8 servings (*dinner for 4 and then lunch the next day)

1 rotisserie chicken

12 cups water for stock

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 onions, chopped

5 carrots, chopped

1 head celery, chopped

1 teaspoon oregano (dried or fresh)

2 teaspoons thyme (dried or fresh)

3 garlic cloves, minced

freshly ground black pepper to taste

12 oz. egg noodle pasta

shredded parmesan cheese for serving (optional)

1. Fabricate the chicken by removing all meat from carcass (breasts, thighs, legs, etc).  Set aside meat in refrigerator and place chicken carcass in a 6 qt (large crockpot) with 12 cups cold water.  Don't forget to add any gelatin "tasty bits" from the bottom of a pan/rotisserie container.  Start on high and once the stock begins to simmer, bubbling below a boiling point, then reduce heat low.  I begin this process early in the morning/day this way it has the long cooking time to become a REALLY good stock.  Cook for at least 2 hours.  When you are ready to begin preparing the soup for dinner, strain stock from bones leaving broth in crockpot.

2. Prep your ingredients by chopping onion, celery, carrots, herbs if fresh and mincing garlic cloves at least one hour prior to dinner (Note: the longer the soup is together in the crockpot before serving, the more the flavors marry together making a tasty soup.  So give yourself time to prep, cook and assemble soup before serving).  Once all mis en place are cut and ready, heat a large saute pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil to sweat vegetables (carrots, celery and onion).  Cook the vegetables on medium high heat for a few minutes or till they become fragrant and the onion translucent.  Then add minced garlic to cook for 1 minute.  Remove vegetables from heat and add to stock in the crockpot.  Also add oregano, thyme and black pepper covering pot and reducing heat to warm till service.  Cook noodles according to package directions and add while serving.  Top with parmesan and enjoy!

Note: This soup can be made for dinner the next night or made and frozen for a later date, except omit noodles till service (noodles do not freeze/reheat well).