Showing posts with label Soups and stews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Soups and stews. Show all posts

Friday, January 12, 2024

New and Improved Chicken Enchilada Soup



I have a few different Chicken enchilada / chicken tortilla, and different chicken soups on here, but I did a few things different yesterday when I made this soup and it was soooo good I had to write down what I did. It's cold, winter and blizzardy weather here, and it always makes me crave soup. Nothing like a warm soup at the end of the day to warm you up. I love garnishing soups like this with a lot of different topping choices, just adds a little something to the soup. Garnish with your favorites and enjoy!

 New and Improved Chicken Enchilada Soup

4 or 5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups chicken broth
1 4-oz can diced green chiles

Seasonings: I used salt, pepper, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder,  chili powder, smokey paprika and dried cilantro.

Place these ingredients in a crockpot and sprinkle the seasonings over the chicken. Feel free to use whatever seasonings you have and like for this soup. I never measure my seasonings, I just sprinkle a bit of each. I cooked on high for 3 to 4 hours until the chicken was shreddable. Turn off and set aside.

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic

In a soup pot, drizzle the olive oil over the bottom and heat over medium high heat till it starts shimmering slightly. Add the chopped onion and cook until fragrant and slightly translucent (around 5 to 7 minutes). Then add the garlic, and cook another 30 seconds. 

Next, sprinkle more of the seasonings you used to season the chicken over the onion mixture and cook over medium heat for another minute. I didn't measure my seasonings, just used a good sprinkle of each. 

Remove the cooked chicken from your crock pot  and add to your soup pot with onions, shred with 2 forks. Next, strain the broth from your crock pot and add to the soup pot with onions and chicken. 

2 10-oz cans red enchilada sauce, I used mild but you can used medium or hot if desired.
2  14-oz cans hominy, I used 1 white and 1 yellow. Rinsed and drained
1 19-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
4 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temperature. (I warmed in a bowl in the microwave and mixed with one can of the enchilada sauce to get rid of big lumps.)

Add  all of the ingredients above to the soup pot. If you need more chicken broth to thin out a little, add as needed. I think I added another 2 cups. Taste for seasoning and add more salt , pepper,  and a little sprinkle of chipotle powder if you need it a little more spicy. Bring up to a boil, then turn to medium / medium low heat  and let this simmer for about 20 minutes to let the flavors blend. Prepare the garnishes while you wait.

Garnishes :

Fresh Cilantro, chopped
shredded green cabbage
Sour cream
Grated cheese
Chopped avocado
Tortilla chips
Pepitas

Serve! Let people pick the garnishes they like and enjoy!!


Sunday, November 4, 2018

Creamy Mushroom and Rice soup


I had a lot of the  rice and mushroom side dish I posted earlier. My hubby's most favorite soup is cream of mushroom soup. When we were first married I didn't know how to cook that well,  so I would make the canned kind.... Funny, I never thought of just eating that like soup, thought it was strictly for casseroles. But anyway, I thought the leftovers from my mushroom rice  side dish would make a great Creamy Mushroom soup... it was delicious... Enjoy!

Creamy Mushroom and Rice soup

1/4 butter
1/4 cup flour
pinch of Thyme
fresh ground pepper
2-3 cups good chicken broth or veggie stock (depending on how thick or how much you want to make)
1 or 2 cups of half n' half  (you can use straight milk or cream but I like 1/2 n 1/2)
Left over Mushroom and Rice
Salt and pepper to taste

Make a roux by melting the butter in a soup pot or dutch oven, then add the flour and whisk into the butter; let cook for about a minute over medium heat.
Then add 2 cups of the broth while whisking. Let this cook for a few minutes until it thickens slightly.      
If it's too thick add another cup of broth. 
Add 1 or 2 cups of half n' half and about 2 cups of the mushroom and rice. I just ad-libbed this recipe, I added mushroom and rice till it was as thick as I wanted my soup to be. 
Let this simmer for a few minutes at a medium low heat so the rice is hot.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. I served with grilled sandwiches or a crusty french bread would be great too.
Enjoy!!

Saturday, March 17, 2018

Sweet Potato Corn Chowder with Bacon

I have been a care giver to my elderly parents for the last 6 or 7 months, and it's hard coming up with recipes that they love and will eat or are able to eat. My mother has been eating sweet potatoes like you wouldn't believe and it's easier for my dad to eat soup rather than slices of meat or things like that. I saw this recipe on The Kitchen I had to give it a try. I basically followed exactly but I also added some dried parsley to the herbs and pretty much doubled the bacon ... Yum

Sweet Potato Corn Chowder with Bacon

Ingredients: 
       2 tablespoons butter
6 to 8 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into a small dice 
2 cups diced peeled sweet potato
1/2  medium onion, diced 
2 cloves garlic, chopped 
1 small red bell pepper, diced 
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried sage  
1 bay leaf 
                1 Tablespoon dried parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour 
2 teaspoons yellow curry powder 
1/2 package frozen sweet petit frozen corn
2 cups chicken stock 
1 cup heavy cream 
1/4 cup minced chives (opt. can use green onion tops)

Directions: 
In a stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the bacon and cook until crispy and most of the fat is rendered, about 8 minutes. Set the bacon aside for later use, leaving the fat in the pot.
In the same pot over medium heat, saute the sweet potato, shallots, garlic and bell pepper, stirring frequently, until the shallots are tender and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the thyme, sage and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper. Add the flour and curry to the vegetables and stir until incorporated. Cook for another 2 minutes.
Add the corn and chicken stock, bring to a simmer and cook, covered, until the sweet potato is tender, another 20 to 25 minutes. Add the cream and cook a few minutes more till hot.  Season with salt and pepper.

Plate into individual bowls and garnish with the crispy bacon and chives.

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Zuppa Toscana Soup

I love Soup...it's a new tradition in my family that either the day before thanksgiving or Black Friday, we have an Ugly Christmas Sweater party. We eat and play games all evening. This year I made this Delicious Zuppa Toscana Soup that I found here. I followed the recipe as it was except I used a Hot Italian Sausage and left out the Crushed red pepper, and instead of just spinach I did a mix of kale and baby spinach..... So good. Enjoy!


Best Ever Zuppa Toscana Soup

Ingredients 1 pound bulk Hot Italian sausage 4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 1 large onion, diced 1 tablespoon minced garlic 5 (13.75 ounce) cans chicken broth 6 potatoes, thinly sliced 1 cup heavy cream 1/4 bunch fresh baby spinach and kale mix (I used a couple of handfuls)Directions Cook the Italian sausage in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crumbly, browned, and no longer pink, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and set aside. Cook the bacon in the same Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. drain and set aside. Leaving a few tablespoons of drippings in the bottom of the Dutch oven, stir in the onions and garlic; cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour the chicken broth into the Dutch oven with the onion mixture; bring to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes, and boil until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the heavy cream and the cooked sausage and bacon; heat through. Mix the spinach into the soup just before serving.


Friday, May 19, 2017

White Chili

I love chili...especially on chilly, rainy weekends. My hubby and I have been trying to eat less red meat and healthier so I was browsing recipes on the Food Network and ran across this one. I followed it pretty exact, except I used masa flour mixed with water to thicken the broth just a bit and it ads a great flavor, like an enchilada soup. LOVED it. I also swapped low fat sour cream for the yogurt for a garnish since that is what we like on our soups. I will make this again ! 

White Chili
adapted from Ellie Krieger / Food Network
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 stalks celery, diced (about 1/2 cup)
3 medium poblano peppers (about 4 ounces each), seeded and white ribs removed, finely diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, more to taste
1 pound ground white meat turkey
2 (15.5-ounce) cans white beans such as cannelini, preferably low-sodium, drained and rinsed
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (15.5-ounce) can hominy, drained and rinsed
Salt
  1/3 cup masa flour
  1 cup water
Garnishes:
1/4 cup low fast sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
grated cheese
  Diced Avacado
 Tortilla chips

Directions:
Heat the oil in large pot or Dutch oven over moderate heat. Add the onion, celery, poblanos, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander and cayenne and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the ground turkey and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until the meat is no longer pink about 2 minutes. Add the white beans, broth and oregano. Cook, partially covered, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes.

Mix 1/3 cup masa flour with 1 cup water and stir. Add to soup with the hominy and salt and more cayenne pepper, to taste, and continue cooking, partially covered, 10 minutes longer.
Ladle into individual bowls and top each serving with your choice of garnishes.

Saturday, September 24, 2016

Smoky Shrimp and Corn Chowder




I love soup and chowders in the Fall... when the air starts to get that chilliness to it, Soup just hits the spot. I saw this on a cooking show on PBS and had to give it try. 

Smoky Shrimp and Corn Chowder

I bought frozen shrimp which I let thaw out in the refrigerator. Then I washed and shelled it. I husked 3 ears of corn. This I put on my Traeger smoker, which I had set to 275 degrees. I set my shrimp on a vegetable grill tray that I sprayed with a non stick cooking spray. I put the tray in the smoker along with my husked and rinsed corn on the cob. I let this smoke for 30 minutes.
1 pound smoked large shrimp (smoked for 30 to 60 minutes at 300 degrees F)
        •       2 ears corn,  smoked with shrimp
2 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil
2 shallots or 1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 leeks, trimmed, thoroughly washed, shaken dry, and thinly sliced
4 red new potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
                1 Tablespoon flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cups low-sodium chicken or fish stock, preferably homemade
1 cup heavy cream
After the corn and shrimp are smoked; set aside to cool.
Melt the butter in a large heavy saucepan. Add the shallots and leeks and cook over medium heat until soft and translucent, 3 minutes, stirring often.
 Increase the heat to high and add the potatoes, bay leaf, and thyme. Cook until the potatoes are browned and crisp, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the flour and season well with salt and pepper. Cook another minute. 
 Stir in the chicken stock and simmer over medium heat until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. 
While the potatoes are cooking, chop the smoked shrimp into bite size pieces and cut the corn off the cob. Add to the chowder along with the cream and simmer until the soup is richly flavored, 5 to 10 minutes more. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. 

 Ladle the chowder into bowls and serve with crusty french bread.

Tips: I boiled by shrimp shells in the chicken broth while the shrimp and corn were smoking. Then I strained it and used that broth in my soup instead of regular chicken broth. 
I also made a white sauce with the heavy cream, like you do for macaroni and cheese only without the cheese. Then I added to the soup when it says to add the cream. This just makes a thicker chowder like soup. Feel free to just use cream if you like. 

Sunday, May 1, 2016

Bean and Bacon Soup

I Love bean and bacon soup... reminds me of when I was little and would eat the canned bean and bacon soup with soda crackers.... LOTS of soda crackers. But since I am grown my tastes of grown too. I watched the pioneer woman (my usual Saturday morning 'I need to stay in bed longer' ritual) the other day and she made this and yes, I just had to try it. Click here for the original recipe.  I didn't soak my beans like she did, just bought the canned great northern beans. (saves time) I also like to cook my bacon on a foil lined cookie sheet in the oven. Stays flat and you can cook a lot more too. I made the soup according to her recipe but something was missing. You know the canned soup from my child hood kind of had a smoky flavor???.... So I added a little smoky paprika, and liquid smoke to it and a little thyme. Loved it.
I served this with Grilled cheese and bacon sandwiches (love to use Monterey jack cheese when making grilled cheese sandwiches and this time I added a couple of slices of cooked bacon) OH MY goodness!! IF you haven't made a grilled cheese sandwich with bacon in it you MUST try! I like to cut my grilled cheese into strips... that way you can dunk into the soup. Enjoy!!

Bean and Bacon Soup
Ingredients:
6 to 8 slices thick-cut peppered bacon-cooked ahead of time (see below)
1 whole Onion, Diced
2 whole Large Carrots, Peeled And Diced
2 stalks Celery, Diced
4 cloves Garlic, Minced
2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
1 to 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 
1/2 Tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon smokey paprika
4  to 6 cups  Chicken Stock (I used a whole box of chicken stock)
3-(14 oz) Can great northern Beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon liquid smoke (I had hickory flavored on hand)
2 whole Bay Leaves
Salt and Pepper to taste (I start out with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper)
Chopped cooked bacon for garnish, if desired

Directions:
Cook your bacon by preheating the oven to 375. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place strips of bacon across the baking sheet in a single layer. Baker for 20 to 22 minutes until cooked through and crispy. Remove from baking sheet onto a paper towel lined plate to drain. 
SAVE THE BACON FAT. I pick up the corners of the foil and form a funnel and pour into an empty clean jar with a lid. You will use for this recipe and then you can store in the refrigerator for other uses. (It's great to saute veggies in for different soups and I like to drizzle on brussels sprouts before baking in the oven.)
Chop the bacon into small bite size pieces, set aside about 1/2 cup or so for garnishing. The rest goes in the soup. (If you made more than 10 pieces save some in strips for grilled cheese sandwiches)
In a large soup pot, heat 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease, then add the onions, carrots and celery. Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes until they begin to soften, add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 to 2 more minutes. Add 1 Tablespoon or so of Flour, and stir. Then add the Thyme, parsley,  paprika, and salt and pepper. Let cook for another minute and the seasonings start to be fragrant.
Next add your Chicken broth, beans, the bay leaves and liquid smoke and chopped bacon. Stir at this point to make sure all the seasoning and flour are scraped off the bottom of the pan and all combined. Bring this up to a boil, then turn the heat down to a medium / low heat and let simmer for at least a 1/2 hour or up to an hour or so. If you need to add more broth you can. I think I added another cup or two. Cook until your veggies are tender. Taste and add more salt and Pepper if necessary. 
Serve and garnish with bacon bits. AND it goes great with grilled cheese. 
Enjoy. 

Thursday, March 31, 2016

New and Improved Jambalaya

I love to use leftover smoked turkey in Jambalaya.... the recipe I have on here from an earlier post is good, but the last couple of times I have made it the rice gets mushy.... I saw this on Rachel Ray one day and she made the Jambalaya and rice separately. I had to give it a try. I didn't follow Rachel Ray's to the T... I tweaked it a bit for our tastes, and what I had on hand. If you would like the original recipe click here. I also cooked 1 cup Jasmine rice and 1 cup  Quinoa according to the package directions, then I combined the two. I think it makes the rice just a little bit more on the healthy side.
Hope you enjoy!

New and Improved Jambalaya 
adapted from Rachel Rays 'Everything Jambalaya"
Ingredients:
1 cup enriched white rice (I use Jasmine)
1 cup Quinoa
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1-14 oz. package smoked sausage, sliced in about 1/4 inch thick slices, on the diagonal
2 cups leftover cooked chicken or turkey, chopped into bite-size pieces (I use leftover turkey)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped 
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
Several drops hot sauce
2 pinches cayenne pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
1 (14-ounce) can or paper container chicken stock or broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 rounded teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Coarse salt and black pepper
Chopped scallions or green onions, for garnish if desired
Fresh thyme, chopped for garnish if desired

Directions:
Cook rice and quinoa according to package directions. (I mix them together after they are cooked)

Place a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Add oil to the pan. Add sausage, and cook 2 or 3 minutes until slightly browned around the edges. Add cooked chicken or turkey, onion, celery, pepper, bay, hot sauce and cayenne.
Saute vegetables 5 minutes, sprinkle flour over the pan and cook 1 or 2 minutes more. Stir in tomatoes and broth and season with cumin, chili, poultry seasoning, and Worcestershire. Bring liquids to a boil  and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes or until veggies are tender.

Remove the pot from the heat. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.  Ladle jambalaya into shallow bowls. Using an ice cream scoop, place a scoop of the rice quinoa mixture on to the center of the bowlfuls of jambalaya. Sprinkle dishes with chopped scallions or green onions, and thyme leaves if desired.
Enjoy!

Monday, April 13, 2015

Crockpot Southwest Chicken Soup

I have been in a soup mood lately, and anything that's easy. I love cooking things in my crockpot so they are ready when I get home from work. I used frozen chicken breasts, for this recipe. I think they would be too done if not frozen the way I cooked it. I made this soup one day spur of the moment--just started it before leaving for work, shredded the chicken on my lunch break and added the rest of the ingredients, and it was ready when I got home. YUMMO!

Crockpot Southwest Chicken Soup
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, frozen
1 (10 oz) can enchilada sauce (use your favorite)
1 (14 oz ) can diced tomatoes
1 (4 oz) can diced green chile peppers
2 cups chicken broth
2 Tablespoons ranch dressing mix
Sprinkle salt and pepper on the frozen chicken

Combine all of the ingredients in your crockpot, turn on hi and let cook for about 4 hours.
After 4 hours, shred the chicken best you can with 2 forks while still in the crock pot.
Then add the following:

1 can Hominy (yellow or white) or you can add regular yellow corn if you would rather
1 can black beans or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 can cream of chicken soup
Stir a little to combine the cream of chicken soup. Turn your crockpot on low and let simmer for another 3 to 4 hours.
Serve topped with a dollop of sour cream, grated cheese and Fritos or crushed tortilla chips.
Enjoy!

Friday, March 27, 2015

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

It's been a blustery and chilly March this last week, and one rainy Monday I just needed some comfort food. I had been craving chicken and wild rice soup, so I just decided to make some. To make it easier and faster on myself, I bought a rotisserie chicken, and made the soup while the rice cooked. Remember, Wild rice takes about 45 minutes to cook, so plan accordingly. This was so Yummy! I served mine with toasted slices of sour dough bread. Enjoy!

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
3/4 cup wild rice
1-1/2 cups water
dash of salt
Place rice and water with a dash of salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; then stir and turn down the heat to a simmer, cover pot and let cook for 45 minutes or so until the rice is tender.
While your rice cooks prepare the rest of the soup.

1 cup diced Celery
1 cup diced Carrots
1 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1 heaping teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon or so dried Thyme-you can use a sprig if you have fresh
1/4 teaspoon or so dried Rosemary-you can use a sprig if you have fresh
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 to 2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms
olive oil
1 box Chicken broth (about 4 cups)
2 cups water
1-10 oz can cream of mushroom soup
1-10 oz. can cream of chicken soup
1 rotisserie chicken, skinned and boned, chopped into bite size pieces

Heat about a Tablespoon of olive oil in a large soup pot, add the celery, carrots, and onion; sauté for 3 or 4 minutes. Add the bell peppers, minced garlic, thyme and rosemary and continue cooking for another  3 minutes. Remove from pot (i scoop out onto a big plate.)
Add another Tablespoon olive oil to the pot and add your sliced mushrooms, cook until the mushrooms are browned and tender.
Add your veggie mixture back into the pot along with the chicken broth, water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and let simmer until veggies are tender and flavors combine. Taste at this point and add more salt and pepper if needed.
While your Veggies are cooking remove the skin and bones from your cooked chicken and chop into bite size pieces. When veggies are done ad the chopped chicken and both condensed soups to the pot; stir to combine and simmer for 10 more minutes.
When rice is done add to soup; stir to combine.
Serve with crispy croutons or toast and enjoy!

Saturday, October 4, 2014

Di's Tomato Soup

I have a couple of Tomato Soup recipes posted on my blog already, which are both good. One is more Italian tasting and the other is more spicy with Orzo in it. After making and liking both recipes, the next time I made Tomato soup I slightly combined the two different recipes to my desired taste using what I liked about them both and this is the recipe I came up with. I found myself using it all the time. Since my daughter LOVES tomato soup with grilled cheese sandwiches and is starting to cook at home... Yahoo!!! I decided I better post the recipe how I make it. Here you go Sarah! Enjoy!

Di’s Tomato Soup
Olive oil
1/2 cup minced onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
3 cups chicken broth (I use a whole box of chicken broth, almost 4 cups) 
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon dried parsley (you could use fresh if you have it)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (if desired)
1/2 pint heavy cream

Garnish if desired with:
Seasoned croutons 
Grated Parmesan cheese

In a large saucepan, heat about 1 Tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Then add the minced garlic and onion, saute for about 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes and the chicken broth and bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Then add thesugar, parsley, salt, black pepper, italian seasoning, turmeric, cumin, curry powder and crushed red pepper. Stir to combine and let this simmer for about 20-25 minutes more.
This is a slightly chunky soup, if you desire a smooth soup, puree in a blender a little at a time, or use a submersible blender. After blending return to pan.
Then stir in the heavy cream, and heat through. Serve in individual bowls topped with croutons and Parmesan cheese if desired!!  Or serve with grilled cheese sandwiches cut into strips—perfect for dipping. Yummo!


*Note-you can adjust the amount of seasoning to taste… I usually end up adding just a bit more curry and cumin…. Enjoy!

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

White Chili

Jim found this recipe on WebMD and requested I make it. It was an easy delicious White chili recipe and didn't take very long at all. I made it just like the recipe only I added an extra cup of water, I thought it needed a bit more broth. I served mine with fresh cornbread on the side. Enjoy!

White Chili
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1- 1/2 cups chopped Onion
2-4oz cans chopped green chilies
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried cumin
1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3-15oz cans great northern beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups chicken broth
1 or 2 cups water (depending on how brothy you like it
4 cups cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1-2 Tablespoons cider vinegar (I added 1)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Sour cream (optional)
Grated Cheese for topping

Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in chiles, oregano, cumin and cayenne. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Stir in beans, broth and water; bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Add chicken and vinegar; cook for 5 minutes more. Serve.
Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and grated cheese for toppings
Enjoy!

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Southwestern Black Bean and Ham Soup

I love making soups and eating soups in the winter time! It's always a good thing when the weather is cold. We had ham for our Christmas dinner (I know I'm slow posting this recipe, life gets way too busy sometimes) so I had a really meaty ham hock to use up. I ran across this recipe here (I love the prepared pantry) but I added some things and more broth than the original asked for. It was soooo good! I love ham and bean soup but usually make ham and navy bean soup. This was a nice twist to change things up a bit. I garnished with grated cheese, a dollop of sour cream and a handful of Fritos! Sooooo good! If you have a ham hock in the freezer I suggest making this soup. YUMMO!

Southwestern Black Bean and Ham Soup
Ingredients:
1 large meaty ham hock
4 cups chicken broth
1/2  stalk of celery
1/4 onion, (just a chunk of onion to flavor broth)
Place the ham hock, broth, piece of onion,and piece of celery in a large soup pot. Bring to a boil then turn down and cover. Let this simmer for about an hour or until the ham is falling off of the bone. Remove the ham hock from the broth and set aside. I strain the broth just in case some of the ham bone has broken off into it and it removes the onion and celery that has been  over cooked. Pour the broth back into the soup pot. If there are any good pieces of ham in the strainer put that back in the broth too, and throw the rest away.
Now make your soup by adding the following:
1 large onion, diced
2-3 stalks celery diced
1 or 2  large carrots, diced
1 teaspoon garlic
6 cups water
2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon smokey paprika
1 (4-ounce) can peeled, chopped, mild green chilies

Bring this to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes or until your celery and carrots are tender. 
Then add:
4 (15-ounce) cans of black beans, drained
Fresh cilantro (about 2 Tablespoons of chopped cilantro that you find in the tubes in the produce dept.)
salt to taste
Simmer this for another 10 minutes.

 Serve in individual bowls and garnish with the following:
Grated Cheese
Sour Cream
Frito corn chips

Enjoy!


Saturday, November 9, 2013

French Onion Soup

Autumn time is a great time for soups I think...it's chilly, windy, and you just need comfort food. I had tons of onions from my garden and some were starting to 'grow' again in my pantry and I needed to use them  up. I thought why not make French Onion Soup. I have never made it before, and I've actually only eaten it maybe once in my life time, but I'm ALWAYS up for trying new things. I found a recipe that looked good on Tasty Kitchen Food Blog and one on Allrecipes.com that had a lot of good reviews. But honestly, the one on Tasty Kitchen didn't have many seasonings in it, and the other didn't use as much onion, so I took what I thought sounded good from the two recipes and this is what I came up with. It was YUMMO!!! I served this as a starter dish for my Sunday afternoon dinner. We had grilled steaks and steamed veggies after. It would be good just as a light supper alone too. I will definitely make this again! Give it a try!

French Onion Soup
1 stick Butter
4  Large Onions or 6 medium, halved (cut from root to tip) and sliced in thin strips
1 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Dry White Wine --(I found cute little bottles of Sutter Home Pinot Grigio Wine, exactly one cup size bottles, worked perfect then you don't have to open a huge bottle of wine, since I don't drink it!) The alcohol cooks out after all, but you can leave this out if desired and use more Chicken broth.
4 cups Chicken Broth
4 cups Beef Broth
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 heaping teaspoon minced garlic (2 cloves)
1 teaspoon Thyme
1 Tablespoon dried parsley
1 bay leaf
1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
4 thick slices French Bread or Baguette
8 slices Gruyere Cheese (or you can use Swiss, I like Gruyere)
1/2 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Melt butter in heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the onions and teaspoon salt and cook covered for 20 minutes. Place soup pot with the onions in the oven with the lid slightly ajar to ensure the onions will brown. Allow this to cook in the oven for 1 hour, stirring at least once during the cooking time so the onions won't stick and burn.
Remove pot from the oven and place back  on stove-top over medium heat. Stir, scraping off all the brown, flavorful bits. Turn off the heat and pour in the wine. Turn the heat back on to medium, bring this mixture to barely a boil, and simmer for 5 minutes, allowing the wine to reduce slightly and the alcohol to cook off. Next, add the broths, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, Thyme, Parsley and Bay leaf. Bring this to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 30 to 45 minutes.
Now while your soup simmers for that last 30 minutes, preheat your broiler. Slice enough of your french bread for the amounts of servings you need. I was making 3 bowls, but I had a baguette so I cut 3 slices of bread per bowl (you want the top of the bowl to be covered by bread and cheese). Place on a baking sheet and broil for 2 to 3 minutes per side until it's browned and crispy. Remove from heat but don't turn off the broiler yet.
When soup is done, remove the bay leaf, then add the Balsamic Vinegar and season with salt and Pepper to taste.
Arrange oven safe Ramekins (or small oven safe bowls, I used 3, use as many as you need so everyone gets a bowl) on a baking sheet. Ladle the soup into your bowls to about an inch from the top. Place crispy bread on top of the soup, then comes 2 or 3 slices of the Gruyere cheese, and then sprinkle a Tablespoon or 2 of Mozzarella cheese on top of that.
Broil for 5 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
Serve Immediately. Enjoy!!

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Smoky Chicken and Vegetable Chowder

I LOVE Chowder...especially in the Autumn time. We had a vegetable chowder at one of my Kitchen meetings which sparked the idea for this recipe, it's kind of a mix of that and my cheesy potato chowder but with LOTs of vegetables and chicken added. I thought I would make this with a smoky cheese and green chili's to just give it a different yummy flavor. I served this for lunch for my Dad's birthday with my homemade scones on the side. (recipe here) So delicious and so Fall-ish... Enjoy!

Smoky Chicken and Vegetable Chowder
Cook the chicken:
3 to 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 onion (leave whole, just toss in for flavor, same with the celery)
1/2 stalk celery
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4-6 cups chicken broth, or 4- 6 cups water with 4-6 chicken bouillon cubes
Place all of the ingredients above in a large soup pot and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and let simmer until chicken is done (30 to 40 minutes). Let cook and strain the broth into another bowl, save the chicken on a plate, and toss the celery, onion, and stuff in your strainer. Chop the chicken into bite size pieces when cool.
Start the soup:
1 large onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 medium carrots, diced
1 large red or green bell pepper, diced (or 1/2 of each)
In a large soup pot or dutch oven, drizzle a Tablespoon or 2 of olive oil, heat over medium high heat until hot. Add the chopped veggies from above to the pot, and stir, let this cook over medium heat for a minute or two until the onion starts to sweat.
Add:
1 heaping teaspoon minced garlic
2 smaller zucchini, diced
3 to 4 red potatoes, diced (depending on the size)
2 cobs of corn, cut off the cob (I had leftover, great way to use up)
1-4 oz. can diced green chilies
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle powder (optional) if you want it spicy
Stir and cook another couple of minutes until fragrant. Then add enough of your reserved chicken broth to just barely cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil, turn down heat and let simmer for about 20 minutes or until your vegetables are just tender. Add your chopped chicken and 1 Tablespoon dried parsley and let simmer while you make a cheesy white sauce.
To make white sauce:
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon smokey paprika
2 cups smokey cheddar cheese, grated (I usually find this by the specialty, gourmet cheeses)
In a medium pot over medium heat, melt your butter. Add the flour and whisk into the butter until it's bubbly and no lumps. Let this cook for 1 minute.
Add the milk while whisking so you don't get flour lumps. Stir and cook over medium/high heat until thickened. Add your seasonings and grated cheese. Continue to stir until cheese is melted. At this point taste, add more salt and pepper if needed and more smoked paprika if desired.
Stir this mixture into the soup and heat through. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired. Serve with scones, crusty french bread or crackers. Enjoy!!

**If you have broth leftover, freeze in a Tupperware or Ziploc baggie when cool. Great to have on hand for another batch of soup!



Thursday, May 23, 2013

Smokey White Chicken Chili

The weather turned colder this last week and has rained quite a bit. On damp, chilly days don't you just feel like curling up in a blanket and reading?? or watching a good chick flick? I do! But since I have to work all day, I like to come home and make something yummy and warm!! and damp chilly days call for soup! I ran across this recipe here and couldn't resist trying it out last weekend. I did tweak it just a bit, I had leftover smoked chicken that I needed to use up, and I LOVE smokey paprika so that is what I used. The broth for this isn't quite white with the paprika and other spices in it but who cares. We loved this Chili! I topped mine with grated cheese, a dollop of guacamole and crushed Blue Corn tortilla chips. YUM!

Smokey White Chicken Chili
Ingredients:
2 or 3 cooked chicken breasts, diced into 1/2-inch pieces (I had grilled mine and had leftovers, but a roasted chicken would be delish too)
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 heaping teaspoon finely minced garlic (or 2 cloves garlic, finely minced)
1 (32 oz) carton chicken broth (or about 4 cups)
1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies
1-1/2 teaspoons cumin
3/4 teaspoon Smokey paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 (8 oz) pkg Neufchatel cheese, cut into 12 slices (aka light cream cheese)
1 (15 oz) can corn, drained ( or 1-1/4 cups frozen works too)
2 (15 oz) cans Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 to 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, ( I like to use the Tubes of chopped Cilantro using 1 heaping Tablespoon. Love those tubes that you can find in the produce department)
shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, for topping
tortilla chips, for topping
Guacamole, for topping, if desired

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a 6 quart dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot add diced onion and saute until it starts to turn translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and saute 30 seconds longer. Add  cooked chicken, green chilies, cumin, paprika, oregano, coriander, cayenne and saute for a couple of minutes longer (just to get the spices fragrant--this smells wonderful!)
Next, add the chicken broth and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring mixture just to a boil then reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
Stir in corn, and just over half of the Cannellini beans. Then in your food processor, add the remaining beans and the cream cheese with 1/4 cup water (or slightly more) and pulse until this mixture is smooth and pureed. Add this cream cheese and bean mixture to soup, stir and simmer about 15 minutes longer. Stir in the fresh lime juice and Cilantro and serve with Monterrey Jack cheese, guacamole and tortilla chips as toppings if desired. Enjoy!!

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Italian Sausage Soup

I am reposting this recipe in case you missed it. It was one of my very first posts when I started my recipe blog. I LOVE this soup and it just seems like a good Christmas soup for Christmas Eve or something. Enjoy!
This is the recipe I got from Courtney. It's delicious!!!

Italian Sausage Soup
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 pound Italian Sausage, casings removed (I used hot)
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
2 stalks celery with leaves, chopped (I took the leaves off)
1 Tablespoon chopped garlic (I use the minced in a jar! Easier!)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
5 cups chicken broth
1 (16 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (9 ounce pkge) Three Cheese Tortellini
Salt and Pepper to taste (I started with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper) add more to your taste
Parmesan cheese for Garnishing if desired

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Cook the sausage until evenly browned, and break into pieces. Stir in the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, basil, rosemary, red pepper, and sage. Continue cooking 10 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Mix in tomatoes, and cook until heated through. Stir in the broth and beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes.
Stir in tortellini's and continue cooking 10 more minutes, or until tortellini's are tender.
Garnish with Parmesan on the top if desired.

This can be made as spicy as you like, using hot italian sausage and increasing the crushed red pepper.
I served with garlic cheese bread bread, and salad. Mmmmmmm... Thanks Courtney!

Friday, November 30, 2012

Chicken (or Turkey) Gnocchi Soup

I had been wanting to make home made Gnocchi for the longest time! Especially after I found this recipe, I LOVE the Chicken Gnocchi soup that you get at Olive Garden and this tastes quite a bit like that.  I had a recipe that I got off the food network for homemade Gnocchi that had you rice the potatoes, but I found they disintegrated when I cooked them. This one was awesome! I made mine with left over mashed potatoes from Thanksgiving. Or you could use potato buds and make mashed potatoes first (that's what this recipe originally called for) but I'm posting the recipe for how I made it. For those of you that don't know what Gnocchi is, it's a small potato dumpling used in a lot of Italian recipes. I also used my leftover turkey in the soup, but you could easily buy a roasted chicken from your local deli and chop it up or use left over grilled chicken. This is a creamy soup that was a good way to use up my Thanksgiving leftovers. Enjoy!

Chicken (or Turkey) Gnocchi Soup
For the Gnocchi:
2 cups (approx) leftover mashed potatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt (more or less to taste)
1/4  scant teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 egg yolk
2/3 cup all-purpose flour

For the Soup:
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium carrot, sliced thin
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 of a large onion, diced
1 heaping teaspoon minced garlic
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups water
1-1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1-1/2 cups half-and half
3 cups cooked chicken (or turkey) chopped
2 cups fresh spinach

Grated Parmesan cheese for Garnishing

Make the gnocchi by mixing your mashed potatoes with the egg yolk, salt and nutmeg. Stir until the egg yolk is well incorporated into the mashed potatoes.
Next, stir in the 2/3 cups flour and knead with your hands for about a minute. (This shouldn't be real sticky, it should feel almost like a play dough).
Next, take about a teaspoon of the dough and roll into a ball....
then on a floured piece of wax paper, roll with your finger tip into a slight oblong shape. When all of your gnocchi is made you can start your soup. Heat the 2 Tablespoons oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the carrots, onion, celery and garlic; saute for 3 to 5 minutes. While your veggies are cooking, whisk the cornstarch into the chicken broth. Add the broth mixture to the vegetables along with the water. Bring this to a boil, then add your gnocchi. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the half -n half and simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the soup begins to thicken. Add the chicken (or turkey) and spinach, simmer for another 10 minutes or until the soup has thickened and the spinach is tender. Serve in individual bowls and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese. YUM!

New and Improved Chicken Enchilada Soup

I have a few different Chicken enchilada / chicken tortilla, and different chicken soups on here, but I did a few things different yesterday...