Soups

Since it is winter and its going to be rainy,I thought you might enjoy some of our favorite soups. I love soup! it is definitely a comfort food.So please enjoy.You can tweek these recipes to your liking.There are a ton of soups out there so please comment and leave your favorite soup recipe. for all to enjoy.Break those pots out my friends and let the cooking begin.....

Soups

Lemon Chicken Soup with Spaghetti

Serves:

4 servings

Ingredients

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)

1 dried bay leaf

1 (2-inch) piece Parmesan cheese rind, optional

2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch pieces

1 cup (about 2 1/2 ounces) spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces, *see Cook's Note

2 cups diced cooked rotisserie chicken, preferably breast meat

1 cup grated Romano cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Kosher salt

Directions

In a large stockpot, bring the chicken broth, lemon juice, bay leaf, and Parmesan rind, if using, to a boil over medium-high heat.

Add the carrots and simmer until tender, about 5 to 8 minutes.

Add the broken pasta and cook until the pasta is tender, for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken and heat through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and the Parmesan rind and discard. Stir in 1/2 of the cheese and the parsley. Season with salt, to taste. Ladle the soup into serving bowls and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

*Cook's Note: You can use any short pasta from your pantry as a substitute for spaghetti.

Red pepper soup

INGREDIENTS 

2 (16 ounce) jars roasted red peppers 

2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth 

1 (8 ounce) package sliced fresh mushrooms 

1 teaspoon dried basil 

1 teaspoon dried oregano 

1 teaspoon garlic powder 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 

2 (9 ounce) packages fresh cheese tortellini, uncooked 

.DIRECTIONS

1.Place roasted red peppers in a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth. 

2.In a large saucepan, mix roasted red peppers, chicken broth, and mushrooms. Season with basil, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in tortellini, and continue cooking 8 to 10 minutes, or until pasta is al dente.You can add tomatoe paste or tomatoe sauce in it.may need to add a bit of sugar if it is to bitter.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Ingredients

* 1 pound regular white mushrooms, cleaned, quartered or sliced

* 1 Tbsp lemon juice

* 1 Tbsp unsalted butter

* 2 Tbsp minced shallots

* 1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

* 1/2 bay leaf

* 1 teaspoon salt

* 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

* 2 cups heavy cream

* 1 1/2 cups chicken stock

* 1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 Tbsp water

* Minced parsley for garnish

1 In a food processor, coarsely chop mushrooms and lemon juice.

2 Melt butter in (4-5 quart) sauce pan and lightly sauté shallots on medium heat. Add mushrooms, thyme and bay leaf, sauté over moderate heat for 10-15 minutes, or until the liquid that is released from the mushrooms disappears.

cream-mushroom-soup-3.jpg cream-mushroom-soup-4.jpg

3 Add salt, pepper, cream and chicken stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

4 Add cornstarch and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Correct seasoning and add more lemon juice to taste.

Serves 4. Serve sprinkled with a little parsley.

Posole

1 lb chicken thighs (bones removed) cut into small pieces

1 lb Italian sausage, crumbled

   Stir fry until almost brown

Add Onions, Chopped

Peppers (red and yellow, sweet) chopped

  Stir Fry until crisp

1 Can Las Palmas green enchilada sauce (or red sauce)

1 can Hominy

1 can Tomatillos

extras....corn,potatoes,carrots,tomatoes

Season with chicken broth, enchilada sauce mix (El Ranchito),

and Menudo Mix - to taste.  

In the soup I made, I did not put any menudo in, but I did add some Picante Sauce (Mild)

Happy cooking.  Feel free to experiment.

Tastes Like Lasagna Soup

Serves:

8 to 10 servings

1 pound ground chuck 

1 onion, chopped 

1 green bell pepper, chopped 

3 cloves garlic, minced 

1 teaspoon thyme 

1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar 

1 (32-ounce) box chicken broth 

2 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes 

1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce 

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

2 cups broken lasagna noodles 

1 (5-ounce) package grated Parmesan cheese 

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 

Garlic Crostini, recipe follows

Garlic Crostini:
1 thin French baguette
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves smashed garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large Dutch oven, combine ground chuck, onion, bell pepper and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until beef is browned and crumbles. Drain well.

Stir in thyme, brown sugar, broth, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Add noodles, and simmer until noodles are tender. Stir in Parmesan cheese.

Preheat broiler. Ladle soup into 8 to 10 ovenproof bowls. Evenly sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Broil soups, 6-inches from heat, 3 to 4 minutes, until cheese is browned and bubbly. Add a garlic crostini slice on top. Serve immediately.

For the garlic crostini:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut bread into 1/4-inch round slices. Place on baking sheet and brush each slice with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper; place in oven and bake until golden and crisp, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Rub each side with smashed garlic cloves.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Serves:

6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

    •    4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced

    •    2 quarts water

    •    1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, split

    •    1 tablespoon bouillon flavoring

    •    1/2 cup vegetable oil

    •    1/2 small white onion, diced (1/4 cup)

    •    2 stalks celery (1/2 cup), diced

    •    1/2 cup all-purpose flour

    •    2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

    •    1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

    •    1 1/2 pounds frozen mixed vegetables

    •    1 cup heavy cream

    •    Pinch sea salt

    •    1 store-bought pie crust

Directions

Add diced potatoes to a large bowl filled with cold water. Set aside.

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add chicken, reduce heat to a simmer and allow to poach; about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate to cool. Continue to simmer the broth, adding the bouillon until reduced by half, about 10 more minutes. Dice the chicken when cooled.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and the celery cooking until translucent, 2 minutes. Stir in the flour and whisk until it forms a roux. Add the Italian seasoning and pepper; cook for 3 more minutes.

Whisk the roux into the broth and bring back up to a boil. Drain the potatoes. Add the potatoes and the chicken to the broth over low heat. Stir in the frozen vegetables. Place a lid on top and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in cream and a pinch of sea salt and cook for 5 more minutes.

Preheat the oven as directed on the pie crust package.

Lay the pie crust on a baking sheet and place into the oven. Cook according to package instructions, or until the pie crust is golden brown. When the crust has cooled, break up into pieces.

Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the pie crust.

Onion Soup with Cider and Cheddar Croutons

Ingredients

    •    3 tablespoons butter

    •    6 medium onion, thinly sliced

    •    1 large fresh bay leaf

    •    1 teaspoon ground thyme

    •    Salt and pepper

    •    2 small Gala or Golden Delicious apples, peeled and chopped

    •    1 tablespoon balsamic drizzle, optional

    •    2 cups cloudy apple cider or 1 bottle of hard cider

    •    1 quart beef stock

    •    1/4 cup EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil

    •    1 teaspoon hot sauce

    •    1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed

    •    1 baguette, cut into 12 slices about 1 1/2-inches thick

    •    1 1/2 cups shredded extra-sharp white cheddar

    •    2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped

Yields: Serves 4

Preheat oven to 325˚F.

Heat a soup pot over medium to medium-high heat. Melt butter and add onions, bay, ground thyme, salt and pepper. Cook onions until very soft and light caramel in color, 20 minutes.

Add apples, stir to combine and cook 10 minutes more. Stir in balsamic drizzle, if using, add cider and stock. Bring to a boil and let reduce, about 10 minutes.

For the croutons, in a small saucepot, heat EVOO with hot sauce and crushed garlic clove. Let oil infuse a couple of minutes then brush the bread slices. Arrange slices on a cooling rack set over baking sheet and bake until crisp, 5-6 minutes. Top toast with mounds of cheese and a sprinkle of fresh thyme. Bake 2 minutes more to melt the cheese.

Serve soup in bowls topped with 3 croutons each.

Deep Winter Minestra – Beans and Greens Soup

Ingredients

2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/3 pound thick-cut speck (smoked pancetta) or butcher thick-cut bacon, diced 1/8 inch

3/4 pound cremini or mixed wild mushrooms (or a mix of wood ear and cremini), thinly sliced

1 medium onion, halved across and thinly sliced

4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated

2 small bundles or 1 large bundle (about a pound) lacinato or Tuscan black kale, stemmed and very thinly sliced

Salt and pepper

Freshly grated nutmeg, about 1/4 teaspoon

1 can cannellini beans

1 quart chicken, beef or mushroom stock (For a more traditional flavor of the traditional escarole and bean soup, use chicken -- I prefer beef or mushroom stock with the darker greens and the addition of meaty mushrooms.)

2 cups water

1 cup dried pasta such as penne rigate, mezze rigatoni or whole wheat short-cut pasta

1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar or balsamic drizzle

Pecorino cheese, for grating

Crusty bread, for mopping

Yields: Serves 4

Preparation

Heat a soup pot over medium to medium-high heat. Add EVOO, a couple of turns of the pan. Add speck or bacon and crisp, 2-3 minutes. Add mushrooms and brown, 6-7 minutes. Add onions and garlic, and cook 5-6 minutes more to soften.

Wilt greens into pot and season with a little salt, lots of pepper and some nutmeg. Add beans, stock and water to pot and bring up to a boil. Add pasta, reduce heat to low, rolling boil and cook until pasta is al dente. Check seasoning then serve in shallow bowls with some grated Pecorino on top and crusty bread alongside for mopping.

Coconut Noodle Soup with Pork and Scallions

Ingredients

2 14-ounce cans coconut milk

6 scallions, chopped, white and green parts separated

1 small yellow onion, sliced

4 ounces dried angel hair pasta, broken into 2-inch pieces

4 ounces thin pork scaloppini, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 teaspoons rice vinegar

2 teaspoons soy sauce

Coarse salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Yields: Serves 4

Preparation

Put the coconut milk in a saucepan and add 1 cup water. Add the whites of the scallions and yellow onion and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until onions have softened, about 10 minutes.

Add the broken pasta and cook 3-4 minutes; stir in the pork, rice vinegar, and soy sauce, and some pepper, and simmer until pork is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add more hot water is soup is too thick. Taste and add more salt, pepper, and rice vinegar, if needed.To serve, ladle into bowls and scatter the chopped scallion greens over the top.

Shrimp and Chocolate Tortilla Soup

Serves:

8 to 10 servings

Directions

2 tablespoons butter

Ingredients

1 onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

2 (32-ounce) boxes chicken broth

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes

2 cups frozen whole-kernel corn

2 cups crushed tortilla chips

1 pound medium fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined

Sour cream, for garnish

In a large Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, and pepper; cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, or until tender. Add cocoa, cumin, coriander, red pepper, chicken broth, diced tomatoes, and corn. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Puree the soup using an emersion blender or hand-held mixer. Add the tortilla chips and add shrimp. Place the pan on low heat, cover, and simmer the soup about 5 to 10 minutes or until the shrimp are just cooked.

Ladle the soup into serving bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream.

Pumpkin Soup with Chili Cran-Apple Relish

Serves 8 as first course; Serves 4 as an entreé

Ingredients

    •    1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

    •    2 tablespoons butter

    •    1 fresh bay leaf

    •    2 ribs celery with greens, finely chopped (save time and purchase celery already washed, trimmed and cut into sticks – this makes fast work of chopping)

    •    1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

    •    Salt and pepper

    •    3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

    •    2 teaspoons poultry seasoning or 2 teaspoons ground thyme

    •    2 teaspoons hot sauce (or to taste)

    •    6 cups chicken stock

    •    1 can cooked pumpkin puree (28 ounces)

    •    2 cups heavy cream

    •    1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Relish:

    •    1 crisp apple, such as McIntosh or Granny Smith, finely chopped

    •    1/4 red onion, finely chopped

    •    2 tablespoons lemon juice

    •    1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries, chopped

    •    1 teaspoon chili powder

    •    2 teaspoons honey

    •    1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation

Heat a medium soup pot over medium to medium-high heat. Add the EVOO and melt the butter. Add bay leaf, celery and onion. Season the veggies with salt and pepper. Cook 6-7 minutes, until tender.

Add flour, poultry seasoning and hot sauce, to taste, then cook flour a minute. Whisk in chicken stock and bring liquid to a bubble. Whisk in pumpkin in large spoonfuls to incorporate it into the broth. Simmer soup 10 minutes to thicken a bit, then add in cream and nutmeg. Reduce heat to low and keep warm until ready to serve.

While soup cooks, assemble the relish: combine apple, onion, lemon juice, cranberries, chili powder, honey and cinnamon.

Adjust seasonings in soup and relish and serve soup in shallow bowls with a few spoonfuls of relish.

Romaine Lettuce Soup

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, sliced

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

2 garlic cloves, sliced

5 tomatillos, husked, washed and roughly chopped

1 to 3 jalapeno chiles, stemmed

2 quarts chicken stock or water

1 large or 2 small heads Romaine lettuce, cored, cleaned and roughly chopped

1 bunch cilantro, leaves and stems, chopped

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream

2 teaspoons anchovy paste

Directions

In a heavy stockpot, over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Saute the onions with the salt and pepper until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, tomatillo and jalapeno(s) and cook another 5 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock or water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook 20 minutes. Stir in the lettuce and cook 10 minutes longer. Add the cilantro to the soup and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, and puree in a blender or food processor. If you want a more elegant soup, pass through a strainer. Bring back to a boil before serving. Beat 1 cup of the heavy cream until soft peaks form. In a small bowl, mix the anchovy paste with the remaining 2 tablespoons cream until smooth. Fold into the whipped cream and beat a few more strokes. Serve the soup hot with dollops of the anchovy cream garnish.