QUICK TIP
If any of the food items have gone off or are questionable, discard them and don’t risk the entire batch being spoiled.Equipment Needed
Instant pot, or large pot, knife and chopping board, large spoon, ladle
Instructions
Clear out the fridge of all the week’s leftovers, and separate them into categories: leftover raw vegetables that are still good to eat, vegetable trimmings that will be good for the stock, cooked proteins, and dairy.
Using an instant pot, or a large stock pot, make a broth using leftover rotisserie chicken and unwanted vegetable trimmings from carrots, celery, and onions/leeks/green onions. Add fresh garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns as well as some sea salt.
Fill Instant pot/stock pot with water, and cook on high in the instant pot at full pressure for 90 minutes, or on the stove top in the stock pot for 3 to 4 hours over medium heat. When done, remove large pieces of chicken and vegetable scraps from the broth with a slotted spoon, then strain the entire mixture through a fine sieve and set aside in Mason jars.
Dice all raw vegetables finely and place into a bowl. We had carrots, celery, leeks, and green onions leftover to use.
Chop all leftover cooked vegetables into small pieces, and set aside in a bowl, we had roasted mini potatoes, roasted peppers and asparagus, and some glazed carrots.
Chop all leftover proteins into small dice as well. We had some deli ham and some grilled chicken breasts.
To make the soup:
Sauté the raw chopped vegetables in 2 tbsp butter with some sea salt, and pepper until they are soft. Then add the cooked potatoes, glazed carrots, chopped proteins, and homemade broth. Let this mixture simmer for 45 minutes, stirring often. Add the roasted peppers and asparagus, leftover shredded cheese, and 1 cup of 10% cream and cook for 10 more minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy soup within three days.