March: Chicken Soup Month!
Jack Canfield first offered us "Chicken Soup for the Soul®" in 1993, and we've been warmed ever since by inspiring stories in 170 different titles of the award-winning, best selling, internationally-acclaimed series. After three years’ effort collecting inspirational stories for publication, the book still remained untitled. “Jack visualized the image of his grandmother's chicken soup and remembered how she told him it would cure anything. This book would have the same healing powers as that soup, but not for the body - for the soul. Thus, the book's best-selling title was born, "Chicken Soup for the Soul!”In anticipation of Jack’s scheduled appearance on April 8th, just as Central New York is trying to shake off the chill of winter, the Rome Chamber of Commerce announces March 2008 to be “Chicken Soup Month in Central New York”. In a region known for its ethnic culinary delights, the Rome Chamber sees a natural lead-in to Canfield’s appearance and encourages everyone to help stir up a little excitement!
Local restaurants are invited to feature Chicken Soup specialties in their establishments from March 1st through April 8th, and restaurants and the public are invited to share their favorite Chicken Soup re
cipes, which you may enter by clicking on the "Comments" link below.Enter your recipes in the box that pops up, and be sure to include your name/restaurant and city so we can give credit where credit is due! And don't hesitate to add any background or good memories that should be served along with the recipe, i.e., "This is a secret recipe handed down from..."
On Saturday April 5th, from 8am-12noon, Rome Memorial Hospital will distribute a booklet collection of all recipes submitted to those who attend their annual Community Health Fair at Chestnut Commons.
Of course, Jack Canfield will be at The Events Center at Turning Stone on Tuesday, April 8th. But we're already starting on a wonderfowl list of events leading up to his arrival. On Friday, March 28 from 6-8pm, the Staley Family Fun Night will consist of "The Whole 'Chicken' Caboodle" for students and their parents, in conjunction with the Rome City School District Title I "Chicken Soup for the Soul" Reading Extravaganza (or "eggs-travaganza"?). The evening promises to be "cluck-full" of chicken-themed fun and games!
As you can see, things are heating up for Chicken Soup and Jack Canfield's visit to Central New York. Send us your recipes, and let us know what you're doing to join in the fun! Read the recipes already submitted, here (scroll down the page a bit to get to them).
posted by CavanoGram at
2:24 PM
6 Comments:
Whenever we travel, we do our best to enjoy the specialty foods of our new surroundings, but it never seems to fail: we look forward to simple but "veggie-fied" Lipton Noodle Soup as our first meal when we return home. Prepare two packages according to directions, then add 1/2 cup pastina, 1/2 cup spinach, 1/2 cup diced tomatoes, and whatever other veggies you'd like. Shredded carrots or peas work well. Cook until the noodles are done (much of the liquid will be absorbed by the added ingredients). Comfort food at its best!
By
CavanoGram, Rome, NY, At
February 27, 2008 11:27 PM
Chicken Tortilla Soup
=====================
2 chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion; diced
2 jalapeno peppers; seeded and minced
3 Roma tomatoes; seeded and minced
4 cup chicken stock
salt & fresh ground pepper to taste
2 flour or corn tortillas; sliced into thin strips
1/4 cup fresh, chopped cilantro leaves
1 lime; cut into wedges (optional)
.
Sprinkle chicken breast with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Add 1
tablespoon oil to a stockpot and sauté chicken for 4 minutes each side;
remove chicken and set aside.
In the same stockpot, over medium heat sauté onion, jalapenos and
tomatoes adding more olive oil if needed, along with salt and pepper
until vegetables are tender. Add chicken stock and simmer for 20
minutes.
Meanwhile, lay tortilla strips in a single lay on a baking sheet; toss
with olive oil and bake at 425° until crisp but not too brown, checking
them often. Remove from oven and toss with kosher salt while still hot.
(If desired, fry tortilla strips in hot oil instead of baking.)
Dice the chicken and add to soup and bring back to a simmer. Ladle the
hot soup into 4 soup bowls and squeeze (optional) lime in each one.
Sprinkle soup with cilantro and pile tortilla strips on top; serve
immediately. *Inspired by Tyler Florence.
*Works nicely with canned tomatoes in place of fresh.
**If desired, use poached chicken breast or any leftover chicken.
Submitted by Debbie Cantales, Utica, NY
March 4, 2008 8:58 PM
By
Anonymous, At
March 4, 2008 9:08 PM
This is the chicken soup I serve my family when they are sick. Be warned--it is quite a bit of work but some of the steps can be done ahead of time, frozen and put together at the last minute. My mother made wonderful soups and this was one of my favorites--we always served it on Christmas--it was an Italian tradition in our family.
Our Homemade Chicken Soup
1-2 T. olive oil
3-4 pounds of whole chicken legs
water to cover
4-5 carrots, cleaned and cut into bite-sized chunks
1 onion, minced
4-5 celery stalks, cleaned, and sliced
salt, pepper, thyme to taste
optional--any leftover chicken carcass can be used in place of or in addition to the legs--the bones add real deep roasted flavor
1. Put oil in a hot stock pot. Brown the 1/2 onion until translucent, add half the celery and half the carrots and soften only. Remove to a plate.
2. Add chicken legs and/or carcass to the pan and brown slightly. You may need to add a touch more oil.
2. Once browned, add enough water in the pan to cover the legs completely.
3. Add the veggies, season and bring to a boil.
4. As soon as the water starts to bubble, turn the heat down to low and poach the chicken and veggies until tender--about 45 minutes.
5. Strain the broth into another pot and add the bouillon to the broth and simmer until dissolved. Taste and reseason, if necessary.
6. Let the chicken cool and then cut it into bite-sized chunks.
7. At this point the veggies have given up their flavor to the broth so discard.If you want veggies in the soup, you will need to add the additional carrots, celery and onion later.
8. At this point, chill the broth until the fat rises to the top and is able to be skimmed. (I usually leave this in the refrigerator overnight and the fat will harden and pop off with a fork.
9. Reheat the broth with the added new veggies and cook until tender. Reseason.
10. Add chicken chunks before serving and warm through. Reseason.
Optional traditions in our house( these can be done ahead and frozen in small serving sized bags.
1. Add 1 c. cooked diced escarole or spinach.
2. Add a handful of miniature meatballs. Again, reseason to taste.
3. If there is leftover broth, pour into muffin tins, freeze, remove and pop into a freezer bag. Each muffin cup is about 1/2 c. of homemade stock. Great for pan sauces, and other recipes!
3. Top with freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese.
By
rmastrangelo, At
March 12, 2008 10:21 AM
In spite of the calendar, winter seems to still be hanging around. Slow cookers are great tools for healthy eating while you're waiting for barbecue season to kick in. This recipe is pretty simple but hearty, and can simmer through the day:
Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
Recipe is from the FoodTVShow: Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee, Episode-Slow Cooking
1 store-bought roasted chicken
1 cup diced onions
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced carrot
4 (14-ounce) cans low-sodium chicken broth
2 (10.75-ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup with roasted garlic
2 teaspoon fines herbs*
Salt and pepper
2 cups egg noodles, cooked
Remove the skin from the chicken and shred the meat from the bone. Put the chicken into a slow cooker along with the onions, celery, and carrots. Stir in broth, mushroom soup, and fines herbs and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on high setting for 3 to 4 hours or low for 8 to 9 hours.
When soup is finished, stir in egg noodles. Adjust seasonings and serve.
*Cook's Note: Fines herbs are a classic blend of herbs that usually consists of chervil, chives, parsley, and tarragon. Fines Herbs can be found pre-blended in the spice section of the grocery store.
By
CavanoGram, At
March 23, 2008 9:30 PM
Here is my Grandma Sandella's Acini di Pepe Chicken Soup.
Chicken Soup Acini di Pepe
1 stewing chicken cut up
olive oil
parsley
4 stalks celery, chopped
2 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
(divide above ingredients into two piles)
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1-2 tablespoons chicken boullion or paste
salt pepper
acini di pepe pasta (as much as needed)
romano or parmesan cheese
Place 8 - 12 cups of cold water cut up chicken pieces, 1/2 of the chopped celery and 1 of the onions and 1 of the carrots plus the boullion in stew pot and simmer gently until the chicken is tender enough to fall off the bone. Do not boil, but skim off foam.
Strain, removing chicken pieces and vegetables. After cooling, remove chicke from bones and set aside. Discard bones, skins etc.
Defat broth by placing in refrigerator for several hours. Remove fat from top and discard.
In a frying pan, saute remaining onions, celery, carrots and garlic, salt and pepper in olive oil.
Add to defatted broth.
Add can of tomato sauce and parsley.
Simmer additional 1/2 hour to hour until vegetables are tender. Add chicken pieces toward the end to heat through.
In the meantime cook acini di pepe according to directions (Grandma did not cook the pasta in the soup as she liked a clear broth and non-mushy pasta).
To serve, place pasta in bowl and cover with soup. Top with romano or parmesan cheese and additional pepper.
Beverly Choltco-Devlin
By
Beverly, At
March 27, 2008 7:08 AM
Not Your Average "Canned Field Chicken Soup"
You will need:
3-4 Qts. Chicken Stock (preferably home made)
1 lg. onion (diced)
1 lg. carrot (diced)
1 stalk of celery (diced)
3 leeks (sliced) white part only
Saute all of the above in 2 TBS of OLIVE OIL about 10 min.
Add to above,
1 clove garlic ( finely diced)
1 bay leaf
3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme
Saute another 2-3 minutes
Now add hot stock and bring to a boil for about 15-20 minutes
Then add,
2 plum tomatoes (diced) seeds removed
1 cup green beans (diced)
1 potato (diced)
1/3 cup tiny di pepe pasta, or your choice of any fine pasta
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook all of the above for another 15-20 min.
Meanwhile,
Beat 2 eggs with 2 Tbsp. of grated parmigiana cheese and a little black pepper.
When 20 min. is up to the soup. Set burner on low and swirl egg mixture into pot of soup.
Don't stir. Let eggs set til firm, about 5 min. Then add 3 Tbsp. of chopped parsley.
At this point you can gently stir to break up set eggs.
Soup is done.
Best when you let it sit about 15 min.
If you like, you can add a little more grated cheese when serving.
submitted by L.Guglielmo
By
Anonymous, At
April 10, 2008 7:54 AM
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