Get-Better Soup

I was home sick today.

This is a rare occurrence for me. Like, I'm pretty sure it hasn't happened more than a couple times in the last 10 years type of "rare occurrence". I'm not good at sitting still at home, but today I slept & slept & slept. Between naps, I threw a bunch of stuff in the crockpot that I hoped would make me better, and then went back to sleep. Come dinnertime, the chicken noodle soup concoction was actually delicious. Here's the list of things thrown into the crockpot, and why:

• Chicken broth: Homemade from local, free-range chicken. Homemade broth has less salt than the boxed or canned store-bought varieties, so I threw some in- but I was able to control how much salt was in the soup, making it healthier. From Wise Traditions: "Science validates what our grandmothers knew. Rich homemade chicken broths help cure colds. Stock contains minerals in a form the body can absorb easily-not just calcium but also magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur and trace minerals. It contains the broken down material from cartilage and tendons--stuff like chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine, now sold as expensive supplements for arthritis and joint pain"
• Carrots: Again, these are local, organic carrots, so no nasty pesticides in my soup. I grated the carrots to add to the soup. From World's Healthiest Foods, "Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A. In addition, they are a very good source of vitamin C, vitamin K, dietary fiber and potassium." I need al the vitamins I can get, especially Vitamin C, to get better!
• Celery: This was homegrown celery, which ended up being smaller than the typicalstalks, so when I harvested it, I cut it up & froze it for soups such as this one. Again, from WHFoods: "Celery is an excellent source of vitamin C, a vitamin that helps to support the immune system. Vitamin C-rich foods like celery may help reduce cold symptoms or severity of cold symptoms; over 20 scientific studies have concluded that vitamin C is a cold-fighter."
• Kale: I through this in primarily because I had it on hand, and it is considered a "superfood" so I knew it couldn't hurt. Again, this is local, organic kale. From The Food Paper: "Just one cup of raw kale contains 15% of the recommended daily value of calcium and Vitamin B6, 40% of the magnesium, 180% of the Vitamin A, 200% of the Vitamin C and a whopping 1020% of the Vitamin K. The boost in immune support and antioxidant protection provided by these vitamins could help ward off the colds and flus of the season, not to mention more serious diseases."
• Garlic: I added about 2 tablespoons of chopped garlic to the soup, knowing that it is specifically recommended for colds & flus. WHFoods explains why: "allicin, one of the sulfur-compounds responsible for garlic's characteristic odor, is a powerful antibacterial and antiviral agent that joins forces with vitamin C to help kill harmful microbes. In research studies, allicin has been shown to be effective not only against common infections like colds, flu, stomach viruses, and Candida yeast, but also against powerful pathogenic microbes including tuberculosis and botulism." I hate to admit it, but this was jarred garlic. I use what I have on hand.
  
• Ginger: I know that ginger is another food suggested to help fight the flu, but I only had the powdered form. I sprinkled just a little, figuring it couldn't hurt, but I didn't want the taste to be overpowering.
• Chicken and egg noodles: Obviously, "chicken noodle soup" needs these. Chicken provides protein and Vitamin B for energy. Egg noodles give the soup some heft, to fill me up.
  
• Of course the soup is served hot: Sipping the hot soup and breathing in the steam helps clear up congestion.

What do you eat when you're sick?

Broccoli Chowder

I got lots of compliments on this recipe! It's a fresh-rather-than-frozen version of Betty Crocker's.

1 package au gratin potatoes, including sauce mix packet
3 C milk
1/2 C frozen corn
1/4 C chopped celery
3 C water
2 chicken bullion cubes
2 bunches broccoli, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 C shredded swiss cheese

Steam broccoli to soften, 5-7 minutes.

Combine all ingredients except cheese and heat to boiling in a large saucepan. Reduce heat & simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.

When ready to serve, stir in cheese. Simmer about 5 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Makes 10 servings.

This could be dinner or a side, and adding cooked, shredded chicken to the mix would make it even heartier.

Grilled-Cheese-and-Tomato-Soup Soup

At our house, grilled cheese is a staple for quick weekend lunches and light dinners. And Grilled Cheese is never served without its constant companion, Tomato Soup. I don't know where I came across this meal idea, but I thought it was so cute, and last night was a perfect opportunity to try it.

You'll need:
1 can Cream of Tomato soup
1 can milk
Croutons
bite-sized cheese cubes (I didn't have these, so I used shredded cheese. I think the cubes would work better.)

Heat soup and milk in a small saucepan until hot and ready to serve. Add dried basil, garlic powder, or whatever spices you like. Ladle into serving bowls. Top with croutons and cheese cubes.

The croutons add a nice crunch to the soup, and the cheese gets all melted and stringy, which is fun. This isn't the typical summer fare, because it's a hot soup (on hot evenings...), but it's a fun change of pace, especially for kids. The best part: it's a meal in itself! The crisp bread and gooey cheese of the grilled cheese sandwich, plus the sweet, creamy warmth of the tomato soup- all in one bowl!

Italian Sausage Soup

Originally published on 8/25/2006 at keeping feet



This picture is demonstrating the quality of my new phone's camera, since Ashley and Beth expressed an interest in what I thought of the phone. It's great, except I think Josh's camera on his phone is better. For me, though, this is the first camera-phone I've ever had, so I'm loving it.

More importantly, though, this is a picture of my latest cooking attempt, and it was declared by my picky-eater husband as a success! Hooray! I thought it was pretty yummy as well.

When I asked Josh earlier in the day, he wasn't going to be super-hungry for dinner, so just soup or a sandwich sounded good to him. Well, I was going to be hungry, so I decided to compromise and whip up this Italian Sausage Soup for dinner that would be hearty enough for a whole meal.

Italian Sausage Soup

• 1/2 lb mild Italian Sausage


• 3 medium tomatoes peeled & chopped or 1 can tomatoes, chopped with their juices (I had diced tomatoes, so that's what I used.)
• 3 cups chicken broth (Again, I used what I had-- water & chicken bouillon cubes)
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 cup uncooked macaroni
• 1/4 tsp salt
• ~1/2 cup frozen corn kernels (This wasn't in the original recipe, but I thought it sounded good. I'm all about sneaking vegetables into dishes-- we don't eat enough.)



• Brown sausage at the bottom of a large saucepan.
• Add tomatoes, broth, and basil.
• Bring to a boil.
• Stir in macaroni & let simmer for about 10 minutes, until the macaroni is tender. Add the corn 3-5 minutes before the macaroni is done.
• Add salt and serve

The recipe said it served about 4 (I'd say about 3, unless you were having bread & salad with it), and that it could be refrigerated for a couple days or frozen, so we've got about 1/3 of the soup left in our freezer for a side dish later.

Tonight is our 3rd Social Friday in a row-- we're going bowling with our small group. It shall be fun, for they are a fun group of people.