Delicious Soup...

Yes...you can believe your eyes. A post that is not entirely devoted to my darling son and all the in's and outs of what's going on in his life. Although really, this post is a result of him.

Anyways, one of the things I have been able to enjoy again since my new job of caring for Owen began, is cooking. Before May of this year, working full time and being pregnant resulted in some not-so-creative months of cooking and a very repetitious menu. Since his birth, I have found it nearly impossible to cook the same thing twice with the exception of some family favorites. The very thought of using the same recipe within two weeks of a each other reduces my appetite to zero and my enthusiasm for cooking wanes.

So, I thought I'd share a recipe for a delicious fall soup I made last night. I discovered it while perusing through the pages of a Cooking Light Nov 2010 magazine while on vacation at Heidi and Robins. Don't be scared off by the parsnip (you can always leave it out) because it is quick to make, tasty to the tongue, filling with out being too heavy and got rave reviews from the fam. The original recipe says it serves four so I doubled the broth, added a potato and think carrot would be a nice addition next time. Hope you try it out!

Chicken and Parsnip Soup

1 1/2 tsp olive oil
1 Parsnip peeled and sliced diagonally
1 carrot peeled and sliced diagonally
3/4 C shallots finely chopped
1 (4oz) package of cremini mushrooms sliced
2 garlic cloves minced
2 1/2 C chicken or mushroom broth (I doubled this)
1 C water (I doubled this)
1 can chickpeas rinsed and drained
2 C shredded rotisserie chicken
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp hot sauce
1 tsp thyme
2 T chopped parsley

Heat oil. Add parsnip, shallots, mushrooms and garlic and saute for 3 minutes.
Add broth and next 7 ingredients through thyme.
Bring to a boil and then simmer for about an hour.
Stir in parsley and serve.