Thanksgiving is upon us and the start of the season of celebration. I hope the holidays remind you of all the good things in life. As usual, I will be in the kitchen cooking up something good. I thought I would pass along this soup recipe that I discovered recently. It’s a good standby for any day of the week or any occasion. It is very versitile and can be transformed according to what’s in your fridge and pantry. For instance, leftover turkey or ham would work well instead of chicken. Rice, white beans, or pasta would be good replacements for potatoes. See the note for other suggestions for veg and cream changes.

Creamy Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• ½ red bell pepper, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 3 carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 pound baby potatoes, quartered
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 32-ounce chicken broth
• 2 cups cooked chicken breast, chopped into bite-sized chunks
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• ½-1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

1. Melt butter in Dutch oven or soup pot. Add onions, celery, and red bell pepper. Cook about two minutes.
2. Add garlic, carrots, potatoes, and thyme. Cook about another minute or so.
3. Stir in flour to coat vegetable mixture.
4. Add chicken and chicken broth. Heat to a simmer and allow vegetables to cook until tender.
5. Stir in cream.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Enjoy!

Note: Feel free to use different vegetables or add others such as mushrooms, kale, etc. If choosing baby greens or spinach, add at the very end just before adding the cream. You can also substitute half and half or evaporated milk for cream if desired.

Soup is a lot like a family. Each ingredient enhances the others; each batch has its own characteristics; and it needs time to simmer to reach full flavor.

Marge Kennedy