Author: ebeth

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Whole Chicken – Part 2: Chicken Soups

Recently we talked about how to thaw and cook a whole chicken. So the chicken is cooked.  It can be eaten as is.  The meat can be used in casseroles or stir-fries.  Or it can be used in soups.

Our 2 favorite chicken soups are Chicken Corn Soup and Hearty Vegetable Chicken Soup.  Enjoy!

Chicken Corn Soup

This is a family favorite from my growing up days in southern PA.  In August we would purchase corn to blanch and freeze.  In the winter we would use the corn to make this soup.
Print Recipe
Course Soup
Servings 4 quarts

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Whole chicken about 5 lb, can be whole or frozen
  • 1-2 onions diced
  • 1/2 celery head chopped
  • Water to cover chicken
  • 2 bags frozen corn may use 2 cans of corn
  • 1 bag egg noodles

Instructions
 

  • Place the chicken, celery, onion and water in a Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken; cool.
  • Put 1/2 stock and cut-up chicken in 8 qt. stockpot.  Add corn. Bring to boil.  Add stock if it is too thick. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes.  (This can simmer as long as you want.) 10 minutes before serving add egg noodles, and add stock so that it is on the runny side.
  • Add salt at the table as needed/desired.

Notes

We vary this by using other starches in place of the egg noodles - rice, barley, potatoes, alphabet noodles or rivels. Rivels are just 3/4 cup flour added to 1 beaten egg. (Place the flour in a bowl; mix in egg with a fork just until blended. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls into boiling soup, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until rivels are cooked through.) Rivel recipe

Hearty Chicken Vegetable Soup

Print Recipe
Course Soup
Servings 4 quarts

Ingredients
  

  • 1 roasting chicken about 5 pounds, can be cut up or can be whole frozen chicken
  • 2-4 celery ribs sliced
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 2-1/2 quarts water
  • 1 can 14-1/2 ounces stewed tomatoes Or equivalent diced tomatoes
  • 4 medium carrots sliced
  • 2 medium potatoes peeled and cubed
  • 1 medium turnip peeled and cubed, can substitute 2 potatoes

Seasonings - use ones you like - We especially like oregano.

  • 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh parsley opt.
  • 3/4 teaspoon each dried basil, oregano and tarragon opt.
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt opt.
  • 3/4 teaspoon pepper opt.
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder opt.

Additional veggies

  • 2 cups fresh broccoli florets
  • 2 cups frozen peas optional

Instructions
 

  • Place the chicken, celery, onion and water in a Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken; cool.
  • Remove meat from bones and cut into bite-size pieces; return to pan. Add the tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, turnips, seasonings; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add broccoli and peas if desired; simmer 15-20 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender. Yield: 16 servings (about 4 quarts).

Notes

Other veggies can be added.  Diced tomatoes can be used in place of stewed tomatoes.  We add salt and Parmesan cheese at the table.  Original recipe
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Chicken – What do I do with a whole chicken? Part 1

Fall is here. You want to cook again. You want chickens that were happy chickens, living a good chicken life. You want ones that were raised outdoors in lots of fresh air and sunshine, eating the grass, non-gmo grains and whatever bugs and insects came their way.  You know that is how we raise our chicken. But buying that sort of chicken from Treasures of Joy Farm means you get a whole, frozen chicken, not just boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  And that just seems like more work!

I will agree that initially it is a touch more work.  But in the long run with the help of your refrigerator and freezer, you are preparing multiple meals.  And the flavor and texture of the meat and the potential broth make it worth it. So let’s say, you decide to buy a chicken. But now, what do you do with it? Continue reading “Chicken – What do I do with a whole chicken? Part 1”

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Beef and/or Chicken subscription

Last fall, in an effort to help you get our meat more easily, we started our twice-a-month Meat CSA.  It turned out that it was too much meat for most families. We want to help you, not make you have to figure out where you are going to squeeze that next roast into the already full freezer. So we have trimmed the Meat CSA (pun intended) to a monthly Meat Subscription.

What is a Meat Subscription? Each month you can choose to get Beef and/or Chicken delivered on the first Thursday of the month.  Our online store will also enable you to add on extra items that are available that month, like pork, extra beef cuts, honey, vegetables, etc.

Here’s how it works: As a subscriber, you will receive an email near the beginning of the month telling you that the store is open.  You will have 3-4 days to visit the (online) store. At the store you will choose to purchase either a chicken ($25) ~5 lb. and/or a beef option ($30). The beef options are:  4 tubes of ground beef OR 2 packages of beef steaks ~3.5 lb OR 1 beef roast ~3.5 lbs. Other options include choosing to pick up the order and either paying online or requesting to pay upon delivery.

We do have a delivery range.  If you are outside of that range, we will add some money on to compensate for the extra distance.  And if the cost of gas should go up significantly, our delivery charge will go up as well.

If you decide that you need a month off, just don’t click on the link for that month’s subscription.  No meat will be delivered.  The following month another email will come, and you can then get meat that month.

So how do you subscribe?  Click below to go to the subscribe page.  You will need to give your name, address, and phone number.  These details are just so we can get the meat to you and can call you if we have questions or need to text you if there is no person or cooler to receive your meat.  (By the way, we don’t share your personal data.  Others don’t need it.)

We hope that you will continue to get your local pasture-raised meats from us. 

to get set up and ready to go in September.  Then enjoy your last days of summer!