An old-fashioned favorite

Is there anyone who can resist a great big bowl of chicken noodle soup? To tell you the truth, it's never really been my favorite -- at least that was before I discovered homemade. The canned stuff is truly awful. There's no chicken, the noodles are mush, and the vegetables are nonexistent.

Homemade stock truly makes this dish spectacular. However, I rarely have some on hand. A good canned broth really can make this dish shine, if the rest of the ingredients are top-notch. For starters, I prefer organic, free-range chicken. I've decided to make that switch for all the chicken we eat. Not only is it healthier, the taste truly is superior. Fresh-from-the-farm vegetables make a difference, too. And a sprinkling of fresh herbs add a nice burst of fresh flavor. All these added together make this a favorite of my 5-year-old.

This recipe is from the book "Saved by Soup" by Judith Barrett.

Old-fashioned chicken noodle soup

1 tsp. corn or canola oil

1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces

Salt

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 celery rib, trimmed and finely chopped

6 cups defatted chicken broth (preferably homemade)

4 oz. thin spaghetti, broken into thirds

2 tbsp. chopped fresh dill or parsley

Freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a heavy 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, season with salt to taste, and cook, stirring, until the chicken turns white on all sides. Rem.ove the chicken from the saucepan and set aside. To the saucepan, add the onion, carrots and celery, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Return the chicken pieces to the saucepan, stir in the broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover the saucepan, and simmer until the vegetables are tender and the chicken cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Stir in the pasta and turn the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the saucepan, until the pasta is tender. Stir in the dill or parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 6.

Cook's note: I prefer egg noodles to spaghettini. I keep the vegetables a good size, as I prefer a chunkier soup.