Chicken Soup

The Peach Tree has issued a challenge for slow cooker (or crock pot) recipes. I use my crock pot quite often. In fact I use it so much I recently purchased a newer, better quality one.

I was just thinking of one of my favorite things to use my slow cooker for the other day. Daughter person is sick with some awful virus. One of the worst things about being a mom and having your child (no matter how old they are) living in a different city is that you can't be there for them when they get sick. Anyhow....I was just thinking it's about time to make some chicken soup from scratch - which I use my slow cooker for. I don't really have a recipe but I'll share my instructions. It's a two day affair, but can easily be done while you are away at work.

First thing in the morning take a whole chicken and place it in the slow cooker fill about half way up with water. At supper time turn it off and let cool. Cut or pick all the meat off the bones and set aside. Now break all the bones - you might need a saw for the bigger ones. Place all the bone fragments in cheesecloth and secure. The reason for breaking the bones is to get some of the marrow into the soup for increased flavor and nutrition......magical goodness in that stuff so they say! Put the broth, chicken, and bones in the fridge for the night. Leave the bones and chicken out of the water if you want (makes skimming fat the next morning easier).

The next morning, skim the fat from the broth. Put everything back into the slow cooker. Add some spices such as garlic, onion, sage, parsley, pepper, sea salt (don't overdo it). Let cook until about noon. Then add your vegetables. Use whatever you've got - carrots, celery, red pepper and peas are my usual. Add some noodles or rice if you want too. If you are making this while you're away at work either add your vegetables in the morning, or add them when you get home and finish the soup on the stove by simmering for about 45 minutes to an hour.

You can easily adapt this soup to a Chinese type soup by your choice of vegetables and seasonings - as seen being enjoyed by my daughter a few years ago (but SHHH......don't tell her I blogged her photo today - she hates that! But she is so photogenic and we're such proud parents that it's hard not to want to flaunt her beautiful face all the time!). Throw in a little more garlic, ginger, rice vinegar, soya sauce, or maybe even some miso for seasoning, and change your vegetables to things like bok choy, spinach and green onions.

Slurp with gusto knowing you're eating nothing but healthy goodness!