a little of each

A family's cookbook

Yellow Squash Soup March 27, 2013

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.

 

Favorite Vegetable Soup

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 7:53 pm
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The best thing about this soup recipe is anything goes.  Everyone has their own version depending on their own tastes. I don’t add the nutmeg. Robin and Adam add sweet potatoes. And everyone agrees that fresh corn really adds something.

 Ingredients

3 medium leeks (with 1 inch of green left on)

4 medium carrots

3 medium parsnips

2 Tbl minced garlic

2 Tbl unsalted butter

2 Tbl olive oil

4 cups vegetable broth

6 red new potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes

8 ripe plum tomatoes, peeled, or 1 (28 oz) can plum tomatoes drained

¼ cup coarsely chopped parsley

1 tsp dried tarragon or thyme

1 tsp ground nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

Directions 

Trim, clean and finely dice leeks, carrots, and parsnips. Combine in a bowl with garlic. Melt the butter with the oil in a large, heavy pot over low heat. Add the diced vegetables and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 10 minutes. Add the broth and potatoes; cook, covered, over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and cook, covered, for 15 minutes. Uncover and cook 15 minutes more to enrich the broth.

 

Baked Winter Squash Soup December 21, 2012

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 1:08 pm
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Ingredients (serves 12)

  • 2 acorn squash (about 2 pounds each)
  • 2 butternut squash (about 2 pounds each)
  • 1 stick of butter
  • 8 teaspoons dark brown sugar
  • 3 carrots, peeled and halved
  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
  • 10 cups chicken broth
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground mace
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • pinch of cayenne pepper
  • salt, to taste
  • creme fraiche, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the four squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out and discard seeds.

Place the squash halves, skin side down, in a shallow roasting pan. Place 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 teaspoon of brown sugar in the cavity of each squash half. Arrange the carrots and onion slices around the squash. Pour two cups of stock in the pan, cover it tightly with aluminum foil and bake for two hours.

Remove the pan from the oven, and allow the vegetables to cool slightly. Scoop the squash pulp out of the skins and place it in a soup pot. Add the carrots, onions, and the cooking liquid.

Add the remaining eight cups of chicken broth, and the mace, ginger, cayenne, and salt. Stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.

Puree the soup in batches in a blender or food processor until smooth. Return it to the pot, adjust the seasonings and heat through. Serve each portion garnished with a dollop of creme fraiche.

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Creamy Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 12:52 pm
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Ingredients

Turkey Broth
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 onions, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1 smoked turkey or chicken carcass, cut into 4 pieces (see note)
3 cups white wine
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Soup
1 cup wild rice
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream
3 cups chopped cooked turkey
Salt and pepper

Instructions

For the turkey broth: Melt butter in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook onions, celery, and turkey carcass until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add wine and chicken broth and simmer over medium-low heat for 1 hour. Strain broth, discarding solids.

For the soup: Wipe out Dutch oven and toast rice over medium heat until rice begins to pop, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in turkey broth, carrots, thyme, and baking soda and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until rice is tender, about 1 hour. Whisk flour and cream in bowl until smooth. Slowly whisk flour mixture into soup. Add turkey and simmer until soup is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

 

Lara’s Sweet Potato and Peanut Stew December 20, 2012

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 8:59 pm
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Ingredients

  • 3 medium sweet potatoes (about 12 ounces each), well scrubbed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed with garlic press
  • 1 12 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 2 cans (15 to 19 ounces each) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 3/4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Instructions

Place potatoes in 2 1/2 -quart microwave-safe dish. Cover dish and microwave on High until fork tender, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, in 5- to 6-quart saucepot, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add garlic, cumin, salt, cinnamon, and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Stir in beans, broth, tomatoes, and peanut butter until blended; heat to boiling and cook, stirring occasionally, 1 minute.

Reduce heat to medium-low; add sweet potatoes and simmer, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. Stir in cilantro

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Chicken Florentine Soup

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 8:56 pm
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Ingredients

  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • All-purpose flour for coating
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons shallots, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 1 cup half and half or whole milk
  • 1 6-ounce package baby spinach, chopped

Instructions

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and toss with flour to coat each piece.

Heat the olive oil in a heavy soup pot. Add shallots and garlic and cook briefly.

Add chicken and cook until browned.

Remove chicken with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Pour the wine into the pot and stir and cook, breaking up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot.

Add chicken stock, spinach and chicken.

Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer for 15 minutes.

At this point you can thicken the soup with a flour and water slurry. Once thickened, add cream, and simmer for another 10 minutes before serving.

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