Chunky Chicken And Veggie Soup

This hearty soup is very thrifty,  tasty and filling.  What more could you ask for ?

1 1/2 litres of homemade chicken stock or  store bought
Shredded chicken from the carcass or 1 chicken breast
1/2 cup of soup mix - washed ( Mc Kenzies )
4 - 5 large potatoes,  peeled and finely cubed
4 medium carrots peeled and finely cubed
2 sticks of celery or 1 broccoli stalk finely diced
1 400g tin of corn kernels
Dried onion flakes or 1 finely diced onion
2 teaspoons of dried or fresh parsley
1/2 cup of small shell pasta
1 tablespoon of chicken stock powder ( if needed )

Place the stock and washed soup mix in a large saucepan and bring to the boil.

Add all the veggies, parsley,  onion and chicken to the stock.

Simmer for 1 hour after adding the veggies.  Add extra water if the soup becomes too thick.

Add the pasta halfway through the cooking process

Once cooked,  add the chicken stock powder if needed.

Serve with crusty bread or on it's own

Can be frozen

Serves 6 - 10 depending on how hungry you are.

Here's the link to slow cooker chicken stock 

Slow Cooker Chicken Stock

About 18 months ago I discovered through the Cheapskates Club a recipe for making chicken stock in the slow cooker.  It was a light bulb moment for me.  I love my slow cooker, I love simple recipes and I love saving money.  Making stock in the slow cooker cover all three of these loves.

Here's how I make chicken stock in the slow cooker

1 chicken carcass
3 - 4 bay leaves
1 tablespoon of dried onion flakes
2 teaspoons of dried parsley
1 - 1 1/2 litres of boiled water

Place all ingredients in the slow cooker making sure the carcass is covered with the boiling water.
 
Cook overnight or for up to 24 hours.

Drain the stock through a colander and use within 2 days or freeze for future use..

To make chicken soup,  use the little bits of chicken meat off the carcass once it's been in the slow cooker.  The meat is quite easy to get off and it's suprising how much meat a carcass can hide.

Pumpkin Soup

With the weather turning slightly cooler,  Winter will be here before you know it.  In my house,  Winter means comfort food and soup falls into that category.  There's nothing like a big bowl of homemade soup and some crusty bread to fill an empty tummy and warm the soul.  Pumpkin will be coming into season shortly and prices will get cheaper.  Here's my pumpkin soup recipe for you to enjoy -


I smallish butternut or jap pumpkin
1 to 1 1/2 litres of boiling water
1 medium onion finely diced ( dried onion flakes can be used )
1 - 2 tablespoons of chicken stock powder
1 tablespoon of chives  fresh or dried
Pepper to taste

Scoop out the pumpkin seeds and cut off the skin. Cut into large chunks
Add the pumpkin to a large saucepan and pour in boiling water until the pumpkin is almost covered.
Add the diced onion.
Cover the saucepan and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the pumpkin is soft.
Add the chives.  Stir in well.
Using a stick blender,  blend the soup until smooth.
Add the chicken stock powder one tablespoon at a time and stir in well.

Serve with a dash of sour cream and chives.

Serves 4 - 6

NOTES -

*  This soup freezes well.

*  Butternut pumpkin can be bland in flavour.  If you use this pumpkin,  more stock powder may be needed.

*  This soup can be cooked in a vegetable steamer in the microwave.

Chunky Roast Beef And Vegetable Soup.

This soup is a great way to stretch a couple of leftover slices of roast beef.  I cook my beef in the slow cooker with beef stock and half a packet of french onion soup mix.  I always keep the leftover liquid to make this soup.  

2-3 slices of roast beef cut into very small pieces
reserved beef and French onion stock from slow cooker approx 600 - 800 mls
3/4 cup of soup mix rinsed well
4 large potatoes peeled and cut into small cubes
2 large carrots peeled and cut into small cubes
5 or 6 button mushrooms sliced
1 stalk of celery cubed
1 broccoli stalk. Remove outer layer and dice the remaining stalk
1 small onion diced or use dried onion flakes
2/3 cup of small shell pasta
parsley and pepper to taste
Boiled water
Beef stock powder - maybe 1 tablespoon if needed to enhance flavour.

Place all ingredients into a large saucepan. Top up with boiled water until everything is just covered. Bring to the boil then simmer for 1 hour or until carrots and potato are soft.

Serve with buttered bread or toast or have it on it's own.

I'm sorry,  I forgot to take a photo of it cooking.  This photo was taken when it had been frozen.

NOTES -

*  As always,  you can chop and change the vegetables to suit what you have on hand.  If you need more potatoes to make it thick,  then add more.

*  If roast lamb is what you have,  then use that.

Chunky Chicken and Sweet Corn Soup

I love homemade soups.  They are quick and easy and taste so much better than anything you can get in a can. Making them yourself eliminates  the need for artificial preservatives,  colorings and flavourings.  You know exactly what is in the soup and can change the flavour and ingredients to suit your needs and diet.  It's also a great way to add or hide vegetables that your kids might not normally eat.

The first time I make this soup I looked up a few recipes on the internet.  I combined a them to make my own.  Megan,  my daughter asked me to add extra vegetables to make it chunky.

Here's Megan's and my recipe -

1.5 litres of chicken stock. 
! x  420g tin of creamed corn
1 x  400g tin of corn kernels
2 cups of cooked chicken bits or two small chicken fillets cubed and cooked
4 - 5 medium potatoes peeled and diced
2 medium carrots,  peeled and diced
2 teaspoons of dried ginger
2 sticks of celery, diced
1 1/2 tablespoons of dried onion flakes or 1 small onion  finely chopped
75mls of soy sauce or two good dashes
1 tablespoon of dried or fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
1 packet of crushed 2 minute noodles ( no flavouring ) or three egg whites

Add all ingredients except the noodles or egg whites to a large saucepan.  Cook until the carrots and potatoes are just soft - about 1/2 an hour. 

Add the crushed noodles and stir through.  Cook for a further 2 minutes.  If adding the egg whites instead,  lightly beat them in a measuring jug and slowly pour into the soup as you stir.

Serves 6 - 8

Can be frozen.

Notes -

*  Add extra potatoes or carrots if the soup doesn't look thick enough.

*  I use Aldi tins of creamed corn and corn kernels.  No name brands work well.

*  I make the chicken stock in the slow cooker using chicken bones or frame with a couple of bay leaves.  Then I freeze it for future use.

*  If the soup needs more flavour,  add a tablespoon of chicken stock powder.

*  You can add whatever vegetables you like.

Chunky Chicken and Sweet Corn Soup