Homemade Chicken Soup...good for everything!

Thomas Keller's Chicken Soup was the next recipe Mr. Lawyer tackled while I was languishing away on the couch. Fall was official here and soup was just what the doctor ordered to keep the chill away. Mr. Lawyer did all the work while I read the recipe to him from my perch at the breakfast bar. We declared this our "Slow Food Day" because this recipe was from scratch and intense. Full disclaimer: we didn't make the dumplings. Mr. Lawyer was doing so much I didn't want to have him make dumplings too. We just added some noodles at the end and cooked them until they were done. But the dumpling recipe sounds divine. Even without making the dumplings there are a lot of steps. I think it took us two hours from start to finish. Don't be scared off! This soup is amazing and totally worth the effort. It was so rich and velvety and completely made me feel better about being useless.

Chicken Soup with Dumplings

(From Ad Hoc at Home by Thomas Keller)

*Note: I've italicized the dumpling parts to make it a little easier to follow*

Ingredients Part I:
1 tablespoon (1/2 ounce) unsalted butter
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 cup coarsely chopped celery
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
1 cup coarsely chopped leeks
Kosher salt

Ingredients Part II:

4 quarts Chicken Stock
5 stalks celery
3 large carrots
1 teaspoon honey
1 bay leaf
2 thyme sprigs
1 large garlic clove, crushed, skin left on
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup (about 4 ounces) Roux
2 cups cooked shredded chicken (dark or white meat)
1/4 cup minced chives
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
Flat-leaf parsley leaves

Ingredients for Dumplings:
1/2 cup water
4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon minced chives

Directions:
1. Melt the butter in an 8- to 10-quart stockpot over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, onions, and leeks, from Part I and season with salt, and cover with a parchment lid. Reduce the heat to low and cook very slowly, stirring occasionally, 30 to 35 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Remove and discard the parchment lid. Set pot to the side.
2. Make the dumplings: Fill a wide deep pot with salted water and bring to a simmer. Set up a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
3. Combine the water, butter, and 1 teaspoon of the salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, add the flour all at once, and stir rapidly with a stiff heatproof or wooden spoon until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan and the bottom of the pan is clean. The dough should be glossy and smooth but still moist; enough moisture must evaporate from the dough to allow it to absorb more fat when the eggs are added. Continue to stir for 4 to 5 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent the dough from coloring; a thin coating of dough will form on the bottom and sides of the pan. When enough moisture has evaporated, steam will rise from the dough and the nutty aroma of cooked flour will be noticeable.
4. Immediately transfer the dough to the mixer bowl. Add the mustard and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and mix for a few seconds to incorporate the ingredients and release some of the heat. With the mixer on the lowest speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating until the first egg is completely incorporated before adding the second and incorporating it. Then add the chives and incorporate. Remove the bowl from the mixer.
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Shape the dumplings using two soup spoons to make a quenelle shape, dropping them into the simmering water. Cook the dumplings in batches of about 6 to avoid crowding the pot and allow them to cook evenly. Once the dumplings rise to the surface, it will take about 5 minutes for them to cook; remove one and break it open to make sure it is cooked. With a slotted spoon, transfer the dumplings to the baking sheet, and cook the remaining dumplings. (You will have about 18 dumplings.)
6. Once the dumplings have cooled, trim any uneven edges with scissors.
7. Finish the soup: Add the chicken stock to the vegetables and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes, then strain the soup base into another pot and discard the vegetables.
8. Peel the celery stalks with a peeler. Cut each stalk crosswise on the diagonal into thin slices about 11/2 inches long. As you get to the wider lower part of the stalk, adjust the angle of your knife to keep the pieces relatively the same size. You need about 1 1/2 cups celery for this recipe (reserve any extra for another use). Cook the celery in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender. Drain, cool in an ice bath, and drain again.
9. Cut the carrots lengthwise into quarters and then crosswise into bite-sized pieces. As each carrot widens, adjust the size of the cut to keep the pieces bite sized. You need about 1 1/2 cups carrots for this recipe (reserve any extra for another use).
10. Put the carrots in a saucepan, add the honey, bay leaf, thyme, garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper, and cover with cold water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the carrots are tender but slightly resistant to the tooth. Drain and transfer to paper towels.
11. Bring the soup base to a simmer and whisk in the roux a little at a time until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon; you may not use all the roux. Simmer for 30 minutes, skimming often—this is necessary to remove all impurities from the roux. (The soup will continue to thicken as it simmers.)
12. Add the dumplings, chicken, carrots, celery, and chives to the soup and heat through. Season with the vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.
13.Transfer to a large serving bowl and sprinkle with parsley leaves.

Potato Soup

Last weekend was miserable. It rained for almost three days. But a good rainy weekend is good for a few things: staying in your pjs, binge watching netflix, reading in bed, and soup! I thought this was a pretty good potato soup recipe but then I have no experience making potato soup. I've had some very good restaurant potato soup but I'm sure they put a ton of unhealthy things in it instead of just half a ton. I used our Dinosaur BBQ Cajun Foreplay Seasoning and it was divine.

Please excuse my messy stovetop!

 It was served up with some Cabot cheddar, homemade bacon bits, and nice crusty bread.

Potato Soup

(from the Pioneer Woman)

Ingredients:
6 slices Thin Bacon, Cut Into 1-inch Pieces
1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
3 whole Carrots, Scrubbed Clean And Diced
3 stalks Celery, Diced
6 whole Small Russet Potatoes, Peeled And Diced
8 cups Low Sodium Chicken Or Vegetable Broth
3 Tablespoons All-purpose Flour
1 cup Milk
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
1/2 teaspoon Salt, More To Taste
Black Pepper To Taste
1/2 teaspoon Cajun Spice Mix
1 teaspoon Minced Fresh Parsley
1 cup Grated Cheese Of Your Choice
Directions:
1. Add bacon pieces to a soup pot over medium heat and cook bacon until crisp and fat is rendered. Remove the bacon from the pot and set it aside. Pour off most of the grease, but do not clean the pot.
2. Return the hot to medium-high heat and add the onions, carrots, and celery. Stir and cook for 2 minutes or so, then add the diced potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, seasoning with salt, pepper, and Cajun spice.
3. Pour in the broth and bring it to a gentle boil. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are starting to get tender. Whisk together the flour and the milk, then pour into the soup and allow the soup to cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Remove half to 2/3 the soup and blend in a blender/food process until completely smooth. Pour it back into the soup pot and stir to combine. Let it heat back up as you taste for seasonings, adding more of what it needs. Stir in cream, then stir in parsley, reserving a little for garnish.
5. Serve in bowls garnished with parsley, grated cheese and crisp bacon pieces.

Soup & Salad

I felt inspired to whip up a batch of my Tomato-Barley Soup.It was a clean out the kitchen pot of soup so I swapped the chicken broth for turkey stock, there was less barley and I added a good shot of sriracha. 

Yum yum!

Don't forget the grilled cheese croutons!

Corn & Cheese Chowder

A good pot and wooden spoon (made by my little brother!) always result in some amazing kitchen inspiration.

This Corn & Cheese Chowder is amazing. It's very flavorful and delicious. Topping it with bacon and gorgonzola adds depth, richness, and a hint of saltiness. I combined it with a Roast Poblano & Cheddar grilled cheese on sourdough. In my mind I thought roasted peppers and corn are always paired together. Dipping the grilled cheese into the chowder brought it to a whole other level. I'll be adding this to the soup rotation but maybe only for special occasions as it is very rich and not so healthy.

 It was also an excellent reason to use my soup and sandwich plates!

Corn & Cheese Chowder

(Pinterest find! from howsweeteats.com)

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
4 tablespoon flour
3 cups chicken stock
4 cups frozen sweet corn
4 ounces sharp aged cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup half and half
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
2 ounces gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
Directions:
1. Heat a large pot over medium-low heat and add the olive oil and butter. Once melted, add in the onions, garlic, salt and pepper, stirring to coat. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes until the onions softened. 

2. Increase the heat to medium and add in the flour, whisking constantly for 1 to 2 minutes until it is evenly dispersed to create a roux. Cook the roux until it is fragrant and begins to turn golden in color.

3. Pour in the chicken stock, whisking constantly. Add in the corn. Increase the heat to medium-high and stir until the liquid thickens a bit. Bring the soup to a boil and cover, then reduce it to a simmer and let it cook for 10 minutes. 

4. Remove the lid and stir in the half and half and the cheddar. Stir continuously until the cheese melts. Add in the nutmeg and taste the soup. Season it additionally with salt and pepper if desired.
5. Serve immediately with crumbled bacon and gorgonzola on top.

Tomato-Barley Soup

I am in love with the sight of this Le Creuset pot on my stove.

 I wanted to make tomato soup and grilled cheese last night (with my homemade chicken stock!) but I didn't have enough cheese for the sandwiches (the horror!). To make the soup more filling I decided to add in barley instead of orzo (because I also didn't have orzo). It was delicious and satisfying. The homemade chicken stock makes a big difference. Just what we needed for a chilly and thrilling Friday evening at home!

Tomato-Barley Soup 

(Adapted from my Tomato-Orzo Soup)

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons good olive oil
3 cups yellow onions, chopped (2 onions)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
4 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 (28-ounce) can crushed or diced tomatoes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup barley

Directions:
1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Stir in the chicken stock, tomatoes, salt (to taste) and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

2. Use an immersion blender to blend soup to the desired consistency. For a chunkier soup skip this step.
3. Add the barley to the soup and simmer until barley is cooked, about 45 minutes. 

4. Top with parmesan cheese or grilled cheese croutons!

Soup & Salad

It's been a soup and salad type of week.

Mr. Lawyer makes the best Minestrone.

Mr. Lawyer's Minestrone

(this is his base recipe, he's always throwing in whatever is in the fridge!)

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base (He swears by it!)
2 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
2 cups water
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans
1 diced onion
1 (16 ounce) package of frozen veggies (he gets one with carrots, peas, green beans, and lima beans)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dry basil
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup uncooked pasta (we like ditalini) **see note**
Directions:
1. Throw everything except the pasta in a pot and bring to a boil.
2. Add pasta and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

**Note: we like to cook the pasta separate and add what we need to our individual bowls. If you have leftovers and it's all mixed together the pasta soaks up all the broth! Better to keep them separate.**

Chickpea Soup!

The weather took a turn towards the chilly side of things so a soup was to be made. I totally winged this soup and used only what I had at home. I based the first part, or the soup base, off of my much loved Tomato-Orzo Soup recipe. Then I added chickpeas and red pepper flakes instead of tomatoes and orzo. It came out better than I expected. I'm sure using the homemade chicken stock played a large part in that, it's just so flavorful! I wish I had some greens or something to add to it but I wasn't running out to the store. A side of garlic-cheddar biscuits accompanied this steaming bowl of goodness.

Chickpea Soup!

(from my kitchen!)

Ingredients:

4 cups chicken broth

2 cans of chickpeas, rinsed

1 onion
5 cloves of garlic
Red pepper flakes
Fresh cracked pepper & salt (I did not add any salt)
Olive oil
Directions:
1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Stir in the chicken stock, chickpeas, red pepper flakes, cracked pepper and, salt (to taste). 3. Bring the soup to a boil then lower the heat and let it simmer until the chickpeas are on the softer side. If you want to mash or puree part of it for a thicker broth now is the time to do so!

1st Married Meal!

Our 1st homemade meal as a married couple was my Tomato-Orzo Soup except I swapped out the orzo for ravioli. Yum yum!

It was delicious.

Crockpot Lentil Soup

Another yummy soup recipe courtesy of pinterest. I loved the lentil and chickpea combination. I also used my immersion blender for the first time! It was much better than using a blender and splattering soup all over the kitchen.

Red Lentil, Chickpea, and Tomato Soup with Smoked Paprika

(Pinterest find! From kalynskitchen.com)

Ingredients:
1 large yellow onion, diced small
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 cup red lentils
2 cans chickpeas, rinsed
5 cups chicken broth
2 cans petite dice tomatoes with juice (14.5 oz. can)
Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in frying pan and saute the diced onion until it's soft and starting to brown lightly, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, smoked paprika, sweet paprika, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper and saute 2-3 minutes more, or until spices are fragrant.
2. Add onion-spice mixture to CrockPot, then rinse out the frying pan with 1 cup of the stock and add to crockpot along with red lentils, rinsed chickpeas, and rest of stock. Cook on high for 2-3 hours, or until lentils are starting to soften and dissolve into the soup.
3. When lentils are starting to soften, add the 2 cans of diced tomatoes with juice. Cook for 1-2 hours more on high, or until the lentils and chickpeas are both quite soft. Then remove about 1/2 the soup to a bowl. Puree the soup you removed using an immersion blender, food processor, or blender.
4. Stir the pureed soup back into the soup in the CrockPot; taste and add more salt or fresh ground black pepper if desired. Let soup cook about 15 minutes more before serving.

Battle of the Jalapeno Soups!

I've decided that I'm kitchen bipolar or something. Oh hey, it's 95 degrees and humid as heck? Why yes I feel compelled to make not one, but two different batches of soup that involve roasting jalapenos and while we're at it why don't we wash all the bedding (two hot dryer loads), clean and rotate the mattress, and hang the comforter out to air. Let's not forget the part where I refuse to turn on the AC for just me. Luckily having the shades drawn and fans blasting kept things pretty cool (except for the kitchen part). Mrs. T loaded me up with a ton of extra jalapenos and cheese at the end of our shore excursion so my mission today was to use them up. Enter....

THE BATTLE OF THE JALAPENO SOUPS!

An overview: both soups were divine. One was a healthier roasted jalapeno soup and the other was billed as a not so healthy jalapeno popper soup. They were both wonderful in their own ways but were significantly different. I served each with an equal amount of shredded cabot cheddar and crumbled bacon. Divine.
Soup #1: Roasted Jalapeno Soup. This one was lighter and did a great job at highlighting the roasted jalapeno flavor. It had a more earthy and vegetable flavor due to the carrot and onion base. The texture was thicker and creamier due to the blending. If you added a bit of cheddar cheese it would be spot on.
Soup #2: Jalapeno Popper Soup. Very decadent and rich. It tasted more like a cheese soup with jalapenos added in. It was very thin and watery to start with so I whisked in some flour and blended it. This improved the texture a lot and helped the cream cheese to incorporate instead of blobbing around.

The winner?!

My Vote: Roasted Jalapeno!

Mr. Lawyer's Vote: Jalapeno Popper!

As I said they were both delicious. I felt the roasted did a better job highlighting the jalapeno flavor but Mr. Lawyer thought it was a little on the bland side. The jalapeno popper was a decadent treat that should be used as a fondue side dish. There is no way I could have eaten a whole bowl of the jalapeno popper soup (Mr. Lawyer said he could which is probably why his cholesterol was not so hot).

Jalapeno Popper on the left and Roasted Jalapeno on the right.

Roasted Jalapeno Soup

(Adapted from chocolatemoosey.com)

Ingredients:
4 green jalapeno peppers
1/2 cup carrots, peeled and chopped (about 2 carrots)
1/2 cup onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp butter, softened
1/4 cup flour
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400F.  Cut each jalapeno in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and membrane. Place them face down onto the cookie sheet. Roast for 10-15 minutes or until slightly darkened. When cool enough to handle, chop.
2. In a medium sauce pot, heat the olive oil. When hot, saute the carrots, onion, and garlic for about 5 minutes or until the carrots and onions start to soften.
3. Add in the butter. Once the butter has melted, stir in the flour until everything is coated. Stir in the chopped jalapenos. Slowly stir in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Then stir in the heavy cream and bring back to a boil. Turn the heat down to simmer and cook until the soup has thickened, about 5-7 minutes.
4. When the soup has thickened, turn off the heat. If using an immersion blender, blend the soup directly in the pan. If using a regular blender, add about half the mixture then puree until smooth. Add the rest of the soup then puree until smooth. Pour back into the sauce pan.

Jalapeno Popper Soup

(Adapted from ibreatheimhungry.com)

Ingredients:
4 slices raw bacon
4 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cups water or chicken broth
2 tablespoons salsa verde (I subbed onions)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
4 large jalapeno peppers
Directions:
1. Cook the bacon in a medium saucepan until crisp – remove and chop for garnish and set aside. 

2. In the same pan, along with the bacon grease, add the heavy cream, water or broth, and cream cheese. Simmer gently, stirring often, until the cream cheese and butter have melted and the liquid is smooth. 

3. Whisk in the garlic powder, salsa verde and shredded cheeses until completely incorporated. 4. Meanwhile, wash the jalapenos and broil or grill them until softened and charred. Remove the skins and seeds and chop finely. Add to the soup and cook for about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and serve garnished with chopped bacon.

Now go make some homemade soup! It's super easy.

Happy Easter!

One of my favorite things about Easter? Mr. Lawyer's once a year split-pea soup! I actually think that the fiesta makes it look more appetizing...it's really hard to make pea soup look not gross. I might have spent ten minutes trying to figure out which color would be the most attractive. This is one of the dishes that Mr. Lawyer made in law school that won me over. It's delicious. He tried making it with a pork chop once and it wasn't the same. So every year we wait for the Easter ham bone and then we indulge in this amazing soup!

Winter Split Pea Soup

(by Mr. Lawyer, from Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Recipes for Two)

Ingredients:
1 2/3 cups green split peas
5 cups chicken broth
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 medium sized carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 leftover bone from a small ham
1/2 cup frozen petit green peas, thawed
Salt to taste
Directions:
1. Place split peas in the slow cooker; add the broth, onion, carrot, and celery. Stir to combine. Nestle the ham bone in the center of the crock. Cover and cook on LOW for 7.5 to 9.5 hours, until the split peas are completely tender.
2. Remove the bone and shred the meat off it. Stir the soup well for a chunky soup or puree in a blender for a smooth soup. Add the petit peas and shredded ham and cook for another 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt.

Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese

It's a little bit chilly out and this sandwich provided a little bit of heat. I made a batch of my Tomato-Orzo Soup (I omitted the cream). It's almost gone, clearly still a favorite. This Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese was spot on. It actually tasted like a popper! They are a bit on the rich side so I don't think you could have more than one. It was really fun (and easy!) roasted the peppers. It added a nice smokiness. I also baked my bacon on a wire rack so it wasn't soaking up the grease. The perfect lunch for a chilly day!

Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese

(Pinterest find!)

Ingredients for 2 sandwiches:
2 jalapeno peppers

4 pieces of bacon
4 slices of good bread
1 tablespoon butter
4 tablespoons cream cheese
Cheddar cheese, desired amount
Directions:

1. Broil the peppers on a baking sheet for 10-15 minutes, until blackened. Remove from oven and place peppers in a zip-lock bag. Once cool, peel off the skins, cut in half, and remove the seeds. Cook the bacon to the desired crispness. 

2. Butter the outside of bread and spread the cream cheese on the inside. On each sandwich layer 1 sliced up jalapeno, 2 slices of bacon, and cheddar cheese.

3. Grill your cheese! Serve with soup.

White Bean Soup!

This soup was good in a healthy sort of way, has a bit of an earthy taste. It's all beans and veggies so there is nothing unhealthy to give it that delicious flavor pop....like bacon. I liked it, especially with a shot of hot sauce. Mr. Lawyer was not a huge fan I think but is still eating it because it is healthy. It was an interesting change but it doesn't come close to our delicious and favorite tomato-orzo soup!

White Bean Soup

(from epicurious) 

Ingredients:
2 cups dried Great Northern or other small white beans, rinsed and picked over
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only)
1 large tomato, halved, seeded, and chopped
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
8 garlic cloves, chopped
6-8 cups homemade chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth, or more as needed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup half-and-half
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Put the beans in a large pot, add enough water to cover the beans by 2 inches, and let soak overnight. Drain.
2. Heat the olive oil in the same pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, leeks, tomato, carrots, celery, and garlic and sauté until tender, about 6 minutes. Add the beans, chicken stock, thyme, and rosemary and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the beans are very tender, about 1 hour.
3. Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender until smooth. Return the soup to the pot and add the half-and-half, then add more chicken stock to thin the soup if needed, and reheat the soup if necessary. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Turkey and Rice Soup

I think I'm getting the hang of this leftover refrigerator soup thing. Grandpa Norm would be proud. I actually wanted to try this fancy looking turkey and squash soup recipe but Mr. Lawyer wanted something more traditional. Enter the leftover turkey, leftover brown rice I had frozen, some random baby carrots, and an onion that I didn't use from last week. The only thing I had to run out and purchase was celery. The leftover celery was put to use on our hummus platter and a couple of sticks found the peanut butter. I managed to create a delicious (and basic) turkey and rice soup.

Turkey and Rice Soup

(from my kitchen!)

Ingredients:
2 cups leftover turkey, cut into small pieces
2 stalks of celery, diced
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, diced (or in my case, baby carrots)
4 cups chicken broth (low sodium!)
1 cup cooked rice (I used brown rice)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions:
1. Heat up olive oil in a large pot. Add celery, onion, and carrot. Saute for 5 minutes or until the veggies start to soften.
2. Add broth, rice, and turkey. Mix together and simmer until hot (and your house smells delicious!). Season to taste...my taste involved a good squirt of Sriracha sauce!

Hurricane Chili!

In August 2011 during Hurricane Irene I made some fabulous Hurricane Potato Soup. This time around I went with some Hurricane Chicken Taco Chili and it was a hit. I will definitely be adding this to my chili recipe rotation. It was chock full of beans, the corn was a nice touch, and the spice was spot on. It's from a healthy recipe site and was created with weight watchers in mind so it's super healthy! 

I also made my own taco seasoning. So fancy! I loved it so much that I will be making a larger batch to keep on hand. It's easy to customize if you want more or less spice and if you're concerned about sodium you can tweak the amount of salt (or completely omit it), something you can't do with pre-packaged taco seasoning!

Homemade Taco Seasoning

(adapted from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (some versions use cayenne pepper)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin (I used 1/2 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
1. In a small bowl, mix together chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Store in an airtight container.

Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili

(adapted from skinnytaste.com)

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped
1 16-oz can black beans
1 16-oz can kidney beans
1 16-oz can tomato sauce
10 oz package frozen corn kernels
2 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes w/chilies (I used Hunts diced tomatoes with zesty jalapenos!)
1 packet taco seasoning (I used two tablespoons homemade seasoning)
1 tbsp cumin (I only used 1 teaspoon)
1 tbsp chili powder
24 oz. (3) boneless skinless chicken breasts (I only used two and it was fine)
chili peppers, chopped (optional)
chopped fresh cilantro, cheese, sour cream for serving
Directions:
1. Combine beans, onion, chili peppers, corn, tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder and taco seasoning in a slow cooker. Place chicken on top and cover. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. (**I sliced my chicken breasts into smaller strips to reduce the cooking time**)

2. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Top with fresh cilantro. Also try it with low fat cheese and sour cream.

Crock Pot Soup

It's been a soup week and I'm loving it! Wednesday I made a crock pot full of Savory Bean and Spinach Soup (the leftovers have been good too). It's a perfectly fine soup, it just tastes healthy (the site said it had 150 calories per serving!). As you can see from the ingredient list there is not any one ingredient to give it that pop of flavor so I added a good shot of Sriracha sauce to mine. I would also add another can of beans to it because there weren't enough in each spoonful for me. So it could be a keeper with a couple of additions.

Savory Bean and Spinach Soup

(Pinterest find! From fitnessmagazine.com)

Ingredients:
3 14-ounce cans vegetable broth
1 15-ounce can tomato puree
1 15-ounce can small white beans or Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves, chopped
8 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach or kale leaves
Finely shredded Parmesan cheese
Directions :
1. In a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker, combine vegetable broth, tomato puree, beans, rice, onion, basil, salt, pepper, and garlic.
2. Cover; cook on low-heat setting 5 to 7 hours or on high-heat setting 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours.
3. Just before serving, stir in spinach or kale and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Perfect Sunday Afternoon

Nothing like a chilly, lazy Sunday afternoon with soup simmering on the stove and football noise in the background. We liked this soup more than the Tomato-Basil Soup I made in the spring and Mr. Lawyer declared it a keeper. It was quite tasty and while turning your grilled cheese into croutons is completely unnecessary, it was fun. We used a delicious Pepperidge Farms sourdough and Cooper cheese ("because that's what mom always gets"-Mr. Lawyer), a winning combination.

Recipe Notes: 1/2 cup of orzo doesn't look like a lot but it will puff up and soak up some liquid. The original recipe called for 1 tablespoon of salt which is a ton! I changed it to taste. I also used diced tomatoes and it was fine. If you wanted to be more healthy you could probably omit the cream. I was tasting as I went and the soup tasted fine before adding it, I don't think it made it very creamy texture wise. Obviously I omitted the saffron because I'd rather pay our utility bill this month.

Check out my new Fiesta bowl totally rocking this soup!

Tomato-Orzo Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

(Adapted from Ina Garten, Food Network Magazine)

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons good olive oil
3 cups yellow onions, chopped (2 onions)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
4 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano (I used diced)
Large pinch of saffron threads (I omitted this)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup orzo
1/2 cup heavy cream
Grilled Cheese Croutons
Directions:
1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Stir in the chicken stock, tomatoes, saffron, salt (to taste) and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, fill a medium pot with water, add 2 teaspoons salt and bring to a boil. Add the orzo and cook for 7 minutes. (It will finish cooking in the soup.) Drain the orzo and add it to the soup. Stir in the cream, return the soup to a simmer and cook for 10 more minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Serve hot with Grilled Cheese Croutons scattered on top.

Grilled Cheese Croutons

Ingredients:
4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices country white bread
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
Directions:
1. Heat a panini grill. Place the four slices of bread on a cutting board and brush lightly with the melted butter, being sure to butter the corners. Turn the slices over and pile Gruyere on two of the slices. Place the remaining two slices of bread on top of the Gruyere, buttered sides up.
2. Grill the sandwiches on the panini grill for about 5 minutes, until nicely browned. Place on a cutting board, allow to rest for 1 minute and cut into 1-inch cubes.

Soup Love!

I know it's not really soup weather but I really wanted some. Plus it seemed to fit the whole salad theme we were going with and I already had all the ingredients (how the hell did MORE celery end up in my fridge?!). This soup was good! And the crock pot makes it easy. I also got to use my sweet soup and sandwich tray so it's a winner in my book. I added some leftover noodles to my bowl and it was even better, I highly recommend it!

Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup

(Pinterest find! From Utah Mama Blog)

Ingredients:
2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, with juice
1 cup finely diced celery
1 cup finely diced carrots
1 cup finely diced onions
1 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 tablespoon fresh oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil or 1/4 cup fresh basil
4 cups chicken broth
½ bay leaf
½ cup flour
1 cup Parmesan cheese
½ cup butter
2 cups half and half, warmed
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
Leftover noodles (optional)
Directions:
1. Add tomatoes, celery, carrots, chicken broth, onions, oregano, basil, and bay leaf to a large slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook on LOW for 5-7 hours, until flavors are blended and vegetables are soft.
3. About 30 minutes before serving prepare a roux. Melt butter over low heat in a skillet and add flour. Stir constantly with a whisk for 5-7 minutes. Slowly stir in 1 cup hot soup. Add another 3 cups and stir until smooth. Add all back into the slow cooker. Stir and add the Parmesan cheese, warmed half and half, salt and pepper. Add additional basil and oregano if needed.
4. Cover and cook on LOW for another 30 minutes or so until ready to serve.

Coffee and Soup

Do you know what I love about the week after Easter? HAM BONE! Almost every year Mr. Lawyer steals the ham bone (Sorry Mrs. T!) and makes his delicious Split-Pea Soup. He has made it four times now: three with the ham bone and once with pork chop (which was subpar!). I haven't found a way to make the picture look pretty but let me tell you, it's delicious. The recipe is HERE.

And now for a recipe I'm not too sure about: Iced Coffee. It didn't blow me away but I was resistant to dumping in cups of sugar. I've made two cups so far, one was plain and the other I added 2 tablespoons of sugar. You couldn't taste the sugar....it makes me scared to think of how much sugar and stuff that the coffee shops add to it!! Cold brewing the coffee was fun, I used some Cinnabon flavored coffee that had been in the freezer a while and I like the flavor it added (duh, that's the point of flavored coffee). It was a nice after school pick me up but it stills needs some tweaking.

Iced Coffee

(From the Pioneer Woman)

Ingredients
1 pound Ground Coffee
8 quarts Cold Water
Half-and-half
Sweetened Condensed Milk or Sugar (2-3 Tablespoons Per Serving)
Note: Can Use Skim Milk, 2% Milk, Whole Milk, Sugar, Artificial Sweeteners, Syrups...adapt To Your Liking!
Directions:
1. In a large container, mix ground coffee with water. Cover and allow to sit at room temperature eight hours or overnight.
2. Line a fine mesh strainer with cheesecloth and set over a pitcher or other container. Pour coffee/water mixture through the strainer, allowing all liquid to run through. Discard grounds.
3. Place coffee liquid in the fridge and allow to cool. Use as needed.
4. To make iced coffee, pack a glass full of ice cubes. Fill glass 2/3 full with coffee liquid. Add healthy splash of half-and-half. Add 2-3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk (can use plain sugar instead) and stir to combine. Taste and adjust half-and-half and/or sweetened condensed milk as needed.

Before the stir...

Boy Meets Stew

Obviously February is not my month for kitchen inspiration. Throw in this lingering cold and before you know it my poor kitchen is languishing away. Luckily for me a very cute lawyer has stepped up to the plate the past few days to make me homemade cookies, order me dumplings from downstairs, make waffles and turkey bacon, and make a whole crock pot of beef stew which has sustained us for three days. Oh yeah, and get me pretty orange flowers (and not for Valentines!).

Simple set up: beef, potatoes, green pepper, onion, and a beef stew spice packet. The crock pot is essential because the beef was all nice and fall apart tender which doesn't always happen if you make it quickly in a pot.