Broccoli Cheese Soup

Submitted by Heather

I've made broccoli cheese soups before, but they never seem to live up to the kinds I've had at restaurants.  Some have had off flavors (too much garlic?) and some have been too thin.  When I eat this kind of soup, I want something that is thick and creamy and this soup fits the bill.  It was so comforting on one of those dreary, overcast days.  You can serve it in a bread bowl, or as I did, with a slice of homemade wheat bread  (I just hate wasting all that good bread in a bread bowl!).

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Note: While the soup is coming together, put the chopped broccoli in a large glass bowl, cover with saran wrap and microwave for about 3-4 minutes. It cooks perfectly and just in time to add it to the soup.

*Serves 4

1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 small onion, diced
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, preferably sharp or extra sharp
1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese
2 1/2 to 3 cups chopped, lightly steamed or blanched broccoli

Simmer chicken broth and chopped onion for 15-20 minutes in a covered small saucepan, until onions are soft.* Heat milk in microwave for 1-2 minutes. In a separate medium-sized stockpot, melt butter then add flour, salt and pepper. Cook together, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes, then whisk in warmed milk. Stir and heat together on medium heat until soup starts to thicken, about 5-8 minutes. Add warmed chicken broth and continue to stir until well blended. Add cheeses and stir until completely melted. Stir in seamed broccoli. Add more salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Serve immediately.

*Once the onions are soft, I pureed the onion broth mixture with an immersion blender.  I was hoping that no onion chunks would mean my kids would have one less reason to pick at the soup!

Source: adapted from melskitchencafe.com

Tomatillo Chicken Stew

Posted by Lisa
Source: www.simplyrecipes.com

I received a bag full of tomatillos from my father.  The first night I made a variation of chicken chili (with tomatillos) inside an egg roll wrapper...although good, it wasn't blog worthy.

Still having 3/4 of a bag left, I searched for a new recipe and found this one.  The whole family was leery to eat it because we are not very familiar with this little vegie (or fruit?).  

Everyone (except Haley) agreed that they liked the flavor and found that it had a natural savory/sweetness to it.  I will be putting this into my "make again" recipes.

(mine was more like a soup because I added lots more chicken stock, and we served it with a buttered roll)

Ingredients:

Tomatillo Sauce:

1 1/2 lbs tomatillos

1-2 jalapeno chile peppers or 2-3 serrano chili peppers ( I used 1 can green chilies)

1 clove garlic chopped

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp lime juice (or lemon)

pinch sugar (didn't use that)

Stew:

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (I had cooked /shredded chicken already in fridge so I used that)

Salt and Pepper

olive oil

2 yellow onions, chopped (I added 2 tbsp flour when onions were cooked, then added the stock)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander (didn't use...was out)

1 1/2 c chicken stock (used about 4 to 6 cups )

2 cups tomatillo sauce (above)

1 tsp dry oregano (didn't use...was out)

1/2 c packed chopped cilantro (about 1 bunch rinsed and chopped, stems and leaves..I didn't use the stems)

(I added 1 bag of shredded carrots also, it added a nice texture)

1 Make the tomatillo sauce. Remove the papery husks from the tomatillos and rinse well. Cut the tomatillos in half and place them cut-side down on an aluminum foil-lined roasting pan. Broil for 5-7 minutes until blackened in spots. Let cool enough to handle. Place the tomatillos, any juice they have released, chile peppers, garlic, salt, lime juice and sugar in a blender, and pulse until well blended. If you make ahead, refrigerate until needed.

2 Heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a large, thick-bottomed pot on medium high heat until almost smoking. Pat dry the cubed chicken parts with paper towels. Sprinkle salt and pepper over them. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, and adding more olive oil when necessary, brown the chicken pieces on two sides. When you place the pieces in the pan, make sure there is room between them (otherwise they will steam and not brown), and don't move them until they are browned on one side. Then use tongs or a metal spatula to turn them over and don't move them again until they are browned on the other side. Do not cook through, but only brown. Remove the chicken pieces from the pan and lower the heat to medium. There should be a nice layer of browned bits (fond) at the bottom of the pan.

3 Add the onions to the pan, and a tablespoon or two more olive oil if needed (likely). Add ground cumin and coriander. Cook a few minutes, stirring occasionally until onions are softened and the browned bits from the chicken have been picked up by the onions and are no longer sticking to the pan. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more, until fragrant.

4 Add the browned chicken, the tomatillo sauce, chicken stock, and oregano to the pan. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, for 20 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Add the cilantro to the stew in the last minute or so of cooking.

Serve over white rice, accompanied with sour cream if needed to offset the heat from the chiles. The stew will thicken as it cools.

Green Monster Soup (Split Pea)

Submitted by: Heather

Never heard of Green Monster Soup before?  Well, desperation requires creativity.  Earlier in the week I had served a pesto and chicken pasta dish, and going with the green theme, I added frozen peas to the pasta.  The kids were less than thrilled and when I went to pack up the leftovers I found a pan full of peas, with very little pasta left.  So, the kids are obviously not fans of peas.  

I'm in pantry clean-out mode, though, and coming upon both a frozen ham bone in the freezer and a sadly neglected bag of split peas in the pantry, I decided to make split pea soup.  The last time I'd eaten split pea soup I remember really liking it.  This time was no exception.  In fact my husband and I wondered why I hadn't made it in so long since we both repeatedly filled our bowls.  I also didn't hear any complaints from the kids - even my picky little 5 year old!  The trick was in the name (okay, okay, and the homemade bread sticks I served along with it).  Not once did I bring up the fact that this was made out of peas.  My kids were clueless to all the vitamins they were consuming and I was happily adding a delicious soup to our dinner line-up.  Give it a try - I think you'll be surprised.

I made a double batch of the following soup and it was perfect for my family of 7.  I omitted the celery, not because I don't like it, but because I was out of it.  I chopped more carrots to make up the difference. I also used a ham bone from a spiral cut ham instead of a pork hock, and it imparted a lot of wonderful flavor.

Yield: Serves 6


2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped peeled carrots

2 cloves of garlic
1 1/2 pounds smoked pork hocks (or a ham bone, left over from a spiral ham, etc.)
2 teaspoons dried leaf marjoram (or thyme)
1 1/2 cups green split peas
8 cups water


Melt butter in heavy large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery and carrots. Sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 8 minutes. Add pork and marjoram/thyme; stir 1 minute. Add peas, then water, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Partially cover pot; simmer soup until pork and vegetables are tender peas are falling apart, stirring often, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Transfer hocks/ham bone to bowl. Puree 5 cups of soup in batches in blender and return to the pot. Or use an immersion blender to puree most (but not all!) of the soup.  Cut meat off bones. Dice meat and return it to the soup. Season with salt and pepper. Can be made 1 day ahead. Refrigerate until cold, then cover. Rewarm before serving.

Source: adapted from Epicurious (Easy Split Pea Soup)

Norwegian Leek Soup

Submitted by Heather

This soup may not look too exciting or impressive, but boy is it delicious.  Ever since I was a kid, our family would have a big Norwegian dinner to celebrate our Norwegian heritage (just one of the many countries our ancestors hail from). And at every celebration, we had this soup.  I think I could have done without the lutefisk or even the lefse, but not this soup.  It's creamy and flavorful and unlike any of the other soups I usually make.  My kids love it too, which is a plus, or I might eat the whole pot of it myself.  

3 large leeks, white and light green parts thinly sliced (discard dark green part)

3 medium potatoes, diced

2 medium carrots, diced or sliced

6 Tbsp. butter

1/2 C. flour

6 C. beef broth

1 tsp. salt

pepper to taste

chopped parsley

1 large egg yolk (optional)

Melt butter over medium heat.  Add sliced leeks and diced vegetables.  Cook 5 minutes while stirring occasionally, to prevent vegetables from browning. Add flour, stirring constantly; remove from heat and add beef broth all at once. Add salt. Return to heat and continue cooking gently until vegetables are tender. Beat egg yolk into soup tureen. Pour soup over egg yolk, a little at a time, stirring constantly. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley. Serve at once.

Note: I don't ever use the egg yolk and it always turns out wonderfully.

Source: I have no idea because we've used it for so many years.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Submitted by: Hannah

Okay first of all forgive me for the sad picture but the taste will make up for it! This is a yummy recipe that got my 3 year olds approval (which is hard to get some nights). It has also reassured me that we can stick with a healthy lifestyle for a long to come with recipes like this because it is still satisfying and comfort food without all of the fat. I recently stumbled onto a blog called Skinnytaste.com and since I am on weight watchers it was an exciting find. The blog is all about healthy recipes and it even breaks down the weight watchers points for you. Give this a try I think you and your family will love it. I normally would have served this with a salad full of veggies or maybe a crusty piece of bread but it was good all by itself too.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 9 • Serving Size: 1 cup • Old Points: 3 pt • Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 169.2 • Fat: 1.2 g • Protein: 18.5 g • Carb: 21.2 g • Fiber: 2.3 g

Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 1 bowl (1-1/2 cups) • Old Points: 5 pt • Points+: 6 pts
Calories: 253.8 • Fat: 1.8 g • Protein: 27.7 g • Carb: 31.9 g • Fiber: 3.4 g

• 1/4 cup flour (to make gluten-free use 2 tbsp cornstarch instead)
• 2 cups water
• 4 cups fat free milk
• 1 large celery stalk, chopped
• 1/2 medium chopped onion
• 8 oz sliced baby portabella mushrooms
• 2 chicken bouillons
• fresh ground pepper
  
• pinch of thyme
• 10 oz frozen classic mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, green beans, corn)
• 2 potatoes, peeled and cubed small
• 16 oz cooked chicken breast, diced small
• salt

Create a slurry by combining 1/2 cup of the cold water with flour in a medium bowl and whisk until well blended. Set aside.

Pour remaining water and milk into a large pot and slowly bring to a boil. Add celery, onion, mushrooms, chicken bullion, thyme, fresh pepper, frozen vegetables and return to a boil. Partially cover and simmer on low until vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes. Remove lid, add potatoes and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add chicken, and slowly whisk in slurry, stirring well as you add. Cook another 2-3 minutes, until soup thickens, adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve.

I found it needed a bit more salt and pepper at the end so make sure to taste along the way.

Source: skinnytaste.com

Mexican Chicken Soup

Submitted by Hannah

After trying many different tortilla and taco soups I came up with my favorite versions of those. This is fast to make and it makes a lot so you will have some for lunch the next day which I always love. Feel free to adjust the spices to your tastes. I usually don't measure I just dump in what I think, but I gave you a good estimate of what I use in the soup. I always taste along the way while it is cooking to see if additional seasoning is needed.

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts cooked and shredded

1 medium onion chopped

1 red, orange or yellow red pepper chopped

1 can of red enchilada sauce

1 can tomatoes with diced green chiles

2 cans white beans like great northern

3/4 cup frozen corn

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 1/2 tsp cumin

2 -3tsps chile powder

3 cups chicken broth and 1 cup of water

2 -3 Tbsp fresh chopped cilantro

salt and pepper to taste

** We usually like to add some heat to this by using chipotle chili powder or diced jalepenos.**

Directions:

In a dutch oven or stock pot heat about 1-2 Tbsp of oil and add the chopped onion and pepper. Saute those over medium heat for a few minutes until the onion starts to turn opague. At this point I add the spices - cumin, chile powder and smoked paprika to let them toast a minute or two before adding the liquids. Then you can add the water, chicken broth, enchilada sauce, tomatoes with diced chiles, shredded chicken and the frozen corn. Cover soup and let it cook on medium low where it is simmering slightly for at least 40 minutes. It works out really well to make this in advance a day or two earlier if you are trying to prep some meals for another day. It just gets more flavorful.

Before you are going to serve the soup add in the fresh cilantro and stir. You can save some to serve on top also if you would like.

I like to serve this with sour cream, shredded cheese, diced avocado and tortilla chips.

Chicken and Dumplings

This recipe is one to keep somewhere close by. My family just loves it. It is an adaptation from a recipe I found on http://www.foodnetwork.com/ I make it my own way of course but it is soooo delicious.

We made it today because it is the middle of April and we woke up to snow! So, to sooth our cold selves, we needed a warm comfort dish, and this fit the bill perfectly!

I hope you enjoy.

5 stalks celery chopped small

1 large onion chopped small

1/2 bag shreded carrots or 3 lrg carrots chopped small

4 cloves garlic minced (or garlic garlic from tastefully simple...1 tbsp)

3 quarts water and enough chicken paste per directions for that amount of water.

(or just use chicken stock...3 quarts of it)

2 tsp parsley

2 tsp thyme

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup flour

2 to 3 cups shredded, pre-cooked chicken

Dumplings:

2 cups flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

3/4 to 1 cup buttermilk (I use reg skim milk)

(I add some thyme to this also...maybe 1 tsp)

1. In medium to large stock pot, put in the 2 tbsp of olive oil and 2 tbsp of butter. Add the chopped onion, celery, and carrot. Stir around to cook evenly. I usually add about 1/2 cup water and put a lid on so the vegies are soft. Cook until they are just barely tender.

2. Add 1/4 cup of flour and stir/cook for about 2 min. to get rid of the flour flavor.

3. Add water..a little bit at a time stirring as you add it. Keep stirring until it is all mixed well.

4. At this point add in the chicken soup base/paste and the shredded chicken.

5. Cover and let simmer for 10 min. Meanwhile, mix up the dumpling mix.

Dumplings:

1. Beat up the eggs and the milk with a fork.

2. Add the dry ingredients and stir together until moistened.

3. Take cover off pot and drop by spoonfuls into the soup mixture.

**they will touch each other and may have to be dropped on top of each other to fit. Don't worry about that.

4. Put the cover back on the pot, turn the heat down to a low simmer and let it cook for about 15 minutes. You can peak at it here and there and give it a little stir if you want to.

5. When the dumplings are all puffed up and sort of dry looking, they are done.

Time to eat!