My 2021 Wish List:
I want to turn on the radio or TV and not hear the word Coronavirus.
I want to wake up with a great job, be ten pounds lighter, have a six pack, tiny thighs, and be living in a gorgeous house in Pittsburgh where snow is shoveled for me, unless I’m in the mood for a workout.
I’d also like to win the lottery.
And get a book or five published.
In the meantime, I’m making cream of chicken soup with tarragon because I had it once 36 years ago and it was delicious. Like some people never forget a pretty face, I never forget a meaningful food experience. Plus, doing nothing and going nowhere makes you crave comfort food as a replacement for things like children, friends, romance, and a life.
So, I went online and found a recipe on a blog called, GoodDinnerMom and one by Paula Deen, but Paula’s had four cups of heavy whipping cream and, of course, butter. (It’s a miracle she’s still alive.)
So, I made my own version using the Costco chicken in my freezer and fewer ingredients. Since I want to live to see the end of Covid, I cut the cream down to one and a half cups and the soup is still good. I think next time I’ll try it with no lemon juice and just lemon zest. Then it won’t need as much cream. You could add veggies too, like broccoli or zucchini which will take the health factor up a few notches.
And one other food note. Since I was using leeks in this recipe and didn’t want to waste the beautiful dark green tops. I put them in a pot with water and my Costco chicken carcass and let it boil. It didn’t need anything else, just a little salt and it was honestly a really good broth, so that’s what I used. Definitely try that sometime. Leeks are the best!
I hope this year is starting off well for you. If you have time, write and let me know what you’re doing to stay sane, or what your wish list is. I’ve been writing a lot, (just not here) and looking for work, which is truly a full time job. There are resumes to revise, people to stalk on Linked In, cover letters to write, friends to whine to, co-workers to miss, websites to curse, disappointments to get over, it’s exhausting. If you have a connection in Pittsburgh who needs a writer, let me know. I’m very ready to move.
In a rare moment of personal excitement, I got my first Covid vaccine at Dodger Stadium a couple weeks ago. The line snaked around so much it looked like Disneyland with cars instead of people. I had plenty of time to read the book I brought and even put make up on while waiting.
I waited 2.5 hours, then just as the woman put the needle in my arm, a giant gust of wind came out of nowhere blowing signs and trashcans over. The lady giving me my shot said, ” I’m just going to leave this in here (meaning my arm) until the wind dies down. My wedding day was really windy, and we all know how that turned out, so I hope this isn’t an omen. As of this writing, I’m still alive. Yay.
Hang in there. We’re making progress.
Creamy Chicken Tarragon Soup
Place the chicken carcass in a large pot, almost cover it with water and add the rinsed tops of one large leek. (You don't have to cut the leek tops into small pieces, just put the 8 inch lengths in and let the carcass come to a boil. Then turn it down, cover it with a lid, and let it simmer for about an hour. Do this before you start on the soup because you need this broth for it. When cooked, discard the leeks, remove the chicken from the bone, and cut chicken into one inch chunks. Set it aside.
Place the butter and the 3 cups of chopped leeks in a frying pan and saute them until they're soft and translucent. Once cooked, add the flour and mix together. It'll be a little clumpy.
Next add the hot cream and stir over low heat. Then add the two and a half cups of chicken broth you've just created and the lemon rind, juice and tarragon. Mix well. I used my immersion blender to chop up the leeks after this step, and it was nice and smooth.
Then add the chopped chicken chunks (I love alliteration) and stir well. Add additional salt to taste. Heat thoroughly and serve with a nice piece of crusty toasted bread.