Tuscano Chili

Tuscano Chili

Ingredients:
1 lb italian sausage (or turkey sausage), we use mild
1 large russet baking potato, sliced in half and then in 1/4 inch slices
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can pink (light or dark) kidney beans
1 can white beans (any type you prefer)
2 cups kale, chopped (large stems removed)
4 C chicken broth
2 C water
1 C heavy whipping cream
Optional: Add 1/4 C bacon bits (I usually don't)

Directions:

1. 1.Brown sausage in your soup pot, breaking into small pieces.
2. 2.Add chicken broth and water to pot and stir.
3. 3.Place onions, potatoes, garlic, and beans in the pot.
4. 4.Cook on medium heat until potatoes are done (about 15 minutes).
5. 5.Add bacon (if using).
6. 6.Salt and pepper to taste.
7. 7.Simmer for another 10 minutes.
8. 8.Turn to low heat.
9. 9.Add kale and cream.
10. 10.Heat through and serve.

Source: Adapted from http://www.food.com/recipe/olive-garden-copycat-zuppa-toscana-38298

Lasagna Soup

Lasagna Soup

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive oil

1. 1 1/2 lbs Italian Sausage (I usually just use 16 oz, turkey sausage is good, too)
2. 3 cups chopped onions
3. 4 garlic cloves, minced
4. 2 teaspoons dried oregano
5. optional: 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
6. 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
7. 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, preferably fire roasted
8. 2 bay leaves
9. 6 cups chicken broth
10. 8 ounces fusilli or mafalda pasta (or other pasta of your choice) (I used bowtie, whole wheat works well)
11. 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil, or a heaping tablespoon dried basil (fresh is the best, but dried works, too)
12. salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
13. 8 ounces ricotta cheese (I usually just use the whole 15 oz with a full cup of shredded parm)
14. 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (Use the real stuff!)
15. 1/4 teaspoon salt
16. a few cracks of black pepper
17. optional: shredded mozzarella for sprinkling on top (we find it cheesy enough without this)

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking up into bite sized pieces and cook until browned and cooked through. Add onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. If you're using dried basil, add it at this point. Cook for about a minute. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate.
2. Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. You can add the dry pasta to the soup in the last 8-ish minutes of cooking, or do as I prefer, and cook the pasta separately and add to individual servings. Right before serving, stir in fresh basil if you're using fresh, and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.
4. To serve, place a generous dollop of the ricotta mixture in each soup bowl, add pasta if you cooked it separately, and ladle the hot soup over the cheese. Let it sit for a minute for the cheese to get all melty, sprinkle mozzarella on top if desired and eat up

Comments:

I've made this a couple times but forgot how easy and filling and tasty it is! Tastes like lasagna in a bowl:)

Recipe and photo source: (My favorite): http://ourbestbites.com/2012/12/lasagna-soup/

Turkey Wild Rice Soup

 

1 medium onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, diced
2 carrots, diced
1/2 C butter
1/2 C all purpose flour
4 C chicken or turkey broth
2 C light cream
2 1/2 C precooked long grain wild rice
2 C cooked turkey or chicken, diced
1 t dried parsley
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper

In a large kettle or dutch oven, sauté the onion, celery, and carrots in butter until the onion is transparent.  Reduce the heat.  Blend in flour and cook until bubbly.  Gradually add chicken broth, stirring constantly.  Bring to boil and continue to boil for one minute.  Reduce heat and add cream, wild rice, turkey, parsley, salt and pepper.  Simmer for 20 minutes.  Yields 8 servings.

Notes: I used normal white rice, but wild would be nummy.  I just used leftover dark meat turkey from Thanksgiving.  I also used half and half because I had some left over.  Normal milk, or whole would be good too.  This is a thick soup.  If you're serving it with breadsticks or rolls I would thin with more milk for dipping the bread. 

Butternut Squash Soup

1/4 C butter
2 1/2 C leeks, chopped
2 lbs butternut squash, peeled and chopped
5 C chicken broth
1/2 C canned milk (or normal milk)
pinch salt
pinch pepper
toasted pine nuts (optional)

In large stock pot, melt butter and add leeks.  Cook until soft, but not brown.  Add squash and enough chicken stock to just cover the squash.  Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes until squash is tender.  Puree softened squash and leeks in a blender until very smooth.  Add remaining chicken stock, milk, salt and pepper to taste, and serve with sprinkle of pine nuts.  Yields 8

Notes:  Surprisingly delicious, just a hint of squashy taste.  (but I love butternut squash) Thin soup but very filling.  I would even recommend using it as a base to other vegetable soups.  You could add broccoli, mushrooms, carrots, bacon, sour cream, shredded chicken, etc.  Would be  a good alternative base for other "white sauce" soups.

Slow Cooker Creamy Potato Soup

Slow Cooker Creamy Potato Soup

Ingredients:

10 gloves of garlic, minced (if you use jarred, it's a 5 t equivalent)

64 oz (8 cups) of chicken stock or broth

1 T seasoned salt

5 pounds russet potatoes, washed NOT peeled, diced into 1/2 inch cubes

2 medium yellow onions, diced

2 cups carrots, diced

16 oz low fat or non fat cream cheese

Directions:

Combine all ingredients (except for cream cheese) in crock pot and cook on high for 6 hours or low for 10 hours.

Take out half of soup and place in blender with most of liquid and blend with cream cheese. Pour blended soup back in with rest of soup in crock pot and stir to re-incorporate. (This will give you a creamy base with some chunky vegetables still intact). 

Can garnish with shredded cheese, green onion, crumbled bacon, if desired. 

I serve with crusty bread, usually rosemary focaccia. 

Notes:

Very simple and perfect for fall. This has become my go-to recipe to bring to new moms with newborns. It's a familiar tasting comfort food that agrees with most palates. This make A LOT of soup (it fills my crock pot up to the very top) so I take half to the new mom's family and save half for our family. You could easily half this if just eating for your own family (at least at my family's stage now, who knows in the future!). It is certainly a comfort food with the cream cheese ingredient, but so worth it! My kids all love it, including EmmaMae.

Cream Cheese Chicken Soup

Cream Cheese Chicken Soup

1 small onion, chopped

1 Tbsp butter

3 cups chicken broth

3 med carrots, cut into strips

2 med potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 cup sweet corn

2 cubed, cooked chicken

2 Tbsp fresh parsley

Salt and Pepper

¼ cup flour

1 cup milk

8 oz cream cheese, cubed

In large saucepan, sauté onion and butter. Add broth, carrots, and potatoes. Bring to a

boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until tender. Add chicken, parsley,

salt & pepper. Heat through. Combine flour and milk until smooth; add to vegetable

mixture. Bring to boil; cook and stir about two minutes, or until thickened. Add corn, heat through.  Reduce heat. Add cream cheese, stir till melted.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 small Onion, chopped

2-3 cloves of Garlic, minced

2 cups Chicken Stock

1 jar Salsa, whatever kind you like, I use my homemade

2-3 Chicken Breast, shredded, I boil it in water with some Knorr chicken bouillon and

Knorr

Tomato bouillon

1 can Sweet Corn

1 can Black Beans

Cumin and Chile Powder, you can also use a packet of Taco Seasoning instead

Lime

Salt

Pepper

Garnish with:

fresh diced Tomatoes

diced Avocado

Cilantro

Sour Cream

Kraft Fiesta Cheese Blend

Tortilla Chips, Yellow, White, or Blue Corn

Saute' onion and garlic in a few tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add chicken stock and salsa. Add shredded chicken, corn and beans. Season to taste with salt, pepper, cumin, chile powder, and lime juice. Pour into bowls to serve and let your family or guests garnish how they like!

Get Better Chicken Vegetable Lemon Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 large chicken breasts (or 7 small chicken tenders)
• 3 potatoes
• 12 baby carrots (or two medium carrots)
• 2 stalks celery
• head of broccoli
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 lemon
• couple Tbl Italian dressing (or olive oil and Italian dressing)
• salt and pepper for taste
• thyme
• basil
• cumin
• curry
• 2 or 3 cubes chicken bullion
• 6 to 6 1/2 cups water

Directions:

In a large bowl cook the chicken in some Italian dressing for flavor. add some salt and pepper and dice the chicken into bite sizes.  Meanwhile chop up potatoes (un-skinned), carrots, celery, and broccoli also into small bite sized pieces.  Once the meat is finished cooking, add the bullion and water, then the vegetables. Grate in the garlic, and the skin of the lemon.  Add dashes of thyme, basil, cumin, curry salt and pepper to your desire.  Then squeeze the lemon juice into the soup.  Cook until veggies are tender!

(takes about 1 hour to make, and enough food for about 4

Notes:

I  make this recipe whenever someone is sick.  I don't really like chicken noodle soup, and so this is my own version.  I usually also make mom's rolls to go with it.  The lemon really adds a nice flavor. And many of the ingredients are recommended for when you have the flu! I made it for my brother's family when they were sick and they said it was the only thing that they could eat while they were sick.  So hopefully that says something good :)

- From Heather

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Ingredients: 
 1/2 C butter 
1 onion, chopped 
1 lb chopped fresh broccoli (you can use frozen as well) 
3 cans chicken broth (43.5 oz) 
1 lb processed cheese (such as Velveeta) cubed 
2 cups milk 
1 tablespoon garlic powder
 2/3 C cornstarch 
1 C water 
1/2 C cheddar cheese, plus more for serving 

  Instructions: 
-In a stockpot, melt butter over medium heat. Cook onion in butter until softened. Stir in broccoli, and cover with chicken broth. Simmer until broccoli is tender, 10 to 15 minutes. 
 -Reduce heat, and stir in cheese cubes until melted. Add in cheddar cheese. Mix in milk and garlic powder. 
-In a small bowl, stir cornstarch into water until dissolved. Stir into soup; cook, stirring frequently, until thick.

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Turkey Chili

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Turkey Chili

Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion, diced (any color)
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 1-2 jalapenos, minced (I only used 1/2 because I was scared, but you could definitely use the 1-2)
• 20 ounces ground turkey breast
• 8 ounces mushrooms, minced (about 2 heaping cups)
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2  teaspoons kosher salt
• ½  teaspoons pepper
• 1  teaspoon oregano
• 1  teaspoon chili powder
• 1 1/2  teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 28 ounce can tomatoes (not drained)
• 2 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 32 ounces beef broth (one box/carton) (just realized now I used chicken broth instead!)
• 1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree (make sure you’re not using pumpkin pie filling :)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

optional toppings: sour cream, sliced avocado, chopped cilantro or green onion, and fresh lime juice for serving

Directions:

Place all ingredients (aside from toppings) in crockpot, stir until combined, and cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 8-10. Make about 16 cups (a lot!).

Notes:

In the original post, you are supposed to do some sauteing first. I am sure it would be even better, but I like the simpleness of crockpot cooking! (Just throw it all in and call it good!). This chili is by far one of the best I've ever had! It smelled so amazing while cooking all day and the sweet potatoes, cinnamon and cocoa gave it some festivity and such depth to the taste! We served it with the above toppings and tortilla chips. It makes a lot so I froze half for when the baby comes. You could also easily do this vegetarian and it would still be filling. Very healthy too (see nutritional value in link below).

Recipe and pic from: http://www.ourbestbites.com/2012/10/black-bean-and-sweet-potato-turkey-chili/

Tomato Basil Soup

Tomato Basil Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 C chopped onion
• ¾ C chopped carrot
• 4 cloves garlic 
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper 
• 1 Tbs dried basil 
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano 
• 2/3 C sliced sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (14oz) can chicken broth (or make your own)
• optional: 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (I did a few shakes) and 3 oz cream cheese
• Optional toppings: Parmesan cheese and fresh basil for garnish

Directions:

Combine all ingredients except cream cheese (if using) and toppings and place in crockpot. Don't worry too much about chopping veggies too fine or mincing garlic, as this will all be blended after cooking. Cook on high 4-6 hours or low 6-8 hours. Blend in blender (add cream cheese at this point if desired) and serve topped with parmesan cheese and fresh basil if desired. Depending on your blender, consider removing small center lid and placing paper towel over to let steam escape while blending.

Notes

We LOVE tomato soup around here and this is the first time I have tried to make it on my own! I'm so glad I did. I forgot to add the cream cheese and I don't think I will! It was very creamy as it was and had a wonderful flavor. I felt like we were eating at a cafe! I don't mean to repeat ourbestbites.com here, but their recipes are fabulous! I made it with the rosemary focaccia bread (also listed on this blog and from ourbestbites) and we all enjoyed it. There's nothing like soups as temperatures drop and winter approaches! I think fresh basil would make it even better (it always does!). You can also make this right before serving on the stovetop (see their link below), but I am partial to prep work in the morning and throwing it all in the crockpot so dinner is a snap and I can focus on the boys when they get home from school instead of dinner preparation. Bless crockpots.

Recipe adapted from (only directions) and picture from: http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/03/creamy-tomato-soup/

Black Bean "Mud" Soup

Black Bean "Mud" Soup

Ingredients:

• 4 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 3/4 C diced carrots (about 2 med carrots)
• 3/4 C diced celery (about 2 ribs)
• 1 C diced onion (about 1 sm-med onion)
• 2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 3.5oz can green chilies
• 2 cans low-sodium beef broth (I make my own from bullion, about 4 cups)
• 1 t kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 t chili powder
• 1/4 t cumin
• 1/2 t dry oregano leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• Optional Toppings: sour cream, tortilla chips, grated cheese, chopped cilantro,  avocados, lime, etc.

Directions:

Place all ingredients (except toppings) in crockpot and cook on High for about 4-6 hours or on low 6-8 hours. Remove bay leaf. 

Place soup in a blender. (You could use an immersion blender in place of this step). Place lid on blender, but remove the stopper in the lid to let heat escape. Place a paper towel over the hole to avoid splatters. 

Puree soup until completely smooth.  Optionally you could pulse until a semi-chunky soup is achieved. Squeeze in the juice from one lime and pulse to combine.

Ladle into bowls and top with desired toppings. Serve with extra lime wedges.  Makes about 8 C soup.

Notes:

My boys have termed this "Mud" soup and they all love it. The ingredients are very simple and usually available from what I have on hand and I love the taste. It is filling and healthy! You can also make it on the stovetop (see link below where I got the recipe) but I love throwing everything in the crockpot. 

Recipe adapted (only directions) and picture from: http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/01/black-bean-soup/

Jessie's Winter Lentil Soup

Jessie’s Winter Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

• 4-8 leeks, white and light green parts only (enough for about 2-3 cups)
• 1 C tomatoes chopped (or 1 C diced drained tomatoes from a can)
• 2 T olive oil
• 6 cups chicken broth (I had 4 C real chicken broth from boiling chicken yesterday and the remaining two I made from chicken bullion - I added 2 C water and 2 t chicken bullion granules)
• 1 bunch Kale (can sub collard greens, but it’s not as good). I used about 3 cups chopped kale.
• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into a ½ inch dice (about 2 cups worth)
• ½ cup red lentils (you can use other types of lentils as well)
• 1 TB thyme leaves (I used dry)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 12 fresh basil leaves (don't use dry! I used a bit more as I had more in the package I bought, I chopped about 1 C worth)
• 3/4 C milk
• Shredded parmesan cheese for topping

Directions:

-Heat the oil in the saucepan over medium heat

-Slice the leeks each in half lengthwise, then slice each half into ¼ inch half-moons (about 2-3 cups). Rinse with water and pat dry (come very dirty!)

-Chop tomatoes

-Add leeks and tomatoes to sauce pan and saute for 5 minutes or so until leeks are cooked.

-While cooking leeks and tomatoes, peel and cut sweet potatoes and chop kale: remove stems from kale, stack the leaves on top of each other, roll them, one cut length-wise in the middle, then chop

as small as you like. This method makes shopping them small (which I prefer) really fast and easy.

-Add chicken broth to saucepan and bring to boil.

-Stir in kale, sweet potatoes, lentils, thyme, salt, pepper, and chopped basil

-Simmer until the lentils and sweet potatoes are tender 10-30 minutes depending on the type of lentils you use. Add milk about 10 minutes before you serve.

-sprinkle with parmesan as desired.

Notes:

This recipe is from a friend of Amie's (Jessie, I'm assuming!). The directions I had weren't too clear so I just adapted and wrote here what I did last night for dinner. So Amie, feel free to pipe in and tell me what I may have done wrong! I also added milk, as I love how milk fills out the broth a bit. I was intimidated at first (kale and leeks?) but it was actually not too hard. I like to prep work in the mornings, so you could easily do all your chopping earlier and then merely just add to the saucepan for an easy meal! I love that all of these veggies are in season right now and are at my local farmer's market! It is filling and tasty and how can you not feel healthy feeding your kids a bowl full of veggies? The boys were suspicious at first with how it looks. Jeffrey said, "Even though it looks like garbage soup it tastes great!" (Sorry no pics, next time!). We had some crusty bread for a side and it was a nice meal for a chilly fall or winter day.