Soups/Stew

Old Fashioned Beef Stew

• 2 lbs. beef stew meat, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 tbs. oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbs. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup beef bouillon
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 6 carrots, peeled and sliced or quartered
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 4 potatoes, peeled and cut into eighths
• 12 small white onions
• 2 medium turnips, peeled and quartered (optional)
• 4 cups water
• 1 cup cooked okra (optional)

Coat meat with flour; set excess flour aside. In large skillet or slow-cooking pot with browning unit, heat oil. Brown meat on all sides. In slow-cooking pot, combine browned beef, bay leaf, Worcestershire sauce, chopped onion, bouillon, pepper, salt, sugar, and vegetables. Pour water over all. Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours. Turn control on high. Thicken with flour left over from coating (about 1/4 cup) dissolved in a small amount of water. Add okra if desired. Cover and cook on high 10 to 15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

It was delicious! My husband had seconds so I think he liked it too.

Potato Cheese Soup

• 4 cups diced potatoes
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1/4 cup chopped parsnip
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped carrot
• 1 quart(32 oz) chicken broth
• 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 pound Cheddar cheese, cubed

1. In a large pot over medium heat, combine potatoes, celery, parsnips, onion, carrots and broth. Stir in marjoram, salt and pepper and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
2. Puree in batches in a blender or food processor or using an immersion blender. Return to pan, adjust seasonings, and bring to a boil. Stir in cheese until just melted. Remove from heat and serve.

This is where I got the recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Revas-Potato-Cheese-Soup/Detail.aspx

Garlic Soup

• Olive oil – 2 1/2 tbsp
• Garlic – 16-18 cloves, peeled
• Chicken stock – 4 cups
• Egg yolks – 3
• Nutmeg – a good pinch
• Bacon fat – 1/2 tbsp (optional)
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Thick slices of bread, toasted

With the knob turned between ‘medium’ and ‘low’, gently heat 2 tbsps of oil. Add the garlic to this and cook until softened considerably (could take from twenty minutes to a half hour).

Pour in the chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper and grate in the nutmeg. Allow the mixture to come to a simmer and then heat for fifteen to twenty minutes.

Blend the soup until it is smooth. Return to the heat.

In a bowl, beat the egg yolks together. Add in the 1/2 tbsps of bacon fat and olive oil and whisk some more. Then slowly beat in about 1/4 cup of the heated soup mixture into the eggs, whisking continuously.

Now, pour the egg yolk mixture into the garlic-chicken stock soup vessel, beating continuously. In a minute or two, the soup will thicken slightly. Continue to heat at a low temperature until cooked through.

Pour the soup into a bowl and put in a toasted piece of bread on top. Serve immediately.


Yikes! If you really like Garlic, this is the soup for you! I like it but not to the point that this soup has. I literally couldn't eat it because the garlic was SO strong. Maybe I did something wrong or maybe I just do not like this soup. Either way this is where I got the recipe: http://cheekychilli.wordpress.com/2010/01/18/smells-like-teen-spirit/

Broccoli Soup

• 4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 pounds fresh broccoli
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup cream

1. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in heavy medium pot over medium-high heat. Add broccoli, onion, carrot, salt and pepper and saute until onion is translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute, until the flour reaches a blonde color. Add stock and bring to boil.

2. Simmer uncovered until broccoli is tender, about 15 minutes. Pour in cream. With an immersion blender, puree the soup. Add salt and pepper, to taste, and then replace the lid back on the pot.

I have to thank the Neelys' for this recipe. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/down-home-with-the-neelys/broccoli-soup-recipe/index.html

It was very good. I topped it with cheddar and pepper jack cheese. I recommend it and make sure to read the reviews, some of them were helpful since I couldn't find a video.

Pot Roast

• 1 small rump roast
• 4 small yukon gold potatoes
• 4 carrots
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon Lawry's seasoning salt (use more if you're brave and not afraid of spice)
• 1 small onion (optional)

1. Make sure the roast is thawed beforehand.
2. Peel carrots and potatoes and slice lengthwise.
3. Put roast, potatoes and carrots in a crock pot.
4. Add the water and seasoning on top(make sure to spread the seasoning evenly over your meat and vegetables).
5. Turn your crockpot on low for about 8 hours or high for 4-5 hours, until it is cooked through and the meat is tender.

This is super easy, super simple to clean up. I guess it wouldn't be considered a recipe because there's nothing to it. It was just how mom makes it :)

White Bean & Sausage Soup

This soup was a life saver! My brother brought some friends over and I was planning on making this soup anyways but it made A LOT and I am grateful I had so many people to feed it to! Everyone had seconds!

This recipe comes from: http://thegirlwhoateeverything.blogspot.com/2010/03/stephs-white-bean-and-sausage-soup.html

Thank you, thank you to the creator!

4 (15 oz) cans of white cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 (32 oz) cans or boxes of chicken broth
2 (28 oz) cans Italian style diced tomatoes
2 lbs mild Italian sausage (I used hot sausage. I think it makes the soup)
2 oz fresh basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook sausage in frying pan until cooked through. In large pot, add sausage and then add all other ingredients. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

(I made this in a large pot and there was so much liquid it almost overflowed! My suggestion is to strain the tomatoes or put half of the can of juice). It was very good! We all enjoyed it very much!

Basil & Squash Soup

Because I tend to use what I have when I cook I adapted the recipe from here~ http://cakebatterandbowl.com/zucchini-basil-soup.html
to make my basil squash soup.

Here is the recipe I made~

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup chopped shallots
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 large squash, shredded with a coarse cheese grater (4 cups)
• 1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 cup chopped basil leaves (dried)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large stockpot and sauté shallots for 5 to 7 minutes or until soft; add garlic and sauté 1 additional minute.
2. Add 3 1/2 cups shredded zucchini, potato pieces, and stock and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
3. Stir in basil and salt and puree soup until smooth with an immersion blender. Scoop soup into 4 bowls and garnish with remaining 1/2 cup shredded zucchini. Makes 4 servings.

It is not a very pretty soup but the flavors really work well together. I topped it with pepper jack cheese (that gives it a little kick). I love soup, have I mentioned that? Well I do! It's the best and I will make it in any type of weather (it's been 100+ here in Southern California). Thank you for the recipe (even though I changed it) ;) 

 Crockpot Taco Soup

This recipe comes from: http://southernfood.about.com/od/crockpotsoup/r/bl55c7.htm

This recipe is a winner! It isn't really like soup, it's more like chili, but it's spicy, delicious and so easy to make! Give it a try! It is worth it!

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans
• 1 can (11 to 15 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 10 oz can Rotel tomatoes
• 1 envelope taco seasoning
• 1 (28 oz) can tomatoes
• 1 sm can chopped chile peppers (4 ounces)
• 1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans
• 1 envelope Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing

1. Brown the ground beef; drain well. Add remaining ingredients and stir. simmer in slow cooker on LOW for 6 to 8 hours. serve with tortilla chips or Mexican cornbread.
2.  

Ground Turkey Soup

This is the kind of soup that's hard to name because it has so many components!

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion (chopped)
• 4 potatoes (quartered)
• 6 carrots (diced)
• 2 ribs celery (diced)
• ½ tsp. red chili flakes
• 32 oz chicken broth
• 1 pound ground turkey
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• Spinach leaves (for garnish)

1. In a large stock pot heat olive oil and sauté onion until translucent or soft (5 to 7 minutes). Add the potatoes, carrots, celery, red chili flakes, and chicken broth.
2. Simmer for 15-20 minutes on medium low or until soft (stirring occasionally). At this point I browned the ground turkey, adding the salt and pepper to the meat. After the soup has simmered either use an immersion blender or I used a potato masher, it had chunks but that doesn’t bother me :)
3. Drain the excess fat from the meat and add to the stock pot. Simmer for another 2 minutes.
4. Add to a serving bowl and top with chopped spinach.
5. This soup should be delicious with or without the ground turkey.

Tomato Bisque

I must have some mental block to making this dish or maybe the recipes I find aren't very good... Earlier today I made a tomato bisque that was far too heavy on the spices... It was disgusting and I won't bother mention where I found it. Then I thought I love the Vons tomato bisque where can I find a recipe? I came across this recipe which says it tastes like it... Maybe I did it wrong or something but it did not taste how I know the delicious tomato bisque from Vons tastes... Still it was much much better than the other... Anyways... Give it a try... Just don't have expectations... :)

http://foodiekat.blogspot.com/2008/08/vons-tomato-bisquemmmmm.html

• 4 tomatoes - peeled, seeded and diced
• 14 leaves fresh basil
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup butter
• salt and pepper to taste
• sautéed chopped garlic (1 large clove) and/or shallot/onion (optional)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil

1. Sautee one clove garlic and one clove shallot in 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a stock pot over low/medium heat for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and juice to the stock pot over medium heat. Simmer, covered for 30 minutes.
2. After the mixture has simmered for about 30 minutes, puree the tomato mixture along with the basil leaves (in a blender), and return the puree to the stock pot. (you don’t have to puree all of the mixture, if you want a little bit of texture left in the soup). Remember, when you puree hot liquids in a blender, only fill the blender 1/3 full (you will have to do it in 2 or 3 batches). Also, you may want to remove the center knob on the lid (to allow steam to escape). Just cover it with a small plate while your actually doing the pureeing.
3. Place the pot over medium heat, and stir in the heavy cream and butter. Season with salt and pepper. Heat, stirring just until the butter is melted. Remove from heat. Do not boil.
4. Pour soup into bowls and drop a bunch of croutons in. Yummm!!

Good luck~ I hope everyone else has better luck than I did!

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Let me just say I am not one to deviate from the recipes I find... I took a chance on this one and followed the advice of someone who suggested these changes. So decide for yourself which way you want to go. 

This is where I got the recipe:
http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/broccoli-cheese-soup/Detail.aspx

This is the recipe I followed based
on a readers commentary...

Broccoli Cheese Soup

• 6 Tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2-3 cloves minced garlic
• 4 chicken bouillon cubes
• 2 florets fresh chopped broccoli
• 6-7 cups of water
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 pound cheddar cheese (cubed)

1. In a stockpot, melt butter over medium heat. Cook onion in butter add 2-3 cloves minced garlic to the onion cook until the onion is tender/translucent. Sautee several chicken bouillon cubes. Stir in broccoli, and add water. Simmer until broccoli is tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Reduce heat. Mix in milk and garlic powder.

3. Blend cornstarch with soup broth (with immersion blender). Cook, stirring frequently, until thick.

4. Stir in cheese cubes until melted.

It is a really tasty soup... It never got thick for me, no matter how I mixed it up.. But I don't expect soup to be thick so I didn't really mind... Also the cheese didn't fully melt (which to be honest I never thought it would, I have made soups similar to this and the whole mixing the cheese in thing never seems to work out.) Give it a chance... We both really enjoyed it and I will make it again.  

Cipollini Onion Pot Roast

The original recipe uses fennel... I went and searched for some fennel and my supermarket was all out... Who buys that much fennel? Anyways... I substituted 4 stocks of celery for the 2 medium bulbs of fennel... I also had to adjust my liquids because I had a 2.5 pound (maybe a
little bigger) chuck roast instead of a 5 pound one. 

You can find the original recipe here:http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/cipollini-onion-and-fennel-pot-roast-recipe/index.html
Below are my changes:

Herb rub:

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 (5-pound) boneless beef chuck roast (I used a 3-pound)
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 pound (about 2 cups) cipollini, boiler, or pearl onions, peeled (I used pearl onions)
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into 3/4-inch pieces
• 2 medium fennel bulbs, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces (I used 4 stocks of celery)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 cup dry sherry (I did not include this)
• 4 cups low-sodium beef broth, plus extra, as needed (I used about 2-3 cups because of the lack of meat)
• 2 dried bay leaves

1. For the rub: In a small bowl, mix together the rosemary, thyme, oil, salt, and pepper until smooth.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Pat the beef dry with paper towels and rub on all sides with the herb rub. In a heavy 6-quart pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until browned on all sides, about 12 minutes. Remove the beef and set aside.
3. Add the remaining oil, onions, carrots, and fennel to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until aromatic. (At this point I moved the meat and vegetables into my trusty crock pot on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 hours). Add the sherry and scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir in the broth and bay leaves. Return the beef and any juices to the pot and bring the liquids to a boil. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Cook until the beef is fork-tender, about 4 hours, turning the beef over halfway through and adding extra broth, as needed, to keep the beef halfway covered in liquid.
4. Transfer the beef to a cutting board. Tent with foil and let stand for 15 minutes. Spoon any excess fat off the top of the pan juices. Remove the bay leaves and discard. Using an immersion blender, blend the vegetables and cooking juices together until smooth. (The vegetables can also be pureed in a blender). (I took out the meat and used my immersion blender in my crock pot). Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Keep warm over low heat.
5. Cut the beef into 1-inch pieces and place on a platter. Spoon some of the sauce over the meat and serve the remaining sauce on the side.

This combination was amazing! Such a great flavor and tender meat! I served this with mashed potatoes and crusty Italian bread. 

Ground Beef Stew

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/ground-beef-stew/Detail.aspx

I found this recipe and it was on a night where I couldn't get out to the store. So I used what I had and it turned out pretty good... My changes are in parenthesis... Give the original recipe a try! We liked my differences pretty well :)

• 1 pound ground beef
• 6 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 (16 ounce) package baby carrots
• 3 cups water
• 2 tablespoons dry onion soup mix (2 tablespoons minced onions)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup, undiluted (8 oz tomato sauce)
• 1 (6 ounce) can Italian tomato paste

1. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. In a 5-qt. slow cooker, combine the next nine ingredients. Stir in the beef. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours (I cooked it on low for 7-8 hours). Stir in soup and tomato paste; cover and cook for 1 hour longer or until heated through.

 

Minestrone Soup

This is where I found the recipe: http://www.anediblemosaic.com/?p=4779

I added a couple of things. This is was so good! Reminded me of Olive Garden's minestrone.

(Yield: 4-6 servings)

• 3 oz small pasta, any shape you like (such as ditalini, orzo, or shells)

• 4 c vegetable, chicken, or beef stock

• 1 medium-large onion, diced

• 4 medium or 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced

• 2 large stalks celery, diced

• 2-3 large cloves garlic, minced

• 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, with juices

• 2 TB tomato paste

• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 tsp minced fresh thyme (or 1/3 tsp dried)

• 1 tsp dried Italian herb seasoning*

• I added one medium zucchini

• I added 1 cup green beans (cut into bite size pieces)

• 3 oz (about 4 c lightly packed) fresh baby spinach (or you can use regular spinach, coarsely chopped)

• 1 (15 oz) can beans (such as cannellini, garbanzo, or kidney), drained and rinsed

• Salt and pepper

• Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (for garnish)

Prepare pasta to al dente according to package directions.

In a 3-quart pot with a lid, combine stock, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, thyme, Italian herb seasoning, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring up to a boil, then cover (leaving lid slightly ajar), turn heat down to a simmer, and cook until veggies are tender (about 20 minutes), stirring occasionally. After about 10 minutes I added the zucchini and green beans (so they didn't get soggy).

Add spinach, beans, and cooked pasta and cook a couple minutes until spinach is wilted. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired. Serve garnished with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano if desired.

Chicken Noodle Soup

This recipe comes from - http://www.closetcooking.com/2008/12/chicken-noodle-soup.html
This recipe was very good but I changed just a few things, here is the recipe I went off of.

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 carrots, diced
• 4 cups chicken broth or chicken stock
• 2 cups cooked chicken, cut into small pieces
• 2 cups small macaroni
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning (I used Lindberg-Snider seasoning)
• salt and pepper to taste
• I also added about 4 cups of extra water (or more), I didn't think the original recipe had enough liquid to be a real chicken noodle soup

1. Heat the oil in a large stock pot over medium heat, add the onions, carrot and celery and cook until tender, about 10-15 minutes.
2. Add the liquid, chicken and poultry seasoning, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
3. Add the noodles and simmer until just tender, about 5 minutes (It took mine a lot longer to get tender and that was after turning it all the way up to high).
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

1.