Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup

Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup

Mikael brought this to Souper Saturday.  It is from one of the Lion House Cookbooks with a few slight alterations.  My Mom has been making this for years and it is always a hit.

1 1/2 T. Chicken Soup Base (by the boillion)  (Macey's carries it...I will post a pic below)
3 C. Chicken soup stock (by the broth) (I will post a pic below) (I think you could use broth, but it just wouldn't be quite as strong?!?!?!?!)
2 C. chopped carrots (I used the already cut shoestring carrots to save time cutting and cooking...but you can chop them yourself if desired) (1 (10.5 oz) bag of shoestring carrots is 3 1/2 C.)
2 C. chopped celery (I used a mandolin to slice them thin...to save time cutting and cooking)
3/4 C. chopped onion (I used yellow) (It is about 1/2 of a large yellow onion)
2 Cans (10.5 oz each) cream of chicken soup
1/4 C. evaporated milk or 1/2 C. whole milk (I have used skim before)
Roux (see recipe below) (see picture below)
2 C. frozen peas (optional)
2 C. diced cooked chicken
2 1/2 oz (about 4 C.) cooked noodles (I like the homemade style from Maceys...found by the regular noodles)
Pepper to taste

Heat soup base, and stock together.  Add vegetables except peas.  Simmer until vegetables are tender.  Add cream of chicken soup and milk.  Thicken with roux as desired, then add cooked chicken and noodles.  Add pepper to taste.  Makes about 2 1/2 quarts, or 10 (1 cup) servings.  Took me about 1 3/4 hours from start to finish to make.  Not including thawing chicken, but yes including cooking chicken and cooking noodles.

Chicken base

Chicken stock

Roux
Roux is used to thicken the soup.  The amount used depends on individual taste.  I used about 3/4 of the recipe of roux.
Melt 1/2 C. butter in frying pan.  Whisk in 1 C. flour.  Whisk until blended, it will be clumpy.  Store in the refrigerator.  When ready to use, add it to your hot soup a little at a time until you reach your desired consistency.

This is what the roux looks like