Happy New Year!

We wish everyone a Happy, Prosperous and Healthy New Year!

Make your resolution to spend more time in the kitchen with your family. Cooking your meals together builds memories and learning experiences for your children that will last a lifetime.

Snow Day! In preparation for the Nor’easter, Alexander and I made Vegetable Chicken Barley Soup yesterday.

(Today we are working on crackers) Alexander loves chicken soup and we have perfected several types over the years. This is his current favorite and is pretty easy but does require time.

Alexander prefers dark meat so I get quartered with back chicken legs. This is great because they are usually much less expensive. The ones I got yesterday were $0.69 per pound. I cook the legs to make the stock and use the chicken meat for the soup. I prefer this method as opposed to using the carcass from a whole roast chicken to make the stock since it eliminates having to roast a chicken first. Although if you do have a leftover rotisserie chicken, by all means remove the meat and use the rest to make your stock.

I save all my carrot peelings, celery tops and onion ends

in a ziploc bag in the freezer ready for whenever we are making stock.

If I have any fresh herbs especially cilantro or parsley that are beginning to go I also freeze them to add to the stock.

Enjoy!

Avec Amour, Victoria & Alexander

Vegetable Chicken Barley Soup

Yield – 8 Servings

Chicken Stock:

2 Quartered Chicken Legs with back (I prefer to leave the skin on as it provides collagen not just fat, if you prefer remove the skin)

3 Stalks of celery with leaves

2 Carrots, cut into large pieces

1 Medium Onion, sliced in half

Chicken Soup:

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

2 Onions, medium diced

2 Celery Stalks, cut 1/4″ thick

2 Carrots, long peeled & cut 1/4″ thick

8 Cups Chicken Stock

2 Cups Water

2 Cups Chicken Meat, large chucks pulled from the chicken legs used to make the stock

2 Bay Leaves

1/3 Cup Barley

1 Box (10 oz) Frozen Mixed Vegetables, Corn, Peas, Green Beans, Carrots

1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt

1. In a 4 Quart Saucepan add celery, carrots, onion, any frozen vegetables scraps or aromatic herbs

and chicken,

add enough water to cover chicken,

bring to a boil over high heat,

lower heat and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, halfway through skim the scum off the top,

remove chicken to a plate to cool,

remove vegetables, strain through a sieve to remove any other solids.

This should yield 8 cups of stock. This part may be done a day ahead and refrigerated overnight.

2. In a 4 Quart Saucepan over medium high heat add olive oil and sautée onions until tender,

add celery and cook for about 2 minutes until onions are golden,

add carrots and cook until onions are caramelized.

3. Add stock and water bring to a boil, add meat,

bay leaves

and barley and boil for 30 minutes cover continuously, reduce heat to a simmer for another 30 minutes, add frozen vegetables and salt,

simmer for another 20 to 30 minutes.

This is a large batch, enough for dinner one night and lunch the next day or freeze some for another time. Will keep in the freezer up to 2 months.