Chicken and Noodles has to be our all-time family favorite.  This is the ultimate comfort food to share with those you love.  The carbs are high but your family will be feeling the love!  My mother would serve this for a hearty supper (evening meal in the Midwest) or for Sunday dinner (noon meal).  It is best made with homemade noodles, although we have found several commercial noodles (such as Kluski style noodles) that work well.

This time, I made my noodles from scratch, like my Mother did.  She could whip up a batch so fast.  I admit I’m slower and not as precise.  After I moved away from Iowa, my Mother would visit and make several batches of noodles for me, always ready in the freezer when I was craving Mom’s chicken and noodles.

This is not your ordinary chicken and noodle soup…Instead, the chicken and noodles are served over mashed potatoes.  Crazy, right?  You won’t think so once you try it.  It is a fabulous medley of flavors that is perfect for a cold, wintry night.  However, daughter Megan has been known to request this for her August birthday dinner.  We served this to her friends when she was a teenager and they thought we were crazy UNTIL they tasted it.  Now her friends ask her when she is making chicken and noodles.  The tradition continues.

EGG NOODLES

3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 egg yolks
7 to 8 tablespoons cold water

• Sift flour with salt into medium bowl.
• Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture. Add egg yolks and 4 tablespoons cold water. Beat vigorously with wooden spoon until well combined.
• Gradually add 3 more tablespoons water, mixing well with your hands. Dough will be stiff. If it is too stiff to knead, gradually add more water.
• On a lightly floured surface, knead dough until smooth, about 5 minutes. Cover with bowl and let the dough rest for 5 minutes
• Divide the dough into four parts. Work with one part at a time. Keep remainder covered with bowl until ready to roll out.

• Roll each part, on a floured surface, to about 14″x16″. Dough will be about 1/8″ thick. The shape does not need to be perfect. Work quickly before dough dries out.
• Make sure each side of the dough is lightly coated with flour. Starting with the long side, roll the dough loosely, like you would for a jelly roll. With a thin sharp knife, cut roll into 1/8″ strips for noodles. Arrange on ungreased cookie sheet to dry. Let dry overnight before cooking.
• Dried noodles can be stored in a cool place. They also freeze beautifully for use at a later time.

CHICKEN AND NOODLES

1 whole chicken
Salt and pepper
Water
Egg Noodles, Uncooked (or make your own)
Parsley to taste
Mashed potatoes

• Cover whole chicken, in deep pot, with water and boil until chicken is falling off the bone. Remove chicken from broth and cool. Once chicken is cool, pick chicken pieces off the bone and return to broth. Discard bones and skin.
• Refrigerate broth over night. Before proceeding, remove any congealed fat from top of broth.
• Heat broth and chicken and add more water to assure enough liquid to cook one package of egg noodles. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook for about 30+ minutes or until noodles are done.
• Serve with a large bowl of hot mashed potatoes.