a little of each

A family's cookbook

Hard Rock Café Chili March 27, 2013

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 9:51 pm
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Ingredients

2 Tbl Vegetable oil

1 large sweet onion, chopped

3 large garlic cloves, crushed

2 ½ lbs lean ground beef

2 Tbl tomato paste

2 Tbl Worcestershire sauce

2 Tbl barbeque sauce

4 Tbl brown sugar, packed

2 Tbl soy sauce

2 tsp celery salt

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp seasoned salt

1 dash of red cayenne pepper

2 cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes

1 medium bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2 Tbl chili powder

 

Directions

Heat the oil in a large pot. Cook the onion and garlic for five minutes or until soft. Add the ground beef. Cook, stirring frequently, until browned. In a small bowl combine the next 10 ingredients (tomato paste through red cayenne pepper). Mix well. If needed, drain any fat from the meat mixture, and then stir in the seasoning in the small bowl. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and their liquid. Add the beans. Stir. Reduce the heat to low, and cook covered for 10 minutes, stirring several times. Add the bell pepper. Simmer over low heat until ready to serve. Garnish the chili with shredded sharp cheese, chopped onion and sour cream.

 

Sausage and Kale Soup

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 9:50 pm
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Ingredients

 

1 ½ cup chopped fresh kale

1 cup sliced leeks, white and light green parts

8 oz sliced mushrooms

2 apple and chicken sausage links, sliced or diced

2 cloves garlic

2 cans chicken broth

1 cup milk

 

Directions

Sauté the leeks and garlic in a little butter or olive oil, add mushrooms and sausage and continue sautéing. Pour in broth, add kale and cook until kale is wilted (like spinach). Add milk at the end, so it doesn’t get too hot and curdle.

 

Black Bean Soup for Slow Cooker

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 9:48 pm
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The recipe looks a little bland, but the resulting soup is delicious. The measurements are all approximations, as are the cooking times. When it goes into the pot it looks like a clear broth soup, but when it’s done everything is black, and I mean everything. You can use the immersion blender to smooth a little of it.

 

Ingredients

1 medium onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, crushed or minced

2 carrots, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

1 (~10 oz) bag of dry black beans

Turkey sausage or kielbasa, sliced

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp cumin

Chicken stock

 

Toppings:

Sour cream

Diced tomatoes

Cheese

Hot sauce

 

Directions

Sauté the onions and garlic on the stovetop until they are translucent, or put them directly into the crockpot. Add the remaining ingredients with enough chicken stock to cover the dry ingredients. Stir. Cook on low for about six hours. Serve with toppings.

 

Thai Chicken and Coconut Curry Soup

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 9:39 pm
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Ingredients

4 cups chicken stock

5 cloves garlic, peeled and cut into large chunks

2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and cut into large chunks

1 Tbl Thai green curry paste

2 tsp whole coriander seeds

1 tsp whole cumin seeds

½ tsp whole black peppercorns

¾ cup loosely packed cilantro leaves and stems, plus additional ½ cup chopped for garnish

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

¾ cup thinly sliced shallots

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 (4 – 6 oz) boneless chicken breast, cut into ¼-inch strips

2 Tbl Asian fish sauce (nam pla)

2 Tbl fresh lime juice

2 tsp brown sugar

1 jalapeño, sliced into rings (optional)

1 small tomato, seeded and diced, for garnish

½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes, toasted, for garnish

 

Directions

In a large heavy-bottom pot over high heat, combine chicken stock, garlic, ginger, curry paste, coriander, cumin, peppercorns and cilantro. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Strain broth over a bowl through a fine-mesh sieve; discard solids. Return broth to pot; add coconut milk, shallots, mushrooms and chicken. Return to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until chicken is cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. In a small bowl, combine fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar and jalapeño, if desired; stir until sugar is dissolved, then add mixture to soup. Garnish with tomato, coconut shavings and cilantro; serve hot.

 

Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 9:03 pm
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Makes two quarts. This soup should not be frozen.

 

Ingredients

3 Tbl butter

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks

1 small onion, shopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups half and half

2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

3 packages frozen cream-style corn, cooked

1 can green chiles, chopped

½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp hot sauce

¼ tsp salt

2 Tbl fresh cilantro, chopped

 

Directions

Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, onion, and garlic, and sauté for 10 minutes. Stir in the half and half and the next six ingredients (cheese through salt). Continue to cook over low heat, stirring constantly. Stir in the cilantro, and serve.

 

Tortilla Soup, Slow-Cooker or Stovetop

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 8:46 pm
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The first time Stephanie made this, she neglected to notice it was for a slow cooker. It was 30 minutes before supper, and she had the first 13 ingredients in a Dutch oven ready to heat. And she then read “Cover and cook at HIGH 6 hours. Oh, (expletive)!”  Needless to say they did not eat at midnight. The soup came out delicious on the stovetop in only 30 minutes!

photo

Stephanie Added a note: For another daily serving of vegetables, peel and grate four carrots.  Add to the broth and cook as directed.

 

Ingredients
2 (4 oz) skinned and boned chicken breast halves, cubed
2 cups whole kernel corn, thawed
1 large onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, pressed
2 (14 ½ oz) cans chicken broth
1 (10 ¾ oz) can tomato puree
1 (10 oz) can diced green chiles
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
4 (5 1/2″) corn tortillas
Fresh cilantro

 

Directions

Slow Cooker Method:  Combine first 13 ingredients in a 4-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook at high for 6 hours. Discard bay leaf. Cut tortillas into 1/4″ strips; place on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 for five minutes. Stir and bake another 5 minutes or until crisp. Serve tortilla strips with soup.

 

Stovetop Method:  Sauté onion and garlic. Add diced tomatoes and chiles. Stir in tomato puree and chicken broth. Add cooked chicken breast and thawed corn. Stir in the remaining ingredients, except for tortilla strips. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add some fresh lime juice just before serving. Add tortilla strips, some shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Diced avocado would be a nice addition, too.

 

Lentil Soup

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 8:44 pm
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Like the yellow squash soup, this is perfect: easy to make, inexpensive, healthy, and absolutely satisfying. I’ve tried it with both red and brown lentils and both are delicious. If it thickens too much, add up to one more cup water or chicken broth. Ken and I like it served over the Delicious Indian Rice as a version of rice and beans.

 

Ingredients

2 Tbl oil

1 onion, chopped small

3 carrots, cut into coins then in half into half-moons

3 celery stalks, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 can diced tomatoes, any flavor variety

1 ½ cup lentils, picked over and rinsed

½ tsp dried thyme

2 cans chicken broth (3 ½ cups)

1 Tbl red wine vinegar

salt and pepper

 

Directions

In a large saucepan, heat the oil. Add the onion, carrots and celery; cook until softened, about five minutes. Stir in garlic and stir for a minute. Add the diced tomatoes and cook for another minute. Add the lentils, thyme, broth and one cup water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook until lentils are tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Stir in vinegar, salt and pepper and serve.

 

Cabbage Paprikash Soup

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 8:41 pm
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When I used to eat meat – my general rule of the past ten or so years is to not eat things with four legs –  I loved the the tangy beef and cabbage soup served at TooJay’s Deli. I finally found something comparable in a cookbook called “Soup Makes the Meal,” and, even better, it doesn’t rely on beef for flavor (although, by all means, add some bite-sized pieces and use beef stock if you want).

I do have to brag for a second: this soup won the blue ribbon in Temple Beth El’s (Knoxville, Tennessee) annual soup and chili cookoff.  It really is that good.

Ingredients

1 Tbl olive oil

1 large onion, quartered and thinly sliced

4 cups cored and thinly sliced cabbage

salt

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbl sweet paprika

6 cups chicken or vegetable stock

½ cup canned chopped or crushed tomatoes

1 large carrot, peeled and grated

3 Tbl tomato paste

juice of 1 lemon

2-3 tsp sugar, to taste

black pepper, sour cream and chopped fresh parsley, to taste or to garnish

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring until translucent, 8 to 9 minutes. Add the cabbage, salt lightly and cook until all the cabbage is wilted, about 10 minutes more. Stir in the garlic and paprika and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the stock, tomatoes, carrot and tomato paste and season again with salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Add about half each of the lemon juice and sugar; simmer briefly, then taste, adding more sugar and lemon juice to get a mellow, but distinctly sweet-tart broth. Season with pepper. Serve piping hot with garnishes.

 

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.