Chicken Noodle Soup

It turns out that our baby doesn't like it so much when Nikki eats dairy, and so, that means we get to find all sorts of foods to eat that don't have dairy.  It is way hard, just so you know.  That being said, this one is going to be worked into our regular routine.  Great for a coldish day, so I probably should have put this up at the beginning of winter, but, better late then never.

What you need:

1. 3 Chicken Breasts
2. 10 cups water
3. 1/2 C. chopped onion
4. 1/2 tsp black pepper
5. 3 T salt
6. 2 bay leafs
7. 1 C chopped carrot
8. 1 C chopped celery
9. 2 cup dried egg noodles. (As you can see we used Fusili Springs for our pasta because we didn't have any egg noodles. You can use what ever pasta you want, egg noodles are best, but the springs were great.  For extra healthy soup, you could use the colored noodles that have tomato and spinach in them.)
10. 1 tbs dry parsley
11. 3 cubs chicken bullion (This is our preference.  You can do more or less)

What to do:

       In a six to eight quart pan, mix water, onion, salt, pepper, and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil and add the chicken.  Return to a boil, turn down and boil the chicken until through.      While the chicken is cooking, chop carrots and celery.  (try to cut them as evenly as possible to ensure even cooking)  Remove the chicken from water- DO NOT POUR THE WATER OUT!!!- Cut the meat into bite size pieces and put it back in the water, add bullion and discard the bay leafs.  (If you want to make a game out of it, leave the bay leafs in and who ever finds them gets a prize... like they don't have to do dishes that night.)     Bring the broth back to a boil, stir in carrot and celery, simmer about 10 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked to desired tenderness.
        One of the worst things about any soup is when the pasta is over cooked.  To solve this problem, we cook the noodles in a separate pan in salted water, then just mix them in.  The reason for this is two fold. 1) If the noodles are cooked in the soup they soak up a lot of the broth and then you don't have much left.  We really don't like our soup without broth.  2) If you put the noodles in to soon, either the noodles will be done and the veggies will be crunchy, or the noodles will be over cooked and the veggies just right.  Neither way is so great. 
       This meal is great with corn bread or fresh baked rolls.