Asian Chicken Soup

Ingredients:
3 cans (14 1/2 oz. each) chicken broth
1 T. fresh ginger, grated and peeled
1 garlic clove, cut into slivers
1/4 to 1/2 t. crushed red pepper flakes
2 c. water
4 oz. soba noodles
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced crosswise
1 red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, cut into 1 inch strips
6 oz. snow peas, stem ends and strings removed, sliced diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces
1 to 2 T. lime juice
2 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced

Directions:
In a large pot, bring chicken broth, ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, and the water to a boil over high heat. Add noodles, and reduce heat to a simmer; cook until noodles are just tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
Add chicken, bell pepper, and snow peas; cook until chicken is opaque throughout, about 1 minute. Add lime juice and scallions, and season with salt.
Serve by dividing noodles among four bowls, then ladle the soup mixture over each.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 20 minutes.

Verdict:
When I got all ready to make this I was sure that I had soba noodles. Oops. I had somen noodles which cook a lot faster. So instead of using uncooked chicken I just used rotisserie chicken and added the ingredients accordingly. It worked out quite nice. I like the flavor of the soup and that it was light. I probably will try to see if I can find soba noodles and try it that way, at a later date, to see which one I like better.

Thai Coconut Chicken Soup With Rice Stick Noodles

Ingredients:
2 t. olive oil
1 T. red chile pepper, minced plus sliced for garnish
2 t. garlic, minced
1 bunch bok choy, chopped, leaves and stems separated (1 1/2 c. each)
4 c. chicken broth, divided
1 can light coconut milk (14 oz)
2 t. curry powder
4 oz. wide rice stick noodles
10 oz. chicken breast, boneless skinless, thinly sliced, seasoned with salt and pepper.
1/4 c. fresh cilantro, minced
2 T. lime juice
1/4 t. each kosher salt and pepper

Directions:
Heat oil in a large saucepan over med-high heat. Add 1 T. chile pepper, garlic, and bok choy stems; saute until fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Stir in 1/2 c. broth, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Stir in remaining 3 1/2 c. broth, coconut milk, and curry powder. Bring soup to a simmer.
Stir in noodles; cook until they're softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in bok choy leaves, chicken and cilantro; simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Remove soup from heat; stir in lime juice. Season soup with salt and pepper; garnish with chile pepper slices.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 35-40 minutes.

Verdict:
This tasted light. I made rice to go with it and Blake put the soup on top of the rice. He said it reminded him of Hawaiian haystacks.

Zuppa Toscana Soup

Ingredients:

2 3/4 c. chicken broth

1/4 c. heavy cream

1 medium russet potato

2 c. kale, chopped

1/2 lb. ground spicy Italian sausage

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:

Combine the stock and cream in a saucepan over med. heat.

Slice the unpeeled potato into 1/4 inch slices, then quarter the slices and add them to the soup.

Add the kale.

Saute the sausage until cooked through. Add the sausage to the soup.

Add the spices and let the soup simmer for about 2 hours. Stir occasionally.

Makes 2 servings. Total time 2 hour 15 minutes.

Verdict:

I am a big fan. If you want your soup to not be so spicy you can trade the spicy sausage for regular. I don't normally cook it as long as it says to. I normally do it until the potatoes are done.

Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Soup

Ingredients:
4 T. butter
1 lb. ground beef
1 c. onion, diced
3/4 c. celery, diced
1/2 c. carrot, diced
1 t. garlic, minced
1 t. dried basil
1/4 c. flour
1 1/2 c. milk
3 c. chicken broth
2 c. russet potatoes, peeled, diced
2 c. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
ketchup
mustard
dill pickles, chopped

Directions:
Melt butter in a saute pan. Add hamburger and cook until meat begins to brown. Stir in onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and basil; cook 5 minutes.
Add flour, stirring to coat meat; cook 1 minute. Stir in milk until mixture is smooth. Bring mixture to a boil; cook 2 minutes. Transfer soup to a 3 to 4 qt. slow cooker.
Stir in broth and potatoes. Cover soup; cook until potatoes are tender on low heat setting for 3 to 4 hours.
Add cheddar just before serving, stirring until cheese melts. Season soup with salt and pepper; garnish each serving with ketchup, mustard, and pickles.

Makes 6 servings. Total time 3-4 hours.

Verdict:
When I got our bowls of this ready I put chopped pickles on top knowing that Blake wouldn't do it on his own. I had mustard on mine and Blake put ketchup on his. This makes such a difference. You really need to put the condiments on the top even though it seems weird. I kid you not. This was good and we both liked it a lot. Blake took leftovers to work and ate it two days in a row. He loves this stuff.

Crockpot Chicken Chili Verde

Ingredients:
3 poblano chile peppers
1 1/2 lbs. tomatillos, chopped
1 c. onion, chopped
1 c. fresh cilantro, chopped, loosely packed
2 T. garlic, minced
1 1/2 t. ground cumin
1 t. kosher salt
1 t. sugar
1 lb. bone in chicken breasts, skin removed, chicken seasoned with kosher salt and black pepper
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
2 T. lime juice
Crumbled queso fresco cheese

Directions:
Roast poblanos over gas burner until blackened. Transfer poblanos to a bowl; cover in plastic wrap. When poblanos are cool enough to handle, remove skin and seeds. Chop poblanos.
Layer poblanos, tomatillos, onion, 1/2 c. cilantro, garlic, cumin, salt, and sugar in a 4 to 6 quart slow cooker. Place chicken on top, meaty side down; add broth.
Cover; cook until chicken is tender, on low heat setting for 4-5 hours.
Remove chicken from slow cooker; allow it to cool slightly. Shred meat, discarding bones. Add chicken, lime juice, and remaining 1/2 c. cilantro to the slow cooker to high heat setting; cook 10 minutes. Serve chili with crumbled cheese.

Makes 4 servings. Total time: prep- 30 minutes. Cooking time 4-5 hours.

Verdict:
Slow cookers make life so easy. I never cook on low though. I guess I just don't have enough faith in my crockpot. So I cooked this for 3 hours on high. I was a little scared about the bone in chicken however it was really good. We ate this as a soup with tortillas on the side. I think as leftovers this would make some good enchiladas.

Red Beans with Andouille Sausage

Ingredients:
1 t. vegetable oil
1 lb. andouille sausage, halved lengthwise and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 onion, diced small
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 bag (1 lb.) dried small red beans, soaked overnight and drained
coarse salt and pepper

Directions:
In a large saucepan, heat oil.
Add andouille; cook until fat is release and sausage is slightly golden in spots, 10-12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate.
Add onion and garlic to pan; cook until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add beans and 4 1/2 c. water; bring to a boil.
Reduce to a simmer, partially cover and cook until beans are tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours, adding more water if necessary. Stir in andouille and heat through; season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 1 hour 20 minutes.

Verdict:
Some preparation is needed to make this soup. You have to soak the beans overnight which requires a little planning. I couldn't find andouille sausage so I substituted a cooked chicken sausage. You could also use kielbasa or another smoked sausage. This was a hearty soup. It would be good with cornbread as it has kind of a Southern feel. I would probably add a little red pepper flakes to give it a little kick.

Sausage, Lentil and Kale Soup

Ingredients:

2 t. olive oil

8 oz. sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

2 celery stalks, thinly sliced

1 onion, diced

1/2 c. dried lentils

6 c. chicken broth

1 bunch kale, torn into bite size pieces

2 t. red wine vinegar

Directions:
In a large heavy pot or dutch oven, heat oil over med-high. Add sausage and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
Add celery and onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add lentils, broth, and 1/2 c. water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a rapid simmer, partially cover, and cook until lentil and vegetables are tender, 25 minutes.
Add kale and season with salt. Return soup to a rapid simmer, cover, and cook until kale wilts, about 5 minutes.
Remove soup from heat, stir in vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.

Makes 6 servings. Total time 50 minutes.

Verdict:
Nothing tastes so good on a cold day as something warm and hearty. This soup had good flavor and filled us up with out seeming heavy. I liked this quite a bit, kale and all. Blake liked it but said he felt like a cow eating the kale. This kind of reminded me of zuppa toscana from Olive Garden, same theory anyways.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients:

3/4 c. dry wild rice, rinsed

2 strips bacon, diced

8 oz. button mushrooms, sliced

1/2 c. onion, diced

1/4 c. carrot, diced

1/4 c. celery, diced

1/4 c. flour

2 T. dry sherry

4 c. chicken broth
2 c. cooked wild rice

2 c. cooked chicken, shredded

2 t. fresh thyme

1/2 c. whole milk

1/2 c. heavy cream

1/4 c. sour cream

salt and pepper to taste

green onions, sliced

slivered almonds, toasted

Directions:

Prepare wild rice according to package directions.

Saute bacon in a large pot until crisp. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

Add mushrooms to drippings and saute over med-high heat until soft, 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add onion, carrot and celery; cover and sweat until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove lid and increase heat to medium.

Stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Deglaze with sherry, scraping up bits of bottom of pot, then add broth, cooked rice, chicken, and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to med-low, and simmer 10 minutes.

Finish soup with milk, cream, sour cream, reserved bacon, salt, and pepper; gently simmer 1 minute to heat through. Garnish with green onions and toasted almonds.

Makes 8 cups. Total time 45 minutes + cooking rice

Verdict:

I love wild rice. I think I started when my Mom married my step dad Steve. I don't remember eating it before then but...here nor there. I thought this soup would rock my world. It didn't. I think if I am going to spend the time making wild rice I will just eat it by itself, because I like it that much.

Chicken Soup With Chive Dumplings

Ingredients:
1 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 c. chicken broth
1 lb. chicken or turkey, cooked and shredded
1 T. olive oil
2 c. onion, diced
3 ribs celery, sliced
3 carrots, sliced
1/2 lb. mushrooms, halved
1 T. flour
2 T. sage
salt and pepper, ground nutmeg to taste
1/2 c. white wine
1/2 c. flour
2 T. chives, minced
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 egg, beaten

Directions:
Boil potatoes in salted water. Cook until fork tender. Remove potatoes and reserve 4 cups cooking water. Cool potatoes and then mash. Be sure not to over mix.
In the same pot that you cooked the potatoes heat oil.
Add onion and cook for 5 min. Stir in celery, carrots and mushrooms.
Cover and sweat 5 min. Stir in 1 T. flour, sage, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Cook 1 minute.
Deglaze pan with white wine. Cook until liquid is evaporated. Add reserved potato liquid, chicken broth and cooked chicken. Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat and simmer soup for 5 minutes.
Stir together the mashed potatoes, the 1/2 c. flour, chives, the 1/2 t. salt, and the 1/4 t. pepper for the dumplings in a bowl. Add egg and mix just until smooth.
Drop 1/4 c. of dumpling mixture into hot broth to make eight dumplings. Cover pot with a lid, reduce heat to low, and simmer soup 10 minutes. Remove soup from heat; let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 4 serving. Total time 1 1/2 hours.

Verdict:
I guess when I picture dumplings I imagine them to be like biscuits. So when I saw this recipe was for potato dumplings I was intrigued. Blake and I thought it was OK. I think I may make the soup again and just make regular biscuits...the bread kind. Actually maybe I will look for a different recipe all together.