Calico Chicken Soup

Halloween is over and we had zero Trick-or Treaters, because of nasty, rainy weather.  Now I have some candy that I will be baking with before Scott and I eat all of it.  If you are looking for a healthier meal option after all of these treats, this soup is it.  This soup is easy to make, and even quicker, if you use  rotisserie chicken.  Even if you use fresh chicken, you can have this soup done in about 30 minutes.

I call this Calico Chicken Soup, because of the bright colors of all the veggies; carrots, red potatoes, green beans, corn, zucchini, canned tomatoes. Feel free to add any other vegetables of your choice.  My Mom always made vegetable soup, with "everything but the kitchen sink", even cabbage.  I don't like cabbage, so I don't add it. You could even add in a few beans, if you like them.  Add in the chicken for protein and a  chicken stock and a little white wine for flavor. I added Herbes de Provence for even more flavor, as well as salt and pepper. The broth in this soup is so good.  Serve with crusty bread, and you have a quick, healthy, light, meal. that fills you up.  I used no salt tomatoes and low sodim chicken stock for this soup for my husband's high blood pressure.  In a twist of irony, I now have low blood pressure, Yikes.  My Dr. told me to add more salt to my diet. At least I can make low sodium meals for my hubby, and just add salt to mine.

I eat a lot of soup during the Fall and Winter, and this is my favorite soup. Soup to me is comfort food, warming my body and soothing my soul.  What is your favorite soup to make?  I'll even be making more to take to a friend, who is just coming home from the hospital.

 I got terrific news after my cataract surgery on both eyes, (not at the same time).  I no longer have to wear glasses, only to read.  Unbelievable!  Before my surgery, my Doctor told me that I would still have to wear glasses, but he did such a good job, that I don't have to wear them.  I'm going to celebrate and have this soup for lunch.

Calico Chicken Soup Adapted From Rachael Ray

Ingredients:

• 2 medium carrots, peeled
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium zucchini
• 1 medium yellow skinned onion, peeled and halved
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon Herbes de Provence, available on spice aisle or, 1 teaspoon each dried sage, rosemary and thyme
• 1 1/2 pounds small red skinned potatoes, diced
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 (can diced tomatoes (14 ounces) or coarsely ground tomatoes
• 1 quart plus 1 cup chicken stock, available in quart and 1 cup paper box containers on the soup aisle
• 8 oz fresh or frozen green beans
• 8 oz. fresh or frozen corn.
• 1 pound chicken breasts, diced
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
• Crusty bread, to pass at table

Preparation:

Pre-heat one medium soup pot over medium high heat. While soup pot heats, chop carrots into 1/4-inch dice, then add garlic, and stir to coat in olive oil. Chop the zucchini,  and onion into 1/2 inch dice and drop into the pot. Season all the veggies with salt and pepper and Herbes de Provence.

Cook the veggies together for five minutes. While they cook, cut potatoes into thin wedges. Add wine to vegetables and reduce a minute or so. Add the tomatoes, cut potatoes and stock to the pot, cover the pot and raise heat to high.

 Add frozen green beans and corn. Bring the soup to a boil, then add cut chicken and simmer 8-10 minutes until potatoes are just tender, corn and green beans are cooked,  and chicken is cooked through. Serve soup in shallow Top soup with chopped parsley and pass crusty bread at the table for dipping and mopping.