Archive | Soups & Stews RSS feed for this section

Asian Chicken Squiggle Soup

22 Aug

This soup was a request from Sophia, from her favorite cookbook, the Soups Recipe Card Collection, that we bought at the grocery store check out quite a while ago. We’ve actually enjoyed every soup that we have tried from it, and this one was pretty good as well. Just know that it helps if you are a fan of ramen noodle soup. Because, really, this is just a fancy version of ramen noodle soup! However, it is quick, easy, and quite tasty.

Asian Chicken Squiggle Soup

Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

What you need:

6 cups chicken broth
2 medium carrots, sliced
1 bunch green onions, sliced
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
3 packages (3 oz each) chicken-flavored ramen noodles
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
1 cup sugar snap peas
2 tablespoons lemon juice

How to make it:

In a large pot, mix together broth, carrots, green onions, ginger and 1 seasoning packet from the ramen noodles (The remaining 2 seasoning packets can be discarded or reserved for another use). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Break noodles in half and stir into vegetable mixture. Boil 2 minutes. Stir in chicken, peas, and lemon juice; cook until heated through.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup

12 Aug

I already have a few versions of this soup posted here on my blog, but today I did it in the slow cooker, and I wanted to write it down to save for the future. This is one of my all-time favorite soups!

Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup

Slow Cooker Enchilada Soup

What you need:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 onion (red, yellow, or green), diced
4 cloves garlic
4 cups chicken broth
1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 14.75-oz can whole corn kernels, drained
1 10-oz can Ro-Tel (or 1 can diced tomatoes and 1 small can diced green chiles)
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup masa harina (This is corn flour. You can use corn meal, but it will may have a grittier texture)
2 cups milk or chicken broth
1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese

How to make it:

Place chicken in a slow cooker. Add diced onion, garlic, chicken broth, black beans, corn, Ro-Tel, and tomato sauce. Sprinkle in chili powder, cumin, oregano, and salt. Cover with lid and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours, or high 3-4 hours.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat and stir in the masa harina (mixture will be thick). Slowly pour in milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is very thick and it reaches a gentle boil. Pour mixture into slow cooker and whisk until smooth.

Shred chicken and stir in shredded cheese. Season soup with salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Allow to cook about 10 minutes until all ingredients are heated through. Garnish with cilantro, lime wedges, shredded cheese, sour cream, or tortilla strips as desired.

Tags: , , , , , ,

Sophia’s Ground Beef and Rice Soup

28 Jun

I have been making different combinations with ground beef lately, but my youngest really wanted a soup with ground beef and rice. I will admit, I was a little stumped at first with how to proceed, so I asked some friends and got some great ideas. In the end, what she really wanted was a soup similar to Chicken & Rice Soup, so that’s the route I went. It turned out really good, and she was happy to eat it!

Sophia's Ground Beef and Rice Soup

Sophia’s Ground Beef and Rice Soup

What you need:

1 pound 93/7 lean ground beef
1 small red onion, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
6 cups beef broth
2 cups cooked rice

How to make it:

In a large pot, brown ground beef over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery, and cook for a few minutes until vegetables have softened. Add Worcestershire sauce, garlic salt, thyme, and marjoram; mix in well. Cook for a few more minutes.

Pour in the beef broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low to simmer for 15-20 minutes. Stir in cooked rice. Cook for another 5-10 minutes, making sure the vegetables have softened.

Tags: , , ,

Slow Cooker Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

8 Apr

This past weekend, we had a turkey breast for our Easter lunch. We had some of the meat left, and I decided to make broth with the bones. Knowing that Chicken, Spinach, and Wild Rice Soup is always a hit in our house, I figured that a version with turkey would be good as well. Since this week is busy for us, I wanted to try this out in the slow cooker since I would time to work on it in the morning, but not in the evening at dinner time. It was so easy to throw it all together and just let it sit and cook all day. Although, I ended up picking a day I was actually home all day, so I had to smell it cooking!

This could be done with cooked chicken and chicken broth if you don’t have turkey. You could also use 4 uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts. They will cook as the rest of the soup cooks, and then you would shred the chicken when you add the milk and flour.

Turkey and Wild Rice SoupSlow Cooker Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

What you need:

1 small onion, diced
2 carrots, chopped into thin rounds
2 stalks celery, diced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 cups cooked turkey or chicken, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning blend OR 1 teaspoon dried thyme and 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup uncooked wild rice
8 cups turkey or chicken broth
1 cup milk
2 Tablespoons flour or cornstarch

How to make it:

Add all ingredients except milk and flour to a large slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat for 6 hours or high heat for 3 hours.

Whisk together the milk and flour in a small bowl. Pour into slow cooker. Cover and cook for another 30 minutes until soup is thickened.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Chicken & Spinach Tortellini Soup

2 Mar

We have had a lot of  Chicken & Wild Rice Soup lately, which we love. I recently got a coupon from Safeway for a free bag of refrigerated tortellini, so I figured that I could do a similar soup with the tortellini instead of rice. It turned out really well, and while I don’t get tortellini often, it’s a recipe to keep on hand in case I do.

Chicken & Spinach Tortellini Soup

Chicken & Spinach Tortellini Soup

What you need:

2 tablespoons butter
2 medium carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon seasoning blend, like Tastefully Simple Rustic Herb blend or Mrs. Dash
1 8 oz package mushrooms, sliced
6 cups chicken broth
1 12 oz package refrigerated tortellini
2 cups cooked chicken
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped

How to make it:

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. Cook until tender.

Add mushrooms and seasoning blend. Cook a few minutes.

Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil.

Add chicken and tortellini. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until pasta is cooked.

Add spinach, and cook until it is wilted.

Garnish with fresh grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Tags: , , , , , ,

Meatball Soup

16 Feb

Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to take a picture of this soup, but there is a good reason – it got eaten too quickly! This is an easy soup to put together, and ready in about a 1/2 hour.

Meatball Soup

What you need:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 medium carrots, sliced into rounds
2 stalks of celery, diced
6 cups beef broth
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes, undrained (or, if you are like me and are out of canned tomatoes, use 1 8-oz can of tomato sauce and 1/2 lb diced fresh tomatoes)
1 15-oz package frozen fully cooked meatballs
1 cup uncooked pasta, such as rotini, penne, small shells, or small elbows
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

How to make it:

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery, and cook until softened. Pour in the beef broth and diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil for about 5 minutes. Add meatballs and boil another 10 minutes. Stir in uncooked pasta, garlic salt, and ground black pepper, and cook for 6 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and cook another 10 minutes, or until pasta is tender. Stir in parsley. Serve hot. Makes 4 servings.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Potato Soup

2 Dec

This past weekend, we visited our favorite German restaurant, Angelika’s German Imports Market & Deli. My younger daughter had potato soup with her sandwich, which was so good. She wanted more of it, so I tried to come up with something close. It tasted similar, but not quite as good as Angelika’s did. I also added in cabbage to ours, since I had some that needed to be used and felt it would fit in well. I would probably add some bacon or ham next time, but as is, it was very good.

Note: This picture shows it a little thicker than it originally was because it is the leftover soup. I forgot to snap a picture the night we had it!

Potato Soup

Potato Soup

How to make it:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1 large stalk celery, diced
1 large onion, diced
3 cups shredded cabbage
1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1-1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and diced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups beef broth
Salt and pepper

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add carrots, celery, onions, cabbage, parsley and marjoram. Cook until transparent. Stir in potatoes.

In a small bowl, whisk flour into 1 cup of the beef broth. Pour into pot. Add remaining beef broth, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Tags: , , , ,

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2 Dec

In the past, I’ve used this Chicken Enchilada Soup recipe. I really liked it, but felt it was a little lacking. So, I looked around at a few recipes, and added in black beans and corn, then used diced tomatoes and green chiles in place of the enchilada sauce. If you want a little more kick to your soup, add in a diced jalapeno with the onion and garlic.

It turned out so good! I topped each bowl with shredded Mexican blend cheese and tortilla chip strips. You could also put sour cream, fresh cilantro, and/or a lime wedge.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup

What you need:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or, I just use chicken from a rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken to save on time)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
6 cups chicken broth, divided
1 cup masa harina (This is corn flour. You can use corn meal, but it will may have a grittier texture)
1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 14.75-oz can whole corn kernels, drained
1 10-oz can Ro-Tel (or 1 can diced tomatoes and 1 small can diced green chiles)
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon salt

How to make it:

In large pot over medium heat, cook chicken in oil until well browned on all sides. Remove, shred, and set aside.  (This step is skipped if you already have cooked chicken)

Cook onion and garlic together in remaining oil until onions are translucent.

In a bowl, whisk together masa harina and 2 cups water until well blended. This step is important, if you just put the masa harina right in the pot, it won’t blend in as well, making it gritty.  Pour into pot along with the remaining 4 cups chicken broth, black beans, corn, Ro-Tel, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and salt. Bring to a boil.

Add chicken. Reduce heat to low and simmer 30-40 minutes, until thickened.

Tags: , , , , ,

Katie’s Chili

4 Oct

Katie has been asking me to make chili for the longest time, but I kept putting it off. It’s still warm here in AZ, and hot meals just don’t always sound appealing. But, I have never made it before, so it was time. I know there are a ton of different ways to make it, all based on personal preference. So, we found 5 different versions in the cookbooks that we have, and came up with a combination of our own. It was really, really good! Now, I won’t wait so long the next time she asks.

Katie's Chili

Katie’s Chili

What you need:

1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (optional)
1 15-oz can dark red kidney beans
1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes
1 10-oz can tomatoes and green chiles (Ro-Tel)
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
Juice of one lime
Salt and ground black pepper

How to make it:

In a large pot, brown the ground beef. Add garlic, onion, green pepper, celery, carrot, and jalapeno, and continue to cook until vegetables have softened. Next, add kidney beans (undrained), diced tomatoes (undrained), tomatoes and green chiles (undrained), tomato sauce, and beef broth. Stir well, adding more beef broth or water if it seems too thick. Next, stir in chili powder, cumin, oregano, lime juice, and salt and ground black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer about 20-25 minutes.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Italian Wedding Soup

22 Jun

This is a soup that I have wanted to make for a long time, and finally did! It was a big hit in our house, too, so this will be made again soon. Not many ingredients, cooks fairly quickly, and a filling meal.

Italian Wedding Soup

Italian Wedding Soup

What you need:

1/3 cup Italian Style bread crumbs
1/4 cup milk
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
6 cups chicken broth
2 cups beef broth
1 cup Acini di Pepe pasta (or orzo pasta)
1/2 pound fresh spinach, washed and chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

How to make it:

Mix bread crumbs and milk in a medium bowl, and let stand for 10 minutes. Add meat and grated cheese. Form into approximately 40 1″ balls.

Meanwhile, bring chicken and beef broth to a boil. Add meatballs, pasta, salt, and pepper. Cook for 10-15 minutes,or until meatballs have all floated to the top. Add spinach and cook until wilted, about 3-5 minutes.

Serve soup garnished with extra grated cheese, if desired.

Tags: ,

← Older Entries