The monastery's chicken soup recipe still is the best I have ever tasted! Spices like thyme, mint, or dill complement the wholesome chicken breast and stock and the fresh celery, onions, and carrots. Long grain white rice or egg noodles are put into the serving dish immediately before the meal, having been cooked earlier and set aside. No sogginess here! Round out this meal with cheese, homemade bread and lots of fresh fruit.

At the monastery, I especially enjoy this meal after evening services. Inspired by the rays of sunlight at dusk as they cascaded through the refectory widow, our conversation became heightened from the mundane work of the day. When I'm back at home using that same chicken soup recipe, it lets my mind wander back to a nice, quiet serene moment. Isn't it wonderful that both body and soul thrive on chicken soup? You can know from daily drudgery, you can find many good find stories from our troubles.

Fulfilling and lifting the soul is just as important as healing the body. The right chicken soup recipe can do both. What about a chicken wings recipe? Chicken wings are really expensive to buy at restaurants especially when you can buy a whole bag of frozen ones for five or six dollars and you get sixty or seventy wings in a bag. You can buy fresh ones and its usually three or four dollars for twenty or thirty wings. I dont have a fryer so I usually place the wings on a foil lined baking sheet and brush them with vegetable or olive oil to help them crisp and cook them in the oven.

I usually turn them once when I am cooking them and brush the other side with oil as well. The oil usually helps keep them from sticking to the pan. After they are fully cooked I usually toss them in a store bought wing sauce with ranch dressing on the side. For those who need a little added spice, add some red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or other spicy seasonings after you brush the wings with oil. Now that summer is here you can cook outdoors more often instead of slaving away in a hot kitchen. You can make a quick healthy inexpensive diner by firing up the barbeque and making some boneless skinless cubed grilled chicken on skewers with fresh garden vegetables like mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers and onions.

You can marinate the chicken and vegetables first in a zesty Italian salad dressing for seasoning. You can serve it on top of rice or pasta and have a fresh salad to go along with it. Another tasty vegetable you can make on the grill is baked potatoes. Just wash the spuds and wrap them in tin foil so they dont get scorched. Place them directly on the coals for at least 30 minutes depending on the size of the potato and save yourself having to heat up your oven on a hot day. If you put the dressing on your potatoes, it will be healthier than using butter and cream cheese.