Pamper yourself with a bowl of chicken noodle soup

Last summer, a popular rap song called "Chicken Noodle Soup" hit the airwaves.

I'm kind of slow when it comes to understanding lyrics, so I'm not really sure what the song was about, but I do know that it was kid-friendly and a big hit.

That song is kind of like the yummy chicken noodle soup that you eat -- kids love it, and parents appreciate it, which makes it a popular dish.

I realize that cooking it yourself means that you can easily open a can of soup, warm it and enjoy it. However, once you take the time to make chicken noodle soup from scratch, you'll never reheat canned soup again.

Plus, since you're cooking for one, it's good to indulge yourself sometimes and veer away from the fast and easy to transition to a made-with-love dish.

Homemade chicken noodle soup is definitely a dish that says, "I love you."

After all, isn't it the dish Mom would make when you had the sniffles?

Chicken Noodle Soup

1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil

1/8 cup cubed or sliced cooked chicken

1/2 medium chopped onion

1 stalk celery, chopped

6 baby carrots, chopped

2 cloves roasted garlic, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

3 cups water

1 teaspoon chicken base

1 cup thin egg noodles

In a small pot over medium heat, cook chicken pieces in oil until browned on both sides. Cover with lid. Stir in onion, celery, carrots, garlic, salt and pepper and cook 2 minutes more. Pour in water and chicken base, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes. Simmer until carrots are just tender.

Stir the noodles into pot (water should be boiling) and cook until tender, 10 minutes.

Return chicken meat to pot just before serving.

Serves 1 (with leftovers).