Be careful, Bushwick — cold and flu season is here! While I don’t usually worry about getting sick, this year the hysteria seems kind of unavoidable (right along with those pesky germs!). As friends have begun sniffling and sneezing all around me, I’ve been putting together my personal arsenal for fighting this seasonal scourge: Purell, Emergen-C, lots of layers and scarves and jackets, and my Mom’s Chicken Soup. Trust me, it works.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
1 parsnip, peeled and sliced
1 leek, sliced
1 whole chicken, cut up into pieces
1 bullion cube
1-2 sprigs parsley
Salt & pepper
Water (about 8 cups)
1 can butter beans, drained & rinsed
1 package thin egg noodles, cooked according to package instructions

Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottom pot over medium heat. Saute the vegetables for about 5 minutes, or until the leeks are soft. Rinse the chicken pieces, pat dry, season with salt & pepper and nestle them into the bottom of the pot. Cook the chicken, turning occasionally for about 15 minutes, or until the pieces look opaque on all sides. Add the parsley, bullion cube and enough water to completely cover the chicken pieces. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for at least an hour, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked all the way through. Remove the chicken from the pot and save (note: my favorite thing to do with the soup chicken is to use it for chicken salad sandwiches. Yum!).

Traditionally, this soup is made a day ahead of time, so at this point turn the heat off, let the soup cool and place it in the fridge over night. The next day, skim the fat off the top of the soup and begin to reheat. If you’re making this soup the same day you plan on eating it, just skip that step — and skim the fat off the top the next day when you reheat the leftovers. Add the butter beans, cover and simmer the soup for about 15 minutes more. Meanwhile, cook the egg noodles in a separate pot, drain and set aside.

To serve the soup, scoop the egg noodles into the bottom of the bowl (as much or as little as you prefer) and ladle the chicken soup over top. Enjoy!!!!