Asparagus Soup with Chicken Sausage

I've been very spoiled lately. Brady hasn't been traveling and he's been making dinner on nights that I get home later. It's been so nice! Brady made asparagus soup last week and it turned out great. I loved that the soup was rich and creamy yet it didn't have any butter or cream in it. It certainly doesn't look or feel like spring right now but this perfect spring soup has me hoping that it's right around the corner!

Asparagus Soup with Chicken Sausage

Prep/Cook Time: 30 minutes

2 T. olive oil
1 package of chicken sausage, cut into small cubes
3-4 green onions, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 small red potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
4 c. chicken broth
salt and pepper
1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1/2 inch pices
6 oz. plain Fat Free Greek yogurt

In a large pot, heat the olive oil. Add the chicken sausage and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a plate and set aside. Add the green onions and garlic and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in the potatoes and broth and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the potatoes are almost tender, 8-10 minutes. Stir in the asparagus and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

In small batches, puree the soup in a blender. Return the soup to the pot and stir in the yogurt and chicken sausage and season again with salt and pepper. Serve with a little grated cheese and warm bread.

Kale and Farro Soup

Soup is one of my go-to weekday lunch options. I like to take the time to make a big pot of soup on Sunday and then portion the soup into individual containers. Early mornings always seem a little less chaotic when lunch is already packed. I am always looking for new soup recipes that are healthy yet filling. The below soup is delicious plus it's filled with nutrients- superfood kale, vitamin rich butternut squash, and farro which is high in protein.

Picture from TasteFood

Kale and Farro Soup
** adapted from TasteFood

Serves: 6
Prep/Cook Time: 30 minutes

1 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 c. farro
6 c. chicken stock
2 c. butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, and cubed
1 (15oz) can Italian plum tomatoes
1 bay leaf
2 tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper
2 to 3 cups coarsly chopped kale, stems removed
grated Parmesan, option

Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Saute the onion and garlic until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the farro and stir to coat. Add the chicken stock, butternut squash, tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, using the back of the spoon break up the tomatoes, and then simmer until the squash is tender, about 30 minutes. Stir in the kale leaves. Serve with grated Parmesan.

** If making this for weekday lunches, I would suggest adding in a little more stock or water. The farro seemed to absorb a lot of the liquid over the course of the week.

Italian Wedding Soup

It's official, we have a wedding date! Last week we secured our reception venue and a church. We were able to put two huge check marks on the wedding to-do list which was such a great feeling. In celebration, I decided to make Italian Wedding Soup, it just seemed fitting. I love this recipe for Italian Wedding Soup. This soup is full of vegetables and the meatballs add so much flavor. The recipe makes a big pot of soup so it will cover a couple of dinners and lunches.

** A word to the wise, the meatballs are delicious so I recommend throwing a handful of the them in the freezer to use for a last minute spaghetti dinner.

Italian Wedding Soup
Makes 8-10 servings

1 rotisserie chicken, chicken removed and shredded
6 cups chicken broth
15-20 medium sized meatballs (recipe listed below)
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup whole wheat orzo pasta
salt and pepper to taste
parsley
1 bag of spinach or escarole
fresh Paremsan or Romano cheese, grated

In a large soup pot, combine the broth, carrots, celery, and onion.Bring to a boil. Add the shredded chicken and whole wheat orzo pasta. Season with salt, pepper, and parsley to taste. Add the meatballs and the spinach. Simmer for 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls and top with grated cheese.

Easy Italian Meatballs
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup panko or bread crumbs
3 eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
2 T. chopped parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. fennel seed

Preheat the oven to 375. Place the beef in a large bowl and add the bread crumbs. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well, but lightly, with your hands. Form the mixture into 15-20 medium sized meatballs. Put on a shallow baking sheet covered with foil and sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the meatballs are browned and cooked through.

Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash and Quinoa

I certainly can't trump my last post but I do have a really good soup recipe to share! While it was fun to live the life of luxury at the Waldorf, it's nice to be back home and spending time in the kitchen. I had been wanting to try this chicken stew for a while now and it seemed like the perfect recipe to help us detox after a weekend of champagne, wine, more wine, and chocolate covered strawberries. This recipe is full of flavor and not your typical chicken soup recipe. I am definitely going to be adding it to the soup rotation.

Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash and Quinoa
** Adapted from Cookin' Canuck

 Serves 6

1 1/2 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded & chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
4 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 can (14 oz) petite diced tomatoes
2/3 cup uncooked quinoa
3/4 cup pitted and halved kalamata olives
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Steam the butternut squash until barely tender, about 10 minutes. Remove half of the squash pieces and set aside. Steam the remaining squash until very tender, an additional 4 to 6 minutes. Mash the very tender squash with the back of a fork. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, bring the chicken broth to a simmer. Add the chicken thighs to the saucepan, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken thighs to a plate and allow to cool. Keep the saucepan with the broth in it on low.

Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat and coat with olive oil. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is starting to turn brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add minced garlic and oregano. Cook, stirring, for 1 additional minute.

To the saucepan, add tomatoes, butternut squash pieces, mashed butternut squash. Stir to combine. Stir in reserved chicken broth and quinoa. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the quinoa turns translucent, about 15 minutes.

Shred the chicken with your fingers or a fork. Stir the chicken, olives and pepper into the stew and simmer, uncovered, to heat, about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley and serve.

Summer Squash and Corn Chowder

I have finally been able to spend multiple nights in a row in the kitchen. It's been so nice. Making dinner is my ultimate way of relaxing after a long, busy day at school (especially with a glass of wine in hand). I have been craving soup and corn chowder seemed like the perfect way to make the most of the end of summer while still enjoying a warm and hearty bowl of soup. You could certainly use fresh corn from the farmers market while it's in season but I really loved the frozen roasted corn from Trader Joe's, it had great flavor and meant that I didn't have to shuck corn!

 Summer Squash and Corn Chowder
** Adapted from Cooking Light

2 slices turkey bacon
3/4 cup green onions, sliced and divided
1 pound yellow squash, cubed
1 pound frozen corn (I used frozen roasted corn from Trader Joe's)
2 1/2 c. skim milk, divided
1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 c. extra sharp cheddar cheese

Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, crumble and set aside. Add a little olive oil to the pan and then saute 1/2 cup green onions, and the squash for 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Reserve 1 cup corn; set aside. Place remaining corn and 1 cup milk in a blender; process until smooth. Add remaining 1 1/2 cups milk, thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to blender; process just until combined. Add pureed mixture and reserved 1 cup corn to pan. Reduce heat to medium; cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Ladle the soup into bowls; top each serving with a little crumbled bacon, green onions, and cheese.

Pumpkin and Shrimp Bisque

Over the weekend Brady and I celebrated our two year anniversary. I wanted to make us a nice restaurant-style dinner and thought a bisque appetizer and steaks would be fun. It also gave me the the perfect opportunity to make the below recipe that I had been wanting to try for months. We both absolutely loved this soup. It was creamy but not heavy and the pumpkin paired great with the shrimp. The sage gremolata added a ton of flavor and  texture so definitely don't skip this step! This is a super easy soup recipe and while great as an appetizer, it would be also work well paired with a salad or just some crusty bread for a delicious week night meal.

Pumpkin and Shrimp Bisque
** adapted from Closet Cooking

Serves 4
Prep/Cook Time: 45 minutes

1/2 - 3/4 pound shrimp (peeled, deveined, and roughly chopped)
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 cups chicken stock (may need to add a little extra)
1 pinch saffron
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs sage
1 14 oz. can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup half and half cream
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 batch sage gremolata (see recipe below)

In a large soup pot, bring the white wine to a simmer. Add the broth, saffron, onion, carrot, celery, bay leaves, and sage, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered for 30 minutes. Strain the solids from the stock with a fine metal sieve or colander and return the stock to the sauce pan.

Mix in the pumpkin puree, half and half and cayenne and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. Add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. If the soup seems too thick add a little more chicken stock or half and half until the soup reaches desired consistency.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saute pan. Add the shrimp and saute at medium heat until cooked, about 2-3 minutes. Divide the shrimp between 4 bowls, pour the bisque over them and garnish with the sage gremolata.

Sage Gremolata
1/4 cup sage, chopped
1/2 lemon (zest only)
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon pine nuts (toasted)

Mix all ingredients and set aside.

Split Pea Soup with Ham

A few weeks ago Brady and I sat at Table 52's bar for dinner. The restaurant's bar has become one of our favorite low key dinner spots in my neighborhood.  While the restaurant is on the upscale side, the bar is cozy and laid back and the perfect place to sit and order a beer and pizza. The bar faces the huge wood fired oven so it's fun to sit and watch the chef cook the pizzas, cornbread, mac and cheese and side dishes. The chef answers my (probably annoying) questions about ingredients and I'm crossing my fingers that if we go often enough he will politely share the recipe for Art Smith's famous Goat Cheese Biscuits. ** Fingers crossed! **

We usually both order the pizzas which are seasonal and feature a variety of unique ingredients but this around I opted for soup and salad. I had the Split Pea Soup and it was amazing. I have been thinking about it ever since. Last weekend, I decided to recreate Chef Art Smith's Split Pea Soup with Ham. Brady and I thought the soup turned out great, it's not as good as Mr. Smith's but definitely a soup recipe that I will be making again.

Split Pea Soup with Ham

Serves 8
Prep/Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

2 T. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 large carrots, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 large potato, peeled and cubed
1 or 2 ham hocks - don't skip this ingredient, these are super cheap (about $2.00) and add so much flavor
2 cups cubed ham steak
3 bay leaves
6 low sodium bouillon cubes
8 cups of water
1 Ib bag of green split peas
1 tsp dried thyme

In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Saute onions, carrots and celery until they start to brown and soften. Add the ham hocks, chopped ham, bay leaves, water, bouillon cubes, split peas and thyme. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer for 1 hour.

After an hour the split peas should be soft and starting to dissolve. Add the cubed potato and simmer for an addition 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and ham hocks. If there is any meat on the ham hocks remove that and add to your soup pot. Use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup. You could also remove half of the soup from the pot and blend it in a food processor or blender and then add it back to the soup pot.

** If you would prefer a thinner soup add a little more water after blending.

Chicken Tortilla Soup #2

Last spring I shared a good chicken tortilla soup recipe that I had come across. Well, I have just found a new recipe for tortilla soup that has kicked that recipe to the curb. I loved the below soup recipe. This recipe is a little more time consuming then my original post but the extra time is well worth the effort. This soup has tons of flavor, is hearty and comforting, yet low in fat. I can't think of anything else to say to sell this soup other then you've just got to trust me and make it!

 Chicken Tortilla Soup
** adapted from My Life as a Mrs.

Serves 6-8
Prep/Cook Time: 1 hour

2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 medium onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 cup frozen corn
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons tomato paste
32 ounces low sodium chicken broth
3 cups hot water
1 (10 oz) can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
3 tablespoons cornmeal
5 corn tortillas, cut into strips

Optional Garnishes: sour cream. cilantro, diced avocado, shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, and red onion

Preheat oven to 375°. Mix together the spice mix: cumin, Cayenne, and garlic powder. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and then spray it with cooking spray. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the olive oil evenly on the chicken breasts, and place them onto the baking sheet. Sprinkle two teaspoons of the spice mix on both sides of the chicken breast (reserve the rest of the spice mix for later). Bake chicken for 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Shred chicken by pulling them apart using two forks and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the chopped onions, red pepper, and green pepper. Allow to cook for 3-5 minutes, or until veggies begin to soften. Add in the garlic and stir for another minute or two. Next, stir in the remaining spice mix and then add the shredded chicken and stir until combined. Stir in the tomato paste and then add the Rotel, chicken broth, water, black beans and frozen corn. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Mix the cornmeal with a splash of water and pour into the soup. Allow soup to continue to simmer for an additional 15-30 minutes. While the soup is simmering, heat a small skillet over high heat. Spray with cooking spray and add the tortilla strips. Season with a sprinkle of cumin and cayenne pepper. Saute until crispy, about 5 minutes. Serve the soup topped with crispy tortilla strips and your favorite garnishes.

Sausage, Kale and White Bean Soup

I made the below Cooking Light recipe for Sausage, Kale and White Bean Soup this afternoon. I thought this soup sounded perfect for lunches this week. I loved that the soup had minimal ingredients. This turned out to be an even bigger plus because I went to Trader Joes after doing my Christmas shopping (ie. no free hands for carrying groceries). The original recipe didn't have the garlic or the herbs but I thought the flavor was a little bland so I added them and the additions made a big difference. If the holiday sweets, treats and feasts are starting to make you feel a little blah, this tasty and healthy soup is perfect for getting you back on track (or least giving you a little break before the Christmas and New Year's grazing begins!)

 Sausage, Kale and White Bean Soup
** adapted from Cooking Light

Prep/Cook Time: 20 minutes
Serves 6


2 Spicy Italian chicken sausage links, chopped
6 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth 
2 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained 
1 bag coarsely chopped kale (about 8 ounces)
2 (16-ounce) can white beans, drained and rinsed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
Grated Parmesan cheese


In a small skillet coated with PAM, saute the chicken sausage for about 4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and saute another minute.


Meanwhile, in a large soup pot, heat the chicken broth and undrained tomatoes over high heat. Once boiling add the white beans and chicken sausage. Stir in the chopped kale, oregano and dried basil and cook about 2 minutes or until the kale has wilted. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with a little grated Parmesan cheese.

Chicken and White Bean Soup

As I have mentioned on numerous occasions, I am a huge soup fan. I love making homemade soup and even better, I love having soup made for me! Brady made the below soup recipe last night and it was so good. The soup had such great flavor and is perfect for this time of year. I loved the addition of the crumbled bacon, there isn't a lot of bacon so it's still a healthy recipe, but it really goes well with the white beans and added a little extra flavor.

And in case you are wondering, my boyfriend doesn't normally read blogs with names like A Dainty Chef :)

Chicken and White Bean Soup
** from A Dainty Chef 

Serves 4
Prep/Cook Time: 40 minutes

3 bacon slices, cooked and chopped
12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup chopped plum tomato
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups water
3 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
2/3 cup uncooked orzo
1 (15-ounce) can white beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt


Chop the onion, garlic, tomato, and oregano and set aside.. In a large saucepan over medium heat cook bacon for about 7 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon from pan and set aside. Heat a clean saute plan over medium high heat. Add a little olive oil and the cut up chicken; sauté for about 6 minutes. Remove chicken from pan.

Add onion and garlic to a soup pot; cook 4 minutes or until tender. Add tomato, oregano, and pepper; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Return bacon and chicken to pan. Stir in 2 cups water and chicken broth. Bring the water and the broth to a boil. Add orzo, and cook for 9 minutes or until al dente. Add the beans to the mixture, cook 2 minutes or until heated. Remove from heat. Finally stir in parsley, vinegar, and salt.

Curried Butternut Squash and Wild Rice Soup

Let me first say that this soup turned out awesome, I absolutely loved it. The combination of the squash, sweet potato and apple plus the addition of the apple chicken sausage is perfect for fall. That being said I have to be honest and say this soup was pretty time consuming. If you could bypass cutting up the butternut squash, making this soup would be much easier. Now Brady did let me in on a secret (after I cut up 4 pounds of butternut squash), apparently you can microwave the butternut squash for a few minutes before cutting and that helps soften up the squash. Definitely going to try that next time!

While the soup took a little work to make it was definitely worth it. It would be the perfect recipe to make on a Sunday when you have a little more time. It would also be much easier with a second set of hands in the kitchen. Hopefully I haven't scared anyone from trying this recipe because it really is worth the work and it makes a ton so you can easily freeze some of the soup which will make all of your labor even more worth it!

Taken from the These Peas are Hallow website. My photographer (Brady) wasn't here and I have given up on trying to photograph soup. It always looks terrible!

Curried Butternut Squash and Wild Rice Soup
** from These Peas are Hallow

Serves: 8
Prep/Cook Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
1 - 4 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed into 1 inch pieces
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
6 shallots, peeled and quartered
2 small granny smith apples, or 1 large, peeled, cored, and quartered
10 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups wild rice, cooked according to package directions
1-2 tablespoons curry powder
4 chicken-apple sausages, diced
olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400.

Toss squash, apples, shallots, and sweet potatoes with a tablespoon olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and spread out on two baking sheets that have been sprayed with cooking spray. Roast for about an hour, tossing a few times, until soft and cooked through, and beginning to turn golden brown.

Transfer about half the vegetables to a food processor with 2-4 cups of chicken stock (enough to cover veggies), and puree until smooth. Transfer to stock pot, and repeat with remaining vegetables.  Stir in the cooked wild rice, and add the remaining chicken stock to desired thickness. Season with 1-2 tablespoons of curry powder, depending on how spicy you like it, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring the soup up to a very gentle simmer.

Meanwhile, heat a small amount of olive oil in a medium saute pan, and cook the sausage over medium high heat until cooked though and crispy brown. You can either stir the sausage in or use it as a garnish.

Asparagus Soup with Goat Cheese

I have ordered asparagus soup at a couple different restaurants lately and have been wanting to make my own while asparagus is in season. I found the below Giada De Laurentiis recipe and thought it would be perfect for lunch during the work week. I loved how the soup turned out. It's light and health yet full of flavor and perfect for summer. The addition of the basil really adds to the soup and the goat cheese crumbles on top give the soup a little creaminess without making it taste heavy.

Asparagus Soup with Goat Cheese
** adapted from Food Network Giada at Home
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Serves 4
Prep/Cook Time: 20 minutes

2 T. unsalted butter
1 large leek (white and green part only), thinly sliced
4 c. low sodium chicken broth
2 pounds asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup basil, chopped
1/4 cup skim milk
salt and pepper

Suggested Garnish- crumbled goat cheese and chopped basil

In a large saucepan or dutch oven, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring constantly until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the broth, asparagus, basil and skim milk. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook until the asparagus is tender, about 15 minutes. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with crumbled goat cheese and chopped basil.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I recently picked up a couple of the Cook This, Not That cookbooks at the library. I have seen some of the cookbooks recipes featured on the Today Show and love that the dishes are all under 400 calories and require minimal ingredients.   I have sticky notes in about half of the cookbook because all of their recipes look so good and sound perfect for quick and healthy weeknight meals- I am thinking I should have just bought it versus checking out from the library!

The tortilla soup recipe in the cookbook really caught my eye. I had to bring out the Eddie Bauer parka yesterday so I thought this soup would be perfect for lunches this week. I am always a big fan of tortilla soup and this recipe didn't disappoint. It is incredibly basic, I have other tortilla soup recipes that are a bit more complex, but I love the simplicity of this recipe and I thought the addition of the lime juice at the end really added to the soup. Definitely take the time to bake the tortilla strips, they give the soup a nice crunch plus they make the soup look like something you'd have at a restaurant!

Chicken Tortilla Soup
** from the Cook This, Not That cookbook
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Serves 4
Prep/Cook Time: 20 minutes

1 T. oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can (14 oz) whole peeled tomatoes
1 chipotle pepper (I used 2 for more heat)
6 c. chicken broth
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 corn tortillas, cut into strips
juice of 1 lime
avocado (optional)
fresh cilantro (optional)

Preheat oven to 450. 

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion and garlic until soft and translucent and then transfer to blender. Add the broth, tomatoes with juice and chipotle pepper to the blender and puree until smooth. (I used my immersion blender which worked perfectly).

Return the soup to the pot and bring to a simmer. Season chicken with salt and pepper and drop the breasts in to the liquid. Poach the chicken in the soup until cooked all the way through, about 12 minutes. Remove the chicken and slice into thin strips. Add the chicken back into the soup.

Arrange sliced tortilla strips on a baking sheet and bake until lightly brown and crispy.

Season soup with lime juice; adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with diced avocado, fresh cilantro, and tortilla strips.

Black Bean Soup

I love Trader Joe's boxed soups. I make homemade soup all the time, but sometimes for convenience sake it's nice to just pick up a boxed soup. I really like the Latin Style Black Bean Soup, it has great flavor. My only complaint is that the consistency is very thin. I have bought this soup a few times now and doctored it up with whatever I have in the fridge and pantry to give it a more homemade taste. I think the addition of the black beans is a must because the soup is so thin but the rest of the ingredients were just things I had on hand, although I have to say it turned out really well!

Black Bean Soup

Prep/Cook Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
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1 box of Trader Joes Latin Style Black Bean Soup
2 chicken sausage links, cut into small pieces (I used the Spicy Jalapeno variety from Trader Joe's)
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, diced
suggested garnishes: shredded cheese, sour cream, salsa verde, chopped cilantro

Pour the soup into a large soup pot. Heat on medium high heat. Stir in the chicken sausage and black beans. Meanwhile, heat a small skillet over medium high heat and spray with PAM. Saute the red onion and jalapeno for a few minutes, until slightly browned. Add the onion mixture to the soup pot. Simmer the soup for about 20 minutes. Garnish soup as desired.

Asian Potsticker Soup

This past weekend Brady's family was in town. We had a great weekend. We went to Table 52 and it was honestly just as amazing the second time around. Their food is so great and the restaurant is beautiful. We also went to De Cero, a Mexican restaurant in the West Loop that has fun a la carte taco's and great margarita's. To top off the weekend we went to the David Gray concert at the Chicago Theater- it was AMAZING and a dream come true for me. I loved every minute of it.

The downside to the weekend was my wallet was stolen (big sob). Cash, gift cards, credit cards, the nice wallet I got for Christmas, all gone. Very depressing and a huge pain to deal with. I am not sure who stole it, probably the guy that kept bumping into me at the bar, but I really hope he had fun wracking up $200 at 7 Eleven and is enjoying my new Coach wallet.

After the busy weekend and the upsetting wallet situation I decided I needed something nourishing and warm for dinner this week. I found a recipe for Asian Potsticker Soup in Brady's Trader Joe's Cookbook (it's still at my place so I figure why not use it). I had all of the ingredients so no grocery shopping this week. I thought it was really good. Super simple and perfect for a night when you want to throw everything in a pot, let it simmer for a few minutes and have a nice warm and comforting meal.

Asian Potsticker Soup
** from The I Heart Trader Joe's Cookbook
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Serves 4
Prep/Cook Time: 20 minutes

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 T. rice vinegar
1 T. soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 (16 oz) package frozen chicken or vegetable potstickers (about 12)
1 (20 oz) bag stir-fry vegetables
4 green onions, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons sesame oil
dash of crushed red pepper flakes

In a medium saucepan, combine broth, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic. Bring to a boil. Add the potstickers and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 4 minutes. Add stir-fry vegetables and simmer until vegetables are tender and potstickers are cooked through, about 3 minutes. Garnish with green onions and a drizzle of sesame oil. Sprinkle a few crushed red pepper flakes on top.

White Chicken Chili

Sunday was a perfect chili day, cold and dreary. Brady and I decided to go see "The Fighter" but I wanted a warm dinner waiting for us when we got home. So I pulled out the crock pot and threw in the ingredients for one of my favorite crock pot recipes, White Chicken Chili. The idea of my kitchen catching on fire definitely crossed my minds multiple times throughout the movie but luckily the crock pot worked the way it's supposed to and the chili turned out great.

My friend Sarah gave me this recipe a few years back and I love it. I have made it countless times and it never disappoints. It's great because you can let it cook on low for up to 10 hours and doesn't require too many ingredients. I tried a jalapeno cornbread recipe that I had been wanting to make for awhile and unfortunately you wont be seeing it on the blog. I like spicy food but this was just miserable. Brady couldn't stop coughing, I couldn't drink enough water; it wasn't pretty. But at least the chili turned out well! 

White Chicken Chili
** from my friend Sarah Kelly
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Serves: 8
Prep/Cook: 8-10 hours on low, 4 hours on high

3 15oz cans cannellini beans
2 1/2 c. cooked chicken, chopped (I just use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store)
1 c. yellow onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, seeds removed and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground oregano
3 1/2 c. chicken broth
shredded monterey jack cheese
broken tortilla chips
salsa verde

In a 3 1/2 - 5 quart crock pot combine drained beans, chicken, onion, peppers, jalapeno peppers, garlic, cumin, salt, and oregano. Stir in chicken broth. Cover; cook on LOW heat for 8-10 hours, or on HIGH for 4-5. Ladle into soup bowls, garnish with cheese, tortilla chips, and salsa verde.

Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo

Last week was a very busy and exciting week, I started student teaching!!! Finally, after two years of Graduate School I am now in the classroom full time.  I will be student teaching for ten weeks and after completing the first week I see that the time is going to fly by. I am going to try my best to continue with the blog since cooking happens to be one of my favorite stress relievers.

Last week was crazy though: 5:30 wake-up, hour plus commute to school, and after-school baby-sitting.  Needless to say I spent no time in the kitchen. Thankfully I have a wonderful boyfriend who enjoys cooking as well and made awesome chicken and andouille sausage gumbo for us.  It was the perfect dish after a long day and cold commute!

  
Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo
** from Making Life Delicious
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Serves 6

1/3 cup Creole Seasoning, divided (see below)
5 Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup onions, diced
1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/4 cup vegetable 0il
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
9 oz. chicken andouille sausage, skin removed and diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
6 Cups cold Chicken Stock
3 tablespoons garlic, chopped
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
hot sauce to taste
kosher salt to taste, if necessary
2 tablespoons fresh italian parsley, chopped
1/4 cup green onions, sliced
white or brown rice

Creole Seasoning (makes 1/3 cup)
5 tablespoons paprika
1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (plus more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons granulated onion
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 tablespoon garlic powder

Preheat oven to 375 F degrees. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the Creole Seasoning. Coat the chicken thighs in 1 tablespoon oil and use the rest of the Creole Seasoning (2-3 tablespoons) to coat the chicken thighs. Bake the chicken thighs in a 350-400 degree oven until brown (about 20-25 minutes).

Mix the onion, celery, and bell pepper together in a small bowl. Heat the 1/4 cup oil in a dutch oven or heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and continue to cook, stirring or whisking often until it is a milk chocolate color. This takes about 15-20 minutes.  Add the andouille sausage, 1 1/2 cups of the pepper/onion mixture, and 1 tablespoon of Creole seasoning.  Cook, stirring often, for about ten minutes or until the vegetables soften.

Add the cold stock, the remaining 1/2 cup of pepper/onion mixture, the remaining 2 tablespoons of Creole Seasoning, garlic and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and then down to a simmer.  Add the baked thighs and let it simmer for 2 hours (Brady did an hour and that was enough time), stirring occasionally.  About 10-15 minutes before you’re ready to serve, break up the chicken with the back of a spoon.  Add the worcestershire sauce and 1/2 of the green onions.  Add additional salt, if needed.  Serve over cooked rice and garnish with remaining green onions, chopped parsley and hot sauce (to taste).

African Chicken Peanut Soup

For those of you that are Top Chef fans you may have seen Carla get rave reviews for her African Peanut Soup a couple of weeks ago on Top Chef All Stars. I was very intrigued by the dish, it looked delicious and was something different from my usual soup recipes. I remember my dad talking about eating Peanut Soup while in Africa with the Peace Corp back in the seventies- now I am pretty sure that his contained fried grasshoppers or ants or something else along those lines... or perhaps I am confusing my stories. Regardless, I thought it would be fun to try it out (without the fried insects)!

I ended up searching online for African Peanut Soup and came across the below recipe on Cooking Light.  It had over 80 positive reviews, many people stating that this was their favorite soup recipe.  I was sold and after making it last night have no objections to all of the great reviews. This soup was awesome. The soup is incredibly filling, quick to make and low in calories and fat.

African Chicken Peanut Soup
** from Cooking Light
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Serves 6-8
Prep/Cook Time: 30 minutes

1 1/2 cups cubed peeled sweet potato
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (about 8 ounces)
1 cup bottled salsa
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 (16-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 (15-ounce) cans Healthy Choice Chicken With Rice Soup or any less-sodium chicken-and-rice soup, undiluted
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

Heat a large dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat.  Add a teaspoon of olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan.  Add the first five ingredients (through jalapeno pepper) to the pan and sautee for about 5 minutes.  Add the chicken and next four ingredients (through the black beans) and bring to a boil.  Once the soup is boiling reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes add the peanut butter, stirring with a whisk, cook for about 2 minutes.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

I may have failed to mention this, but I love soup. I have tossed around the idea of opening a restaurant serving primarily soup for years- my only dilemma, what do you do during the summer???  Because of this concern and a million others I don't see my business plan coming together anytime soon...I think for the time being I will stick to working on the menu for my imaginary restaurant- that part sounds like the most fun anyway!

If I were to open a soup restaurant here is a soup that I would most definitely include on the menu.  My mom passed along this recipe and it's great.  I love that the dish tastes hearty yet it's also healthy and easy to make.  Serve with a salad and some crusty bread and you have a great winter meal.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
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Serves 6
Prep/Cook Time: 30 minutes

8 c. water
5-6 chicken bouillon cubes
3 c. diced chicken
2 c. diced carrots
2 c. diced celery
1 box instant wild rice
2 T. butter
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 bunch green onions, chopped

Boil water and bouillon. Add carrots and celery and cook until done. Add the wild rice and seasoning packet and cook accordingly to directions on box. In a skillet, cook mushrooms in butter and then remove. Add chopped onions to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, onions, and cooked chicken to pot with broth and rice.

* To give soup a more homemade taste you can use a roast chicken, remove the meat and then boil the bones in the pot of water with the bouillon cubes, this will give the soup more flavor. Just make sure to remove the bones before adding in the vegetables, rice and chicken.

Tomato Soup and Bruschetta Grilled Cheese

I have a guest blogger!! Brady made me a great dinner of tomato soup and bruschetta grilled cheese last week.  It was such a good soup recipe, I can't wait to make it again.  I loved that it had a creamy consistency yet was wasn't filled with butter and heavy cream. And grilled cheese, you really can never go wrong with that! I didn't think it would be fair if I wrote about the process so I asked Brady if he would be a guest blogger and this is what he had to say...

I have been asked to be the first guest blogger (and perhaps the last depending on how this goes) following a successful attempt at cooking dinner for a bona fide food blogger (Noelle) after her busy day.  Needless to say the pressure was on, so my first thought was to order out, and plate the food as if it were my own.  Deciding not to take the easy way out, I began searching for a dish I knew we would both like – soup!  As I was searching different recipes, I couldn’t get the thought out of my head of how much I liked tomato soup and grilled cheese.  I realized however that preparing a dinner with the help of our friends Campbell and Kraft might not wind up as a blogworthy meal.   So I focused on finding a healthy version of homemade tomato soup along with a fun way to make a variation of grilled cheese. 

To my luck, I was able to find a recipe for tomato soup which would be reasonably easy to make and had some really fresh ingredients.  I set out to find a more “adult” version of grilled cheese and found a recipe for grilled cheese bruschetta.  The soup turned out to be really flavorful – only requiring a large pan and a blender.  I really like my soup to have a little kick and by doubling the amount of red pepper, this one definitely had it.  The time consuming part for me was chopping all of the ingredients that were used, however, I assume everyone reading this blog is faster at this than I am so adjust the time as you see fit.  The grilled cheese bruschetta was a perfect complement to the soup.  I simply used wheat bread, and took a pizza cutter and cut out large circles to use for the base.  Topping the bread with the roasted cherry tomatoes and melted mozzarella made for a perfect side-dish to a great bowl of soup. 

As you may be able to tell, my cooking acumen could be described as average.  However these two dishes were relatively easy to make without a lot of time and made for a great cold weather meal.  I mean at the end of the day, who doesn’t enjoy homemade tomato soup and grilled cheese?  Mark me down as a fan of both. 

 

Everything's Going to Be Alright Tomato Soup

*** from Spoon with Me

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Serves 4

Cook Time: 45 minutes

2 pounds ripe, in-season tomatoes, chopped (about 5 cups

1 medium onion, chopped

8 cloves garlic, chopped

1 small bunch fresh thyme (about 6 sprigs), leaves picked and chopped

1 small bunch fresh oregano, leaves picked and finely chopped (about 1 teaspoon)

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or more to taste)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 to 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth

Kosher salt to taste

Basil leaves to garnis

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.  When hot, add the onions and saute for about 6 minutes until soft.  Add the thyme, garlic, and crushed red pepper.  Saute for an additional minute.  Add the tomatoes, oregano, and salt.  Saute, stirring often for about 10 minutes, allowing some of the moisture to cook down.  Add 2 cups of the broth.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  Blend together with an immersion blender, or allow soup to cool slightly before blending in a standing blender.  Add additional broth if needed to reach the desired consistency.  Garnish with torn basil. 

Mozzarella, Basil and Tomato Bruschetta

** from Family Fresh Cooking

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Serves 4

4 pieces whole grain bread, crust removed and cut in to circles

one pint cherry tomatoes

4-8 ounces Mozzarella cheese

handful fresh basil, sliced thinly

garlic salt to tastes

black pepper to taste

garlic oil or olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 with rack in the center of oven. Toss cherry tomatoes with olive oil, garlic salt & pepper. Roast tomatoes for about 20 minutes or until the skins have popped and the tomatoes are softened.

Set broiler to low heat. Brush a light later of garlic oil or olive oil on bread. Toast bread about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from oven. Top each toasted bread round with about 6 tomatoes. Press a round of cheese (1-2 ounces) gently on top of the tomatoes. Broil for about 6-8 minutes or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned. Watch carefully towards the end of cook time that your grilled cheese does not burn. 

Top with fresh basil, cracked pepper and garlic salt.