I love the rain. It makes me want to hibernate and not come out from under a PILE of blankets....unless it's for soup. I also happen to adore soup. It is one of those truly comforting meals for me. It is a hug from the inside out that makes you feel all happy and relaxed, loved and satisfied. I realize there may be a few out there who don't share my love for all things soups and/or stews (babe, I'm looking at you....xoxo), but that will not keep me from professing my adoration for it. The thing about most soups and certainly stews, is that they tend to be best when simmered a long time, which is great if you have the forethought or the time. One of my favorites that doesn't take forever is noodle soup....so many ways to make it amazing. Today, I looked at what I had in my pantry and fridge, and threw together a pretty great bowl of soup for my rainy day lunch.

3 cups chicken broth
1 stalk lemongrass, bruised
1" piece of ginger root, peeled and sliced
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 package rice noodles
2 tbsp soy sauce
toppings on hand....I used cilantro, Sriracha, slivered scallion and more Sriracha

Put chicken broth into medium size saucepan and simmer with all ingredients except for toppings and rice noodles for at least 20-25 minutes.
Strain out all the solids from the broth (now infused with ginger, garlic, etc...), and return to saucepan.
Bring to a boil, and add noodles. Allow to boil for a minute then remove from heat and let stand for a couple minutes.
Pour into a big soup bowl and top as you like.....so so so tasty!!!!