Gumbo

The best flavor, a combination of chicken sausage and shrimp make this a hearty dish, add more spice if you like it hot and can handle it, add jalapenos and some hot sauce.

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How to Make it:

Servings:8
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 large onion, diced
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup sliced scallion
6 cloves minced garlic

1-2 jalapenos(optional)
4 cups chicken broth

1 large can crushed tomatoes

1 can diced or stewed tomatoes 

1 small can tomato sauce

your choice of hot sauce(we like Franks)
1 teaspoon salt and pepper
1 teaspoon creole or Cajun seasoning
2 lbs any combo of sausage or 2 lbs shrimp or 2 lbs chicken (etc.)

How to make it:

In a large stockpot combine oil and flour and cook over medium-high heat about 15 minutes or until it turns very dark brown, almost between brown and black.

You will have to stir almost constantly.

This is called the roux.

Add onions, parsley, celery, bell peppers, scallions and garlic and cook about 10 more minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring regularly.

Add broth, salt, and creole seasoning. Then add tomatoes and tomato sauce

Cover pot and simmer 15 minutes stirring occasionally.

Add your chosen combination of meat at this point and simmer an additional 10 minutes (if using whole pieces of crab like claws, or blue crab halves cook a little longer to ensure they're cooked all the way.).

Ladle over steamed white rice.

Cheddar Broccoli Chicken Soup

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 Cheddar Broccoli Chicken Soup tastes a lot like Panera Bread's Broccoli Cheddar but honestly it's better. SO creamy, thick like a chowder, delicious flavors, you can leave out what you don't like or have on hand but I wouldn't as it makes this soup the best soup of all.

What you Need:
1 tablespoon butter
½ onion, chopped
¼ cup melted butter
¼ cup flour
2 cups milk
2 cups chicken stock
1 ½ cups coarsely chopped broccoli florets
1 cup matchstick-cut carrots
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cup diced cooked chicken
1/4 cup diced cooked bacon(optional)
2 ½ cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
salt and ground black pepper and some garlic powder to taste

How to Make it:

Make sure all your ingredients are chopped or diced and ready to go in the soup when needed. If using fresh vegetables you might want to pre-cook them just a little before adding to this creamy soup.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion in hot butter until translucent, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

Whisk 1/4 cup melted butter and flour together in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Continue to whisk and cook, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk if necessary to keep the flour from burning, 3 to 4 minutes.

Gradually pour milk into flour mixture while whisking constantly. Stir chicken stock into milk mixture. Bring to a simmer; cook until mixture is thickened, about 20 minutes. Add broccoli, carrots, sauteed onion, and celery; simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Do NOT let this BOIL!!

Stir Cheddar cheese into vegetable mixture until cheese melts. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Meatball Soup-with Pasta

 

Soup is healthy and hearty, gets the body soothed and boosted for better health, warmer in cold weather, yet makes us happy anytime. 

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What you Need:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion chopped

3-4 garlic cloves minced(I add more because we love garlic)

2 large carrots peeled and chopped

3 stalks celery chopped

1 green pepper diced(seeds removed)

1 1/2 cups green beans trimmed and cut in one inch segments

1 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1.2 teaspoon black pepper(I also add peppercorns from the grinder)

6 cups low sodium beef broth

1 can (8 ounce) tomato sauce

1 can (14.5 ounce) fire roasted tomatoes

1 1/4 lbs fresh or frozen meatballs

3/4 cup Small pasta (any kind)

fresh parsley, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

 

How to make it:

In a large heavy stockpot heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add the chopped onion, carrots, celery, garlic, green bell pepper and green beans.  Cook for 7-8 minutes or until slightly soft and fragrant. Add parsley, oregano, basil, garlic powder and onion powder.  Cook for 2 minutes; stirring constantly.

Pour in beef broth, tomato sauce, fire roasted tomatoes and meatballs; simmer for 7-10 minutes.  Add the pasta and cook for an additional 10 minutes.  Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve promptly.

NOTES

You can use fresh or frozen turkey, beef, pork or chicken meatballs.  They all taste good in the soup.

You can use fresh vegetables or frozen vegetables.

Canned fire roasted tomatoes are tomatoes charred over an open flame before they are diced and canned.  They can be found at your local grocery store with the other canned tomatoes.

If you are going to freeze or store any of this soup for later consumption remove the portion that you are going to save for a later date before adding the pasta.  Hold back a proportionate amount of pasta and add it at the time that you reheat the soup.

Any small pasta will work like Mini Farfalle, ditalini, acini de pepe or orzo.

For added flavor add 1-2 tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan Cheese. I also top bowls with green chives or diced green onions and Parmesan Cheese.

CREAMY TOMATO TORTELLINI SOUP

Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup is perfect comfort food and so easy to make! Have dinner ready and on the table in no time.

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SERVES: 6

What you need:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

4 large garlic cloves, minced

28 oz diced tomatoes (or 6 fresh vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped)

2 teaspoons Italian dried herbs, (or seasoning)

1/2-1 teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)suit to your taste

4 cups chicken stock

28 oz jar tomato puree

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 9oz packet cheese tortellini (I use frozen, any flavour you like)

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

4 cups baby spinach leaves, washed and dried

1/4 cup fresh basil, roughly torn or chopped

Gather Ingredients ahead of time

Follow the Ingredient list above

Let the soup base simmer on low so it doesn't stick 15 minutes

How to make it:

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté onion until soft, then add garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 1 minute).

Add tomatoes, Italian herbs (or seasoning) and chili flakes if using. Let tomatoes cook for about 5 minutes until juices have released and mixed through the flavours in the pot, then mix through chicken stock, tomato puree and tomato paste.

Season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Partially cover pot with a lid; bring to a simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.

Stir in the cream and tortellini, cook on medium-low until tortellini is just cooked, (about 6-7 minutes). Add the parmesan cheese, spinach and basil; stir until wilted. Serve warm.

Oh so Delicious, Enjoy

Cabbage Bacon Corned Beef Soup

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 Cabbage Bacon Corned Beef Soup is good and healthy and tasty too,  Also a good soup to help you loose weight if you are trying. If you don't like an ingredient, leave it out, or add more of what you want. This soup is very versatile.

serves 6-8

What you need:

1   large head green cabbage, cored and chopped
3   strips of bacon cooked and diced
1   very large onions, peeled and chopped
2-3 entire large stalk celery, with the leaves sliced thin
1   good size bag carrots, peeled and sliced thin
6   mushrooms sliced
1   5-6 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced thin
2   cubes or 2 teaspoons low sodium chicken or vegetable bouillon powder
(this dissolves instantly)
Salt & pepper to taste
About 1/2 cup dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon paprika or Smokey paprika
1-2 teaspoons kitchen blend herb mix(basil, oregano, rosemary, marjoram, thyme, sweet paprika powder, garlic powder, onion powder)
1  can corned beef, sliced(add last)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar(add just before serving)

How to make it:

First cook bacon do not burn

Slice all vegetables how you like them in soup. Mix spices in small bowl.

You can cook this in a big pot on the stove top or you can add all ingredients except for corned beef in the crock pot, cook on high just a couple hours or low for 6 hours until vegetables are tender as you like. Once tender add corned beef and apple cider vinegar just for 5 minutes so it warms up, and serve up in bowls with bread, or you can use bread bowls.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Noodles

This is a wonderfully easy soup to cook while at work or on a busy day! This can be 'soupy' with more broth; or sometimes I like to thicken the juice with a little water and cornstarch mixture and let cook till thick. Enjoy!!

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Ingredients

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast cut up in chunks
6 cups (broth or water or a mixture thereof)
1 onion, chopped
1-2 cups sliced or baby carrots
2 stalks celery, chopped (optional) 
1/2 teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, ground sage
salt and pepper to taste 
Optional a dash or two of red hot sauce, I like just a little to give it zip
1 (12 ounce) package egg noodles
A bag of frozen peas(optional)

Directions

Place chicken, water, onion and salt and pepper to taste into a slow cooker. Add celery if desired. Set temperature to low and cook for 6 to 8 hours.

When chicken is tender, turn the slow cooker up to high heat and stir in the egg noodles. Cook until noodles are tender then add frozen peas cook just a short time, I do about 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste and serve.

Jambalaya

 

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Fall is here and we are in the mood for something a little spicy that warms the soul, so I am making Jambalaya. I put tomatoes in mine, that's an option. Actually when making these foods there are lots of options, like what meats, sausages, chicken, turkey, seafoods or all vegetarian you want to use. Today I am using chicken, small shrimp, and some sausages sliced.

A little history of creole foods and southern cooking recipes:

Jambalaya

Think of jambalaya as a distant relative of paella. It's got protein and vegetables (sometimes tomatoes, sometimes not), with rice and stock later simmered together or combined before serving.

Gumbo

In contrast, gumbo — a mix of vegetables and meat or shellfish with thickened stock — is thinner and served as a soup alongside rice that's cooked separately.

Etouffée

Different from gumbo (which is considered a soup), étouffée's a main course, made of one type of shellfish (crawfish or shrimp, for instance) that's been smothered in a thick sauce and sometimes served ladled over rice.

What you need:

3-4 tablespoon butter or olive oil
1 large red onion (medium dice)

1 stalk celery (diced)
1 large red bell pepper (medium dice)

4-5 garlic cloves minced

1 pound boneless chicken breasts or thighs

1 pound sausage (I used an Italian sausage and smoked kielbasa)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (divided)
1 teaspoon  pepper (ok I use black ground, white and mixed from my grinder)

1 cup uncooked white rice
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes or crushed
1 (32 ounce) container chicken broth (low sodium)
1/2 teaspoon paprika

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon healthy creole seasoning
hot sauce (to taste)

1 pound frozen shrimp (pre-peeled and deveined)

How to make it:

To a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, add butter/oil and place over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery and peppers and sauté for 5 minutes. Add chicken, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and cook until chicken is done. Drain excess fat. Add the other meats or sausages, stir to combine and cook through for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the rice until evenly coated in the vegetable mixture, then pour in the tomatoes with juice,  chicken broth, bay leaves, and thyme leaves. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add shrimp, bring to a simmer and cook another 5 minutes or until shrimp turn pink.

Remove from heat and serve. 

Creamy Broccoli Cheesy Potato Soup

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Time for soup, this is delicious, use your favorite melting cheese, I used Cheddar and Muenster with some Parm. You can use vegetable stock for vegetarian if you like. Broccoli or cauliflower works great in the soup.,  creamy goodness cheesy good.

What you Need:

5 1/2 Tbsp butter , divided
1 1/3 cups chopped carrots (about 3)
1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)
1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 small)
4 cloves garlic , minced
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth for vegetarian soup
3 1/2 cups peeled and cubed russet potatoes , cut 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch thick (2 large)
3 cups chopped broccoli florets (from about 2 heads)
1/4 tsp dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3 cups milk (preferably 1% or 2%)
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (I used 1 cup cheddar 1 cup Muenster
1/3 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese (1 oz)

How to Make it:

In a large pot over medium heat, melt 1 1/2 Tbsp of the butter. Add carrots, celery and onion and saute 3 - 4 minutes. Add garlic and saute 30 seconds longer.

Stir in chicken broth, potatoes and thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium, cover with lid and cook 15 minutes. Stir in broccoli and cook 5 minutes longer or until veggies are tender.

Meanwhile, melt remaining 4 Tbsp butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook, whisking constantly 1 minute. While whisking vigorously, slowly pour in milk (whisk well until no lumps remain).

Cook stirring constantly until mixture begins to gently boil and thicken, stir in heavy cream. Remove from heat and once all veggies are tender pour into the soup and stir. Remove from heat and stir in cheese and parmesan cheese until melted. Serve warm.

Note

This broccoli potato cheese soup won't freeze well because of the dairy. If making in advance, store in the fridge for 1-2 days.

If you don't have cheddar, try using a good melting cheese such as Gruyere cheese. A little blue cheese would also work really well.

You could also use cauliflower instead of broccoli in this vegetarian potato soup recipe.

Creamy Potato Bacon Soup

Time for some comfort food, potato soup is always a comfort food, good anytime, this recipe is creamy delicious and topped with your favorite cheese, green onions is even better.

This makes a big pot of soup

8 cups cubed peeled potatoes
Small onion, chopped
3 clove garlic, minced
1/4 lb. bacon, cooked crisp, drained and crumbled
1 large carrot, shredded
1 – 8 oz package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half or milk
6 – cups reduced sodium chicken broth
Salt, Pepper, garlic powder and onion powder and Paprika to taste

Shredded Cheese and chopped green onions or chives for toppings

Stovetop: Mix cream and cream cheese until well blended on medium heat. Add the remaining ingredients. Cover partially and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until onions and potatoes are soft and tender, usually about 1 hour. 

Crockpot: After blending soups and adding remaining ingredients, cover and cook, on low heat for 8-10 hours or on high heat for 4-5 hours. 

When the soup is done, I slightly emulsified it just a touch to make it extra creamy.

Top with cheese, green onions and enjoy warm.