My Winter Chicken Soup

This soup is made as a large batch, then frozen in individual containers. I love it because it's so versatile and can be served in a wide variety of ways.

Ingredients:

• 2 small onions (or 2 handfuls of dried chopped onions)
• 2 lbs. frozen mixed vegetables (variety without potatoes)
• sea salt, to taste (regular salt will work but I prefer sea salt)
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 tsp. basil
• 1/4 tsp. thyme
• 1/4 tsp. sage (rubbed works fine if it's all you have)
• 1 (2 1/2 to 3 lb.) whole broiler/fryer chicken
• water to cover

Directions:

Place all ingredients except vegetables and salt, in large crock pot. Pour in enough water to cover the chicken. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours till chicken is falling apart. Carefully remove chicken and allow to cool. Remove all bones and skin from chicken. Cut meat into bite size pieces and return to crock pot. Add vegetables and cook one more hour. Add sea salt to taste. Cook one more hour.

Once the soup is done, spoon it into individual containers and freeze.

Serving Suggestions:

• As it comes, along with crackers or a sandwich.
• Add cooked noodles or rice.
• Using milk and flour, thicken the soup and serve over noodles, rice, or potatoes.
• Thicken and add dumplings.
• Thicken then add creamed corn for a variation of chicken/corn chowder.

These are only a few suggestions, but there are as many as what your own imagination can come up with.

I make 2 crock pots of this soup, along with one other soup and chili, and they keep me fed all winter and into the spring.

By Cricket from Parkton, NC