This is a recipe born from trying different chicken soups over the years until coming up with this one that has just the right flavors and tastes for a delicious soup.

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken, about 4 lbs, skinned to make it less fatty.

2 medium carrots, sliced

2 stalks celery, sliced

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium to large parsnip cubed

1/4 -1/2 cup barley

1 – 2 Tablespoons salt, I use Kosher salt and I keep tasting to adjust salt.

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dill

Different pastas~ I use alphabets (could be organic variety), wide noodles, extra fine noodles~to equal about 2 cups. Use less if you think that is too much for the broth.

Prepare chicken and place in large saucepan.  Cover with water, enough to cover chicken by 2 inches, probably about 10-12 cups.  Bring to a boil.  Skim the foam that accumulates on top and discard.  Add all other ingredients except pasta.  Turn heat down to low and simmer for 1 hour, covered.

Add pasta and cook for 10 – 12 minutes or until pasta is cooked.

Adjust seasonings and serve.

Serves 4 main dish servings or 6 if part of a meal.

Note:  You can leave the chicken in the soup as is, or take the meat off the bones and add just the meat to the soup, cut into small pieces.

Optional:  I have added tomato,  with garlic and Italian seasoning for an Italian flavor, leaving out the dill in this case.  Of course then you can grate some parmesan over top to serve.

This is a fabulous soup adapted from the “Cooking with the Seasons at Rancho La Puerta~Recipes from the World-Famous Spa” cookbook.

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed (about 4 cups)

1 apple, cored, peeled, and diced

2 leeks, white part only, washed and sliced

1 small carrot, peeled and sliced

1/2 stalk celery, finely chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

2 teaspoons thai red curry paste (see note below~using this much is extremely hot)

4 cups basic vegetable stock (I use Trader Joe’s Organic Vegetable Broth)

2 cups water

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 teaspoons sea salt, or more to taste

Garnish:

thinly sliced chives

thin strips of orange zest (optional)

1. In a 4 quart saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the squash, apple, leeks, carrot, celery, and basil and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened; do not brown. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the stock, water, brown sugar, and salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 45 minutes, or until the vegetables are very soft.

2. Cool for 30 minutes, then , in a blender or in the bowl of a food processor, puree until absolutely smooth.

3. Reheat and taste for seasoning, adding salt if needed. Serve very hot, with a sprinkling of chives and the orange zest, if desired.

Note:

Thai red curry paste is sold in small jars in the grocery store in the International section. It is very hot and spicy. I would start out trying a very little and taste for more heat if you like. I used a quarter of what the recipe calls for and it was still very peppery. This paste will keep for months in your refrigerator.

I have had different versions of this soup, but this one seems to have the right balance of flavor.

Meatballs:

1 1/4 lbs ground beef

1 egg beaten

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup onion, finely diced

2 teaspoons basil

1 teaspoon oregano

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For the soup:

1 onion diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup carrot, diced

2 Tablespoons Olive oil

8 cups Chicken Broth

1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped (I use Italian Parsley)

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

salt and pepper

1 can cannelini beans, with juice

1 1/2 cups spinach or escarole, chopped

2/3 cup orzo, uncooked

Fresh Parmesan cheese, grated

In a large bowl combine all of the meatball ingredients. Form into 1 inch size meatballs.

In a large soup pot sauté  the onion, garlic, and carrot in the olive oil until soft. Add the chicken broth, parsley and Italian seasonings. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Drop the meatballs one by one into the pot. Simmer for twenty minutes.

Add the beans, spinach and orzo. Bring back up to a simmer and cook for 15 more minutes. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and crusty bread.

Serves 4 – 6

This is a delicious Middle Eastern soup recipe.

1 cup lentils, rinsed

7 cups water

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, crushed

2 cups stewed tomatoes

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 cup white rice, uncooked ~ (brown rice can be used)

1/4 cup lemon juice

Place lentils and water in a saucepan and bring to boil. Cover and cook over medium heat for 25 minutes.

In the meantime, in a frying pan, heat oil and saute onions and garlic until they turn golden brown. Stir in remaining ingredients, except lemon juice, and sauté for another 5 minutes.

Stir the frying pan contents into the lentils and bring to boil. Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes or until rice and lentils are well-cooked.  Stir in lemon juice and serve hot.

Serves 8-10 as part of a main meal

Broccoli is the key to this full-bodied vegetable soup, but you can add some sliced cooked Italian sausage, if desired. I like to add okra also.

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

2 medium carrots, coarsely chopped

6-8 cups chicken stock or broth

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried tarragon (optional)

Dash crushed red pepper

1/2 cup orzo or other small pasta

3 cups julienned spinach leaves

Finely grated Parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil in 3-quart pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic, red onion, celery and carrots. Cook uncovered, until heated through and fragrant, about 5 minutes.

Add broccoli, 6 cups stock, thyme, tarragon, crushed red pepper and orzo. Bring to a boil. Cook uncovered, until pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes.

Add spinach. Stir well to combine. Add remaining stock as needed for consistency (soup should be thick). Adjust seasonings to taste and serve. Pass cheese separately.

Makes about 9 cups or 9 servings.