a little of each

A family's cookbook

Easy French Onion Soup March 27, 2013

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 8:34 pm
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From recipe-submitter Stephanie: I have a new and improved version of Easy French Onion Soup: instead of just sauteing Vidalias, use both a red and any sweet onions at the market. Chop and spread out onto a heavy cookie sheet. Toss the onions with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in a hot oven (425-450) for about 25-30 minutes. Then simple make the soup as directed. Roasting the onions gives it an additional richness. Yum!

 

Ingredients

2 Tbl butter

2 Tbl oil

2 large Vidalia onions, peeled and chopped

2 Tbl flour

1 Tbl sugar

4 cans beef broth

1 cup dry white wine

1 bay leaf

freshly ground pepper

8 slices French bread, toasted

8 oz Swiss cheese, grated

Directions

In a large soup pot, heat butter and oil over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until caramelized. Add flour to onions and mix well. Add sugar. Add the broth, wine, bay leaf and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Place sliced bread on a cookie sheet and sprinkle the cheese on top. Place under the broiler until cheese begins to bubble. Place bread in the bottom of a soup bowl and cover with soup. Serve immediately.

 

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 8:32 pm
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The flavor in this soup is wonderful – hearty and delicate at the same time. It thickened up quite a bit on me, becoming almost a stew, but a little extra chicken stock helped.

 

Ingredients

1 large butternut squash (about 1 ¾ lbs), halved and seeded

¼ cup olive oil, divided

6 fresh sage leaves

2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced

2 cups chopped onion (give or take)

¾ cup chopped leeks (white part only)

½ to 1 cup fat-free half and half

3 to 4 cups chicken or veggie broth

salt

10 slices French bread

1 Tbl olive oil

pepper, sour cream, chopped parsley and sage as optional garnishes

 

Directions

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil. Rub inside of each squash with 1 Tbl olive oil, then fill each half with 3 sage leaves. Place squash face down on prepared sheet and bake until tender, about 30 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, discard sage, then scoop out squash and transfer to a bowl. Set aside. Heat remaining oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Sauté apples, onions and leeks until apples are tender and onions are translucent, about 10 to 12 minutes. Add squash, half and half and enough chicken broth to cover; simmer 5 minutes. Blend with an immersion blender to desired consistency, and then stir in additional chicken broth to desired consistency. Add salt to taste. To make croutons or crostini, drizzle the olive oil over the bread slices, along with a little salt and pepper and broil briefly in a toaster. Float the toasted bread along with additional garnishes on a serving of soup.

 

Roasted Carrot Ginger Soup

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 8:29 pm
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From Parade magazine, September 2006.

Ingredients

1 ½ lbs carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise

1 lb parsnips, peeled and quartered lengthwise

1 large onion, sliced

3-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

6 Tbl unsalted butter

3 Tbl dark-brown sugar

8 cups chicken broth (more, if needed)

salt, to taste

pinch of cayenne pepper

¼ cup crème fraiche, for garnish

Snipped fresh chives, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350.  Combine the carrots, parsnips, onion and ginger in a shallow roasting pan to fit.  Dot with butter and sprinkle with brown sugar.  Pour two cups of broth into the pan, cover well with foil and bake until vegetables are tender, about two hours.  Transfer the vegetables and broth to a large pot; add the remaining 6 cups of broth, salt and cayenne pepper.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 10 minutes.  Puree the soup in batches in a blender or food processor, adding more broth if needed.  Return the soup to the pot; adjust the seasonings and heat through.  Serve each portion dolloped with a teaspoon of crème fraiche and sprinkled with chives.

 

Creamy Carrot Soup

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 8:21 pm
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Adapted from a Stoneyfield Farm Yogurt recipe.

 

Ingredients

2 Tbl olive oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

¾ cup onion, diced

1 Tbl ginger, peeled and grated

3 cups carrots, peeled and chopped

4 cups vegetable stock

2 Tbl rice

1 cup plain lowfat yogurt

2/3 Tbl cornstarch

salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions

Using a small stock pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add ginger, onions and garlic and sauté until onions begin to soften. Add carrots, stock and rice, and simmer for 30 minutes or until carrots break apart easily. Using a blender or food processor, puree the soup until smooth or only partially, depending on your preference. Return the soup to the pot, and heat over medium heat. In a small bowl, combine yogurt and cornstarch and blend until well-mixed. Stir this mixture into the soup, being careful not to bring the soup back to a boil. Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with a dollop of plain yogurt.

 

Potato Leek Soup (Potage Bonne Femme)

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 8:18 pm
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Ingredients

2 Tbl butter

1 cup leek, cleaned white and light green parts, sliced

3 cups chopped onion

5 cups diced potatoes

2 quarts boiling water

1 lb shredded cabbage

1 clove garlic, minced

2 ½ cups light cream

¾ cup chopped parsley

salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions

Heat butter in a large soup pot. Add leek, onion and potatoes. Sauté about five minutes, stirring frequently. Add boiling water. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Add cabbage and garlic to simmering mixture. Return to boil and simmer 20 minutes. Add cream and parsley and heat to serving temperature. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

 

Yellow Squash Soup

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 8:16 pm
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Adapted from “Weight Watcher’s” recipe. Serves four.

This is cheap, quick, and healthy. Oh, and it’s really tasty!  I didn’t puree the soup however, as I like my soups with a little more substance to them, and I recommend this recipe that way.

Ingredients

1 Tbl butter

1 ½ lbs fresh yellow squash, sliced and quartered

1 cup Vidalia onion, chopped or a few shallots, diced

1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth

½ cup milk

1 ½ tsp chopped fresh thyme

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

2 Tbl freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat; add squash and onion. Cover and cook 13 minutes or until vegetables are very tender. Transfer squash mixture to a food processor; puree until smooth. Return squash mixture to saucepan. Stir in broth and next four ingredients; cook, uncovered, over low heat until thoroughly heated. Serve one cup of soup with fresh Parmesan sprinkled on top.

 

Tomato, Dill and White Cheddar Soup

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 8:11 pm
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Serves six

We prefer this soup only partially blended.

 

Ingredients

2 Tbl olive oil

3 cups chopped leeks

4 (28 oz) cans diced tomatoes with juices

4 ½ cups chicken broth

6 Tbl chopped fresh dill or 2 Tbl dried

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

½ cup light sour cream

4 oz chilled sharp white cheddar

 

Directions

Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add leeks and sauté until tender, about six minutes. Add tomatoes and their juices, broth, chopped dill and cayenne and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until tomatoes are very soft, about 20 minutes. Working in batches, puree soup in a processor until smooth. Return to pot. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Season with salt and pepper. Gradually whisk in sour cream. Garnish with cheese and dill.

 

Mexican Tomato Lime Soup

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 8:06 pm
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Ingredients

3 gloves garlic minced

2 tsp ground cumin

1 Tbl vegetable oil

6 cups tomato juice

2 cups fresh tomatoes, diced

1 large lime, juiced

3 Tbl fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Tabasco, to taste

2 cups tortilla chips

1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated

 

Directions

In a soup pot on low heat, sauté the garlic and cumin in the oil for a minute. Stir in the tomato juice, fresh tomatoes, lime juice and cilantro. Bring to a simmer and continue to cook for several minutes. Add Tabasco to taste. Place tortilla chips in soup bowls and ladle soup over them. Top with grated cheese and some more fresh cilantro.

 

Gazpacho

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 8:02 pm
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Ingredients

¼ lb day old French bread, cubed

Water

1 ½ cups cucumber, peeled and diced

1 green pepper, seeded and diced

2 cloves garlic

2 tsp salt

½ cup olive oil

¼ cup wine vinegar

2 lbs ripe tomatoes, cubed

Directions 

Soak bread in cold water, turning once.  Squeeze out excess water.  Combine cucumber, green pepper, garlic, salt oil and vinegar in a blender.  Blend until smooth.  Add half of the soaked bread and continue blending until smooth.  Add tomatoes to the blender with the remaining bread.  Blend.  Add salt and vinegar to taste.  Chill.  Serve garnished with croutons, chopped crisp bacon and/or sour cream

 

Mushroom Artichoke Soup

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 7:55 pm
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Adapted from a Better Homes and Gardens recipe. Makes ten servings.

This vegetarian soup is surprisingly hearty. Adam and Jenn substituted baby portabellas for the shitake.

Ingredients

1 lb. fresh brown mushrooms, sliced

1 lb. fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced

1 cup thinly sliced shallots

2 large carrots, sliced

¼ cup butter

3 Tbl all-purpose flour

½ tsp dried thyme, crushed

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

¼ tsp crushed red pepper (optional)

2 14-oz. can chicken broth

2 14-oz. cans artichoke hearts, drained and quartered

¼ cup oil-packed dried tomatoes, drained and chopped

1 bay leaf

1 cup half-and-half or light cream

green onions, cut in thin strips

Directions

In a 6-quart Dutch oven cook mushrooms, shallots and carrots in hot butter about 15 minutes or until mushrooms are tender; stir occasionally. Stir in flour, thyme, garlic powder, salt, black pepper and, if desired, crushed red pepper. Add broth all at once. Cook and stir until soup is slightly thickened and bubbly. Stir in artichokes, tomatoes and bay leaf. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Stir in half-and-half; heat through. Discard bay leaf. Top with green onions.