Chicken Tortellini Soup

We invite the family over for dinner and pumpkin carving. It would be so easy if everyone liked chili, but they don't so this year we had chicken tortellini soup. It's always good served with doughnuts.

9 oz frozen cut broccoli, thawed

6 1/2 c water
3 (10 oz) cans condensed chicken broth

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 c cubed cooked chicken

1 c chopped onions

1 c sliced carrots (if your family likes them)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp basil leaves

1/2 tsp oregano leaves (if you have any spices left after they come tumbling out of the cupboard and break and you let out your favorite swear word. And then you bump your head on the open cabinet door when you stand back up, so you swear again. Oh, you don't swear sometimes? Well, welcome to my world.)

7 oz cheese tortellini -- we use the family size (fresh not dried)

In large saucepan, combine water, broth, soup, chicken, onion, carrots, garlic, basil and oregano. Bring to boil -- add tortellini. Simmer uncovered 30 minutes. Add broccoli. Simmer another 5-10 minutes or until broccoli is tender. Serve with parmesan cheese if desired.

This year we also acted out the children's book, The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything. It was always a favorite when I had my home pre-school classes.