Chicken Noodle/Rice Soup

Well, I was going to post last week about an amazingly delicious and easy chicken noodle/rice soup Ryan and I made ... but alas I caught myself on the phone with my sister, instead!  That was a week ago. Literally.  It has been such a busy week.  Thomas and I were caught up in the business of preparing to travel solo to Minnesota for a few days to see friends and family, and what a great trip we had.  Getting through security with an infant in tow was a trip ... lol ... but we made it thanks to a super easy-to-do ring sling I was able to make before we traveled.  I'll have to blog about that project when the time is right.

Our travels were very busy and family-filled, as we were able to see friends at a bridal shower, visit with all of our family, tour Gisela's new (stunning) home, and enjoy the serenade of a pink gorilla .. yep .. a pink gorilla .. once I get my video camera back (go figures, I always leave something in Minnesota ..) I'll be sure to post a video ;-)

Anyway - it's been a long time since I've been able to post!! I am looking forward to sharing many recipes, update my sewing progress on a quilt I've been working on, and dabble in the workings of a few projects I uncovered while browsing the net over the weekend ...

Here is the recipe - quick and dirty, no wild details, just a simple recipe:

All-in-the-Pot Chicken Noodle/Rice Soup - 
Chopped Veggies - 
I recommend any combination of the following: carrot, celery, onion, parsnip
Chicken -
Ours was a giant frozen breast of chicken - in the theme of chicken noodle soup (at least to my family), I threw it in whole, raw and frozen ... letting it release it's tasty juices right into the vegetable broth.
Broth - 
Your choice - you could use bullion cubes, liquid broth, or just plain water. Note that if you use water you'll want to be sure to salt / pepper / herb it up to your liking.
Rice or Noodles -
Again, your choice.  We like egg noodles in our chicken noodle soup ... but we didn't have any and we were both feeling a little lousy, so we were not in the mood to make them (Ryan is The Noodle Master, having made egg noodles on many occasions) ... so we went the rice route, adding about 1/3 c. of rice.  We add the rice/noodles about 10-15 minutes before serving, cooking only until tender.  Beware - adding too many noodles could turn your soup into "Noodlemuck" as Margaret calls it ... and they will get rather soggy if you have any leftovers to put in the refrigerator. There is no shame in cooking your noodles on a per-serving basis with only the amount of soup you are going to be eating ... reheating your leftovers on the stove w/the noodle addition later.
Any Extras?
We add a handful of chopped fresh parsley to our soup .. salt and pepper to flavor.  Serve it alongside a delicious grilled (ham and) cheese sandwich - our favourite right now? Pumpernickel bread and muenster cheese. <3

Simmer simmer simmer ... at least until your chicken is cooked through and your veggies are tender ... even longer if it suits your fancy!

Simply delicious!