Lentil Black Bean Stew

I've been looking for more lentil recipes so I can make something other than lentil loaves. This recipe came to me as part of the recipe swap, and it looked good to me. I showed it to Gary, and I'm so glad he's now on board with most vegan, bean, and lots of healthy recipes!

I think this came out ok. I made a mistake of not cooking the lentils enough and they were a little bit undercooked. It does say cook for 25 minutes, but I thought since I used brown lentils I could cook it for less time. I kept testing it out, and individual lentils were fine, but once I had a spoonful, I could tell it wasn't cooked enough. I also added a whole can of black beans instead of the 1 cup. I was a little confused with the ingredients list since it was all in one paragraph, but 1 can worked out. I think there wouldn't have been enough food for Gary if I only used 1 cup.

On a side note, don't you hate buying a can of tomato paste to use only one tablespoon at a time and the rest go to waste? Well, I bought a tube from Whole Foods a while back and left it in the fridge. It's lasted forever, and I can squeeze out as much as I need at a time. Of course, if you have a can of the stuff, you could probably freeze it and it will work the same, but I think the tube is easier.

Also, remember to check out Sarah's blog for the full roundup of soup and stew recipes, including my submission of hearty beef stew.

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Lentil Black Bean Stew

made by cathy's kitchen journey
adapted from Runner's World




ingredients:

• 1 tsp canola oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 TBSP tomato paste
• 1/2 cup lentils, rinsed and picked over for stones
• 1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
• juice of one lime (1 TBSP)
• salt and pepper to taste
• cilantro for garnish

directions:

1. In a pan on medium heat, add oil, and onion and cook until soft. Add garlic, spices and saute for 1 minute.
2. Add vegetable broth, tomato paste, then cover and bring to a boil.
3. Add the lentils and cook until tender, about 25 minutes.
4. Partial mash the black beans and add to the pot. Add the lime juice, salt and pepper, and cook for another 5 minutes.
5. Transfer to bowls and garnish with cilantro.

Yield: 2 servings

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Crockpot Turkey Sausage Wheatberry Soup

The day I decided to make this, I had a pack of sweet Italian turkey sausages thawed and ready to go from the night before. We ended up going over to my parents that night, so I had to use it or it would end up as trash. I hate to waste food, and since I had gone grocery shopping the day before to stock up on some staples, I had plenty of vegetables to use up. It was so easy to prep and prepare, and I love that I went out and came home to a dinner ready to eat!

A while back, I heard about wheatberries and its many benefits. Since Gary started liking quinoa, I decided to make a hearty soup using this other superfood. Since this is packed with protein and fiber, it's a great addition to this soup. It had a nice texture and blended in nicely. Although I thought it was just enough, Gary wanted to add even more wheatberries next time around.

Once again, Branny Boils Over is hosting a Souperbowl, and all soup entries each earn $1 to the ASPCA. Hurry up and make a soup recipe and send it over! The deadline is 1/31/12!

This year I'm dedicating my recipe to Matt. This little guy was found wandering around and causing traffic on the freeway until Gary's sister found him and brought him in. Check out the crazy before and after and what a little TLC does!

After a few weeks, nobody claimed him and he had nowhere to go. My sister in law already had 2 dogs, one which is a shih tzu as well. Luckily, Gary's other sister and her family came to the rescue and took him in. They named him Matt, because his hair was so matted when they first found him. He's great with the kids, and very protective of the family.

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Crockpot Turkey Sausage Wheatberry Soup

a cathy's kitchen journey original recipe





ingredients:

• 3 TBSP olive oil, divided
• 1.25 lb sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 3 small bay leaves
• 3/4 cup wheatberries, rinsed and drained (to sub rice or quinoa, add during the last hour of cooking)
• 4 cups water

directions:

1. In a hot skillet on medium-high heat, add 2 TBSP oil. Crumble and brown the sausage until no longer pink in the middle. Drain the fat and transfer to a 3-4qt crockpot. In the same skillet, add the remaining 1 TBSP oil, and sweat out the onions. Remove from heat and transfer onions to crockpot.
2. Combine the rest of the ingredients into the crockpot and stir slightly.
3. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or until wheatberries are cooked through.
4. Remove bay leaves, stir well to mix evenly, then serve.

Yield: 4-6 servings

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Butternut Potato Soup

Every once in  a while I would pick up a butternut squash from BJ’s. It’s usually pretty expensive from the supermarket, even when on sale, so I normally wouldn’t get it there. I was thinking about making a butternut squash soup because I’ve had it in the past and really liked it.

Usually it does contain heavy cream or some kind of dairy, so I tried to find one that didn’t, but would still be creamy. I didn’t really find one I liked, so I decided to wing it. I was initially going to add a little bit of cornstarch or flour to thicken, but Gary suggested using potatoes instead. I thought it would work, so I added that in. It worked pretty well, and since we’re both huge fans of potatoes, it tasted very good as well.

One of my fellow food bloggers is also on a mission for soup recipes. Branny will be donating $1 to the ASPCA for every soup recipe she receives for her Charity Souper Bowl. This post is dedicated to Gary’s dog, Humphrey. This was him way back in 2004 when we got him.

  

He was so tiny….he’s probably around 120lbs now and still thinks he’s a little puppy! And look how much Gary has changed over the years too! He has hair!

Butternut Potato Soup

 printable recipe

ingredients:
1 medium butternut squash (about 3 lbs)
2 TBSP Earth Balance butter (or regular butter)
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 potatoes, diced
4 cups chicken stock (or sub vegetable stock for vegan)
nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

directions:
Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a shallow baking sheet with foil. Spray with cooking spray. Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Place the squash flat side down on the foil lined sheet and roast in oven for about 30 minutes or until fork tender.

Meanwhile, dice up onion, carrots, celery, and potatoes. In a dutch oven on medium heat, melt the butter, then add in diced vegetables and allow to cook until tender, about 10 minutes.

Remove squash from oven. Using a spoon, scoop out the flesh, then discard the skin. Add squash to pot and stir. Add in chicken stock, stir, cover and bring to a boil.

Using an immersion blender, blend until desired consistency. Add a dash of nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste.

Makes about 4-6 servings, about 2 quarts of soup.

Crockpot Curry Chicken and Chickpea Stew

While I was browsing through a whole bunch of holiday magazines one day, I decided to start ripping out recipe pages I thought I would try.  This recipe stood out because it was a curry chicken recipe, and it was made in the crockpot!

I originally thought I wouldn’t like the chickpeas because I’ve tried them in salads, and I ended up picking them all out. I was wrong! I just don’t like them raw! I also love them mashed up in falafels. I guess I too can be picky with some vegetables.

The original recipe called for 1.5 lbs each of boneless chicken thighs and boneless chicken breast, cubed, but I used chicken wings instead, since I had some on hand. They were also frozen solid when I put it in the crockpot, so I cooked it for the 6 hours it needed. I followed the instructions to use 1 TBSP of curry powder, but I thought it was a bit mild, so I’ll probably add a little more next time. Gary also thought there were too many chickpeas, so I may also reduce that to 1 can next time.

Curry Chicken and Chickpea Stew
adapted from: All You December 2009
printable recipe

ingredients:
3 lbs chicken (wings, thighs, breasts, or any combo)  
1  tablespoon  olive oil 
1-2  tablespoon  curry powder (according to your taste)
1/2  teaspoon  salt 
1 large onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
4  cloves garlic, finely chopped 
1 28oz can of crushed tomatoes
2  15-oz. cans beans (chickpeas, red kidney, black beans, or combo), rinsed and drained

directions:
Combine chicken, olive oil, curry powder and salt in slow cooker and toss to coat.

Sprinkle onions and garlic on top of chicken. Add tomatoes on top. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

During last hour of cooking, stir in chickpeas. Serve hot.

Serves 4-6

Crockpot Chicken and Butternut Squash Stew

I love fall colors and flavors. There’s something about the warm colors of the trees and food around this time that is so comforting. One of my favorite foods in the fall is squash. I love all squash, whether it be pumpkin or anything other type. I’m so glad that Gary likes it as well, so it’s not hard to convince him to eat recipes using squash or pumpkin.

When I first showed him this recipe, he thought it would be a winner. While he was eating this, he asked me if I was going to add this to our favorite recipes box.

The original recipe called for using beef stew meat, but neither of us are big red meat eaters, so I used chicken instead. I also omitted the mushrooms because I didn’t have any on hand even though I thought I did.

Crockpot Chicken and Butternut Squash Stew
adapted from: about.com
printable recipe

ingredients:
1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 small butternut squash
1 large onion, sliced
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced (I omitted, since I didn’t have it on hand) 
4 ounces baby carrots left whole (about a handful)
1 14.5-ounce can crushed tomatoes (I used diced tomatoes)
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano

directions:
Peel and halve the butternut squash. Deseed, then cut into 1-2 inch pieces. Add squash, vegetables and chicken into a 4 or 5qt crockpot.

Add tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, thyme and oregano.

Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours, or until vegetables are tender and chicken is cooked through.

Serve over rice or eat as is.

Manhattan Clam Chowder

I’ve always been a tomato based soup person. Gary on the other hand has always been a cream based soup person. Needless to say, he loved New England clam chowder, whereas I would favor Manhattan clam chowder.

Well, since Gary no longer eats dairy, it worked in my favor. I get to make my favorite version of clam chowder, and he ends up eating it! He probably still misses the cream based version, but until I find a way to make a dairy free version, this will be the clam chowder I will be making most of the time.

I had a few adaptations based on what I had on hand. I used clams in pouches instead of cans, regular potatoes instead of red, and turkey bacon.

Manhattan Clam Chowder
adapted from: Better Homes and Garden
printable recipe

ingredients:
3 slices turkey bacon
2 tablespoons olive oil or cooking oil (use if not enough drippings)
1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)
1/2 onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped carrot (1 small)
2 (3.53-oz) pouches of whole baby clams, juice reserved plus water to make 1 cup
1 8-ounce bottle clam juice or 1 cup chicken broth
3 large potatoes, cubed
1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained

directions:
Separate clams from juice, add enough water to reserved clam juice to equal 1 cup. Set aside.

In a large saucepan cook bacon until crispy. Remove from oil and reserve drippings. Chop into pieces and set aside. Add celery, onion, and carrot in bacon drippings (or oil) until tender.

Stir in the reserved 1-1/2 cups clam juice and the 8 ounces clam juice. Stir in potatoes, thyme, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Bring to boiling then reduce heat. Lower heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes, clams, and bacon. Return to a boil then reduce heat. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes more or until heated through.

Chicken Sausage Pepper Stew

We had a bunch of leftover ingredients from our dinner party that we needed to use up. One was part of a package of turkey sausages, and the other was some chicken we were supposed to use, but didn’t end up making it. While I was thinking about what to make with it, I turned on Food Network and Rachel Ray was on. She just so happened to be making something with Chicken and Sausages! What a coincidence. As I watched, and as she went along, I was thinking, “I have that, I have that.” It wasn’t until the end that I thought it seemed so simple to add whatever to the pot and would come out as a great dish. I didn’t have everything she used, so I winged it from the first 2 ingredients.

I started thinking about the summer cookouts and how we always made sausages with peppers and onions. I wondered if that would work in stew form. It definitely did! This was a great dish, and it reheated very well the next day too!

The chicken I had was previously seasoned with salt and left in the fridge overnight. We were supposed to use it during the dinner party, however it ended up being forgotten, or we didn’t have time to make it in the end. If you have time to preseason the chicken overnight, go for it. If not, seasoning it right before should be fine. It was also pounded flat, but I don’t think it’s necessary.

Chicken Sausage Pepper Stew

Ingredients:
5 turkey sausages, casings removed
5 pieces chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch strips
2 medium onions roughly chopped
2 bell peppers sliced (I had partial pieces of 3 different colored bell peppers)
2 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 tsp dried thyme
pinch red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste 

Directions:
1. Heat a dutch oven on medium high heat. Add olive oil. Remove the casing and break up the sausage into 1 inch pieces. Place into the pot stir around to brown. Cut the chicken into 1 inch wide pieces. Add to the pot.

2. Cut open the peppers, discard seeds and slice into half inch strips. Roughly slice the onions into thick slices. Add both to the pot. Stir around for a few minutes until chicken turns opaque.

3. Add chicken stock, bay leaf, parsley, thyme and red pepper flakes. Mix well, cover and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and let simmer for 30 minutes.

4. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaf. Serve over rice.

Hearty Beef Stew

I’ve been wanting to make beef stew for a while now. Gary and I don’t usually eat too much beef, so a whole pot for the 2 of use would not work very well when we only need a small taste. When a bunch of friends came over for a dinner party, it was a great opportunity to try the stew I saw on Good Things Catered. This was a great stew for a cold night, even though it was pretty warm in my apartment! This was a great comfort meal to have with company.

I originally wanted to use the California Zinfandel I had, however when it came time to pour the wine, I couldn’t find my corkscrew, so I used red cooking wine in place of it. It still came out wonderful. I also didn’t use chicken stock, I didn’t have any in the pantry at the time. I had some beef bouillon that I used with 2 cups water to make the beef broth.

Hearty Beef Stew
Adapted from: Good Things Catered, originally from America’s Test Kitchen

Ingredients:
3 lbs. beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 in. cubes
salt and ground pepper
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped coarse (about 2 c.)
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
1 c. full-bodied dry red wine
2 c. beef broth
2 bay leaves
1 tsp dried thyme
4 medium red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-in. cubes
4 large carrots (about 1 lb.), peeled and sliced 1/4 in. thick
1 c. frozen peas
1/4 c. minced parsley

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 300° F.

Dry beef thoroughly and season generously with salt and pepper.

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in Dutch oven over medium high heat.

Add half the meat so that pieces are not touching and cook not moving until brown (about 2-3 min)Use tongs and rotate pieces until all sides are browned (about 5 additional min.)

Transfer beef to medium bowl and add another 1 Tbsp oil to pan, repeating previous steps with other half of beef.

Reduce heat to medium and add additional 1 Tbsp oil to now empty pan and swirl to coat bottom.

Add onions and 1/4 tsp salt and cook, scraping bottom of pan for brown bits until softened (about 5 mins).

Add garlic and continue to cook for 30 sec.

Stir in the flour and cook until lightly colored (1-2 min.)

Add wine, scraping the bottom and stirring until thick and flour is dissolved.

Gradually add the beef stock, stirring constantly scraping up the remaining browned bits on bottom of pan.

Add bay leaves and thyme and return to simmer.

Add beef, return to simmer, and place the pot in the oven.

Cook for 1 hour.

Add potatoes and carrots cover and return to the oven to cook for additional hour.

Remove the pot from oven (here you can cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.)

Add the peas, cover and allow to stand for 5 min.

Stir in the parsley, discard bay leaves, adjust seasoning and serve immediately.

Highlights of a Dinner Party

Our friend Jason will be leaving for culinary school in Italy next week. He came over to join me in the kitchen to cook for our friends. Here’s some highlights of what we made:

Mango Guacamole
(made by Jason)

4 avocados
1 mango, cubed
cilantro
1 red onion, finely diced
lime juice
salt to taste

I think those were all the ingredients. I liked this even though I’m not a huge fan of mangos.

 

Spinach Artichoke Dip
click here for link to post

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bowtie Pasta with Asparagus Pesto
(made by Jason)

Sorry, I don’t know what the ingredients are. It was very tasty though.

The leftover pesto also made a great dip.

 

 

 

 

 

Mac and Cheese
(made by Jason)

Again, I don’t know what’s in it. All I know is that he added lots of cheese!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beef Stew
click here for link to post

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fried Chicken Wings
(made by Jason)

Season wings with salt and pepper. Fry in about 2 inches of oil.

Hot sauce (optional):
Add melted butter and hot sauce in a zip top bag. Add chicken and toss to coat.

I have a deep fryer, however when I opened the box, the cord was missing. It was left at my parent’s place. We had to make do with the pot on the oven.

Linguine in Clam Sauce
(made by Jason)

1 lb of linguine
2 15 oz cans of clams with juice
olive oil
red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste

Prepare pasta as directed. Transfer to a pan. Add 2 cans clams with juice. Toss to coat. Add seasonings and olive oil to taste.
Jason, let me know if I forgot anything!

Carrot Cake Cupcakes
(made by me)

I made these the night before using an existing recipe. I let it cool overnight and let my guests have fun frosting their own designs. Some of them got a little carried away, so I can’t show those ;).

To make this, pour a scant 1/4 cup of batter into cupcake liners (about 3/4 full). Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

 

Espresso Chip Walnut Brownies
click here for link to post

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other dishes that were made but were camera shy:
Ragu – Homemade meat sauce (made by Jason)

Thanks to Allen for the photos!

Thanks to everyone who came over to eat!

Thanks to Jason for coming over and showing me new techniques. I’ll definitely work on my knife skills!

Can’t wait until next time!

Chicken Vegetable Barley Soup

We roasted a whole 6lb chicken the other night, and the next few days would be chicken leftovers of course. I also had vegetables and mushrooms and various beans, so when I saw the recipe from Allrecipes.com, I decided to try it. It was a great way for me to use up the leftovers and vegetables.

Chicken Vegetable Barley Soup
Adapted from: Allrecipes.com
Original recipe was halved

Ingredients:
1/2 cup slivered almonds (I omitted)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped (I used 1 small onion)
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms (I used baby portabellas)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped carrots (I had 1 extra carrot, so I added that in)
2-1/2 cups diced red potatoes
1-1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken
5 cups chicken broth (I used 3 cups broth and 2 cups water)
1/2 cup quick-cooking barley
1 tablespoon butter (I omitted)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (I used 1 tsp of dried)
salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:
If including the almonds, preheat oven to 400° F (200° C). Spread slivered almonds evenly over a baking sheet. Toast in preheated oven until golden brown and fragrant.

1. Heat the oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Cook onions, celery, mushrooms, and garlic in oil until onions are tender.

2. Stir in carrots, potatoes, chicken, and broth. Bring to a boil, then stir in barley. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.

3. Remove from heat, and stir in butter, parsley, and toasted almonds. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

This was the first time I’ve ever cooked with barley. I must admit, I’m not sure if I’m much of a fan. Sure, it kept me full for a while, but somehow in this soup, it was a little off. If I try this soup again, I will probably add more spices to it. Otherwise, I found it a little bland. It’s a good clear soup for detoxifying though…so Gary says.

Cumin Lentil Soup

When I saw this recipe for lentil soup on Someone's in the Kitchen with Brina... I knew I had to try it. I bought lentils previously to try a vegetarian meatloaf and still had half a lb left over. The lentil soups I’ve always had were from delis during lunch time, and they were always too salty. I liked this version because I had all the ingredients on hand (except for the onions, which I thought I had), and it looked fairly simple for a weeknight dinner.

I am also submitting this to Joelen’s Tasty Tools for February. This month’s event highlights the food processor.

Her original recipe called for 10 cups of water, which I already knew was way too much for the 2 of us. I halved the recipe and adapted it to what I had on hand.

Cumin Lentil Soup
Adapted from: Someone’s in the Kitchen with Brina…

Ingredients:
3 carrots, peeled and chopped*
2 celery ribs, chopped*
1 small onion, chopped (I realized I didn’t have any after I started, so I used 1 tsp onion powder)
1 1/2 cups green lentils
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 TBS vegetable oil
1 bay leaves
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups chicken stock (or water to make it vegetarian)
3 cups cold water

*I will admit that I cheated a little and did not chop the vegetables. I ended up putting the carrots, celery, and garlic in the food processor and pulsed it a few times. However some pieces were bigger than the others. I think it was better for me because this is the only way I can sneak celery into Gary’s meals (as I do with other vegetables too). He doesn’t like celery, but he gobbled this up. My secret to getting a picky eater to eat his vegetables!

Directions:
1. Sort and rinse lentils. Using a soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, and basil, and sweat for about 10 minutes.

2. Add the cumin, bay leaves, lentils and water. Stir and turn up heat until it boils. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 35 minutes.

3. Remove the bay leaves and season to taste, if you want more salt and pepper.

Split Pea Soup

Adapted from: Ina Garten, Food Network
Made by: Cathy

Growing up, I’ve never been a fan of peas. Whenever my mom made fried rice, she would always scoop a bowl out for me, sans peas, then added peas for everybody else. That’s how much I refused to eat peas. My brother on the other hand, loves peas, and cannot get enough of it!

Since living with Gary, we’ve adapted to each other’s tastes, and I’ve grown to tolerate peas. A couple of weeks ago, I saw a recipe for pea soup that took 10 minutes to make. It was for some diet/weight loss show. Since I was channel surfing, I didn’t get the name of the show, but it looked pretty simple.

My quest for pea soup started! Most of the recipes I found was for split pea soup, so I tried that instead. This definitely didn’t take 10 minutes, but it was good. Gary liked it, and he even compared it to Au Bon Pain soup…I take that as a compliment.

The recipe called for 8 cups of stock, so I halved the recipe. We both agreed it was a bit salty for our taste, so I ended up adding an extra cup of water. It may be the stock we used, but I will use less salt next time.

Ingredients:
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 medium-diced carrots
2 medium-diced potatoes
1 stalk celery diced
1 1/4 cup dried split green peas (half a bag)
4 cups chicken stock or water (one carton)
1 cup water

Directions:
1. In a small stockpot on medium heat, sauté the onions and garlic with the olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper until the onions are translucent, 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Add the carrots, potatoes, split peas, chicken stock, and water.

3. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 60 minutes. Skim off the foam while cooking. Stir frequently to keep the solids from burning on the bottom. Taste for salt and pepper. Serve hot, with bread or crackers.

Cream of Broccoli and Potato Soup

Adapted from: $5 Dinners
Made by: Cathy

I bought a huge bag of broccoli from BJ's that I needed to use up. We didn't have much leftovers from Thanksgiving, but there were loads of leftover recipes floating around. I took $5 Dinners' basic recipe for cream of broccoli soup and came up with this. I used leftover ingredients I had on hand.


Ingredients:
1-2 cups broccoli heads
2 medium potatoes, peeled, boiled and mashed (or leftover mashed potatoes)
2 1/4 cups of chicken broth
1 1/2 cups low fat half and half
1/2 cup light cream
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
salt and pepper
1/4 cup cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon garlic powder
a little extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
1. Peel and cut up the potatoes. In a pot of water, add the potatoes and a teaspoon of salt and boil until tender. Drain and mash up. Add to stockpot.
2. Meanwhile, cut the broccoli heads, finely chop the onions and celery. Toss into stockpot.
3. Add the liquids, stir well, bring to boil.
4. Add cheese, garlic powder, s&p to taste, drizzle with oil, then reduce heat and simmer. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
4. If necessary, blend with immersion hand blender.
5. Garnish with sour cream.

I don't have an immersion blender so ended up pouring it into a blender and blending on low. Transfer to a large bowl, then blend the rest. Combine it all again and mix well. I ended up making a mess because of the steam pressure in the blender caused the soup to spill out, even though I was holding on to the top.

Other than that mess, It was very tasty.

Watercress Soup

Made by: Cathy

Watercress soup has been one of my favorite soups growing up. It's fairly easy to make and is good for you. There are 2 ways to make this: simmer for hours with dates, meat, dried goji berries; or make a quick soup where the watercress is still actually edible. I like the latter, Gary likes the former. I was making it, so I did it my way.


Ingredients:
~3 quarts water
2 big bunches watercress
1 filet swai or catfish (you can also use fishballs, pork, chicken, or sliced beef)
salt
white pepper

Directions:
1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Reduce temperature to medium, add watercress to the pot. Cook for about 20-30 minutes.
2. Add the meat and continue to cook for another 10-15 minutes.
3. Add the salt and pepper to taste. Reduce to a simmer for another 5-10 minutes until the desired tenderness of the watercress.

It's a great quick weeknight soup that can be made fairly quickly.

Minestrone Soup, no wait, Just Pasta

Made by: Cathy

I started to call this Minestrone soup, but after it was done, it was more like a hearty pasta with tons of veges. It was still good of course, but I can't really call it a soup if there's not much broth to it in the end.

All ingredients were estimated.

Ingredients:
3 quarts water
5 teaspoon chicken bouillon
3-4 stalks of celery, sliced
4-5 carrots, sliced
3 potatoes, chopped
1 cup string beans, cut into 3/4 pieces
1 onion, halved and sliced
1 can, 28 oz crushed chunky tomatoes
1 bay leaf
3/4 ground turkey
2 cups elbow macaroni (uncooked) (or pasta of choice)
ground thyme, to taste
ground Italian seasoning, to taste

Directions:
1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add chicken bouillon to water and mix well.
2. Add the celery, carrots, potatoes, string beans, onion, bay leaf, and crushed tomatoes to the pot. Cover, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low and let simmer for about 30-40 minutes or until vegetables are semi tender.
3. Spray a pan with nonstick spray and brown the ground turkey.
4. Add the turkey, macaroni, and seasoning to the pot and stir. Cover, turn up the heat to medium-high and cook for another 8-10 minutes, or until pasta is done.
5. Remove bay leaf and serve.

None the less, it was yummy and easy. There was enough for leftovers for the next day.