Super Cheap Chicken Soup for the Soul

Hello!  I’m back. Hurray!  This week I’ve received some comments to former posts which made me realize how long it’s been since I’ve posted anything.    Recently I took a new job and that brought lots of sheer exhaustion to my day.  I worked at school for five years which allowed me to be off at 3:00, and then worked for a law firm 8-4 for about four years.  Cutbacks forced me to be laid off at my most recent position which left me landing a very exciting position as a paralegal.  The only problem?  I work 8-5.  I haven’t worked until 5 for years and years.  And since my husband and I commute together, the trip across town to pick him up sometimes takes 30 minutes by itself.  You wouldn’t think an extra 30 minutes tacked on to your day would wear you out but that coupled with leaving early to get us both to work on time has left me exhausted, mentally and physically.  My new job is exciting but taxing and I can’t say it’s been easy on me.  My whining here is only meant to convey my long and sporadic absence from my blog.  But I miss blogging.  I love the contacts I have made and the constant inspiration I find in blogs.  Everything has taken a hit with me taking a new job, including my inspiration in the kitchen, but last night I might have re-found my groove, at least for one meal ha-ha.

I’ve been under the weather the last couple of days, sick with a sore throat, aching ears and body.  But new jobs do not allow time off so I’ve been working through it.  Trying to get myself back on track with frugal meals, meal planning, and not eating out, I remembered that I had the bones/skin from a chicken that I baked a few weeks ago in my freezer along with a small (sandwich bag sized portion ) of meat left from the baked chicken.  Hmmmm… chicken soup for the soul?  Yep.  That’s what I needed.

Before I left for work, I decided to toss the frozen glob of bones/skin in my crockpot and filled it up with water to make broth.  I switched it on and left for work, all of this taking about 90 seconds. 

Here’s how I made Super Cheap Chicken Soup for the Soul AT HOME MY WAY:

Super Cheap Chicken Soup for the Soul (Crockpot)

• Bones/Skin/pieces from a whole chicken - or after cooking several pieces of chicken (mine was frozen)
• Salt/Pepper
• Chicken Meat (small amount left from previously cooked chicken) (optional, this isn’t absolutely necessary)
• 1 Bag Uncooked Noodles (I used Amish noodles that I had in the pantry, but any cheap wide egg noodles would do.  I have also made homemade noodles and they would be completely delish.  But, having walked in my house at 6PM, I wasn’t making noodles LOL).
• Flour/Water (to make thickener if you prefer thickened soup)

Instructions:  Place frozen (or thawed) bones/skin/carcass in the crockpot, fill with water (making sure to allow room for the broth to bubble without running over).  Turn the crockpot on low and cover.  Cook 8-10+ hours

 After 8-10 hours, strain broth (using a screen strainer or a clean tea towel in a colander).  It was at this point that I removed the remaining bits of meat for my lucky dog.

Add half of the broth (approximate 6 cups) to a large pot.  Add in any meat.  Bring to a boil.  Salt & pepper.  Add the noodles.  You could also add some cooked carrots, peas, etc. at this point if you have any leftovers you want to include.  Cook until the noodles are done.

To thicken:  Take ½ cup of cold water in a small glass.  Add two heaping Tablespoons of flour.  Stir until smooth and add this mixture to the pot of boiling noodles/broth.  Stir and cook a few minutes until thick.

That’s it!  A cheap, easy, and delicious Chicken Soup for the Soul!

 I served this with some super sized homemade corn muffins.  I know I needed some vegetables but I didn’t have anything in the pantry and I wasn’t making a trip to the store!

I have some pictures of the broth that I was able to freeze for later, the meat from the bones/bits, and the small amount of bones to be thrown away from a whole chicken showing little waste, but of course, my camera died so I'll add those to this post later on.