A Good Friend and a Good Old Chicken Soup Recipe

Well, hello, family. You joined us just in time because we just took a cake out of the oven. And I’ve just dropped chocolate chips on the top. This is your icing. Look at this. See how it melts? Leave them on there because they’re melting as the cake is still hot, just out of the oven. Wanted to time this so we could show this to you. And we’re just smoothing it around as they melt. That forms your icing. And then you — Look at that. Then you don’t have to make an icing. I love it. Makes it so good. Oh, and it’s a yellow cake, just a plain old box cake. And we’re putting it — Look at that. See what I’m talking about? That’s what I’m talking about right there. It’s getting nice. Just keep moving it around, just like that. Get in all the corners. You want to be sure you get the corners because you want to make sure everybody gets a little bit of those chocolate chips. What a easy — You can do this with any kind of a cake. You can put, you know, like, I mean, they have all kinds of chocolate chips now that are like, really milk chocolate, dark chocolate, whatever. But you just keep moving it around. Oh, my goodness. How wonderful. Well, on today’s program, this is the dessert. But let me tell you about what we’re going to have. You know, Pastor Gary, our Pastor, always says when God wants to bless you, he brings people into your life. And my friend who is here today, Gloria, I feel like she and her husband, Willie, who’s over there trying to stay out of trouble with Paul, they came into our lives. And we have just appreciated them so much. And I told you how that Paul and I were sick with the flu for so many weeks right after the holidays. And Willie’s mom went home to be with the Lord. And in the midst of their own grief, and they live about an hour, hour and a half away from us, they went home. And they made homemade chicken soup. The best homemade chicken soup I’ve ever eaten. They made a pot for us and brought it to our house. You know, to me, that’s friendship way beyond the call of duty. And it just endeared us to them so much because we felt like, oh my, you know, to put aside your own grief, your own thinking, what’s going on in your own life, to do something for someone else who’s in need, that is such a God-like characteristic. It was amazing. And it was so delicious. So I asked Gloria, I said, “Gloria, you got to come, and you got to make it for my viewers because they’re going to love this.” And sure enough, she’s here today. Gloria Daniel is my very special guest. And when we come back, I’m going to have her get started with her chicken, glorious, famous chicken noodle soup. We’ll be right back after the hint. Here’s today’s At Home Hint. “Your can opener should be washed after each use. Food left behind may be contaminated after a few days and cause food poisoning. This is one of the most common sources of food poisoning.” If you’ve got a helpful hint, we want to hear from you. Send your hint to At Home Hints, Cornerstone TeleVision, Wall, Pennsylvania 15148-1499. Here she is. My good buddy, Gloria Daniel. Gloria, I’m so glad that you’re here.

I’m glad to be here, Arlene.

You are such a good friend. You’re such a sweetheart. She and her husband are such a blessing to Paul and me. We just love them to death. And I’m so glad you’re making chicken soup. I can’t tell you what that was that day when you brought that. When you and Willie came, that, I can’t express it. It was just something that was so precious because we were so sick. And then this really helped us.

Happy to do it.

I think it does help with you have a sickness or, you know, cold, flu, or whatever. That’s just so comforting, the soup. And yours is good because it’s got thickness about it. Okay. What are we doing first?

Well, you have — I have a eight-quart stock pot. And I put six quarts of water in here.

Okay.

And then what I do is I, once it comes to boiling.

So you want that rapidly boiling before you do anything.

Rapidly boiling.

Okay.

And then I add the chicken.

Now, this is just plain white meat of chicken, right?

Breast.

Chicken breast. Okay. And you put it in whole. You don’t chop it up or anything, right?

No. Uh-uh.

That’s good. Okay. Very good. Yeah.

And then I let that boil for about an hour until — One more thing.

Ah-ha.

Ah-ha. I use six tablespoons of the —

Now let me show them what this is.

— soup base.

This, now this is readily available around here?

Yes.

Okay. And this is Orrington’s Farms Chicken Soup Base. If you never used it, and you always use the bouillon cubes, you want to go to something like this because this is more pungent. Don’t you think?

I do. And the other thing I like about it is that you don’t have to refrigerate it, unlike some of the others.

Oh, okay. So how many is this now?

Six, total six.

Six tablespoons. Okay. And that’s going to be the basis for her whole soup, which is — ah. Okay. Now that’s going to cook for about an hour?

About an hour until the chicken gets tender.

Okay. And then what do you do?

And then I remove the chicken. Set it aside, let it cool.

And that’s what you have here are some pieces that are all ready —

Mm-hmm.

— ready to go. You just have to cut them up. But you have a dry — bunch of dry ingredients —

Yes.

— and some vegetables that you’re going to get ready, right?

Yes. Right.

Okay.

I have carrots. I use 10 to 12 baby carrots, and I cut them up.

Okay.

And I also have four stalks of celery —

Okay.

— parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and Lawry’s Seasoning.

Oh, Lawry’s Season Salt. Okay, that’s good. All right, you want to go ahead and finish those up? And I’ll get started with what I’m doing over here.

Okay.

Because I figured, you know, what goes better with soup than a sandwich? So I’m making — This is something that my mom used to make. Now, what this is is a sandwich that’s toasted. Most people say grilled cheese. No, this is a toasted cheese sandwich. Have my griddle out. And I butter the first side of the bread like this. Just like you were, you know, you normally would butter. Okay? And then I lay that on my griddle. And then I butter the second side. And you’ll want to use good butter. You use good butter, don’t you, Gloria?

Yes, I do.

I don’t — I just don’t — I can’t get into that margarine because it’s really not good for you.

Mm-mm.

I mean, it isn’t. Then I put any kind of cheese that you want. I’m using Swiss today. And you’re just going to put a piece of cheese on this sandwich, bend that there a little bit so it fits. And again, you can use any kind of cheese you like. If you like Muenster, use Muenster. Whatever you like, it’s your sandwich. Eat it. Get it. Okay. Then we’re going to put some ham. And this is baked ham. I’m putting some of that in the middle. Actually, what we’re doing is sandwiching the ham — sandwiching the ham in between the two pieces of cheese and the bread. Now some people like tomatoes on that. We know that Willie doesn’t, right?

No, no tomato for him.

So this is — So we’re making this one special for Willie because he doesn’t like tomatoes, any shape, any kind, any anything. Okay? And then we’re going to butter again, just like this. Not a — not difficult, not hard. But I have my griddle set on 200, really, really low. If you don’t have a griddle, you can do it in a fry pan, a skillet, whatever. And — let me put some more cheese on that before we go. Your family like grilled cheese?

Yes, they do. Very much.

I know Steffi. She does. And Kristen is in college, right?

Yeah, she’s in her last year of college. She graduates in May.

Isn’t that neat? That is tremendous. So proud of both of your girls and Reggie too.

Mm-hmm.

Okay, now I’m going to put the lid on. But then we’re going to do the top of it again. Do you ever make a sandwich like this?

Exactly like that.

Do you make it butter on both sides?

Yes, I do.

Do you?

Uh-huh.

Cool beans.

Okay. Great. Okay, now can you put — can you — Let’s say that that’s been boiling for a whole hour.

Mm-hmm.

Can you go ahead and show us what to do with the chicken, then?

Okay. Then I take a pair of scissors.

Okay. Kitchen shears.

Yes.

All right.

And I cut the chicken up into bite-sized pieces.

Okay. So you just randomly just cut it?

Yes.

Yeah. And you know what? Don’t you love shears for cutting stuff like that?

They come in handy.

Ah, my goodness. You know, Paul and I went for a visit to their house. Well, it’s been several months ago now. And she — Gloria has such a unique way of decorating. She likes the old stuff. But she doesn’t like the stuff that makes it old, but it makes it look like if everything’s run down, you’re just putting garbage in your house, or junk. She likes nice, and she knows how to display it. They’re home, it’s a house, but it’s a home more than a house because it’s so warm and friendly there, you just relax. Besides the fact that she cooks one of the best roast beef dinners I’ve ever had in a long time, I’ll tell you. And we thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed ourselves that day. We just had the best time. Always a good time when we spend it with you guys.

Thank you.

Yeah.

We enjoy your company also.

Good. Okay. So would you put that in there now, then?

Yes.

Okay.

And then you take and put — well, you would remove the chicken. Let it cool. And then you go ahead and, you know, put it back in there.

Okay. So that’s the chicken that’s been cooked and cooled.

Mm-hmm.

You put it back in.

Mm-hmm.

Because you’ve got a good broth going now because you’ve got the soup base in there plus the broth from the, or the flavor from the chicken.

Right.

Okay.

And then I add my seasonings, which I have already.

Say that again.

This is the onion powder.

Okay. You don’t use the salt because you don’t want salt in that, right?

Well, there’s already salt in your soup base and in the Lawry’s.

Right.

And then then I’m adding the Lawry’s.

Okay. What is that about teaspoon of that?

This is three-quarters of a teaspoon.

Three quarters. Okay.

And the garlic powder, which is — What is that? One and a quarter.

Okay.

And the parsley, which —

Now, is that dried parsley?

Dried parsley.

Okay. Good.

And then I’m going to add three-quarters of a teaspoon of the black pepper.

Okay. Great. Now while she’s doing that and going to give it a stir, we’re going to take a break. And when we come back, she’s going to finish her soup. And I’m going to keep making sandwiches. We’ll be right back in just a minute. If you just joined us, you have missed a whole half a program of learning how to make the most delicious chicken noodle soup with my dear friend Gloria. And I’m making toasted ham and cheese sandwiches to go along with it. And we already did our cake. So you missed a lot. Okay, Gloria, show us — take that lid off. Let’s take a look and see what’s going on in there. Now, that’s your water. Your chicken is in there. Your seasonings are all in there.

Mm-hmm.

Wow. Smells great. I wish you could be here to smell that. Now you’re just going to add what, your carrots?

Going to add the carrots.

And that’s about a cup, right?

Right.

Okay.

And the celery.

And the celery. Okay. And that’s about a cup.

Mm-hmm.

Now, see, I always, when I made mine, I would put that in when I’m starting to do the chicken. Then it got so limp. And it’s like — it’s like there’s nothing left to it to enjoy. I like a little crunch to it yet.

Right.

And it’s good to add it at that time. Now, what will you do?

And then you’ll add the noodles. I take the noodles, and I put this out.

Okay. First of all, tell me about these noodles.

These are Amish noodles extra wide.

And they’re from Amish.

Right.

The Amish country.

And they’re homemade noodles. That’s why we like them.

Made in Pennsylvania, Dutch country.

Mm-hmm.

All right. And they’re the wide homemade noodles. No preservatives in this, huh?

Nope.

Yeah, they know what they’re doing. This is a whole big bag, which she doesn’t use the whole bag. You use about what?

Half of the bag, eight ounces.

Eight ounces in this kind of a pot. Okay.

And then I break them up because once they swell —

They get too big, huh?

Right. And you want to be able to, you know, spoon them up.

Put them on a spoon. Sure. So she just gets in there and breaks them up at random. Or when you’re like in a hurry, just get in there and really smoosh, huh?

Crunch them, and then I just add it and let it cook through. It takes the noodles a good half an hour because they’re the bigger noodles.

Well, and also, you have to go by what’s on the package for noodles, right?

Right. Even though this says seven to 10 minutes, I found that it had to cook longer.

Longer. I would think they — because they’re thicker —

Right.

— that they would swell up, and you would need to give them more time. Okay. So how long does it have to cook now?

The noodles, like I said, take about 30, 35 minutes. And then I like to put it on a low simmer and let it cook through. Let all of the flavors just —

Blend.

Yeah. Meld together.

Well, you know what? I think that’s great. Gloria, pull up your stool here. Let’s talk a minute. You know, you have a wonderful family. God has been so good to you.

Truly has.

You have a wonderful son and two wonderful daughters. What’s the key to raising a family in a Godly home?

Christ being the center.

He has to be the center, huh?

Yes, truly.

And if you don’t make him center all the time, then your kids are second guessing all the time. Well, if he’s the center for this and not the center for that? So you establish that he’s the center no matter what.

No matter what.

And you know, I think that’s the answer. I think you and Willie have learned that, that that’s the only way if he’s the center the home, that’s the center of your marriage, of your relationship with your kids, your business.

Yes.

Everything has to be revolving around the Lord.

Everything. You know, we’ve put — we’ve put Christ center in that he is foremost in our minds with everything that we do.

Well, you know, and we have been friends for about a year and a half, two years now. And any time that we have dealt with things or — because you know, when you get to be friends with people, you learn, you know, when they’re hurting, you’re hurting. When they’re rejoicing, you’re rejoicing. And that’s the thing that Paul and I have come away with regarding you and Willie. We know that you put Christ first. And you know, that’s just so scriptural because it says seek first the kingdom of God in his righteousness, and then all these other things will be added unto you.

Mm-hmm.

And sometimes we get it wrong. We think if I had all of this, then I would serve the Lord. But it doesn’t work that way.

No, it doesn’t. Mm-mm.

How old were you when you found the Lord?

I was like 22 years old. Backsliding, and then, you know, renewed my —

Because you were raised in the church, right?

Yes. Yes. In the Baptist church.

Baptist church.

Mm-hmm.

And then you came to know the Lord. And then — and how did you get to the point — Like how did you meet Willie?

I met Willie, we both worked at Westinghouse.

Oh, okay.

And that’s where I met him. And —

Was he a Christian at the time?

No.

No.

No.

Okay. So your light shining helped him to come to know the Lord.

Yes.

Okay. You know, and that’s very — that happens in a lot of people’s homes. That’s the way it does happen that you come to know the Lord and then, as an example, the one that God is bringing toward you, preparing him to receive what you have to give. Although I wouldn’t say go out and just grab somebody, you know, at a bar somewhere. The best place, if you’re looking for a mate, if you want somebody that sits and drinks and has an alcohol problem, go to the bar. And that’s where you look for them. But if you’re looking for someone who’s going to love you, provide for you, be there in good times and the bad times, be there all the time and supply your needs, that’s where you want to find somebody, in a church, because that’s — why else would they be there?

Exactly.

You know, and I’ve met so many young people over my life. They say, oh, Arlene, you know, I thought he was a good guy. I said, where’d you meet him? Oh, I was at a bar. You were at a bar? What would you be looking for a guy in a bar for? That’s not the place. That’s not the place. But I love the way the Lord brings people together because he knows the desire of our heart. He knew what you needed in a husband before you ever met Willie and what Willie needed in a wife before he ever met you.

Mm-hmm.

And as a result, sometimes the delay is God is preparing that person for you to meet because they’re not quite there yet. You might be there waiting. You’re like in holding pattern, holding pattern. But the Lord always has a plan.

Yes, he does.

What’s the best advice you could give a young person who is looking for someone?

You know, really just, you need to commit your life first, become strong into the Lord yourself, and commit your life to the Lord. And just pray for that Godly mate.

Amen.

And you just, you know, hold steadfast, and it’ll happen.

It will happen. And I know that’s what you told your family.

Yes.

I know that’s what you told your girls. And I know Reggie too. And a lot of times, they get impatient.

Mm-hmm.

But that’s okay. You know, because sometimes that impatience, God has to deal with that. And then he makes them patient and then ultimately brings everything together. But I tell you, it’s just — it’s wonderful knowing that, you know, what we do in our lives is not just what we decide. There is a source. His name is Jesus Christ. And he said he would lead us and guide us into all truth. He would take us one step at a time. And when you have someone who’s leading you through this thing we call life, it takes the pressure off of you to come up with the answers all the time. It just says, here he is. You know, do this. Follow this. That still, small little voice you hear in your ear is usually that of the Lord telling you walk this way. Gloria, you’re the best. The soup is cooking. Oh, these sandwiches, they’re going to town. We’re going to be right back. And we’re going into the dining room when we come back, and we’re tasting it all. We’ll be right back in just a minute. Don’t forget to send for those recipes because I know you’re going to want this one today, especially for this soup. Oh, my. Could you please give me a taste? [Laughing] This is Gloria’s famous, now famous — I call it famous because it’s so — Look at that. Just hold some of that up so people can see that. Oh, man, delicious. Totally delicious. Big chunks of white meat in it. It’s piping hot. I’m telling you, if you have a bronchial thing or whatever, that stuff really, really, really helps you. And the taste of this is incredible. Thank you, my dear. And then down in front, there’s those toasted sandwiches. Now, do you see how they don’t look wet, and they’re not limp and wimpy? This is a toasted cheese sandwich because you butter both sides of the bread. And you cook it long and at a low temperature, about 15, 20 minutes for each sandwich. And that’s how it gets toasty. You can see on those marks on there some of them start to get a little brown. Everybody likes that. Some don’t like it. Put tomatoes on it. Or don’t put the tomatoes on. Doesn’t matter. And then, of course, here’s the cake we were starting with when we came on the air. Perfectly plain. It’s a box cake. There’s no recipe for this in the newsletter. So I just telling you ahead because all it is is a box cake. Okay? And I’m going to try, hopefully, without flipping this on the floor. We’re going to have a little piece just like that. [Laughing] Not enough room back here. Oh, yeah. Look at that. And all that is is just some milk chocolate chips on the top of it. Beautiful cake. What could be better with than a cup of coffee or like a glass of milk? Hello? Or a little scoop of ice cream. Whatever is your pleasure. We added some crackers to go with this wonderful soup. Although I got to tell you, you really don’t need it because the soup is standalone. It is fragrant. It smells so good. Look at all that chicken in there. Oh, man. And how — about how long from start to finish?

About two hours.

About two hours. But it’s well worth it. Thanks, Gloria.

Thank you.

Thank you for being with us. It just wouldn’t be the same without you. See you next time.

Furnishings provided by Levin Furniture, featuring Lane’s Country Living Collection. Food provided by Jordan Banana Company, wholesalers of fresh fruit and vegetables in Dravosburg, Pennsylvania. Cornerstone TeleVision wishes to thank all our faithful viewers whose consistent prayers and financial support have made this program possible.