Cooking 101 - White Corn Tortilla Soup

BETTER than eating out.  WHAT??!!

Soup season is upon us, however this soup has no season - it's a year-round gourmet delicacy.

I LOVE ordering soup at my favorite restaurants, sampling various flavors and combinations, but THIS soup is better than most restaurant options - and you can make it at home!!  {air punch}

 And I'm not joking - this soup can rival *almost* anything.  Plus, it's super hearty so you don't need anything else besides a cheesey quesadilla.  It's a one-pot wonder.  And it's EASY!  

It kind of looks tomatoey, but it's not - don't be fooled.  That would be foolish.  

It's got this deep, rich flavor that comes from the corn tortillas, roasted chilies, and all of those veggies.

Like I said, the best way to eat it is paired with a good 'ol cheese quesadilla.  Buttered on one side, good cheddar cheese on the inside, cooked to a slight crisp on a seasoned cast iron griddle.  Perfection.

These little guys are the secret ingredient to most of my soups. (and pasta sauce)  Hatch green chilies.  

I get them on the side of the road here in my hometown, where they're roasted in this huge roaster.  They sit and sweat in a plastic bag and after FOUR excruciating HOURS of peeling the skin off chilies….

I have over 2 dozen baggies of chilies to put in the freezer.  We put these in everything and NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING can come close to the deep, rich flavor that these roasted Hatch chilies have.  (I get 'medium' because I'm not a fan of my mouth going numb, but they still have a lot of kick to them.)

This was my lunch….and I felt like I was eating at a gourmet restaurant.  It's easy, delicious, and if you make a double-batch (might as well, right?), you will have dinner in the freezer for those busy days.

WHITE CORN TORTILLA SOUP

Super easy - just a few steps and the work is done.

3 T. olive oil
1 ½ 7-inch white corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch squares
1 ½ T. minced garlic
½ of a medium onion, minced
2-3 roasted Hatch green chilies, diced (or two 4-oz. cans)
1 ½ T. minced jalapeno pepper (optional - I don't use these)
1 lb. white corn kernels, thawed or frozen - they both work
1 ½ lbs. chopped, ripe red tomatoes or 28 oz. diced tomatoes
⅓ c. tomato paste
2 ½ t. ground cumin
 1 T. salt
⅛ tsp. ground pepper
½ t. chili powder
1 ½ c. water
1 qt. chicken stock (or 4 c. water and 4 tsp. chicken base)
⅓ c. heavy cream

Garnish:  crushed tortilla chips, cheddar cheese, sour cream, chopped cilantro

Cheese Quesadillas:
Good flour tortillas, cheese, butter, and a griddle

Over medium high heat, fry tortilla squares in olive oil until they become crisp and turn a golden yellow.  Add garlic, onion, jalapeno, and green chilies; cook 1-2 minutes until onion becomes translucent.  Add half the corn along with all other ingredients (except garnishes), reserving the other half of the corn to be added at the end.  Bring the soup to a low, even boil; cook for about 20-30 minutes, or until all veggies are cooked and tender.  Remove soup from heat.  Using an imersion blender, puree the soup until smooth.  (You can also use a blender and work in batches).  Return the soup to the burner and add the reserved corn, bring to a boil, careful to avoid scorching.  Add heavy cream and use chicken base and/or salt to season.

Garnish and serve.

**Note:  If you're super busy and don't have time to babysit this soup, let it simmer on your lowest heat setting or put it all in the crockpot after you sautee your tortilla and veggies.  When you're ready to eat, just puree it and add the remaining corn and heavy cream.

Enjoy!!  Have a happy day!!

Cooking 101 - Italian Country Soup

…or my version of Zuppa Toscana

Call me a nerd, but I love food and I love learning about the originations of the classic dishes we eat today.  (seriously, though, what is nerdy about food?!  It's anything but nerdy…I guess I'm not a nerd after all...)  Some fun facts I found:

Soup comes from the word "sop", in which you soak a piece of bread in broth or thick stew.  (sounds squishy)

The existence of soup dates back to about 20,000 B.C.  (truly an ancient food)

The earliest restaurant, meaning "restorning", {I love that.} started out in the 1600's as street vendors in France sold inexpensive, highly concentrated soup that served as a remedy for exhaustion.

Cool, huh?!  Soup has been, and always will be, one of mankind's finest comfort foods.

This particular soup must have been close to what might have been a staple for Italian, and even many other European countries.  These ingredients were/are basic staples in an Italian home.  This dish is basic, versatile, adaptable, and so very good!  It's easy to see how this could be considered a "restorative" meal.

Italian Country Soup

2 qts. (8 c.) chicken or vegetable broth

1 lb. Italian sausage (or any ground sausage works fine)

1 large 26 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained

1 onion, fine diced

3 garlic cloves, fine minced

6 c. diced red potatoes (I dice them smallish for my kids)

½ c. white wine  (can be omitted)

1 ½ tsp. salt

1 t. Italian seasoning

½ t. fresh ground black pepper

1 large, or 2 small zucchinis, diced

1-2 c. shredded & chopped kale, spinach, or both

½ c. heavy cream or half & half

1 T. olive oil

In a large stockpot, or your crockpot, add broth and tomatoes, and cook on low.

In a skillet, add olive oil and heat to medium.  Add onion and garlic, cook until beginning to soften.  Add ground sausage and cook until barely enough pink is left.  Add white wine and allow to simmer about 1 minute. Pour into stockpot.  

Add potatoes, Italian seasoning, and salt; cover and simmer on low for about 1 hour.  

Then, add the zucchini, cover and cook another 15 minutes.  You don't want the zucchini to be mushy, yet not crunchy, either.  Then, add the chopped kale or spinach (or both).  Cover and let the greens wilt for a few minutes.  Add heavy cream or half & half; season with salt & pepper.

Serve with your favorite rustic crusty bread, Parmesean cheese, and enjoy this ancient, restorative, delicious meal!  

I  always make my BFF Kadie's No-Fail French Bread to go with all of our soups - it's seriously delicious!! {I love you, Kadie…xoxoxo}  And it doesn't hurt that I make a double-batch & freeze it for later, take it over to a neighbor, or make Strawberry Stuffed French Toast. {GASP!} (and I promise to re-photograph those French toast pictures…OY!…sorry you had to see that...)

 It's really a win-win when you make this bread.

 You just can't go wrong here!

Have a Happy Day!

--Abby

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Cooking 101 - Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

{ohhhhhhhhhh} This soup is so good.  Like..."mmmm..." out loud good.  I'm a tomato lover, so that helps, too - and when you use fresh tomatoes like this, you can only imagine how flavorful this tastes.  It's the ultimate gray/winter/blah weather soup because it's warm, bright, and has rich, deep flavors.

I have this awesome cookbook by Ina Garten and the original recipe is found here, among so many others that I LOVE.  However, after cooking, tweaking, and adjusting it to my taste, I found the perfect balance.  I'm giddy to have found a recipe for the perfect tomato soup!

...and this makes your house smell ahhhhh-mazing.

ROASTED TOMATO BASIL SOUP

adapted from the Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

serves about 8 adult portions

You'll need:

3 lbs. ripe plum (Roma) tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise

1/4 c. + 2 T. olive oil

1/2 T. salt

1 1/2 t. fresh ground pepper

2 c. chopped yellow onion (2 medium onions)

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 T. butter

1/8 t. red pepper flakes (a shake or two)

1 28 oz. can plum tomatoes with juice - (I didn't use plum, I just had diced and they worked fine)

4 c. fresh basil leaves, packed (lots, and lots of basil!)

1 t. fresh thyme leaves

1 qt. chicken stock or 4 c. water and 3.5 tsp. chicken base or 3 chicken bullion cubes

1 c. half & half or 1/2 c. heavy cream - optional but heavenly

Toppings:

grated asiago or parmesean cheese

sour cream

fresh basil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss together the tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the tomatoes in 1 layer on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes.

In an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the butter, and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, and chicken stock. Add the oven-roasted tomatoes, including the liquid on the baking sheet. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Using an immersion blender, or a regular blender,  blend the soup until it is smooth but still chunky.  Add the half & half or cream; adjust salt and seasonings.  If it's lacking some flavor or salt, add a small tsp. of chicken base, stir it in, and then adjust.  Sometimes chicken base can make all the difference, rather than adding salt.  The chicken base adds depth and flavor, as well.


Serve with your toppings and some amazing grilled crusty bread!  OR a grilled sandwich of any kind!  I LOVE to dip a grilled sandwich in this soup!

Cooking 101 - Sausage, Kale & Potato Soup

If you need a hearty winter comfort soup, THIS IS IT!!!

This. Is. SO. Good.  Especially with BFF Kadie's bread. 

When I want something good to eat, I go check out Kadie's blog - she's always got exactly what I want on there.  That's where I found this soup and I absolutely had to try it.

I did mine a little differently - but the general idea is the same.  This soup reminds me of Zuppa Toscana at the Olive Garden, but I actually think this one is better.   {squeal!}  I doubled my recipe because I wanted a big pot, so here's my version:

SAUSAGE, KALE & POTATO SOUP

2 T olive oil

1 onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 -1/2 t. crushed red-pepper flakes (depends on how spicy you like it)

5-7 large potatoes cut into small, 1/2 inch chunks (I used red potatoes)

1/4 c. fresh chopped Italian parsley

6 c. chicken broth (6 c. water + 3 Tbs. chicken base) 

1 bunch kale, stemmed and shredded (about 3-4 c. shredded)

1.5 - 2 lbs. Italian sausage, casings removed

1/3 c. heavy cream (optional, but wonderful!)

In a large pot, heat oil over medium. Add onion and cook until soft.  Add garlic and red pepper flakes; cook until fragrant.   Add the potatoes, parsley and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat.  Simmer until the potatoes are tender, 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, brown sausage until it's no longer pink.  Set aside.

In a blender, or with an imersion blender, puree half the soup. Return to the pot and add kale and sausage. Simmer until the kale is wilted about 10-15 minutes.  Add heavy cream.  You don't have to use all of it if  you don't want. Salt & pepper as needed

Makes about 8-10 generous servings.

Cooking 101 - Butternut Squash & Corn Chowder

Good heavenly mercy this stuff is amazing. If you'd really like a taste of fall, try this soup. Kadie brought it over on Sunday with some of her incredible Artisan Bread (it's all on her blog) and I was honestly blown away! I was over in my corner of the table groaning with my bowl of soup, dipping my bread in it, soup running all down my face, and not a bit embarrassed.

The adorable Kristine also brought over pork chops with the most heavenly glaze - I'm going to have to get that recipe for you, too. Everything all went together so well.

(that's how you have a 'dinner gathering' - everybody else brings the food!!)

I made this soup last night and bought a loaf of ciabatta bread at the store - buttered it, sprinkled Thyme on top, and broiled it for a few minutes. A-MAZING. okay, okay, on with the recipe. Geeze - all this needless chatter.

Butternut Squash & Corn Chowder

2 T vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch chunks (about 5 cups)
1 medium onion, chopped
10 oz frozen corn, thawed
1 1/2 t curry powder
coarse salt and pepper
2 cans (14.5 oz each) vegetable broth
1/2 cup heavy cream

In a large heavy pot, heat oil over med-high heat. Add squash and onion. Cook until onion is soft, about 6 minutes. Add corn and curry powder and cook until curry is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add broth and simmer until squash is tender, about 25 minutes. In a blender, blend the soup until smooth, working in batches if you have to. Return to pot and stir in cream. Heat through but do NOT let it boil.

**Note: if you have one of those handy immersion blenders, that works better than dumping everything in a real blender. But use what you have and do what works.

Cooking 101 - Country Chicken Noodle Soup

For heaven's sake - it's dreary, rainy, and dark outside and ALL THREE of my kiddies are sick, sick, sick. Come on, here! It's the middle of June for crying out loud! Naturally, it was definitely a day to make some serious comfort food - homemade chicken noodle soup. {I happened to have cooked a chicken a few days ago with high hopes to make some amazing chicken salad so I already had broth AND cooked chicken on hand --- I know, GENIUS.}

And remember that heavenly stuff from Bob Evans that I crave when I get the sickies? This soup is just as good, if not better - and you can make it as thick or as soupy as you want.

COUNTRY CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

Soup:
4 c. broth (or water with 4 t. chicken base or 4 bullion cubes)
1 c. sliced carrots
1 c. sliced celery
1 onion, finely chopped
cooked, chopped chicken - about 2+ cups
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can evaporated milk

Noodles:
1 2/3 c. flour
2 eggs
dash of salt

(If you were to cook your chicken the day before or a few days before, saving the meat and broth, this process goes much quicker.)

Bring the broth to a boil, add onion, celery, and carrots; boil on low for about 20 minutes. In the meantime, make noodles.

Homemade Noodles:
In a bowl, add flour, eggs, 2 1/2 egg shells of water, and a dash of salt. With a fork, mix everything together without over mixing. Knead on floured surface until dough is smooth, careful not to over mix, which makes the noodles hard and rubbery.

Working in small pieces, roll out dough very thin, slice with a knife, and either lay them on a cookie rack or wait until you're ready to add them to the soup. They're kind of hard to manage, but they don't need to be perfect - just throw 'em in the pot!

THEN:
Add cream of chicken soup, canned milk, chicken, and noodles. Cook for another 20 minutes until noodles are cooked and everything is heated through. If it's too thick for you, add more broth.

Enjoy with a hot, buttermilk biscuit!

Cooking 101 - Italian Sausage & Lentil Soup

It's been a while since I posted, so here's a little sumthin' yummy for ya. Even though it's summer, you can still have soup - paired with a delishy cold-cut sandwich full of avocado, sprouts, fresh veggies, and such, you've got an AMAZING dinner! Eat it outside and you'll almost feel like you're in Tuscany! {gasp!!!} (unless you have junky stinky neighbors)

I found this recipe on the Sisters' Cafe site {love it} and, of course, I tweaked it just a little.







Italian Sausage & Lentil Soup

1 pound green lentils, rinsed

7 cups chicken broth (I use water and chicken base)

1 bay leaf

2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

2 large carrots, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

8 oz spinach, chopped

1 14oz can diced tomatoes

1 Tbs chopped fresh parsley
1 lb. ground Italian sausage
1 tsp. Italian seasoning

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Fresh Parmesan cheese

In a large pot, combine the lentils, broth and bay leaf. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, for approximately 30 minutes. **The way I usually do broth is I'll add the water to the pot, and then use that "Better than Bullion" chicken base (from any grocery store), and follow the directions on amounts. It makes a great broth.

In the meantime: In a large skillet, heat the oil. Add the garlic, onion, carrot and celery. Cook over low heat, stirring often, until vegetables are tender, but not browned.

Add the sauteed vegetables, spinach, tomatoes (with juice), and parsley to the lentils. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often. Add more broth as needed.

Using the same skillet from the vegetables, brown the sausage until it's no longer pink. Add to the soup. Simmer everything for about 20 minutes on low heat, until all veggies are tender and the flavors blend to the point of ecstasy.

Season with the salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaf. Ladle in bowls, and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Eat it and see if you can keep your eyes from rolling back into your head...

Cooking 101 - Summer Corn Chowder

This is one of my MOST favorite soups of all time - we just had this yesterday. It's a very basic base, it's quick and easy to make, and it has the most homey, earthy, comforting flavors you'll ever taste. (is homey a word? Besides "What up Homey?")

I have a story about this soup, too! (how fun...I love stories!...but this really isn't very exciting - just a fun memory of this soup.) It was a couple of years ago, in the Fall, and VERY, very cold in Michigan at that time. The sun was going down early, making everything dark too soon - and I noticed that we had a newlywed couple moving in across the street. I assumed that they were cold and hungry, and knowing that I had soup and homemade rolls cooking, I walked over and invited them in for a warm dinner. (thank goodness it wasn't hot dog night...) They gladly came over and joined us for dinner, we sat down to this comforting soup and warm rolls, and we all smiled and devoured it in our warm little home, getting to know one another. So when I eat this particular soup, I get that memory stuck in my head every time and it never gets old!

Anyway - you HAVE to try this. I'm serious. Also, I usually skip the bacon and go the olive oil route, but if you want to do it right, use the bacon.

Summer Corn Chowder

4 oz. Bacon (or 2 T. olive oil)
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 can diced green chili
2 ribs celery, diced
1/2 t. thyme
salt & fresh ground pepper
3-4 c. chicken stock (less stock if you want thicker soup)
2 1/2 c. yellow summer corn (or 1 medium bag of frozen corn)
5 oz. red potatoes, diced (about 4-5 medium sized potatoes)
1 - 2 pieces grilled chicken, diced
1 1/2 c. half & half

Cook bacon in stockpot until browned; remove and transfer to a paper towel, set aside. Discard all but 2 Tablespoons of the drippings. (OR...in stockpot, heat up 2 T. olive oil) Add onions, celery, thyme, salt & pepper, and green chili; cook until onions are translucent. Add stock, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 15 minutes.

Add corn & potatoes; cook until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add half and half, as well as the chicken, and simmer until soup is hot. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt.

Ladle soup into bowls and garnish by crumbling bacon on top.

Don't forget the homemade rolls!

Cooking 101 - White Bean Chili

EVERY time I make this dish, I have requests for the recipe! The green chilies and cilantro give these beans amazing flavor! I usually serve it with corn bread or inside a good whole wheat tortilla.

1 lb. Dried navy beans
5 c. Chicken stock (or 5 bullion cubes & 5 c. water)
½ Stick of butter
1 T. Minced garlic
¾ c. Diced onion
1 ½ c. Chopped green chilies (fresh or canned)
1 lb. Boneless, skinless chicken, finely chopped (uncooked)
1 T. Cumin
1 T. Oregano
1-2 t. Black pepper
Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
½ Bunch Cilantro leaves, chopped

Rinse beans well, cover with cool water and soak for 2 hours. Drain. Place beans in large pot with chicken stock, bring to a boil over high heat. In a saucepan, heat butter over medium heat. Add garlic, onion and chilies – sauté for 5 minutes. (it’ll smell SO good!) Add chili mixture to pot with beans. Add chicken and all other seasonings. Lower heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, for approximately 1 ½ hours.


Note: This make a big batch – save half in a large freezer bowl for another day

Cooking 101 - Italian Lentil Soup

This recipe is another one I've tweaked a little - deriving from my girl, Denise. I've never been one for lentils, I've never known how to cook them...until I got my hands on this recipe. This soup goes with EVERYTHING - especially a good sandwich. For me, it's one of my ultimate fave comfort foods! I usually ALWAYS have a stash of this in the freezer!

This soup is a double threat - for one thing, lentils are WAY good for you, and another, it's also filled with good veggies and this soup is low-cal. So go ahead and make that turkey, bacon, avocado sandwich smothered in mayo. You can take it.

This recipe is doubled so as to accommodate an entire bag of lentils. Feel free to cut it in half if you don't want to use the whole bag, or if you don't need a freezer full of soup.

Here's what you'll need:

1/2 c. olive oil

2 carrots, peeled, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 large onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 T. dried Italian seasoning (or 1 t. each of thyme, oregano & basil)

1 bag dried, green lentils

16 c. broth (or bullion cubes & water)

2 t. salt (I prefer less)

1/2 t. black pepper

Cooked pasta or 1/2 c. uncooked brown rice

Grated Romano cheese for sprinkling on top
Half and half (optional)

In a large stockpot, heat olive oil and saute the carrot, celery, and onion. Cook 3-5 minutes until soft. Add garlic, seasoning, and lentils. Stir;

cook 30 seconds. Add broth, salt & pepper. If using brown rice, add it now. Keep in mind that the rice will absorb liquid. If you like a runnier

soup, cook rice separately or add

more broth.

Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes on low heat until lentils are tender. Add cooked pasta (like macaroni or small shells) separately. If you're planning on freezing some in containers or freezer bags, do not add pasta to the whole soup. Set aside the soup you plan on freezing and then add your pasta.

Top your soup with some fresh grated Romano, Parmesan or Asiago cheese for a kick of flavor. Oh, and to make it even more delish, add a little half and half - about 1/2 c. to the soup and it will make your toes curl! Hey - if it's the worst thing in the soup, then whatt've you got to lose?

Cooking 101 - Molly's Green Chili Stew

This is a WONDERFUL recipe I've tweaked a little from my girl Molly. Paired with a fresh homemade whole wheat tortilla, you just might kill over from the yumminess in your mouth.

You'll Need:
1 lb. ground beef or turkey
4-5 slices bacon OR 1 T. olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
1-2 cans diced green chili (I use 3)
Salt & pepper

Brown meat, season with salt, pepper, dried onions, Lawry's seasoning salt; set aside. (just a little dash of each.) In a large stockpot, cook bacon until crisp, set aside; reserve 1 T. of the drippings OR skip the bacon and add 1 T. olive oil - heat through. In the oil or drippings, Saute onion, green chili, salt, pepper, garlic until soft & fragrant - about 3-5 minutes.

Then, Add:
4-5 c. chicken broth (1 c. water=1 bullion cube)
1-2 cans red kidney beans
1 can cannelli beans
1 bag frozen corn
1 t. cumin
1 t. oregano
2 cans green chili enchilada sauce

Bring to a boil, simmer 10-15 minutes.

Add:
Ground beef
Bacon (if you're going that route)
Salt & pepper to taste
A smidge of heavy cream - optional but extraordinary

NOTE: You can use just about anything you've got in the freezer or pantry. Mix it up a little and try your own favorite veggies or use grilled chicken instead of ground beef.