Common Grace Chicken Soup

Everyone has been sick around here so I decided to make some chicken soup. I don't make it often since chicken soup isn't my husband's favorite meal. I was torn because he was the main one for whom I was making the soup. His throat was extremely sore and he was unable to meet some of his teaching commitments. He groaned a little about the idea of eating soup for supper. He said he was being punished for being sick (all in good fun, of course). Then after eating two bowls full said he felt better than he had all week and thanked me for making it. He could even talk for a while after eating it which he hadn't been able to do all week. Initially we called it "miracle soup," but then he decided that it wasn't really a miracle, because it didn't match the definition of miracle he uses in his theology classes. He finally decided that "Providence Soup" or "Common Grace Soup" was a more accurate name. He makes me laugh even when he is sick. Don't worry if you don't get the joke. We have a strange sense of humor in our home.

Growing up my mom never put noodles in her chicken soup, but instead used potatoes and corn. I guess that's why I have always preferred my chicken soup without noodles. I haven't made chicken soup in years and this is the first time I made it with my own homemade chicken broth. What a huge difference homemade broth made! It was delicious. Mark, the non-chicken soup eater, asked if I would make some more on Saturday so he could be ready to preach on Sunday morning. That's what I'll have to do, because we polished off all that I made.

If you haven't made homemade chicken broth, you really should give it a try. It is so easy and so delicious. I love the convenience of having containers of chicken broth in my freezer ready to use.

Sorry, the steam made it hard to get a good picture.

Chicken Soup Recipe
3 chicken breasts, cut in bite sized pieces (or chicken parts of your choice)
3 c homemade chicken broth
2 c water
1/3 c pearl barley
2 c diced potatoes (peel if skins are tough)
1 1/2 c carrots, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces (I used baby carrots cut in thirds)*
1/2 c sweet potato puree (optional)
2 bay leaves
2 stalks of celery, cut in half if removing, or 1 stalk diced
salt and pepper

Add all ingredients to a large pot and bring it to a boil. Cook covered over medium to low heat until vegetables and pearl barley are tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove celery stalks (if desired) and bay leaves before serving. Mark and I like to add extra freshly ground black pepper to the top of our bowls. Pepper and other astringents are especially cathartic for a sore throat.


Additional Notes:
*You can replace the carrots with corn or green beans if you prefer.