pot. (You can do one or the other; I think the butter and oil combo gives the soup broth a good overall texture in the end.)
• Add 1 cup each chopped carrots, celery and white onion; salt & pepper; minced garlic (portion depending on how little or how much you want.)
• Saute until onion begins to soften.
• Add diced cooked chicken- portion to your own liking (I used leftover meat from the night before's store bought rotisseried chicken).
• Mix in 1 tablespoon "Herbs de Provence" (my favorite poultry seasoning because it has a touch of lavendar. You can add oregano, parsley, basil, or whatever you want instead.)
• Add 4 cups of chicken broth or more depending on how brothy you want the soup to be. (I like the lower sodium broths best so I have control over how much salt the soup needs.)
• (Here's where you can add softer veggies if you feel like it. I sometimes add peas, corn and/or diced tomatoes. I also like to add about 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil.)
• Salt & pepper to taste. Simmer until all veggies are cooked and flavorful. (At least 15 minutes.)
• Once cooked through, you can add your cooked pasta choice directly into the soup or you can portion noodles into the soup bowls and ladle soup over it. (I like keeping the noodles seperate since I usually have leftovers and it keeps the noodles from breaking up and getting overly soft.)

ENJOY!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE making soups and will most likely add more of my favorite soup recipes as autumn and winter progress. Hopefully this will start to happen soon...