My Homemade Chicken Soup

It really isn't a big secret. Its just that most people opt for the short cuts that, in the end, leave them wondering why their soup isn't all that great or, they just don't care that their soup could be so much better.

Toss 'em!

The difference between a so-so soup and soup the way its supposed to taste? Simple...its all about the stock you start with. And there are no short cuts for this. Not cans of stock, not cardboard boxes of stock, not the powder in the jars or the little cubes wrapped in foil. Start your next soup by tossing all those options in the trash.

You create a great stock with fresh ingredients. Fresh meats and fresh herbs.My stock. Okay, Let's start with a chicken stock. I'm making one up this weekend for a homemade chicken soup.

Stock simmering

 Start with a big stock pot of fresh, cool water (a couple of gallons). As you bring it up to a boil, toss in a whole chopped onion, 4 stalks of celery and 4 carrots all rough chopped. Add 2-3 cloves of garlic, a couple of bay leaves, several whole black pepper corns, a teaspoon of salt and one whole chicken. Parts or whole. Its okay to use the wings, thighs, backs and drumsticks saving the breasts for fancier needs if you want. Bring it all to a boil and then turn it down to simmer for 45 minutes.

Turn it off and pour the stock off through a colander into a another stock pot. Put the stock in the fridge overnight. Skim off most of the fat from the top the next day before reheating.

Strip cooled chicken meat off the bones and put it away in the fridge until tomorrow. Toss the herbs and veggies away. Pull or cut up the chicken meat into bit sized chucks.

The next morning, Scrap of the fat that has formed on the surface of the chicken stock. You decide how much to leave to add fat to the soup. Bring the stock back up to a boil while adding the following:

3-4 carrots sliced into coins
3-4 stalks of celery cut the same thickeness as the carrot coins.
1 onion chopped
1 pond of a pasta of your choice
Chicken chunks

Your basic simple chicken soup, Yum!

As the stock returns to a boill, toss in all the above ingredients and turn stock down to a simmer. Let soup simmer for 15-20 minutes. Check the seasoning. Add black pepper and salt to taste. When the veggies and pasta are almost soft (al dente), turn off the heat and set the soup aside. Serve when ready. Sprinkle a little chopped parsley over the top or tortilla chips or cilantro. Add your favorite hot sauce. Use your imagination!

Add tomatoes, beans, other veggies or herbs to suit your personal tastes.A little of this and little of that and you easily go from a chicken soup to a minestrone or any of dozens of other variations.