Quickie Chicken Noodle Soup
INGREDIENTS
1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
1 1/2 Cups Sliced Carrots
1 Cup Chopped Yellow Onion
1/2 Cup Chopped Celery
1 Teaspoon Minced Garlic
1/2 Pound Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
3 1/2 Cups Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
4 Ounces Uncooked Egg Noodles Or Pasta Of Your Choice
1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Parsley
In a large-size saucepan heat butter over medium-high heat. Add carrots, onions, celery, and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes. Stir occasionally. Cut chicken breast into 1/2 inch pieces. Add to saucepan and sprinkle with pepper. Cook 1 minute. Stir occasionally. Add chicken broth and noodles. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until noodles are tender and chicken is cooked through. Stir in parsley. Remove from heat and ladle into bowls. Serves 4.
© Victoria Hart Glavin
Rosemary French Onion Soup
This Valentine’s Day cozy up with a bowl of rich French onion soup and cheesy dunkers.
INGREDIENTS
2 Large Halved & Thinly Sliced Yellow Onions
1 Tablespoons Unbleached Flour
1 Tablespoon Plus 1 Teaspoon Snipped Fresh Rosemary
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1/2 Cup Softened Butter
4 Cups Low-Sodium Beef Broth
1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
8 Slices Wheat or White Sandwich Bread
1 Cup Shredded Swiss Cheese
Open a resealable plastic bag and add onions, flour, 1 tablespoon rosemary, kosher salt and pepper. Seal bag and shake to coat. In a large-size saucepan melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over a medium-low heat. Stir in onion mixture. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally. Uncover, increase heat to a medium-high. Cook for 3 more minutes until onions are golden brown. Stir in beef broth and balsamic vinegar. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Meanwhile make the grilled cheese sticks. Spread bread slices with remaining butter. Sprinkle cheese on the unbuttered sides of 4 slices. Top with remaining bread slices, buttered sides up. Heat a grill pan over a medium heat. Add sandwiches. Sprinkle each with 1/4 teaspoon of the remaining rosemary. Grill 2 to 3 minutes each side or until golden brown. Cut sandwiches into thirds. Serve with soup. Serves 4
© Victoria Hart Glavin
Moroccan Red Lentil Soup
My mother lived for many years in Morocco and once told me that Moroccans eat this red lentil soup to ward off the chill of the desert night. Given the weather we’ve been experiencing I think that we all need a delicious soup to ward off the chill, warm our tummies and feel all warm & fuzzy toward our loved ones. You can make my Moroccan Red Lentil Soup one day in advance and keep in the refrigerator overnight. If you’re adding any garnish then add at the moment of serving.
INGREDIENTS
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1 Minced Medium Carrot
1/3 Cup Chopped Parsley
1/2 Cup Chopped Cilantro
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 1/2 Teaspoons Freshly Ground Pepper
6 Minced Large Garlic Cloves
2 Tablespoons Minced French Ginger
1 Teaspoon Ground Turmeric
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1 1/4 Cup Dried Red Lentils
2 Teaspoons Sweet Hungarian Paprika
28 Ounces Canned Whole Tomatoes With Liquid (Puree)
8 Cups Vegetables Broth
Pour olive oil into a heavy 6-quart pot and place over a medium-high heat. Add onions, carrots, parsley, cilantro, and kosher salt. Sauté for 8 minutes until golden brown. Reduce heat to a medium-low. Stir in pepper garlic, ginger, turmeric, and cinnamon. Cook for 30 seconds. Add lentils, paprika, tomatoes, and broth. Turn heat to medium-high and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat back to medium-low. Cover with lid and cook for 50 minutes. Add a bit of water if the soup becomes too thick. Remove from heat and ladle into serving bowls. Garnish with a teaspoon of yogurt, chopped cilantro or leave plain. Serves 4
Cream Of Leek Soup
Cream of Leek Soup is such a tasty soup. I serve mine with crusty bread and a garden salad. If you want to step up this soup a notch then substitute crème fraiche for the heavy cream. If you have leftover soup be careful not to overheat it when warming it up.
INGREDIENTS
2 Large Chopped Leeks
1 Medium Chopped Russet Potato
1 Medium Chopped Carrot
1 Ounce Butter
2 Pints Chicken Broth or Vegetable Broth
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1/4 Pint Heavy Cream or 1/4 Pint Crème Fraiche
In a medium-size soup pot melt the butter over a medium heat. Add the leeks, potatoes, and carrots. Sauté for 2 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Pour into a food processor or blender and process until well blended. Return to pot and add kosher salt and pepper. Turn heat to medium low. Stir in cream or crème fraiche. Reheat without boiling. Ladle into bowls and serve with crusty bread and a garden salad. Serves 4.
Mushroom Barley Soup
I love to serve my family a hearty barley soup, but keeping with “eating a bit lighter post holidays” I left out the meat. I did, however, use beef broth, but you can use vegetable broth if you’re going for a completely vegetarian or vegan soup.
INGREDIENTS
1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
3 Cups Sliced Mushrooms
1/2 Cup Chopped Onions
1/2 Cup Chopped Orange Bell Pepper
2 Cloves Minced Garlic
6 Cups Beef Broth or Vegetable Broth
1/2 Cup Quick Cooking Barley
1 Tablespoon Dry Sherry
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Marjoram
In a heavy 3 quart saucepan add the vegetable oil and turn heat over a medium heat for 30 seconds. Add the onions, garlic, mushrooms, and bell pepper. Cook for 5 minutes until tender. Stir occasionally. Add broth, barley, sherry, thyme, and marjoram. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover with a lid. Simmer for 25 minutes or until barley is tender. Ladle into bowls and serve warm. Serves 4
Italian Barley Soup
Here is one of the dishes I had in Rome last week. It is perfect for a fall meal and is excellent the next day as well.
INGREDIENTS
2 Diced Carrots
1 Diced Onion
2 Diced Celery Stalks
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Cup Dry White Wine
2 Cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock
1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
1 Tablespoon Freshly Ground Pepper
3 Diced Medium Potatoes
1 Pound Dried Barley
1 Sprig Rosemary
2 Bay Leaves
1 Sprig Sage
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil For Garnish
In a large-size sauté pan add 2 tablespoons olive oil and turn heat to low. Add the carrots, onions, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes until slightly brown. Turn the heat up to a medium-high. Stir in the white wine and cook for 5 minutes until wine has evaporated. Rinse the barley under cold water and drain. Add the barley to the mixture. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Add the kosher salt, pepper, and chicken or vegetable stock. You will want all of the barley to be covered with liquid so use more stock if needed. Turn the heat to a simmer and cook for 1 hour. Add the barley, rosemary and bay leaves. Add the potatoes and cook for 20 more minutes. Make sure to stir occasionally to keep the soup from sticking. Remove from the heat and remove the herbs. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with just a little olive oil. Serve immediately. Serves 4
Potato Soup With Cheese & Bacon
This recipe uses Boursin Cheese With Garlic & Fine Herbs, which gives this particular Potato Soup an intense and unique flavor. If you can’t find Boursin Cheese you can substitute cream cheese, but it won’t have the exact same flavor.
INGREDIENTS
4 Strips Bacon
1 Cup Diced Onions
1/2 Cup Diced Celery
1/2 Cup Diced Carrots
2 Tablespoons Minced Garlic
4 Cups Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
1 Cup Water
2 Pounds Peeled & Diced Yukon Gold Potatoes
5.3 Ounces Crumbled Boursin Cheese (Garlic & Fine Herbs Variety)
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1/4 Cup Minced Fresh Basil
Cook bacon in a large-size pot until nice and crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Reserve 1 tablespoon bacon drippings. In same pot (with 1 tablespoon bacon drippings) add onions, celery, carrots, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes over a medium heat. You will want onions to be soft. Add chicken broth, water, and potatoes. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 15 minutes until potatoes are fork tender. Pulse soup with a handheld blender until partially pureed (use a handheld mixer if you don’t have a handheld blender). Stir in crumble cheese until it melts. Simmer soup for 2 minutes more. Add kosher salt and pepper. Remove from heat and serve hot. Garnish each bowl with bacon strips and basil. Serves 4
Squash, Sweet Potato, And Garlic Soup
Orange fleshed squash offers protection against lung cancer and is particularly rich in vitamin C and E. Squashes are related to pumpkin, cucumber, and melon, and have a lightly nutty flavor that is ideal in both sweet and savory cooking. The orange-fleshed varieties, such as butternut, tend to contain the highest levels of beneficial nutrients. Butternut squash is one of the richest sources of beta-cryptoxanthin, a carotene that is linked with protection from lunch cancer. The other carotenes it contains reduce the risk of colon cancer. The other carotenes it contains reduce the risk of colon cancer and prostate problems in men. They may also help reduce inflammation associated with conditions such as asthma and arthritis. The vegetable is also a very good source of several vitamins and minerals, including antioxidant vitamins C and E, calcium, iron, and magnesium.
All fall and winter squashes can be stored for up to 6 months in a cool, dry, dark, airy, frost-free place. To prepare, cut in half with a sharp knife and scoop out the seeds. Squashes can be stuffed and baked, or skinned, sliced, and roasted as an alternative to potatoes. Roast squash makes an excellent soup. The carotenes in squash are better absorbed if you eat them with a little oil.
INGREDIENTS
1 Acorn or Butternut Squash
1 Large Sweet Potato
5 Shallots
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
5 Unpeeled Garlic Cloves
3 1/2 Cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock
1/3 Cup Sour Cream
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Snipped Fresh Chives For Garnish
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Cut the squash, sweet potato, and shallots in half lengthwise. Scoop the seeds out of the squash. Brush the cut sides with olive oil. Place the vegetables, cut-side down, in a shallow roasting pan and add the unpeeled garlic cloves. Roast in the oven for 40 minutes until tender and light brown. Remove from oven and let cool. When cool, scoop the flesh from the squash and sweet potato halves and place in a saucepan with the shallots. Peel the garlic and add the soft insides to the other vegetables. Add the stock. Bring just to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally. You will want the vegetables to be very tender. Remove from heat and let the soup cool slightly. Transfer to a food processor or blender and process until nice and smooth. Work in batches if needed. If you are using a food processor, strain off the cooking liquid and set aside. Process the soup solids with enough of the cooking liquid to moisten them. Then combine the remaining liquid. Return soup to the saucepan. Add the kosher salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes until completely heated through. Ladle into warmed soup bowls and swirl over the sour cream. Garnish with snipped chives and serve. Serves 6
Split Pea and Ham Soup
Small green or yellow split peas are very rich in cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber, and are a source of daidzein for protecting against hormone-related cancers. They are also very high in potassium for heart health and an excellent source of vegetable protein. Did you know that split green peas are fresh peas that have been dried in their pod? The two halves split naturally during this process. This was the way in which peas were originally eaten. It wasn’t until the Middle Ages that peas were eaten fresh. Like lentils, split peas don’t need to be soaked before cooking and can be simply cooked in simmering water for about 30 minutes. Cooked split peas can be pureed and served as a healthier alternative to potatoes. They can also be pureed with oil and spices to make a dip.
INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 Cups Split Green Peas
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Large Finely Chopped Onion
1 Large Finely Chopped Carrot
1 Finely Chopped Celery Stalk
4 Cups Vegetable or Chicken Stock
4 Cups Water
8 Ounces Finely Diced Lean Unsmoked Ham
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Marjoram
1 Bay Leaf
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Rinse peas under cold running water. Place them in a medium-size saucepan and cover generously with water. Bring to a boil and boil for 4 minutes. Skim off any foam that rinses to the surface with a slotted spoon. Drain and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a large-size saucepan. Add the onion and cook over a medium heat for 4 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add the carrots and celery and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the peas. Pour in the stock and water. Stir to combine. Bring just to a boil and stir the ham into the soup. Add the thyme, marjoram, kosher salt, pepper and bay leaf to the pan. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook gently for 1 1/2 hours, until everything is very soft. Remove the bay leaf. Ladle into warmed soup bowls and serve. Serves 4
Egg Drop Soup Two Ways
In keeping with this week’s soup theme here are two delicious ways to make a favorite Chinese Soup. Simple to make and satisfying. Perfect for lunch or dinner!
Egg Drop Soup Vegetarian
INGREDIENTS
2 Eggs
2 Teaspoons Water
2 Teaspoons Cold Water
2 Minced Green Onions
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
6 Cups Vegetable Stock
1/2 Teaspoon Sugar
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Sherry
1 Tablespoon Light Soy Sauce
In a small-size bowl beat eggs and stir in water. Blend cornstarch and cold water in a cup into a paste. Mince green onions and set aside. In a large-size soup pot add vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a medium heat and stir in sugar, kosher salt, sherry, and soy sauce. Add cornstarch paste and cook, stirring, until soup thickens and is smooth. Reduce heat to low. Slowly pour in eggs, stirring constantly, until they separate into shreds; then turn off heat. Garnish with minced green onions. Serves 4
Egg Drop Soup Non-Vegetarian
INGREDIENTS
2 Dried Black Mushrooms
1/2 Pound Lean Pork or Chicken
4 Tablespoons Cornstarch
1 Tablespoon Sherry
1 Egg White
Few Drops Sesame Oil
1/4 Cup Bamboo Shoots
1 Minced Green Onion Stalk
6 1/2 Cups Chicken Stock
1 Tablespoon Light Soy Sauce
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
2 Eggs
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Soak dried mushrooms in a small-size bowl. Shred pork (or chicken). Combine 2 tablespoons cornstarch, sherry and egg white in a medium-size bowl. Add pork or chicken to the cornstarch mixture and toss to coat. Sprinkle with a few drops of sesame oil. Shred bamboo shoots and soaked mushrooms. Mince green onion stalk. Blend 1/2 cup chicken stock with remaining cornstarch. Add 6 cups chicken stock to a large soup pot. Add mushrooms, bamboo shoots, soy sauce, and kosher salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover with a lid. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Add cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring, until soup begins to thicken. Add pork (or chicken) and cook for 1 minute more. Meanwhile beat eggs in a small-size bowl. Slowly pour eggs in and stir constantly until they separate into shreds. Turn off heat. Sprinkle with minced green onion stalk and freshly ground pepper. Serves 4
