Confessions of a Foodie

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Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Soup's On! - Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's Double-Post Tuesday. Today's offering deals with soup.

There's something so satisfying about homemade soup.

I have wonderful memories of my mom serving up homemade soup maybe once a month - more often around the holidays - using an antique white soup tureen with a large white ladle. So many yummy soups...

Here are six yummy soup recipes to help you through the day, including Healthy Tomato Basil Soup and Mexican Chicken Chowder. Enjoy!

OLIVE GARDEN ZUPPA TOSCANA COPYCAT RECIPE

This recipe comes from Chungah, whose site, Damn Delicious is fantastic. I definitely recommend checking it out.

This recipe begins, “This copycat recipe is so easy to make and tastes a million times better than the original!”

Yield: 8 servings; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time:45 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

4 slices bacon, diced

1 pound spicy Italian sausage, casing removed

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, diced

4 cups chicken broth

3 russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

3 cups baby spinach

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside.

Add Italian sausage to the skillet and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the sausage as it cooks; drain excess fat and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.

Stir in sausage and spinach until spinach begins to wilt, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in heavy cream until heated through, about 1 minute; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve immediately, garnished with bacon.

HEALTHY TOMATO BASIL SOUP

This is from Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD who, besides running Lively Table, writes for Very Well.

For this recipe, Kaleigh wrote, “Most canned soups—even the reduced-sodium versions—are very high in sodium. Making your own is a great solution. Homemade soup is a great way to use up fresh vegetables and add a serving of blood pressure friendly foods to your meal.

“Tomatoes are naturally high in the antioxidant lycopene, which is a carotenoid that could help prevent cancer and cardiovascular disease. Using fresh summer tomatoes and basil makes this healthy tomato basil soup extra flavorful without the use of salt. Roasted red peppers add a nice subtle sweetness, and milk a little dose of protein. Add a pinch of freshly cracked black pepper and serve with a fresh green salad for a light and healthy lunch.”

To view this online, click here.

Total Time: 45 min; Prep: 5 min, Cook: 40 min; Yield 4, 1.5 cup servings (82 cals)

Ingredients

6 large tomatoes

1 large red bell pepper

4 cloves garlic

3/4 cup skim milk (or milk of choice)

1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves

Preparation

Heat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

Cut bell pepper in half and remove seeds and stem.

Place tomatoes, red pepper, and garlic on the baking sheet and roast 10 minutes.

Remove garlic and flip pepper and tomatoes. Return to oven for another 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and let vegetables cool. Peel skins from pepper and tomatoes.

Add all ingredients to a high-powered blender and blend until smooth. Heat soup to desired temperature in a saucepan over low heat.

Ingredient Variations and Substitutions

Use 1/2 tablespoon dried basil in place of fresh basil if you you don’t have fresh.

Cooking and Serving Tips

Serve with a salad or half a sandwich for a balanced lunch. Reheat leftovers on the stove over low heat. You can also enjoy it cold as a refreshing meal.

HERBED CARROT SOUP



From the December 2005 issue of Runner's World; reprinted from HerbWise: Growing, Cooking, WellBeing, by Bruce Burnett



2 pounds of carrots, chopped

1 large onion, diced

6 sprigs of fresh parsley, 3 sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon of dried thyme, and 6 six black peppercorns, bundled together so that they can be easily removed after cooking

2 cloves garlic, crushed

4 Tbs of butter

6 C of vegetable stock

Freshly grated mace or nutmeg

Salt & pepper to taste

Lightly sauté the onion & garlic in the butter. Add the stock & carrots & simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the bundle of herbs & continue to simmer for another 20 minutes. Remove the herbs, allow the soup to cool, & put it through the blender in batches. Reheat the soup over low heat while adding the mace or nutmeg & salt & pepper to taste. Serve with some fresh, homemade bread & garnish with some fresh parsley & a little chopped fresh thyme.

Note: The original recipe called for vegetable or chicken stock.

BLACK BEAN SOUP

This is from Rian Handler on Delish. The recipe begins, “A warm and spicy black bean soup.”

Total Time: 35 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Level: Easy; Serves: 4 servings

To view the recipe online, click here.

Ingredients

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp. minced jalapeños

1 tbsp. tomato paste

kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. cumin

3 (15-oz.) cans black beans, with liquid

1 qt. low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock

1 bay leaf

sour cream, for garnish

Sliced avocado, for garnish

Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Directions

In a large pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add jalapeños and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomato paste, stir to coat vegetables, and cook about a minute more. Season with salt, pepper, chili powder, and cumin and stir to coat.

Add black beans with their liquid and chicken broth. Stir soup, add bay leaf and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce to a simmer and let simmer until slightly reduced, about 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf.

Using an immersion blender or food processor, blend the soup to desired consistency.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream, sliced avocado, and cilantro.

SOUTHERN CHICKEN AND DUMPLING SOUP

This comes from Tbsp., and begins, “Chicken and dumplings is classic comfort food, and nothing’s more comforting than knowing it’s assembled and ready to go in your freezer.”

Prep Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Servings: 4

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 medium carrot, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices (about 1/2 cup)

1 celery rib, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices (about 1/2 cup)

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

3/4 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/3 cup milk

1 tablespoon butter

1 carton (32 oz) Progresso™ chicken broth

Directions

In medium bowl, mix chicken, carrot, celery and parsley.

In small bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt and pepper.

In 1-quart saucepan, heat milk and butter over medium heat until warm and butter is melted. Add warm milk mixture to flour mixture; stir until just combined. Transfer to surface sprinkled with flour; knead lightly once or twice until smooth. Using rolling pin sprinkled with flour, roll to 1/8-inch thickness. Using knife, cut rolled-out dumpling dough into 1 1/2x1-inch strips.

In 4-quart saucepan, heat broth to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to medium; stir in chicken mixture and dumplings. Heat to simmering; cook uncovered 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until dumplings are cooked through and tender.

To freeze: Mix chicken, carrot, celery and parsley in 1-quart resealable freezer plastic bag. In small bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. In 1-quart saucepan, heat milk and butter over medium heat until warm and butter is melted. Add warm milk mixture to flour mixture; stir until just combined. Transfer to surface sprinkled with flour; knead lightly once or twice until smooth. Using rolling pin sprinkled with flour, roll to 1/8-inch thickness. Using knife, cut rolled-out dumpling dough into 1 1/2x1-inch strips. Transfer to 1-quart resealable freezer plastic bag. Freeze both bags up to 3 months. When ready to serve: In 4-quart saucepan, heat broth to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to medium; stir in contents of both bags. Heat to simmering; cook uncovered 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until dumplings are cooked through and tender.

MEXICAN CHICKEN CHOWDER

This comes from Tbsp., and begins, “Fill up the freezer with this easy Mexican twist on chowder that comes together fast and heats up in a hurry.”

Prep Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Servings: 5

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

1 lb red potatoes, unpeeled, diced (3 cups)

1 cup corn kernels (fresh, canned or frozen)

1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper

1 green onion, thinly sliced, whites only

1 tablespoon seeded and finely chopped jalapeño chile

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced (14 oz)

1 package (1 oz) Old El Paso™ original taco seasoning mix

1 container (32 oz) Progresso™ chicken broth

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

In medium bowl, mix butter and flour. Add potatoes, corn, bell pepper, green onion and jalapeño chile; stir. In another medium bowl, mix chicken and taco seasoning mix.

In 4-quart saucepan, mix broth, vegetable mixture and chicken mixture. Heat to simmering over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook uncovered 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink in center and potatoes are tender. Stir in whipping cream; return to simmering. Top with cilantro.

To freeze: In medium bowl, mix butter and flour. Add potatoes, corn, bell pepper, green onion and jalapeño chile; stir. Transfer to 1-quart resealable freezer plastic bag. In another 1-quart resealable freezer plastic bag, mix chicken and taco seasoning mix. Freeze up to 3 months. When ready to serve: In 4-quart saucepan, mix broth, frozen vegetable mixture and frozen chicken mixture. Heat to simmering over high heat, stirring occasionally to break up frozen mixtures. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook uncovered 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink in center and potatoes are tender. Stir in whipping cream; return to simmering. Top with cilantro.

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