Yesterday I was not feeling well. I was yearning for my mother and some of her homemade chicken soup.
Of course I didn’t feel like doing anything but napping on sofa while Netflix droned on the 7th ridiculous season of Gray’s Anatomy – fortunately I couldn’t hear It over Rebel’s snoring beside me on the sofa. (This series started off with promise but collapsed into an embarrassing almost laughable soap opera.. I watch it for chuckles.)
In desperation, I dumped two frozen solid chicken breasts (right out of the Tyson Bag) into my smallest crock pot – the little one I usually make dips in for tailgates. Acting purely on instinct I added about 1-1/2 cups water, I large clove garlic chopped and about half an onion. (I was completely winging this you understand.)
I threw in a bay leaf, some cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper and fresh parsley and whatever chives were barely breathing in garden. I set pot on high and took a long nap. in three hours i had a lovely stock and falling off bone chicken which I chopped roughly back into the stock.
Inspiration was charged from this fascinating discovery. I was on a rolle so I chopped the chicken and added a can of Great Value Fire Roasted Tomatoes (these have replaced Rotel in my book). For more uniform color I dumped in a few spoons of Ragu jarred spaghetti sauce and a little Half & Half which was lurking around the fridge.
Opening the tomatoes was the hardest part of the whole process!
By now i was really getting hungry and impatient after that hard nap and all. I ladled up a cup of the steaming brew, adding a handful of mozzarella, some grated Parm and dash of Tabasco Oh my gosh. Dare I say it was better than my Mother’s?
It was a cup of sheer love and an instant relief from flu-like symptoms. It was low carb to boot. I had a second cup and felt even better.
Note to myself:- Next time add some chopped carrots,maybe celery. This was so much better than anything that comes from a can. I’m probably the last woman on earth to discover chicken broth from the crockpot but i will never buy canned chicken broth again.
Sounds very yummy! Nice to use what you have on hand and come up with some good eating. I read this to George, who by the way does not eat soup or anything I consider yummy, and he said your writing is like telling a story! Entertaining.
Feel better!
No matter how old we are, we want our mothers when we are not feeling well! My mother used to give me Campbell’s canned chicken noodle soup and red jello when I was sick. She would also change my sheets every other day! What a treat! When my daughter was sick, I used to make her chicken and dumplings. She still calls me when she is sick wishing I were there to make some for her. Wish I could have been there to make the soup for you so you wouldn’t have had to make it for yourself! Feel better, dear friend!
You come on down Kay – I changed the sheets for you! Do you know I’ve never made chicken n’ dumplins but it’s on my bucket list. Funny how my bucket list grows tamer with each passing year.
Well I wanted some sherbert like what I remember being made at our homestead. I remember that mother started with milk and the juice of a lemon. And then she squired three oranges. Not knowing what I was doing I started with what I remembered and into 2 cups of almond milk I added the orange juice and lemon and it was sour so I opened a can of condensed milk and it was way to sweet so then I added a can of papaya frozen and it was delicious . So then I added half pint of whipping cream and it was soooo unhealthy that it tasted great. I put it in my fancy-Mancy ice cream maker and WOW.
Don’t think Miss Mary would approve but what the heck , I have always been a rebel ?
A cook after my own heart- keep adding stuff until it tastes fattening. A can of Eagle Brand is sure to improve anything!
Wow! Sounds wonderful. You are inspiring me to do the same.
Fattening foods (read tasty) have massive restorative powers. sooooo treat yourself, and if you can’t share the actual item, then share the idea and how good it makes you feel.
My never fail chicken ‘n Dumplins is chicken in the pot; cook till done (can add all those good things: celery, onions, carrots,and more onions (I like them); then whack open a can of biscuits and roll them out;cut into strips and drop in boiling broth. When you use all of the biscuit strips…the thing is done. I like crusty cornbread with mine;but can do without if I think I have to have a bowl right now !!! I don’t do dumplin’s any other way and have had multiplr kudos and no complaints yet.