PLC - you sure will need soups down there - I love Melbourne!
TL Darling - How are you doing?? Feeling OK?
Saph - thank you for your hilarious story - I hope cyclone campbell is now just a tropical storm. Thanks for the tip re TWW - it was great to see the girls again.
Scoobs - you make me smile - is your baby the character from "Where's Wally"?

Chicken and Vege Soup recipe a la Delly!

30g butter
7 tablespoons olive oil
3 medium sized brown onions - sliced
3-4 sm-med Potatoes - diced
3-4 sm-med Zuchini - sliced
3-4 sm-med Carrots - sliced
(from here on in you basically add every vege in your fridge in equalish amounts - I have added ears of corn (no cob), Shallots, Broccoli, cauliflower, pumpkin, mushrooms you name it - it goes in!)
1-1.5 litres of chicken stock
1 x med sized chicken
1 x 400g tin of 4 bean mix
Salt and Pepper
Mixed herbs
teaspoon vegemite

OK this could not be easier to throw together:

Get big pot - and I mean a big pot
Melt butter and add oil - med heat
add onions stir until well covered and cook until softened (do not brown)
then start to add veg
add potatoes - leave for 3 mins stir occasionally
add carrots - leave for 3 mins stir occasionally
add zucchini - leave for 3 mins stir occasionally
add pumpkin - leave for 3 mins stir occasionally
you get the idea!
add in occasional splashes of oil if it appears to be drying

Once you have everything in add the stock, salt, pepper, vegemite and mixed herbs and bring to the boil - then turn back to a low heat for an hour stirring occasionally.

Take some out and blend and pour back in to get a smoother consistency

Add tin of beans and stir through.
Strip chicken into small pieces and throw it in - do not add skin - it looks awful and tastes worse.

Give it another 20 mins and you are done.

This will serve a small army for about a month and is just so good for you!
Hugs
A