Creamy Chicken Soup

This is a recipe from one of my favorite sources - an Australian Women's Weekly cookbook.

This cookbook give fresh ideas for every stage of a young baby's developing palate. From prenatal nutrition to rice cereal at four months to foods for 6 month-olds, one year-olds, toddlers and busy families you will find so many delicious and healthy recipes along with advice and hints. I love it! Whenever I feel stuck in a rut with my kids (and it is SO easy to do!) this is where I turn for inspiration. Everything is from scratch and gives directions for freezing and adapting meals to be suitable for babies and toddlers. And as a bonus there are some CUTE birthday cakes.

Picking a cake out of the Australian Women's Weekly Birthday Cake cookbook was something I looked forward to each year. And I'm happy to do with my kids as well. Here are some of the cakes I've made with their easy-to-follow directions. (Really - anyone can make these!)

Here's the book I have at home -

And here is a great recipe from AWW Babies and Toddlers! It is a favorite at our house and I like to bring it to new moms or sick families because it's comforting, mild for nursing moms, and the whole family likes it!

1 Tb olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped finely

1 clove garlic, crushed

4 chicken thigh fillets, sliced thinly

2 medium carrots, chopped coarsely

2 trimmed celery stalks, chopped coarsely

1 can of creamed corn

4 cups chicken stock (I use water and bouillon)

1 cup short pasta (shells, elbow macaroni, etc)

1/2 cup cream

1 Tb finely chopped fresh parsley

Heat oil in large pan; cook onion and garlic, stirring, until onion is soft. Add chicken, carrot, celery, corn and stock, bring to a boil; simmer, covered, 20 minutes. Add pasta; simmer, uncovered, about 20 minutes or until pasta is tender. Stir in cream; reheat without boiling, sprinkle with parsley to serve.

Store up to 2 days in fridge (it is generally advised not to freeze cream soups or pasta because of undesirable changes in texture - but if you freeze it before you add the pasta or cream you should be fine!)

For babies: puree

For toddlers: chop to suit development

FOOD STORAGE: use canned/dehydrated veggies and canned chicken. Substitute whatever you have on hand for the cream. I would use evaporated milk (made from powdered milk or from a can) or thicken regular milk with a cornstarch slurry near the end of cooking time.