Good for the Soul

I feel like I'm saving money and being thrifty when I can get two meals out of one thing, like making an extra batch of something or, in today's example, using the carcass of the chicken we had for Easter dinner. I have my mother's recipe for chicken soup and it's one of my most favorite comfort foods. Plus I'm weird and find picking apart the boiled carcass for the good bits almost zen-like.

I matched the organic chicken (ten dollars more expensive at the front, but good for our bodies later on, I'm sure) with organic carrots and organic celery, some simple seasonings, an onion and some rice. Four hours later the house is filled with the most delicious smell ever, one that reminds me of Mom's house and the way her brand of rice would split and curl at both ends, giving it an interesting texture in my mouth and making me unable to stop eating it.

My brand of rice doesn't split and curl, but I add twice as much because I love rice. Sometimes I'll cook extra and add more in as I go until there's more rice than broth. This elicits the comments that I may as well make chicken with rice if that's how I want it, but the rice takes up the broth so nicely.

And that golden broth is to die for too. Yes I know the golden bubbles on top are chicken fat. Delicious. I could drink it. I may do so tonight, since I feel like a cold could be trying to invade my serenity. Nothing like a healthy dose of chicken fat and vegetables to kill off any nasty thing looking to knock you down.

The best part ever is that it gets better with time, and since my kids snub it (too much "stuff" in it), I'll be eating it for lunch for a week. With a nice little mini loaf of French bread and some butter....some strawberries for dessert....I don't know why I haven't eradicated the common cold single-handed by now. Of course, then there would be one less excuse to make chicken soup by hand.

Thanks for the recipe Mom.