Friday Flick Soup and Salsa

It has been raining all day, seems like a perfect day to get cozy and make soup. The Seinfeld gang loved their soup, so does my gang here at home.
When I make soup, I usually saute my veggies in oil to get them partially cooked and to impart the flavor in the oil. Because of time, I just added them to the stock. They will cook that way, but will boil instead and have a different - but good - taste.  This soup is a "short cut" soup that will tastes delicious and fill your craving for homemade soup in a lot less time than cooking up a whole chicken. It's the kind of recipe that you can increase or decrease very easily, just add more or less of everything!  And bonus: it's healthy and low calorie. (BTW: Please excuse the cleavage, I did not know how low the shirt was! Won't happen again, promise. : -)
If you calorie counting, or points plus counting, measure out a serving of rice to keep you on track for your daily count.
I visited my friend, Emily, the other day and she graciously bestowed on me the bounties of her garden. When I told her I was going to make salsa with the little yellow plum tomatoes, she requested I add it to my Friday Flick. Here you go, Emily!

Note:  Items demonstrated are shown under the tab "Featured Kitchen Gadgets".

For those who would like the recipes they are listed below:

Shortcut Chicken Soup

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 tbsp. olive oil 

Saute the above in a 5 quart stock pot or dutch oven or just add to broth

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in bite size pieces

Saute or add to broth

4 1/2 quarts water  2 Tbsp. chicken base

or  4 1/2 quarts chicken stock

Salt and Pepper to taste

Simmer on medium heat until chicken is cooked (approx. 30 min.) 

1,2,3 Rice in Rice Cooker:

1 - cup rice

2 - cups water or chicken broth

Equals 3 cups rice

Salsa

6 cups fresh tomatoes (whole) 

1/4 cup red onion 

1 jalapeno 

1 tbsp. apple cider or red wine vinegar

1 tbsp. cilantro (parsley or celery leaves)

1 tsp cumin

1 clove garlic (add another if you like a lot of garlic flavor)

1/4 tsp. Salt 

1/2 tsp. Pepper

Combine the above in a food processor until all blended, pour

into a bowl, serve with chips and enjoy!

If it appears a little watery because of the fresh tomatoes, run it

through a colander.