soup

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I really, really love soup. I may even hoard it a little wee bit in our extra freezer. My favorite soups are usually the ones that are packed with vegetables. I like to get in a few servings in one comforting bowl.

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I had never tasted minestrone soup until a few years ago when we were out to dinner. It was the soup of the day at a restaurant. I ordered it only because I was so cold. It was love at first taste. I realized very quickly that this soup is just a vegetable soup with Italian-style seasonings. I like to use marina sauce in the base to give it a rich flavor. The most important part of this recipe however, is the cheese that I stir in to the broth at the end of cooking. It gives the broth a rich, salty complexity.

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This soup can easily be made vegetarian by using vegetable stock. It can be gluten free if you just leave out the pasta (I like it better that way). This soup freezes well and makes an excellent work lunch.

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Minestrone Soup

by Jessica

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Ingredients (8-12 servings)

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2-3 carrots diced
  • orange pepper, diced
  • yellow pepper, diced
  • 1/2 pound mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 Idaho potato, chopped
  • 1 sweet potato, chopped
  • 16 oz marinara sauce
  • 4 cups vegetable or chicen stock
  • 12 ounces green beans
  • 1/2 bag veggies for soup
  • 1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • salt to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
  • parmesan cheese rind
  • 2 handfuls parmesan cheese

Instructions

In a medium stockpot, cook onion over medium until tender in olive oil. Add carrot and cook until tender. Add peppers and mushrooms, cooking until softened.

Add potatoes, green beans, marinara, paprika, chili flakes, and stock. Cook until heated then add veggies for soup.

Allow to simmer with the parmesan rind until all veggies are cooked through.

Add parmesan stirring constantly when combining and beans and cook an additional 10- 20 minutes.

Stir in pre cooked pasta like ditalini before serving.

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So, chili is one of my favorite meals. It always has been. I love how hearty it is. I like the different flavors of peppers. I also like to experiment with different kinds of chili. Last weekend, when I decided to make Chicken Mole,I knew that it was the perfect base for chili. I decided to only eat that delicious meal for one night so that we could enjoy the leftovers in chili.

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Reinventing leftovers makes them seem like an entirely new meal with minimal work. In fact, most of the work in this recipe is cooking the peppers and onion. Once you have made the Chicken mole, most of the work is done.

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Then, you are left with a rich, smokey, deep-flavored chili perfect for any cool night.

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Chicken Mole Chili

by Jessica

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Keywords: simmer soup/stew

Ingredients (8-10 bowls of soup)

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2-3 peppers, assorted colors, diced
  • 4-6 poblano peppers, charred, deseeded, and diced
  • 1 habanero, deseeded and finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 29 ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 15 ounce can light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 15 ounce can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • leftover Chicken Mole
  • salt to taste
  • cotija cheese
  • cilantro
  • sour cream

Instructions

In an 8 quart pan, heat oil over medium. Add onion and cook until tender. Add peppers and garlic, cooking until tender. Add tomatoes, black beans, kidney beans, and links(Chicken Mole, http://www.simplecleanandhomemade.com/recipes/?recipe_id=6042084). SImmer for 30-60 minutes. Salt to taste.

Garnish with cotija cheese, cilantro, and sour cream.

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In this post, I told you about my love of chowder. The other day, when we were standing at the grocery store with no ideas for dinner, we decided on chowder. Of course, classic clam chowder came to mind. However, I wanted something different. I wanted something that tasted a little more like winter with a hint of sweetness. 

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We finally decided to make a sweet potato, corn clam chowder. I used coconut milk in lieu of heavy cream. It was delicious that way. In order to make it just a tiny bit creamier, I added a small amount of heavy cream at the end. However, I don’t think it changed much. So, I probably will not add the heavy cream next time. That would make this a dairy free recipe! Also, to thicken the soup, I used sweet potatoes and corn cobs. They add a little starch to the broth, naturally thickening it. 

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This chowder is slightly sweet, salty, and packed with corn, sweet potatoes, and poblano peppers. It made a filling, delicious fall dinner with left overs for the next couple of days. The poblano peppers should be charred under the broiler just like in this post prior to being added to the soup. 

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Sweet Potato, Corn, and Clam Chowder

by Jessica

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Keywords: simmer soup/stew corn clams sweet potato coconut milk

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Ingredients (6-8 servings)

  • 3 poblano peppers
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 2 ears corn, kernels removed
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1/8 teaspoon thyme
  • pinch cinnamon
  • 1 can coconut milk
  • 2 pounds little neck clams
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat the oil in an 8 quart sauce pan on medium heat.

Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook until tender.

Put poblano peppers under the broiler, cooking on all sides until they are charred. Place items in a plastic bag and seal. Allow to sit for 10 minutes. Remove from the bag and peel off the translucent, top layer of skin. Dice the peppers.

Add the corn, corn cobs, sweet potato, poblano peppers, bay leaf, cayenne, smoked paprika, thyme, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Add water to cover the ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Remove the corn cobs.

Add coconut milk and bring to a boil. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Add clams, cooking until they all open. Add heavy cream if desired and serve.

Discard the shells if you are using whole clams prior to serve as well as the bay leaf.

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Pasta Fagoli

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I have to admit that I almost never go to Olive Garden. In fact, the only time I go is when the people I work with decide to go there. I am not in love with anything there. Most people go there for the soup. I make most of the soups on the menu, which makes me not very excited about their versions. The last time I was there, I tried the only soup I never had before, Pasta Fagoli. My mom always described it to me as an Italian style chili.

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I have to admit, it was pretty good. So, I knew I had to try to make it at home. I wanted it to be packed with beans and beef. It had to be comforting. I noticed small pieces of carrots and celery in the broth. Now don’t get me wrong, I was not trying to recreate the Olive Garden’s soup. Instead, I was trying to make my own version that meets my flavor profile that I was looking for.

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This was good the first day. It was amazing as left overs. It is comforting, filling, and delicious. Topped with cheese, it is so tempting. It really warms from the inside. I recommend cooking the pasta separately, draining it, and rinsing it. Then, just add a small amount to each bowl before serving. That way, the pasta is still a bit toothy, adding another layer of texture to the soup. This soup freezes very  well.

Pasta Fagoli

by Jessica

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1-2 hours

Keywords: simmer soup/stew

 

Ingredients (6-8 servings)

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2 ribs celery, diced
  • 2 carrots, cut into small matchsticks
  • 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 6 cups water
  • 1 15 ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 15 ounce can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tablespoons beef Better Than Bouillon Beef Flavor
  • handful of grated parmesan cheese
  • handful diced basil
  • 1 cup uncooked ditalini pasta

Instructions

Heat the oil in an 8 quart skillet on medium. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add celery and carrots. Cook until tender. Add the ground beef and cook until brown.

Add garlic and tomato paste and cook for about 2 minutes. Add black pepper, crushed red pepper, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper and cook for about 30 seconds.

Add the tomatoes, water, beans, and better than bouillon. Simmer for 30-40 minutes.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and rinse.

Add the parmesan cheese and basil. Simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes. Serve hot with cooked pasta.

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I always dislike tomato soup. I’m pretty sure that it was because we always ate it from a can. It was flavorless red broth that was just a little too acidic for my taste. While everyone else was enjoying a steaming bowl of tomato soup with grilled cheese, I chose chicken noodle almost every time. 

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It was not that long ago that I found tomato soup that made me change my tune. If you have ever had these tomato soups, you probably know what I am talking about. My favorite of all time is the Tomato Basil Soup from Nordstrom Cafe. It s rich, creamy, and has a sweet hint of basil. We like it so much that we buy at least one jar on every trip to Nordstrom. The other tomato soup is at Panera. It is the only thing that I like there. It is definitely crave worthy. 

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Now that winter is fast approaching, I knew that I needed to develop a recipe to curb my cravings so I could continue to hibernate all winter long. There is noting comforting about eating tomato soup in a cold restaurant on a hard bench. I want to be comfortable when in enjoying this warm, comforting soup. Plus, it is fast and easy, a bonus on those dark, gloomy winter nights. 

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This will certainly be a staple in our home this winter. 

Tomato Basil Soup

by Jessica

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Keywords: simmer blender appetizer soup/stew side snack milk tomato fall winter


Ingredients (4-6 servings)

  • 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/8 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 15 ounce can San Marzano whole, peeled tomatoes
  • 15 ounces water
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • handful fresh basil, chopped
  • cheese for garnish

Instructions

In a 3-4 quart sauce pan, add olive oil on medium heat.

Add onions. Cook until soft.

Add garlic, oregano, and smoked paprika. Cook an additional minute.

Add tomatoes and water. Cook about 5 minutes.

Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. Add heavy cream and basil. Cook an additional 5 minutes.

Salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with cheese if desired.

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Vegetable Soup

Does anyone else feel like Thanksgiving went by so quickly? Now, we are officially in the Christmas season. That means shopping, decorations, hot beverages and snuggles on the couch. We did a tiny amount of shopping on Black Friday. I am just not into the crowds. I did manage to get a few good deals on clothing for the winter. I hope everyone else enjoyed the holiday. 

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Vegetable soup has been one of my favorites for a really long time. I remember eating bowls of my grandma’s soup with a slice of fresh, Italian bread. Over the years, I combined her recipe with the recipe that my mom makes. My mom likes a tomato-based brother while my grandmother preferred very few tomatoes. My mom used alphabet pasta while my grandma used noodles. Both used tons of veggies. I really love the fact that I am eating a giant bowl of warm, hearty vegetables. 

 

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This soup is fantastic served with a piece of fresh, crusty Italian bread or perfectly grilled cheese. One of my favorite things about this soup is that it freezes so well. I like to make a giant pot of soup and freeze it in serving-sized bowls. Then, when we need a fast meal, I defrost the soup and enjoy. 

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This recipe is versatile. I add whatever vegetables that I have in the refrigerator in addition to a few bags of frozen Vegetables for Soup. I also use whatever canned tomatoes I happen to have on hand. On the day I made the pot of soup in the picture, I used a can of diced tomatoes and realized I had no tomato sauce or puree. Instead, I had two cans of stewed tomatoes and pureed them in the blender. 

The bottom line is that this is a delicious, filling meal perfect for a cold evening. 

 

 

Vegetable Soup

by Jessica

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Keywords: simmer soup/stew beef corn green beans fall winter


Ingredients (20 servings)

  • 2 teaspoons oil
  • English Chuck Roast (about 3 lbs.)
  • 1 Onion, diced
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 1 Bone for soup
  • 1 29 oz can tomato puree
  • 1 29 oz can stewed tomatoes, diced
  • 1 29 oz can tomato sauce
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 4 cups beef stock
  • 3 bags frozen vegetables for soup
  • 4 potatoes, diced
  • 1 package noodles or other pasta

Instructions

Heat oil in a large stock pot. Brown the meat on both sides. Remove from the pan. Add the onions and cook until tender. Deglaze the pan with red wine.

Add the bone, beef stock, and the chuck roast. Add water, tomato puree, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and herbs to the pan. Cook for about 1 hour on medium.

Remove the roast and bone from the pot and set aside.

Add vegetables, potatoes and noodles. Cook until tender.

Cut roast into bite sized pieces and return to soup.

Serve immediately. This soup freezes quite well.

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Photo Apr 29 9 43 04 PM

Happy Birthday to my sweet Jimmy. He is 6 years old today. Where does the time go?

In honor of Jimmy’s birthday, we are celebrating by enjoying a meal of two of his favorite food items, meatballsand chicken. When he gets excited, he spins in circles and man does Wedding Soup make him spin.

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Wedding soup is another regional food item here in the Pittsburgh region. It is found in most restaurants and varies slightly between restaurants. It is actually even served at The Olive Garden restaurants in the region only.

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This version is my favorite. In fact, I almost never eat wedding soup in restaurants because this is so good. It origiIMG 5100nated from my mom. It gets rave reviews mostly because of the special secret ingredient in the broth, copious amounts of cheese. This soup is a little time consuming because of all of the mini meatballs, but they are so worth it.

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This soup freezes very well. It is a hearty soup that definitely counts as a meal. Just serve it with your favorite bread and enjoy!

Italian Wedding Soup

by Jessica

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours


Ingredients (12-18 servings)

  • 5 split chicken breasts (bone in and skin on) or a whole chicken
  • 1 bunch of celery, diced
  • 1 tablespoon Organic Chicken Better Than Bouillon
  • Mini meatballs
  • 4 boxes chopped spinach, frozen
  • ½ box Acini Di Pepe, uncooked
  • 1 1/2 cups Pecorino Romano Cheese, grated
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • Ground pepper, to taste

For the Meatballs

  • 2 lbs. 93% lean ground beef
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon Pepper
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan or Romano cheese, handful
  • 2 tablespoons parsley flakes
  • Bread crumbs

Instructions

In a large Stock pot (12 qt. or larger) bring chicken, celery, and bouillon to a boil then simmer until chicken is cooked.

Remove chicken and add spinach, mini meatballs, and acini di pepe until cooked.

Cut up chicken, removing skin and bones and add to the soup.

Add salt, pepper and Romano cheese to broth. The Romano cheese blends into the broth. Stir as you pour so it does not melt together. It is optional but gives the broth a better flavor.

Serve hot or freeze.

For the Meatballs

Mix all ingredients. Add breadcrumbs until mixture is no longer sticky and form into bite size balls.

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Beef Stew

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There is something so comforting about having a hearty meal in the oven on a brisk fall day or cold winter day. It makes the kitchen extra cozy with the delicious smells wafting from the oven. 

Stew was something that I first made because we bought a quarter of a cow two years ago. I had very little experience cooking with beef, so I had lots of new cuts with very little experience. I decided that I would perfect a stew recipe. 

I took the basics, develop flavors by caramelizing the meat, deglaze the pan with a delicious liquid, and cook low and slow in the oven. 

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Start by heating oil in a dutch oven on medium high heat. Salt and pepper the meat and place the meat in the pan. Brown on all sides. It typically needs to be done in 2-3 batches so that the pan does not become overcrowded. 

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While the meat browns, cut the onion pole to pole.

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Cut the carrots and potatoes into chunks. 

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When the meat is brown, set it aside. 

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Add more oil to the pan and cook the onions, on medium until tender. 

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Add redwine or beef stock and deglaze the pan. Rub the bottom of the pan with the spoon to remove all the brown bits from the bottom. 

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Add carrots, beef, and potatoes to the pot. 

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Add beef stock, fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, and water to cover the meat and vegetables. Place the lid on the dutch oven and put in the 250 degree oven for 4 to 6 hours. 

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When the meat is tender, remove from the oven and put on the burner. Heat on medium until it starts to simmer. Remove the bay leaf, thyme, and rosemary.

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Make a slurry by combining 1/2 cup of flour with 2 cups of water. Shake to combine. Add to the stew and stir. Cook until the stew thickens. 

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Add peas and cook until defrosted. 

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Serve with your favorite side dish.

Beef Stew

by Jessica

Prep Time: 30-40 minutes

Cook Time: 4-6 hours

Keywords: bake soup/stew beef potato fall winter


Ingredients (6-8 servings)

  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1 ½-2 pounds stew beef or chuck roast cut into chunks
  • 1 large onions cut pole to pole
  • 2 lb potatoes, cubed
  • 4 c carrots, peeled and cut into rounds
  • ½ c red wine
  • 4 cups Beef Stock
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 2-3 sprigs rosemary
  • 2-3 springs of thyme
  • 1/2 c flour
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen peas

Instructions

Heat oil in a Dutch oven. Salt and pepper the beef. Add beef to the hot pan and brown on all sides. Remove and set aside.

Add more oil to the pan if needed. Add onions and cook until tender.

Add red wine and deglaze the pan. Cook until the smell of alcohol dissipates. Add beef broth.

Add the other ingredients except flour and water. Bring to a boil. Place lid on dutch oven and place in the oven for 4-6 hours at 250 degrees.

Mix flour and water to make a slurry. Remove dutch oven and place on burner. Bring to a boil. Add slurry and allow to boil for 3-5 minutes to create a thick gravy. Add peas and cook until defrosted.

Serve hot with your favorite side.

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I remember when Panera Bread finally arrived close enough to my parents’ house that they were willing to go there on a regular basis. It was such an exciting culinary experience for me. Before the arrival of Panera, there were very few restaurants that I could visit to get soup. I immediately fell in love with the Broccoli Cheese Soup. At the time, my child tastebuds were not ready for sourdough bread, but I was blown away by the soup. 

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Since then, I have stopped going to Panera unless I am dining with friends and they choose to go there. If I do go, I order the tomato soup. That leaves me craving broccoli cheddar soup. So, I had to make my own. I am not going to tell you that this is like the soup they have at Panera because, I honestly do not remember what it tastes like. All I know is that this is creamy, and cheese, with a slight broccoli flavor. And, it is fantastic with sourdough bread. I bet if you liked bread bowls it would be good in those too. I am not a fan because I have a thing against soggy bread. 

 

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This soup is easy and rich. A cup is enough for dinner. It comes together in under an hour, making it an excellent weeknight meal in the cool fall and winter months. Enjoy!

 

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Broccoli Cheddar Soup

by Jessica

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Keywords: simmer soup/stew broccoli cheese


Ingredients (6 servings)

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 1-2 carrots, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 4 cups stock
  • 10 oz bag of frozen broccoli
  • bay leaf
  • pinch nutmeg
  • 3 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese

Instructions

In a large sauce pan, heat oil on medium. Add onion and carrots. Cook until tender. Add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.

Add butter and allow to melt. Add flour and stir the flour into the butter. Cook 1-2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.

Add stock (I use chicken stock), bay leaf, nutmeg and broccoli. Cook until broccoli is soft.

Add milk and cream. Blend with a stick blender or in batches in a regular blender.

Add 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese, stirring constantly until mixed.

Serve hot with shredded cheese on top.

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Chicken noodle soup is the first meal I ever made for Pierre. We had not been dating long when I went to his house and made a giant pot of chicken noodle soup. I think that is the day that he knew that he loved me. The soup really is that good and comforting. 

My grandma always served this over a big pile or mashed potatoes. That is still the way that I like to eat it the best. People always look at me funny when I tell them about this, until they taste it. Then it becomes their favorite comforting meal. 

The best part about making this is that it takes less than an hour, making it a great weeknight meal. 

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For this recipe, I have combined my mom’s chicken noodle soup with my grandma’s recipe. My mom always chopped tons of celery, while my grandma put in whole stalks to remove later. I do a little of both. 

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Add the chicken, salt, and water. Boil until the chicken is cooked through.

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Remove the chicken and the whole stalks of celery. I like to remove the skin and the bones and add the chicken back into the soup however, my mom likes to slather it in barbecue sauce and grill it. My grandma coated it in flour, salt, and pepper and pan fried it in butter. 

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I like to use these noodles. My mom always used thick noodles, but Grandma used long, thin noodles. These are like a hybrid of the two. I add the noodles and some freshly ground pepper and cook until the noodles are soft. 

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Taste it for seasoning. 

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To serve, make a pile of creamy mashed potatoes with a well in the center in a shallow bowl. 

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Scoop some soup over top of the potatoes. 

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Chicken Noodle Soup

by Jessica

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Keywords: soup/stew entree chicken


Ingredients (8-10 bowls of soup)

  • 4 Split Chicken Breasts (Bone In, Skin on)
  • Celery, hearts chopped, outside stalks left whole
  • Small yellow onion, diced
  • 1 tablespoon fo Better Than Bouillon or4 Chicken Bouillon Cubes (Knorr’s Extra Large)
  • 1 Bag Mrs. Mueller’s Kaluski Noodles
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Instructions

In a large Stock pot, add onion, celery, chicken, bouillon, fresh ground pepper and water. Boil until chicken is cooked thoroughly (about 30 min.).

Remove chicken and large celery stalks.

Add noodles and cook until tender.

Remove skin and bones from chicken and cut into bite size pieces. Return the chicken to the soup.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

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