barbarafilla's Blog: Passion

You are an awesome group of people and team that is always growing and expanding personally and as a group.

I feel honored, humbled and excited to be a part of this community of champions, leaders, purpose-driven and happy, positive people. Individually we can – and - together we will accomplish whatever we desire – when we are driven by passion. We have begun………….what we will achieve we can’t even imagine at this moment.

I look forward to connecting with all of you. I invite you to visit my blog. http://www.netwebmarketer.com/barbarafilla/wordpress

Enjoy and live “in joy” everyday.

Barbara Filla
Entrepreneur, Business Coach

"Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task. This is the price and the promise of citizenship."

What part of the address was most meaningful to you?
How can that inspire you to move forward with your passion to improve your life and that of others? I would like to hear your comments.

Barbara Filla
Entrepreneur, Business Coach
SingYourSong@GetTimeMoney.com
www.netwebmarketer.com/barbarafilla/word press

I’m up early this morning which is not normal for me. Seems I function better in the evening, night time. But I am energized with all the good people, good ideas, thoughts, actions I hear and see. Our Braveheart Women and it’s leaders Ellie and Charlie, tone of the Inaugural Address yesterday, and the people I know – family, friends, as well as those I meet around town, at the hospital where I volunteer.

America has enough good and great people to assist, inspire, and encourage each of us to be our best, do our best, give our best and then to have what we desire. Let’s get started and continue right now and forever, with passion, purpose, and joy.

What are you passionate about and commited to, today?

Barbara Filla
Entrepreneur, Business Coach
Passion Branding Community
www.twitter.com/platinumbt
Barbara's Happiness, Success and Wealth Blog
SingYourSong@GetTimeMoney.com

Passion Branding brief introduction: Passion Banding is an effective approach to communicating with customers. It engages customers to form a strong emotional connection between a product and service and themselves as consumers.

Passion Branding evolves over time to form a strong emotional connection. Emotional connections are links to people’s heart and mind that last, providing long term results if we continue to give value and service.

The dynamic power of thought (thoughts become things) develops and increases the emotional attachment (passion and loyalty) of the customer to the product or service. Passion Branding then becomes leverage that creates value and positive results for everyone in the relationship…the company (business owner), the consumer, and the product or service.

Passion Branding is also an effective way to market and promote your product or service at very low cost compared to other traditional advertising methods. The low cost is especially valuable during a time when the economy is in a dip because it conserves cash as well and develops a solid foundation for long term increase in revenues from sales.

The Passion Branding process evolves as the power of emotional thoughts and commitment develops and manifests into increasingly greater desired results.
from confidence
to integrity
to pride
to passion, the greatest emotional commitment and the best results for everyone.

Find your passion and use the Passion Branding process for success!

Barbara Filla
Entrepreneur, Business Coach
Passion Branding Community
SingYourSong@GetTimeMoney.com
www.twitter.com/platinumbt
Barbara's Happiness, Success and Wealth Blog

I experienced a more profound, indepth meaning of passion today as the day unfolded in wonderful ways. I got this awesome feeling, I’ve felt it many times over the years, but never thought of it or realized that this is an example of what passion really is.

It’s a deep burning feeling of desire, warmth, wanting to serve others, way down inside my heart. It’s a very strong feeling, it feels it so big and good in my heart… it’s a strong desire to give, share, assist people to feel so valued, so cared for, so good that they’ll stick around forever. They’ll be loyal, true friends because they are receiving so much value and benefits that makes them feel good.

You know what brought all this forth? I’ve been working on web Social Marketing today, experienced some tough challenges, but just kept at it. Tonight out of blue I received a phone call from a twitter follower, who is an expert Web 2.0 person and can assist me. His voice resonated with passion and service tone of voice giving me exactly what I needed. He touched me and my heart responded with the feelings I described above. Wow!

Have you had feelings like this? I’d love to hear your story. That’s a good indicator of your passion.

Barbara Filla
Entrepreneur, Coach
Passion Branding Community
www.twitter.com/platinumbt
Barbara's Happiness, Success and Wealth Blog
SingYourSong@GetTimeMoney.com

I think your passion is your ‘Why’. It’s the foundational core of who you are, what you are, why you are. It’s lying there in the deepest recesses of our heart and soul, just waiting to be acknowledged, clarified and manifested.

Every person has a passion(s) unique to them. It’s what we are made of, it’s what keeps us going no matter what challenges and situations the world and our surroundings present to us. We just haven’t thought about it because of life’s distractions.

Your passion is your desire, that burning desire, that eternal fire in your heart that keeps you going. The ‘pilot light’ is always on even though we aren’t aware of it or recognize it. It burns in changing colors: yellow, blue, tinges of red. It can change as we develop and grow over time with experiences and wisdom.

Yes, it’s elusive and maybe it has been dormant for a while. You may feel that your passion (whatever that may be??) is way beyond your comprehension and possibility and opportunity.
But it is there….waiting for you to search for it, find it, implement it.

Wouldn’t it be great to get in touch with your passion? define and clarify it? and then take focused steps on a journey to experience it – to truly live your passion(s)?

How to Identify Your Passion
Asking yourself some questions will help you become aware of, define and clarify your passions.
I suggest you write your responses on paper. Writing increases our awareness because it embeds ideas and thoughts into our consciousness. The more aware we are, the more attention and focus we give those thoughts, the better and quicker the results are manifested. Ready. Let’s begin!

1. What do you truly love doing, truly enjoy doing? That you would do forever and never get tired of because it’s fun, interesting, challenging or whatever criteria you have. It puts a smile on your face and a song in your heart? Example: I love working with people, listening to them, strategizing, masterminding. My heart and soul, complete attention gets involved in what people are saying, thinking, feeling. At the end, I feel warm and good in my heart, in my whole being, I’m smiling inside and outside.

2. What makes you dream the impossible, think with total freedom and creativity? What makes you feel excited, full of enthusiasm, what do you feel strongly about? For me, I get great energy, enthusiasm and take more consistent, daily action when I’m around like minded people. People who think creatively and dream the impossible, especially relating to doing things that will assist the world and it’s people to have a good life living in harmony, peace, happiness and financial abundance.

3. What are your strengths – what is very easy for you to do and what are you very good at? Don’t shortchange yourself in this area. Your strengths may display themselves in hobbies, in your basic family process (organizing, leading, planning), or in career, recreation times. I took up knitting as a young mother. Every spare second I could find, a knit, a purl stitch was being made. All 3 sons had heavy double strand, warm wool sweaters with Bambi, then flying ducks designs. My mom wore a sweater I made, with cables, geometric designs. She wore it almost every day of her life, for 30 years, until the day she died.

4. What thoughts are in your heart, on your mind, what do you enjoy talking about often? These are what you are interested in. I enjoy reading, researching, keeping current on things going on in the world, U.S. my community, in business, government, and with people. I enjoy envisioning the ‘big picture’ so that I can share and give value to people as a consultant and in informal conversations with people. What fun to look at possibilities for long term big picture!

5. What, if you never have a chance to do, will you regret not doing? What desire is down deep in your heart that you feel you just need a chance to do and want to do?

6. What would you do for free just because you like doing it? What would make you feel satisfied, fulfilled and happy, even if there was no monetary benefits for you? I enjoy volunteer work with people who are in a crisis, feeling stress, worry, uncertainty. Family members waiting for their loved ones in emergency, surgery, intensive care. The opportunity to listen to them, offer encouragement, make them more comfortable in any small way… The rewards are much greater than money could ever be.

You will be surprised at the vast potential and possibilities you’ve opened up for yourself in this exercise. In most cases, further thought and clarification is needed with yourself or other people. You are laying the foundation for stating more specific possibilities and choices You’re on your way to an interesting, fulfilling life.
Passion Clarification + Brand Recognition = Monetization (and happy, fulfilling life)

What are you passionate about? I invite you to share at Passion Branding Community Blog. Personal messages are also welcome.

Have a wonderfully creative and happy day moving toward clarification of your passion.

Barbara Filla
Entrepreneur, Business Coach
Passion Branding Community
www.twitter.com/platinumbt
Barbara’s Happiness, Success and Wealth blog
SingYourSong@GetTimeMoney.com

Fine mist of snow is falling, like whispers from Heaven to help us cleanse our thoughts, bring peace into our hearts, and serenity into our world.

Maybe that’s what snow, cold and winter is all about. Cleaning out the old, preparing us for the spring, for regeneration, building, growing a new and better life. All of this coming in gentle, fine whispers of snow.

Live in peace and inspiration today.

Barbara Filla
Entrepreneur, Business Coach
Passion Clarification and Brand Recognition

Let’s help others get from here:


To Here:
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I need and request your assistance on this. Passion is something different and unique to every woman and person. In an earlier blog post, I shared some thoughts on passion and what it means to me.

It would be wonderful if you would expand upon, shed your unique thoughts and knowledge about passion for you. In the Passion Branding Community, one of our purposes is to assist people to define their passion. The more they know about passion the easier it will be for women and also men.

I invite you to share from your heart. Your words or videos will shed more light on this wonderful concept of passion. It will help other women to take the next step to find and clarify their individual passion, and follow through to use their passion for their benefit: to live their passion, to work with passion, to build a business based on their passion…

I welcome your comments in text or video.
-- How would you describe passion – in the context of knowing, living, working, building a business based on your passion.
-- What does it feel like it? what emotions do you experience?
-- Where does it manifest itself? internal, external?
-- How does your passion affect your daily life every day? or week or over long period of time?
-- Add your personal thoughts, feelings, results, benefits. Share with us what passion means to you.

Your comments will inspire and assist people to awaken to and become aware of their own unique passion.

Thank you for sharing!

Barbara Filla
Coach
Passion Clarification and More
SingYourSong@GetTimeMoney.com

That passion may be residing down deep in the belly of your tummy, just waiting to be recognized.

Or it may be calling You in other ways -----

– What is it that is compelling you with a strong urge to do something? You don’t know what, but something?

– Do you hear your heart calling, beckoning you, talking to you?

– Is there a desperate call from way down in your belly, a desperate yearning?

The world needs you and your passion.

Suzanne’s story of finding her passion for magic is a wonderful story of finding one’s passion. To read it, go to Passion Branding Community. Click on Topics on right and see her story.

Barbara Filla
Passion Clarification and Passion Branding
www.BraveHeartWomen.com/barbarafilla

Joseph Campbell, writer and lecturer, coined the phrase ‘follow your bliss’ in the late 1980s. His philosophy is often identified with that phrase. People resonated with the term and it’s been popular ever since the early 1990s.

It caught my attention as another possible, helpful way to describe, understand and learn and share more about what passion really is.

The dictionary definitions I found for both words are interesting.
Passion is a strong or compelling emotion or feeling, extravagant fondness, fervor, enthusiasm for anything.
Bliss is supreme happiness, utter joy and contentment.

Hmm. This made sense to me, enlightened me…see if it is helpful to you. To me bliss is the ultimate result we are striving for. However, first we need to find our passion. Only then can we take that passion, internalize it, manifest it, and thus live life at the next level, a level of bliss (ultimate passion). Does that make a bit of sense to you?

Passion leads to bliss…
--First, we find the calling in our heart (our passion) and accept it completely.
--Second, we build, grow and manifest our passion…build a business, build and manifest our life’s work and purpose.
--and finally, we monetize it to provide us abundance that supports our life’s purpose, happiness and desired lifestyle… to bliss.
Awesome results are possible when we find our passion! And act upon it.

Finding My Passion.
Makes me recall a wonderful passion I had for knitting.
Seeing beautiful cable knit sweaters, other beautiful knit garments in magazines caught my eye. I wanted to see my young sons, even myself wearing sweaters like that….I REALLY wanted my family to have and enjoy the warmth, comfort and beauty of these unique garments. My curiosity became an intense desire in my gut. I still remember the feeling, a good feeling….I just had to do it feeling.

Build, Grow, And Develop My Passion
How can I do that? I can if I learn how, so I took lessons, made some small items. It was so much fun, challenge of making each stitch with same tension so it looked perfect (or nearly). I practiced day and night, every spare moment I could find.

Then I found a unique yarn shop, expert owner there, bought pattern books, yarn, and tackled the BIG projects I originally had in mind. She mentored me, taught me more things, got me the special yarns – just perfect for designs and ducks and Bambi, and more. Everywhere I went, all the time, my focus was on yarn, knitting techniques, needles, patterns, looking for that ultimate beautiful sweaters for my family.

Manifest My Passion
It took a few years. My passion increased, my focus intensified, my skills grew from daily practice, and I accomplished my goal. Yes, I knit daily way into the early morning hours when boys were sleeping, it was in my blood, it was my relaxation, my fun, my challenge! I couldn’t stop.

Doing my passion was awesome! It was my bliss to see my family and myself wearing these unique, hand-made sweaters, and receiving compliments from people. Living my passion filled me with joy and bliss.

Monetize My Passion and Let it Support My Purpose
We lived a frugal lifestyle where most of the clothes we wore were hand made. We wore the knit garments and didn’t buy sweater-jackets and coats at retail stores. The boys’ sweaters were jackets for cool days, fall and winter seasons (double wool yarn, heavy duty and warm with generous collars that could be opened to almost cover their ears in cold weather). And they stretched to grow as the boys grew, so didn’t require replacement every year. My passion to knit saved money and it gave me great joy.

Today
A couple days ago chatting with a lady and conversation turned to knitting. The memory, feeling in my gut and heart……..all the wonderful memories came back. I wanted to run right down to a knitting shop and buy some yarn. Seems that passion is still very intense…now in memory, not action. At least for the time being.

What stories and experiences of passion or bliss have you had?

We welcome your stories in the Topics Section of the Passion Branding Community.

Your stories will inspire and encourage other BraveHeartWomen in their journey to discover their passion.

Barbara Filla
Passion Branding Community
Passion Clarification + Brand Recognition = Monetization.

Our first born was a special developmentally-disabled little boy, which we didn’t know until he was 15 months old. The doctor kept answering our questions with, ‘He’ll grow out of it’…meaning his slow (almost no) development like other babies and toddlers his age. He couldn’t chew food, or even keep it down so it could nourish and build his body.

Finally after 15 months taking care of Frankie 24/7 with his physical situation, health issues, (surgery, pneumonia, in hospitals and out, and lots more) I had to do something. Now I had a second son who was 3 months old, much more advanced than Frankie at 15 months of age.

His daddy wasn’t available to assist a lot because we owned a business where 12+ hour days, seven days a week was required. The business was very successful, crowded all the time.

When Frankie was 15 months old, we visited a retired doctor that delivered me into this world to get some answers. One look at little Frankie, and he said, “Your son is retarded (developmentally disabled).” I didn’t even know what that term meant. I was a young mom, 20 years old, had seen only active, healthy, thriving infants.

You know, I was so relieved to finally have someone tell me the truth! Now I had a ‘starting point’. I wouldn’t give up, I would find something, some way, some place to help him. That was my passion and ‘mommy determination’.

I began to research, study, write letters even to National Institutes of Health and other places I found in the library. I didn’t find much out there, so took the challenge on myself. I WOULD find a way! I had hope, a passionate hope, that carried me on day after day, many times hour by hour.

I went from one passion goal to another with Frankie because I was determined to find a way to help him progress to be as ‘normal’ as possible. He didn’t learn to sit up until 18 months, and that was with constant ‘practicing’ many hours every day. He also didn’t comprehend when we talked to him, he didn’t talk. He never talked his entire 39 years on this world.

Frankie didn’t know how to chew food, and buying Gerber’s baby food was too expensive. All he could eat was pureed food, otherwise he would choke. So we enlarged the garden, grew our own food, and pureed all his food. We bought uncountable crates of peaches, pears, other fruit and vegetables and canned them in quart jars. I would have 12 dozen quarts of peaches canned each year, and can’t even remember how many of the other fruits and vegetables. I baked all the bread and other items. When I remember back now, I really don’t know where I got the energy or found the time to accomplish everything. Yes, I do know. My reliance on my God, my best friend, my prayers. Miracles happened every day.

Groceries: Once every 6 weeks I went to a larger city to a discount grocery mart, filled the car with enough of everything to last 6 weeks. The milkman delivered milk and butter to the door three times weekly. Sorry, got sidetracked, but this is part of the passion story too. Passion never gives up, it’s unstoppable. Back to Frankie.

When Frankie was 2 years old, I felt there had to be some way to teach him to walk, now that he could sit up. By this time I had researched all over the country, read every book I could get my hands on….searching because the medical people offered no assistance.

He also was sick often, bronchitis, pneumonia, ear infections, grand mal seizures (these scared me to death every time he had one – the jolting of his little body in my arms, turning blue, then becoming listless…I thought he was going to die.)

Back to walking. We had a 4-wheel walker. Somehow Frankie would learn to walk. I realized the only way he learns is by repetition every day, often. If we don’t follow through daily, even several times each day, he forgets and we had to start over from scratch.

So, in the walker he goes. I crouch down on my knees, place one of his little feet on the floor, then the other… left foot down, right foot down, for many hours every day, never missing a day. Finally after months (I don’t remember how many) he developed the habit of walking. This was awesome success!! My passion was my drive to move forward, no matter what, when, why, where!

But mix that with a little guy who doesn’t comprehend words… He required 24/7 attention because he didn’t remember not to do unsafe or dangerous things. Solving one challenge led to many new ones, too many to share here.

Eventually he learned to open doors… so he’d fall down the stairs into the basement, he’d pull items like hot steaming coffee off the table and get second-degree burns; he opened the outside door and was in the middle of the state highway next to our house.

Frankie did find joy in a couple simple things. He loved Lawrence Welk music and other music too, and loved to suck on a chocolate Hershey Bar (without nuts, of course). Simple pleasures, what a life lesson.

Frankie was my passion for five years, until I just couldn’t keep him safe at home any longer. By then we had two younger sons, and their lives were very important too.

Frankie was the ‘angel guide’ who transformed my life. He is the reason for my passion in health care and for assisting people to accomplish and achieve their desires and goals, no matter how small or large.

I began that transformation by working in health care facility, then as accountant and business consultant to health care and other businesses, entrepreneur, and more. I always have passion. Frankie taught me that passion (an intense desire and commitment) is necessary foundation to accomplish anything.

This little boy did learn to walk and he taught me more about life than anyone or any thing ever could.

Frankie lived his purpose on this world and he led me to my purpose and passion(s). Thank God for the opportunity to have an angel named Frankie in my life!

Barbara Filla
Passion Branding Community
Passion Clarification, Brand Recognition, Monetization and more

PS: I invite you to share stories about passion(s) you’ve had already in your life – small passions, large passions, short term passions and long term passions. Passion is what carries you through difficulties and challenges. Your story is the perfect inspiration for other people.

I found this poem about finding your passion. It resonated with me, how about you?



Hear Me Calling YOU
By: S. M. G.

I touch you
through a beautiful scene
you leave it feeling peacefully serene
who do you think put it there

For your eyes to glean?

I speak to your heart
sometimes I even shout
you hear but don't respond
your thoughts have gone beyond

Then you secretly abscond!

I reach for you
in ways that count
as your days feel numbered
you gently dismount

I will continue to reach out to you
I have never forsaken you
as my words speak through you
I again will not cease to rescue you

Your angelic virtue is true as you untiringly pursue.

Hear Me! Calling YOU!

-----------------------------------
Find your passion. I invite you to join our Passion Branding Community.

Barbara Filla

Passion Clarification + Brand Recognition = Monetization

All you dear BraveHeart Women, have a delightful, wondrous day!

Give Love...........
http://greatday.com/v.html?2210m07L6naz


Barbara Filla
Passion Branding Community
Find Your Passion and more..

“Live out of your imagination, not out of your history”
Stephen Covey

Reminds me of my granddaughter, at age of four. She drew me a picture of…I had no idea of what. Then she asks me what it is………. As I’m studying the maze of colors, zig zags, lines all over…..and finally I tell her I don’t know. I didn’t want to hurt her feelings after she so diligently and conscientiously completed her work of art. She says, “Grandma, just use your imagination!” Wisdom from a child! I’ll never forget her words.

So is life, huh. It’s what we imagine it to be in our mind. When the vision is so beautiful and strong that we must have it, we will make it come true somehow.

Reality is: sitting in my recliner rocker, laptop computer on my lap - working, gazing out the window at cold, white snow, gray overcast sky, my body is cold in the house….. snow coming Wednesday through Friday…history of winter season.

But my vision and imagination takes me somewhere else: I’m in a warm climate taking a leisurely walk, enjoying the sun, soft breezes on my face and body, brilliant green trees, grass, beds of flowers of all colors. Warm, sunny feeling of being carefree and free from cares of the world, just bliss and beauty.

Want to join me for a cup of tea, lemonade or….whatever you like? and some good conversation. Can we have dessert too – just this one time? anything chocolate, something new I’ve not had before, surprise me.

I’m ‘likin’ this imagination stuff more and more. That was my break – ready to go back to work now, filled with renewed energy, ideas….

Barbara Filla
Passion Branding Community

I found this on Web today. Recipe and author's style is interesting. It's long, so I bolded the Recipe Title farther down in the blog.

Best Homemade Chicken Soup Recipe for Colds and Flu
2/16/2009 9:25:00 AM
www.OpenZine.com

So you are under the weather huh? Has your family spread their sickly germs around and you are just waiting for your turn? Maybe you don't live near your mother close enough to take advantage of her cooking and caring for you. Are you coughing? Can't breath through your nose and you're wheezing? Feel like a cold's coming on or you know you got one bad?

Well continue to read and get this great recipe I have concocted which creates a few twists to your normal homemade chicken soup recipe made specifically to help clear your nasal passages, open your airways and to help you start to feel better as soon as you have your first spoonful.

Containing fresh garlic, onions, rosemary, jalapenos, red cayenne pepper, cumin, scallions - it is with these fresh ingredients that help shorten your cold and open your airways allowing you to breath, aids in making your coughs productive and take rest to start healing.

How this recipe came to being:

Recently, my partner's son was in from overseas, and while my guy was preparing for his son's visit, he went out and bought what seemed like the farm when in came to the amount of chicken he brought home. I never had so much frozen chicken in my house. And though we hadn't had our first colds of the year, we started taking turns every week in making our versions of homemade chicken soup. We came up with many versions - all delicious, each having their own characteristics and variations of added seasonings.

What we learned is that homemade chicken soup regardless of how you make it, or what ingredients you put into it, hot chicken soup is always good for the body and soul especially when you are feeling under the weather.

Now we obviously know there are a lot of moms and grandmothers out there who swear (OK they don't actually swear, well at least some of them don't swear out in public - OK some of them do and you probably have seen those few moms on the Jerry Springer show, but I digress). But thesemothers and mothers of mothers certainly promise that their chicken soup recipe is simply the best to help cure colds - one thing is for sure, mothers (including yours were right). Sipping hot fluids really do help thin out mucous sputum and help open up the nasal passages - and as there are a countless number of 'mothers' out there, there are certainly a countless number of different versions of chicken soup to help you during your colds...

There really are scientific results stating how hot chicken soup can shorten a cold's duration while relieving symptoms - so what are you and I waiting for? Here's my latest version. And if you are curious to read wikipedia.com's comments on the history and healing properties of chicken soup - simply click...

My version with the added red chili pepper flakes and sliced jalapenos really help open up your airways and allow your nose to actually breath again while the fresh rosemary helps your lungs function. So shall we get started cooking?

Recipe for Chicken Soup

The cooking process is rather simple, you will be adding the ingredients along with the chicken and water and allowing it all to boil then simmer for at least 90 minutes until the chicken is done. Then removing the chicken allowing it to cool so that you can remove the meat from the bones. Then cooking your noodles separately if you want to add them to your soup, then adding the last of the reserved veggies to your soup and returning the now-deboned chicken along with the noodles to the soup and serving it up to you and your family.

Ingredients:

* One large Soup Pot
* chicken pieces - I used three leg quarters (legs and thighs)
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 4 stalks celery - diced (reserve one stalk)
* 2 jalapenos - diced (or more)
* 2 medium sized onions - diced
* 3 large carrots - diced (reserve one carrot)
* 2+ teaspoons kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
* 1 teaspoon+ red pepper flakes
* 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 4 tablespoons of FRESH rosemary, minced
* 1/2 teaspoon cumin
* 4-6 whole 'cloves' of allspice
* 2 large bay leaves - fresh or dried
* 6-8 cups of water
* 2 tablespoons of 'better than bouillon' chicken flavored paste (optional)
* 4 stalks of scallions - diced and added at the end.
* 2 cups dried noodles (optional & cooked separately near the end)
* chopped fresh parsley or cilantro added at end or to the bowls when serving.

Directions:

* Gather your ingredients and place your large stock pot on your stove or even use your slow cooker.
* Add olive oil to your stock pot (if you are using your slow cooker omit this step and simply add your ingredients to the slow cooker starting with the vegetables first, then add the chicken, then the water and turn it on)
* Remember to reserve one celery stalk, one carrot and all the scallions - you will be adding those last to the soup pot once your chicken has cooked and you have removed the meat from the bones and replaced it back into the soup - this keeps them slightly crunchy and adds color)
* Add diced onions, celery and carrots to the mix and turn the heat under pot.
* Allow the vegetables to sweat for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
* While vegetables are cooking, remove skin off chicken and separate legs from thighs.
* Add chicken to pot, add all remaining ingredients: garlic, spices, salt and peper, jalapenos, etc. (except for one carrot, one celery stalk, scallions)
* Add water to pot enough to bring the water level to about one inch from the top.
* Allow to come to a boil, then lower heat and allow the soup to simmer for at least 90 minutes.
* Scoop out chicken. Let cool slightly so it is easier to remove meat from bones.
* While noodles are cooking (see next step) and chicken is cooling, add the reserved diced carrot, celery and scallions to the soup.
* When removing meat from the chicken bones, I like to keep the chicken in chunks.
* Cook noodles separately and when done drain and rinse noodles before adding to soup.
* Serve up in bowls to feed your cold and starve your fever!

Variations & Tips:

* You can easily allow this to cook for much longer of course, just remember, the longer you cook the chicken in, it might be a bit 'drier' despite it being cooked in the soup.
* Adding additional jalapenos or red pepper flakes at the end will bring up the 'heat factor' opening up the most stubborn of stuffed noses.
* Adding a squeeze of lemon juice to the bowl will also up the vitamin C content.
* You can 'cheat' with the chicken and buy a pre-cooked roasted chicken, remove meat from bones and 'start' the soup with the bones only and adding the meat after 90 minutes. - This is especially helpful for those too weak and need a quick fix of chicken soup. Just be sure not to add any of the skin to the soup.
* By adding the jalapenos, red chili flakes and cayenne pepper in the beginning, the soup takes on a gentle heat mellowing out the spiciness of the jalapenos. I personally like to add more red chili flakes and sliced jalapenos into my bowl just before serving to make it extra spicy - it gets my nose passages to open up so fast, I simply love being able to breath again.
End.

I haven't tried the recipe, but I love chicken soup, so have it on my list.

Barbara Filla
Entrepreneur, Passionate Coach and 'sometimes' a cook too
Passion Branding Community
www.braveheartwomen.com/barbarafilla