I am going through a soup season in life right now. I have always been partial to soup but lately I have really been craving warmth. Fuzzy slippers, flannel pants, seat heaters, you name it. I’ve never been big on hot tubs (aesthetically or hygienically) but I’ve recently found myself day dreaming about them on more than one occasion. This can maybe be attributed to the fact that after replacing our hot water heater upon moving in, our shower, much to my dismay, just doesn’t get very hot 😦 Is there anything worse than a ‘warm’ shower? The answer to this is of course yes, there are about a million worse things and this is a total first world problem…I know…. but when I’m standing under that less-than-hot spray, the burn your feet off jacuzzi day dreams come on STRONG.
So, if I can’t have a hot shower, at least I can have hot soup, right? Or perhaps I can use the hot soup to bribe my husband into calling the plumber again. You reading this babe? I think I’m on to something.
This soup is loosely based on a recipe my mom clipped out of the newspaper and became obsessed with a few years back. Hers was delicious, but I think mine is heartier. If you aren’t into orzo you could use rice (or pearl cous cous) and it would still be equally as yummy. The feta is also optional but adds a little something something I would hate to see go.
In other non-soup and non-warmth related news, I’m in the preliminary stages of planning my next trip! Since I’ll have an entire week and a half off before Easter, I decided I needed to take full advantage of that time and a trip was a must! My travel loving friend Michelle, remember her from my Maine posts?, is down to go so we are perusing our options.
Flights to Canada are super affordable and Michelle has a National Parks Pass so we are currently leaning towards British Columbia/Banff. Possibly in an RV, are we nuts? I think yes because I’m really not so good at driving large vehicles with poor visibility. Also check out this ‘direct internet quote’ Michelle sent me about the weather:
| April-May | During these shoulder months, Banff will experience everything from blizzards to warm weather. Although springtime highs can reach the mid-50s, traveling to Banff in April or May is asking for a surprise. |
You guys know how much I love surprises….
Also blizzards. Cold. Ugh.
Despite this, I am actually really excited about this potential trip. I don’t actually know anything about our neighbors to the north other than that the people seem friendly and poutine is delicious. That’s enough for me to be in. We are still in the very earliest planning stages so if you have any BC/Golden recommendations then send them my way! Til then, have some hot soup!
Lemon Dill Chicken Orzo Soup
Ingredients:
1 Onion, chopped
3 Stalks of Celery, chopped
3 Medium Carrots, chopped
2 tsp Olive Oil
3 cloves of Garlic, minced
Salt and Pepper
6 Cups Low Sodium Chicken or Vegetable Broth
1/2 Cup Orzo
1/4 Cup fresh squeezed Lemon Juice
1 1/2 tbsp of fresh Dill, (about 4 sprigs) chopped or 4 tsp dried dill
2 Cups Shredded, pre-cooked Chicken, My preferred method
Feta Cheese to garnish (optional)
Directions:
- Heat a soup pot over medium heat, once hot, add olive oil and saute onion, carrots and celery until soft. Salt and Pepper to taste. Add garlic and cook an additional 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add broth and bring to a boil. Add Orzo and cook according to package directions.
- Once orzo is almost cooked through, reduce heat to simmer and add chicken, lemon juice and dill, stirring thoroughly. Simmer until chicken is warmed through, about 5 minutes.
- Serve in bowls and top with feta cheese. Enjoy!
Atastytrip 