So it's cold and damp. There's a northeaster blowing, and the wind chill puts us in single digits.Just winter, but it seems like I forget every year just how cold cold can be.

Hence, the need for something soothing and warm. Nothing comes close to warming you up inside, food-wise, like a big steamy bowl of soup. Soup is easy to make at home, and it is endlessly adaptable to whatever taste you're craving, from aromatic Thai curry, infused with coconut juice, to that reliable deli-trend, broccoli-cheddar. 

But I've been fighting off legions of cold bugs, and the soup that has sustained me so far has been that old chestnut, chicken noodle. Even when I don't want to move one inch away from a comforter and the couch, it's easy to open a large can of chicken broth, chop some celery, carrots and onions, and simmer away.  Buy some boneless chicken breasts, and use your kitchen shears to snip pieces of chicken, and toss them in the broth mix. They will cook and flavor the soup in an authentic way. When the chicken is cooked through (maybe 20 minutes, (but test with your thermometer or flake apart with a fork to see that it's done), the veggies will be, too. Crank up the heat to high, and when it boils, add egg noodles, or any kind of pasta you want. After the pasta is cooked, season it to your taste. I know we need to limit our salt intake, but when you're feeling sick, a little extra salt tastes especially nourishing. When the soup cools, you might discover quite a bit of the broth has vanished in its work of cooking the noodles. No worries: just add more liquid. The hearty, healthy flavor comes through. You can live off this soup for at least a few days, and it requests only minimum effort for maximum results. (Inexpensive to make, too!)