The simple joy of a simmering supper

Battling through the blustering winds and resulting snowdrifts, I stumbled into the house, chilly and covered in snow.  The animals needed their cares, but by the end I was aching for a warm house.  And what a welcome contrast…the wind howled outside, but the warm and inviting smell of freshly cooking soup wafted through the air as I entered the kitchen.  

Even better, it was prepared with little effort.  Don’t get me wrong - I do love cooking.  When I have the leisure to prepare a nice meal without the rush, my creative energies run to the chance.  But on these days with many things clambering for my attention, sometimes an easy but delicious meal is just the thing.  

Last night after pulling the chicken meat off the bone from my freshly cooked whole chicken, I returned the bones, skin, and any cooking liquid back into the instant pot.  To this I carelessly dropped an onion, unpeeled and cut into quarters, two carrots broken in half, a bit of garlic, and water to cover it all…then closed the lid, turned on the slow cooker for the next 12 hours, and went to sleep while all the magic happened.  

In the morning, my soup base was done.  Deep with flavor and imbued with the health properties of homemade stock (there really is a benefit to chicken soup when you are sick!), half of my dinner was already done at 8AM.  In the refrigerator was the leftover Chile-lime seasoned chicken, already shredded and ready to go.  With the addition of a diced up bell pepper, a can of diced tomatoes, some frozen corn, and shredded cheese, my soup was almost ready.  Delicious.

It felt relieving on this chilly evening to have a warm home and a bowl of tortilla soup to come home to, and I was happy to share it all with my family.  That warmed me even more than the soup.  These cold winter days are a reminder to return to the simple joys I can find in daily life.  Even the blustery wind outside has its own beauty as it flutters pure white snow in patterns across the fields, and even more so when contrasted with the blessing of a warm home to come home to, with a simple cup of homemade soup.  

Shop our Farm Store to Purchase Pastured, Whole Chickens

Homemade Stock

Leftover bones, skin, and pieces from whole chicken

Reserved cooking liquid with Mexican style spice blend

One onion, unpeeled and cut into quarters

Two carrots, broken in half

1-2 cloves of garlic

Bay leaf (optional)

Salt to taste 

Water

Place all ingredients in pressure cooker or slow cooker.  Fill with water until chicken and other ingredients are covered.  Turn on to slow cooker mode on low for 12 hours.  Run stock through a strainer placed over a large pot, reserving liquid.  Discard all other ingredients.  Add salt to taste, according to your preferences.  (I find that adding ingredients tends to lessen the taste of salt, but its better to add less at first, and finish the salt after soup is assembled).

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Note:  There is little need to add additional seasonings, other than salt, as the stock has been prepared with the cooking liquid from pressure cooking the whole chicken with mexican seasoning.  The stock will have a wonderful, complex flavor just as is.  However, if you would like to intensify the flavor, try adding chili powder or cumin to taste, or cayenne pepper for more of a kick (though be careful - a little goes a long way).  

Stock made from Mexican-seasoned whole chicken parts

One can of black beans

One can of diced tomatoes

Bag of frozen corn