Category: Soups and Stews

Soups and Stews

Tuscan Style Chicken Soup

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Tuscan Style Chicken Soup is hearty soup for those cold fall and winter days. If is easy to put together and I had the ingredients on hand, always a win.

Tuscan Style Chicken Soup

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion peeled and chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme or ½ tsp dried thyme
  • 1 stick of celery sliced
  • 2 medium carrots peeled and chopped
  • 2 medium potatoes peeled and diced
  • 1 litre (4 cups) good-quality chicken stock ideally homemade, but water with stock cubes will work too. Use water plus bouillon for gluten-free
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 400 g (14 oz) cooked cannellini beans washed and drained
  • 2 skinless cooked chicken breasts shredded
  • 100 g (3.5 oz) chopped kale
  • small bunch fresh parsley chopped
  • 2 tbsp finely grated parmesan
  • sprinkle of fresh thyme
  • serve with toasted granary or hearty bread
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook for 10 minutes on a low-medium heat, stirring occasionally until softened.
  2. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for a further 2 minutes.
  3. Add the celery, carrots, and potatoes, stir, then add in the chicken stock, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 minutes.
  4. Add in the drained cannellini beans and cook for a further 5 minutes.
  5. Add the shredded chicken and heat through for 2-3 minutes, then add the kale. Stir and simmer for 1-2 minutes until the kale has wilted. Test and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
  6. Divide between four bowls, topped with fresh parsley, grated parmesan and a couple of sprigs of fresh thyme. Serve with toasted granary bread.

Recipe from KitchenSanctuary

Soups and Stews

Creamy Butternut Squash and Sausage Soup

cathysmahaLeave a comment

This 30 minute, one pot soup is easy and delicious. I love a recipe that comes together so easily and delivers the flavor!

Creamy Butternut Squash and Sausage Soup

INGREDIENTS:
  • 15 oz spicy Italian sausage crumbled
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or Herbs from Provence
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (no sprigs, just leaves)
  • red pepper flakes to taste (if sausage is spicy, you may want to skip the pepper flakes)
  • 1 cup orzo uncooked
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 5 cups chicken stock
  • 10 oz butternut squash peeled and cubed
  • 5 oz fresh spinach
  • ½ cup heavy cream (I used half and half)
  • ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese shaved, shredded, or grated (for garnish)
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Add crumbled Italian sausage, Italian seasoning, a generous amount of fresh thyme (no sprigs, just leaves), and red pepper flakes to a large saucepan. Cook on medium heat, regularly stirring to break the sausage.
  2. Once the sausage released juices and is half cooked, add 1 cup of uncooked orzo and minced garlic, and cook, constantly stirring, for about 2 minutes on medium heat to brown the orzo.
  3. Add 5 cups of chicken stock and cubed butternut squash, stir everything well, cover with the lid, bring to a boil, reduce to visible simmer, and cook for about 5 or 10 minutes until the orzo and butternut squash is cooked.
  4. Add spinach to the soup, cover with the lid and let it wilt on low heat, occasionally stirring.
  5. Once the spinach has wilted, remove the soup from the heat and add heavy cream. Stir everything and season with salt and pepper. Add more chicken stock (or water) if the soup is too dense. Add more red pepper flakes, if you like. Top with Parmesan cheese (shaved, shredded, or grated) and fresh thyme.

Recipe from JuliasAlbum

Mexican Dishes · Soups and Stews

Green Chile Enchilada Chicken Soup

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Green Chile Enchilada Chicken Soup is a quick recipe for busy families. My daughter, Megan, made this one night while I was visiting. Since the family has a love/hate relationship with beans and other ingredients, she served rice and beans separately as well as cheese, cilantro and chips. Each family member was in charge of their final bowl of soup and it was delicious!

Green Chile Enchilada Chicken Soup

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 to 1 can green enchilada sauce (we used 1/2 can to please younger kids)
  • 1/2-1 tsp. oregano
  • 2 boxes chicken broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 2-3 cups shredded, cooked chicken
  • 1.5-2 cups corn
  • salt and pepper
  • Serve with:
    • cooked white rice
    • chopped fresh cilantro
    • cooked great northern beans
    • shredded cheese
    • tortilla chips
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Saute the onion and bell pepper in olive oil until soft.
  2. Add green enchilada sauce, oregano, broth, and water. Bring to a soft boil
  3. Add chicken and corn and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
  4. Serve bowl of soup and add rice, fresh cilantro, beans, cheese and chips as desired.

Recipe by daughter, Megan

Soups and Stews · Vegetarian

Sengalese Soup

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Sengalese Soup by IowaGirlEats sounded so delicious and easy, and indeed it was! I didn’t have anything ready for lunch but I had all of the ingredients for this soup. It only took about 30 minutes start to finish. It is SO flavorful and a healthy, vegetarian dish. For those that need more protein, shredded chicken would be a nice addition.

Sengalese Soup

INGREDIENTS:
  • 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large shallot or small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 2 jalapeños (or 1 for a mild soup,) seeded and minced
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
  • 1 medium-sized sweet potato, peeled and diced small
  • 4 cups (32oz) gluten-free chicken or vegetable broth
  • 15oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 14oz can lite coconut milk
  • 1 cup crushed tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 3 Tablespoons peanut butter
  • juice of 1/2 lime
  • cooked white rice
  • chopped fresh cilantro
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Heat oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add shallot or onion, red bell pepper, and jalapenos, season with salt and pepper, then saute until vegetables are tender, 5-7 minutes. Add garlic then saute for 30 more seconds or until very fragrant.
  2. Add sweet potatoes, chicken broth, chickpeas, coconut milk, crushed tomatoes, curry powder, salt, and pepper, then turn heat up to high to bring soup to a boil. Once boiling, scoop some of the liquid into a small dish with the peanut butter then stir until smooth. Stream back into the soup then stir to combine. Turn heat down to medium then simmer until sweet potatoes are tender, 8-10 minutes.
  3. Remove soup from heat then stir in lime juice. Taste then add more salt, pepper, and/or lime juice if necessary. Serve with cooked white rice and chopped fresh cilantro.

Recipe from IowaGirlEats

Czech Heritage and Dishes · Soups and Stews

Potato Mushroom Soup (Czech Bramborkačka)

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Czech Potato Mushroom Soup used so many healthy ingredients and was a wonderful, hearty soup for a cold winter dinner. Brown soups do not photograph well but how do you photograph taste? Next time I make it, I will increase the caraway seed and decrease the marjoram because I LOVE caraway. It’s delicious as the recipe states,so make according to your own taste.

This soup would be great if you had leftover beef roast or any other protein to add.

POTATO MUSHROOM SOUP (CZECH BRAMBORAČKA)

INGREDIENTS:
  • 3 onions medium
  • 1 carrot large
  • 3 and ½ ounces celeriac root (100 g)
  • 1 parsley root medium
  • 4 potatoes medium
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 handful dried mushrooms ideally European varieties; plus 1 and 1/4 cup water to soak
  • ¾ stick unsalted butter (85 g)
  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour (40 g)
  • 5 cups water or vegetable broth
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley
  • 1 Tablespoon dried marjoram
  • ½ teaspoon caraway seeds crushed
  • ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
  • salt
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Clean and peel the vegetables (carrot, parsley root, celery, potatoes) and cut into ½-inch cubes. Peel and chop the garlic. Finely chop the onion.
  2. Soak the dried mushrooms in 1 ¼ cups water, bring to a boil, and gently simmer for about 10 minutes. Reserve the mushroom stock for later.
  3. Heat a Dutch oven or a thick-bottomed soup pot over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the root vegetables (carrot, parsley root, celery – not the onion yet).
  4. Fry the vegetables until lightly golden (5-8 minutes), stirring occasionally. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  5. Reduce the heat to one-third and start making the roux. Add the flour to the vegetables and fry for about a minute, until the veggies are coated with flour and lightly golden. Stir frequently to prevent the flour from scorching. Add the crushed caraway seeds and ground pepper, and stir.
  6. Add about a cup of water or vegetable broth and whisk to prevent lumps. Add the remaining liquid and stir. Salt to taste, turn up the heat, cover and bring to a boil.
  7. Once the soup starts to boil, add the diced potatoes and boil gently for 10 minutes. Then add the chopped garlic, soaked mushrooms and about 1 cup of stock. Reduce heat and let cook covered for about 5-7 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
  8. The last step is to add the dried marjoram. Rub the marjoram with your fingers before adding it to release its essential oils. Cook for another 1 minute, then remove the bramboracka soup from the heat.
  9. Taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary. Stir in a spoon of chopped fresh parsley.

Recipe from CookLikeCzechs

Home · Pastas · Poultry · Soups and Stews

One Pot Gnocchi (or Noodle) Chicken Pot Pie

cathysmahaLeave a comment

One Pot Chicken Pot Pie, with gnocchi or with noodles, is a taste of home. The dish was so easy to make, but midway through I discovered I was out of gnocchi. Egg noodles to the rescue! I added more broth to allow the noodles to cook through. This recipe is a great way to use leftover turkey or chicken and is a delicious dish to serve on a cold night!

One Pot Gnocchi (or Noodle) Chicken Pot Pie

INGREDIENTS:
  • 4 Tablespoons butter or vegan butter
  • 1 cup sliced carrots
  • 4 oz mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 large or 2 small stalks celery, thinly sliced
  • 1 large shallot or small onion, chopped
  • homemade seasoned salt (I used Lawry’s) and pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
  • 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • pinch dried thyme
  • 3 Tablespoons gluten free flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour)
  • 2 cups chicken stock or broth
  • 1 cup milk (any kind, I use unsweetened almond milk)
  • 12oz package gluten free gnocchi (I used egg noodles)
  • 1-1/2 cups shredded chicken breast (~1/2 lb pre-cooked)
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas
  • optional: extra broth if cooking noodles
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Heat a Dutch Oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, melt butter in pan then add carrots, mushrooms, celery, and shallots/onions. Stir to coat the vegetables in butter then saute until the mushrooms release their liquid and it has evaporated, 3-4 minutes. Season with homemade seasoning salt and pepper then continue to saute, turning the heat down slightly if necessary, until vegetables are tender, another 6-7 minutes.
  2. Add garlic, poultry seasoning, and dried thyme then saute until garlic is very fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
  3. Sprinkle flour over vegetables then stir to combine and cook for 1 minute. Slowly pour in chicken broth while stirring to avoid lumps then add milk and turn heat up to medium-high. Bring mixture to a bubble, stirring occasionally, then add gnocchi and stir combine. Turn heat down to medium then simmer, stirring frequently, until gnocchi are tender, 5-6 minutes. Stir in chicken and peas then taste and add seasoned salt and/or pepper if necessary. Ladle into bowls then serve.

Recipe from IowaGirlEats

New Favorite · Soups and Stews

Stove Top Beef Stew

cathysmahaLeave a comment

I love my 5-hour oven beef stew recipe but when Megan introduced me to this recipe, WOW! The beef is so tender and serving it over mashed potatoes takes it to a new level. If you wanted to add potatoes to the stew vs. serving over mashed potatoes, I think it would be fine. This is definitely a new family favorite.

Stove Top Beef Stew

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed between your fingers
  • 2 medium-sized carrots, chopped small
  • 2 ribs celery, chopped small
  • 1 large shallot or small onion, chopped small
  • salt and pepper
  • 8oz button mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
  • 1-1/2lbs stew meat, cut into bite-sized pieces (1″ or so)
  • pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
  • 3 Tablespoons butter, softened
  • 3 Tablespoons gluten free flour or all-purpose flour (dish will not be GF if using AP flour)
  • 32oz gluten free beef broth
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • prepared mashed potatoes, for serving
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Heat oil in a large dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add dried thyme and rosemary then saute for 30 seconds. Add carrots, celery, and shallots then season with salt and pepper and saute until the vegetables are browned and tender, 10 minutes. Add mushrooms then saute until they release their liquid, the liquid cooks off, and the mushrooms become tender, 7-9 more minutes. Add garlic then saute for 1 minute, or until very fragrant. Turn heat up to medium-high then add stew meat, red pepper flakes, if using, and more salt and pepper, then saute until meat is evenly browned, 8-10 minutes.
  2. Mash together butter and flour in a small dish with a fork until smooth then add to the pot and stir to coat the meat. Cook for 1 minute then stream in beef broth, scraping the bottom of the pot to release any browned bits. Turn heat up to high to bring stew to a simmer then add bay leaves. Place a lid on top, turn heat down to low, then simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
  3. Remove lid then gently simmer for another 1-1/2 hours, or until the meat is tender and stew has thickened, stirring occasionally. If the stew begins to reduce too quickly before the meat is tender, place the lid back on top. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if necessary then add frozen peas and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove bay leaves then serve over mashed potatoes.

Recipe from IowaGirlEats

Soups and Stews

Sweet Potato Chowder

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Sweet Potato Chowder is delicious and easy to prepare. I used bacon instead of pancetta and frozen kale vs. fresh. I liked the carrots with the sweet potatoes, but you could easily use all sweet potato. I was hesitant to use sage and nutmeg but they made such a delicious broth. This chowder is another easy soup for colder nights.

Sweet Potato Chowder

INGREDIENTS:
  • 4 ounces pancetta, diced (I used bacon)
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 sweet onion, diced
  • 3 garlic clove, minced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground sage
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
  • ½ cup chopped carrots
  • 3 cups chopped sweet potato, about 1 inch in size
  • 5 cups reduced-sodium chicken stock
  • ⅓ cup cream, half and half or coconut cream/milk
  • 2 cups chopped tuscan kale (I used frozen kale from my garden)
  • 3 tablespoons roasted salted pepitas, for topping
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Heat a large pot over medium-low heat and add the pancetta. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat is rendered and the pancetta is crisp, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the pancetta with a slotted spoon and place it on a paper towel lined plate to remove any excess grease.
  2. Keep the pot on medium low heat and add the butter. Stir in the onion, garlic, salt, pepper and sage. Stir in the fresh nutmeg. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the carrots and sweet potato, tossing everything to combine.
  3. Pour in the chicken stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce it to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Cover and cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes cubes soften. Stir in the cream/halfhalf/etc. Taste the soup and season with additional salt or pepper if needed, but remember we will add the salty pancetta back on top too!
  4. A few minutes before serving, stir in the kale. I like to serve it almost immediately, but you can simmer the soup for another 10 minutes or so to soften it.
  5. Serve with the pancetta and pepitas for topping.

Recipe from HowSweetEats

Soups and Stews

Carrot Ginger Soup

cathysmahaLeave a comment

My daughter, Megan, made several smooth soups for me after abdominal surgery. Initially, I ate the soup in it’s mild form and frozen some of the leftovers. Now that I’m fully recovered, I decided to spice it up a bit and added sour cream and chili crunch. Yum! Spice it up however you desire!

Carrot Ginger Soup

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 3 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1 pound carrots, roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup, optional
  • coconut milk for garnish, optional
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, salt and pepper and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add the smashed garlic cloves (they’ll get blended later) and carrots to the pot and cook 8 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
  2. Stir in the ginger, apple cider vinegar, and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
  3. Let cool slightly and transfer to a blender. Blend until smooth. If your soup is too thick, add a little water. If you would like your soup a little sweeter, add the maple syrup.
  4. Serve with a drizzle of coconut milk, if desired.

Recipe from LoveandLemons

Mexican Dishes · Soups and Stews

Green Chicken Enchilada Soup

cathysmaha1 Comment

What a quick, easy and delicious soup! Temperatures were bitterly cold in Colorado when I made this soup. It came together in 30 minutes or less and was delicious! What an easy dinner for a busy family night. I’m thinking this soup would freeze well, if there are any leftovers!

Green Chicken Enchilada Soup

INGREDIENTS:
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1lb chicken breasts, chopped into bite sized pieces (I used rotisserie chicken)
  • 1 large shallot or small onion, chopped 
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
  • 1/4 cup gluten free flour blend (could use AP flour if not GF)
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • 1 cup milk, any kind
  • 15oz can gluten free green enchilada sauce (I like Hatch brand)
  • 4oz can chopped green chiles
  • 2, 15oz cans great northern beans, drained and rinsed (I used 1 can white beans, 1 can black beans)
  • 2 teaspoons cumin (I use 1 tsp.)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano 
  • 8oz freshly shredded Monterey Jack cheese, plus more for topping
  • Toppings: tortilla strips, shredded Monterey jack cheese, fresh cilantro, green onions, lime wedges, sour cream, green Tabasco sauce
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add chopped chicken breasts and shallot/onion, season with salt and pepper, then saute until chicken is opaque, 4-5 minutes – chicken does not need to be entirely cooked through. Add garlic then saute until extremely fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
  2. Sprinkle in flour then stir to combine and cook while stirring for 1 minute. Slowly stream in chicken broth while stirring until a smooth sauce has formed then pour in remaining chicken broth and milk. Add green enchilada sauce, canned chiles, beans, cumin, and dried oregano then turn heat up to bring soup to a bubble, stirring occasionally. Turn heat down to medium-low then simmer for 10 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot occasionally.
  3. Turn heat off then remove pot from hot burner, add half the cheese, and then stir until completely smooth. Add remaining cheese then stir until completely smooth. Let soup sit and thicken for 15 – 20 minutes then scoop into bowls and serve with toppings.

Recipe from IowaGirlEats