ONE-POT CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP Inspired by TasteOfHome.com
As I write this, I’m in North Carolina, helping communities still recovering from the devastation of last season’s hurricane Helene. When I saw the storm hit, I knew these communities did not have crane-owning tree companies that could assist them and were unprepared to face the storm. I got in my truck the day of the storm and drove 16 hours until I got there. Signs From the Road Fate Guided Me During Hurricane Cleanup
Ingredients
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2 1/2 lbs skinless, bone-in chicken thighs
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4 medium carrots, chopped
2 bay leaves
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1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried thyme 3 cups uncooked egg noodles (about 8 oz) 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley 1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp pepper 2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped 3 garlic cloves, minced 10 cups chicken broth 4 celery ribs, chopped
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Traveling to North Carolina felt like a journey guided by something greater. I had a feeling and calling that there would be a great need for my skills and equipment. Along the way, I experienced moments that seemed more than coincidence — signs that appeared just when I needed them. Whether it was someone showing up at the perfect moment or an intuitive nudge to keep me from making a mistake, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the universe had my back and that I would be a gift to others, too.
Directions 1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. In an 8-quart stockpot over medium-high heat, add oil and chicken and cook until golden brown, 3–4 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside. 2. Add onion to drippings; cook over medium-high heat for 4–5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add broth and bring to a boil. Return chicken to pot. Add celery, carrots, bay leaves, and thyme. Reduce heat and cover; simmer until chicken is tender, 25–30 minutes. 3. Turn off heat. Remove chicken to a plate. Add noodles and let stand, covered, until noodles are tender, 20–22 minutes. 4. Shred chicken meat into bite-size pieces, and return to pot. Stir in parsley and lemon juice, and discard bay leaves. He knew I needed help and I knew he did, too. He stopped and we ended up partnering for several jobs to help the neighborhood. On another job site, we finished the front yard tree and walked around the back to investigate chainsaw noises and came upon a power company crew just as they were finishing their final cut on a huge tree that would have fallen on a garage, crushing it and kicking back the trunk at the men standing near the cut. I instantly realized the situation, and I waved and hollered until they stopped. Then I asked them to let me use my crane and not take the risk, which they must have suspected but not fully known the way I did. Over the next hour and a half, I pieced the tree down safely. They were rushing to remove the tree so they could install a new power pole to restore power to the neighborhood. If I had not been there at that exact moment and made the snap decision to stop their cut, the garage would have been destroyed and one or more men might have been permanently injured. This was not the first and it wouldn’t be the last time events seemed too amazing to be a coincidence.
For example, before one job, I kept feeling like I was forgetting something, but I couldn’t figure out what it was. As I prepared to move wood around a yard, I opened the passenger door of my truck, and my boots tumbled out. That’s when I realized I’d been wearing sneakers — not exactly safe footwear for the work ahead. Sure enough, about an hour later, a log rolled into my foot. I was grateful I had changed into the boots.
On my first day in North Carolina, I found myself working solo, by necessity, to remove a massive oak tree that had crashed into a home. As I worked, there were no cars because the road was blocked by power lines in both directions and then I noticed a pickup truck drive by with a driver in a fluorescent shirt. I raised my hand to wave at the driver, and he waved back and slowed down. In the instant our eyes locked with the wave and a slight head nod, we had “tree guy ESP.”
Moments like these remind me how powerful fate can be. In this storm, many times, the right people crossed paths exactly when needed. Helping these communities has reinforced my belief in signs and guardians that guide us in critical times. –Andrew Bachman CT Arborist S6222
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