Chicken Soup for the Soul

Yesterday I made rotisserie chicken in my Ron Popeil's set it & forget it Ronco Rotisserie. Oh man if you have never tried rotisserie chicken from this amazing contraption then you have no idea what you are missing! It's so simple, the machine, the chicken, but the end product is so so sooooooo good. After the first bite of the crispy golden skin and juicy meat your mind is blown away how delicious it is. Everyone who's had it tells me they have to have a Ronco Rotisserie if only to make chicken (although it makes other delicious meats). I had a whole chicken carcass left over and since the weather has been very rainy I thought it would be perfect to make chicken soup...HOMEMADE! not that chicken soup in a can just add water business! I simmered the bones with some chicken stock (that I always have on hand in plenty because my uncle boils chicken breast for his 4 dogs daily) , apples, carrots, celery, black pepper, bay leaf, scallions, and some herbs I picked from my garden- scallions, flat leaf parsley, dill, and thyme. The broth was so naturally sweet due to all the good things I put in it, beats canned any day! I strained everything out and added some diced carrots, celery, onions, and of course, elbow macaroni and voila!....delicious chicken soup. It would have been awesome if I had some left over chicken meat to add to the soup but it was all picked off with greasy fingers!

Chicken Soup

To make the broth:
1 chicken carcass
2 1/2 quarts chicken stock
2 carrots, chopped into one inch pieces
2 celery stalks, chopped into one inch pieces
1 apple, chopped into one inch pieces
1 sprigs of thyme
5 sprigs of dill
7 sprigs of flat leafed parsley
1 stalk of scallion
half a tablespoon of black peppercorns
2 bay leaves

1. Simmer everything together for 45 min to an hour. Strain everything out.

For the Chicken Soup:
2 carrots, diced half inch cubes
2 stalks celery, diced half inch cubes
half an onion, diced
half box of elbow macaroni
salt & pepper
dill, finely chopped

1. Simmer carrots, celery, and onion in chicken broth.
2. Boil elbow macaroni to al dente.
3. When vegetables are soft add elbow macaroni and simmer for 1 minute.
4. Season with salt and pepper and some finely chopped dill.