Cherie Bender's Glitter Book Of Magical Cooking: Healing Chicken Soup

Healing Chicken Soup iPhoto: by Cherie

Nourishment and love are contained in my amazingly healing chicken soup. The recipe was given to me by a good friend, and I know it works!
 Almost immediately, as the warmth begins to travel throughout your body, you start to relax, and realize tomorrow is another day. For now, be grateful that you are well fed.
My Healing Chicken soup may be made ahead of time and stored in your freezer by the bowl-full. Just take out and unfreeze when the need arises, adding fresh cut mint for sore throats, oregano to help combat infection, and basil for boosting your immune system.
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients:
All ingredients are free range and organic 
6 cloves garlic, crushed and diced
6 tbl oregano
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh oregano
1/2 cup fresh chives
1/4 cup fresh mint
2 stalks celery, diced
1 cup diced carrots
1 small sweet white onion, diced fine
1 cooked yellow corn, remove corn from husk, makes 1 cup
6 large lemons, juiced with seeds removed
4-6 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine (optional)
1 whole free-range organic chicken, cut into quarters by your butcher
2 cups tricolor Fusilli pasta
2 small red tomatoes, diced
1 avocado, as topping
Shredded parmesan cheese, as topping
ground black pepper to taste
Kosher or sea salt to taste
Preparation:
1. In a large stainless steel skillet, saute the garlic and onion on med/high heat in the extra virgin olive oil until golden
2. Add the chicken pieces to the skillet, skin side down. Turn and brown until golden on both sides
3. Add the 6 tablespoons oregano and 1/2 of the squeezed lemons. Now you may also add the white wine. Lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes with the lid on
4. Turn the chicken pieces once more, add the rest of the lemon juice. Return the lid and simmer on low for another 10-20 minutes.
Set aside
5. In a large pot, fill with salted filtered spring water and bring to a rolling boil
6. Add the tricolor fusilli pasta. Boil until al dente and then carefully add the chicken & ingredients from the large skillet into the large pot
7. Cover and simmer on low, for one hour, adding the fresh chopped oregano, 1/2 of the chives, and the mint, within the last fifteen minutes of cooking. Remove the chicken bones
8. Serve in attractive soup bowls, with chopped avocado, parmesan cheese and chives as toppings.

Cherie Bender's Glitter Book Of Magical Cooking ~Tahitian Rose~

~ Tahitian Rose ~ Pastel Drawing  by Cherie Bender

" Your heart is like a magical kitchen. If you open your heart, you already have all the love you need" Don Miguel Ruiz: The Mastery Of Love.

When I think of roses, I think of Love. But roses also have an extra special meaning for me.
My Maternal grandmother smuggled five fragile porcelain roses and one delicate porcelain candle-holder, hiding them under her clothing, while traveling through Germany. Thankfully, escaping Hitler and the atrocities inflicted on her people.  Grandma and Grandpa are my connection to my Jewish family history.
 Amazingly, I now have these celebratory roses, virtually intact,  decorating my festive table settings!  They are a fragile, beautiful, strong remembrance for me of courage, and faith through adversity.
 Treasuring these porcelain roses as keepsakes of infinitesimal value, I feel the power and endurance of love each time I set my table.
The pastel drawing above ~ Tahitian Rose ~ was created as the figurehead of my new Magical Cookbook,  inspired by these porcelain roses and my  garden rose, a Tahitian Rose of majestic loveliness, the scent of which intoxicates and inspires.
Within the synchronicity of reading Don Miguel Ruiz's enlightening book and discovering the chapter "The Magical Kitchen" plus reading lots of amazing cookbooks on my journey, I feel truly blessed with  inspirational messages, healthy cooking, and wise counsel.
Food nourishes the body and soul. Faith nourishes the spirit. I'm an artist combining her great loves in my Magical Cookbook: painting, cooking, and aromatherapy recipes for beautifying the body and relaxing the soul.
Faith+delicious food = inspirational Magical Cooking! Recipes for beauty, health and longevity.
This is a fantastic opportunity and so much fun, sharing  my favorite recipes and illustrating them with my oil paintings, pastels and drawings.
 I'm creating another  new drawing called ~Azulene~ a pastel with Swarovski crystals, highlighting the beautiful healing Chamomile flower, and  the benefits of a Magical Formula of Azure Blue: an essential oil formed by the German method of distilling the charmingly beautiful Chamomile flower. I will be posting my pastel drawing called ~Azulene ~ and sharing my knowledge of the amazing healing and calming properties of Chamomile.
References: The Mastery Of Love: Don Miguel Ruiz;
Flower Power: Flower remedies for Healing  Body and Soul: Anne McIntyre