Any Excuse For Soup

It isn't quite autumn, but still it has been cooler and just the slightest bit overcast. That combined with a fridge full of vegetables seemed like the perfect recipe for soup. I reached in the freezer for my bag of chicken parts (necks, backs, wings -- whatever doesn't fit in my recipe), chopped up a few onions, carrots, and celery stalks and combined it all, covered in water, with peppercorns, parsley, and bay leaves and left the stock to simmer for an hour and a half. I drained the stock and cooked a whole chicken in the broth, simmering for about 45 minutes. I drained the stock again and brought it to a simmer, then I dropped in chopped onions, carrots and celery and left the soup to bubble slightly for about 8 minutes. Next came some sliced baby squash from our garden, and the soup simmered on for another 5 minutes. Next I added some barely thawed frozen peas, leftover corn I cut off the cobs, and the skinned and deboned chicken cut into chunks ad just let the soup simmer until the chicken was warmed through.

I cooked some fine egg noodles in a separate pot and mixed them, the soup, a squeeze of lime, and a sprinkle of chopped parsley and chives in James' bowl.

Not quite fall, but still a perfect day for a homemade soup supper.