Mom's Chicken Noodle Soup

A couple weekends ago, I traveled to Oregon. The trip was not planned in advance. Midweek I learned that Lola Rose would likely not live through the night, and soon that likelihood was realized. The funeral was on Saturday. It was a wonderful time. Lola was a very vocal follower of Jesus Christ. This certainty made it easy for me to celebrate her life and not be fearful for her wellbeing in death. She is better off than she has ever been in life.
I had a wonderful visit with Stephanie and family. When they headed to church, I headed down to the Coast to visit my Mom and Dad. I struggle with seeing them because of my Mom's confusion. Mom suffers from a variation of dementia. I earnestly hope for anyone or their family that this terrible disease will find a cure. Need I say more? The truth is that the very one that gave me life, should be able to know me. She does not, and it hurts.
So, I arrive at their home. Dad is very pleased to have company. We fall easily into conversation while my Mom sits and scowls at me. Or is it studies me to try and recognize me? Eventually she seems content with this new arrival into her world. She relaxes and starts responding to comments we make to her. She obviously is not cognitive of much, but has a cute, playful way of answering to shield us from detecting her lack thereof. My mom was always a playful tease. It is the last remainder of her past self. I stayed a long time in their company, but had to continue to Jenny's home for the night. We said a goodbye to one another that was not painful at all.
As I traveled into the evening, I remembered many wonderful things from my past that were afforded to me by efforts of Mom and Dad, especially Mom. I got stuck thinking about my Mom's Chicken Soup. It was always a marvel how simple, yet wonderful her meals were. There were way too many of us kids to fuss with fancy presentation. Yet, we never ate a meal that sacrificed nutrition and good taste.
I had a wonderful time at Jenny's home. They allowed me to rant about my conservative political leanings, we went out for breakfast and more. Mid day I turned toward home. The trip was smooth and uneventful. My thoughts kept returning to my wonderful Mom. I decided I was going to make a batch of soup - - Mom's Chicken Noodle Soup.
Once I got home, I went to the store and bought a couple chickens. I fried all the larger pieces and boiled the remaining bony pieces. Once the chicken had cooked until it was falling off the bone, I added onion carrots and celery to the broth and cooked it some more. I added back the good pieces of chicken from the bones. I added some frozen mixed vegetables with an added handful of frozen beans. I threw in a little sage, salt and pepper.
While that was cooking, I made her variation of egg noodles. Her recipe is so simple. Starting with two eggs in a bowl, add one eggshell half of water for each egg. I suppose I could figure out how much a half eggshell of water is and tell you to measure that amount, but why? Her method does not require dirtying another spoon. Good thinking Mom! Add a pinch of salt and stir up the eggs and water. In another bowl, add a couple cups of flower. Make a well in the flour and dump the eggs into this well. Stir the eggs around in the well until they have incorporated all the flour they are going to accept. Now, dump out onto a flat surface and roll out the dough ball until it is very thin. Make sure you keep a dusting of flour on the surface of all your tools. Cut strips of this about one quarter inch wide and about three inches long. Precision is frowned upon.
Make sure the stock is boiling fairly hard. Be sure the noodles are dusted but not caked with flour. Drop the noodles into the stock without big bunches while you stir the stock with the other hand. You do not want the noodles to nest together and form a big glob.
I enjoyed this soup even more than if my Mom had made it. In a way, she did make it. She taught me much. Mom lives on in everyone that she touched in life. Mom may not be cognitive, but she is "My Mom".