Roasted Garlic and Sweet Potato Soup

 This was one of those recipes I was a bit unsure of.  I did wonder how the combination of nutty roasted garlic could be bad, but just wasn't sure.  Besides being very simple, extremely good for you, and easy, this soup was very tasty.  It reminded me of the carrot soup I make.  The nuttiness of the roasted garlic against the sweetness of the sweet potato was a winning combo. 

This is a very versatile soup as well.  Not a fan of thyme, no problem, try some warm cinnamon.  Or some curry powder.  Maybe some nutmeg.  Lots of possibilities.  

This soup was gone in one sitting.  There was what I would call a sampling left, which I attempted to have for lunch the next day.  And my daughter mooched half of.  Little stink.

 If you are trying to eat healthy, there is not much better than a soup like this.  If you are not trying to eat healthy, have some dessert after you eat this soup. 

ROASTED GARLIC AND SWEET POTATO SOUP

adapted from: tasteofhome

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 whole garlic bulb
• 3 tsp olive oil, divided
• salt and pepper
  
• 2-1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4 large), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 1 large or 2 normal sweet onions, cut into wedges
• 1 box reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
• 2 TBSP minced fresh parsley
• 1 TSBP minced fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• herbs de provence

DIRECTIONS:

Remove papery outer skin from garlic bulb (do not peel or separate cloves). Cut top off bulb; brush with 1/2 teaspoon oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Wrap in heavy-duty foil.

Place sweet potatoes and onions in a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan coated with cooking spray. Drizzle with remaining oil; toss to coat.Sprinkle with herbs de provence and some salt and pepper.

Bake garlic and vegetables at 425° for 30-35 minutes or until tender. Cool for 10-15 minutes.

Place 1-1/2 cups broth, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper in a blender. Squeeze softened garlic into mixture; cover and process until smooth.  Place in pan.  Add sweet potatoes and onion to blender with remaining broth and blend until smooth.  Place in pan with garlic and mix well.  Heat until warm through.  Serve with warm bread or crackers.

Lasagna Soup

Pinterest strikes again!  I saw this and it looked interesting.  I must admit, I was skeptical.  Could a soup really taste like lasagna?  This soup is outstanding!  It truly is like lasagna in soup form.  The cheesy goodness in the bottom makes it.  Really, you only need a dollop, and maybe an ounce of cheese.  A little goes a long way!  It was described as an Italian version of chicken tortilla soup, and that is a very good description really.  The cheese melts and even with just a little in my bowl, I had cheese in every bite. Y-U-M!!!

I wanted to use sweet Italian sausage, but all they had at the store was hot.  It was just the right amount of heat for me.  If you or your family have a sensitive palette, you could substitute mild or sweet sausage and control the heat by adding red pepper flakes, which is in the original recipe anyway.  I omitted the red pepper flakes because I had hot sausage.

This soup was really quick to throw together.  I cut the onion while the sausage cooked, got the garlic ready while the onion softened, opened the cans while the garlic cooked, etc.  Make sure to have some good bread to go along with it.  We really love this soup!  I will definitely be making it again!


LASAGNA SOUP
slightly adapted from:  afarmgirlsdabbles.com

for the soup:

• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1-1/2 lbs. Hot Italian turkey sausage
• 2 large sweet onions, chopped
• 6-7 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 3 oz.(1/2 small can) tomato paste
• 1 28-oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 c. chicken stock (1 1/2 boxes)
• 8 oz. mafalda, campanelle or fusilli pasta
• 1/2 c. finely chopped fresh basil leaves
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

for the cheesy yum:

• 8 oz. ricotta
• 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese (I used fresh grated)
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• pinch of freshly ground pepper
• 2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking up into bite sized pieces, and brown for about 5 minutes. Add onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and oregano. Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.

Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add uncooked pasta and cook until al dente. Do not over cook or let soup simmer for a long period of time at this point, as the pasta will get mushy and absorb all the soup broth. You may even want to consider cooking the noodles separately, and then adding some to individual bowls before ladling the soup over them. This would be an especially smart move if you are anticipating any leftovers. Right before serving, stir in the basil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the cheesy yum. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.

To serve, place a dollop of the cheesy yum in each soup bowl, sprinkle some of the mozzarella on top and ladle the hot soup over the cheese.

Lentil Soup

I made this soup a few weeks ago and left my husband to take pictures and they made the soup look kinda gross.  But there is no real way to get a good shot, because it is just not pretty. It is such a shame, because this is a delicious soup!
I love soups because they take a little prep and then you can just kinda leave them to stew about and get all delicious.  This soup is pretty simple and I love the heartiness of it.  The secret is to puree a little bit of it, to make it a bit more creamy.   As a soup, I don't think you could get much more nutrient packed or figure friendly.  So, go ahead and get the second bowl, because you are sure to want one!  Bonus:  all done in one pot, so easy clean up!


LENTIL SOUP


INGREDIENTS:

• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 3 carrots, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 white potatoes, peeled and diced
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 32 oz. low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 3 cups water (I just refill the broth container 3/4 of the way w/ water)
• 1 bag lentils, rinsed and picked over (I used mixed lentils)
• 1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 TBSP Parsely- more if fresh
• salt and pepper to taste
• opt. 1/2 tsp each onion powder and garlic powder

For variation- add 1 cup dry pasta and cook until cooked.  Or add some chopped spinach to put it over into the superfood category!

DIRECTIONS:

In a large stock pot, add oil and heat over medium high heat.  Add carrots, onion and celery and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Add potatoes and garlic and cook an additional 3-5 minutes, stirring more often to prevent sticking.  Add broth and water and simmer for 10 minutes.  Add lentils, garbanzo beans and tomatoes, reduce heat to med. and cover and let simmer 30-40 minutes.  Take hand blender and puree in pulses about 3-4 times.  Season to taste.  Reduce heat to low to med low and let simmer at least another 10 minutes or until ready to eat.  (I let mine sit another 30 minutes).  Can serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a good sprinkle of Parmesan cheese with some crusty bread.

Chicken Gnocchi Soup (Like Olive Garden's)

I can't really say if this is like Olive Garden's, because I have never had Olive Garden's, but this soup ranks up there with the best I've ever had.  The gnocchi's are like little pillows of heaven and the soup creaminess and the richness of flavor all combined for something I think I could live on for the rest of my life.  I wanted to seriously dive in and swim around it this soup.  And the bread to sop it up...  ugh!. . .almost put me over the edge. 

The other bonus, this soup is SO quick and easy.  A few pointers:  I baked some chicken breasts drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with sea salt and Trader Joe's 21 season salute @ 350 for about 30 minutes, or until cooked through (I used 1 and a half large breasts).  And I used Trader Joe's whole wheat gnocchi which was divine!  I WILL (sorry to yell) be making this again and again.

CHICKEN GNOCCHI SOUP
adapted from copykat.com


INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup chicken breasts, baked and diced (you can use a rotisserie chicken)
• 3 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 2-3 tablespoons flour
• 1 can evaporated 2% milk
• 1 1/2 cups (ish) skim milk
• 3-4 cups chicken broth (depending how creamy you want it)
• 1/3 cup cream
• 2 stalks celery, finely diced
• 4 minced garlic cloves
• 1 cup carrots, finely shredded
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 1 cup fresh spinach, coarsely chopped (or 1/4 block frozen)
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon parsley
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 pound potato gnocchi, you can buy this in the gourmet section of many supermarkets

 DIRECTIONS:

Saute the onion, and celery in the butter and olive oil over medium heat, sprinkle with some salt.  Cook until the onion becomes translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or two.  Add the flour and make a roux. Let the butter and flour mixture cook for about a minute before adding evaporated milk and skim milk.do not boil, but let heat until thickens, then add carrots and chicken.

Cook gnocchi according to package directions. Once the mixture becomes thick, add the chicken broth. Once the mixture thickens again, add the cooked gnocchi, spinach, and seasoning; simmer until soup is heated through.  Serve topped with lots of Parmesan and with bread.

Chicken Corn Chowder

This soup warmed us through and through, even though it was already 80 here in GA.  Pathetic in Nov...  dying to wear my boots...  but enough whining... back to the soup.  errr... chowder.
This was pretty easy.  Some chopping and adding this and that and shredding and poof!  Chicken Corn Chowder.  I love the chilies in it, but the whole can was a bit too much heat for my young family and my sensitive stomach.  The flavor was superb though and I loved the coolness of the sour cream against the heat of the chowder.  A nice change from the mundane. 



CHICKEN CORN CHOWDER
serves 5-6

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 chicken breast, roasted, or roaster chicken
• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 2 stalks celery, finely diced
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 med red bell pepper, finely diced
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced in 1/2" chunks
• 20 oz. frozen or canned creamed corn
• 1 can whole corn
• 1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
• 1 tsp dried parsley (2-3 TBSP fresh)
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme (1 TBSP fresh)
• salt and pepper
• 32 oz. chicken broth
•  3 TBSP flour
• 2-3 oz light cream cheese
  
• 1 1/2 cup milk
• 1 can green chopped chilies (1/2 can for less heat)

GARNISH:

• 5-6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
• chopped scallions
• cheddar cheese
• sour cream

DIRECTIONS:

Season and roast chicken for 35 minutes or until cooked.  Shred meat from roaster chicken or the chicken you roasted.  In a large stock pot, place oil, diced onion, red pepper and celery.  Cook for 5-6 minutes over med heat.  Add potatoes and garlic and cook additional 5 minutes. Add broth and corn to vegetables.  Add spices.  Simmer for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Add chilies to soup.   Place  a few TBSP milk in a bowl and whisk in the flour.  Add to soup.  Add remainder of milk and cream cheese to a microwave safe dish and heat until cream cheese is soft and whisk/ mix together until smooth.  Reduce heat so not to burn/boil.  Cook for anther 15-20 minutes over med-low/low heat, to allow flavors to meld.  Serve topped with garnishes.

Vegetable Soup

 This is the kind of soup I wish I could eat every night.  I can not imagine anyone not liking this soup.  It had heartiness with the potatoes and the veggies in it were just amazing together.  I love that I can have 2 bowls, and gorge myself, and not feel an ounce of guilt. I love that I only had one pot to wash.  I love that it had so  much flavor, color and I felt so good about feeding this to my family, and they all loved it!  Even the 2 year old.

I really was looking to make more of a vegetable stew.  I wanted the veggies kind of rustic and large, but then I remembered I have a 2 year old, and diced somewhere in-between a dice and coarse chop.  The vegetables kind of melt into each other and get really tender.  I know some vitamins get lost when you cook veggies, but when it tastes like this, I will take the depletion happily.  This is a very versatile soup.   Add what you like, and leave out what you don't.  But did I mention how good this was? 



VEGETABLE SOUP

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 TBSP olive oil (I substituted some for flaxseed oil)
• 2 cups diced potatoes
• 2 cups carrots, coarsely chopped
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 cup celery, coarsely chopped
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cup chopped red cabbage
• 1 large zucchini, quartered and chopped
• 1- 15 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 3-4 cups water
• 2 TBSP fresh parsley chopped or 2 tsp. dry
• salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Over medium high heat, put the oil in a big stock pot and dump in the potatoes, onions, celery and carrots.  Cook for about 10 minutes, scraping the bottom as necessary to prevent the potatoes from sticking.    Add the cabbage, and garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes.  Add the can of tomatoes, broth, water and zucchini a bit of salt and pepper.  Cover and let simmer for about 30 minutes.  Add parsley and let simmer uncovered another 20-30 minutes, until all the veggies are tender and cooked through.  Taste broth to see if needs seasoning and add accordingly.  Serve with crusty bread and if desired, Parmesan cheese.

Chicken Enchilada Soup

This soup is very yummy!  We enjoyed it for 2 nights.  Full of flavor and we all enjoyed it!  Our friends mixed some fresh salsa as well.  We added all the toppings.  A great soup!






CHICKEN ENCHILADA SOUP
adapted from: realmomkitchen.com

• 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 14.5-ounce can diced fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 can mexicorn (or 10 oz bag frozen)
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper (I like red)
• 1 10-ounce can enchilada sauce (I used mild)
• salt and pepper
• 1 10.75-ounce can cheddar cheese soup
• 1 1/2 cups milk (I used skim)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
• 2 chicken breasts
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1-2 TBSP fresh cilantro, chopped roughly

In a 3 1/2 to 5 quart slow cooker, combine drained beans, tomatoes, corn, onion, and bell pepper. Place 2 chicken breasts on top of mixture. In a large bowl, whisk together enchilada sauce and soup. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Pour sauce mixture over ingredients in cooker. 
Cover; cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Remove chicken and cut or shred into bite sized pieces. Add chicken back into soup. Add chopped cilantro just before serving.  Top with cheddar or pepper jack cheese and serve. Can also be topped with avocado, sour cream, crushed tortilla chips and/or fresh cilantro.

Minestrone Soup

This is one of my all time favorite soups.  It is so full of wonderful flavors, and packed with so much good for you stuff, it is like health in a bowl.  It is delicate, yet hearty.  I roasted 2 chicken breasts, and shredded them up and put them up over the top to add some extra protein, but it is not necessary.  It is a very versatile soup... you can throw in summer squash, or sausage, or whatever you fancy.  Chick peas would be good in the too.  I love the fire roasted tomatoes and the flavor it lends to the dish too.  Easy and delicious! 


MINESTRONE SOUP

INGREDIENTS:

• 1-2 TBSP olive oil
• 1 sm/med onion, diced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 4 cloves garlic
• 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 zucchini, cut into chunks
• 1 can diced tomatoes (I used fire-roasted)
• 1 can great northern beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup pasta
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 2 TBSP chopped fresh basil
• chopped spinach (opt.)
• 1 cup green beans cut small or Italian green beans
• Parmesan cheese 
  
  

DIRECTIONS:

In a big soup pot, place oil, diced onion, celery and carrots.  Cook over medium high for about 5-7 minutes, until tender.  Add minced garlic and cook for another minute.  Add chicken broth, water, and zucchini, and cover and let simmer on med-low for about 20 minutes or longer (I cooked mine about 35 because I got busy).  Add all the beans, tomatoes, pasta and spices and spinach, if using.  Cook until pasta is al dente, about 15-20 minutes.  Season to taste.  Serve with lots of Parmesan Cheese.

To roast the chicken, preheat oven to 400.  Drizzle breasts with olive oil and season with season salt or a rub of some sort.   Bake for 20-30 minutes, depending on thickness, until no longer pink.  Shred and put over soup.

Chicken Soup

This is my mom's chicken soup and it is the best!  It is a bit time consuming, but the end results are so worth it.
Our neighbor was very sick with a bad cold and my oldest insisted I make soup for her again and again.  So, I finally made a trip to the store for what I needed and made it.  I made a huge pot, which made enough for a meal for my family, as well as enough for seconds for all of our neighbors family.  Plus, there is another meal's worth in the freezer!   I may be taking it out today as we have a cold going through our household.
We buy soup greens from the Amish store up in New York and use those in it.  If you don't have soup greens, you will need to add some extra spices like onion and garlic powder for flavor.  But I have made this without them dozens of times and it is still fabulous.  Family recipe that won't disappoint!

CHICKEN SOUP

INGREDIENTS:

• whole chicken, bone in skin on
• 10 carrots, divided
• 4-5 stalks celery, divided
• 2 large onions, divided
• 1/2 cup dried soup greens
• water
• 2 cups Prego spaghetti sauce
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lb. orzo or rosa marina

DIRECTIONS:

Clean chicken, peel 5 carrots and chop in large chunks.  Clean and chop 2 stalks celery in large chunks.  chop 1 onion in large chunks.  Place chicken and these veggies in large stock pot and cover with water.  Add 1/3 cup dried soup greens and some salt.  Bring to boil and let cook at low boil for 35-45 minutes, until legs begin to separate from chicken and chicken is cooked.
Meanwhile, clean and finely chop remaining veggies.  (If you want a lot of broth, place in saucepan with couple cups of water and simmer until begins to get tender 10-15 minutes.  Turn off and let sit.) 
When chicken is done you can either pour through strainer with another stock pot underneath to catch broth, or I lift the chicken out with tongs  and place in 9x13 (challenging) and use a small strainer to sift the chunked veggies out.  Discard the chunked veggies. 
Add the finely chopped veggies (and the veggie broth if opted for extra broth) and remaining soup greens if you have them in the big stock pan.  Simmer lightly while cleaning chicken.  Let the chicken sit for about 15-20 minutes until cool enough to handle.  Pull the meat off chicken and tear into bite size pieces.  Discard skin. (Put the bones in a saucepan with a few cups of water and let the simmer for about 20 minutes for extra flavorful broth to add to soup.)
After veggies are cooked, bring to a boil and add the Prego and pasta.  Cook about 5 minutes and add chicken back in.  Cook until pasta is done.  Taste for seasoning and add salt, pepper, garlic powder and or onion powder if needed.  (*hint, if it is flavorless, most likely you need some salt.  Add in 1/2 tsp increments letting each sit for a few minutes before tasting, until good flavor.  I usually leave a little salt needed so people can season to their individual taste.)  Serve hot with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top and crackers or crusty bread.

Soup will be gelatinous after being refrigerated.  It will turn liquid once heated.  Freezes great!

Easy Tortellini Soup

This is one of the easiest soups I have ever made.  It took me about 10 minutes to throw together and I could not believe how good it was!  It was also one of those meals that you feel good about eating because it is chock full of health.  My kids chowed it, and I wanted another helping...  but declined for want of dessert as well.  It kind of was like a beans and greens with some tortellini.  I mean, what could be bad about that?  Sometimes spinach can be strong in things and turn me off.  This had none of that strong flavor in this soup.  It was just delicious.  I went shopping in my pantry and came out with this.  Good deal!


EASY TORTELLINI SOUP

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 onion chopped fine
• 1 TBSP EVOO
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 large cloves garlic
• 1 1/2 boxes of low sodium chicken broth
• 3-4 cups water (refill a box of broth most of way)
• 1 can petite diced tomatoes
• 1-2 cans great northern beans, rinsed and drained (I used one but wished for more)
• 10 oz. spinach
• bag of tortellini (1 lb.?)

DIRECTIONS:

In big stock pot over med-high heat, put EVOO, chopped onion and salt and cook under tender and begins to brown about 5-7 minutes.  Add garlic and scrape bottom of pan and cook for 30 seconds.  Add broth and scrape bits off bottom of pan.  Bring to light boil.  Put in spinach, beans and canned tomatoes and wait until spinach is thawed.  Return to boil. Add tortellini and cook 5-7 minutes.
Ladle in bowls and serve with lots of parmesan cheese and crusty bread.

Baked Potato Soup

Another soup!  I am on a roll.  I made baked potatoes the other night when we had baked BBQ chicken so I made some extras with this soup in mind.  My husband said it stole the show for him.  My daughter ate at a friends birthday party but managed to eat an entire bowl of this no problem.

It is a delicious soup.  Not really for those watching their waistline.... but so good!  Major comfort food here.  It is like a baked potato in a bowl.  This will warm you up on a cold day and definitely will fill your belly. 



BAKED POTATO SOUP
from the kitchen of my cousin Michelle

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 stick and 2 Tbsp. butter (about 2/3 cup)
• 2/3 cup flour
• 4 baked potatoes peeled and mashed chunky
• 6 cups milk
• salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 cups light sour cream (I used half nonfat greek yogurt)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, plus some for garnish
• 4 scallions chopped
• 1/2 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled

DIRECTIONS:

Cook bacon until very crispy (I used turkey bacon and cook in the microwave for about 1.5-2 min on paper towel lined paper plate).  Crumble and set aside.  Bake potato until done and peel (no big deal if few peels left behind).  Mash up, leaving some a bit chunky.


In large stock pot, melt butter and mix in flour to make roux.  Whisk and cook for 1 minute and slowly add milk, whisking until smooth.  Cook for about 15 min. over med heat, whisking so it doesn't burn.  It will get thick.  Season with salt and pepper and mix in potatoes, cheese, and sour cream.  Reduce heat to med. low.  Do not let boil.  If it gets too thick, you can thin it out with some more milk or chicken broth.
Heat for another few minutes until warm through and serve.  Garnish with the scallions, bacon and cheese.

Italian Wedding Soup with Pearled Barley

After coming off being sick, I wanted some soup!  Something not too heavy and full off goodness to nurse me back to the land of the living.  So, I had some ground turkey and thought some Italian Wedding soup would be good.  Normally, it is prepared with a small pasta, like pastina or orzo, but I wanted to use wheat berries or barley.  I settled on pearled barley, and it was very tasty.  The older two didn't even flinch at all the green.  Actually, the eldest said it was great!  Next time I will make it with pasta to vary it up, but it was very hearty with the barley.  (The barley does swell upon sitting)
This makes a ton of soup.  Filled my stock pan.  So we will have it for leftovers and freeze the rest for a later illness.  So, I think this is worth making for sure, when nursing one back from the land of the "mostly" dead.


ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP WITH PEARLED BARLEY


INGREDIENTS:

For the soup:

• 4 med carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced 
• white wine for deglazing (1/3 c. ish)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 2 boxes low sodium chicken broth
• 2 boxes water (just fill broth boxes)
• 1 box frozen chopped spinach
• salt and pepper

For the meatballs:

• 1 lb turkey
• 3 TBSP milk
• 1/2 c. parm cheese
• handful fresh parsley chopped
• 3/4 c. Italian or fresh bread crumbs
• salt and pepper
• 1 egg
• 2 cloves fresh garlic minced or 1 tsp garlic power (not garlic salt!)

DIRECTIONS:

Cut up your veggies and put in stock pan with drizzle of EVOO over med high heat.  Cook for about 5-7 minutes, until just getting tender and add garlic.  Let cook a minute more and deglaze with white wine as needed.  Add water and broth and garlic and onion powder.  (If using barley, add it with broth).    Bring to a boil, reduce heat to just a simmer and cover.
Meanwhile, mix all meatball ingredients together. Preheat oven to 375.  Spray sheet pan with nonstick spray.  Make tiny meatballs and place on sheet pan, leaving space between each.  Makes about 50-60 mini meatballs.  Place in preheated oven and let bake for about 20-25 minutes, turning once while baking.  Remove from oven.  (Soup will have cooked about an hour by now) If adding pasta, return soup to a boil and add pasta and spinach.  When pasta is almost cooked, add meatballs into soup and any necessary salt and pepper.  Serve with parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top with crackers or crusty bread.

Carrot Soup

After all of the Super Bowl munchies last night, I seriously just wanted something light for dinner.  So we did soup and salad and some leftover dip.

So, carrot soup may not sound like the most appetizing thing, but trust me when I tell you, this soup is DELICIOUS! It is so packed with flavor, you can't go wrong.  Even if you are not a carrot fan, you would probably still like it.  If you want a more substantial meal, I suppose you could throw some rice or tortellini in it or something, but I like it as is and am plenty full from dinner.  It was ready from start to finish in an hour (cooking) wth about 10-15 minutes to throw it together. This recipe came from someone my mom works with I believe.  It has simple fresh ingredients and you probably would have most of it on hand.

My husband suggested I add the caption "winner dinner" for those dinners that we all loved.  So, this gets the stamp, "winner dinner".  Enjoy!


CARROT SOUP


INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 stick butter
• 5-6 carrots, peeled and chopped coarsely
• 2-4 leeks, chopped and triple rinsed (I soak in water 3x)
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 4-5 cloves garlic, crushed/ minced
• salt and pepper
• 1-2 tsp fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dry)
• 1/4-1/2 tsp crushed fennel
• 5 cups (box) of chicken broth 

DIRECTIONS:

Put butter in pan over med-high heat and place all chopped veggies in.  Season with salt and pepper.  Stir now and then and cook for about 10 minutes.  Add garlic and cook another 2 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking or burning.  When garlic is fragrant, pour in chicken broth and add spices.  Cover and let simmer 35-45 minutes (I let mine go up to an hour) until veggies are tender.  Puree in 2 batches in blender (Let heat escape when pureeing so not to explode) until all of soup is blended. (alternatively use braun hand mixer which I find easier, but may leave some chunks, which I don't mind)  Return to pot and keep warm until ready to serve.  Garnish with sour cream.

Potato and White Bean Soup

I wanted a hearty and rustic soup last week and this was what I was in the mood for and what I had on hand.  It was very tasty, pretty quick and went great with the focaccia.  It is also pretty figure friendly.  A good meal to warm you up on a cold winter's day!


POTATO AND WHITE BEAN SOUP

INGREDIENTS:

• 2.5 lbs of white potatoes, cut bite size
• EVOO
• 1 large onion, diced
•  3  large carrots cut up or 20 baby carrots
• 2 stalks celery, diced (include the leaves)
• 5-6 garlic cloves, crushed or minced
• 1 can cannelloni beans
• sprinkle or parsley
• 1 box chicken broth
• 2 c. water
• 1/3 c. sour cream  

DIRECTIONS:

In a large pan drizzle some EVOO (about 1 tbsp) and place in chopped onion, celery and carrots.  Let cook for 5-10 minutes over med heat until onions become translucent.  Add garlic and cook another 2 minutes.  Add potatoes, brother and water and cover and simmer about 1/2 hour or until potatoes are cooked.  Add beans and parsley and reduce heat to low. Just before serving stir in sour cream.  Keep warm until ready to serve.  Serve with sprinkle of parm cheese and crackers or sour cream and cheddar cheese.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I love soup!  I could eat it all winter and not get tired of it.  Tortilla soup is one of my favorites too.  It really is very healthy by itself, but I add so much cheese, soup cream (light, of course) and tortilla chips, I think it negates any healthy properties, but man is it good!  This is my own recipe, adapted from a bunch of different online ones.  Enjoy!


CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP


cook time: 2 hours

• 4 c. chicken broth
• 1 lb.boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 med-lg onion chopped
• 3 large carrots chopped
• 2 stalks celery chopped
• 4 cloves crushed garlic
• 2 can diced tomatoes
• 2 small cans tomato sauce or 1 15 oz can
• 1 can diced green chilies
• 1-2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• salt and pepper
• fresh cilantro chopped, plus some for garnish
• fresh avocado
• crushed tortilla chips
• lime
• sour cream

In a soup pot, drizzle olive oil  and over med- high, place chicken in pan.  Cook on one side for five min. then turn and throw in all veggies.  Cook for another 3-5 min and add broth.  Let simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 15 min.  Remove chicken breasts and let sit until cooled.  Meanwhile add can tomatoes, tomato sauce, green chilies and spices as well as good handful of chopped fresh cilantro.  Shred chicken with 2 forks and put in fridge.  Cover pot and let simmer for 1.5 hours.  About 5-10 min before serving, add chicken back to pot.   Squeeze juice of one lime into pot. Ladle in bowl and add crushed chips, some shredded cheddar or mont. jack cheese,  squeeze of lime, dollop of sour cream and sprinkle of fresh cilantro and avocado.  YUM!