Saturday, June 11, 2011

The Simple Soup Solution

"Anyone who tells a lie has not a pure heart, and cannot make a good soup."
 - Ludwig van Beethoven

 

I am a busy mom and although I enjoy cooking, sometimes if I have a rare few moments of free time I prefer to take a shower. But, with three hungrey boys, including a baby and a hungry husband, dinner is a requirement.

To say I don't feed my family fast food from time to time would be a lie, but in general, I try to keep things healthy and simple. So here is what I do in a pinch.

I make soup. No, I don't mean a can of Campbell's (not that there's anything wrong with that...except way too much salt). Soup is a simple, healthy, no fuss, no muss meal in a pot. Here's how she rolls:

The Simple Soup Solution



Fill a large pot with water. Add a carrot, celery stalk, a peeled onion, a tomato, a few peeled potatos, a few garlic cloves, a few bay leaves and a few peppercorns. Then add some bone-in chicken pieces. I use chicken boobs because they are healthier and we like them better, but whatever works for you.

Bring to a boil.

Cover and turn down to a medium-low heat.

Let simmer for a couple of hours. (Check the potato on occasion...or add them part-way through the simmering. Remove once fully cooked to avoid mushiness)

Then strain out all the veggies and chicken. Add some thin egg noddles (or whatever pasta you want...but the thin, tiny ones can cook right in the broth) and boil for a few minutes. When in doubt, add less noodles than you think you need, otherwise you will get mushy noodles instead of chicken noddle soup. And then you know what you'll have to say to your hungry family?

Wait for it now....

You know it's coming...


How could I write a post about soup and not include The Soup Nazi?


Then you can cut up the chicken and veggies and add back to the soup for a hearty soup-meal. Or...you can leave them out and have some nicely flavoured, poached chicken, and some nicely flavoured cooked veggies. You can even mash or puree with a little bit of the broth for baby.

So this may seem simple and obvious. But how many of you make your own soup? I never used to. But being married to someone of full Italian heritage means I also have a very Italian mother-in-law. She drives me nuts and helps me so much the words "thank you" do not even begin to say how much she helps me. I love her. And she always makes this soup. And then my husband started. And then I did.

So on those rainy and/or busy days, put it all in a pot. Let is simmer and do what you gotta do. Your home will smell yummy and everyone will have a healthy meal at the end of the day.

Any hey...if you get one of those massive stock pots, you can make tons and stick a load in your freezer.


I have one. Me likey.

Then you won't have to cook at all. And you can have your shower.


I am now pondering whether this image is from a porno.
In any case, this chick is not worrying about making dinner!

Smiles,

Lora


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1 comment:

  1. Oh...and may seem obvious, but season to taste with Salt and pepper! I like to do the salt later as not to add too much!

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