Ask Nana Jorj Morgan is the author of 5 books whose subjects range from entertaining to cooking and most recently to health and wellness. Jorj’s books include Gorgeous: The Sum of All Your Glorious Parts, Fresh Traditions: Classic Dishes for a Contemporary Lifestyle, and At Home in the Kitchen. Most importantly Jorj is a mom and new grandmom. Learn more on her website From Nana's Kitchen Nana’s Hearty Chicken Soup Q: Dear Nana, It seems like it's been raining all summer long, and my 5-year-old granddaughter and I (I keep her three days a week until her mom picks her up around 7 in the evening) can’t seem to find anything to do. Because of the weather, parks are out – and because we’re “under the weather” nobody’s coming over. Do you have any recommendations for something for us to do together until we get rid of our colds? I’m tired of ordering Chinese take-out and pizza. Sincerely, Bored and Congested in Palm Beach, FL A: Well hello there Palm Beach, I’m glad you wrote to me. I know how those Florida summer storms can be – and I have a great, “trifecta of an idea” to combat your cold, your boredom, and your hunger! Since your granddaughter is old enough to really appreciate classic children’s literature, I suggest getting your hands on the book Stone Soup by Marcia Brown, from the library or Amazon, and reading it together – then encourage her to follow you into the kitchen and get creative with what she finds on pantry shelves for the ultimate warm and comforting soup of your own. My recipe for Nana’s Hearty Chicken Soup (below) leaves room for improvisation; if you like that, you can get more savory soup recipes from my cooking blog. Sure it’s summer, but when you’re indoors with the A/C blasting, soup hits the spot 365 days a year. Good luck, and let me know what you think of my original Nana's Hearty Chicken Soup! Remember that all my soups pack up easily for milder weather – when picnic days are here again. —Nana Nana’s Hearty Chicken Soup Chicken soup has as many variations as there are cooks. My grandmother put the whole chicken into the stock pot, let it simmer there deliciously for hours, and then packed a lot of what had fallen away for leftovers – but rest assured, there were plenty of chicken and veggies in the rich, comforting soup to go ’round. My Nana also saw her chicken soup recipe as an opportunity to use up remnants in her veggie crisper and pantry. Yield: about 3 quarts Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: Simmer the soup for 45 minutes or more 1 whole (4-pound) chicken, rinsed 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 large yellow onions, diced (about 2 cups) 3 large carrots, diced (about 2 cups) 6 medium celery ribs, diced (about 2 cups) 3 medium turnips, peeled and diced, about 2 cups 1 teaspoon coarse salt 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme 1 (15-ounce) white beans, rinsed optional 2 cups egg noodles or other variety of pasta, optional 2 cups white rice or other variety of rice, optional 1 large baking potato, diced, about 2 cups, optional Place the chicken into a large soup pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the chicken is cooked, about 45 minutes. Carefully remove the chicken to a platter. The pieces may fall apart in the process. Cool so that you can remove the skin and bones from the meat. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Strain the stock through a colander into a bowl to discard any small pieces of skin or bone. Reserve the stock and the chicken. Heat the oil in the same large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and turnips. Cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 5 minutes more. Pour in the stock and stir in the thyme. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer. Stir in beans, pasta, rice, potatoes, or any other hearty ingredient you have on hand. Continue simmering for 30 minutes or more. For freezer packing, cool the soup to room temperature and store in several airtight containers for up to 3 months. Nana Note: In addition to the hearty ingredients, you can add anything to this soup, such as other veggies (peas, green beans, diced zucchini, and tomatoes) or your choice of fresh or dried herbs. Nana’s loving touch makes this recipe one that is easily passed down to the next generation of soup lovers. Send your Ask Nana questions to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it