Quick Chicken Soup or 15 minute Chicken soup

Literally. Healthier and better than Ramen noodles too.

Ingredients:
Water (to fill a large saucepan-6 cups I think it was)
Pasta (I used little stars)
2 boneless chicken breasts-cut into bite size pieces
1 1/2 cups or half bag of frozen mixed veggies (ie: carrots, peas, corn, beans)
Bouillon/chicken stock powder (I had a whole food powder type thing) OR substitute chicken broth for water
Dash pepper
dash bay leaf
dash garlic powder
dash parsley
*I also threw in some broccoli

Boil water, add chicken chunks. They'll cook fast. After a few mins I added the veggies and pasta and seasonings. That was it. Perfect for last night with Kevin's flu, my cold, no one felt like cooking or shopping. Soooo easy. Granted it's not quite the same as the one that cooks for hours with real chicken bones, but when you're in a pinch and don't want canned junk, there ya go. And Kian could eat it too.

Split pea soup

Ingredients:
7 cups water
1 lb bag of split peas
3 medium carrots-chopped
1 small onion-chopped
2 cloves garlic-minced
black pepper
Ham (either on bone or ham steak, chopped into bite size pieces)
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp chopped bay leaf
dash savory
Optional: Bouillon cube and/or goya sauzon packet

First empty split peas into bowl, make sure there are no pebbles, rocks, etc. Then rinse by adding water, swirling or stirring around to make any "junk" float to the top then pour off.
Peas after washing

Add water into large pot, add peas, turn heat to med-high. Add onions:

Add carrots:

Add garlic:

Add in dash black pepper, bay leaf, (salt either now or at the end-if you add at the end you will end up using less because it won't cook in and you'll taste it more)

If using ham on bone, add now. If using ham steak, can chop into bite sized pieces and add at any time. I chose not to use bouillon cubes as they are just full of salt and "junk" I can't pronounce. And I was giving this to Kian. Bring to a boil:

Then cover pot, turn down to a simmer and let cook until peas are tender, I think mine cooked for about 2 hours. I like mine really "mushy". Then I added salt and ham at the end. I gave it to Kian without the ham or salt. Picture of finished product coming soon!

Chicken Soup

Every time I make a roast chicken (which is probably 4 times a year) I save all the extra meat and the carcass, yes it's a carcass. It's dead. And this is what i do:

Throw the carcass with some of the meat still on the bones into a huge pot of water.
Add some seasonings:
1-2 tsp salt (can adjust taste after soup is done)
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp chopped bay leaf
1/2 tsp parsley
sometimes random stuff like thyme, savory, whatever I feel at the moment.

Then I let it boil for few/several hours to make a nice chicken stock or broth (I still don't get the difference between a stock and broth-remind me to ask Emeril)
Occasionally I will throw in a bouillon cube.

Then after you get that nice chicken broth add:
1 large chopped potato
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/4 cup chopped celery (with leaves)
1/4 cup peas
1/4 cup green beans
corn, other veggies you want in there. (I am guessing on measurements, I don't really measure much) or if I don't have lots of fresh veggies I'll use a bag of frozen mixed veggies. Whatever you fancy. *Add softer veggies later, like peas, beans, etc. Carrots and potatoes need the longest cooking time.

Then I adjust seasonings to taste, throw in some pasta. I prefer Ancini de pepe or little pasta stars. I usually freeze a lot, in meal size plastic ware, to thaw out one at a time for a meal here and there. It's really simple, there's not a lot to it, and you don't have to do it all at once. I put it on the stove, let it simmer, come back a few hours later, add stuff, come back later add more, etc.