Tortellini Soup

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Recipe from Stephanie Cooks

Easy, quick weeknight meal!  This only takes about 10 minutes to make, and the only prep work involved is chopping up a tomato and carrot.  This is perfect for those weeknights when you have no time, yet you really want a good meal. :)  Serve with some hearty bread or salad.

I added in the carrot and some fresh basil because I had them in my refrigerator.

Ingredients:
4 c chicken broth
1 package tortellini
3 c baby spinach
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
1-2 carrots, diced
1/4 c Parmesan cheese
1/4 t Italian seasonings
1/4 t garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste
Fresh basil, chopped - for garnish

Directions:
Bring broth to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Add the tortellini and cook until almost done.

Add in the remaining ingredients (except basil) and cook over low heat until spinach is wilted.  Season to taste and season each serving with basil.

Crockpot Tuscan Beef and Bean Stew

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Recipe from Kitchen Stewardship

I cooked this recipe in the crockpot, instead of stove top.  Basically I didn't pre-cook or brown any thing, just threw it all together and let it cook away! :)

J and I liked this recipe.  However, I added way too much kale and it kind of over-powered the other flavors.  I'd make this again, but I'd definitely cut back.  I just used the entire bunch of kale because I wasn't sure what I'd do with the leftovers, but I didn't realized it has such a strong flavor.

Ingredients:4-8 ou mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 lbs beef for stew, cut into 1-2" pieces
2-3 c beef broth (I used 3)
2 T tomato paste
15 ou can diced tomatoes with juice
2 cans white beans
4 carrots, diced
2-3 c kale
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
2 t Italian seasoning
1 1/2 t dried parsley
1/2 t dried parsley
Shredded Parmesan, for serving

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a large crockpot and cook on low for 8-10 hours.  Serve sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

Chicken and Gorgonzola Tomato Soup

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Recipe from Cooking Light

J recently mentioned to me that I've been making a lot of soups lately, especially on Sundays. I can't help it!  Soup is such a great winter meal.  It's a comfort food and it makes great leftovers! 

This soup was so simple to make, and it was great paired up with Havarti grilled cheese sandwiches. :)

Ingredients:
1 t olive oil
1 t minced garlic
1 c chopped celery
1 c minced onion
1 t crushed red pepper
3/4 lb shredded or diced cooked chicken
1 28 ou can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2 (14 ou can) chicken broth
1/2 c crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

Directions:
Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet and then add the celery, onion, garlic and pepper and saute for about 6 minutes, or until heated through.

Mix in the tomatoes and broth and bring to a simmer for about 8 minutes.  Sprinkle each serving with about 2 ou of cheese.

Italian Wedding Soup

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Recipe from Made in Mels Kitchen



I love wedding soup, and this recipe was no exception.  The meatballs had really good flavor, and, overall, it was very simple to make.  I made the meatballs on Sunday so that on Monday I just had to throw the rest of the ingredients together.

Ingredients:
Meatballs:
3/4 lb ground turkey
1/2 lb italian turkey sausage, casings removed and crumbled
2/3 c panko (or other white bread crumbs)
2 t minced garlic
2 T fresh parsley
3 T milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 c grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper, to taste

Soup:
2 T olive oil
1 c minced onion
1 c diced carrots
3/4 c diced celery
10 c chicken stock (I think I only used about 6 cups - J doesn't like a ton of extra broth)
1/2 c dry white wine
1 c small pasta (I used orzo)
12 ou baby spinach, washed and trimmed

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.

In a medium bowl mix all ingredients for the meatballs.  Drop them by the teaspoon onto a sheet lined baking pan. Bake for about 30 minutes, until slightly browned.  Set aside.

Heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a large pot or dutch oven. Add onions, carrots and celery and saute until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add chicken stock and wine and bring to a boil, then add the pasta and cook until tender.  Drop in the meatballs and simmer about 1 minute, then check for seasonings and mix in the spinach and cook until wilted.

Serve sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

Taco Soup

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Recipe from Cook Like a Champion

This is a delicious, cheap, easy weeknight meal.  Yes, it uses pretty much all canned ingredients.  But that's what makes it so easy!  :)  I did a quick cheese quesadilla as a side.

All cans are standard sizes.

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef or turkey
1 can each of dark kidney beans, light kidney beans and black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can whole-kernel corn, drained
1-2 c chicken broth
1 chipotle in adobo, minced
1 packet of Ranch dressing mix
2 packets taco seasoning
Shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions, tortilla chips (optional), for serving

Directions:
In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown meat until cook through. Add one packet of taco seasoning and stir to combine.

Add all remaining ingredients.  Use as much or little chicken broth as needed. 

Increase heat and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce to medium-low.  Simmer at least 20 minutes.  When ready to eat, ladle into serving bowls and top with cheese, sour cream and/or green onions.

Veggie Quinoa Soup

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Recipe from Oh She Glows

Loved this soup!  J had his usual complaint about the lack of meat, but again, it didn't stop him from taking seconds or leftovers in his lunch. :)

The curry, cinnamon and nutmeg really work well together in this soup.  This was my first time cooking with quinoa and I discovered that I like it.  I'll definitely use it more often now.

Because J doesn't like his soup to be too soupy, I did add more quinoa and veggies than the recipe calls for, but I'm just going to put the original amounts, because I'm not really sure how much extra I actually added.  Oh, I also did 6 bouillon cubes, because it said on the package 1 cube per cup of water.

Ingredients:
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1/2 c quinoa
1 T EVOO
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 beef bouillon cubes
6 c hot water
15 our can diced tomatoes
15 ou can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 t curry powder
Pinch of cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
2 c baby spinach, roughly chopped
1/2 t kosher salt
Pepper, to taste

Directions:
Heat oil in a large soup pot. Add onion and saute over medium heat until translucent. Add the carrots, zucchini and garlic and continue to saute for 5-7 minutes.

Add the water and bouillon cubes and bring to a boil. Mix in the quinoa, tomatoes, spices, salt and pepper.  Boil and then simmer for about 15-20 minutes.

Add the spinach, stir well and then cover. Simmer on low for 15-35 minutes. The longer you simmer, the better the flavors will combine.  Adjust seasonings as needed, and serve!

Beef Stew

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Recipe from Joelen's Culinary Adventures

This may be the best beef stew I've ever made.  I don't know what it is about it, but it was really delicious!  And it smelled so good as it was cooking.  I actually made this a day ahead of time so all I had to do was reheat.  It does thicken up quite a lot, and I ended up adding in a bit more broth. J would've been fine without it, but I like it a bit soupier for dipping bread.

Ingredients:
5 lb boneless beef chuck roast, cubed
Salt & pepper, to taste
3 T vegetable oil
4 onions, minced (about 4 cups)
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 ou tomato paste
1/4 c AP flour
2 c red wine
2 c chicken or beef broth
3 T soy
1 lb carrots, peeled and sliced
1 c button mushrooms, halved
1 1/2 t fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
2 c frozen peas

Directions:
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat to 300 degrees. Season meat w/ salt and pepper to taste. Heat 1 T vegetable oil in Dutch oven until just starting to smoke.  Brown half of the beef in the pot, about 8 minutes.  Set aside and brown 2nd half of beef.

Reduce heat to medium and return first batch of beef to pot. Add onion and stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until onion is tender. Add garlic and tomato paste and cook about 30 seconds. Add flour and stir until no dry flour is visible, about 30 seconds.

Slowly add wine and scraped up any browned bits.  Turn heat up to high and allow wine to simmer until thickened and reduced, about 2 minutes.  Stir in broth, bay, thyme and soy.  Cover and place in preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours.

Remove from oven and discard bay leaves. Mix in carrots, cover and return to oven for about 45 minutes. 

Remove from oven and add the mushrooms.  Cook over medium heat, uncovered, about 15 minutes, until meat is tender.  Stir in peas and allow to warm through.  Check seasoning and serve.

Slow Cooker Corn & Crab Chowder

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Recipe from Cinnamon 'En' Spice

J and I thought this recipe was good, but not great.  I just think it needed something... maybe a bit more spice to it.  I think I say that everytime I think a recipe needs something. :) 


Ingredients:
2 cans chicken broth
1/2 lb potatoes, peeled and diced
1 c carrots, sliced
1 medium sized onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, sliced
1/2 t fresh thyme
1/4 t old bay seasoning
1 package frozen corn
1 sweet red pepper, seeded and diced
12 ou evaporated skim milk
1/4 t salt
2 T cornstarch
8 ou claw crab meat

Directions:
Combine chicken broth, potatoes, carrots, onion, celery, thyme and old bay in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 4 or low for 6 hours.

Mix together pepper, milk, corn, cornstarch and salt and stir into slow cooking, cooking on low for another hour.  Stir in crab meat until warm, then serve.

Spicy Tomato and White Bean Soup

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Recipe from Cooking Light

I paired this soup with grilled cheese sandwiches.  This recipe took maybe 20 minutes to come together.  It was a great weeknight meal for a cold day.

Ingredients:
14 ou chicken broth, divided
2 t chili powder
1 t ground cumin
1 can navy beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium poblano chile, halved and seeded
1/2 onion, cut into wedges
1 pint grape tomatoes
1/4 c chopped cilantro
2 T fresh lime juice
1 T olive oil
1/2 t salt

Directions:
Combine 1 c broth, chili powder, cumin and beans in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Combine remaining broth, poblano and onion in the food processor and pulse until vegetables are chopped, then add to the Dutch oven.

Add tomatoes and cilantro to the food process and process until coarsely chopped, then add to pan.  Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in juice, olive oil and salt.

Quick Tomato and Sausage Stew

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Recipe from Healthy Food

This was a really good stew, and very easy to throw together.

Ingredients:
1 T olive oil
1 onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4-5 Italian sausages, sliced
14 ou diced tomatoes
1 c water
1 t ground cumin
1 t chili flakes
14 ou chick peas, drained and rinsed
1 c frozen peas
Parsley for garnish, if desired

Directions:
Heat oil in a large pan, add garlic, onion and sausage and cook until sausage is browned.

Stir in tomatoes, water, cumin and chili and cook for about 10-15 minutes over medium heat.  Mix in chick peas and peas until heated through.  Serve sprinkled with fresh parsley.

Braised White Beans w/ Potatoes and Veggies

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Recipe from The Way the Cookie Crumbles

This was a really great, not-too-heavy meal for a cold day.  J's only problem with it, as usual, was the lack of meat.  But he went back for seconds, so I guess it wasn't that big of a problem! :)

Ingredients:
2 T olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes
14 ou diced tomatoes
1/4 c water
1 medium potato, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 small-medium zucchini, diced
1-2 carrots, diced
14 ou small white beans (I used Great Northern), drained and rinsed
1/4 t dried rosemary
1/4 t salt

Directions:
Place oil, garlic and red pepper in a large, high-sided skillet.  Cook over medium heat about 30 seconds to one minute.  Add the tomatoes, water and potato, and cover.  Simmer for about 15 minutes, until potatoes are almost cooked through.

Mix in the zucchini, carrots, beans, rosemary and salt.  Cover again and cook about 10 minutes, stirring often, until potatoes and zucchini are tender. 

Check the consistency of the sauce.  It should be thick and soupy.  Add water if needed, or boil uncovered to thicken.

Chicken Corn Chowder

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Recipe from Cooking Light

This was extremely good and so easy to throw together.  The chicken was cooked in advance over the weekend, making the most difficult part was chopping up the green onions.

I added in some red pepper flakes because both J and I like just a little bit of spice.

Ingredients:
1 T butter
6 green onions, chopped and divided into white and green parts
2 T AP flour
2 c cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1/2 t red pepper flakes
20 ou frozen corn kernels, thawed and divided
14 ou chicken broth
2 c milk
1/2 c shredded cheddar

Directions:
Melt butter in Dutch oven and then add the white portions of the onion to the pan and saute about 2 minutes.  Whisk in the flour and continue to whisk for about 1 minute. 

Stir in the chicken, salt, pepper, 10 ou corn and broth. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 5 minutes.

While that simmers, add the remaining 10 ou corn and the milk to your blender, and process until smooth.  Add milk mixture to the pan and cook until heated through.  Serve sprinkled with green onion pieces and cheese.

Hawaiian Ginger Chicken Soup

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Recipe from Delish

This quick recipe was made even quicker by using some rotisserie chicken that I had cooked over the weekend. If you don't like ginger, you probably won't like this soup.  But J and I really enjoyed it.

Ingredients:
1 T sesame oil (or canola)
1 lb pre-cooked shredded or chopped chicken
2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 c dry sherry
1 can (14 ou) chicken broth
1 1/2 c water
2 T soy sauce
1 t sriracha
1 bunch mustard greens, chopped


Directions:
Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add sherry and cook until mostly evaporated, 2-3 minutes. 


Add broth and water and bring to a boil.  Boil for 5 minutes then stir in soy sauce, sriracha and mustard greens.  Cook about 3 minutes, until greens are tender, then add in your chicken and cook until heated through.

Salsa Bean Soup

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Recipe from Cooking Light

I came across this recipe as I was searching for some meat-free, easy recipes that would be great for weeknight meals.  It was extremely quick and easy to make, and I was actually surprised at how good and flavorful it turned out. 

I think I slightly over blended the beans, however.  I used my immersion blender instead of transferring half of them to my blender, and I slightly overdid it.  I didn't mind it, but J does like some chunks in his soups, so that was his one complaint. But he also really liked the flavor.

I served it with cheesy tortillas.  I just piled some cheese onto half a tortilla shell, then heated it up in the skillet until both sides were lightly browned and the cheese was melted.

Ingredients:
1 t vegetable oil
1 T minced garlic (about 2-3 cloves)
2 c water
1/2 t chipotle chili powder
3 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
8 ounce salsa
1 T fresh lime juice
1/2 c chopped fresh cilantro (didn't have this so I skipped it)
1/2 c shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, then mix in water, chili powder, beans and salsa.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and then simmer for one minute.

Place 3 cups of the black bean mixture into your blender and blend until smooth. (I used the immersion blender here, just be careful of how much you blend it.) 

Return the pureed mixture to the pan and add in the lime juice, then simmer for 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in cilantro, if using.

Serve sprinkled with Monterey Jack cheese.

Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

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Recipe from Senora Espanola

Wow... I have quite a few recipes to catch up on.  I'm sorry, I have no excuse for my slacker blogging... er, non-blogging.  But I promise from now on I will do better. :)  Cross my heart...

This was a super-easy soup for a weeknight meal.  In order to make it a little more hearty, I threw in a bit more chicken, noodles and mushrooms than the recipe calls for.  I also mixed some soy sauce into the soup for a bit more flavor.  It was a hit for both J and I, and I'd definitely make it again.  Now that the weather is cooling down, this will be a great recipe to add to my quick and easy weeknight meals.

Ingredients:
6 ou dry Chinese noodles
2 (14.5 ou) cans chicken broth
8 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
2-3 green onions, sliced
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, chopped
2 eggs
1 T soy sauce

Directions:
Cook noodles according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

In a medium/large stockpot, bring the chicken broth to a boil with the mushrooms, green onions and soy sauce..  Once boiling, add the chicken and crack eggs into broth - mix well.  Cook for about 10 minutes until chicken is cooked through.  Serve over noodles.

Cheesy Chicken Chowder

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Recipe from Sing for Your Supper

Delicious!  This was creamy and delicious!  I added in some cayenne pepper for a bit of extra spice.  I also switched the cheese from Velveeta to Fontina (with a bit of Cheddar).  I'm not a big fan of Velveeta.

Overall this only took about 25 minutes to make.  I served it with the leftover Rosemary & Garlic Pretzels.

Ingredients:
4 c chicken broth
1 1/2 c diced potatoes
1 c diced celery
1 c diced carrot
1/2 c diced onion
1/4 c butter
1/3 c ap flour
3 c milk
1 T soy sauce
1 t cayenne
1 t pepper
6 ou fontina cheese shredded
2 ou sharp cheddar, shredded
2 c cooked, cubed chicken

Directions:
In a medium pot combine the broth and veggies, cover and cook until veggies are tender (about 15 minutes).

Melt the butter in a large stock pot or Dutch over over low heat.  Add the flour, whisking until smooth (about 1 minutes, stirring constantly).  Gradually stir in the milk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbly.

Gradually stir in the remaining ingredients.  Cook until cheese is melted and soup is heated through.

Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

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Recipe from What's Cookin', Chicago?

As much as I really don't like cold weather, a part of me is so excited that it is finally cooling down, because I'm been craving soups and stews lately.  And, since up until recently it's been in the 80s around here, hot soups and stews weren't really the way to go. :)

This week, we're seeing weather in the 50s and 60s.  A perfect time for these cool weather meals!

J and I loved this gumbo.  It does take a few hours to cook, so give yourself some time.  But it's pretty simple to make overall.

Two things to point out.  One - check your Creole seasoning.  It may have salt in it (ours does) so watch how much salt you add to the dish.  You may want to just add the Creole seasoning, then taste as it cooks to see if it needs more salt.  Ours ended up just slightly over-salted because I didn't check the Creole seasoning ingredients when I first started cooking.  Luckily - it was still perfectly edible, with only a minor salty taste.

Two - this thickens up A LOT overnight.  So if you are making this a day in advance, either add extra broth when you cook it, or plan to add more when you reheat.  We did eat it the same day, but had quite a bit of leftovers.

Oh, and I fully intended on cooking my own rotisserie chicken, but they were completely out at the store!  So I ended up buying one pre-made.  It was good, but it wasn't mine! :)

I served delicious Rosemary & Garlic Pretzels with the Gumbo - recipe to come soon!

Ingredients:
1 c vegetable oil
1 c AP flour
1 large onion, chopped
1 large bell pepper, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 lb andouille or smoked sausage, sliced to 1/4" thick (I used smoked as I couldn't fine andouille)
4 cloves garlic, minced
Salt & pepper to taste (see note above about salt)
Creole seasoning to taste
6 c chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 2-3 lb rotisserie chicken, shredded

Directions:
In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat.  Once hot, whisk in flour and continue to whisk for about 8-10 minutes, until the color of chocolate milk.  Be careful not to burn it or you'll have to start over!

Stir the onion, celery, bell pepper and sausage into the roux and cook for about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for another 5.  Season with salt, pepper and Creole seasoning and mix well, then add the chicken broth and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium low and simmer for one hour (uncovered), stirring occasionally.

Stir in the chicken and then simmer for one hour more.  Serve hot.

Tomato Basil Sausage Soup

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Recipe from Picky Palate

This soup was delicious and super easy!  It took me about 15 minutes to cook it from start to finish.  I also added in some garlic, onion and orzo.

Ingredients:
2 T olive oil
1 lb Italian Sausage
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 cloved garlic, minced
10 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade (stacked, rolled, thinly sliced)
1 26 ou jar of pasta sauce
1 c water
1 1/2 c half and half
Pinch salt and pepper

Directions:
In a heavy pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat, then add the onion for about 3 minutes, until it begins to soften.  Then add the sausage and garlic.  Cook until sausage is cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Stir in remaining ingredients.  Cook until heated through.  Serve with thick slices of crusty bread!

Asian Dumpling Soup w/ Shitakes and Edamame

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Recipe from Savory Spicy Sweet

Delicious!  J and I absolutely loved this soup.  We're both big fans of edamame and mushrooms.  With the dumplings this soup was actually pretty filling.

Ingredients:
64 ou low-sodium chicken broth
1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 16-ou package frozen pot sticker dumplings or Japanese gyoza
2 medium carrots, halved length-wise and sliced
4 ou shitake mushrooms (I couldn't find just shitake, so I got a mixed pack that included shitake, oyster and baby bella)
2 c frozen shelled edamame
2 c baby spinach
1 T low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 kosher salt
2 scallions, sliced

Directions:
In a large pot, bring the chicken stock with the ginger to a boil.

Add the pot stickers and carrots and simmer about 8-10 minutes, until heated through and carrots are tender.

Add the mushrooms and edamame and simmer for about 2 more minutes, then mix in the spinach, soy sauce and salt.  Sprinkle with the scallions before serving.

Crockpot Minestrone Soup

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Recipe from Chi-Town Cooking
 

My mom was talking about making minestrone soup a couple of weeks ago.  So I've been craving it ever since.  This recipe came across my Google Reader so I decided to try it out.  I love that it's a crockpot recipe (though it could easily be adapted for a dutch oven).

It turned out really good, and it makes a lot.  I'd say about 8 servings total.  I ended up freezing about half of it, which isn't a bad thing. :)

Ingredients:
3 c reduced sodium chicken broth
1 (28-ou) can diced tomatos
1 (14.5 ou) can cannellini beans (I forgot to get these at the store, so I used the black beans I had in the cupboard)
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 c onion, chopped
1 t dried thyme
1/2 t dried sage
2 bay leaves
Salt & pepper, to taste
2 c pasta, cooked
2 c roughly chopped fresh or frozen (drained) spinach
1/2 lb ground sausage

Directions:
In the crockpot mix the broth, tomatos, beans, carrots, celery, onion, thyme, sage, bay leaves, salt and pepper.

Set on low for 6-8 or high 4-6 hours.

About 30 minutes before you eat, add the pasta and spinach. (I decided to cook the pasta before adding it to the pot.  You could do it either way.) Brown the sausage and add it as well.

Remove the bay leaves and serve sprinkled with shredded Parmesan and a side of bread.