Creamy Curried Carrot Soup

The husband found this recipe in the newspaper and we were both intrigued by a soup that was creamy and yet contained no cream. We also really love curry. This is amazingly easy; the hardest part is peeling and chopping all the carrots. It truly is a creamy in texture and light enough to be a first course. I much prefer using an immersion blender versus using a blender or food processor. It contributes to the smooth creamy texture.

Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Serves: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:
3tbsp canola oil
1lb carrots, peeled and chopped
2 large shallots, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
2 tbsp almond butter
1 lime

DIRECTIONS:
Heat canola oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add carrots, shallots, curry powder, salt, black pepper; stir to combine. Cook 5 minutes.

Add vegetable broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5-7 minutes or until carrots are tender. Add almond butter and juice of 1 lime. Puree in pan with immersion blender. Serve garnished with lime zest.

Hearty Beef Soup

The weather is finally starting to get cooler and my insides are screaming "FALL IS HERE! FALL IS HERE!". I decided to celebrate with this hearty beef soup. It takes some time from start to finish but it's so worth the effort. Perfect for a cool weekend dinner. Serve with crusty bread, a nice red wine and enjoy!

Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 2 hours
Makes: 12 servings
 

INGREDIENTS:2 pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1 - 1 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp coarse ground black pepper
2 tsp kosher salt, divided (to taste)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 shallot, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
32 ounces (4 cups) beef stock
1 cup Cabernet Sauvignon
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp dried Italian seasoning
4 cups chopped red potatoes, bite size pieces (about 1/2")
3 cups chopped baby carrots, bite size pieces
fresh parsley to garish, optional

DIRECTIONS:
Trim hard fat (which does not melt during the cooking process) and silver skin (white and silvery looking) from beef and cut into 1 - 1 1/2" cubes. It takes about 5 minutes, but don't skip this step.  It is sooo worth it. 

Combine flour, paprika, pepper and 1 teaspoon salt in a large 1 gallon resealable bag. Seal and shake to combine. Add beef and shake until well coated.

Warm olive oil in a large dutch oven (or heavy bottom pot), over medium high heat, once you can feel warmth when holding your hand 6 inches from the pot, add butter. Once butter is melted, carefully add beef. Do not crowd the pot, only add about 1/2 of the beef at a time.
Remove beef from flour and shake gently to remove loose flour. Place coated beef in pan, one piece at a time, brown on all sides. Cook in two batches, about half each time. Turn pieces until all sides are browned and remove them and place place in your upside down pot lid. Once the first batch is cooked, add the second batch and repeat.

Meanwhile, prepare shallot and garlic. Shallot should be diced and garlic minced.  Set aside.
Once all beef is browned, add shallots and garlic. Cook until translucent. Add wine and deglaze pan by scraping up the browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Add beef stock, Worchestershire and Italian seasoning. Stir to combine. Return beef to the pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to simmer. Allow soup to simmer 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare potatoes and carrots. Cut vegetables into bite size pieces. Set aside.

Add potatoes and carrots. Stir to coat vegetables and cover. Cook 40-50 minutes or until vegetables are fork tender. Taste broth. If necessary, add additional salt to taste (mine needed 1 teaspoon).

Garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve and enjoy!

NOTES: The best cuts of meat to use for this beef soup are chuck roast, chuck shoulder, chuck-eye roast or top chuck. These cuts will result in meltingly tender beef that you can cut with a spoon, perfect for this dish!

Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup

This is a really hearty soup that is great for using leftover ham from another meal. It is really easy to throw together once you have all of the ingredients prepped. Sure to please hungry bellies on a cold night! 

Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 10-20 mins
Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS:
1 cups water
4 cups peeled and cubed potatoes
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
4 cups milk
2 cups shredded cheddar
2 cups frozen corn
2 cups cooked ham, cubed

DIRECTIONS:
In a large saucepan over high heat, bring water, potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, salt and pepper to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium pot over low heat, melt the butter. Blend in the flour, stirring constantly to make a rue. When the flour has thickened with the butter, add the milk all at once. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Add the cheese and stir until melted.

Stir the cheese mixture into the un-drained veggies and return large saucepan to burner. Add corn and ham. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

Nothing soothes the soul like Chicken Noodle Soup and this creamy version will definitely fill up your belly. This was really simple to make but it did require a lot of dishes since you need to cook the noodles and make a roux. It was worth all the work! Serve with warm bread or crackers. Yumm!

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4-5

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups dry medium egg noodles
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (1 medium)
1 1/3 cups chopped carrots (3 carrots)
1 1/3 cups chopped celery (3 stalks)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 (14.5 oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth
3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 bay leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk (I used 1%)
1/3 cup heavy cream 

DIRECTIONS:
Prepare noodles according to directions listed on package (note that you want the noodles to finish about the same time the soup is nearly finished cooking) and drain.

In a large pot, heat 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and celery and saute until tender, about 3 - 4 minutes, then add garlic and saute 1 minute longer. Add chicken broth, parsley, bay leaves and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add chicken breasts and bring soup to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, cover with lid and allow soup to cook until chicken has cooked through, about 10 - 15 minutes longer (cook time will vary depending on thickness of chicken breasts). Remove chicken and allow to rest for 5 minutes, then shred into small bite size pieces.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add flour and cook, stirring constantly, 1 1/2 minutes. While whisking slowly add in milk and whisk vigorously to smooth lumps (it will take a lot of whisking to smooth since this is a lighter roux - lesser ratio of butter to flour). Whisk in cream and bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Pour milk mixture into soup mixture and return chicken to soup along with cooked noodles and stir.

*If using thicker breasts, slice in half through thickness of breasts so they cook faster and more evenly.

Copy Cat Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup

We don't eat at Panera often, but when we do we always order the Broccoli Cheese soup. I found this recipe awhile back on Pinterest and I have to say it came out pretty darn close to the original. I would recommend cutting your broccoli into very small pieces so that they cook thoroughly. Otherwise you may not achieve that smooth creamy texture. Serve this in a bread bowl and it's like the real deal!

Prep time: 30 mins
Cook time: 50 mins
Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups half-and-half
2 cups chicken stock
8oz fresh broccoli (florets only), chopped into very small pieces
1 cup carrots, julienned
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp pepper
8oz grated cheddar cheese
Bread bowls (for eating out of or for dipping)

DIRECTIONS:
In a large stockpot melt 1/4 cup of butter. Add flour and mix until it forms a roux, approximately 3 minutes. Slowly add half-and-half, mixing the entire time. Add chicken stock and continue to stir the mixture. Once combined, simmer on low for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, saute the onions in remaining butter and set aside. Once the soup mixture has finished simmering, add broccoli, carrots, onions and cook on low for an additional 25 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Place soup in a blender or use an immersion blender and puree. Heat soup over low heat, add cheese and mix until melted. Serve in a bread bowl and enjoy!

Crock Pot Chicken & Barley Vegetable Stew

I was looking for a recipe that would use up some of the leftover food I had on hand and I found this recipe on Iowa Girl Eats. Super simple to make in the crock pot and really healthy and yummy. I used a rotisserie chicken cut into small pieces and didn't bother with the last step of taking out the chicken and shredding.  The next day my soup was more gelatinous and goulash-y but it was still really delicious! 

 Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 5-6 hours
Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS:
48oz chicken broth
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1-1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 bay leaves
2 small chicken breasts (about 12 oz)
3/4 cup regular barley (not quick-cooking)
1 onion, chopped
4 cups chopped kale
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2'' cubes
1 large regular potato, peeled and cut into 1/2'' cubes
3 carrots, peeled and sliced

DIRECTIONS:
Add chicken broth, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and bay leaves into the crock pot then stir to combine. Layer in chicken, barley, onions, kale, potatoes, and carrots. Do not stir. Press veggies down to cover with chicken broth then cook on low for 5-6 hours or until barley is tender.

Remove bay leaves then discard. Remove chicken breasts, shred, then return to the soup and stir to combine. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve with bread.

Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

I have to admit, it's not really a soup kinda day here in San Jose but these ingredients were begging to be used before they went out with the trash - one of my least favorite things to do. So into a soup ya go! It was a double plus because it is another Iowa Girl Eats recipe that I have been wanting to try for awhile.  That girl knows how to cook and I really like her style, so ya'll have to bear with me trying out her recipes.  The other bonus is that I am a single parent this week and I do-not-have-time to cook anything elaborate, so I'll be slurping this down all week.  There is nothing fancy about this recipe but is is warm, hearty and easy.  Great for any meal!

Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 1 hour - 1 hour & 15 mins
Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp butter
1/2 small onion or 1 large shallot, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 small carrots, chopped
salt & pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp dried thyme
8 cups chicken broth
2 chicken breasts, cut in half
3/4 cup wild/brown rice blend
1 cup milk
1/4 cup flour

DIRECTIONS:
Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery and carrots, season with salt & pepper, then saute until tender, about 10 minutes.  Add garlic and thyme then saute for 1 more minute.

Add chicken broth then increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Add chicken breast halves and cook until no longer pink in the center, about 10 minutes, then remove to a plate and set aside. Shred when cool enough to handle. Add wild/brown rice blend to the pot then place a lid on the top, turn heat down to medium-low and simmer for 40-50 minutes until rice is tender.

In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup milk and flour until smooth then add remaining milk. Slowly drizzle into soup while stirring. Add chicken then simmer soup for 10 more minutes uncovered and serve.

Easy Baked Potato Soup

This is a great slow cooker recipe, especially since there is minimal prep. I adapted this recipe from All Recipes, but chose to add less bacon because it make the soup way too salty to add as much as the recipe called for. Normally I'm all for bacon, but it really was too much.  The dry ranch mix gives this soup an extra kick! It's a very hearty soup, perfect with some crusty bread.

Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 7 hrs 15 mins
Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:
10 red potatoes, cut into cubes
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/4 cup real bacon bits
1 small red onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp chicken bouillon granules
1 tbsp ranch dressing mix
2 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
3 cups water
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped green onion

DIRECTIONS:
Put potatoes in the bottom of your slow cooker crock. Scatter flour over the potatoes; toss to coat. Scatter bacon bits, red onion, garlic, chicken bouillon, ranch dress mix, parsley, seasoned salt, and black pepper over the potatoes. 

Pour water into the slow cooker.  Cook on low 7 to 9 hours. Pour half-and-half into the soup; cook another 15 minutes. Garnish with Cheddar cheese and green onions to serve.

Bean Soup with Kale

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS:

1 tbsp olive oil or canola oil

6 large garlic cloves, crushed or minced

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

4 cups chopped raw kale

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

2 15-oz cans white beans, such as cannellini or navy, un-drained

4 plum tomatoes, chopped

2 tsps dried Italian herb seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup chopped parsley

DIRECTIONS:

In a large pot, heat olive oil.  Add garlic and onion; saute until soft.  Add kale and saute, stirring, until wilted.  Add 3 cups of broth, 2 cups of beans, and all of the tomato, herbs, salt and pepper.  Simmer 5 minutes.

In a blender of food processor, mix the remaining beans and  broth until smooth.  Stir into soup to thicken.  Simmer 15 minutes.  Ladle into bowls; sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Split Pea & Sausage Soup

Prep time: 20 mins to overnight

Cook time: 2 hours

Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS:

8 cups of basic vegetable or chicken stock

1 onion, chopped

4 leeks, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

3 celery stocks, chopped

1 tart apple, peeled, cored and chopped

1 2/3 cups split peas, soaked overnight in cold water to cover, drained and rinsed

1 bouquet garni (2 fresh parsley sprigs, 1 fresh thyme sprig, and 1 fresh mint sprig)

1 tbsp molasses

4 Bockwurst, Wienerwurst, or frankfurters, cut into 1-inch lengths

Salt and pepper

Crusty bread, to serve

DIRECTIONS:

Pour in the basic vegetable stock.  Add the onion, carrots, celery, apple, peas, bouquet garni, and molasses and bring to a boil.  Using a skimmer or slotted spoon, skim off any foam that rises to the surface, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 2 hours.

Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper and remove the discard the bouquet garni.  Stir in the sausages and simmer for another 5 minutes.  Serve immediately with crusty bread.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Serves: 8                                                                            

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 5-6 hours on low, 3-3 ½ hours on high

INGREDIENTS:

One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, with their juice

One 10-ounce can red or green enchilada sauce

2 medium-size yellow or white onions, chopped

One 4-ounce can chopped green chilies, drained                         

1 clove garlic, minced

3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

2 cups water

One 4.5 ounce can chicken or vegetable broth

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp chili powder

½ tsp salt

A few grinds of black pepper

1 bay leaf

¼ tsp dried oregano

1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked through in gently simmering water, drained and shredded

One 10-ounce can Mexican corn, drained

8 yellow or white corn tortillas

3 tbsp olive oil

For serving:

Freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese, such as longhorn

Sour cream

Avocado

Fresh cilantro 

DIRECTIONS:

Combine the tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onions, chilies, garlic, cilantro, water, broth, cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, bay leaf and oregano in the slow cooker.   Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 2-2 ½ hours.

Add shredded chicken and corn, cover, and continue to cook on low for another hour.  Discard the bay leaf.  

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Lightly brush both sides of each tortilla with some of the oil.  With a knife, cut the tortillas into 2 ½ x 1-inch strips.  Spread out the tortilla strips on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.  Bake until crisp but not browned, turning once halfway through backing, 8 to 12 minutes. 

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls.  Sprinkle each serving with tortilla strips and grated cheese.  Top with a tablespoon of sour cream or crema Mexicana, then with a few slices of avocado and cilantro sprigs.  Serve immediately.