The monastery’s chicken soup recipe still is the best I have ever tasted! Spices like thyme, mint, or dill complement the wholesome chicken breast and stock and the fresh celery, onions, and carrots. Long grain white rice or egg noodles are put into the serving dish immediately before the meal, having been cooked earlier and set aside. No sogginess here! With slabs of homemade bread, cheese and some fresh fruit on the side, the meal is utterly simple and thoroughly satisfying.
At the monastery, I especially enjoy this meal after evening services. Watching the setting sun through the full length refectory windows, conversations are easy, touching on the work of the day, books we are reading, or welcoming new visitors. When I’m back at home using that same chicken soup recipe, it lets my mind wander back to a nice, quiet serene moment. Isn’t it wonderful that both body and soul thrive on chicken soup? So the book publishers know that this good food is a fitting metaphor for stories, sayings and short advice that can lift us from daily drudgery or ordinary troubles.
Finding the best recipe for Chicken soup is almost a quest for a magical soup, so when we eat it, if were sick, it will uplifts our spirits. What about chicken wing recipes? Chicken wings are really expensive to buy at restaurants especially when you can buy a whole bag of frozen ones for five or six dollars and you get sixty or seventy wings in a bag. You can buy fresh ones and its usually three or four dollars for twenty or thirty wings. I dont have a fryer so I usually place the wings on a foil lined baking sheet and brush them with vegetable or olive oil to help them crisp and cook them in the oven.
I usually turn them once when I am cooking them and brush the other side with oil as well. The oil usually helps keep them from sticking to the pan. Once cooked, you can use sauces, such as hot sauce or ranch dressing, to enhance their flavor. For those who need a little added spice, add some red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or other spicy seasonings after you brush the wings with oil. Now that summer is here you can cook outdoors more often instead of slaving away in a hot kitchen. You can make a quick healthy inexpensive diner by firing up the barbeque and making some boneless skinless cubed grill chicken on skewers with fresh garden vegetables like mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers and onions.
You can marinate the chicken and vegetables first in a zesty Italian salad dressing for seasoning. You can serve it on top of rice or pasta and have a fresh salad to go along with it. Another vegetable that’ll go great with your steaks are baked potatoes. Just wash them and wrap them in tin foil next to your steaks on the grill and your good to go. If you prefer not to heat up an already hot day by using your oven, you can bake the potatoes for 30 mintues or so in the coals. Cooking time will vary based on the size of the potato. For a healthier potato, you can use the dressing in lieu of the traditional butter or cream cheese toppings.
