What's new? It is raining and has been all day. The snails are in their glory, loving every minute, chatting it up like you know, what should we nibble on next? They are out everywhere celebrating!
I got caught up in a freeway clog this morning on my way over to Trader Joes. Both lanes were barely moving. The snails pace down my sidewalk this morning was faster than what was happening on that freeway. A trip that normally takes ten minutes stretched into forty. I sat in traffic with the rain pounding on the roof of the car and listened to Dr. Laura put every one's life in perspective.
I made the decision setting on that rain clogged freeway that a good bowl of chicken vegetable soup is in order this evening.

I picked up several loaves of filone bread at Trader Joe's. It is par baked you just pop in a hot oven a few minutes and then you are transported to a European bakery grabbing a fresh loaf from the oven. So crispy on the outside tender with lots of texture on the inside. It is the perfect accompaniment to the soup.
So here is my soup recipe, easy and flavorful.

Zo's chicken vegetable soup(very original name)

Three frozen boneless chicken thighs
1/2 can of chicken broth
1/2 sliced medium size onion
Three cloves of garlic sliced
One large carrot sliced
Two stalks of celery sliced
Three potatoes medium dice
Two healthy squirts of ketchup from the bottle
Olive oil
Pepper and salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon dried basil or several fresh basil leaves chopped
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon thyme
one pinch tarragon

In your soup pot put frozen chicken thighs in water to cover.
Bring to boil and turn heat to low and continue cooking until meat is tender. This process will take a hour and a half or so.
When the chicken is cooked remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Skim all the chicken fat from the water and pour the broth into a container and sit aside. Now in the bottom of the same pot drizzle a little olive oil, toss in the carrot the onions and celery and garlic. Saute' until the carrots are semi tender and the celery and onions translucent.
Add the seasonings. Add the broth from the container back in the pot. Add the potatoes and ketchup. If you need more broth at this time to cover the potatoes add some of the canned chicken broth. Bring to a boil and then turn to med low until the potatoes are done. Add the chicken thighs back in and break them up with a wooden spoon. Simmer until the chicken is heated and serve in bowls and dunk the bread in the broth.

If this does put you into unwind mode on an old black night with the rain splattering the windows nothing will.
Have a good one.