Perfect Chicken Stew

Season a 3-7 pound chicken with Garlic powder and Pepper. Roast chicken in oven at 325 degrees.

While chicken is cooking, dice potatoes, slice carrots, chop onions and carrots to desired thickness. Place vegetables in stewing pot and add water until vegetables are covered with about an 3 inches of water. Boil rapidly until potatoes are just finished.

Remove vegetables from the pot by straining them and keep the water. By removing the vegetables and letting them cool, you prevent overcooking them and they won't dissolve into nothing.

With remaining water on low heat, add can of cream of mushroom soup, can of chicken stock and milk (milk optional, Zie Ga Zink).

If you don't use milk, I suggest a premium ready to serve brand of creamed mushroom soup, it will be of a smoother, creamier consistency than the regular cans of mushroom soup.

Get a small sealable container and fill with 1 cup of cold water, then add 1 cup of flour, cover and seal, then immediately shake vigorously. You are making a thickener for the stew, it should look like the consistency of glue with no lumps. If to thick add a bit of water, too thin add a bit more flour, shake very hard again. If there are a few lumps you can remove them by straining. This process, once learned, is very useful for making gravies or other stews without using a high-fat butter and flour 'roux' thickener.

Rapidly add thickener to the starch water/mushroom soup/stock/milk mixture using a whisk. You may have to make a little more thickener if you want a hardier stew, just remember that the stew will thicken more after it is removed from the heat and it stands. Simmer to desired consistency. Stir often. Do not burn! I suggest a non-stick stew pot, it helps prevent burning.

Add the cooked (now cooled) vegetables to the stew.

When chicken is finished roasting, drain juices into the stew. Remove skin and bones. Tear or cut chicken apart and add to the stew.

Stir in about 2-3 tablespoons of salt to stew and about the same amount of pepper to taste.

If you want, try adding a dash of hot sauce or a pinch of Sambel Olek.

Let stew simmer for a little longer. Serve with fresh bread and Enjoy.

Questions? brennarlauterbach@hotmail.com.