Warrior Chicken Soup

I call this soup “Warrior Chicken Soup” because it is a fighter! It fights off viruses, and it really works! I got this recipe on a forum from a woman named Chloe. I think of her every time I make it. It is packed with delicious herbs and vegetables and is the only chicken soup I ever make anymore.

One whole chicken (or lots of bony/meaty chicken pieces – I sometimes by chicken backs with legs attached when they’re on sale for this soup)
approximately 15-30 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 Tbs. salt
3-4 thyme sprigs
cayenne pepper to taste (I use about 1/2 tsp. It would be too hot for the kids otherwise. If you are actually sick, add a pinch more to your individual serving.)
fresh rosemary sprigs
fresh ground pepper

Place the whole raw chicken and other ingredients into a large soup pot and cover with water. (I use a huge canning pot!) Cook on stove top until chicken starts to fall apart. (For me, this is generally 2 hours, give or take.) Remove from heat. Strain out chicken and stuff and set aside until cool enough to chop. Reserve broth for next step.

1 large onion, coarsely chopped or sliced
1 fennel bulb (also called anise), sliced thin
1 leek, sliced thin
4-6 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
large red pepper, coarsely chopped
1/2 lb. carrots, coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup good white wine, or apple juice, or water with 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar in it, or just plain water
salt and pepper to taste

Place oil in bottom of large pot and heat. Add onion, fennel, celery, pepper, and leek and saute until onion is just transparent. Add wine (or juice or water) and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Cover the vegetables with chicken broth from first step and simmer veggies until just tender.

frozen green beans
frozen peas
zucchini
flat leaf parsley, chopped
1-2 cans diced tomatoes with juice
salt and pepper to taste

Add these above ingredients and simmer until everything is tender. Add chopped chicken, salt and pepper to taste. You can also add cabbage and/or other veggies at the end, if you want to.

Bean and Ham Soup

This is my favorite way to use a ham bone. 

1 lb pkg dried Great Northern or navy beans, rinsed
8 cups water
1 1/2 lb ham bone
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Combine beans and water in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand for one hour. Bring beans to a boil again; add ham bone. Reduce heat; simmer for one hour. Remove ham bone; cool and remove meat from bone. Add meat to soup, discarding bone; stir in remaining ingredients. Cover; simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Serves 4-6.