MAMA MANDOLA'S CHICKEN BOWTIE SOUP

                 aka Carraba's Chicken Soup

I first tasted this wonderful chicken noodle soup at a Soup and Chili luncheon at our church last year. It was so delicious that I chose to skip dessert to have 2nds, after I made sure that everyone had eaten all they wanted. 
It is called Mama Mandolas' Chicken Soup.

MAMA MANDOLAS' CHICKEN SOUP
(like Carabas' Restaurant) :

Ingredients:

5 celery ribs
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 medium carrots, peeled
1 large yellow onion
1 large green bell pepper

2 medium potatoes, peeled
1 can (14-ounce size) imported Italian plum tomatoes
1 (5-pound size) Hen, washed and cut into 8 pieces
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
6 quarts water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

The soup I tasted had several shakes of Louisiana Red Hot Sauce in it,but,it wasn't enough to make the soup "hot".


Dice celery, carrots, onion, potatoes and bell pepper into 1/4-inch pieces. Chop tomatoes; reserve all juice. Place vegetables, tomatoes with their juice, chicken pieces, parsley and garlic in a 10-quart stockpot. Add water. Season with salt and pepper. Slowly bring soup to a boil over low heat. Skim off foam that rises to the surface; may have to skim 2 or 3 times. Partially cover pot and simmer 2 hours. When soup is finished, remove chicken pieces with a slotted spoon. Let cool.
ps I added some fresh cut corn to the soup. 

Meanwhile, mash a little bit of the vegetables**(if you desire the soup to be a little bit thicker) in the bottom of the pot with the back side of a large cooking spoon or a potato masher. When chicken has cooled enough to handle, remove skin and bones and chop into bite-size pieces, then return meat to soup.
  
                        Enjoy!  ~ Tami ~