For a warming bowl of health on
a really cold winters' night (it's ridiculously cold outside and will be all week) that doesn't take hours of prep and cooking
check out this quick soup I made tonight.  Mondays are particularly hectic with us working and trying to shuttle the kids
to friends' houses for homework and HipHop Dance lessons (peace out).  The last thing anyone wants is a long wait
for something to eat (AND starting tonight, we have to done with everything, Deb has the Bachelor, new season) so I
had to think quick.  After the onslaught of sugar, fat, pork, and more sugar, fat, and pork over the holiday season, time to
lighten things up as well.  Do the new jeans make me look fat???  Ok, you can stop laughing now.  You'll be suprised at
how easy and quick this chicken soup is, sort of a blend of NY Jewish and Italian styles, except, low fat and you should
be done in about an hour.
 Just a caution here, if it
is the deep, rich, all day flavor of chicken soup you are looking for, revert to an old fashioned whole chicken full
fat recipe.  However, you will be more than pleased with the flavor (and the speed) which this version will give
you.  You will need 3 boxes of a low sodium 99% fat free Non MSG Chicken Stock, read the labels in the store.
A little work food shopping will reward you with better ingredients for yourself and your family.  1 cup of fresh
chopped carrots, 2 onions, diced, 2 cups of diced celery, 2 bay leaves, black pepper, 1 tbs. fresh chopped dill,
1/2 lb. tiny pasta (i used Stelline, little pasta stars with a hole in the center, they look like an Italian Grandmothers'
soup pasta), 1 1/4 lb. trimmed chicken cutlets, cut into small cubes.  , 2 minced cloves of garlic.
     Simply pour the chicken stock into a large stock pot, add all of the ingredients except for the pasta and  dill.
In another pot, cook the pasta till al dente and drain, reserving 1 cup of the water.  Lightly salt the pasta water.
Bring the stock pot to a rolling boil, then lower to just above a simmer.  Let this cook for 1 hour.  Taste for sea-
soning.  I didn't need any salt at this point.  Then add 1 1/2 cups of the drained pasta, the 1 cup of pasta water.
Stir well, and let cook for additional 5 minutes.  Now add the dill, stir well...Serve the soup...we top ours with
grated Locatelli Pecorino Romano and Black pepper (shocker...), No need to skim the top of this soup.  And
you have cooked a healthy meal in an hours' time!!

     I don't claim Dietician or Nutritionist status, but there is just a lot less of fat and salt in this soup period. 
Try it one day this week.  I used the Progresso 100% Natural Chicken Broth, 33% less sodium (which is why
I didn't add any extra), 99% Fat Free, no artificial flavors, no preservatives or MSG.  I'm sure you can find a
full flavored organic broth as well.  Just want you to know what I used to produce a warming Monday night
meal in an hour, with no stress....

A little plug for the Progresso brand.....

   Stay warm!!