It seems like everyone has a touch of the sniffles this week, feeling somewhat under the weather. With a hectic schedule, who has time to be sick? And, worse, when busy, it's a rare person who wants to prepare a home-cooked meal when feeling run down.

This weekend, I found myself in just this same situation. With work demands, as well as a brief trip out of town, topped off with a touch of a cold, I knew that a batch of chicken noodle soup was in order, but wanted to make it quickly.

There's a secret to making the perfect batch of chicken noodle soup in a snap - a rotisserie chicken. Here's the recipe - enjoy!

Chicken Noodle in a Snap

1 rotisserie chicken
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
2 large Spanish onions, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small heart of celery, chopped
3/4 cup white wine (I tend to use what's open in the fridge)
2 quarts chicken broth
1 small bunch of fresh sage, stems removed and leaves minced
2 - 3 cups of egg noodles
Matt's Mix or Salt & Pepper to taste
Method:
Remove the skin from the rotisserie chicken, and discard the skin. Shred the chicken off the bones and set the bones in a large stock pot, and cover with the broth. Simmer the broth and bones while you prep all of your other vegetables (about 15 - 20 minutes).
**TIP - if you routinely buy a rotisserie chicken, save the carcass in a ziplock bag and keep it in the freezer, for additional flavor boosters as needed.
Using a strainer, pour the chicken broth into another bowl and set aside. Discard the bones. Using that same stock pot, add a small amount of canola oil or pure olive oil (cover the bottom of the pot) and start to saute the onions, stirring occasionally so they do not burn.

When the onions are nicely caramelized, take the white wine and pour it into the stock pot, scraping up the caramelized bits off the bottom of the pot, stirring with a wooden spoon. Add the carrots and celery. Add the stock. Simmer until the carrots are tender.

Add the egg noodles and continue to simmer until the noodles are tender. Add the minced sage and season with Matt's Mix or salt & pepper to taste. Serve.