When the cold and snow seems like it will never end, sometimes you just don’t feel well. First I had it, then Renée got it. Her doctor called it the “Creeping Crud” and said, since it was viral, there was nothing to do but wait it out. She’d been feeling lousy for over a week, so I thought little homemade chicken soup might make her feel better.
I had lots of frozen chicken stock on hand, along with carrots, leeks, mushrooms, green onions, parsley, and some frozen chicken pieces left over from the last time I made stock. I cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and browned it in a little butter in a dutch oven. After removing the chicken, I added a little more butter and tossed in the vegetables along with some kosher salt and a little fresh ground pepper. When those were browned and tender, I deglazed with a little white wine before adding the defrosted chicken stock. I seasoned again and added the chicken pieces. Then I added Ditalini pasta and brought it to a boil, then reduced it to a simmer and let it cook for about 10 minutes before adding about 3/4 cup of heavy cream to give it some body and smoothness.
Some people cook their pasta before adding it to the soup. I like thicker, hearty soups, so I like to cook it in the soup so that the pasta absorbs all the flavors of the broth. I can always add more stock later if it gets too thick.
Here’s what it looked like the next day:
Yup, sometimes, some good home cookin’ is all you need for what ails you. Sometimes, you just need a nap.
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I am enjoying my subscription to your blog and…
“Conventional wisdom” (not agri-buz) suggests that dairy products are not good for the Creeping Crud, as they cause waterfalls of snot. Ahem.
When we-uns has the Creepin’ Crud, we lay off (in this order): dairy, sugar, alcohol, and caffeine. The latter three eat Vitamin C, I think, but nothing like dairy to give you congestion.
Whenever I get “that sick,” I just tell myself, “I’m cleaning out a year’s worth of Jack cheese.”
Works for me.
Dose up on the vinegar and spicy stuff, too. Y’all feel better.
XOX from spring-blossoming Soquel, where the white people can’t dance and the sheep are nervous.
: D
Thanks, Tana! On the spicy, I told Renee we needed a dose of some good wasabi to clear us up. Alas, it was not to be.
I wish I could say things were blossoming here on Ohio’s north coast, but with a foot of snow on the ground, we’ve got a ways to go yet!