Rainy Day and Getting Cozy

The other day it was raining here in New York...again.  Not just raining but pouring outside.  It was a dark morning and even Stina questioned me when I woke her up asking if I was sure that it was daytime and time for school yet.  Murph called out sick so it seemed like the perfect day for pajamas, comfy sweats and soup.  After I dropped Stina off at school I took a quick swing by Stop and Shop and grabbed the Soup Veggie pack.  There was no farmer's market and there is something about the soup veggie pack in the produce department that reminds me of when I was little.  My Mom was always making soup for us and we loved it!  Soup is the ultimate comfort food.  Whether it's the warmth it offers or the memories of chilly days after playing in the snow, there is just something about chicken soup.

I always have poached chicken on hand.  Poached chicken is great to have in the fridge-I use it for soup, chicken salad, tacos, and so much more!  It is the easiest thing to do too which makes it even more appealing.  I usually poach 3-4 breasts (boneless and skinless) at a time.  In a medium pot, I boil water (enough to cover the chicken), 4 baby carrots, onion or shallot (halved), 1 celery stalk cut in half, parsley, dill and if I have it 2 or 3 slices of lemon.  Add some salt and pepper and when the water comes to a full boil, add the chicken.  Cook it for about 5 minutes, then cover and turn off the heat.  I leave it covered for another 20 minutes, turning over after 10 minutes.  That's it-take out the chicken and keep until you are ready for it.

Chicken poaching-there's a few lemon slices hiding under the chicken.

Now onto the soup...Murph was listening to some Frank Sinatra and Louis Prima in the other room and that seems like perfect soup making music.  The chicken may seem like it should be the star, but there are no solos in my soup.  I want all the components to make an ample appearance.  I try to cut bigger slices of my veggies so they all have a chance to shine!  Use whatever veggies you've got on hand-that's what makes it so easy.

Lots of veggies for a healthy, hearty and yummy soup!

For this soup I used carrots, celery, leek, onion, turnip, a parsnip and of course dill and flat leaf parsley.  I always use flat leaf parsley-I have no use for the curly kind :-(  If I have the time or the chicken I will make stock, but this soup was all about fast comfort so I took the easy route and went for stock in a box.  I am in love with stock in a box-I have at least 4 in my cabinets at ALL times!!!  A little obsessive-yes but I am never out of it!  I also added in the all important noodles-I used fine egg noodles.  I boiled them in chicken stock before adding them so they didn't suck up all my stock in the soup.

This is the soup we had for lunch on that rainy day! 

I threw in an extra picture because I forgot to take one of the soup in the bowls-I was so hungry I forgot to use the camera that was next to me at the table!

Chicken Soup for a Rainy Day

2 poached chicken breasts cubed (recipe above)
2 carrots, sliced into coins
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 small turnip, peeled and diced
1/2 leek - sliced
1 small onion, diced
1 parsnip, sliced into coins or cubed
small bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped
small bunch fresh dill, chopped
1-2 boxes of chicken stock (depending on how much broth you want)
3 cups of fine egg noodles, cooked (or whatever noodle you like)

Heat the stock in a medium to large pot to a low simmer.  While your stock is heating, cut up your veggies and chicken.  Once you have a little bubble in your stock, add the veggies to the pot.  Add half of your chopped parsley and dill.  Save the other half of each for right before you serve.  Cook for 15-20 minutes.  Add the chicken and simmer for another 10 minutes.  Add the cooked noodles and the rest of the parsley and dill.  Simmer 5 more minutes.  Serve and enjoy!

The next blog will be about another of my favorite soups-Roasted Butternut Squash Soup.  Nothing like squash to make it feel like Autumn!