Chicken Soup for the Soul...

I was feeling a bit under the weather today.

Dammit all...I worked so hard to keep healthy through the start of the year. I was lucky not to catch anything that was going around. You see, I refuse to get the mandatory flu shot every year. The last time I was given the injection of bad cooties, I spent the morning with my head hovered over my trash bin, nestled between my legs, under my desk at work. I was so bad, my darling husband was called to fetch me home. I made the solemn vow, to avoid that scene from ever happening again. Through the holidays, my family had all caught that flu/cold bug and kept passing the virus among themselves. My Mom spent her European vacation with a baaaaad cold, in the baaaaad cold. She kept exclaiming how beautiful and white everything was. Zurich... Munich... Vienna... Salzburg...She was a trooper. After all, this trip was her dream come true.

Ander made his wonderful,


...comforting,



...soothing, and well-received in-house antibiotic for me.


Needless to say, I feel better now.

I'm going to sleep satisfied and content. Bonne Nuit!


Ander’s Chicken Soup


• 3 Tbl. Olive oil
• 4-8 cloves of garlic, crushed (depending on your taste. the more, the better)
• 2 large onions, diced
• 6 carrots, diced
• 4 ribs celery, diced
• 4 chicken thighs, skin on*, cut in half
• 3 chicken breasts, skin on, cut in quarters
• 4 chicken legs, skin on, cut in half
• 2 cups water
• 10 button mushrooms, cut in quarters
• 1 cup white wine (optional)
• 6 cups chicken broth
• salt and pepper, to taste
• ½ Lb. Rotelle pasta
• Minced parsley or cilantro (optional)


Over medium-high heat, place olive oil in bottom of a large stock pot. Sauté onions until soft. Add garlic, diced carrots and celery. Continue to sauté veggies. Place chicken pieces over sautéed veggies. Brown chicken with skin on. Pour enough water to cover 2 inches above chicken and veggies. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer for 30 minutes or until water gets low. Add wine to pot. Stir, occasionally, to make sure chicken and veggies don’t burn. Allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Taste broth for salt and pepper. Add, if necessary. Add chicken broth to pot and bring to a boil. Add pasta and mushrooms to soup broth. Allow to simmer until pasta is done.

Ladle into large soup bowls. Garnish with minced parsley or cilantro. Enjoy!

* It is often thought that the rendered fat from the skin of the chicken (schmaltz) cooking in the soup, brings out the “antibiotic” qualities to the soothing broth.