Chicken Soup for the Soul

The first day of fall seems like the perfect day to make soup, A big pot of homemade chicken soup comes together quite quickly with some leftover roast chicken and some pre-made stock.  If you don't have any stock lurking about your freezer, you could use bouillon (typically 1 cube per two cups of water).
Amounts are pretty loose here if you like more or less of something feel free to change it up however suits your tastes.






2 carrots, chopped
3 leafy celery stalks, chopped
a large onion, chopped
small handful of fresh parsley or other fresh herbs
olive oil
leftover shredded, roast chicken (a cup or two)
6-8 cups homemade stock
1 cup of rice or noodles (I used a half cup rice and a 1/2 cup alphabet noodles)
big spoonful basil pesto
salt and pepper to taste

Saute your chopped vegetables and herbs in some olive oil until fragrant and beginning to soften.  Add your broth, chicken and rice or noodles and simmer until your vegetables are cooked and your pasta or grains are cooked to your desired tenderness.  Add a spoonful of pesto and some salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
If you like your soup really thick, use less stock or add more if you love to slurp lots of broth.  Egg noodles work really well here too.

Other things I'm loving today:

This rainbow chard from our garden.  It has been super tricky to harvest this year.  Lots of chard growing, but the finches (so beautiful it's hard not to share with them!) seem to be getting to it first.  They perch on the leaves and peck holes in it; not sure if they are actually eating the leaves or bugs on the leaves or both! Does anyone know what yellow finches eat?

This is some ornamental cabbage I have growing in a planter out front.  Love the deep purple veins and curly leaves.  A lovely little plant.