Here's what I came up with:
Wade's Chicken and Cabbage victory soup:
Ingredients:
Frozen whole chicken breast
Cabbage
Carrots
Onion
Small can of tomatoes (15 oz?)
Various spices (Celery seed, celery salt, white pepper, black pepper, thyme, oregano, sage, basil, garlic powder)
White vinegar
Bacon bits
Water
1. Cut cabbage into eight or so wedges, removing core. Do not separate leaves. Cut onion and carrot into large pieces.
2. Place chicken breast, still frozen, in dutch oven. Add several cups of water. (I had the breast of a chicken that must have been a Ferigno variety, it was huge! Add core of cabbage (if planning to remove before eating, leave whole; otherwise chunk into two or three pieces.) Add 1/3 of all spices to be used, but DO NOT STIR. Bring to a boil then reduce to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes.
3. (During pre-game show for first game.) NOW you stir. Cut/tear chicken into large chunks. Do NOT remove from the water while cutting/tearing -- but be careful you don't cut/stab yourself.) Add second third of spices. Re-cover and simmer on low for another 30-60 minutes (Note: depending on size of breast and how it was frozen, it might still be frozen in the center. If so, loosen/separate breast as much as possible, and then simmer for another 20 minutes or so until it can be fully cut up, and then simmer for another 30 or so until chicken is cooked enough to eat.)
(Note: this is soup; IMO if you do a non-cream soup recipe right, it should be near impossible to overcook it. Remember, the goal is to get something that can be warmed up over the course of a week)
4. (During half-time of first game.) Add onion and carrots, and stir. Place cabbage on top, but DO NOT STIR. Add remaining spices on top of cabbage. DO NOT STIR. Pour tomatoes on top of cabbage and spices. DO NOT STIR. Re-cover and simmer on low for about 20 minutes.
5. (between games). NOW you stir. If what remains is too thick for your taste, add however much water you think is necessary, any extra spices to taste, increase temp to medium-low, re-cover, and cook for 10-15 minutes. Stir, serve in large mugs with fork and spoon, and watch the Packers kick the crap out of the other team.
The color was a bit weird because of the purple cabbage, but IMO it tasted very good. On my scale of experimental success, I'd give it an 8. It definitely goes into the "keeper" cookbook.
I'm convinced the key to success here (i) are never removing the chicken from the water and (ii) keeping the cabbage in chunks, then putting it in late, between the chicken and the tomatoes, and not stirring until the very end. The first ensures the chicken stays moist and the second ensures that the cabbage stays nicely firm. Chicken absorbs the spices, and cabbage absorbs all the other tastes, steaming rather than cooking in the water. If you are the sort that only warms up what you need for a given meal, I'm guessing you'll be surprised at how firm it will be even when warmed up. I know I was when I re-warmed it for yesterday's games.
Unlike the rest of you, I'm lazy. Too avoid washing more pots, I put the whole dutch oven in my fridge, and warm the whole thing up every time until until only a couple helpings are left. So eventually, like today, I expect to getsoft and semi-yucky cabbage. But if you only warm what you need for a meal, it should still be firm.
And, if I do say so myself, quite tasty.
What would you do with the ingredients I listed in the part I thread?
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2 (NKJV)