a couple of my closest girlfriends are coming over for dinner tonight. It's actually just about the first "girls' night" we've had as more than two women since one of them got married. I"m really happy for them, and I do rather enjoy her husband's company when we are in a group, but lately I have literally been the fifth wheel. I have four friends, both of them couples, with whom I regularly spend time. We've been trying to do weekly meals at each others' homes and all get along quite well.
That is, except that I'm not only the only single person left in my group of close friends, but I usually end up hanging out with two couples. No one has made me feel unwelcome, nor is there any bad dynamic, it just occasionally makes me feel a a bit out of place. Well, until we all start talking & I totally forget. Nor do I have my eye on any man at the moment, so there's no finagling triple dates or worrying that he might not get along with my friends' partners. In a long story shortened, I'm happy, they're happy, we all get along, and tonight it's just me and two girlfriends for dinner. and possibly giggling about men.
However, they'll be here in five or six hours and I've got dishes in the sink, a frolicking puppy, and no clue what I feel like making. As has been repeated, it's rather chilly and damp around here. Starting tomorrow, it should be getting warmer again, but for now, there's a chill that seeps into your bones. I'm thinking soup. I've got some fabulous bread (how shocking is it that Wal-Mart of all places makes a solidly good loaf of Italian bread?) and plans for crunchy garlic bread, but what exactly for dinner is sort of floating at the edge of my consciousness.
It will be soup, but I can't decide between a multi-veggie chicken soup or stuffed pepper soup. The former will take a bit more time than the latter, but neither is difficult. I'd rather the latter, but my one friend doesn't actually like Bell peppers (the sacrilege!). So, it really seems that there is no question & hearty chicken soup it is. One word, though, this soup is the reason large cooking vessels and huge cutting boards were invented. If you don't have a cutting board at least the size of a large cookie sheet, you should get one before continuing to cook anything. It makes life ever so much easier.
Hearty Chicken & Vegetables Soup
this soup can serve 2-20 (though I find it runs more to the 4-8 servings size) depending on the size of your pot and amount of ingredients.
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon oil oil
2 chicken breasts, chopped into bite-size pieces
(feel free to use whatever type of chicken suits your fancy,
however, remove the skin before chopping & set to the side)
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 stalk celery, finely minced
1 pepper, diced
5 carrots
3 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder1 cup white or rose wine
4-7 cups of chicken stock
2 medium tomatoes
1 cup green beans (fresh)
3/4 corn (fresh or frozen, already cooked, or 1 can)
It is best to have all of your veggies cleaned and chopped separately before you begin cooking. Dice the onion and pepper (red or green). Peel and slice the carrots. Core and chunk the tomatoes into eighths. Clean the fresh green beans, snapping them into inch-long pieces. Defrost the frozen corn or cut leftover cooked corn off the ear.
To begin, heat the butter and oil in a large cast iron roasting pan or large pot. Add the pieces of skin, allowing them to exude their yummy chicken fat. Once the fat is hot, brown the chicken pieces, sprinkling with salt and ground pepper. Once browned, remove from the skillet, discarding the skin. Add the diced onion, stirring and adding a bit more salt until the union begins to brown. Then add the diced pepper, celery, and garlic. Continue to cook for a few minutes, softening the vegetables. Then add the carrots, cumin, and chili powder. Cook for another few minutes before adding the wine. Allow it to come to a boil, then add the chicken and enough chicken stock to cover the ingredients.
If you have only a little bit of time, add the tomatoes, bring to a boil, then add the green beans and corn and cook for 10-15 minutes. If you have longer, allow the soup to simmer for at least 20-35 minutes before adding the tomatoes and corn. Cook that for another 10 minutes (testing for additional necessary salt, pepper, and/or cumin), then add the green beans. Once the beans are a bright green and no longer fully crunchy (usually about 5 minutes), the soup is ready.
Sometimes I make noodles or add bought egg noodles to this soup, though it is plenty hearty without them. Tonight, I'll be serving it alongside bread stuffed with butter and garlic & tossed in the oven for about 15 minutes. Luckily, there are enough veggies in this soup that it really is a one-bowl meal. Feel free to add or change any of the vegetable options you like, as this recipe changes with the seasons and what's left in the refrigerator.
"Be well. Do good work. Keep in touch." - Garrison Keillor
That is, except that I'm not only the only single person left in my group of close friends, but I usually end up hanging out with two couples. No one has made me feel unwelcome, nor is there any bad dynamic, it just occasionally makes me feel a a bit out of place. Well, until we all start talking & I totally forget. Nor do I have my eye on any man at the moment, so there's no finagling triple dates or worrying that he might not get along with my friends' partners. In a long story shortened, I'm happy, they're happy, we all get along, and tonight it's just me and two girlfriends for dinner. and possibly giggling about men.
It will be soup, but I can't decide between a multi-veggie chicken soup or stuffed pepper soup. The former will take a bit more time than the latter, but neither is difficult. I'd rather the latter, but my one friend doesn't actually like Bell peppers (the sacrilege!). So, it really seems that there is no question & hearty chicken soup it is. One word, though, this soup is the reason large cooking vessels and huge cutting boards were invented. If you don't have a cutting board at least the size of a large cookie sheet, you should get one before continuing to cook anything. It makes life ever so much easier.
Hearty Chicken & Vegetables Soup
this soup can serve 2-20 (though I find it runs more to the 4-8 servings size) depending on the size of your pot and amount of ingredients.
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon oil oil
2 chicken breasts, chopped into bite-size pieces
(feel free to use whatever type of chicken suits your fancy,
however, remove the skin before chopping & set to the side)
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 stalk celery, finely minced
1 pepper, diced
5 carrots
3 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder1 cup white or rose wine
4-7 cups of chicken stock
2 medium tomatoes
1 cup green beans (fresh)
3/4 corn (fresh or frozen, already cooked, or 1 can)
It is best to have all of your veggies cleaned and chopped separately before you begin cooking. Dice the onion and pepper (red or green). Peel and slice the carrots. Core and chunk the tomatoes into eighths. Clean the fresh green beans, snapping them into inch-long pieces. Defrost the frozen corn or cut leftover cooked corn off the ear.
To begin, heat the butter and oil in a large cast iron roasting pan or large pot. Add the pieces of skin, allowing them to exude their yummy chicken fat. Once the fat is hot, brown the chicken pieces, sprinkling with salt and ground pepper. Once browned, remove from the skillet, discarding the skin. Add the diced onion, stirring and adding a bit more salt until the union begins to brown. Then add the diced pepper, celery, and garlic. Continue to cook for a few minutes, softening the vegetables. Then add the carrots, cumin, and chili powder. Cook for another few minutes before adding the wine. Allow it to come to a boil, then add the chicken and enough chicken stock to cover the ingredients.
If you have only a little bit of time, add the tomatoes, bring to a boil, then add the green beans and corn and cook for 10-15 minutes. If you have longer, allow the soup to simmer for at least 20-35 minutes before adding the tomatoes and corn. Cook that for another 10 minutes (testing for additional necessary salt, pepper, and/or cumin), then add the green beans. Once the beans are a bright green and no longer fully crunchy (usually about 5 minutes), the soup is ready.
Sometimes I make noodles or add bought egg noodles to this soup, though it is plenty hearty without them. Tonight, I'll be serving it alongside bread stuffed with butter and garlic & tossed in the oven for about 15 minutes. Luckily, there are enough veggies in this soup that it really is a one-bowl meal. Feel free to add or change any of the vegetable options you like, as this recipe changes with the seasons and what's left in the refrigerator.
"Be well. Do good work. Keep in touch." - Garrison Keillor
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