Mexican Dishes · Soups and Stews

Green Chicken Enchilada Soup

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

Czech Heritage and Dishes · Soups and Stews

Kapustnica: Slovak Christmas Sauerkraut Mushroom Soup

My Father’s ancestral roots are Czech and Slovak. I’ve always been interested in the ethnic foods of these regions and love trying the foods that they may have eaten. Kapustnica mean Sauerkraut Soup and is often served on Christmas Eve as well as throughout the winter months. Imagine the ingredients of these foods were preserved for use during the winter months. The soup is smoky and a bit sour due to the sauerkraut. The broth is delicious. Serve the soup with a nice crusty bread to complete the meal.

While this is a traditional Christmas soup, I prefer this soup in the cold, dark days of January.

Kapustnica: Slovak Christmas Sauerkraut Mushroom Soup

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 to 1.5 lbs. Sauerkraut (Frank’s refrigerated is recommended)
  • 1 tsp. caraway seed
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2-3 links of smoked sausage
  • 3 quarts water
  • 1 oz. dried mushrooms (porcini recommended)
  • pasta (I cooked 1 cup of dried Kluski noodles)
  • Roux:
    • 3 tablespoons oil
    • 1 small chopped onion
    • 1 clove minced garlic
    • 3 tablespoons flour
    • 1/2 tsp. salt
    • 1/2 tsp. pepper
    • Paprika to taste
    • 1 cup water
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Add three quarts of water to a large pot. Add sauerkraut, caraway seed, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil.
  2. Soak mushrooms in cold water for 15 minutes. Drain and discard liquid. Add to soup.
  3. Using a fork, poke many holes in the smoked sausages. Add to soup.
  4. Simmer soup for 1-2 hours.
  5. Prepare the roux: Add oil to pan. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute. Add flour and stir until mixture is light brown. Add salt, pepper, paprika and ____. Stir to combine. Add 1 cup water. Whisk and cook until mixture thickens. Add to soup. Continue simmering soup.
  6. Remove smoke sausage from soup and slice into pieces. Add back to soup.
  7. Remove bay leaf.
  8. Cook pasta separately. When cooked, add to soup.

Recipe from YouTube

or

https://tasteisyours.com/slovak-sauerkraut-soup-kapustnica/

https://cookpad.com/uk/recipes/274784-kapustnica-slovakian-sauerkraut-sausage-soup

Soups and Stews

Turkey & Wild Rice Soup — Trader Joe’s Style

What’s better on a cold night that soup! This Turkey & Wild Rice Soup is very good and easy to make. I must admit, I didn’t use all Trader Joe’s ingredients, but the Holiday Vegetable Hash is such an easy, wonderful addition. If you have a TJ’s near you, I’d highly recommend it!

Turkey & Wild Rice Soup — Trader Joe’s Style

INGREDIENTS:
  • 2 tablespoons TJ’s Olive Oil
  • 1 package TJ’s Holiday Vegetable Hash (seasonal)
  • TJ’s Sea Salt & Pepper
  • 1 package TJ’s Sliced Cremini Mushrooms
  • 2 packages TJ’s Turkey Stock (seasonal) OR Chicken Stock (2 boxes)
  • 1 cup TJ’s Wild Rice (I have also used their Harvest Blend)
  • 2 cups cooked leftover TJ’s Turkey (or Chicken)
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Heat a large pot over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil.
  2. When oil is hot, add hash and a generous pinch of salt. Sauté until onions are translucent, 3-5 minutes.
  3. Add mushrooms and sauté another 5 minutes.
  4. Add stock and rice to pot and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.
  5. Remove lid, add turkey and continue to simmer another 15-20 minutes, until rice is cooked through.
  6. Season to taste with sea salt & pepper. Ladle soup into large bowls and enjoy! 

Recipe from Trader Joe’s

Soups and Stews

Leftover Pork and Potato Soup

My son-in-law makes a mean Smoked Pork Butt on his Traeger. (Hopefully, I’ll remember to get the recipe and photos next time). Recently he smoked several pork butts for us and when I brought them home to shred, the broth was so rich. I decided to chill the broth and later skim off the fat (and it was a lot!). I then froze the remaining broth in muffin tins and when frozen solid, I saved for later use in sauce and soups.

This recipe popped us as an idea for a soup and I adapated to my taste, substituting a sweet potato instead of mushrooms. The soup has a slight smoky flavor and so delicious, not to mention, good for you! The recipe can be adapted to use whatever leftover meat and vegetables you may have on hand. But if you have leftover smoked pork and broth…you have to try it!

Leftover Pork and Potato Soup

INGREDIENTS:
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 onions, diced
  • 4 celery ribs, diced
  • 4 large carrots, diced
  • 2 large cloves garlic
  • 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
  • 4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 2 quarts chicken stock
  • 1 to 2 cups leftover pork, cubed into 1/2” pieces or smaller (I used smoke pork)
  • 1/2 cup smoked pork broth (captured during the smoke process–optional)
  • 1 Tbsp dried Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground or rubbed sage
  • 1 tsp ground thyme
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 2 large fistfuls of fresh kale (or frozen kale)
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, celery and carrots and cook on medium until the onions just start to turn translucent.
  2. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook until the vegetables start to become soft.
  3. Add the potatoes and chicken stock and simmer, cooking until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 15-20 minutes.
  4. Add the leftover pork, seasonings and kale and cook until the kale is wilted and the pork is heated through, about 5-10 minutes.
  5. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed.

Adapted from dontwastethecrumbs

Italian Dishes · Soups and Stews

Italian Sausage Vegetable Soup with Tortellini

Italian Sausage Vegetable Soup with Tortellini is the perfect soup for a cold autumn or winter’s night.

Italian Sausage Vegetable Soup with Tortellini

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 pound sweet Italian sausage (casings removed)
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 6 cups beef broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/2 cup red wine
  • 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cups thinly sliced carrots
  • 1/2 tablespoon packed fresh basil leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1.5 cups sliced/diced zucchini
  • 1 cup fresh spinach, cut into ribbons
  • 24 ounces fresh tortellini pasta
  • 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • shredded mozzarella
DIRECTIONS:
  1. In a large pot, brown sausage. Remove sausage and drain, reserving 1 tablespoon of drippings.
  2. Saute onions and garlic in drippings. Stir in beef broth, water, wine, tomatoes, carrots, basil, oregano, and sausage. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
  3. Skim fat from soup (if needed). Stir in zucchini, spinach and parsley. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Add tortellini during the last 5-10 minutes.
  4. Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

Mexican Dishes · Soups and Stews

White Chicken Chili

White Chicken Chili is a stick to your ribs, flavorful soup for cold weather. The original recipe does not have corn and thickens the chili with flour and milk. I chose to add cream cheese, inspired by other recipes. I serve with cilantro, cheese and chips but add whatever inspires you.

A great recipe to make for a crowd, perhaps New Years Day!

Crockpot White Chicken Chili

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 lb. chicken breasts (~2 large chicken breasts)
  • 15 oz. can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can corn, drained
  • 4 oz. can chopped green chiles
  • 1-2 fresh jalapenos, seeded then minced (use 1 for mild chili)
  • 1 shallot of 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • big pinch dried oregano
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • juice of 1/2 small lime
  • 4 oz. cream cheese, cubed
  • Toppings: green Tabasco sauce, verde sauce, lime wedges, tortilla chips, shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, sour cream
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Add first 13 ingredients: chicken breasts through lime juice into 6 quart crock pot. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or until chicken shreds easily.
  2. Remove chicken then shred and place back in crockpot.
  3. Add cream cheese cubed and cook until melted (just a few minutes).

Recipe adapted from IowaGirlEats

Soups and Stews

Sopa de la Casa

Sopa de la Casa is a recipe I discovered in the early 1980s. It reminded me of the scrumptious tortilla soup that I first enjoyed at Tijuana Tilly’s, in Tijuana, Mexico. Sopa de la Casa was a regular on my table before my daughters were born and it was time to revisit this easy, delicous recipe. It was just as I remembered!

Sopa de la Casa

INGREDIENTS:
  • 8 slices bacon, diced
  • 1 1/4 c. finely chopped onion
  • 1 1/4 c. finely chopped celery
  • 2 green peppers, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cans (14.5 oz. each) chicken broth
  • 1 can (31 oz.) refried beans
  • 1/2 t. pepper
  • 2 T. chili powder
DIRECTIONS:
  1. In a soup pot, cook bacon until crisp. Move cooked bacon to a separate bowl. Drain half of the bacon drippings. Add onion, celery, green pepper and garlic. Cook until tender.
  2. Blend in chicken broth, cooked bacon, refried beans, pepper and chili powder. Bring to boil. Remove from heat.
  3. Garnish with tortilla chips and shredded Monterey Jack cheese.

Italian Dishes · Soups and Stews

Italian Sausage Butternut Squash Soup

I live for soup season and enjoy trying many different recipes. This Italian Sausage Butternut Squash Soup sounded like the comfort food I needed. It was very good but next time I will blend all of the squash to make the base even silkier.

Italian Sausage Butternut Squash Soup

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1 small red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 pound ground Italian Sausage, (I use Hot Italian Sausage in casings)
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2.5 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped into 1-inch cubes
  • 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 can (15.5 ounces) great northern beans, well rinsed and drained
  • 1 can (14.5 ounces) fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Heavy cream, for garnish, optional
  • Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
DIRECTIONS:
  • Melt 1/2 tablespoon butter in a dutch oven or stockpot set over medium heat. Add onions and peppers; cook for 2 minutes. Stir in sausage and cook for 10 minutes, or until browned and cooked through, breaking up the sausage into crumbles as it cooks.
  • Add garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, remove the sausage mixture from the pot and set aside.
  • Melt remaining butter in the pot set over medium heat; add squash to the pot and cook for 2 minutes. Then stir in chicken broth; add bay leaf, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a steady simmer and continue to simmer, covered, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until butternut squash is tender. Start checking around the 10-minute mark. Note: The larger the chunks of butternut squash, the longer it will take for them to soften.
  • Remove from heat. Discard bay leaf. Remove couple handfuls of butternut squash chunks from the soup and set aside (next time I would blend all of the squash). Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. You can also blend the soup in a blender. Return soup back to the stockpot.
  • Return the butternut squash chunks back to the pot. Set stockpot over medium heat. To the soup, add beans, tomatoes, and previously prepared sausage mixture; cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until heated through.
  • Taste for salt and pepper, and adjust accordingly. Drizzle with cream. Garnish with parsley. Serve.

Recipe from Eastweeknightrecipes

Asian Dishes · New Favorite · Soups and Stews

Quick & Easy Won Ton Soup

Lunch time and what to eat? I had limited time and the ingredients to make this quick and easy Won Ton Soup. I first saw this recipe on the Facebook page, Favorite Trade Joe’s products. The Chicken Cilantro wontons from Costco (or Trader Joe’s) are delicious but I’ve never used them in Won Ton Soup. This soup took about 20 minutes to make, from start to finish and it was delicious. It would be easy to mix it up and use spinach and/or pea pods. It serves 2-3 for an entrée or 5-6 for an appetizer.

Easy Won Ton Soup

INGREDIENTS:
  • 6 cups chicken broth low sodium
  • 1- inch piece fresh ginger (sliced thin)
  • 1 clove minced garlic
  • 20 mini frozen wontons (I love the Chicken Cilantro one’s Costco but may be available at Trader Joe’s)
  • 1 1/2 cups sliced shiitake mushrooms (I used baby portabella)
  • 4 baby bok choy (halved lengthwise and halved)
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • scallions (sliced green parts only for garnish)
  • Optional: I added a bit of onion powder and salt
DIRECTIONS:
  • Bring chicken broth to a boil in a large pot.
  • Smash the sliced ginger with the side of a knife to bring out the flavor and add to the pot with the garlic, cover and cook 5 minutes.
  • Add the bok choy and partially cook 5 minutes, then add the frozen wontons and mushroom, simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until the wontons are heated through and bok choy is tender and wilted.
  • Stir in soy sauce and sesame oil.
  • Divide soup in four bowls. Garnish with fresh scallions.

Recipe slightly adapted from SkinnyTaste.com

Family · Family Favorites · Garden · Home · Soups and Stews · Vegetarian

Roasted Tomato Soup

Campbell’s Tomato Soup and grilled cheese were common in our house when the girls were growing up. Now that I’ve discovered homemade tomato soup, the canned stuff is out the door. I roast tomatoes all summer and freeze them for soup and sauces in the winter. The tomatoes I had frozen did not have garlic and onion in them, so I sautéed the onion in a little olive oil and added the garlic when the onions were brown. The end result was delicious. The soup was a little thick, so I added water to gain the consistency I like.

The perfect lunch or dinner for a snowy winter day!

Roasted Tomato Soup

INGREDIENTS:
  • 3 lb. Roma Tomatoes (I used a variety of tomatoes from my garden)
  • Olive Oil
  • 1/2 small onion
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 cup milk or cream (I used Half and Half)
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 3 tablespoons fresh basil (I used pureed frozen basil)
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Water or milk to thin the soup to your liking
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Cut tomatoes in half, drizzle with oil. Add onions, garlic, salt and pepper.
  3. Roast for 40-50 minutes, until the tomatoes start to brown. (At this point you can freeze the tomato mixture for later or proceed with the recipe.)
  4. Scrape the tomato mixture into the blender and add the milk or cream, Parmesan cheese, basil, tomato paste, and sugar. Puree until completely smooth and adjust seasonings to taste.
  5. Serve immediately with grilled cheese for dunking. Yum!

Recipe adapted from thereciperebel.com

https://www.thereciperebel.com/easy-roasted-tomato-soup-and-a-giveaway/