a little of each

A family's cookbook

Chicken Tortilla Soup March 27, 2013

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 8:53 pm
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Ingredients

1 tsp olive oil

1 cup onion, chopped (Katie says this is optional!)

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast

1 cup frozen corn

¼ cup dry white wine

1 tsp jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped finely

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

½ tsp chili powder

2 (14.25 oz) cans chicken broth

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (10.75 oz) can condensed tomato soup

1 cup crushed tortilla chips (“Hint of Lime” flavored ones are the best)

½ cup sour cream

1/2 cup shredded cheese (optional)

1 lime, cut into wedges

 

Directions

Heat oil in a heavy soup pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté two minutes. Stir in chicken and next nine ingredients (corn through tomato soup); bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for an hour. If soup reduces too much, add another can of chicken broth. Ladle soup into bowls; top with crushed tortilla chips, sour cream and shredded cheese. Squeeze the juice from one lime wedge into each bowl of soup before serving.

 

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!

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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.

 

Easiest French Onion Soup

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 8:35 pm
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Ingredients

4 medium onions, chopped

1 package onion soup mix

1 package sharp cheddar cheese, grated

4 slices Italian bread, toasted

 

Directions

Boil onions in four cups of water over low heat with pot half-covered. When onions are cooked, add soup mix and half of the cheese. Cook for 10 minutes. When ready to serve, put soup in crocks and place toast on top of soup. Add shredded cheese on top of toast. Place soup crocks under broiler on medium heat. Remove when cheese starts to brown.

 

Easy French Onion Soup

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.