Super Easy Soup

One of the things I do like about the winter months is that I can cook all different kinds of soups and casseroles.  These kinds of dinners are easy and usually quick for the busy work week evenings that the school year brings.  I typically make 2-3 new soups, stews or casseroles each year for my family to try.  It's fun to experiment with recipes. Most that I have found are too "fatty" or call for heavy cream. I have learned to tweak the recipes and still maintain the good flavors.  Here is one that called for sour cream. None of us eat that (my husband and I don't want the calories and my daughters simply don't like it).  I followed the recipe exactly except I left out the sour cream and bought the fat-free cream of chicken. And it was so good we didn't have any leftovers!!  Next time I make it (next week!), I will most likely make a double batch.  It's so super simple I wanted to share it with you all! The ingredients in blue are what I added to the original recipe. I did not include the measurement for sour cream as none of us need that fat!!

photo courtesy of Taste of Home

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

1 Tbl margarine

2 carrots, peeled and sliced, then halved

1 celery rib, sliced thin

1/4 c. sweet onion, chopped

6 c. water

6 tsp chicken bouillon granules

1 1/2 tsp dried parsley

1/4 tsp Italian seasoning

1/8 tsp celery seed

1/8 tsp ground pepper

1/2 pkg (about 3 cups uncooked) egg noodles or pasta or your choice

(we used dittalini)

1 large cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed

(you can also use 2 c of rotisserie chicken)

1 can of fat-free cream of chicken soup, undiluted

2 Tbl barley

1/2 frozen peas, thawed

• In a large stockpot or saucepan, heat the margarine over medium heat.  Add the carrot, celery and onion. 
• Cook and stir for about 8 minutes or until veggies are tender.
• Add in the peas and barley and stir.
• Add in the water, bouillon and seasonings; bring to a boil.
• Add the pasta and cook uncovered for about 8 minutes.  Keep the heat to medium-high.
• Stir in the chicken and soup and heat for another 2-3 minutes, turning the heat to simmer.
• Serve in pretty soup bowls.
• ENJOY!

TIPS:  for this work day dinner I added a fruit cup to everyone's place. I took fresh honeydew, cantaloupe, bananas, apple slices and blackberries and gently tossed together and placed in small custard cups.  I also added a loaf of garlic bread.  This made a delicious, quick dinner for a work/school night.  The garlic bread (I use the Pepperidge Farm brand) takes about 30 minutes in the oven so pop it in as you begin the soup.

Faith's tip: I precooked the chicken breast the evening before while doing household chores.....wrapped it and placed in fridge until the next evening.  Cooking chicken  breasts ahead of time really saves you time in the kitchen on a busy evening!!  A cooked chicken breast is fine to save in the fridge up to 5 days.

PLEASE NOTE:  you can also leave out the chicken and just make this a veggie soup.  If you don't have fresh carrots and celery in the house, just use a half bag of frozen mixed veggies, thawed!! We prefer the fresh but I have done a similar soup with the frozen and it comes out fine.

What kinds of soups do you like??

as with all of the posts under the "faithfixes" label, you DO have permission to copy!!