It must be that from year to year I forget just how bad the flu bug really is. And here again this year I think it is worse than I can ever remember. There have been so many people out sick at the Senior Center and church, and it seems everywhere I go people are talking about the illnesses in their particular family. So with that thought, I will change hats from nurse to recipe collector. Yes, the flu is at our house, too. I have mentioned before it isn't too bad when one person is sick, but when three are sick at the same time, it does tend to make things very interesting.

What would flu season be without a good pot of homemade chicken soup? Today I will share a few chicken soup recipes with you that we have enjoyed, and I hope you will, too. But more than that, I hope you avoid the flu.

Spring Chicken Soup

3 to 4 ounces macaroni, prepare according to directions, set aside

1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth

2 (10 3/4 ounce) cans cream of chicken soup

1 cup milk

2 cups chopped ham

1 onion, diced

2 carrots, peeled and juiced

2 ribs celery, diced

1/2 cup butter

1 (16 ounce) can tomatoes

2 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces

salt and pepper to taste

1 pint half-and-half

In a medium-sized bowl, combine macaroni and broth, soup and milk. Set aside. In a large soup pot, saut ham, onion, carrots and celery in the butter. Add broth mixture and simmer over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, chicken and seasoning. Add half-and-half and gently heat through. Serves 8 to 10.

Chicken Vegetable Soup

1 (6.25 ounce) box Uncle Ben's Instant Long Grain and Wild Rice

3 pounds chicken, cut up

6 tablespoons instant chicken bouillon

1 yellow onion, diced

8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup butter

2 cups diced carrots

2 cups diced celery

Cook chicken in 8 cups water over medium-high heat until tender. Remove from broth to cool. Skim fat and residue off of the broth. Add bouillon, carrots and celery to broth and cook until tender. Add rice and seasoning packet that comes with the rice. Continue to cook over medium heat. Saut mushrooms and onion in the butter. Add to the broth. Skin and bone chicken and cut into small pieces. Add to the broth and serve. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

Chicken, Mushroom and Barley Soup

2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

3 cups chicken broth

3/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup quick-cooking barley

2 large carrots, cut into thin slices

1/4 pound mushrooms, cut into thin slices

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

10 cherry tomatoes

1 small bunch scallions, coarsely chopped

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour. Continue cooking and stirring until the flour has completely absorbed the butter. Increase the heat to medium-high, slowly add a small amount of the chicken broth and stir to combine with the butter and flour. When there are no lumps of the flour left, it is safe to add the remaining chicken broth. Also add the thyme and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring until slightly thickened. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, stir in the barley and cook for 3 minutes. Add the carrots and cook for 3 more minutes. Add the mushrooms, chicken and whole tomatoes. Return the soup to a boil over medium-high heat, breaking up the tomatoes with the spoon. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the scallions and serve hot. Yield: 4 servings.

Golden Chicken Soup

1 (5 pound) stewing hen, cut up

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 gallon water

1 pound carrots, scraped and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 pound parsnips, cleaned and cut into 1-inch pieces

5 stalks celery, cleaned and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 large bunch fresh parsley

Combine chicken, onion, salt, pepper and water in a large Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 20 minutes. Add carrots, parsnips and celery; stir well. Place parsley on top of soup; cover and simmer an additional 3 hours. Remove chicken and vegetables from soup; set aside. Discard parsley. Strain broth. Remove chicken from bones, and coarsely chop; return chicken and vegetables to strained broth. Place over medium heat, and cook until thoroughly heated. Ladle soup into serving bowl. Yield: about 1 gallon.

Chicken Vegetable Soup

2 quarts chicken stock or broth

1 cup sliced carrots

1 cup green peas

1 cup chopped celery

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups diced cooked chicken

1/2 (8 ounce) package medium egg noodles, cooked and drained

1 teaspoon dried whole rosemary

1 teaspoon dried whole thyme

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Stir in remaining ingredients. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Ladle into soup bowls and serve. Yield: 3 quarts soup.

I'm sure each of you have your own favorite soup recipe, but give one or more of these a try.

Have a great week, stay healthy and happy cooking.