Chicken and Corn Chili

This is a light recipe and went great with my rolls.

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, cored and chopped

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp chili powder

1 can (14.5 oz) low sodium chicken broth

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatos, drained

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces

1 box (10 oz) frozen corn, thawed

2 cans (15 oz each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

3/4 tsp salt

shredded cheddar cheese

1. Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and green pepper. Cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Stir in cumin, coriander, and chili powder; cook 1 minute.

2. Stir in chicken broth and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer. Add chicken. Cover and dsimmer over low heat for 10 minutes or unitl chicken is cooked through.

3. Stir corn, beans and salt into pot. Heat through. Spoon into bowls and top with shredded cheese.

Crockpot Black Bean and Rice Soup

1 med onion, chopped
3 carrots, thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
4 cloves minced garlic
1 1/2 t. basil
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. chili pwdr
1/2 t. oregano
1/2 t. tabasco
2 16 oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 14.5 oz cans chicken broth
1 smoked sausage or kielbasa, cubed
1 1/2 c. cooked rice
Combine all EXCEPT rice in crockpot. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Add rice just before serving.

Chicken Apple Sausage Chowder with Sweet Potatoes

I found this one on cookthink.com
I had a few sweet potatoes to use up and I found this recipe. It is a GREAT recipe, and we are going to use it a lot more this fall. It was a bit heavy for a summer night, but oh so tasty.


1 pound chicken-apple sausage links (At the farmers market and only used 1/2 pound)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/4 pounds sweet potatoes (2 medium), peeled and cut into 1/2” cubes
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
4 cups (1 liter-sized box) chicken broth
Pinch saffron threads (loose 1/2 teaspoon...I omitted this)
1 cup half-and-half or whole milk (I used 1% milk)
1 cup frozen sweet corn or fresh raw corn kernels
Few dashes hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco (optional...I opted out)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley (I omitted this too)


1. Using a small, sharp knife, make a slit in the sausages lengthwise and remove the meat from the casings. Discard the casings.

2. Preheat a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. When hot, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, then add the sausage, breaking it into bite-sized pieces as you drop it into the pan. Season with salt and pepper, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the sausages are cooked through and nicely browned on the outside, adjusting the heat as necessary to avoid burning. Transfer the sausage to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.

3. Add the remaining tablespoon oil to the pot, then add the onion. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping any brown pieces that may be stuck to the bottom of the pan, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes.

4. Add the flour and stir to coat all the onions with the flour. Cook a minute or two, stirring, then add the sweet potatoes, cider vinegar, chicken broth, and saffron. Bring the chowder to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Stir in the half-and-half or milk, corn, and cooked sausage, and simmer another 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and hot pepper sauce, if desired. Stir in the parsley just before serving.

Chicken Tortilla Soup with Corn & Spinach

This one is really easy and delicious.

2 tsp canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cups fat free, reduced sodium chicken broth
1 cup frozen or canned corn kernels (I use hominy sometimes too)
4 cups lightly packed fresh baby spinach (4oz)
2 cups diced chicken breast
1/2 cup salsa
Juice of one lime
1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves
1 ounce tortilla chips

1. Heat oil in deep medium saucepan over medium-high heat. saute onion until translucent.
2. Pour in broth. add corn and spinach. reduce heat to medium and cook until corn is heated through and spinach is bright green, 3 minutes. mix in chicken, salsa and lime juice. season soup to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. (I omit the pepper).
3. to serve, divide soup among 4 bowls. top each with cilantro, crushed tortilla chips and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings: 313 calories per serving.

Zuppa Toscana

Zuppa Toscana

I made this for dinner tonight and it was a big hit. Very easy and quick. I served it with mini paninis made from a thinly sliced baguette with provolone cheese. My kids even liked this!

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 {32} ounce containers organic chicken broth (or homemade if you have on hand; also, Costco carries a great organic chicken stock at a great price)

4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes

4 cups kale, chopped, stems discarded

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper (I omitted this one, since my kids were eating it)

pinch of red pepper flakes (I omitted this one, since my kids were eating it)

3/4 lb. mild Italian sausage links, casings removed (I used 1/2 lb. sweet Italian sausage from the Dekalb Farmer's market)

1/2 cup heavy cream (I used half and half)

In a large pot, saute onion in olive oil over medium heat until onion becomes translucent–about 10 minutes. Add broth, potatoes, kale, sea salt, pepper, and pepper flakes then bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the sausage until browned in a pan over medium heat, breaking up with the back of a wooden spoon. Once cooked thoroughly, add the sausage and cream to the soup. Heat to desired temperature and serve with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano on top. Enjoy!

Tex-Mex Turkey Soup

My sister sent out this soup recipe, and we tried it this week. It was wonderful, so I am posting it here.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup minced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
4 cups water
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup salsa
4 cups shredded cooked turkey
1 tablespoon dried parsley
3 chicken bouillon cubes
1 (14 ounce) can black beans, rinsed, drained
2 cups frozen corn
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (or 1 T. dried cilantro)

Toppings:
6 cups corn tortilla chips
3/4 cup chopped green onion
1 cup shredded Cheddar-Monterey Jack cheese blend
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup sour cream

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add minced onions and cook until onions begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin and oregano and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Stir in water, tomato soup, diced tomatoes, salsa, shredded turkey, parsley and bouillon cubes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until bouillon cubes dissolve. Add black beans, corn, sour cream and cilantro. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.

Serve soup with crushed tortilla chips, chopped green onion, shredded cheese and additional cilantro and sour cream.

Note: When I made this, I had leftover chicken and some frozen turkey meat in the freezer (not a full 4 cups). I also used frozen turkey stock in place of the bouillon cubes and water and reconstituted frozen beans (with a little frozen liquid) in place of the canned beans (maybe a little more than a 14 oz. can). I threw everything that was frozen (stock, beans, and turkey) in with the tomatoes and tomato soup and covered it to facilitate warming, then, when the mixture was boiling, I continued with the instructions. I chopped the turkey with kitchen shears right before serving. I didn't add corn because Ryan sometimes has a reaction to too much corn in recipes, and I made homemade corn tortillas instead of using chips (though I had some on hand in case it didn't work). We didn't add in all the toppings because I'm lazy, but I'm sure they would add some great flavor to the soup.

Winter Squash Soup

This is a fall/winter favorite for me and I always make it for Thanksgiving. The original recipe is from epicurious.

• 1/4 cup ( 1/2 stick) butter
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 4 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 3 14 1/2-ounce cans low-salt chicken broth
• 4 cups 1-inch pieces peeled butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 4 cups 1-inch pieces peeled acorn squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
• 1 1/4 teaspoons minced fresh sage
  

• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• 2 teaspoons sugar

Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add broth, all squash and herbs; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until squash is very tender, about 20 minutes.

Working in batches, puree soup in blender. Return soup to same pot. Stir in cream and sugar; bring to simmer. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill. Rewarm over medium heat before serving.)

Southwest Chicken Soup

This one is from my sister and it is amazing!

2-3 chicken breasts
4 quarts chicken broth
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 large onion, diced
1 large red pepper, diced
1 yam, diced
3 medium red peppers, diced
1 small can Mexican tomato sauce (I use El Pato)
1 t. pepper
2 T. oregano leaves
1 1/2 T. cumin
1 T. chili powder
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 can hominy

Garnishes:
limes, halved, then quartered (8 sections)
colby jack cheese, shredded
tortilla chips
sour cream
1 avocado, diced

Heat olive oil and cook and sear chicken. Add lemon juice and 1 T. garlic. Cut vegetables into bite-sized pieces while chicken is cooking. Add broth to chicken and simmer 1 hour (I usually get away with less). Saute onion, add pepper and cook until tinged with flecks of black. Add 1 T. garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add yam through chili powder. Simmer 1 hour (again...I usually do less. I cook it a bit higher temp with the lid on, until the veggies are soft). Add chicken, cilantro and hominy. Simmer 10 minutes.
Serve with garnishes. Squeeze lime juice in to soup. I find the soup to be a bit hot, and the sour cream helps cool it a bit.

US Senate Bean Soup

From the Joy of Cooking. 'This soup has been on the US Senate restaurant menu since 1901.'

Rinse & soak
1 1/4c small dried white beans, such as pea or navy

Drain and place in a soup pot along with:
7c cold water
1 small ham hock

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the beans are tender, about 1 1/4 hrs. Remove the ham hock. Discard the bone, skin, and fat; dice the meat. Return it to the pot along with:
1 large, diced onion
3 medium celery stalks with leaves, chopped
1 large potato, peeled and finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2t salt
1/2t ground black pepper

Simmer until the potatoes are quite soft, 20-30 min. Remove from the heat and mask with a potato masher until the soup is a bit creamy. Stir in:
2T chopped fresh parsley

Ladle into warmed bowls and serve! Makes about 6c.

Italian Vegetable Soup

I found this one on a blog (orangette) and really liked it:

Fretwell (Italian Vegetable) Soup

This soup recipe comes from the Fretwell family, longtime friends in Oklahoma, and they in turn discovered it somewhere in Italy. I have only a blurry Xeroxed copy of the recipe (which the Fretwells had faxed to them from wherever they first ate it), and so I thus cannot give credit here to its original author. That’s a true shame, because this is one of the most delicious vegetable soups I’ve ever tasted. The Fretwells brought us many meals while my father was ill, and this was one we requested repeatedly. But consider yourself warned: this recipe makes a veritable cauldron of soup. If you don’t have a stockpot that can hold twelve quarts or so, do this in two batches, or halve the recipe.


1 ½ lbs. dried cannellini or Great Northern beans
Olive oil
Salt
2 or 3 fresh sage leaves
1 or 2 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
2 or 3 medium yellow onions, chopped
8 medium carrots, sliced into ¼-inch coins
5 celery stalks, trimmed and sliced into ¼-inch crescents
2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced into ¼-inch half-circles
1 bunch red Swiss chard, washed, dried, and sliced
½ head green cabbage, cored and chopped roughly
1 quart vegetable broth (I used Imagine brand)
1 28-oz can whole peeled tomatoes, juices reserved and tomatoes chopped roughly


Soak the beans overnight. The next day, drain them, put them into a large pot, add water to cover by 2 inches, and cook, with sage and garlic, for about one hour. As the beans cook, skim off any white foam that rises to the surface, and halfway through their cooking time, add ½ Tbs salt.

Heat 2 or 3 Tbs olive oil in a large soup pot, add onions, carrots, and celery, and sauté for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, salting lightly, and adding more oil if necessary. Add the zucchini and the vegetable broth, cover, and bring mixture to a simmer. Then add Swiss chard, cabbage, tomatoes, and tomato juices. Cover the pot, and simmer over low heat for half an hour or so. Add the beans and their cooking water, salt to taste, and simmer, covered, over low heat for one hour, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve over slices of day-old crusty bread, and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil if you like.

Serves scads—but scads!—of people.

Ham and Potato Soup

Although I am not a ham eater, my family loves this soup. I add whatever vegetables I have in the freezer or fridge. I also rarely stick to a recipe especially when adding vegetables. I am giving you the original recipe, but eyeballing works wonders for me.

3 1/2 c. potatoes, peeled and diced
1/3 c. celery, diced
1/3 c. carrots, sliced
1/3 c. corn
1/3 c. onion, finely chopped
3/4 c. cooked ham, diced
3 1/4 c. broth
salt and pepper to taste
5 Tbl. butter
5 Tbl. flour
2 c. milk

Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham and broth in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until the potatoes are tender.

In a separate saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick. Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick.

Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately.

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

I found this one on a blog, but it is from the Food Network. I have tried it a few times now and it is REALLY yummy. I just use a blender to puree the soup, and then I can make it as smooth or chunky as I like. We always have grilled cheese on the side, and it is perfect for a cold, rainy day.

• 3 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 (28-ounce) canned plum tomatoes, with their juice
  
• 4 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 quart chicken stock or water

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss together the tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the tomatoes in 1 layer on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes.

In an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the butter, and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, and chicken stock. Add the oven-roasted tomatoes, including the liquid on the baking sheet. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Pass through a food mill fitted with the coarsest blade. Taste for seasonings. Serve hot or cold.

Butternut Squash Soup

1 butternut squash, cut in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds, prick hard side with fork randomly, set face down on cookie sheet and pour about 1/2 inch of water into the cookie sheet. Bake @ 350 degrees for 45 min to an hour, will be soft when cooked. Let cool and scoop out flesh.
Melt 2 T butter in pot, cook 2 med diced onions until translucent. Add 3/4 t. white pepper and 1 1/2 t. salt, stir. Add 4 c chicken stock and squash mixture. Stir until heated through, bring to a boil. Remove from heat and puree. Add 1 c heavy cream and 1 c half and half. Warm. Serve with lime slices (use lime generously, mm!).
Makes 2 qts.

Canadian Cheese Soup

1/2 c. chopped onions
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. flour
1 1/2 T. cornstarch
1/2 t. paprika
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. white pepper
1 qt. milk, heated
1 qt. chicken stock, heated
3/4 c. carrots, diced and cooked
3/4 c. celery, diced and cooked
1 c. sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped

Melt butter with onions; add flour through pepper and cook 10 minutes, stirring often. Puree carrots and celery. Add to liquid and add mixture to the butter mixture. Stir constantly until thickened. Add cheese and parsley immediately before serving.

Note. I chop the carrots and celery pretty fine and cook them together, but I use a wand blender and blend them in the soup while I’m “stirring constantly.” I find it easier. I also have added a chopped potato to the vegetables and used dried parsley.

from The Lion House Cookbook

Gazpacho

I made this soup for Book Group. It is a cold soup and there are many different variations. My advice is don't skimp on the tomatoes. Get the best and freshest you can. Their flavor has to shine.

2 slices day-old coarse country bread, crusts removed, soaked in water just to cover and squeezed dry
2 small cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and coarsly chopped
1 small yellow or red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 lbs. ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 small green peppers (or 1 green and 1 red), seeded and coarsely chopped
6 T. extra virgin olive oil
3 T. red wine vinegar, or to taste
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
ice water or tomato juice (optional)

Garnishes (I didn't serve anything but baguettes):
4-6 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 T. minced garlic
2 slices coarse country bread, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 c. diced, peeled ripe tomato
1/2 c. diced, peeled, and seeded cucumber
1/2 c. minced green pepper
1/4 c. finely minced red onion

1) Put the soaked bread, cucumbers, onion, garlic, most of the chopped tomatoes, and 1 of the bell peppers in a food processor or blender. Purée until smooth and pour into a large bowl.

2) Finely chop the rest of the chopped tomatoes and the remaining bell pepper and add to the soup. Stir in the olive oil and vinegar and season with salt and pepper. If the soup is too thick, add a little ice water, or if the tomatoes are not perfect, add a little tomato juice. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled.

3) To prepare the garnishes, in a frying pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic and sauté briefly until gragrant. Add the bread cubes and fry, turning as needed, until golden brown on all sides, 4-5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

4) Put the croutons, tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, and onion in small separate bowls and set on the table. Ladle the gazpacho into chilled bowls and let diners add garnishes as desired.

Cream of Zucchini and Carrot Soup

Cream of Zucchini and Carrot Soup
4 c. chicken broth
4 med. zucchini, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese (do NOT use light)
1/8 t. salt and dash of pepper

Put broth, zucchini, carrots, onion in 2 qt. saucepan. Boil, cover and simmer for 20 min. Remove from heat. Add cream cheese. Blend with handheld blender, or blend in blender in batches and then return to pan. Add seasonings, heat through and serve.

Carrot Chowder

Carrot Chowder
1 lb. hamburger
1/2 t. salt
1/3 c. chopped celery
1/3 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. diced green pepper
4 c. tomato juice
1 1/2 c. water
2 cans cream of celery soup
1 1/2 c. grated carrots
1 t. granulated sugar
1/2 t. garlic salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/8 t. ground marjoram

Brown hamburger and drain off fat. Add salt, celery, onion, and green pepper. Cover and simmer on low heat until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. In a large saucepan, combine remaining ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil. Turn down heat, add hamburger mixture and simmer 30 minutes.

Leek and Potato Soup

Leek and Potato Soup
3 leeks
1 med. onion
2 T. butter
1 lb. potatoes
5 c. chicken stock (I use 2 bouillon cubes in 5 c. water)
Salt, pepper, nutmeg to taste
½ c. light cream
1 t. lemon juice

Trim the leeks, leaving some green at the top to color the soup. Cut in half lengthwise, then in 1/4” slices. Rinse in a colander in cold running water. Slice the onions. Melt butter in a large saucepan over med heat until foaming, add leeks and onions. Stir to coat veggies. Cover pan and cook over med. for about 10 min. or until soft but not brown, stirring occasionally. Peel potatoes and slice in ¼” slices. When veggies are done, add potatoes to pan. Add stock and seasonings. Bring to a boil, simmer for 10 min. Remove pan from heat. Use a handheld blender to puree the soup (or you can transfer in parts to a blender, be careful not to splash yourself!!) until smooth. Return soup to med heat and stir until boiling. Take off heat, add cream and lemon juice. Stir, taste for seasonings.