Italian-Style Sausage and Bean Soup

I made this soup recently and loved it.  It's going into my winter dinner rotation.  I made a loaf of the quick and easy french bread to go with it - perfect meal.  If you want to do the same, make the bread dough first, and while it is rising and the oven is preheating, start the soup.  They should both be ready to eat at the same time.

ITALIAN-STYLE SAUSAGE AND BEAN SOUP
adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen

16 oz (1 lb.) smoked sausage (or chicken sausage)
2 tsp. olive oil
2 (15 oz each) cans cannellini or great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 oz) can Italian-style diced tomatoes
2 cups (16 oz) chicken broth
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. marjoram
1/4 tsp. oregano
salt and pepper, to taste
grated Parmesan for garnish, optional

Slice the smoked sausage in half lengthwise, then slice into 1/4-inch thick pieces.  In a large pot, heat olive oil over med-high heat; add sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium and add onions.  Continue to cook until onions are translucent; add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.  Add diced tomatoes, chicken broth, beans, carrots, celery, and spices.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes.  Serve with a sprinkling of Parmesan, if desired.

Chili with Cornbread Waffles

This idea has been floating about the internet for a while and I finally decided to give it a try last month.  I loved it!  And my family gave it 2 thumbs up.  Essentially, instead of making cornbread muffins to go with your chili, you make cornbread waffles and serve them with the chili on top.  It's a very filling and satisfying meal.  In fact, I found I couldn't eat an entire waffle - instead I only used 2 quarter sections for my serving.

You can use your own chili recipe or the simple one I've shared below.

CHILI

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup diced onion
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
2 (8 oz each) cans tomato sauce
1 (7 oz) can diced green chiles
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans
1 (15 oz) can black beans
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans
2-3 Tbsp. chili powder (to taste)
2 tsp. cumin
salt & pepper

Toppings, optional:
Shredded cheese
sour cream
green onions

In a large pot, brown the ground beef with the onions; drain.  Add all remaining ingredients except salt and pepper and bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste, before serving.  Alternatively, after browning beef with onions, transfer to a slow cooker with remaining ingredients and cook on low for 8-10 hours.  Can be topped with cheese, sour cream, and sliced green onions.

CORNBREAD WAFFLES
from TastesBetterFromScratch

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Preheat waffle iron.  In a large bowl, combine corn meal, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.  Add eggs, milk, and oil and stir just until smooth.  Pour batter into hot waffle iron and bake in batches.  Makes 4 7-inch waffles.  Spoon warm chili over waffles or waffle sections.  Garnish with toppings.

Chicken Pot Pie Stew and Southern Style Biscuits

During the month of November, the restaurant chain Sweet Tomatoes (in some areas known as Souplantation) has a special, limited-time soup called chicken pot pie stew.  It is my favorite of all their soups/stews.  It is so creamy and delicious eaten with a biscuit.  LOVE IT.  I've always wanted to make something similar at home and I've tried loads of recipes, but nothing quite hit the nail on the head for me.

To my surprise, I discovered the company shared the recipe on their website back in 2011!  However, the posting is all jacked up and difficult to read.  And once I got it deciphered, the number of steps and sheer amount of stew it made was way too much for a typical household.  I was able to condense the steps and reduce the amounts and came up with something doable.  It's by no means a quick and easy meal, but it's worth the work every once in a while when you get a craving.

As for the biscuits, I am very happy with the recipe found here.  However, I'm always interested in trying new recipes and methods and thought I'd give these "southern style" ones a try.  Anyone from the south who knows their way around a biscuit will tell you to only use White Lily brand flour.  Well, it's not available everywhere, and I discovered that you can get the same result by using a mix of all-purpose and cake flour.  So, if you are living somewhere other than Dixie, you can use this trick to get the same fluffy biscuits.

CHICKEN POT PIE STEW
adapted from the Sweet Tomatoes recipe

4 large red potatoes, cubed
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
4-5 cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion (or 1/4 lb. pearl onions)
1/4 cup butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken broth
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 cups milk
2/3 cup heavy or whipping cream
1 cup frozen peas
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. dried thyme

In a small pot, cover cubed potatoes with water.  Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes or until fork tender.  Drain and set aside.

While potatoes are cooking, heat olive oil in a large pot over med-high heat; add chicken and brown on both sides.  Once chicken breasts are cooked through, remove them to a cutting board.  Reduce heat to medium and add carrots, celery, mushrooms, and onions to the pot.  Saute for about 10 minutes or until tender.  While veggies are cooking, chop chicken into 1 inch chunks and place in a medium-sized bowl.  When veggies are ready, remove them to the bowl with chicken.

In the same pot, melt butter over medium heat with garlic.  Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute.  Whisk in chicken broth, pepper, and salt until smooth.  Heat to a low boil and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Stir in milk and cream and simmer for another 3 minutes.  Add chicken and veggies, potatoes, peas, parsley, and thyme and simmer for 10-15 minutes.  Season as needed with additional salt and pepper.  Serve with biscuits.

SOUTHERN STYLE BISCUITS
slightly adapted from Southern Buttermilk Biscuits on Food.com

1 1/4 cup cake flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt (or you can use table salt)
6 Tbsp. cold butter
1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Combine dry ingredients in a bowl or in the bowl of a food processor.  Cut the butter into chunks and cut into the flour with a pastry blender until it resembles coarse meal.  If using a food processor, just pulse a few times until this consistency is achieved.  Add the buttermilk and mix just until combined.  If it appears on the dry side, add a bit more buttermilk.  It should be very wet.

Turn the dough onto a floured surface.  Gently pat (do not roll with a rolling pin) the dough out until it's about 1/2" thick.  Fold the dough about 5 times, gently pressing the dough down to 1" thick, adding flour as needed.  Use a round (about 2.5" in diameter) cutter dipped in flour to cut out biscuits, but do not twist as you cut!  You should get 6 round biscuits.  (You can gently knead the scraps together to make 2 more biscuits but they won't be as good or look as pretty.) 

Place the biscuits on a baking sheet close together for soft sides or 1" apart for "crusty" sides.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until a light golden brown on top and bottom.  Makes 6-8 biscuits.

Chicken and Barley Soup

This is just a variation of the classic chicken noodle soup.  I wanted to try adding barley instead of noodles and I was pretty happy with the results.  The barley adds a great chewy texture and is very filling.  I just throw all the ingredients in a pot and let it simmer.  You could just as easily make it in a slow cooker, so I've added instructions for that as well.

CHICKEN BARLEY SOUP

2 large chicken breasts (skinless, on the bone or not - up to you)
3 carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 small onion, diced
3 cups water
2 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup pearl barley (uncooked)
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried parsley
salt and pepper, to taste

Stove top instructions:
Combine all ingredients except salt and pepper in a large pot.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes - 1 hour.  Remove chicken and shred, then return to pot.  Season with salt and pepper.

Slow cooker instructions:
Combine all ingredients except salt and pepper in a slow cooker.  Cover and cook on LOW for 8-9 hours.  Remove chicken and shred, then return to slow cooker to heat through.  Season with salt and pepper.

Creamy Corn Chowder

This recipe was posted back in January of 2011.  I found it on OurBestBites, one of my favorite food blogs.  Since posting, I have come up with a quicker way of getting this soup to the table, so I've altered the recipe a little - not the ingredients, just how it's put together.

A tip for cooking bacon: line a cookie sheet with heavy duty foil. Lay bacon on cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees.  Check it after 12 minutes and continue baking until desired doneness. The result? Perfectly cooked bacon without all the mess (since you can just wrap up the grease in the foil and throw it out).

CREAMY CORN CHOWDER
from Our Best Bites

2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
3 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup minced onion
1/4 cup flour
1 cup water
2 1/2 cups milk
2 chicken bouillon cubes or 2 tsp. chicken base
1/2 lb. bacon, crisp-cooked and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 can corn, drained, or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
dash of hot sauce or cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Add potatoes to a small pot and cover with water.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until soft.  Drain.

While the potatoes are cooking, melt butter over medium heat in a soup pot. Stir in onions and cook until tender and translucent.  Add flour to make a roux and whisk it until combined - cook for one minute. Add  1 cup water and whisk until there are no lumps.   Add milk, chicken base, cooked potatoes, and garlic and simmer until thickened, stirring very frequently.  Add bacon and corn and heat through.  Add a dash of hot sauce or cayenne and salt and pepper to taste.

Beef Stew

I posted this recipe back in November of 2010.  I think it's delicious and it's a great ending to a cool day. I've started adding frozen peas at the end for a pop of color and flavor.  Sometimes I add some pearl barley instead of thickening the stew with cornstarch.  If you want to add barley, stir in about 1/2 cup when you add the potatoes and other veggies.  For the best browning results, pat the beef dry with paper towels before adding it to the pot. 

BEEF STEW
adapted from Beef Stew VI on Allrecipes.com

2 pounds stew beef, cubed
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
salt and pepper
garlic powder
4 cups (32 oz.) beef broth
1 tsp. dried rosemary
2 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. pepper
3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 stalks celery, sliced
4 carrots, thickly sliced
1 large onion, chopped
1 (10.75 oz) can condensed tomato soup
1 cup frozen peas
2 Tbsp. cornstarch mixed with 3 Tbsp. water

Brown beef in oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat, sprinkling beef with salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder. Add beef broth, rosemary, parsley, and 1/2 tsp. pepper and bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.

Add potatoes, celery, carrots, onion, and tomato soup. Return to a boil then reduce heat, cover, and simmer again for 50 minutes. Stir in peas and cornstarch and water mixture to thicken and simmer for 5 minutes more before serving.

Chicken Chile Avocado Soup

Okay, so I've been posting a few...less than healthy...recipes lately.  I thought it was time to remedy that and give y'all something good to eat.  It's already plenty warm here in AZ, but for many of you the weather is still cold enough for soup.  You're probably tired of the heavy fall and winter fare, so here's something that's light and fresh but will still warm your soul.

CHICKEN CHILE AVOCADO SOUP

2 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1 small onion, chopped
2 Tbsp. olive oil
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (15 oz) can great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 (7 oz) can diced green chiles
1/2 tsp. cumin
salt & pepper, to taste
juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 avocados, sliced
crushed tortilla chips, optional

Heat olive oil in a large pot over med-high heat.  Add chicken breasts and onions; cook chicken until browned on both sides and onions begin to soften.  Add chicken broth, beans, chiles, and cumin.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.  Remove the chicken and shred; return to pot with lime juice and cilantro.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve with crushed tortilla chips and sliced avocado.

Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice

I don't think I've ever had from-scratch Red Beans and Rice before...  I usually buy the box mix from Zatarain's, and then I just use it as a side dish or wrap it in a tortilla with shredded cheddar and sour cream.  Sooo authentic!  But recently I saw (on Pinterest, where else?) a recipe for red beans and rice in the slow cooker and I figured it was time to try making it from scratch.  Especially if it was something I could make ahead and let cook all day!

If you want to be authentic, this dish should be made with Andouille (pronounced "an-doo-ee") sausage.  However, it packs a spicy kick and can be hard to find - I searched 4 different stores before finding this brand at my local WinCo.  If authenticity is not your priority, you can certainly substitute it with a simple smoked sausage.  Hillshire Farms seems to be the most popular brand of smoked sausage around here.

Red beans are not the same thing as red kidney beans.  They are smaller and have a different flavor.  DO NOT cook dried red kidney beans in a slow cooker.  They contain a toxin that may not be eliminated if your slow cooker doesn't reach a high enough temperature.  For more info, go here.  Canned kidney beans are safe for your slow cooker because they are already cooked.  Dried red beans (again, not the same as red kidney beans) are safe to cook in your slow cooker.  Just wanted to put that out there because many people are misinformed on this subject.

As for Creole seasoning, I use the Tony's brand and find that it's usually pretty cheap (as in under $2).  If you'd rather make your own (and therefore control the heat by increasing or reducing the cayenne pepper) here is a popular recipe.


SLOW COOKER RED BEANS AND RICE
slightly adapted from Little Magnolia Kitchen

1 pound dried red beans
6 cups hot or boiling water
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 medium onion, diced
3 celery stalks, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (14.5 oz each) chicken broth
1 pound smoked sausage, cut lengthwise and sliced
2 Tbsp. Creole seasoning
hot cooked rice

Rinse and sort beans, removing any rocks or pebbles (yes, I've found some before).  Add all ingredients, except rice, to slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 7-8 hours. 

This is a rather soupy version of red beans and rice.  If you'd like to thicken it up, scoop up about 1/2 cup of cooked beans and sauce and puree, then stir it back into the pot.  You can also try leaving the slow cooker uncovered for the last hour of cooking.  Serve over rice.

Split Pea Soup

When I was a kid I thought split pea soup was disgusting.  I couldn't get over the color and texture.  Thankfully, I grew up and now appreciate this filling comfort food.  And so does my 8 year old daughter, surprisingly.  She tells me it's her favorite soup!

If you want soup with a thinner texture add more water.  I like to stay conservative in the recipe because you can always add more water, but you can't take it away (well, not very quickly).  And remember, the soup thickens as it cools.

SPLIT PEA SOUP
adapted from Allrecipes.com

1 lb. bag split peas, rinsed and drained
1 quart (4 cups) chicken broth
3 cups water
1 1/2 - 2 lb. ham bone (or diced ham)
1 onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
1/8 tsp. marjoram (optional)
3 celery stalks, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
salt and pepper, to taste

Combine peas, chicken broth, water, ham bone, onion, bay leaf, and marjoram (if using) in a large stock pot.  Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

Remove bone, cut off meat, and return to pot with carrots and celery.  Continue to simmer another 30-40 minutes, uncovered, until veggies are tender.  Remove bay leaf, add more water if desired, and season with salt and pepper.

New Year's Day Bean Soup

I know this is an odd time of year to be sharing a recipe for something with "New Year's Day" in it's title, but I love this soup and make it year-round.  The name comes from the idea that you will make this soup with the leftover ham bone from your Christmas dinner.  Certainly that is a good plan, but what about the rest of the year when you just feel like some ham and bean soup?  Well, I simply buy a ham steak and dice it up.  Or you can get some ham hocks (which will add more flavor, but are more work to remove the meat).

My grandmother got this recipe from a co-worker a few decades back when you had to buy individual bags of each type of bean and then mix them together.  Now you can just purchase a bag of fifteen bean soup.

If you've never cooked with dried beans before, there are a few things you should know.  Most dried beans (legumes) need to soak before cooking to soften and plump them, but more importantly, soaking dissolves some of the sugars that can cause...negative gastrointestinal effects.  We all know the song about the "musical fruit," right?  Well soaking helps alleviate some of that. 

There are two methods for soaking: the long method and the short method.  The long method involves soaking the beans in a bowl, covered with cold water, for 8-24 hours (or overnight).  I recommend the long method because I think it's more effective and I've found the beans don't seem to get as mushy.  But if you forget to soak the beans the night before, all is not lost.  The short method is as follows (and quoted directly from my Betty Crocker Cookbook):  Place dried legumes in a large saucepan; add enough water to cover them.  Heat to boiling; boil 2 minutes.  Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand for at least 1 hour before cooking.  Drain, then cook in clean, cold water.

NEW YEAR'S DAY BEAN SOUP

1 (20 oz) bag fifteen bean soup
1 - 1 1/2 lbs. ham bone, ham hocks, or ham steak (diced)
1 large onion, chopped

3 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 large can (29 oz) crushed tomatoes (pulse in a blender if you don't like chunks of tomato)
1 tsp. chili powder
2-3 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. minced garlic


Soak beans (see above); drain and add 2 quarts (8 cups) water and ham bone, hocks, or diced ham steak.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.  Add remaining ingredients and cook for another 30 minutes.  If using a ham bone or hocks, remove from pot, shred meat and return meat to pot.  Season with salt and pepper.

Danish Goulash

I saw this recipe on Pinterest and thought it sounded interesting.  Goulash is typically a Hungarian dish (see my recipe here), but this one is more like your typical beef stew.  For more of the story, visit the blog favfamilyrecipes.com.  It's delicious served over mashed potatoes and even my 8-year-old loves it.

DANISH GOULASH
slightly adapted from favfamilyrecipes.com

2 lbs. stew meat, cubed
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pkg. onion soup mix
3-4 c. beef broth
4 carrots, peeled and cut (or 2 cups baby carrots)
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup milk
salt and pepper
mashed potatoes

Heat oil in skillet over med-high heat; brown meat on all sides (I usually do this in two batches for optimal browning).  Remove meat from skillet and set aside.  Add onions to skillet and reduce heat to medium.  Cook onions until translucent.  Transfer beef and onions to a large pot and add beef broth and onion soup mix; bring to a boil then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 1-2 hours (the longer, the more tender the beef).  Add the carrots and simmer another 30 minutes.  Just before serving, mix cornstarch and milk in a small container until smooth.  Slowly add cornstarch mixture to beef, stirring constantly to avoid any lumps.  Once thickened, add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve over hot mashed potatoes.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

image via

I'm starting to give up on getting decent photos of my food now that winter is here and it's dark by the time dinner is ready. So, I'm pulling photos from the interwebs and linking back their original site.

I love broccoli cheese soup. But I've had a hard time finding a recipe I really love. My favorite broccoli cheese soup is at Sweet Tomatoes - it has a slight kick to it. Last time I had it I looked very closely and noticed tiny red-orange specks floating around and realized the secret ingredient: cayenne pepper. I've included it as an optional ingredient and highly recommend adding at least a dash.

This recipe is adapted from The Pioneer Woman. Ree tends to think like Paula Deen, meaning "the more butter the better." I lightened this up a bit so that it doesn't cause a coronary.

BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP
adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

1/4 cup butter (1/2 a stick)
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup chopped onions
4 cups milk (I used 1%)
2 cups fat-free half-and-half
2-3 cups broccoli florets
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (or just a dash), optional
pinch of nutmeg
salt and pepper, to taste
3 cups shredded cheese (I like sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack)

Melt butter in a pot over medium heat and add the onions. Cook onions until translucent (about 3-4 minutes), then whisk in flour. Stir to combine and cook for a minute or so and then slowly whisk in the milk and half-and-half. Add garlic powder, cayenne, nutmeg, and broccoli florets. Bring to a simmer, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20-30 minutes or until broccoli is soft. Using an immersion blender or regular blender, pulse soup until smooth. Return to pot and keep warm. Add cheese and stir until melted. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Serve in a bread bowl or with sliced french bread.

Vegetable Beef Soup

If someone out there in blogland would like to donate a DSLR camera to me, I wouldn't mind in the slightest.
It would make my food actually look something you want to eat!

This is a great way to use up a small, boneless roast. Since the beef is slow-cooked you can use a tougher cut like chuck. I make it the way my grandmother made it; with barley.

Quick pearled barley is used as a "thickener" - essentially it's a healthy filler and sucks up some of the extra broth. I've usually found it by the dried beans and rice:

VEGETABLE BEEF SOUP

1 1/2 - 2 lb. chuck roast
1 can beef broth
8 cups water
4 tsp. beef bouillon or base
1 small onion, chopped
3-4 celery stalks, sliced
2-3 carrots, peeled and sliced
3 med. potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup quick barley
1 can tomato soup
salt & pepper to taste

Pat roast dry with paper towel(s). Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spray bottom of large pot with cooking spray; heat over med-high heat. Brown roast on all sides; add beef broth, water, and bouillon or base and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 2 hours.

Add onion, celery, carrots, and potatoes; return to a simmer. Cover and cook for another hour.

Remove roast from pot and shred into bite-size pieces. Return to pot with tomato soup and barley. Cook another 10-15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper as needed.

Cheese and Vegetable Soup

I got this recipe from a friend. I'd had it at her house and really loved the flavor. I think it would be good with broccoli and cauliflower, too.

CHEESE AND VEGETABLE SOUP

3-4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 celery ribs, chopped
1 onion, chopped
4 cups (32 oz) chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water
3 tsp. chicken bouillon granules, cubes, or base
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 cups frozen corn
1/4 cup (half a stick) butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

In a large pot, bring the potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, chicken broth, water, bouillon, and pepper to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender, about 20-30 minutes. Remove from heat and add frozen corn.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for two minutes. Slowly whisk in milk and, stirring constantly, bring to a slight boil (mixture will thicken). Remove from heat and stir in shredded cheese until completely melted. Add cheese mixture to vegetable pot and stir to combine.

Tender Beef and Bean Stew

I found this recipe in a magazine years ago. It's one of my favorite slow cooker recipes because you just dump it all in and you've got a one-dish meal. It's great topped with shredded cheddar and a dollop of sour cream.

TENDER BEEF AND BEAN STEW

1 lb. lean beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies
1 can (2.25 oz) sliced ripe olives, drained
1 cup chopped onion
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
2 Tbsp. uncooked long grain rice
1-2 Tbsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. beef bouillon granules, cubes, or base mixed with 1 cup hot water
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

In a 5 quart slow cooker, combine all ingredients except tomato sauce. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or until beef is tender. Stir in tomato sauce; cover and cook 30 minutes more or until heated through.

Creamy Chicken and Tortellini Soup

Yay Fall! This is an adaptation from a recipe I found on Allrecipes.com. It went super fast and we barely had any leftovers. It goes great with a crusty piece of Italian or French bread.

CREAMY CHICKEN & TORTELLINI SOUP
adapted from Chicken & Gnocchi Soup on Allrecipes.com

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 small onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots, shredded
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 of a (19 oz.) package frozen cheese tortellini
3/4 cup chopped fresh or frozen spinach (thawed and drained if frozen)
2 cups fat-free half-and-half
salt & pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. cornstarch mixed with 2 Tbsp. cold water (optional)

In a large pot, combine chicken broth, chicken, onion, celery, carrots, and garlic and bring to a boil over med-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Remove chicken breasts; shred or dice and return to pot. Add tortellini and let cook about 3-4 minutes. Stir in spinach and cook about 4-5 minutes more. Add half-and-half and bring back to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. If desired, stir in cornstarch mixture to thicken soup slightly.

Bread Bowls

With the fall season starting (at least in some places), I thought this would be a great recipe to share right now. Bread bowls are a great way to serve up your chili, soup, or stew and can make the meal go farther. The bread itself is plain jane - not sourdough, but the outside is nice and chewy and the inside is dense and soft.

Mine turned out a little flat after following the recipe's direction to brush the dough with an egg wash right after rising - bad idea. I'm leaving that step out. You can get 6 good-size bread bowls with this recipe (or you can make 8 smaller ones). Just don't serve them with a thin soup like chicken noodle - the bread will get soggy. Bread bowls are more for thicker soups like cream of broccoli or potato.

According to the recipe, the baked loaves can be frozen up to 1 month if you don't use them all up at once.

BREAD BOWLS
adapted from Italian Bread Bowls on Allrecipes.com

2 packages (.25 oz each) active dry yeast (4 1/2 tsp.)
2 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees)
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. olive or vegetable oil
up to 7 cups all-purpose flour

cornmeal
1 egg beaten with 1 Tbsp. cold water

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water and sugar. Let stand 10 minutes until foamy.

Add salt, oil, and 4 cups of flour to yeast mixture and beat well. Stir in more flour 1/2 cup at a time until dough comes together (you may not need all 7 cups). Knead in mixer until smooth and elastic, about 6 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, turn dough to coat, and cover with a damp cloth. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes.

Lightly grease two baking sheets with cooking spray. Sprinkle with cornmeal. Punch down dough and divide into 6 or 8 equal portions. Form each portion into a small, round loaf and place on prepared baking sheets, leaving enough space between each loaf for rising. Cover and let rise again until doubled in size, about 35 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake loaves for 15 minutes. Brush each loaf with egg wash and bake for an additional 10 -15 more minutes or until golden. Cool on wire racks.

To make bowls: using a serrated knife, cut a round out of the top of each loaf and scoop out centers, leaving 3/4-inch thick shells. Fill bowls with hot soup and serve immediately (centers can be used for dipping).

Easy Chicken Chili

I got this recipe from my friend, Kay. It's so simple and it tastes good, too. I can't believe I forgot to post it until now. You can thank my sister, Heather, for reminding me of this little gem. Just combine boneless/skinless chicken breasts, a couple of cans of your favorite beans (I use black and pinto), and some salsa in your slow cooker and walk away. The most work you will do is shred the chicken once it's cooked. Maybe make some cornbread muffins or or offer tortilla chips on the side.

You can even use frozen chicken - just give it enough time to cook through (maybe low for 6-7 hours).

EASY CHICKEN CHILI

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders
2 (15 oz) cans beans, rinsed and drained
1 (24 oz or larger) jar salsa
shredded Mexican blend or cheddar cheese
sour cream

Combine chicken, beans, and salsa in a slow cooker and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 5 hours. Remove chicken, shred, then return to crock. Serve with cheese and sour cream.

Confetti Chicken and Black Bean Soup

This is an adaptation of the Black Bean Soup that I posted back in 2009. With all of the colorful veggies, this soup made me think of confetti - hence the name. Doesn't it look pretty? And healthy, too.

When my husband came home he was like, "Aw, soup AGAIN?" I hadn't thought about it, but I've been making a lot of soup lately. I love soup! And here in Arizona it's super hot about 8 months out of the year, so I have to get my soup in somewhere. He added shredded cheese and crushed tortilla chips to his. Not a bad idea!

A tip for getting the most juice out of your limes (or any citrus fruit for that matter): microwave them for about 10 seconds and then knead them on your counter top a couple of times before cutting.

CONFETTI CHICKEN & BLACK BEAN SOUP

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 large red bell pepper, diced
3 medium carrots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground coriander (optional)
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
4 cups water
1 (15.25 oz) can corn
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilies
3 cups diced or shredded cooked chicken
1 (14 oz) can chicken broth
3 (15.5 oz) cans black beans
2 limes, juiced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
sour cream for garnish (optional)

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and carrots; stirring occasionally, saute veggies until tender, about 12 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, coriander, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute. Add water, corn, diced tomatoes with green chilies and chicken.

In a blender, puree chicken broth with one can of black beans; add to pot with remaining two cans of beans. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes. Add lime juice and cilantro and serve with a dollop of sour cream, if desired

Green Chili Chicken Tortilla Soup

Someone made this at a church function last year and I loved it and she gave me the recipe but I've managed to misplace it. So I went searching online to find something similar and I found a great recipe on Group Recipes. It calls for fresh chilies from the garden, but the original recipe I received simply called for a tub of chilies you can buy in the freezer section of the grocery store:

Much simpler. Just make sure you buy the mild variety unless you like a lot of heat. The soup itself is very simple:

But the fun part is adding all the other fresh ingredients:

Clockwise from top left: tortilla strips, chopped fresh cilantro, chopped green onions, guacamole, diced tomatoes, and lime quarters. You can use fresh chopped avocado or you can do the easy thing and buy some pre-made guac. I like Wholly Guacamole:


GREEN CHILI CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP
adapted from Group Recipes

4 bone-in split chicken breasts with skin
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 white or yellow onion, chopped
1 (13 oz) tub mild green chilies, thawed (or you can use 3 [4 oz] cans of diced green chilies)
8 cups (64 oz) low sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
salt and pepper, to taste

tortilla strips* or crushed tortilla chips
3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 (7 oz) pkg. guacamole or 2 avocados, diced
3 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
3 limes, cut into quarters

Heat oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Generously sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper and place, 2 at a time, in pot, skin side down. Brown for 5 minutes then turn and brown for 3 minutes more. Remove from pot and set aside and repeat with other two breasts; remove and set aside.

Add onion to oil and drippings in pot. Reduce heat to low, cover, and sweat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. While onions cook, remove skin from chicken and discard.

Add green chilies to pot along with broth, cumin, oregano and chicken. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes. Remove chicken breasts, shred chicken, and return to pot, discarding bones. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer another 10 minutes.

Serve with tortilla strips, diced tomato, guacamole, green onions, chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of lime as desired.

*To make tortilla strips:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil. Cut 12 white corn tortillas into thirds:

Then into strips:
Spread evenly on cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10, or until lightly brown and crispy.