Daily Dose of Sugar Mama

I will not tell you that making homemade noodles is easy. I will not tell you that you can’t find store bought noodles that won’t be almost as tasty. But I will tell you that making your own noodles IS very rewarding, and one of the yummiest things ever created.

My Grandma made chicken & noodles for every Christmas get together. Hers was thick and rich; meaty & loaded with noodles. Mine isn’t quite as thick, but thick enough to not be called chicken & noodle soup. I also add veggies to my recipe to make a full meal. And a full meal it is!

Sugar Mama’s Grandma’s Noodles

3 egg yolks

1 whole egg

Together with a bit of water that should be 2/3 cup of liquid

1 tsp salt

2 cups sifted flour

Blend those together

In mixing bowl or by hand mix the egg into the flour/salt mix, 1 egg at a time. I use my dough hook on mixer & add a bit of water if needed, but just a little at a time. Allow this to mix until smooth and shiny.

I have never done this by hand. I have weeny hands and wrists that just can’t handle mixing dough likes this. But if my mixer ever isn’t available I know I have Sugar Daddy’s strong hands to help out.

Seperate dough into 2 balls

On a lightly floured surface roll the dough VERY thin- about 1/8 ” thick. Noodles will plump when added to the liquid. The key to great noodles is rolling out thin enough.

Sugar Daddy has nice strong arms that are great for this task. Again, I have the weeny wrists. When I roll the noodle dough they turn out to be too thick and gummy.

Roll out the other ball the same way.

Either hand slice into thin strips or run through a pasta cutter. I use the fettuccine cutter for wide noodles. Sugar Daddy likes doing this part so I let him so that he’ll stay in the kitchen and keep me company. The noodles should not stick together due to the flour. Spread out on a non-stick surface and let dry out for at least 2 hours.

For my Chicken & Noodle recipe I double this recipe.

Make the noodles before cooking chicken, so they can dry while you are preparing the other stuff.

Sugar Mama’s Chicken & Noodles

1 whole fryer chicken (6-7 lbs)

Kosher salt (I use 3-4 Tablespoons)

Leafy ends of 3-4 celery stalks

3 cups sliced carrots

2 cups sliced celery

1 small onion, diced

Pepper to taste

1 1/2 tsp dried thyme flakes

2 T cornstarch

2 bay leaves

Good quality, low sodium, store bought chicken stock (if needed for more juice)

Cut apart the fryer chicken, leaving the skin on. Put in large stock pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, add salt to boiling water. Bring to a simmer for about 20 min, make sure to skim off the nasty scum that builds up on top.During this time sip some wine. Or listen to Christmas music… I chose Jewel’s Christmas cd.

Remove chicken to cutting board. The chicken will be a bit undercooked, but this will ensure your chicken will be moist with finished product vs overcooked. The chicken will cook longer later. Remove meat quickly but careful not to burn yourself. I use a pair of tongs and a fork. Throw away the skin and fat, & put the bones back into the pot of broth along with the leafy ends of the celery. Let this boil, covered, for about 30 minutes.  Make sure your shredded chicken meat stays covered so not to dry out.

Remove all bones and celery. I pour the stock through a wire mesh strainer to ensure that all small bones are removed. Add veggies & seasonings to the stock. Cook on a rolling boil for 10-15 minutes until they are slightly tender. Remove the bay leaves. Add the shredded chicken and noodles to the broth. Mix cornstarch with enough water to make a glue like consistency. Pour into pot slowly, mix well. Bring to a boil. I let it simmer for about 20-30 minutes so it will thicken and so the flavors all mesh well. the chicken will only need about 5-7 minutes to cook until fully done. I have let the soup set in the pot for several hours before eating and it was awesome.

Note: If your fryer didn’t produce enough broth, feel free to add the store bought low sodium stock when you add the noodles and chicken.

This makes enough for my family of 5 to have a large bowlful for dinner, and a 7 cup bowl filled for leftovers the next day. So approximately 8-10 large servings.