I think someday when I write my cookbook (I mean, I’m not going to write a cookbook, but if I did), it would be recipes just for meal delivery.
You know, we’re in the South, and we love to take a covered casserole dish to a new neighbor, a new mom or just because. I have to deliver a meal tonight to a friend who was in the hospital.  So I looked in the Lisa Fischer Recipe Archives, and I found a recipe I made for the first time in 2008.
It’s in my vault of “meals to take to a friend.” It’s from Paula Deen, and it’s comfort food extraordinaire.  Plus, I’m whipping up some cornbread (mine has sugar in it, so it’s the sweet kind). I think my friend might get on the mend quicker than anyone would think after this meal.

Lisa’s version of The Lady’s Chicken Noodle Soup

Adapted from the Paula Deen recipe
Servings: 10
Ingredients

  • 4 bay leaves
  • 2 quarts of chicken bone broth or chicken stock
  • 1 peeled and diced onion
  • 1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 (2 1/2 to 3 lb) whole chicken, cut up
  • 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 3 1/2 quarts water
  • 2 cups sliced carrots
  • 2 cups sliced celery
  • 2 1/2 cups uncooked egg noodles
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 cup grated (optional) Parmesan cheese
  • 3/4 cup (optional) heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup cooking sherry
  • 1 cup sliced rinsed and drained mushrooms
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
  • seasoned salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

Directions
For the stock: add bay leaves, bouillon, onion, lemon pepper seasoning, garlic, chicken, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and water to a soup pot. Cook until chicken is tender, about 35 to 45 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and set aside to cool. Remove and discard bay leaves and onion. Reserve one quart of broth and add the two quarts of chicken bone broth or stock. When chicken is cool enough to touch, pick bones clean, discarding bones, skin, and cartilage. Set chicken aside.
For the soup: bring stock back to a boil, add carrots, and cook for 3 minutes. Add celery and continue to cook for 5 to 10 minutes. Add egg noodles and cook according to directions on package. When noodles are done, add chicken, mushrooms, parsley, sherry and rosemary. Add Parmesan and cream, if using. Cook for another 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning, if needed, by adding salt and pepper.
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