Category Archives: Soup

CHILI

02 Thursday Feb 2017

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Satisfyingly delicious – these heartwarming Chilis are winners in the kitchen, no matter which team triumphs on the football field.

VEGETARIAN CHILI

vegetarian chili

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, chopped

1 cup chopped carrots

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh mushrooms

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1 (15-ounce) can black beans

1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans

1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans

1 (15-ounce) can whole kernel corn

1 cup vegetable broth

1 tablespoon cumin

1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano

1 1/2 tablespoons basil

1/2 tablespoon garlic powder

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook and stir the garlic, onion and carrots in the pot until tender. Mix in the green bell pepper and red bell pepper. Season with chili powder. Continue cooking for 5 minutes or until peppers are tender.

Mix the mushrooms into the pot. Stir in the tomatoes, black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, corn and vegetable broth. Season with cumin, oregano, basil and garlic powder. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Dining Guide, September 2016

www.nwaonline.com/dining/

CREAMY WHITE CHILI

creamy white chili

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound chicken, cut into cubes

1 onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 (15-ounce) can Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

2 (4-ounce) cans chopped green chiles

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup cream

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, cook and stir chicken, onion and garlic into the hot oil until chicken is no longer pink in the center, 10 to 15 minutes.

Mix beans, chicken broth, green chiles, salt, cumin, oregano, black pepper and cayenne pepper into chicken mixture, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until flavors have blended, about 30 minutes.

Remove chili from heat, stir in sour cream and cream until incorporated.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Allrecipes, January 2017

allrecipes.com/

STOVETOP CHILI

stovetop chili

1 teaspoon olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 onion, finely diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 pound ground beef

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 cup corn kernels

1 zucchini, diced

1 can (28-ounces) crushed tomatoes

grated cheddar cheese

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add garlic, onion and green bell pepper and cook until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.

Increase heat to medium-high, add beef, and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add cumin and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Add corn and zucchini and cook until zucchini is crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, bring to a simmer, and cook until mixture is heated through, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide mixture among bowls, top with cheese.

Enjoy!

 

 

CHICKPEA PUMPKIN COCONUT CURRY

19 Monday Dec 2016

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Usually when we choose our family Christmas Tree, I make a thermos of hot chocolate, and pour out steaming cups for each of us to sip while we peruse the freshly cut Frasier Firs and Scotch Pines. This year, changing up traditions a bit, the kids were willing to forgo the usual beverage, and stop for ice cream instead, although they refused to budge on the location we annually pick our tree from.

After having the trunk trimmed, we set it up in the living room in its stand brimming full of water, strung the colored lights, lit the fire and settled into the couches to watch a Christmas movie and enjoy a simple dinner.

Joe carrying out our 2016 Christmas Tree

Joe carrying out our 2016 Christmas Tree

 

 

CHICKPEA PUMPKIN COCONUT CURRY

pumpkin chickpea curry

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup carrots, chopped

1 cup tomatoes, chopped

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 tablespoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 (13-ounce) can coconut milk

salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

Add the carrots and tomatoes, stir to combine. Cook 5 to 8 minutes, until carrots become slightly tender.

Add the pumpkin, chickpeas, curry powder, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne pepper and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour in the coconut milk and stir until combined.

Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and allow to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Emilie Eats

www.emilieeats.com/chickpea-pumpkin-coconut-curry-vegan/

 

 

GARDEN MINESTRONE

15 Thursday Sep 2016

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A delicious progression toward the cooler weather – a beautiful, hearty soup incorporating the last of the bright summer produce.

GARDEN MINESTRONE

garden minestrone

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 carrots, chopped

4 celery ribs, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 zucchini, chopped

2 yellow summer squash, chopped

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried sage leaves

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 cans great northern beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (15-ounces) crushed tomatoes

1 (32-ounce) carton vegetable stock

In a large stockpot, heat oil over medium heat. Add carrots, celery and onion, cook until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add zucchini, yellow squash and seasonings, cook and stir until the squash are crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Add garlic, cook 1 minute longer. Stir the beans, tomatoes and vegetable stock into vegetables, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer, covered, 10 to 12 minutes.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home, Summer 2016

www.tasteofhome.com/

POTATO AND BACON CHOWDER

21 Thursday Jul 2016

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It was time to take our sweet puppy to the vet for her annual check-up. The visit was brief and uncomplicated, allowing us to return home and relax, with plenty of time to get dinner on the table.

some of us were more relaxed than others

some of us were more relaxed than others

POTATO AND BACON CHOWDER

potato and bacon chowder

12 ounces bacon, diced

3 tablespoons butter

1 onion, chopped

3 tablespoons flour

4 cups milk

1 pound potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 1/2 pounds white fish, diced

1 1/2 cups corn kernels, cut from the cob

salt and freshly ground black pepper

chopped chives

In a large pot, cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, over medium-high until crispy, about 8 minutes, transfer to paper towels. Melt butter in the bacon fat, add the onion to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the onion and cook, stirring often until the flour is well incorporated, about 2 minutes. Add the milk and stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the potatoes and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the fish and corn and simmer over medium heat until the fish flakes easily, 3 to 5 minutes. Divide the chowder among bowls, top with the chives and bacon.

Enjoy!

 

CRAWFISH ETOUFFEE

12 Tuesday Jul 2016

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With Mum coming to stay for a little shorter time than usual over the summer, we weren’t able to find the time for our usual visit down to Louisiana. So I brought a classic taste and many wonderful and delicious memories of the South to us for dinner one night.

CRAWFISH ETOUFFEE

crawfish etouffee

1 tablespoon paprika

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup flour

1 poblano chile, seeds removed, diced

3 celery stalks, diced

1 onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 jalapeno pepper, diced

2 cups seafood stock

2 pounds peeled crawfish tails

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

cooked rice

hot sauce

Stir together the paprika, salt, pepper, thyme and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high. Add flour and stir well to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring, until roux is the color of caramel sauce, about 20 minutes. Add poblano, celery and onion. Cook, stirring, until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, jalapeño and paprika mixture. Cook 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in stock. Return to a simmer over medium-high heat. Stir in crawfish, parsley, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Cook until warm, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve with hot rice, hot sauce and a little extra chopped parsley if desired.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living, April 2016

www.southernliving.com/

 

CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

25 Wednesday May 2016

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The minute school was done, I drove my son to one of his favorite places on the planet – a store he had been looking forward to visiting following good grades at the end of the year – Rock Bottom Comics. We then ate lunch at a restaurant of his choice before visiting a Flea Market (also of his choice) and making a quick stop at the supermarket to pick up ingredients for his favorite dinner – Chicken Tortilla Soup.

rock bottom

CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

chicken tortilla soup

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

4 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

3 cups chicken broth

2 cups corn kernels

2 (4-ounce) cans chopped green chilies

2 (15-ounce) cans black beans

4 cups cooked chicken, diced

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

tortilla chips to serve if desired

Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add onion, saute until tender, about 4 minutes. Add garlic cloves, chili powder and oregano and saute 1 minute longer.

Add tomatoes, chicken broth, corn, green chilies, beans and chicken, bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, about 20 minutes.

Stir in cilantro, serve with tortilla chips.

Enjoy!

ROASTED SPICED CARROT TOMATO SOUP

10 Tuesday May 2016

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We donated a dinner for 8 to a silent auction for a local charity, the Chase Family Foundation, and a year later were thrilled to get it scheduled. Due to medical concerns and scheduling conflicts it was impossible to do it earlier. They were a really wonderful and super fun group to have for dinner, and we all enjoyed tasting the wonderful Jamieson Ranch wines that were perfectly paired and presented by a friend and local wine expert. We ended up seating 12 people, after cocktails and appetizers on the back deck, and served our first course of Roasted Spiced Carrot Tomato Soup.

end of night table

– The table at the end of the evening

ROASTED SPICED CARROT TOMATO SOUP

roasted spiced carrot tomato soup

1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch pieces

2 tomatoes, halved lengthwise

1 tablespoon oil

1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder

2 cups chicken stock, divided

1/2 cup water

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sour cream

parsley for garnish

Heat oven to 425F.

Arrange carrots and tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with oil, tossing to coat. Bake for 15 minutes. Stir and sprinkle with five-spice powder. Bake for 5 minutes longer or until tender.

Remove and discard tomato peels. In a blender, combine carrots, peeled tomatoes, and 1 1/2 cups stock. Process until smooth.

Transfer puree to a medium saucepan. Add water, remaining 1/2 cup stock and salt. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

In a small bowl thin sour cream with enough cream to make it pourable. Transfer to a small squeeze bottle. Spoon soup into bowls, drizzle each serving with sour cream and garnish with parsley.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Sandra Lee

sandralee.com/

ITALIAN SAUSAGE CHILI

14 Thursday Apr 2016

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Even though I knew my husband was right when he told me visitors wouldn’t be opening and looking behind closed doors while our home was on display for the Washington School Tour of Homes, I knew I would feel much better if they were tidy and cleaned out anyway – something I had been meaning to do for a while.

While uncluttering and organizing cupboards, closets and the old garage that was piled high with things my husband exclaimed over moving from his old house 15 years ago to that very spot, where they stayed until they were carried to the dumpster temporarily located in our front yard!!

We filled two dumpsters, a local Thrift Store came out twice with their enormous truck to collect the items we had set aside for donation, a friend loaded up 33 bags of clothes, shoes, belts and purses in her mini van to take and look through and I took two loads of old paint and chemicals to the hazardous waste site in our town, where they graciously helped me stack them carefully onto their cart and took them away for disposal.

dumpster

The day we had the first of our dumpsters delivered, I was meeting a friend to walk and catch up, and then another friend in the early afternoon for a yoga class, my daughter had a riding lesson after school and my husband and I were going to see a theatre show, so with little time to devote to dinner, preparations needed to be quick and easy.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE CHILI

italian sausage chili

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1/4 cup chili powder

1 pound Italian sweet pork sausage, casings removed

1 can (28-ounces) tomatoes

2 cups chicken stock

2 cans (14.5 ounces each) cannellini beans, rinsed

1/4 cup grated parmesan

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium. Add the bell pepper, onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in the chili powder, cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the meat, until browned, 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices, and the chicken stock and beans, bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over medium-low until the flavors meld, about 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper. Divide the chili among bowls, top with the Parmesan.

Enjoy!

 

BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP

02 Saturday Apr 2016

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A classic!!

BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP

broccoli cheese soup

2 1/2 cups chicken stock

4 cups broccoli florets, chopped

4 shallots, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

4 minced garlic cloves

3 ounces half-and-half

6 ounces shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup parsley

Combine stock, broccoli, shallots, carrot, salt, pepper and garlic in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until broccoli is tender.

Turn off heat. Blend soup until smooth. Stir in half-and-half, cheese and parsley.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Healthy Living Made Simple, January/February 2016

healthylivingmadesimple.com/

THAI RED CURRY

31 Thursday Mar 2016

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My Son requested soup for dinner, and by adding broth to this lovely, quick and easy curry dish, I was able to accommodate his appetite.

THAI RED CURRY

thai red curry

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 onion, diced

2 carrots, diced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 (15-ounce) can of coconut milk

2 cups chicken broth

3 tablespoons red Thai curry paste

1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 1/4 pound cooked chicken

Heat oil in a skillet, add garlic and ginger and saute over medium-high heat for 30 seconds. Add onion and cook until it is softened, about 2 minutes. Add carrots and red pepper and saute until softened, about 7 minutes. Add coconut milk, chicken broth, curry paste and soy sauce and stir until paste is well blended with coconut milk. Add chicken. Reduce heat and simmer 3 to 4 minutes or until chicken is warmed through. Serve in bowls over rice or noodles if desired and topped with fresh cilantro.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Arkansas Democrat Gazette, June 2003

www.arkansasonline.com/