I love soup. The absolute best thing about a cold, blustery day is looking forward to a nice, piping hot bowl of soup, stew or chowder. These meals are good year round,  but it’s hard to look quite as forward to this particular meal when it’s a blistering 90 degrees outside. This is the perfect weather to enjoy a big bowl of warm, liquidy goodness.

I spend several hours on Sundays in the kitchen preparing for the following week’s meals. I think that’s how I keep my passion for cooking. Who wants to come home after a hectic day and spend hours rushing around a kitchen throwing something together in a pot when you’re already cold, tired and desperate to remove your 3″ heels, pantyhose and the titanium reinforced “upper topper flopper stopper”? Right ladies? Yeah. The inventor of the bra was an evil, spiteful person. If God intended them to drop to our knees who are we to judge? These have nothing artificial, so naturally, one can expect SOME droopage. Even in titanium. It’s natural.

And pantyhose? First, WHO decided it was a fabulous idea to shove a nylon undergarment in an egg and call it “No-Nonsense”? Dern evil egg. In my opinion you should never have to imitate the infamous Cyrus twerk while dressing yourself. Or jump around like a Mexican bean trying to wriggle 40 pounds of hiney into a sausage casing. Especially at 5 am. Sans coffee. The benefit here is after you miraculously get into these things without a run or snag, which is quite an accomplishment in itself, you can consider your morning workout done. At this point you have completed the equivalent to 25 squats, 10 lunges, 15 wall push-ups, a few acrobatic maneuvers that would impress a Navy Seal, and definitely a few burpees for good measure.

That evil egg makes some amazing claims too y’all. It will give you great shape! Great support! I secretly know nothing can do this for me short of wrapping my body in duct tape and the aforementioned reinforced titanium. All I have gotten from pantyhose is decreased circulation wrapping these things around my lower half like a tourniquet and the feeling my head would surely pop off my body at some point in the day. After years of epic pantyhose fail, I would consider these brags libelous at best.

I seriously digress.

Back to the soup at hand. Soups can be a very healthy, hearty and nutritious quick meals through the week. If you prepare a little over the weekend, it can be even quicker. And the best part about weekend cooking is it only requires a great set of cooking PJs and does NOT require anything shoved in an evil little egg.

Continue to the recipe for:

Roasted Chicken Florentine and Porcini Gnocchi Soup

Roasted Chicken Florentine and Porcini Gnocchi Soup

Ingredients:

• 8 cups chicken stock – homemade or store bought
• 2 cups roasted chicken – chopped or torn; white meat, dark meat or blend
• 1 package Porcini Mushroom Gnocchi – you may alter the flavor of the Gnocchi if you prefer
• 1/2 bag fresh baby spinach
• 2 carrots – thinly sliced
• 1 small container of sliced mushrooms
• 1 bunch of scallions – chopped
• 1 tbsp. thyme
• 1 tbsp. sage
• 1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
• 1/4 cup fresh Parsley – chopped
• salt & pepper to taste

 

Directions:

Pour chicken stock in a large stock pot. Add all ingredients except the gnocchi. Allow to cook until on medium temperature until vegetables are tender, about 30-45 minutes. To speed the process, you may also steam your vegetables in the microwave before adding them to the stock. I don’t prefer this method as you lose many of the nutrients in microwave steaming, but it can be done in a time crunch. When the veggies are done to your preference, add the gnocchi. Cook 5-10 minutes or until gnocchi floats to the top. Serve with crusty bread.

I like soup. I love easy. Bon appetit y’all!