The Great Soup Distaster of 09

We go to a small Bible study group on Friday evenings with up to 7 families, and we all bring a part of a meal so we can eat together. This week I had signed up to make chicken soup, which is not that difficult-it is a crock pot recipe- and it's good. And, I hadn't yet made it this year. So, I borrowed a friend's crock pot so that I could make a double batch. Usually just one batch will feed our family and one other person signed up to make vegetable soup.

An hour before the soup is done, you take out the chicken- that has been cooking all day in the crock pot- and debone and defat. So, I took out the chicken, put it in a bowl and was gong to pour the remaining soup quickly in a dish to scan for any bones before returning it to the crock pot. Apparently the dish did not think this wise, for as I poured, the bottom of the bowl just cracked right off and all the soup went running onto the counter and onto the floor.

This is 30 minutes before the soup needed to be at the dinner.

I sent David at lightening speed to Bi-Lo to pick up some chicken stock while I deboned the chicken. At least that hadn't been ruined. I took the contents of the other crock pot and poured it into a big pot. I cooked some extra noodles in a seperate pot, added those, and then added the chicken. David got back with the broth with 5 minutes to spare. I added it to the soup and it actually tasted fine.

Then I commensed to sopping up 5 cups of broth off the counter and the floor, while grumbling and swearing and growling having a cheerful attitude that at least the soup was saved.

If you are brave and would like to attempt this recipe, here it is. Just don't pour it into another container.

Country Chicken Soup

1 whole chicken
1 chopped onion
2 sliced carrots
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. basil
3 T. parsley
4 c. water
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
2-3 cups uncooked flat noodles

Place all ingredients except for the noodles in the crockpot. Cook until the chicken is falling from the bone. Remove chicken and bones from crock pot, get all the meat off the bones and add this and the noodles back to the pot. Cook for one more hour.