Liz's Recommendation - Cream of Chicken Soup

One of my favorite things to do is cook. I would cook and bake all day long, if our financial situation allowed it. Another one of my favorite things to do is eat. I am not a health nut - far from it - but I do know that the fewer processed foods I eat, the better I feel. So I try to make as much as possible from scratch, and not use recipes that call for processed foods. I was getting discouraged a while ago when I kept finding recipes that looked yummy, except for the inclusion of canned cream of chicken soup. I also had a few of my own recipes I was reluctant to make on a regular basis because of this offensive ingredient.

Fortunately, Pinterest came to the rescue, as it so often had before, and I found a recipe for homemade cream of chicken soup. I've modified quantities only slightly, and am completely happy with the result. "But Liz," you may protest, "it's so quick and easy to just pop open a can of cream of chicken and dump it in a bowl with the rest of my ingredients. Surely making my own cream of chicken soup will increase the preparation time on my recipes?" I admit that this process takes longer than opening a can, but it can be done while other parts of your meal are still being prepared, so it really doesn't add to total preparation time. For example: I use this soup in a chicken enchilada recipe that I have had for years. I make the cream of chicken soup while the chicken for the enchiladas is cooking, and it doesn't add any extra time.

So without further ado, here is the recipe:

3 Tbsp. butter
2-3 Tbsp. flour (depending on desired thickness)
1/2 cup chicken broth or stock
1/2 cup milk

Make a roux out of the butter and flour (melt the butter in a saucepan, then whisk in flour). Let it cook for a few minutes to get rid of the floury taste, then add broth and milk. Bring to a bubble, stirring. Remove from heat. You can add salt or pepper to taste, or let it thicken for a couple of minutes before adding to your recipe. This recipe makes the equivalent of one can of cream of chicken soup.

That's it! Easy-peezy. Only four simple ingredients (and it's even healthier if you use homemade chicken broth), it takes just about 7 minutes to make, it's cheaper than buying cans of cream of chicken, and I think it is more appetizing and tastes better than the gloopy-gloppy canned stuff. In fact, every time I make my aforementioned chicken enchiladas, Mike asks excitedly, "Ooh, did you use homemade cream of chicken soup in this??" I don't think any canned cream of chicken soup could inspire that kind of excitement. So you know this version must be good.