Chicken Soup With Spaetzle

Comfort Food. We have Mom’s German heritage to thank for this one. Tastes like home.

1 whole fryer chicken, washed, neck and giblets removed
6·8 c. water
1 lemon or lime, juiced
1 clove garlic, skinned and quartered
1 onion, chopped
4 lg. potatoes, diced
2-3 c. carrots, chopped
1 can corn
4-6 stalks celery, chopped
2 T. salt
1 T. sugar
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. thyme
1/8 tsp. sage
1/8 tsp. rosemary
1 1/2 c. raw egg noodles
OR 2 c. cooked rice
OR
SPAETZLE (german dumplings)

In large soup pot over HI heat, cover chicken with water. Add juice of lemon and garlic. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to MED, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink through breast meat. Carefully remove chicken to plate and allow to cool a bit. Add onion, potatoes, carrots, corn, celery, salt, sugar, pepper, thyme, sage, and rosemary to chicken stock. If using noodles or rice, add now. Bring back to boil and simmer until potatoes are tender. Pull meat off bones of chicken in bite-size portions and add to soup. If adding spaetzle, continue to below. If not, take soup off heat and serve.

Spaetzle (I double this)
3 eggs
3T. milk
1 T. butter, melted
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 c. flour
1/8 tsp. baking powder

Beat with mixer: eggs, milk, and butter. Beat in salt, flour, and baking powder until smooth and glossy. Drop by spoonfuls, sliding batter off spoon with finger, into simmering soup. Batter will puff up into little dumplings. Simmer 10 minutes.