Our favorite home-made soup

This morning was very rainy and dreary, and I was very thankful that I had planned a pot of soup for dinner. This particular recipe is one of our favorites. We started fixing it last year when we were doing South Beach and have had it at least twice a month ever since. Yeah, it's that good! =) The recipe is entitled "Chicken Parmigiano Soup" and originated from Rachael Ray. We have always doubled the recipe, because if I'm going to go through the trouble of making something, I want it to last more than one meal. We have no problems with leftovers! =)

I love this recipe, because I get to use my fresh basil and the $0.16 cans of Muir Glen Fire-Roasted Tomatoes. Remember those? Here's the $1.00 off coupon in case you forgot about them. Get them at Wal-mart and you'll only pay $0.16 per can! Sweet!

There are a few changes we have made to the original recipe, though. We don't double the onions, because 2 large onions is plenty for a double recipe. We also don't double the red pepper flakes, because it would be too spicy for the kids. Within the last month, we have been adding about 2-3 cups of kale to the pot in an effort to increase our green leafy veggies, and we have really enjoyed it! Another change we have made is that we use sourdough bread instead of semolina, and we don't put cheese on the bread or soup (not because it's not good, but because we are going dairy-free). Here's a picture of the soup we had tonight:



Here's the recipe, or you can get it from Rachael Ray's website. Enjoy!!

Chicken Parmigiano Soup

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus some for drizzling
4 chicken breasts, pounded out and cut into bite-size pieces (sometimes we grill the chicken instead of cooking it in the pot)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic (3 chopped, 1 for rubbing bread)
2 large onions, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 can chunky tomatoes (28 ounces) (We use the Muir Glen Fire-Roasted Tomatoes)
1 quart chicken stock
1 cup basil, chopped
8 thick slices Italian semolina bread
1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Pre-heat oven to 350°F.

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat with two tablespoons of EVOO, about two turns of the pan. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to pot. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, or until just cooked through. Remove from the pot and set aside. Add the other two tablespoons of EVOO along with the chopped garlic, onions and red pepper flakes.

Cook for about 3-4 minutes. Add tomatoes and the stock, bring to a simmer and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Add chicken back to the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the chopped basil and stir to combine.

While the soup is cooking, drizzle the sliced bread with some EVOO and season with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and toast until lightly golden, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from the oven, rub each piece with the garlic clove and top with parmesan cheese. Place back in the oven for 1-2 minutes.

Serve soup topped with 2 pieces of parmesan toast or, if you prefer, put the bread on the bottom and the soup on top.