Chicken soup is one of those classic childhood dishes we never grow out of as adults. It comforts us when we are sick, warms us when we are cold, and satisfies us when we are hungry (even if there is no other food in the kitchen). Most of us, though, tend to make chicken noodle soup from a can. For Soupified, I wanted to present some options for making chicken soup, both traditional and modern/global takes on a classic.

One of the first recipes I posted for Soupified was Asian Chicken Noodle Soup. This soup uses lemongrass, ginger, red pepper flakes, and green onions to take chicken noodles from ordinary to extraordinary.

MyRecipes.com has joined the game with the featured article Heart Warming Chicken Soup, which features recipes for Classic Chicken Soup, Thai Shrimp and Chicken Soup, Southwestern Chicken Soup, Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup, and more. “Nourish your soul with these chicken soup recipes that cure colds, mend broken hearts, and erase bad days.”

Is chicken soup really that magical? We have already talked about the Power of Campbell’s Soup in times of economic crisis, but could chicken soup be thrifty enough to hold the answers to all that ails us? 

Even if you don’t think you can make chicken soup from scratch, I encourage you to try. If it helps, I also encourage you to cheat with pre-chopped vegetables, pre-cooked chicken (rotisserie works great) or any other short cuts that will get you in the kitchen and trying new things. Try taking a step outside of the can, you might like what you find!

In an effort to education myself and others, I am dedicating this upcoming week to organics on Bitter/Sweet. I will be posting a couple articles delving into organic news, information, and ideas.

The post on Honey’s Sticky Underbelly got me curious about organics and the industry behind them. As I started researching the subject, I discovered things I never knew about organics and wanted to share what I had found.  

Join me as I explore this topic next week, and maybe we can all learn something (and learning is always Sweet).

Yes, I realize that today is not the first. All good things, however, require some time and careful planning and I do not find the hectic holiday season conducive to life-planning goals. Rather than create a spur-of-the-moment resolution following the ball drop, I have spent the past two weeks contemplating resolutions, researching what makes a resolution successful, and determining what kind of resolution best fits into my lifestyle.

Rather than give myself a resolution that involved subtracting things from my life (spend less money, eat less, watch less television, etc), I decided to set a resolution that added things to my life. I picked things I have wanted to do or wished I had time for, and built these items into my resolution. Basically, my “big picture” resolution is to enjoy more things in life, and to do this I have selected 5 specific things to do each month to achieve this.

So, without further ado, I present to you Jenn’s 2009 Resolutions!

Each month of 2009, I will do the following:

1. Try a new wine

2. Read a new book

3. Cook at least one vegan meal

4. Take a bubble bath

5. Host a dinner party

These resolutions encompass a number of aspects that contribute to enjoying life for the mind, body, soul, and spirit. My resolution also has required relaxation! At the end of each month, I will report on my progress and breakdown how I met each goal.

Now that I have publicly shared my resolution, I am also more likely to achieve my goals. My blog holds me a bit more accountable, which is like a support system in a way. This will make me more successful, which is Sweet.  

Like many dishes I have made lately, this recipe can be prepared vegan with a few simple adaptations. The original recipe calls for chicken stock, but Simple Garlic Broth would be a great substitution (vegetable broth with work as well). After that, just omit the cheese and you have a great vegan supper! Even with the non-vegan ingredients, this is an excellent quick and easy dish to make on those busy weeknights, using mostly pantry items.

The original recipe called for grape tomatoes, which I did not have on hand, so I substituted bella mushrooms. Bella mushrooms have a bit more flavor than traditional white mushrooms, but have basically the same cooking time. Also, the original recipe calls for shell-shaped pasta, but any similar shape will work just fine.

Pasta with Garlic-Chickpea Sauce
adapted from Cooking Light

1 tbsp olive oil, divided 
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 can (15.5 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 can (14-ounce) fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 cups uncooked rotini or similar shaped pasta
1/2 lb mushrooms, quartered
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp minced fresh basil
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice 
Shredded Parmesan cheese, as desired

Heat half of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add crushed garlic; saute 1 minute. Add salt, red pepper flakes, chickpeas, and broth; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.

Place chickpea mixture in a blender (remove center of cap to allow steam to escape), and process until smooth.

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well.

While pasta cooks, heat remaining oil in a small pan. Saute garlic for 1 minute. Add mushrooms to pan and cook until tender, adding additional oil if necessary.  

Combine chickpea mixture, pasta, mushrooms, fresh basil, and lemon juice; toss well. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve immediately.

From the Kitchen’s of Martha Stewart, this is probably one of my favorite cooking books. It is based on Everyday Food magazine, which is a monthly publication full of great recipes and kitchen tips. The book is divided into four sections, one for each season of the year. Each season features ingredients and cooking methods that are appropriate for the time of year (grilling in summer, roasting in winter). Most of the recipes are quite simple and easy to make, but with big taste. There is also a fifth section filled with basics such as rubs, sauces, vinegarettes, cooking tips and more.