's MotD Sunday January 27, 2008

[Guest guest]

's Daily Message SundayJanuary 27, 2008EVERYTHING BUT THE KITCHEN SINK!

I know, I know, I really shouldn`t complain about the weather here in California. Hey, some of you out there are buried in snow and dealing with temperatures in the single digits!

But it`s been raining here every day and it gets down into the low 40`s at night. (Don`t laugh...that`s really cold for us here in Los Angeles!) And along with the lower temps, the wind has been blowing...hard! In fact, I could have sworn I saw Dorothy`s little dog, Toto, sailing through the sky!

I`ll tell you this much. We certainly aren`t having the kind of weather here in LA for frozen yogurt or a fruit plate. But...it`s perfect weather for a bowl of nice, hot soup.

I don`t know about you but when I go to a restaurant, their soups are always too salty for me. And that`s a real taste buds turnoff for me.

Oh, don`t get me wrong, I love salt but not to the point where I feel like there`s a pillar of the stuff setting up shop inside my mouth! That`s why I prefer to make my own homemade soups. Because, that way, I know what`s in it. My favorite to make is one I call Kitchen Sink Soup. You`ll see why I call it that in a minute.

See, I go through my fridge, freezer and canned goods to see what I have in stock and what soup creation I can make with them. I always start out with a fat-free chicken or vegetable broth.

Now I have made homemade broth before but they really can take quite a bit of time. I`ll put a whole cut up chicken in boiling water and when it`s done, remove from the heat and let it cool before shredding all of the chicken parts, by hand.

Then I put the broth that`s left over into the refrigerator overnight. During the night, all of the fat floats to the top and is easily skimmed off with a spoon the next morning. You`re left with a fat-free and delicious chicken broth. But when you don`t have time to make your broth this way, good-old Swanson`s is your friend.

Now, to begin making your soup, put your chicken or vegetable broth in a pot and set your stovetop to low. Next, add whatever you like. Last night, I made this soup with frozen peas, canned corn, chopped fresh carrots, celery, onions, zucchini, asparagus, and turnips.

I simmer all of those ingredients until the vegetables are about half-cooked. (I like my veggies a little crisp.) I had a couple of already cooked chicken breasts in the fridge so I shredded them and added them to the soup. So, see? I`ve got everything in there, hence the name, Kitchen Sink Soup! I simmer the soup for another five minutes and...it`s done!

Right before serving, I added some finely chopped fresh parsley and basil. And on top of the soup, I added a little grated parmesan cheese. And oh, how delicious it was!

I made a pot of soup that`s going to last me all week. And for the next week, I`m keeping my fingers crossed that it`ll be time for frozen yogurt and fruit plates again!

It`s probably colder where you are than it is here in Los Angeles. So get in that kitchen, be creative and make your family a big pot of fabulous and healthy, hot soup. Talk about chasing away those winter chills!

Love,