Lemon Chicken Noodle Soup

4 tbsp butter
2 carrots thinly sliced
8 shallots, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks thinly sliced
9 oz bone/skinless chicken finely chopped
3 lemons
5 cups chicken stock
salt and pepper
2/3 cup heavy cream

Melt the butter in a large, heavy bottomed pan. Add the veggies and chicken and cook gently for 8 minutes.
Thinly pare the lemons and bland the lemon rind in boiling water for 3 minutes. Squeeze the juice from the lemons. Add the lemon rind and juice to the pan with the stock. Bring slowly to a boil, then simmer for 50 min.
Let the soup cool, then transfer to a food processor or blender and process till smooth. Return the soup to the pan, re-heat, season to taste with s & p, then add the cream. Do not boil at this stage, or the soup will curdle.
Transfer soup to warm bowls. Garnish with parsley springs and lemons slices. Serve.

*MY NOTE: I also added bottled lemon juice to this for extra kick. Also, I add minced garlic to almost everything dealing with chicken so that first step with veggies and stock...I went on ahead and threw some garlic in there. One more thing, not one to just eat soup, I half way cooked spaghetti and let the pasta finish cooking in the soup. Added some body to it, you know? How's that for chicken noodle soup? Bring your own soda on the side though.

Am I a foodie? I'm not sure. My palette is definitely not as refined as my colleagues. I cannot tell the difference between mild and sharp cheddar, mozzarella and provolone; all fish tastes the same to me (except salmon...I know salmon) and let's not even get started on alcohol. What I am is an aspiring chef who is passing the time as an education major. What I am is a socialite in training trying to master the art of entertaining. With that said, I am the queen of my kitchen and my home. Jameil and I devour the Food Network, adding new dishes to our arsenal. I get music sent to me on a whim and can't wait to share it with you all. Cheers to my bartending, pearl wearing, feet stomping (and never Chicken Noodle Dropping) homies, Jameil and Ashli!

how i became a foodie...

i've always loved food. who doesn't? thanksgiving, 4th of july, labor day. these are holidays entrenched in food and therefore my favorites. but most importantly, the true shift in my behavior to becoming a foodie was one fateful day at 10b when ashli was watching "30 minute meals."

it was a great day. my senior year at hampton. i had no idea what this was. had never watched food network. had never (gasp) heard of rachael ray. i walked in and sat down. it was fabulous. i was intrigued and had to watch and watch and watch. then i asked around. others knew of this kitchen goddess. i also hung around the kitchen while ashli worked her magic for anyone who came to the house. i learned some things.

kept watching "30 minute meals," trying new things, both in cooking and at restaurants and low and behold, i became a foodie. now i'm a regular food network stalker. stace and i take the time to watch the shows together like a phone family. its lovely. here's to my fellow foodies, stace and ash! cheers!