a new kitchen & an easy chicken soup for a multitasking mama

We moved into a rental house, The Prancing Pony, after Thanksgiving. The house is almost three times the size of the townhouse we own, and the widowed landlady left it fully furnished. We are blessed. Now, I am praying for  some sisters or a retired priest to come live in the guest room downstairs.

She left the decorative rooster; we have named him Chanticleer (I am very excited about the solid surfacing counter tops- they are so easy to clean!)

There is even room for a paper towel dispenser (yes- the kitchen in the townhouse we actually own is very very small). If you squint, you can see my prayer-rope bracelet on the dispenser. It lives there while I do dishes. I get excited over tiny things. 

Easy & Healthy-ish Chicken Soup

for those days when you- a stay-at-home mama- are rushing off to teach a  college class in the evening

--- Cover 4 to 6 dark meat chicken pieces (on the bone) with water in a medium pot.

--- Add a tablespoon of white vinegar to the water and simmer.

--- In an extra-large pot, cook a large diced onion and minced celery (to your taste) in a tablespoon of grapeseed oil until translucent.

--- Add one head of chopped cabbage. 

--- Cover cabbage and onions with water and let come to a boil.

--- While the cabbage mixture is coming to a boil, peel 6-8 carrots.

--- Cut carrots and 6 red unpeeled potatoes into bite-sized pieces, add to cabbage mixture.

--- Turn down cabbage and potato so pot is simmering instead of at a rolling boil.

--- Leave the medium pot with the chicken and the large pot with the vegetables to simmer while you prepare breakfast, throw a load of clothes in the laundry, feed the pets, answer work emails, and teach the children their ABCs.

--- Let the pot of chicken cool down. Pour the chicken broth into the vegetable pot, using a strainer to ensure no yucky bits get into soup pot. 

--- Debone the chicken pieces, chop the meat & add it to the vegetable pot. 

--- Add salt and garlic (powder or chopped fresh) to taste. I will probably sprinkle an 'herbes de Provence' mixture in my portion. 

--- Add fresh chopped parsley and any herbs that your family enjoy.  

--- If you are Romanian, you will need a bit of sour cream. 

This is inexpensive and fairly quick to make. It isn't gourmet, but it is nice to eat soup when there is a chill in the air! I also try to focus on the soup pot, crock pot or a casserole when I am teaching in the evenings. The food can wait while dad comes home and plays a game of Nerf guns before dinner.