Recipe: Tomato Soup

The only thing better than a big hot bowl of soup on a cold day is a big hot bowl of soup that all came together in a food processor for super cheap and makes enough to feed.  This is not a fussy soup and eschews some of the traditional ingredients such as  milk, cream, or basil (though the latter would have been great had I had some).  I add thickness and creaminess to the soup with white beans but otherwise let the tomatoes do the talking.  You will need a large food processor such as a 10-14 cup but you can process it in batches and then add into the pot.  This would be great if you wanted to add thawed, wrung, spinach, or as you'll see at the bottom some cheese and pieces of ham.  There are so many options.

Recipe: Santa Fe Soup

This is a great recipe that my mother makes in the winter.  It is spicy, full of vegetables, and makes a large amount (the leftovers of which are wonderful frozen.  It can also be made with a variety of different proteins, or none at all.  I used a rotisserie chicken, but that could be substituted for 3-4 cooked and shredded chicken breasts, 1-2lbs of cooked and drained ground beef, or even cooked and drained stew meat.  If making it without meat, you might consider adding another can or two of beans to the mix.

The rest of the ingredients pretty much include canned items (and optional chicken stock) making this an affordable, and pantry clearing soup.  Other substitutions you could play with are the beans.  You need two cans and can really use any combo of black, kidney, or white.  In the end, this will make around 8-10 servings.  At the end of the post you can see a picture of how much it makes to give you an idea.  The canned veggies are all the standard sizes, so the 10-14.5 ounce varieties.

Recipe: White Chicken Chili

I've been on a chili/soup kick lately, most likely a result of it getting colder here in Iowa and the need to stock my freezer before finals arrive.  This is a great, and pretty easy, chili to throw together.  All the ingredients work nicely together and lime is a revelation when combined with the slow burn heat of the poblanos.  I used 3 different types of beans because the store had them, but using 3 cans of Great Northern beans would work just as well.  One step in this recipe is mashing half of the beans used, and this would be a great way to involve kids in the kitchen if you have them.  I used chicken breasts for this recipe, but shredding a rotisserie chicken is an easy swap to simplify this even more.  If you are one of those who cannot stand cilantro substitute it for fresh flat leaf parsley.

You will need:
3 chicken breasts, seasoned with salt and pepper, cooked and shredded
2 poblano peppers, seeded and chopped
1 onion, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
32oz Stock (I used a no-sodium chicken stock)
1 lime, zested and 1/2 juiced
1 can navy beans, drained
1 can white kidney beans, drained
1 can great northern beans, drained
4oz can chopped green chilies
1 Tablespoon Cumin
1.5 Teaspoons Coriander
1 Teaspoon Ancho Chili Powder (or chili powder)
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil
Red pepper flakes (optional)

Start by prepping all of the vegetables.  Chop the poblanos (and then wash your hands with warm soapy water), the onion, and garlic.  Open and drain the beans and mash half of them either with a potato masher or by hand.  You will have time while the chili is simmering to cook the chicken, but I found it easier to cook the chicken first so it could cool before I shredded it to add.

In a large pot add a glug of oil and heat over medium high heat.  Add the onion and the poblanos and cook for 5-6 minutes until soft.  Add the garlic and green chilies and cook for 1-2 more minutes.  Add salt (if using regular chicken broth, add just a sprinkle until you taste later), pepper, cumin, coriander, and chili powder.  Cook for another minute so that the spice flavors can bloom, and then add the chicken stock.

When the stock has come to a simmer add the lime zest, juice, and the mashed and whole beans.  Stir to combine and cook at a simmer for 20-25 minutes.  About half way through give the broth a taste and adjust salt and pepper to your liking. If the heat needs to be adjusted, use the red pepper flakes.  Add the shredded chicken and cook just until it is warm.  Stir in the chopped cilantro and serve.

Garnishes could include: Cheese, sour cream, red pepper flakes, sliced avocado, diced tomato, tortilla strips.

Recipe: Cheap and Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

This weekend I just needed some soup. Using some leftovers and things I had lying around, I threw together this simple and delicious take on chicken noodle soup.  If you have low/no sodium chicken broth, it is great here, especially if you are combining it with bouillon, which I had to do.  I also used some leftover rotisserie chicken, though you could use any leftover cuts of chicken.  What really makes this soup special is the red pepper flake, which adds a subtle heat to the soup.  For the pasta, I took the very easy way out and just boiled it in the stock.  The bouillon is probably less salt than I would use in a normal pasta pot but it worked out fine.  Feel free to cook the pasta separately if you choose. This pot would serve 3-4 depending on how hungry people are.

You will need:
4-5 cups of liquid (Stock or water with bouillon)
1/2 box of whole wheat spaghetti
~1.5 cups shredded chicken
~1/2 cup grated carrot
Salt
Garlic Powder
Pepper
Red Pepper flakes
3 Tablespoons chopped parsley, 1 Tbsp. for garnish

Bring the liquid to a boil.  When it is boiling take bunches of the pasta and break into about two inch pieces.  Cook for 7-8 minutes, until the pasta is very close to done.  Add the shredded chicken, grated carrot, a shake of garlic powder, and a large dash of the pepper and red pepper flakes.
With a soup like this, it is easy to add a bit at a time and taste it until it is too your likely.  In the last minute, add 2 tablespoons of the parsley.  Use the remaining parsley to garnish.

Recipe: Spring Mix Udon

There is something about soup from any ethnicity that is comforting.  I happen to love udon noodles, which are a thick and white japanese noodle, and I was pleased when I found them at a local supermarket.  This dish is also great because it can easily be adapted to vegetarian or vegan.  Simply substitute the chicken stock with vegetable stock.  You can use any type of mushrooms that you find on sale and feel free to add chunks of chicken, think sliced steak, or small meatballs if you wished.  What I like about this dish is the spring mix salad that is wilted into the sauteed veggies.  At about 10 calories a serving raw the mix adds texture, vitamins, and interest to the soup at practically no consequence.

You will need:

One 32oz box chicken or vegetable stock (or 32oz of homemade stock)
32oz water (fill up the stock box again)
2 bundles udon noodles (mine came 3 bundles to a pack)
1 pack baby portobello mushrooms
1 bag/box Spring Mix Salad (about 4 handfuls total)
1 small cooking onion
1/2 cup matchstick carrots
1.5 teaspoons garlic powder
4-6 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon olive oil
Salt
Pepper

If the mushrooms are whole begin by cleaning the tops with a damp paper towel and removing the stems.  If they are baby mushrooms leave them whole, if they are regular size button or cremini mushrooms either quarter or slice.  Chop the onion in half, remove the skin, and then slice into thin half moons.  In a large saute pan add the olive oil and saute the onion and mushrooms over medium high heat until both are tender.  Add salt, pepper, and carrots.   In a medium-large pot add the chicken stock, water, and 3 teaspoons soy sauce and turn on high heat.  In the saute pan add a handful of the spring mix at a time and allow to wilt and stir into the vegetables until the bag/box is finished.  Add 3 tablespoons of soy sauce after the first handful.

When the broth begins to boil add the udon noodles and cook according to the package instructions.  Mine cooked for four minutes.  Then add the sauteed veggie mix into the soup and stir to combine.  Cover and turn off heat and allow to sit for a few minutes before serving for the flavors to incorporate with each other.

Eat however you like, I used chopsticks for the noodles/veggies and then just drank the broth.

Serves 6-8

Recipe: (Mostly) Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup

The other day I really wanted cream of mushroom soup but I didn't want to make the base myself, especially after work. The next best step is to cheat, which I have done in this recipe.  I then added some fresh ingredients to fill it out and make it delicious.
You will need:

One 26 oz can cream of mushroom soup
Around one pound of fresh mushrooms (either boxed or wholesale) cut into strips
One medium yellow onion or three-fourths of a large yellow onion; medium dice
One medium-large carrot finely chopped*
Two sticks celery finely chopped*
3 Cloves Garlic, fine chop
3 Cups Chicken Stock (low sodium preferably)
Salt
Pepper
Red Pepper Flakes (if desired)
Olive or Vegetable oil

First add a tablespoon of oil to any deep pot that you have and allow it to get hot over high heat.  Reduce heat to medium and add the onion and a good pinch of salt.  Allow to soften (around 5 minutes) and then add the carrots and celery.  Continue to let vegetables soften (5 more minutes) and then add the mushrooms and garlic.  Cook until mushrooms have darkened in color and grown soft.  Add a generous pinch of salt and red pepper flakes to taste.  Add the cream of mushroom soup and stir as it warms and becomes soupy.  Add the chicken broth a little at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.  Simmer for 5-10 minutes (or until you are ready to eat).

Serves 6-8

*If you are not a big carrot or celery eater look for a store that sells the carrots and celery stalks individually, such as Safeway.  This is a huge money savor as you can buy only what you need.