Soup du Jour

recipes are crafts, right?  Here's one I want to try ... Little America has the BEST chicken noodle soup.  Finally found the recipe!  (now, to find someone to make it for me and I'll be all set!)

CREAM OF CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

Roux
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
8 ounces all-purpose flour

Soup
3 quarts homemade chicken stock (see accompanying recipe)
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce or Tabasco
1 pinch freshly ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3 whole bay leaves
2 tablespoons marinade for chicken sauce (such as Lea & Perrins brand)
Diced carrots, celery, leeks and onion (see stock recipe)
Meat from 1 whole chicken (see stock recipe)
1 pound cooked flat noodles, such as kluski
Chicken bouillon with no MSG
Salt
Sliced green onions, for garnish, optional

 In a frying pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Let cool and set aside. In a stockpot over medium heat, warm the chicken stock, cream and milk, about 15 minutes. Add the cold roux slowly and stir so that no lumps form. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and let cook, 15-20 minutes. Add the nutmeg, hot sauce, pepper, garlic powder, bay leaves and marinade for chicken sauce. Add the carrots, leeks, celery, onions and chicken and noodles. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning with chicken bouillon and salt. Serve with green onions, if using.

Makes • 1 gallon
Source: Little America Hotel

Chicken stock
 1 whole fryer chicken
About 6 celery ribs (1 pound total weight)
About 6 carrots (1 pound total weight)
About 3 leeks (1 pound total weight)
6 fresh thyme sprigs
8 fresh parsley sprigs
4 whole bay leaves
2 large whole onions, peeled
8 whole cloves
1 1/2 gallons water
1 tablespoon crushed peppercorns
Special equipment
Cheesecloth

Rinse the chicken and place in a large stock pot. Wrap the celery, carrots, leeks, thyme and parsley in a cheesecloth and tie together with a string. Place a bay leaf on either side of an onion. Fasten each bay leaf with two cloves. Repeat with second onion. Place the vegetables and onion in with the chicken and pour in the water. Add the crushed peppercorns. Bring stock to a boil over high heat and then turn down to simmer. Let cook, covered, about 1 hour. Remove the chicken from the pot and transfer to a cutting board to cool. Let the vegetables drain a bit then transfer to a cutting board to cool. Remove and discard cheesecloth. When cool, cut the vegetables into small pieces. Remove the skin from the chicken, remove the meat from the bones and cut the meat into small pieces.

Makes • 6 1/2 quarts
Source: Little America Hotel