Chicken and Rice Soup

Recipe Courtesy of Lisa Roubicek*
Photo Courtesy of Taste of Home

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 tsp lemon pepper (or more if needed)
1 Tbls chicken bouillon
1 cup long-grain rice
2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded**
1 12oz can of milk
1 can chicken broth
1 Tbls dried onion
1 cup chopped celery
2 peeled and chopped carrots
1/4 cup butter

DIRECTIONS
Add chicken broth and enough water to measure 6 cups in pan.  Add rice, onion, celery and carrots.  Bring to a boil, cover and cook for 20 minutes.

Add milk and butter, mix well.  Cook 5 minutes.

Wisk in lemon pepper and bouillon.  Taste for flavor, adding more lemon pepper or bouillon if needed.  Cook 5 minutes.

Add chicken and heat through.  The longer it simmers, the better.

*I altered the recipe somewhat to suit my taste.

**I like to cook the chicken during the day in the crockpot.  Put chicken breasts in the crockpot.  Sprinkle with lemon pepper and cook on low all day.  Shred and add to recipe as outlined above.  The chicken will be very tender and moist.

Cheesy Green Chile and Potato Chowder

Recipe and Photo Courtesy of Eat, Live, Run

 

 

serves 4-6

Ingredients:
3 poblano peppers
1 large yellow onion, small diced
3 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 stalks celery, small diced
1/4 - 1/2 lb bacon
2 tsp minced garlic
1 quart chicken broth
2 tsp salt
2 cups milk
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup Mexican blend cheese {plus additional for serving}
thinly sliced green onions

Directions:
First, fire roast the peppers.
To do this, place poblano peppers right over the flame on your burner if you have a gas stove. Flip occasionally until every inch of the pepper is charred. If you don’t have a gas stove, place peppers underneath the broiler on a lined sheet tray {also flipping occasionally} until charred. Once charred all around, immediately remove peppers from heat and zip up in a plastic zip-loc bag. Let sit for 20 minutes then remove charred skin with the back of a knife and roughly chop up peppers.

While your peppers are cooling, fry the bacon in a large dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot. Fry until crispy then remove bacon from the pot and drain on pepper towels. Drain some, but not all, of the grease.

Add your onion, garlic and celery to the hot grease. Saute for about six minutes over medium heat until veggies are just tender. Add cubed potatoes to the pot, as well as the poblano peppers, and toss well so everything is combined.

Pour in chicken broth and add the salt. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for about 35 minutes until potatoes are very tender {be sure to “test” with a fork or knife…nothing worse than biting into an uncooked potato!}. Add milk and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together so that no flour clumps remain and bring back to a simmer. Simmer for another 10 minutes.

Turn off heat completely and add cheese to the pot. Stir well so cheese melts. Serve immediately with crumbled bacon, sliced green onions and additional cheese.

Time:
1.25 hours

Chicken Tortilla Soup (Can be Slow Cooker)

Recipe and photo courtesy of allrecipes.com
Modified

Ingredients

1 pound shredded, cooked chicken
(Uncooked chicken breasts for slow cooker method)
1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
vegetable oil

Directions
1.  Saute onions with vegetable oil in a large pot until translucent.  Add garlic and saute another minute.

2.  Add tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro.
3.  Simmer on low at least 30 minutes.  It tastes even better if you simmer a long time.

4.  Serve topped with crispy tortilla strips and a dollop of sour cream.

Slow Cooker Directions

Place uncooked chicken breasts in bottom of slow cooker.  Add tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours. Shred chicken and serve topped with crispy tortilla strips and a dollop of sour cream.
 
Serves 8.

Italian Wedding Soup

Recipe and photo courtesy of Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 carrots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage (or a proportional amount of dried)
4 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon grated parmesan, plus more for topping
1/2 pound ground pork
3 tablespoons breadcrumbs (preferably panko)
3/4 cup orzo
8 ounces baby spinach (about 8 cups)

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add half of the garlic, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce and some sage; cook 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the pork, breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon grated parmesan, the remaining garlic, Worcestershire sauce and sage in a bowl. Form into 1-inch meatballs.

Increase the heat to medium high and bring the soup to a boil. Stir in the orzo and cook 6 minutes. Add the meatballs and cook until they are firm and float to the top, about 4 more minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 more minute. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with parmesan. Serves 8.

White Chili

Recipe Courtesy of Erin Mercado


PHOTO CREDIT

Serves 5

Ingredients

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced small*
1 medium onion, chopped
1 ½ tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp oil
2 cans (15 ½ oz each) great northern beans (white beans), drained and rinsed
1 can chicken broth
1 or 2 cans (4oz) chopped green chilies (depending on your preference)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp pepper
¼ tsp cayenne powder
1 cup sour cream
½ cup whipping cream
Cilantro

Directions

In a large saucepan, sauté chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink.

Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Remove from heat; stir in sour cream and cream. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

*Can sub an extra can of beans for chicken and veggie broth for chicken broth to make this vegetarian.

Mom's Mock Marie's

Tastes similar to Marie Callender's Navy Bean Soup

Recipe Courtesy of MOM

Serves 6 hungry people

INGREDIENTS
1 Sm bag navy beans
1 pound bacon
1 med yellow onion
2 lg carrots
3 lg celery stalks
1 can chopped tomatoes
4 c chicken stock (optional)
salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Wash, clean and drain navy beans. Place in pot and cover with water. Bring to boil for 10 minutes then place in crockpot.

Slice bacon into small pieces, chop onion into small pieces, dice carrots and celery into tiny pieces. Sauté bacon until crisp, drain, and add onion, carrots and celery. Sauté for several minutes until veggies begin to get tender. Pour mixture over beans in crockpot.

Add canned tomatoes. Cover with water (or chicken stock) one inch above mixture in crockpot. Add one teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Cook on HIGH for 6 hours. Halfway through cooking time, mash some of the soup (or use immersion blender). This helps the soup to be creamy and thick. Add more salt and pepper to taste just before serving.

Note: The longer the beans cook, the better the flavor.

Serve with cornbread or warm tortillas.

Clam Chowder

Recipe and Photo Courtesy of Allrecipes
(Modified Slightly)

8 servings

Ingredients
3 (6.5 ounce) cans minced clams
1 cup minced onion
1 cup diced celery
2 cups cubed potatoes
1 cup diced carrots
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 quart half-and-half / milk combo
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
salt and LOTS of black pepper to taste

Directions
1.In a pot, saute onions in a bit of olive oil. Add celery and carrots. (Optional: Cook 6 slices of bacon, remove bacon and saute veggies in bacon grease.) Drain juice from clams over the onions, celery and carrots. Add potatoes, and cook over medium heat until tender.

2.Meanwhile, in another saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Whisk in milk/cream (ratio depends on the fat content and thickness you want from your soup) and stir constantly until thick and smooth. Slowly add milk mixture to vegetables and clam juice. Heat through, but do not boil.

3.Stir in clams just before serving. If they cook too much they get tough. When clams are heated through, stir in vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.

Homemade Noodles

Recipe Courtesy of Emilee Aardema
and My Mom

PHOTO CREDIT

My mom always makes the most delicious homemade noodles in her homemade chicken noodle soup. Thanks to a friend of a friend, I finally have a measured recipe for noodles just like hers! (This baker needs measurements!)

INGREDIENTS
2 cups flour
2 eggs
1 teaspoon oil
2-3 Tablespoons water

DIRECTIONS
Bring soup to a rolling boil in prep for noodles.

Mix together all ingredients with a fork. It won't mix perfectly; it is similar to a moist pie crust. Don't overwork it or the noodles will be tough.

Roll out on a generously floured surface to slightly thinner than pie crust--if you roll paper thin the noodles won't hold up.

Run a pizza cutter (or knife) through the dough to make long 1/4 inch strips. Drop one by one into the boiling soup. They cook super fast.......5-7 minutes.

Tomato Bisque

Recipe Courtesy of Food Network
Photo Courtesy of Glittersoup


Ingredients
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon minced bacon (about 1/2 ounce)
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 cups chicken broth
1 (28-ounce) can whole, peeled tomatoes (with liquid), roughly chopped
3 parsley sprigs
3 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt
Black pepper

Directions
Heat the butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring, until crisp and most of the fat has rendered, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Lower the heat to medium, add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, about 8 minutes.


Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Pour in the broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil while whisking constantly. Tie the parsley sprigs, thyme, and bay leaf together with a piece of kitchen twine and add to the pot. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.


When the soup base is cool, remove and discard the herb bundle. Working in batches, transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth (or use an immersion blender). Using a sieve over a large bowl, strain the tomato puree. Return the puree to the pot and reheat over medium heat.


Whisk the heavy cream into the soup and season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide among warm soup bowls and serve immediately. Tasty along side a fancy grilled cheese or with a crusty baguette for dipping.

Tortilla Soup

Recipe and Photo Courtesy of This Week for Dinner


FYI - My soup doesn't look as pretty as the picture, but it still tastes awesome!

INGREDIENTS
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- olive oil
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups chicken (or veggie) broth
- 2-3 tomatoes, chopped
- ½ bag frozen corn
- 1 large chicken breast (optional)
- 1 can black beans**, drained & rinsed
- 1 lime (one extra for garnish)
- 1 handful cilantro, chopped
- 1 avocado, diced
- cayenne pepper
- chili powder
- cumin
- salt and pepper
- cheddar or jack cheese, shredded
- sour cream
- tortilla chips

Sautee onion in olive oil until soft, then add garlic, cayenne, chili powder, and cumin. Sautee until fragrant (a minute or two). Add broth. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer. Add tomatoes, corn, black beans.

If using, grill up chicken spiced with cayenne, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cut up or shred chicken and add it to the soup.
Try the soup and add more seasonings according to taste, if needed. Add the juice of one lime.

Serve soup garnished with cheese, green onions, sour cream, tortilla strips, fresh cilantro, diced avocado and a lime wedge.

**If you are not using chicken, use two cans of beans instead of one.

Potato Leek Soup

Recipe Courtesy of ME!
Photo Courtesy of healthandwellnes.wordpress.com


INGREDIENTS
2 pounds white potatoes, peeled and quartered
2-3 carrots, peeled and chopped into hunks
6-8 cups chicken or veggie broth
1-2 leeks, bulb only, diced
2 T butter
2 T olive oil
1-2 T flour
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. In a soup pot, cook potatoes and carrots in broth until soft.
2. Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium heat, cook diced leeks in butter and olive oil until tender. Add flour and whisk like crazy, cooking it for a few minutes. Don't let it burn! Slowly add a cup or two of the broth into the saucepan, whisking until smooth.
3. Mash the potatoes and carrots in the soup pot until they reach your desired consistency.
4. Slowly add leek mixture from the saucepan into the soup pot, whisking to keep it smooth (you don't want any flour lumps in there). Season with salt and pepper. Cook to desired consistency, adding more broth if necessary.

Potato Broccoli Soup

Recipe and Photo Courtesy of Allrecipes
(Modified)

INGREDIENTS
1 onion, diced
2 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 lbs cubed potatoes*
6 cups vegetable or chicken broth

3 cups fresh broccoli, chopped

salt and pepper to taste
Shredded Cheddar cheese

*I use Yukon Gold potatoes. Then you can use the peel without it becoming cumbersome.

DIRECTIONS
In a large stock pot saute onion in butter. Add potatoes and broth. Cover, bring to boil and then reduce heat to medium and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook broccoli. (I steam it in the microwave.) Once cooked add to soup.

In a blender or food processor puree half of the soup and return to stock pot (or use immersion blender). Season with salt and pepper.

Heat soup through. Serve warm topped with shredded cheese. This is one of those soups that is way better the next day. Yum!

Thai Soup

This soup was so fun to make! It was different than most things I cook, and I loved the change of pace. Don't leave out the fish sauce; just plug your nose and add it in. It's worth it!

Ryan was not a huge fan. He's your typical "American meat-and-potatoes" kind-of guy, and I guess this was a little out of his comfort zone. Even so, I loved it and I know I'll be making it again!

Recipe courtesy of Cooks Illustrated via Brittany Ryan

PHOTO CREDIT

6-8 as an appetizer, 4 as a main course

INGREDIENTS
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
3 stalks lemon grass , tough outer leaves removed, bottom 5 inches halved lengthwise and sliced thin crosswise
3 large shallots , chopped
8 sprigs fresh cilantro leaves , chopped coarse
3 Tablespoons fish sauce
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 14-oz cans coconut milk , well-shaken
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/2 pound white mushrooms , cleaned, stems trimmed, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 pound chicken breasts (optional), halved lengthwise and sliced on bias into 1/8-inch-thick pieces
3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice from 2 to 3 limes
2 teaspoons red curry paste (Thai)

Garnish
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 Serrano chiles , sliced thin
2 scallions , sliced thin on bias
1 lime , cut into wedges

INSTRUCTIONS
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat until just shimmering. Add lemon grass, shallots, cilantro, and 1 tablespoon fish sauce; cook, stirring frequently, until just softened, 2 to 5 minutes (vegetables should not brown). Stir in chicken/vegetable broth and 1 can coconut milk; bring to simmer over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until flavors have blended, 10 minutes. Pour broth through fine-mesh strainer and discard solids in strainer. Rinse saucepan and return broth mixture to pan.

Return pan to medium-high heat. Stir remaining can coconut milk and sugar into broth mixture and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium, add mushrooms, and cook until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add chicken (if using) and cook, stirring constantly, until no longer pink, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove soup from heat.

Combine lime juice, curry paste, and remaining 2 tablespoons fish sauce in small bowl; stir into soup. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with cilantro, chiles, and scallions. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

If you want a soup with less fat, it is possible to substitute light coconut milk for one or both cans of regular coconut milk.

For a more substantial meal, serve the soup over 2 to 3 cups of cooked jasmine rice.

Corn Chowder

Recipe courtesy of Tyler Florence

PHOTO CREDIT

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons butter
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only (or use dried thyme, but a much lesser amount; it is much more potent)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups vegetable stock
2 cups heavy cream (or milk, for a lighter soup)
2 Idaho potatoes, peeled and diced
6 ears corn (or use frozen corn kernels)
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

DIRECTIONS
Heat the butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme and cook until the vegetables are good and soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Dust the vegetables with flour and stir to coat everything well. Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Add the cream and the potatoes, bring to a boil and boil hard for about 7 minutes, until the potatoes break down (this will help to thicken the soup and give it a good texture).

Cut the corn kernels off the cob and add to the soup. Season with salt and pepper and simmer until the corn is soft, about 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the parsley and give it another little drink of olive oil. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.

Creamy Black Bean Soup

When I told Ryan I was making black bean soup tonight, he wrinkled his nose. Well, guess who ate his words (not to mention lots of soup)???

Recipe Courtsey of Valerie Geary

Photo Courtesy of slim-shoppin.com

Makes 4 Servings

INGREDIENTS

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 Tbs olive oil
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 onion, diced
1-2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cups of vegetable broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 heaping tsp chili powder (or more if you want it hotter)
1 heaping tsp cumin
1/2 cup cream, half in half, or milk (depending on the fat content you want in your soup - I use milk and it works just fine)
1/4-1/2 cup fresh (deli-type) salsa
chopped green onions (optional)
sour cream (optional)
avocados, diced (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Heat olive oil in heavy saucepan and saute onions, celery, and garlic for about 3-5 minutes until tender. Stir in beans, broth and seasonings. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered for 25-30 minutes.

Cool slightly.

Puree about 75% of the soup (adding small batches at a time) in a blender (or use an immersion blender). The more soup you puree the creamer. If you want chunkier soup, puree about 50-60% of the soup.

Return to pot and stir in cream and salsa. Cook on medium heat until soup is hot again.

Serve topped with onions, avocados and sour cream as desired.

Baked Potato Soup

This recipe is a concoction of several Potato Soup recipes put together. You may notice some of the ingredients have ranges, rather than specific amounts. Adjust however you prefer... more bacon, less cream, whatever you desire!

Photo Courtesy of MommyMeggie

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
1/4 to 1/2 pound bacon, diced
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 - 1 teaspoon pepper
4 cups chicken broth
2 - 3 large baked potatoes, cubed*
1/4 - 1/2 cup sour cream
A few shakes of hot pepper sauce
Shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions
In a large saucepan, cook bacon until crisp. Drain, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings. Set bacon aside. Saute onion and garlic in the drippings until tender. Stir in flour, salt, basil and pepper; mix well. Gradually add broth. Bring to boil; boil and stir for several minutes, until thickened. Turn heat to low. Add the potatoes, sour cream, and hot pepper sauce; heat through but do not boil. Use potato masher to mash some of the potato chunks, if desired. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with bacon and cheese.

*For speedy cooked potatoes: Wash well. Dice up into cubes and place in microwave-safe bowl. Cover, but vent. Cook for 5 - 10 minutes until tender. Add to soup as directed.

Zuppa Toscana (Olive Garden)

A copy-cat recipe of my favorite Olive Garden soup!

Serves 6 - 8

INGREDIENTS
1 lb ground Italian sausage
1½ tsp crushed red peppers
1 large diced white onion
4 Tbsp bacon pieces
2 tsp garlic puree
10 cups water
5 cubes of chicken bouillon
1 cup heavy cream
1 lb sliced Russet potatoes, or about 3 large potatoes
¼ of a bunch of kale, chopped

DIRECTIONS

Sauté Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat, scoop into a bowl, and set aside.

In the same pot, sauté bacon until crispy. Set bacon aside and drain most of the bacon grease from the pot.

Next, inside that same pot, sauté onions until tender. Add garlic for the last minute or so of cooking the onions.

Mix together the chicken bouillon and water, then add it to the onions and garlic. Add bacon. Cook until boiling. Add potatoes and cook until tender.

Add heavy cream and sausage and cook on low until thoroughly heated.

Add kale just before serving.

Chicken Noodle Soup

When you are sick, there is nothing like Chicken Noodle Soup. Sometimes, I choose to make my own. In the time it takes you to open a can, you can have homemade soup.

Okay, I lied. It takes longer to make homemade soup (obviously). BUT, it doesn't take as long as you think and it is SO much better. You can change up the ingredients according to what you like, in the portions you prefer!

When I am sick, if I have enough energy, I whip up a huge pot of this stuff and eat off it for several days. Warm, comforting, and just how I like it! Thank you to my mom, who taught me that there is nothing like homemade soup to make you feel better. Someday, I'll make it for my kids, just like she made it for me!

PHOTO CREDIT

INGREDIENTS
1 chicken breast, already cooked (or poach the chicken while you complete the rest of the soup)
3 stalks of celery
2 full size carrots
several green onions
chicken broth
egg noodles, or homemade noodles

DIRECTIONS
Chop celery, carrots, and onions. Bring a few cups of chicken broth to boil in a large pot. Add celery and carrots. Cook until almost tender. Add more broth to fill pot, and cook noodles until tender. Stir in onions and chicken and heat through.

When storing, make sure there is sufficient broth, as the noodles will absorb some broth in the fridge.