Good for what ails you, this serving of homemade chicken soup includes a bowl of fresh pineapple and a cup of ginger-lemon tea. Karen Schneider photo

Luckily for me, I’ve escaped all the viruses and colds that so many people suffer from here in Maine this time of year. (Knock on solid oak.) It really is a miracle considering my occupation takes me out and in the general public. I also have eight grandchildren, two of which haven’t yet learned to cover their mouths when they cough and don’t know how to blow their own noses yet . . .

Nutritious, delicious homemade chicken soup. Karen Schneider photo

However, if I or anyone in my large extended family ends up with the flu or some other viral horror, I’m ready because I have jars of this soup in my freezer. About once a week, I put together yet another batch.

Concocting this soup is an investment in your time, but you’ll realize fairly quickly that it’s well worth the trouble, especially when you wind up with a scratchy throat and stuffy nose that a relative or perfect stranger has so generously handed off to you. Heat up a pan of this soup, slurp it down and you’ll be as good as new in no time.

To make the stock, use a plump roasting chicken, a couple smaller versions, or a fat family-size package of chicken parts. Add any chicken bones/carcasses and stock you have hiding in the freezer. Hopefully, you’ve been saving all that!

A word about skimming off the chicken fat after the broth is finished: “Don’t do it!” That’s where a lot of the flavor and healing properties are. I don’t have scientific back-up, but I do have over four decades of experience with chicken soup working its wonders for all types of ills. Besides, if you take away all the fat, your soup is bound to be bland. Experiment with the amount you leave behind and you’ll see what I mean.

Investing time in making a pot of homemade chicken soup will pay off handsomely when you or loved ones get hit with a cold or virus. Karen Schneider photo

After the chicken is cooked, continue to simmer the stock, leaving the cover off so the liquid reduces by about a third, and keep tasting it, adjusting the salt and other seasonings as necessary. If your stock doesn’t taste chicken-y enough, add a spoonful or two of Better Than Bouillon roasted chicken base. It comes in a jar and really does a fine job with elevating the richness of the stock without making it taste too salty.

Eating plain boiled chicken seasoned with plenty of salt and pepper is also very soothing and delicious when you’re attempting to conquer a virus. After adding some of the chicken back into the stock with the veggies, stir any leftovers into hot rice, make chicken salad and spread it on toast, or season it up and spoon it into tortillas with added fresh salsa and avocado.

FYI: There’s no need to wait to be feeling under the weather to enjoy a bowl of comforting soup, but be sure to keep some squirreled away for when you’re feeling yucky. You’ll be glad you did!

Chicken stock
Large (5-7 pounds) roasting chicken, or two 3-pound chickens, or a family-pack of chicken parts
Large onion, peeled
2 large stalks celery
2 large carrots
1/2 lemon, optional
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Place chicken, vegetables and seasoning in a large stock pot. Add water to a couple inches above the chicken and vegetables. Cover and cook until chicken is really done and falling apart, about 2-3 hours. Retain all liquid. Remove the chicken to a platter and allow to cool enough to pull the meat off the bones. Taste the stock, adding more seasoning if necessary. Continue to simmer, uncovered, for another 30-60 minutes to reduce the liquid further. Strain into another large pot, discarding the vegetables. Continue to prepare soup (below) or allow the stock to cool, then freeze in quart-size Mason jars for future use.

Chicken soup with orzo
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3-4 celery stalks including leaves, diced
3-4 carrots, diced
1 tablespoon dried or 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
Strained chicken stock
1-2 teaspoons chicken bouillon base, optional
2-3 cups cooked chicken, diced
1/2 cup orzo
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Place 2 tablespoons olive oil in stock pot over medium-low heat. Add onion, celery and carrots, stirring and cooking until getting tender and just beginning to brown; about 10-15 minutes. Add parsley.
Add strained chicken stock to this pot and simmer over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes. Add chicken and orzo. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed, including optional bouillon. Simmer until pasta is cooked, about 15-20 minutes. Serve immediately or freeze as above. The soup will keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

Cold busting tea

Put an inch of fresh peeled ginger root into a mug.

Add:

A couple lemon slices

A spoonful of honey

A dropper full of Avena Botanicals echinacea

A pinch of cayenne pepper

Pour boiling water over it all and steep for at least 5 minutes.

Drink it hot and repeat several times throughout the day.

Writer and editor Karen Schneider has been a regular contributor to the Lewiston Sun Journal for over 20 years. Contact her at iwrite33@comcast.net with your ideas and comments.