NOODLES

[Wilma]

Should noodles be thin and narrow or thick and wide? 

And while we are on the subject---when did noodles become a staple for holiday menus?  When I was growing up, noodles were something that was used to stretch the meat dish, or when the meat was inclined to be tough.  Like when an old hen stopped laying and was turned into the main course or a piece of beef wasn't as tender as it should be.  Now we can't seem to have a family gathering of any kind without someone wanting to know who is bringing the noodles.  When did this happen?

[Ole Granny]

Personally, I like thick and wide.  We did lots of meal stretching and still do.  Raised my kids on chicken and noodles.  One son-in-law makes the noodles for family events.  He has found he can do it and I believe it reminds him of his grandmother.  Memories and smells do bring up lots of emotion.  Son-in-law is so proud of his noodles dish and it is good.  Still not as good as Charlene's.

Also, it is a comfort food.

[Teresa]

I make noodles quite often and I have taught my kids to make them too. ( Another one of those "lost art" things. )
I have made them with beef, chicken, pork neck bones, pheasant, venison. Anything you can boil and make broth with.
I like mine to dry all day  before I use them . I have rolled mine up and cut them thin,  and thick...long and short.
I also roll them all out flat and then without rolling them up, I cut the huge flat dough in half. I stack that. Then I cut that in half, and stack that, then again in half and stack that. I do that until I am satisfied that it is high enough , then I cut strips length wise and then turn those and cut them the other way giving you little squares. I also never put a lot of the flour that hangs on them in my broth. I don't like thick gravy like broth ( but that is a personal thing)
Doesn't matter what shape they are, they're all good.
I prefer a medium cut not too thin and not thick.. but as Goldilocks says.." Juuuuust right".

[Joanna]

We have noodles a lot.  Reams frozen noodles.  I love 'em.  My family never made home-made noodles that I can remember; and Marty's family never could convince me that it was worth the trouble of rolling & cutting & drying ~ as if I had the time for all that, or the counter space.  HA!  I try to keep packages of leftover chicken or turkey cut up & ready to go in the freezer. I save the broth too, but when it runs out I use boullion powder in water.  I'm all about the shortcuts!

Chicken & noodles has always been a holiday treat for me.  We had it on special 'big dinner' days; but always had to have fried chicken with it; my Dad didn't feel like you could possibly get enough meat in the noodles for it to count as the main dish!  I suppose thick or thin, wide or narrow probably depends on how your mom or grandmother used to serve them ~ for most of us 'comfort food' is what we remember from happy times in our youth.

[Teresa]

Noodles

Eggs.. ( how ever many you want to use for the amt of noodles you want to make) I generally use 10.
*we like noodles*
Beat them in a bowl.
Add:
4 Egg Yolks  ( keep the whites in fridge to use in something else)
Salt ( to taste)
Flour ( to make a stiff dough)
I like my noodles firm so I make my dough pretty stiff.

Mix all together and plop on a large floured area.

With rolling pin ..roll and roll and roll and roll and huff and puff and roll and push and snort..cuss a little bit  and roll some more.
Finally when you get the dough all rolled out and flat,if you need to, lightly flour the top and rub it all around.

Then at one end, start rolling up like a cinnamon roll.

Keep your sharp knife floured. Start at one end and cut into the desired width you like.,
Kinda fluff and separate them through your fingers so that they uncurl and scatter them all over the board.
They can be used immediately ..or you can let them dry for the day until you need them that evening.

If you are going to freeze them, make sure you do not pkg them too tightly together in your bag.
I put enough to fill the zip-lock and still make sure that they are flat in the bag and not smuched together.
( drying helps if you are going to freeze them)

Drop them into boiling broth (stirring to keep them separated)
Put the lid on cattywhompis and let cook for about 15-20 minutes on medium heat. Stir once and awhile..
and get ready for some awesome eating.

[Joanna]

... They can be used immediately ..or you can let them dry for the day until you need them that evening....

I didn't know you could use them right away, I'd always been told you had to let them dry for several hours or overnight...  This might make a difference to me, we'll have to wait & see.  It can't possibly turn out as bad as the bread I tried to make...

[indygal]

I learned to make noodles from my (ex) mother-in-law, who was a fabulous cook. We would separate a dozen eggs: yolks for noodles and whites for angel food cakes. She taught me to cut them the way Teresa described as "stacked", dusted them in flour and let them dry on cookie sheets for a few days before bagging and freezing them. When I first discovered Reames noodles, I figured they couldn't be half as good as homemade, but I do believe for the time and effort saved, they are every bit as good. Once, my (ex) sister-in-law and I met at the grocery store and she gave me seven barrels of hell for buying frozen noodles when I knew how to make my own. I felt about 3 inches tall but continued buying them. Several years later we were at her house for a holiday dinner and, you guessed it, she was cooking Reames noodles for the meal.

Oh, and I do remember suspending those wonderful smelling angel food cakes upside down on soda bottles to cool. I haven't made an angel food cake since I stopped making noodles!

[flo]

homemade noodles just cannot be beat.  I use 1/2 cup flour per egg, no water please, and knead lightly and as Teresa said, roll, roll, roll.  How thin?  Spread a news paper on the counter, cover with wax paper and flour the wax paper.  Roll until you can read the newsprint.  - when dry but still pliable, I use a pizza cutter to cut into 4x4 or so squares, stack them on a cutting board and slice about a 1/4 in. wide - spread out on the paper and let dry till you're ready to use them.  Make sure your broth is boiling, then add a handful at a time and stir after each addition.  Big scoop of these on mashed potatoes and you have food for the gods.

[frawin]

It is interesting this topic came up today!  That is what I fixed for lunch!  Sure tasted good on a chilly day too.

Myrna

[Jo McDonald]

We always had noodles - home made of course  Chicken and noodles is still one of our very favorite meals...
I always make enough to be sure and have leftovers ----- and Flo is right, home made noodles atop of mashed potatoes is
the best ever.