Farmer Boy Recipe - "A Chicken in Every Pot"

President Herbert Hoover was supposed to have made this declaration as part of his 1928 Presidential Campaign - but - he never made that promise!  He was optimistic about the nation's future and looked for a time of prosperity - but he never made that quote. 
I got this information off the web site for the Hoover Presidential Library -
"Many people believe that President Hoover did little or nothing in response to the Great Depression. In fact, beginning immediately after the stock market crash in October, 1929, Hoover implemented many ideas to lessen the effect of the Depression and to hasten the recovery.  He directed all Federal Departments to speed up public works and other projects, in order to create more jobs.  He directed the Federal Farm Board to support commodities prices and asked Congress to decrease non-essential government spending and use the money to start new public works. President Hoover called many conferences with industry and finance leaders to encourage voluntary cooperation among businesses to relieve the Depression.  Hoover also created the President's Organization on Unemployment Relief to stimulate and coordinate employment and relief efforts.
After the collapse of the European economy in April of 1931 caused the Depression to become worse, President Hoover called for a temporary suspension of international debt payments, which saved the international banking system from complete collapse. With foreign trade at a standstill, prices for U.S. manufactured goods and farm products fell, and American industries began laying off even more workers. President Hoover asked Congress to appropriate more money for farm loans and to create the Reconstruction Finance Corporation, which would be used to help financially endangered building and loan associations, agricultural cooperatives, banks and railways. He proposed federally funded Home Loan Discount Banks to help protect people from losing their homes.  He asked Congress to loan $300,000,000 to the states to aid their relief programs, and to transfer agricultural surpluses from the Farm Board to the Red Cross for distribution to relief agencies.
By July, 1932 the Depression had begun to show signs of improvement.  But many people in the United States were unhappy with the rate of recovery, and blamed Hoover for all the problems and suffering that had occurred.  With the Presidential election approaching, the Democratic candidate, Franklin D. Roosevelt, promised the people a "New Deal." In November, Roosevelt was elected President."

"Mr. Hoover's personal policy throughout his public career was to accept no compensation for any public service, though when he worked for the Government as Secretary of Commerce and President, he was required by law to accept a salary.
In an interview with Charles Scott, editor of the Iola (Kansas) Daily Register in January, 1937, Hoover explained: "I made up my mind when I entered public life that I would not make it possible for anyone to say that I had sought public office for the money there was in it.  I therefore kept the money that came to me as salary in a separate account and distributed it where I thought it would do the most good. Part of it went to supplement the salaries of men who worked under me and whom the government paid less than I thought they were worth. Part of it went to charities." "

I know some folks would find it hard to believe that soup didn't originate in a can!  In fact, before cans were invented, people actually made everything that they ate, from something called, "Scratch".  They actually gathered all the ingredients and put them together and cooked them - in their own kitchen!  Perhaps this never occured to you!  Or maybe you thought it would be too difficult for you to do something like that!  But, please allow me to introduce you to "HOME COOKING".  Soup is probably one of the easiest meals that you could make.  This recipe is one example.  I challenge you to just try making this and tell me if you could accomplish it.  This may be the first time you made a meal, but if you can do this, it won't be the last time!

Farmer Boy Country Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

• 3 Tablespoons - bacon drippings & 2 Tablespoons - olive oil
• 4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless, diced into 1/2")
• 2 Tablespoons - all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon - poultry seasoning
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 ribs of celery, diced
• 1 small turnip, diced
• 1/2 parsnip, diced
• 4 Cups - mixed vegetables (frozen are just fine) & 1 Cup of broccoli pieces
• 2 Cups - Kluski noodles (or homemade)
• 1/4 Cup - pearl Barley
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons - Lemon Juice
• 8 Cups - water
• 1 teaspoon - What's this here sauce (Worchestershire sauce:)
• 1/2 Cup spinach, roughly chopped
• 2 teaspoons - parsley
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 Tablespoon of chicken bouillion or stock or broth (be careful - bouillion can be salty!)

Directions: In a large pot, heat the bacon drippings and oil over medium high heat.  Coat the chicken with the four and poultry seasoning and add it to brown up.  Add in the carrots, onions, parsnip, turnip and celery.  Add the water and stir to unstick everything from the bottom.  Add the remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for about an hour to an hour and a half.  
That's it - easy!                                                                                        

If you want to "Turn the Tables" and can your soup after it is prepared, just follow these directions: Ladle the soup into quart processing jars, leaving 1 inch headspace.  Secure the 2-piece lids. Place in a steam canner and process at 10 lbs. for 90 minutes.  Remove the jars to cool and store. (If canning "meatless" soup, decrease the processing time by about 15 minutes.)

Please leave a comment here, to let us all know how it goes.  Thanks. The Old Man in the Bib Overalls

If you want to know more about President Hoover, read the biography that was written by Rose Wilder Lane