Chicken Noodle Soup

I've wanted to try my hand at making homemade chicken noodle soup for a while. I had a craving for it recently, so I checked in my most reliable cookbook. I was pleasantly surprised to find a quick and easy recipe in my Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book, copyright 1996. It took about half an hour to make, and my entire family gobbled it up. I used chicken tenderloins and browned them in a skillet with a little salt and pepper before cubing them and adding them to the soup. I also added dried thyme and used egg noodles, which really held up well in the leftover soup.

Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped onion (or 2 T onion powder)
2 tsp fresh basil or 1/2 tsp dried basil
2 tsp fresh oregano or 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp pepper
1 bay leaf
1 10-oz package frozen mixed vegetables
1/2 cup medium noodles or other small pasta (I used wide egg noodles)
2 cups cubed cooked chicken or turkey

In a large saucepan combine chicken broth, onion, basil, oregano, thyme, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in vegetables. Bring to boiling.

Stir in uncooked noodles. Return to boiling. Reduce heat. Cover.

Simmer 8 minutes or till noodles are tender but still firm and vegetables are crisp-tender. Discard bay leaf. Stir in chicken or turkey and heat through.

Makes 8 cups (6 main-dish servings)