Old Fashioned Chicken and Pasta Soup

I love a great chicken soup -- this one is a "bit" of work, but worth it in the end.

Ingredients for the stock:
1 (3 1/2 pound chicken) - cleaned and deboned.  Note:  I save and freeze store-bought rotisserie chicken carcass.  I use two to three carcasses.  Any chicken pieces such as legs, thighs, wings, etc., would be great to cook off in the stock.  The following is just a guideline -- you may want to use more onion, celery, spices, etc.
2 medium-size onions with skins
5 garlic cloves peeled and slightly smashed (use back of a spoon) or 2 1/2 teaspoons of minced garlic from jar
2 celery stalks with leaves, cleaned and "rough" chopped
4 black peppercorns
4 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
4 sprigs of fresh parsley
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
1 sprig of fresh thyme


Directions:
Place all ingredients in large stock pot.  Cover with just enough water so that everything is immersed just under water level.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer approximate 1-2 hours.  Strain broth through a colander, discarding everything used above except chicken. Allow chicken to cool and slice meat away from bones. Cut into bite-size pieces and refrigerate until needed.

Ingredients for soup:
1 cup onion - diced
1 cup celery - diced
about 3/4 cup carrots  Note:  Add to personal taste.  I only do a "bit, as carrots will make soup sweet
1 small bag of frozen petite peas
1 8-ounce container sliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed or store bought)
salt and pepper to taste (easy on the salt, as the Swanson broth has salt)
diced chicken pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric

Directions:
Heat about 2 tablespoons olive oil and saute vegetables in large stock pan.  Cook until vegetables are tender, but not mushy - about 8 minutes.

Add the strained broth from the stock you just made to the stock pan with the onion, celery, and carrots plus 16 cups of Swanson stock or broth.  Add salt and pepper to taste and chicken pieces. Add the turmeric -- to taste.  This spice has fabulous health benefits as well as giving the soup a rich yellow color.   Note:  Add the turmeric a bit at a time.  It has a very earthy flavor and will totally throw off the chicken soup flavor if you add too much.  Just taste as you add, and you will learn how much is just the "right" amount -- just go slow in the beginning.

Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for a few hours.

About 30 minutes before serving, increase heat to a slow boil and add a little egg noodle or Ditalini pasta.  You can also cook separately and add to individual bowls when serving, which is what I prefer so that the pasta does not absorb the broth.  About 15 minutes prior to serving, add the peas.

This is a hearty and great soup!