Chicken-less Chicken Noodle Soup

My mom told me that my Great Grandma use to make chicken noodle soup, with homemade noodles, and serve it over mashed potatoes. I decided that I MUST try this. Even though I don't eat chicken and it sounded carb-o-licious, I knew I could make it work. I've never made homemade pasta before so this was my first attempt. My noodles were THICK (which is good right!) the dough is not so easy to thinly roll out.. I'll have to figure it out on my next try, the noodles served their purpose for this. I also made my own vegetable broth. I've been eating entire stalks of celery lately and I always throw away the tops. Well not today! Today I simmered these ingredients to make a full-flavored broth.

-1/4 of an onion (skin too)
-10 baby carrots
-About 10 tops of celery stalks (like I said, I've been eating a lot of it!)
-4 cloves of garlic
-4 cups of water
-About 6 black peppercorns
-1 TBSP parsley (or fresh if you have it)
-1 TSP thyme
I simmered it on low for about 4 hours. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Once I was ready to make the soup I sauteed 1/4 chopped onion in 1 TBSP olive oil over medium heat until translucent. I added 3 cloves of chopped garlic for 30 seconds then strained my broth in (don't get the peppercorns into your new soup!). I added chopped carrots, celery and cooked for about 7 minutes over medium heat.Then I added my noodles, they don't need to cook as long, only about 5 minutes. Then I added a can of white beans that had been rinsed. If you don't have time to make your own broth, just substitute vegetable broth. You can also add any vegetables you'd like. Since I was serving mine over mashed potatoes I wanted to keep the soup uncomplicated. 

My attempt at homemade pasta. I'm going to perfect it and then make a tutorial.

I made my potatoes using my kitchen aid mixer, and I could tell they were going to be AMAZING! Never have I seen mash potatoes so light and fluffy.. I might have a new guilty pleasure... I don't normally eat a lot of potatoes, but these were.... The best. 

Here we have it. Make a little mash potato pool full of homemade soup. Yummy fall meal!