Saturday, November 15, 2008

Saturday Soups -- # 3, Fall 2008

It occurs to me that as I start into a fall season of soups, I need to give credit where it is due. These recipes are NOT my invention in any way, shape or form. But, they have all been vetted. The recipes come from the annual fund raiser that my church has--we call it our soup Bistro.

On the first Sunday of Advent, my church hosts two seatings at Bistro. All the soups are made by members (and friends) of the congregation. In addition, people make breads, muffins, cookies and other Christmas goodies. For the seatings, we sell tickets. Everything is donated, and all the proceeds go to a local inter-church group that provides assistance to people in need.






The source of the recipes is a woman in our church, Alice Anne--she has professional training in cooking, and has worked in various food endeavors. So, all the portions have been carefully assessed for accuracy. She makes all the soups before she decides to include them in our soup offering.

Anyone have any requests for a particular kind of soup? Let me know, and I will search to see if we have ever made it.
Next up in rotation--a chicken soup. Perfect for fall evenings, and hearty too with the barley.

Chicken Soup with Barley
Makes 12 servings.


8 cups water
48 oz. canned low-fat chicken broth
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried rosemary
3 pounds chicken pieces, skinned
1 bay leaf
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1 cup potato, peeled and diced
1/2 cup diced yellow onion
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1/2 cup uncooked pearl barley

1) Combine water, broth, salt, pepper, oregano, rosemary, chicken pieces and bay leaf in a large stock pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Adjust heat to medium and cook 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat. Remove chicken and cool slightly. Remove chicken from bones and shred with two forks. Reserve shredded chicken. Skim all visible fat from the top of the broth.

2) Stir vegetables and barley into broth. Cover and bring to a boil, then simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add shredded chicken to the pot. Discard bay leaf. If not serving immediately, cool and refrigerate.

6 comments:

RoyalTLady said...

KGMom,

I have copied your chicken soup recipe.

Mine is so simple but takes longer time..would like to try?

Bones from 1 chicken - boil with two pods of garlic, 2 big red or white onions, 3 sizable ginger for 3 hours- on slow fire or better still put in slow cooker.

this slow cooking would extract all the juice out and it enhance the chicken soup taste.

Then as desired, add salt, pepper, veges, oats or eat together with plain bread (toasted or not toasted)

KGMom said...

Welcome RoyalTLady--I too use chicken bones for soup base--especially after we have had a roasting chicken for a special dinner. I boil down the bones, making a wonderful broth, then remove bones and pick off the meat. Then I add whatever I want, either noodles and corn, or other veggies and rice or barley. Thanks for your suggestion.

Jayne said...

What a lovely idea! You all seem to have a great crowd too. Nothing like soup in the cool fall weather. :c)

Tossing Pebbles in the Stream said...

You make me miss the church meal gatherings. I have lived alone and remote too long perhaps.

Soups are wonderful and as varied as the extent of your imagination.

Mary said...

Donna, we enjoy homemade chicken soup a few times during the coldest months. Mine is a good, basic recipe but I would love to try yours!

I cook 4 lbs. wings until they fall off the bones, remove skins, and use egg noodles and everything on your recipe except rosemary, barley, green pepper, potato. Looks like I'm missing much :o)

Mary

africakidandtheworld said...

Yum, soup sounds so good now that the weather's turned.

A popular soup this time of year in Germany is creamy pumpkin (kurbis) soup with a little pumpkin oil drizzled on top and a few pumpkin seeds scattered across too. Mmm, now I'm ready for a few bowls!