2 14oz cans reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 9oz package refrigerated or frozen tortellini (more if your babies are pasta hogs!)
4oz chive and onion cream cheese
1 10.75 or 11oz can condensed tomato or tomato bisque soup
In a medium saucepan, bring broth to boiling. Add tortellini; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. In a bowl, whisk 1/3 cup of the hot broth into the cream cheese until smooth. Return all to saucepan along with tomato soup; heat through. Makes 4 servings.
Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens "Quick-Fix Family Favorites" - thanks Keek!
This truly is a favorite around here. Jeremiah asks me to make it regularly! I usually have the ingredients on hand and it's fairly inexpensive!
Ingredients:
Turkey bacon
1 T butter
half an onion
a clove of garlic
3 T AP flour
1 t salt
1 t dried basil flakes
1/2 t pepper
3 cups chicken broth
2 large baked potatoes, cooked and diced
1 cup half and half (whole milk works, too)
1/2 tsp hot sauce
sour cream and cheese to garnish
Directions:
Dice and then saute the turkey bacon (I use about half a package) and set aside. Melt butter in the pan and then cook the onions and garlic. Add the flour, salt, basil and pepper and stir to combine. Slowly add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Boil for a couple of minutes. Add potatoes, half and half and hot sauce. Allow to get hot, but not boil. Garnish and serve!
This soup is comforting and delicious but also very quick and versatile when dealing with dietary restrictions! This is a recipe easily made Vegetarian, Gluten Free, or Extra Hearty to fill even the hungriest diners! Hope you enjoy our favorite Minestrone Soup!
INGREDIENTS: 1 tbsp olive oil 1 pound buffalo/beef 1/2 yellow onion chopped 3-4 garlic cloves grated or chopped 1-2 carrots chopped 1-2 stalks celery chopped 6 cups chicken stock 1 can kidney beans 1 can cannelloni beans 1 large can tomato sauce 1 small can diced tomatoes (or I sometimes use chopped fresh tomatoes with the other fresh ingredients) 1 heaping tbsp oregano 1 tsp basil 1 tsp thyme 1 tsp marjoram 1 cup of mini shells pasta (or whatever kind you like)
DIRECTIONS: Using a large soup pot over medium-high heat brown the meat. Salt and pepper generously. Add the fresh ingredients and cook until tender. Add stock, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and beans. Bring these ingredients to a boil and then lower to simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Add the spices along with any salt and pepper right at the end. If serving immediately add the pasta at the end of cooking time and serve when pasta is al dente. Top your bowl with a healthy amount of Parmesan Cheese!
For the pasta portion I tend to do the following: Cook your pasta of choice separately in salted water until al dente. Add to the soup per bowl and then combine with cooled soup for storage. This keeps the pasta from getting overcooked and is also a way for me to keep this meal Gluten Free using Ancient Harvest GF Pasta and Kurt to get extra protein using his Barilla PLUS Pasta without having to make two separate dinners!
Again, this is one of those recipes where everyone has their own version. This just happens to be mine!
INGREDIENTS: 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 pound cubed beef or pork 1 onion, coarsely chopped Salt and pepper 1 32 ounce container chicken broth, plus 2 cups 1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained 4-6 potatoes, peeled and cubed 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Green chile, to taste (We use fresh roasted chile, peel it, coarsely chop, and leave the seeds. If you prefer, you can buy frozen green chile that is already prepared; however you may want to add some crushed red pepper or cayenne pepper if you want the heat.)
DIRECTIONS:
Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the meat. Salt and pepper generously. Cook until no longer pink. Push meat to the side of pot and add onion. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until onion is transparent. Add the broth, tomatoes, chile, potatoes and garlic powder. Cover and simmer over low heat until potatoes are cooked through. About one hour. Taste and add any additional seasonings. Serve with tortillas or, our favorite, Mimi's cornbread (recipe to come!).
It would putting it mildly to say that "pregnancy nesting" has kicked in. I am BEYOND nesting and I cannot stop cooking and freezing food. Jer thinks it's hilarious and has been (nicely) teasing me that I am preparing for a seven year famine! What can I say?! Welcoming this third baby just might bring exactly that! :)
Anyway, in in effort to multiply the fruits of my labor, I've been pouring through gads of recipes in search of tasty meals that freeze and reheat well. This King Arthur Beef Barley Soup fit the bill but beyond that, it was amazingly good! Nothing like the canned stuff! Although it was a bit cumbersome to make (lots of cooking/cutting/and clean-up) it made about 2 gallons of soup. Definitely worth it's work in finished weight!
If you're interested, I chose to pair it with King Arthur Flour's Soft White Dinner Rolls, but any soft dinner roll or crusty loaf would be just great!
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup (2 1/4 ounces) plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled and halved lengthwise
2 pounds beef chuck stew meat, cut into 1-inch chunks and patted dry (I increased this to 3 lbs because we like more meat!)
1/8 to 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 quarts beef stock or broth
1/2 pound medium pearled barley, rinsed in cool water and drained (NOT THE QUICK COOK!)
2 yellow onion, chopped
4 stalks celery, cleaned, trimmed, and cut into 1/2-inch slices
6 large carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch slices
6 large potatoes, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 28-ounce cans plum tomatoes, drained (I cut these up before adding)
DIRECTIONS:
NOTE: I didn't want to use my 10 quart stock pot-I feel like it takes too long to cook in and it cooks unevenly. Instead, I chose to use 2-5 quart stock pots. I cooked half of the meat in each pot and then added 2 1/2 quarts of broth to each pot. I split the rest of the ingredients between the pots as well and it worked just great!
I also chose to dredge my meat in flour (seasoned with s&p) which the recipe does not call for. I liked the end result. The broth seemed thicker than it would have otherwise been. I would definitely do that again!
Heat 1/2 cup olive oil over medium heat in a 10- to 12-inch skillet. Add the garlic and cook until golden. Using a slotted spoon, remove and discard the garlic. Working in batches, add a single layer of beef cubes to the skillet and sear on all sides. Remove each batch with a slotted spoon, and sprinkle with black pepper. Leave the remaining oil in the skillet, and set it aside.
In a 10-quart soup pot, bring the stock or broth to a simmer. Add the browned beef and rinsed barley, cover, and return to a full simmer. Reduce heat and cook gently for about 1 1/2 hours.
Return the skillet to medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Heat and add the onion, celery, carrots, and potatoes. Stir in the oregano and thyme. Cover the skillet and cook over very low heat for about 15 minutes.
Transfer the vegetables to the simmering soup, then add the chopped tomatoes. Simmer for 15 minutes before serving. Yield: about 22 servings.
Don't let the blah color fool you. This soup is inexpensive, freezes well, and goes along great with a BLT or as a first course for a fine meal!
INGREDIENTS: 4-6 slices bacon, chopped (use gluten free for a GF meal) 1 medium onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 2 1/2-3 1/2 cups of water 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon pepper 6-8 medium zucchini, sliced 1 16 oz. container sour cream*
DIRECTIONS: Cook bacon in large pot until light brown. Add onion and garlic, saute lightly in grease. Add remaining ingredients except sour cream. Simmer, uncovered, until zucchini is tender, about 15 minutes. Cool about 15 minutes and blend 2 cups at a time. Return to pot. Mix in sour cream* and reheat. Serve warm. Serves 4
NOTE* I opted to double the recipe and freeze half. In the event that you would like to do the same, refrain from adding the sour cream until you are ready to serve it.
An easy and tasty soup recipe from Whole Foods. Serve with a salad and crusty bread. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS: 2 tablespoons olive oil 2/3 cup diced carrot (about 1 (8-inch) large carrot) 1/2 cup diced celery (about 1 (11-inch) large stalk) 2/3 cup diced onion (about 1 medium onion) 4 cups cubed butternut squash (about 1 medium squash) 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme 4 to 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste DIRECTIONS:
Heat olive oil in a large soup pot. Add carrot, celery and onion. Cook until vegetables have begun to soften and onion turns translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add butternut squash and thyme. Stir to combine with vegetables. Stir in chicken broth and season with salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until squash is fork-tender, about 30 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree soup. Alternatively, let the soup cool slightly and carefully puree in batches in a traditional blender.
Variations:
Apple, Gorgonzola and Almond Follow recipe above and stir a cup of applesauce into pureed soup. Garnish each serving with a tablespoon crumbled Rogue Creamery Gorgonzola, a tablespoon of toasted whole almonds, a few slices of thinly sliced apple and a small sprig of fresh thyme.
Thai Flavors Stir a tablespoon red curry paste and 2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger into carrot, celery and onion mixture. Cook until vegetables are tender and ginger is aromatic. Add squash, cook until tender, then add broth and 1/2-cup light or regular coconut milk. Season with salt and pepper. Puree soup and garnish each serving with 1 or 2 pappadums, a tablespoon toasted coconut flakes and a tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro. NOTE: Pappadums are available on the snack food aisle.
Southwestern Spin Add a tablespoon chopped chipotles in adobo to carrot, celery and onion mixture. Cook until vegetables are tender. Add squash, cook until tender, then add broth. Season with salt and pepper. Puree soup and garnish each serving with 2 tablespoons crumbled queso fresco, a tablespoon cumin-toasted pumpkin seeds and a tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro. NOTE: Canned chipotles in adobo sauce are available on the Mexican food aisle.
