Italian Medicine: Roast Chicken, vegetable and tortellini soup

This may be the easiest soup recipe I've ever posted. And thank goodness because it's perfect for those down and out sicky times when you can barely lift a finger to do even most average task. Plus, it's chock full of healthy ingredients that will help you get back in order. Did you know there is actual scientific evidence as to why chicken soup fights off a nasty flu or cold?! Read this article for the geeky details: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=117888

Now, back to this recipe. I thought I'd add something a little different to the usual chicken soup blah and being half Italian AND just having been back from a 6 week Italian road trip, I was inspired to go down the, well, Italian route. The best part is, everything I put in this soup can be bought pre-made at any grocery store and all you have to do is throw the ingredients in a slow cooker on high or a big soup pot on the stove on medium. Also, you don't have to be sniffling or coughing to enjoy this soup. It's a delight for anyone at any time!

Ingredients:

2 cans chopped tomato with garlic and herbs added

3 chicken stock pots dissolved in 5 cups hot water

3 tsp dried mixed Italian herbs

2 bay leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

1 whole cooked rotisserie chicken from deli counter

2 celery stalks sliced

2 medium carrots sliced

1  cups okra sliced

1/2 large zucchini sliced and quartered 

1 package refrigerated tortellinis (flavor of your choice)

Add the first 5 ingredients to your heated slow cooker or pot and stir till well mixed to make the broth. Now pull apart the rotisserie chicken into large chunks discarding the skin and carcass but keeping the leg bones. Place chicken pieces and leg bones into the broth. Stir in all the vegetables. Let stew for a good 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Now add the tortellinis and let cook for 5 minutes. If you plan on having leftovers, boil the tortellinis separately and add a few to each bowl as needed. Enjoy!