Broccoli Cheese Soup

Today started out to be a cloudy, gray, and rainy morning and I had a taste for a nice thick and creamy Broccoli Cheese Soup.

This recipe was actually a copy-cat recipe I found on the web for fast food restaurant, Panera Bread.  

This soup is VERY VERY GOOD!  5 Spoons out of 5!

The only modification to this recipe was adding 1 1/2 teaspoons of Super Veg Vegeta Soup Mix and Seasoning.  It is a product of Hungary and is used in a lot of Polish recipes.  That is how our family discovered it.  It has a chicken bouillon base and includes dehydrated vegetable flakes.  

You can find it at any international food market or Cost Plus World Market (God love that store!)

 

 Broccoli Cheese Soup

• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1/2 medium chopped onion
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups half-and-half cream
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 lb fresh broccoli (about 1 cup)
• 1 cup carrot, julienned
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Vegeta blend seasoning 

1.    Saute the onion in 1 tablespoon melted butter and set aside. In a large pot whisk   
       together the melted butter and flour over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes.

2.    Slowly whisk in the half and half and chicken stock. Let it simmer for about 20 
       minutes.

3.    Add the broccoli, carrots, and onions. Let them simmer on medium low for about 25 
       minutes until the broccoli and carrots are tender.

4.    Add nutmeg, salt and pepper and sharp cheddar cheese. Let the cheese melt and 
       then serve. For a smoother soup puree it in a blender... but I love the chunks!
 

Squash and Corn Chowder

When the leaves on the trees start to change colors and fill the air with a crisp, warm spicy smell, we generally hunker down in our kitchens to make a comforting pot of soup.  Our house is no different.  There is nothing better than a piping hot bowl of soup to warm your insides.

One key ingredient for fall soups is squash.  It comes in many shapes, colors, and varieties.  Squash, a fruit, is considered by the Native Americans as one of the “Three Sisters.”  These include maize, beans, and squash.  They would plant these three together because the corn stalk would provide support for the climbing beans, and shade for the squash.  The squash vines provided ground cover to limit weeds.  Weeds can be detrimental to the growing conditions of squash.  The beans provided nitrogen for all three crops.

I belong to several food groups on Facebook and this recipe was posted by one of the members.  Who could go wrong with squash, potato, corn, and my favorite…bacon!  ENJOY!  

Squash and Corn Chowder

3 medium ears of corn, husks and silks removed
1 pound of bacon, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 large yellow squash, pureed
1 pound red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 small tomatoes, seeded and diced
4 cups vegetable broth 
2 cups low-fat milk


1.  Cut kernels from corncobs, reserving the cobs.


2.  In a soup pot, cook bacon over medium heat until browned.  Transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate to drain.  When cool enough to handle, crumble bacon pieces.


3.  Add onion and jalapeno to bacon drippings in soup pot.  Stir and cook until onion is tender, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic, cook 1 minute longer.  Whisk in flour, salt, and pepper, cook for 1 additional minute.


4.  Stir in the pureed squash, potatoes, corncobs, corn kernel, tomatoes, and broth; heat to boiling.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until potatoes are tender; 10-15 minutes.


5.  Discard corncobs from soup pot.  Stir in the cooked bacon and milk.  Heat through and serve.

French Onion Soup

In our house, one of our favorite soups is French Onion Soup.  I was always intimidated by not only the caramelizing of the onions but also the length of time it took to make.  Recently, while in the northwoods, the soup was on the menu.  I started it in the morning and let it go all day.  This makes 8 servings.

This had to have been the best French onion soup I have had and I think it was because it was made slowly all day long.  If you are making this mid-week, my suggestion is to caramelize the onions first the night before and then put the soup together in the slow-cooker all day.

French Onion Soup

1/4 cup butter, cubed

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided

6 large sweet onions, thinly sliced (about 12 cups)

1 whole garlic bulb

1/4 cup red wine or beef broth

6 cups beef broth

1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 bay leaf

Dash cayenne pepper

Pepper, to taste

8 slices French bred (1-inch thick)

1 round (8 ounce) Brie cheese, softened

6 thin slices prosciutto or deli ham, chopped

2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

1.  In large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter with 1/4 cup oil; add onions.  Cook, without stirring, for 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to low.  Cook 45 minutes more or until onions are golden, stirring occasionally.

2.  Meanwhile, remove paper outer skin from garlic (do not peel or separate cloves).  Cut top off garlic bulb; brush with remaining oil.  Wrap in heavy-duty foil.  Bake at 425 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until softened.  Cool for 10-15 minutes.  Squeeze softened garlic into a small bowl; mash and set aside.

3.  Add wine to the onion mixture; cook until reduced by half.  Stir in the broth, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, cayenne and pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer, covered, for 1-2 hours and then uncover for 30 minutes.

4.  Place bread slices on a baking sheet.  Bake at 425 degrees for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown, turning once.  Spread each slice with Brie and mashed garlic; sprinkle with prosciutto or ham

5.  Discard bay leaf from soup; ladle 1 cup each into eight oven-proof bowls.  Top with one slice of toast; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  Place bowls on a baking sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Little Meatball Soup

A few weeks ago, our friend Linda made a visit to our cabin.  It was a cold and snowy weekend, so I thought soup was in order.  Nothing better up at the cabin that a fire going in the stove, snow falling outside and a pot of soup simmering on the stove.


This recipe for Little Meatball Soup was my grandmothers.  The soup is very similar to Italian Wedding Soup but without the addition of greens.  


The meatballs in this soup are quite different than most.  These do not include bread or breadcrumbs, flour is the binder and gives it a distinct texture.  The first time I made these meatballs, after rolling them, I fried them in butter and olive oil.  This time, I tried something different.  I simmered them just until cooked through, then fried them.  They were extremely moist using the simmering method.


Little Meatball Soup
Meatballs: 
1        pound ground beef
1        large egg
¼       cup flour
1        clove garlic
2        tablespoons finely chopped parsley
¼       cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 ½    teaspoon salt


1.  Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly.  Shape meatballs about 1 teaspoon each. You can either simmer these in about 1-inch of water and then sauté in olive oil and butter or simply sauté in the oil and butter.

Soup:

8        cups water

2        tablespoons beef bouillon

½       cup chopped celery

½       cup  sliced carrots

¼       cup parsley

1        medium onion, chopped

1        bay leaf

16      ounce can chopped tomatoes & juice

          Salt and pepper to taste

1        small zucchini; sliced

1        cup fresh green beans

½       cup dried pasta, small sized (shells, etc)

1.  Pour meatballs and drippings into a large soup pot.  Add water and bouillon and simmer for about ½ hour covered.  If you want the soup thicker, uncover pan slightly.

2.  Add the rest of the ingredients, except zucchini, and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes, until pasta is cooked and vegetables are tender.  Add the zucchini and simmer for 10 minutes more.  Serve with grated cheese on top.

Irish Potato Leek Soup

On our recent trip to the farmer's market in Wheaton, IL, I ran across the nicest leeks.  Since the weather is changing and a nice warm bowl of soup was in order, I made the Irish Potato Leek Soup found below.  I did use a combination of red and white potatoes.

Irish Potato Leek Soup
2   teaspoons vegetable oil
2   cups leeks, chopped
2   stalks celery, diced
1   small onion, diced
2   cloves garlic, minced
4   medium potatoes, coarsely chopped
4   cups vegetable stock or 4 cups water
1   teaspoon salt
1/2  teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2  teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2  cups light cream
2   teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped
2   teaspoons fresh dill, chopped
2   teaspoons fresh tarragon, chopped


1.  In large pan, heat the oil and add the leeks, celery, onion and garlic.
2.  Saute over medium heat, until the vegetables are soft.
3.  Stir in the vegetable stock or water, potatoes, salt, pepper& thyme; bring to a boil.
4.  Simmer over medium heat for 20 to 30 minutes, until the potatoes are easily pierced 
with a fork.
5.  Add the cream and herbs and return to a light simmer, stirring occasionally.
6.  Remove the soup from the heat and let sit a few minutes before serving.
7.  Serve with warm bread.

Ham and Corn Chowder Soup

The weekend my mom came up to the cabin, we had hot dogs on the grill with Chuck Wagon Beans and corn on the cob.  With several ears of corn leftover, I thought what could I make with the leftover corn. We had not had soup in a while so I thought I would make Ham and Corn Chowder.  I found this recipe on what used to be Recipezaar.com.  The website is now Food.com and is a nice improvement to an already great site.

Ham and Corn Chowder

2          celery ribs, diced

1/4       cup onions, diced

2          tablespoons margarine or butter

2          tablespoons flour

3          cups milk

2          cups cooked ham, diced

2          cups potatoes, cooked and diced small

1 1/2    cups frozen corn

1          14 3/4 ounce can cream-style corn

1/4       teaspoon dried thyme

1/4       teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4       teaspoon salt

Directions:

1.  Boil water; meanwhile peel and dice potatoes.

2.  Boil for about 10-15 minutes (soft but not too mushy).

3.  Meanwhile, dice up ham, onion, celery.

4.  In a large saucepan, saute the onion and celery in butter until softened.

5.  Stir in the flour and stir until well blended, then gradually add milk.

6.  Bring to a boil while stirring until thickened, about 2 minutes.

7.  Stir in remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.

8.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer about 15 minutes or until heated through.

Lentil and Bean Soup

Lately, we have been on a soup kick. Last weekend, I made a hearty lentil and bean soup.


The great thing about soups is that you really can't go wrong with the ingredients. It is based merely on your taste and what makes you feel good.

Feel free to substitute sausage or beef for the chicken in this recipe.

Bean and Lentil Soup
8 ounces dried lentils
8 ounces dried white northern beans
1 large onion
1/2 cup chives; chopped
2 stalks celery; chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/4 cup white wine
6 strips bacon; crumbled
1 chicken breast; cooked and chopped
64 ounces chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
16 ounce can stewed tomatoes

1. Prepare lentils and beans as directed on the package.
2. In a large stock pot, saute bacon and onions over medium heat. When onions are soft, add the chives, salt, pepper, and thyme. Saute for 5 minutes.
3. Drain lentils and beans and add to the stock pot.
4. Add the chicken breast.
5. Add white wine, chicken broth, and stewed tomatoes. Simmer for 45 minutes until beans are tender.
6. Add cayenne pepper to taste.

Creamy Onion Soup

Kevin is a huge fan of onion soup.  I will guarantee that if French Onion Soup is one of the choices, he will go with it everytime.  I made this Creamy Onion Soup a few weeks ago when I did not have the few hours to devote to making French Onion.  This came in a close second!  Easy to make and had great flavor.  I did add about one teaspoon of thyme but that is because we like the flavor.

Creamy Onion Soup
1 pound yellow onions, sliced
2 tablespoons margarine
4 cups chicken broth
1 dash salt
1 dash pepper
1 dash thyme
¼ teaspoon seasoning blend
2 cups milk, divided
1/3 cup flour

1. In a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat, sauté onions in margarine. Add broth, pepper, thyme and seasoning blend; bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add 1-2/3 cup of the milk.
2. Stir flour into remaining milk until smooth; add to soup. Bring to boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes until thick.

Dill Pickle Beef Soup

Dill Pickle Beef Soup
1 pound beef neck bones
1 cup vegetables, diced carrot, celery, onion, leek, cabbage
2 cups dill pickle, diced
1/4 cup dill pickle juice
2 quarts water
2 cups potatoes, raw and diced
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large pot, place neck bones, vegetables, pickles, and juice. Add water and cook over medium heat for 45 minutes.

2. Add potatoes and cook until soft, about 20 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high. Combine flour and milk in a small bowl and gradually add in soup, stirring regularly until mixture boils.


3. Season to taste with salt and pepper, remove neck bones and discard. Refrigerate and serve next day.

Chunky Potato and Ham Soup

This is one of our favorite soups for a cold winter day.  I have made this several times and there has never been a need ot adjust anything other than the salt, based on the ham you select. 

I used a package of pre-cubed ham this time.  It seems that ham is really expensive lately.  So, if you don't want to purchase a full piece of ham, the pre-cubed works well.  It was just about $5.00 for the package.

Chunky Potato and Ham Soup (makes 8 servings)

3 large red potatoes

2 cups water

1 onion, small

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

crushed red pepper flakes

1 ½ cups milk

1 ½ cups half and half

½ teaspoon sugar

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup ham, cooked and cubed

1. Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes.

2. Bring water to a boil in large saucepan. Add potatoes and cook until tender. Drain, reserving liquid. Set aside potatoes. Measure 1 cup cooking liquid, adding water, if necessary; set aside.

3. Peel and finely chop onion. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion to saucepan; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent and tender, but not brown.

4. Add flour to saucepan; season with pepper flakes and black pepper to taste. Cook 3-4 minutes.

5. Gradually add potatoes, reserved 1 cup cooking liquid, milk, half and half, and sugar to onion mixture in saucepan; stir well. Add cheese and ham. Simmer over low heat 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve.