In our predominantly Mennonite locale, chicken noodle soup is at the heart of comfort cooking. Some local matriarchs have shared their secrets with me and here is their traditional recipe which I use for every recipe requiring chicken broth:

Ingredients

• Chicken Stock
• 1 bag PVF soup bones or 1 bag wings (frozen or thawed)
• 1 onion whole
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 stalks celery, clean and whole
• 2 whole carrots, scrubbed and whole
• 2 parsnips, scrubbed and whole
• 2 star anise pods
• 1 bay leaf
• 5-10 whole peppercorns
• salt to taste
• butter

Instructions

1. Bring a pot full of water to boil. When water is boiling, add the chicken bones, vegetables, bay leaf, anise, salt and pepper. Simmer on the stove for 2-8 hours.
2. Remove bones, vegetables, anise, and bay leafs. Remove meat tidbits from the chicken bones and add back to the soup later if desired.
3. Add 2-3 T butter to the broth just before serving.

Secrets

1. Only add the bones once the water is boiling. This creates a clear broth instead of a murky broth.
2. Some people roast the bones in the oven at 350 F for 1-2 hours to give the broth a richer taste and browner colour.
3. Star anise is a natural healer and helps prevent colds and flus. That's why chicken broth is often thought of as medicinal!
4. Everything is better with butter added, isn't it?
5. Making a large pot of broth saves time. Freeze the remaining broth in portions suitable for future recipes. I package broth in pint jars and freeze it for use in risottos, pastas, sauces and of course, more soup!