For me, finding my grandmother’s recipe collection was more powerful than unearthing an old family photo album or a cherished piece of clothing with the lingering scent of perfume. It let me peek into my grandparent’s everyday life and participate in keeping their memory alive. Recipes can be sacred in families – closely guarded secrets, passed down through the generations, treasures only a select few may have the privilege of receiving. And at the same time, others like to share the modifications we make in our own kitchens with others.
Honing a recipe can take time and requires playing with the recipe until it suits your taste, and more importantly, the tastes of those who dine at your table.
Taste is personal and the art of cooking can sometimes get lost if you follow the recipe exactly. Where is the love and your own personal touch?
Perhaps some wouldn’t agree, and I certainly don’t come from the perspective of cooking for a living, but the danger of following a recipe to the point of no return loses the instinct of the act itself. There is a fine line between consistency and creativity and every person following the same recipe will have a different outcome. I am the middle of three daughters. We each have these collected recipes, but we each excel at different ones. My oldest sister is the master of my grandmother’s pecan pie, and my youngest is the only one allowed to make Mimi's biscuits, and mac & cheese. Me? I simply fill in all the other blanks.
Cooking from the heart takes instinct and courage and the masters of this are many moms who love cooking for their families. Recipes are just guidelines in the art of cooking. They are meant to be shared, modified, and handed down to someone else to do the same. Think of this recipe as a foundation for you to create your own version and share it with the people you love.
Creamy & Lemony Chicken Tortellini Soup with Spinach
INGREDIENTS
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 sweet onion
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 large lemons, divided (zested and squeezed)
- 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped or 1-2 tablespoons dried dill (or hyme, oregano, or rosemary)
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1(19-ounce) bag of cheese or spinach tortellini
- 1 cup heavy cream or 1 cup chicken stock (added to the beginning of the recipe)
- 6 ounces of fresh baby spinach
- 2 ounces feta cheese (or parmesan)
- Garnish with crumbled feta, red pepper flakes, and fresh dill
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place the olive oil in a large 6-8 quart sauce pot over medium-low heat. Once the oil is hot, saute the chopped onion for 3-5 minutes to soften. Add garlic and cook for one minute.
- Add the chicken broth, chicken breasts, zest of one lemon, dill, red pepper, salt, and pepper to the pot. Raise the heat to high, cover, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium, then simmer for 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Using tongs, remove the two chicken breasts from the pot. Use a fork and tongs to shred the chicken.
- Stir in the tortellini and shredded chicken. Simmer for another 8-10 minutes or according to the tortellini package directions. Add the juice of 1-2 lemons depending on the depth of flavor. Turn off heat and add spinach. Cook until just wilted.
- Stir in 2 ounces of crumbled feta cheese or add as a garnish. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with feta, and red pepper flakes.
Note: For a thicker soup, after cooking and removing the chicken, combine a cup of broth with 1-2 tablespoons of flour and whisk well. Add back to the pot and cook for 3-5 min or until thickened.
