Summer Garden Vegetable Soup

Summer Garden Vegetable Soup

Mels' Kitchen Cafe

*Serves 8

3 medium zucchini, chopped into bite-size pieces

4 medium tomatoes, chopped into bite-size pieces

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

1 teaspoon dried basil (or 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped)

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, chopped

¼ cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk (can use fat-free or low-fat)

1 ½ cups frozen or fresh corn kernels

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the zucchini, basil, parsley and onion and saute, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes. Add the flour, salt and pepper and stir and cook for one minute. Gradually add the chicken broth, whisking or stirring constantly. Add the lemon juice; mix well. Bring the soup to a simmer, stirring to prevent sticking, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the zucchini is tender but still has some bite to it (it will continue cooking for a few more minutes). Add the tomatoes, evaporated milk, and corn. Bring the soup to a boil and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the soup and simmer until the corn and zucchini are tender. Stir in the cheese just before serving.

Allspice Meatball Stew

My mother-in-law Sheri made this for us one winter vacation and it just made the kitchen smell the way it should smell on a cloudy, rainy or snowy day.  But, since it is so good we make it any season of the year.

Allspice Meatball Stew
Sheri Armendariz

1 lb. frozen meatballs

2 cans green beans, drained (the Italian ones are good)

1/2 lb. baby carrots, cut in half

1 can diced tomatoes

2 cans (about 4 cups) beef broth

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. allspice

cooked rice
salt & pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in large pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and cover, simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until carrots are tender. Serve over rice.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

I received this recipe from one of the ladies that I serve with in our church's Relief Society women's activity committee.  We made it for one of our activities and it was so good!  I accidentally boiled the rice too long and all of the broth disappeared; thankfully I had a 32 ox box of broth in my pantry so I just poured that in and added some water to it to make up the difference and lessen the saltiness.  Even with this mishap (or, who knows, maybe because of) this soup was so delicious.  I have another chicken and rice soup recipe on here that I made in the fall, and it was good too, but this one might be the close winner.  Though, that could be because I'm a sucker for a creamy soup.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

1 (49.5oz) can of chicken broth (6 cups)

1 lb chicken breast, diced

½ cup uncooked wild rice

½ cup uncooked brown rice

½ lrg onion, finely diced

2 carrots, grated

2 ribs celery, finely diced

¼ cup sliced almonds (can substitute with diced water chestnuts)

¼ cup butter

½ cup flour   

1 cup half & half

-Cook chicken and dice it.

-Boil broth & rices in a large pot.  Watch for the rice to split and curl, about 45 minutes.  In the meantime prepare the vegetables- grating, dicing, etc…

-In a large skillet sauté in butter, onion, carrots, celery and almonds until onions are translucent.  Then stir in and evenly coat veggies with flour.  Do not let the flour brown.

-Slowly blend the diced chicken and veggies into the pot of broth & rice, stirring constantly.  Let simmer for about10 minutes.

-Add salt & pepper to taste.

-Slowly add the half & half stirring constantly so it doesn’t curdle.

-Reheat the entire mixture, but do not boil again.

-Optional: Garnish with grated cheddar cheese and sliced almonds.

Chicken and Rice Soup

Well, I think we're officially living in the rainy season now, which means only one thing . . . Soup!  I love, love, love soups.  They make me happy.  They make me feel a little bit like a kid, a little bit like a wise grandma.  I don't have a ton of soups in my arsenal yet, mainly because I've had a go to favorite since childhood, but lately I've had a notion for some simple chicken and rice soup.  This recipe originally came from the Pioneer Woman's blog, but I saw it on Annie's Eats as well.  It was yummy and exactly what I was looking for.  I omitted the green pepper and added diced carrots instead (personal preferences.)  And, that's one of the nice things about this recipe, you can really make it your own, omit the rice altogether, add noodles and ta da a great chicken noodle soup!

Chicken and Rice Soup

Ingredients:

1 cup white rice

2 chicken breasts ( I like to use bone in breasts for soups; more flavorful and moist meat)

2 quarts water (equals 8 cups)

8-10 chicken bouillon cubes

6 tbsp. butter, divided

4 tbsp. flour

¼ – ½ cup onion, diced

¼ cup green pepper, finely diced

¼ cup celery, finely diced

1 jar pimentos, drained (about ¼ cup)

Directions:

Cook white rice according to package directions, omitting any salt, until the water is just absorbed.  Set aside.

Place chicken breasts in a large stockpot and cover with 2 quarts water.  Add in bouillon cubes.  Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 20-25 minutes.  Remove the chicken from the pot and allow to cool a bit.  Roughly chop chicken and set aside.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a skillet.  Stir in flour to make a roux.  Continue cooking for a minute or so, until heated.  Add the roux to the broth and stir until well combined.  Rinse out the skillet, and then melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.  Add the onion, green pepper, celery and pimentos to the skillet.  Cook until slightly tender.  Add in the chopped chicken pieces and stir until well combined.  Stir in cooked rice to taste. Pour all back into the stockpot of broth.

Source: adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Olive Garden Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

My mom and I enjoyed the soup and salad lunch at Olive Garden a few months ago and fell in love with their Chicken and Gnocchi soup.  Mmmm, so good. As soon as I got home I searched for a highly rated copycat recipe for it and found this.  Yummy.

Olive Garden Chicken and Gnocchi Soup
Recipezaar (now Food.com)

• 3-4 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 carrots, shredded
• 1/2 onions, diced
• 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 to taste salt and pepper
• 1 (16 ounce) potato gnocchi
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Saute the onion, celery, garlic, carrot in oil over medium heat until onion is translucent.

Add chicken, chicken stock, half and half, salt and pepper, thyme. Heat to boiling, then add gnocchi. Gently boil for 4 minutes, then turn down to a simmer for 10 minutes.

Add spinach and cook for another 1-2 minutes until spinach is wilted.

(Heat to boiling and add cornstarch dissolved in 1-2 Tbsp water at this point if you want a thicker soup.).

Ladle into bowls and serve!

Creamy White Chili

I'd had this bookmarked for awhile and finally tried it tonight.  So. Good.  I've liked most of the recipes from the Kitchen Cafe blog, but I like to cross reference reviews sometimes.  I checked Recipezaar's site and they had the exact recipe and it was at the very top of the ratings list.  Something like 200 people rated it 5 stars, so needless to say, I was really looking forward to this.  Not disappointed a bit; it was de-licious.  The first bite Jon took was followed by exclamations of praise, and when i get that kind of reaction from him on a soup I know it was a success.

Creamy White Chili
My Kitchen Cafe Blog
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon oil
2 cans (15 1/2 ounces each) Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth
2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies (if you like less kick, add just one can)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper ( I was afraid of the heat ad wanted my kids to eat it so i reduced to 1/8 tsp and it still turned out great, just perfect for me actually)
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream

In a large saucepan, saute chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and cream. Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired. Serve immediately. This is especially good served with tortilla chips. Makes about 6 servings.

Chicken and Vegetable Dumpling Soup

Great flavors, yummy dumplings.  Such a wonderful meal for a cool night.  We quite enjoyed this and I'll definitely make it again.

Chicken and Vegetable Dumpling Soup
My Kitchen Cafe Blog


Serves 6
Chicken and Broth:
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups water
2-3 chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
Vegetables:
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 large carrots (6-7 baby carrots), chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup frozen peas
Dumplings:
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme or sage
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil

In a large pot, boil the chicken broth, water and chicken breasts until the chicken is cooked through and tender (about 15 minutes). Remove the chicken from the pot, reserving the broth in the pot, and shred the chicken with two forks. Set the chicken aside and keep the broth warm on the stove.

While the chicken is boiling, in a large skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the celery, carrots and onions. Saute for about 6-7 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add the vegetables to the hot broth in the pot after the chicken has been removed. Add salt, thyme and pepper to the vegetable/broth mixture and stir to combine. Heat the soup to a simmer.

In a small bowl, blend ½ cup cold water and 1/4 cup flour with a wire whisk until smooth. Whisking vigorously, slowly add the flour mixture into the hot vegetables and broth and whisk until well combined. Add ½ cup frozen peas and the reserved chicken and cook, stirring gently for one minute.

For the dumplings, in a medium bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, milk and oil. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined (don't overmix, it is ok if there are a few dry spots of flour here and there).

Heat the soup to boiling and drop teaspoonful amounts (the dumplings should be fairly small, they'll expand while cooking) of dumpling dough into the boiling soup, covering the entire surface of the soup (don't make more than one layer of dumplings). Reduce the heat to simmering, cover and let the dumplings cook for 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid of the pot while the dumplings cook.

When the dumplings have cooked fully, remove the lid and gently stir the dumplings to break them apart. Serve.

Tortilla Soup

I love tortilla soup but every time I make it I find it lacking. For this reason I have never made it the same way twice, always trying to find my perfect recipe. Well, I think I've come close at last. This is an adaptation from Jen and Lauren's recipes with a chicken marinade I found that I think is what makes the soup.

Tortilla Soup

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes or strips

Chicken Marinade:

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp lime juice

2 tsp Worcestershire

1 1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tp pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can beef broth (14 1/4 oz)

1 tsp chili powder

In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients together. Add chicken and mix well to coat all pieces. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Soup:

I garlic clove, minced

1 onion, chopped

1 Tbsp margarine

2 14 1/2 oz cans chopped or stewed tomatoes

2 14 1/2 oz cans chicken broth

1 cup salsa (we use Pace chunky, a 16oz jar will be about a cups worth)

1Tbsp ground cumin1 can black beans

2 tbs, seeded and chopped jalapeno (Lauren's recipe calls fr this but I never use it since I like my soup more mild)

In a crockpot melt margarine and add onions and garlic. Saute until onions are tender. Or saute them in a pan and pour them into the crockpot when tender. Combine all ingredients in crockpot and add all contents of marinade and chicken. Stir to mix. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or on high 4-6 hours.

Toppings:

tortilla chips

sour cream

shredded cheese

diced avocado

To serve put chips on bottom of bowl and ladle soup over top. Add cheese, a dollop of sour cream and avocado on top. Mmmmm.

Spicy Zucchini Soup

I can never take appetizing pictures of soup, so just know that this soup is wonderful.  Another of Lauren's recipes that we all loved.

Spicy Zucchin Soup

Lauren Webster

1 lrg or 2 med zucchini, washed and sliced 1/4 inch thick

1 lb hot Italian sausage ( i used regular Owen's bran Italian and it had tons of flavor and the perfect amount of spice.)

1 sm. onion, chopped

1 14oz can diced tomatoes

1 clove garlic, minced

1 can cream of mushroom soup

3 can of water

Brown sausage and onion together, drain.  Place all ingredients in crock pot.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook on low 6-8 hrs or high 4 hours.

Zuppa Toscana Soup

This was a really simple, yummy soup; perfect for a chilly day.  Jon usually considers soup more of a side, but he especially liked this one; the fact that he was happy enough with it to have it as a meal all by itself was high praise.

Zuppa Toscana Soup

1 lb ground Italian sausage

1 onion, chopped

3 potatoes, sliced into bit size pieces

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 32 oz boxes chicken broth

1 cup heavy cream

salt and pepper to taste if desired

fresh, shredded Parmesan cheese

toasted bread slices, optional

In a large soup pot, cook sausage until done.  Remove from pot and put aside in a bowl.  Add broth, potatoes, onion and garlic to pot and cook until potatoes are tender but not mushy.  Add cream and sausage to soup and heat through.  Pour into bowl over buttered toast and sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.  I really didn't need any salt at all since the sausage and cheese added enough flavor naturally.