Recipe #194: Broccoli Chowder

There is nothing like being in the middle of making a meal and you realize you don't have the main ingredient! This recipe adapted from here is originally called Broccoli Chowder with Corn and Bacon, but I went to my freezer to pull out corn and there was none. So, concerned that it wouldn't taste right, I went ahead and fried up more bacon because things with bacon tend to taste better! :)

you need:
8ish slices of bacon
1 onion chopped
1/4 cup flour
30 oz water and 3 bullion cubes (in place 2 cans chicken broth)
2 medium sized potatoes
1 head broccoli
1 cup mixed veggies
1/2 tsp thyme
1 cup milk
mozzarella

• fry up bacon in bottom of pot, then remove to a paper towel
• cut up onion and cook until tender
• add flour and stir constantly
• pour in chicken broth
• peel and cut potatoes into small pieces. add to soup
• allow to boil for 10 minutes until potatoes get soft
• add broccoli, mixed veggies, thyme and milk
• simmer until broccoli is a little soft.
• serve with cheese and bacon on top

Recipes #190 & #191: Lasagna Soup in a Bread Bowl

I found the Lasagna recipe on pinterest, but is originally found here, thanks to the Deen brothers it is a lighter version of Paula Deen's recipe. However, I don't know how many calories we actually saved by using a bread bowl.
Anyways. First up, the bread bowl.
You need:
boule bread dough found here

• tear off smaller sections of dough then normal--a little bigger then a fist size
• allow to rest for 45 minutes
• bake for about 30 minutes
• cool for several minutes then cut off the top of the bread. scoop out some of the bread inside and leave on the plate to use to dip in soup

once bread is resting start the soup. 

For the Lasagna Soup you need:

1 Tbsp olive oil

3 italian sausages, casing removed

1/2 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, chopped up

sprinkle of red pepper flakes

16 oz of chicken broth (i used water and chicken bullion) 

1 can (8 oz) of tomato sauce

1 can of petite diced tomatoes with green chilies

4 whole wheat lasagna noodles, broken up

3/4 cup mozzarella cheese

sprinkle of parmesan and basil

• heat olive oil up in a pot. Add in chopped up onion and garlic
• Add sausages (casings removed) and mix up until sausage is crumbled and browned.
• add in chicken broth, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes
• stir. sprinkle in red pepper flakes.
• bring to a boil and the reduce heat to simmer.
• add in noodles and cook for 12-15 more minutes
• remove from heat and add cheeses

pour a some into the bread bowls and wish it was colder outside to really enjoy the nice warm, hearty soup! :)

Recipe #166: Turkey and Rice Soup

A great way to use up a bunch of leftovers!

You need:
turkey bones
rice
veggies --I used corn, broccoli, and baby carrots
thyme, pepper

• put turkey bones in a pot of water and allow it to simmer for a couple hours to make a nice broth and get the turkey meat off the bones
• remove bones from water, add pepper, thyme, and any other spices you want.
• add in veggies and rice

Recipe #139: Chicken Noodle Soup

So I made this soup for Alex, who was not feeling great this weekend! He eats almost all foods now, which is why I haven't posted many recipes for him lately! This was a quick chicken noodle soup I made for him, I didn't add so many spices and such because I wanted to keep it basic for him, but he seemed to appreciate it!

You need:

1 chicken breast

macaroni noodles (or another of your choice)

carrots

corn

oregano

parsley

low sodium chicken broth

• boil chicken in water
• shred chicken and return to water
• add carrots and a shake or two of oregano and parsley
• allow to boil for a while. add corn and macaroni
• I added extra broth at end because the macaroni absorbed a lot of water!

I actually took out the broth and put it in a cup so he could drink it up! :) he ate the rest with his fingers once it cooled down!

Recipe #132: Hearty Hamburger Soup

This is a recipe my grandma passed along that she has made for 55+ years! My mom has made it for ages too, and after a quick phone call to Japan to check about a substitution and we were good to go! :) We are all feeling a little under the weather and soup was just the thing! I also got to pull out my pumpkin tureen in honor of the cool, fall air. It was a win all around!
I halved the recipe, but I will write down the whole thing...

You need:

3 Tbsp butter or oleo                         
1 medium onion chopped                  
1  1/2 lbs ground beef                                   
1 can (1 lb.12oz) tomatoes ( I used diced with green chilies to give it a kick)                                   

3 cans (10 1/2 oz) consomme plus 2 cans water  (for the half recipe i substituted 3 beef bouillons and  about 4 cups of water)              
10 peppercorns

1 Tbsp salt

4 medium carrots

4 celery tops (I omited this)

6 sprigs parsley (or a tsp dried)

1/4 tsp thyme

I also add in 3/4 cup of barley, or you can add rice, pasta etc!

Melt butter in soup kettle--toss in chopped onions.cook until they are limb but not brown.
Add the ground beef and stir it around until it loses its red look
Pour in the rest of the ingredients.
Cover and cook over a very low heat for about 45 min.
Delicious with bread right out of the oven!

disclaimer...my camera is really old and takes terrible pictures! the soup is really delicious, although my camera can't capture it! :)

Recipe #116: Tortilla Soup

I got this recipe ages ago from a Woman's Day magazine (you can find the recipe here), and have made it several times over the last 5 years or so, but not very recently. It was another perfect meal for a autumn feeling day! Here is my variation

You need:
2 cans chicken broth
1-2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (I borrowed some of Alex's chicken! ;) )
2 zucchini
1/2 cup corn
4-5 tomatoes, diced
pinches of pepper, red pepper, and basil
(We topped this time with cheese and tortilla chips, I did make the crispy tortilla strips one time, and have also used the torilla salad toppers...all delicious!)

• pour broth into large pot
• add zucchini and tomatoes. let them soften
• add corn and chicken
• add in spices
• let it simmer for about 10-15 minutes
• add toppings and serve!

Recipe #78: Potato soup with #79 croutons

I had a huge bag of potatoes and wanted to do something different...so found a recipe for potato soup! I thought it would be fun to add some toppings so in a way it was like a baked potato! I pretty much followed the recipe I found here.

You need:
6-8 potatoes, I used red potatoes
2 cans evaporated milk
4 Tbsp butter
salt and pepper to taste
toppings: bacon, cheese, croutons*. i thought broccoli would have been good too but I didn't have any

• peel and cut the potatoes
• cover with water (just barely) and boil until tender
• turn heat down and add butter and evaporated milk
• Mash potatoes with a potato masher
• add salt and pepper

honestly, i would have liked it a little thicker, next time i will probably add one can of milk and then mash potatoes and see how I like it, and then add as necessary.

But with toppings it was great!

*croutons:( i followed a recipe found here and then added my own seasoning)

you need:

stale bread

1/4 cup butter, melted

garlic powder

parsley

parmesan

• cut crust off of bread. baste with butter and then cut into smaller pieces
• spread out on a cookie sheet
• sprinkle garlic powder, parsley and parmesan on top
• bake at 350 for 15 minutes

a perfect fall meal...(can you tell I am excited for fall to get here!)