By Guest Cooking Columnist Charles Fortson, Jr.
With cooler temperatures, soups become a staple at Southern meals. Chicken soup makes both a hardy meal and appetizer great any time of the year.
Ingredients: 1. 1 whole chicken 2. 2 bunches of broccoli 3. 1 cup chopped carrots 4. 1 cup of finely chopped onions 5. 2 tbsp. chopped garlic 6. 1 tsp. salt 7. 2 large cans condensed cream of chicken soup 8. 1 tsp red pepper
Directions:
1. In large stock pot, boil chicken over medium to high heat until tender for 45 minutes in water with red pepper added.
2. Remove chicken, cool, debone and chop..
3. While chicken is cooling, drain broth into separate bowl. Return 1 quart to stock pot.
4. Add onions, garlic and carrots.
5. Cut tops off broccoli and add to mix in stock pot with tsp. of salt.
6. Bring mixture to boil, reduce heat and cook for 20 minutes.
7. Add 2 cans of condensed cream of chicken soup and stir well on low heat to totally dissolve it in stock pot mix.
8. Depending on desired consistency of soup, add more chicken broth to dilute.
9. Add chicken to mix.
10. Cook 10 minutes on low heat, stirring regularly.
11. Check consistency of soup, stirring regularly, and adding broth as desired.
Serve with a happy face, and two to four crackers. Serves four to six for a meal.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Charles Fortson, Jr., is proprietor-chef at Uncle Ray’s across from Lake Lincoln State Park. He makes lunches and dinners to take out or for table service, while also operating a convenience store and bait shop at his Sunset Road location. Follow his cooking tips on Uncle Ray’s Facebook page or call 601-643-0174 to check on his daily specials.