Cod Chowder

We love seafood chowder and it's a quick dinner to make.  Once you're done chopping the cod into chunks it takes no time at all.  This would be easy to assemble your ingredients the night before, then prepare it quickly after work.

COD CHOWDER
from Whole Foods Market Website

3 slices bacon, finely chopped
1 onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons flour
1 pound red boiling potatoes, cut into 1/3-inch dice
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I use homemade)
2 (8 ounce) bottles clam juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound frozen cod, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup frozen corn
1 cup half-and-half, heated

Heat a heavy pot over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook until the bacon is golden brown and crispy, about 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the crispy bits and reserve, leaving the fat in the pot.

Add the onion, celery, thyme and bay leaf to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables are softened but not browned. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring, another 2 minutes.

Add the potatoes, chicken broth and clam juice and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to low and simmer until the potatoes are tender yet still firm, 5 to 7 minutes.

Season generously with salt and pepper. Add the cod and corn. Do not stir. Cook for 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, cover and allow the chowder to sit for 10 minutes (the fish will finish cooking during this time).

Return chowder to heat and stir in the cream, gently to avoid breaking the fish into small pieces. Season to taste. Bring chowder to serving temperature over gentle heat, uncovered. Sprinkle reserved crisped bacon on top and serve with a side salad of baby mixed greens.

Printable Recipe

Happily submitted to Family Friendly Fridays over at Mommie Cooks!

Enjoy!


from "Little Verses" a Big Golden Book
by Miriam Clark Potter
pictures by Mary Blair
1953, Golden Press New York

Pumpkin, Barley, and Sage Soup

What a lovely soup for a snowy day.  This flavourful soup comes together quickly and is perfect for a weeknight meal.  The spicey andouille sausage gives it some kick, but if you prefer a milder taste, sweet italian sausage could be used.  I replaced the water and bouillion cubes with homemade chicken broth.

PUMPKIN, BARLEY, AND SAGE SOUP
Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, October 2010
 8 oz. cooked andouille or smoked sausage links, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. snipped fresh sage
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 cup quick-cooking barley (I used pearl barley)
1 tsp. instant chicken bouillon granules (I used homemade chicken broth)
1 15-oz. can pumpkin
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar

In 4-quart pot or Dutch oven cook sausage, onion and sage in hot oil over medium heat 3 minutes, stirring often. Add barley, 4 cups water (or chicken broth), and bouillon granules. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in pumpkin, maple syrup, and vinegar; heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes 4 servings.

Happily submitted to Tastey Tuesdays now over at 33 Shades of Green, you'll be so inspired by this lovely blog! 


Printable Recipe


Enjoy!

~Look at the gorgeous kitchen~

from the book "The Book of Knowledge, The Children's Encyclopedia"

1954, The Grolier Society

I found this 21 book set in our community recycle bin!

Thai Chicken Soup

My husband and I loved this Thai Chicken Soup from Food Network Magazine.  I couldn't wait to make it as it was so different from usual comfort food, yet very hearty.  This cconut-curry soup is packed full of flavours.  It wasn't so spicey that you were breaking out in a sweat, which is the way I like it, but my husband prefers to have his mouth on fire with Thai food.  Our kids found it a bit spicey for their tastes, but they still ate it.

THAI CHICKEN SOUP RECIPE
from Food Network Magazine, Nov 2010

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons green curry paste
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 15-ounce can coconut milk
1 tablespoon fish sauce, plus more to taste
2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
4 ounces thin rice noodles, broken into pieces
2 small skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1 pound), very thinly sliced crosswise
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus more to taste
1 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro

Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and curry paste and cook, stirring, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth, coconut milk and fish sauce; cover and bring to a boil.

Add the bell peppers and noodles and simmer, uncovered, until the noodles are al dente, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken and simmer until just cooked through, about 3 more minutes. Stir in the lime juice and cilantro. Add more fish sauce and lime juice, if desired.

Printable Recipe
 
Happily submitted to Family Friendly Fridays at Mommie Cooks!
 
Enjoy!

 

from "The How and Why Wonder Book of Our Earth"

by Felix Sutton

Illustrated by John Hull

1972 Grosset & Dunlap, Inc.

I bought this lovely book at an auction.

Recipe: Hearty Potatoe Soup (Slow Cooker)

This soup tasted so amazing.  It's smooth and creamy, yet hearty enough that it doesn't need any meat at all.  I like that it's not a pureed soup, and the vegetables are left nice and chunky.  It's more like a chowder than a soup really.

The recipe is so simple and there's only 4 steps after you've chopped your vegetables.  How easy is that?  My family loved it a gobbled it right up.  This would be perfect to have waiting in the slow cooker for before or after you finish your trick-or-treating.

HEARTY POTATOE SOUP (Slow Cooker)
Southern Living Magazine, November 1998

6 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (2 1/2 pounds)
2 medium onions, diced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans low-sodium fat-free chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups fat-free half-and-half

Garnish: fresh celery leaves

Combine first 8 ingredients in a 4 1/2-quart slow cooker.  Cook, covered, at HIGH 3 hours or until vegetables are tender.
Stir together flour and half-and-half; stir into soup. Cover and cook 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve in Italian Bread Bowls, and garnish, if desired.

Printable Recipe

Happily submitted to Julie's Family Friendly Friday's over at Mommie Cooks! where she's featuring her Pretzel Baked Chicken today - yum!

Happy Halloween!


"Let me advise you, my dear young friend—nay, let me warn you with all seriousness, that should you leave these rooms you will not by any chance go to sleep in any other part of the castle. It is old, and has many memories, ana there are bad dreams for those who sleep unwisely. Be warned! Should sleep now or ever overcome you, or be like to do, then haste to your own chamber or to these rooms, for your rest will then be safe. But if you be not careful in this respect, then"—He finished his speech in a gruesome way, for he motioned with his hands as if he were washing them. I quite understood; my only doubt was as to whether any dream could be more terrible than the unnatural, horrible net of gloom and mystery which seemed closing round me.


from the book "Dracula"
Copyright 1897, The Country Life Press

Recipe: Curried Tomatoe Bouillabaisse

Serve this over saffron or brown rice.

Pow!  This soup was very spicey, indeed.  It was so delicious, though, that I ate the entire bowl.  I don't normally enjoy food that's so spicey you have to gulp water after every bite, but this was so good.  Next time I'm going to decrease the amount of crushed red pepper to tone down the spice.

CURRIED TOMATOE BOUILLABAISSE
from Martha Stewart's Healthy Quick Cook Book

1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon cardamom seeds (I used powder)
2 whole cloves
1 1-inch stick cinnamon
1 whole dried red pepper or 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
2 Tablespoons curry powder
1 lemongrass stalk, cut into 1-inch pieces (I didn't have any of this)
1 pound assorted firm white fish (I used cod but you could also use monk, halibut, black, tile), cut into 2-inch chunks
Kosher salt
1/4 cup coarsley chopped parsley leaves

In a large stockpot, combine the tomatoes, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, red pepper, curry poder, and lemongrass with 6 cups of water and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer 20 minutes.  Strain the broth.  Add the fish to the broth and poach until opaque, about 10 minutes.  Season with salt.  Ladle into shallow soup bowls and garnish with the parsley.

Printable Recipe

Enjoy!

1944, by Harcourt Brace & Company

This is a beautiful story with gorgeous illustrations. 

I highly recommend you read it to your daughters. 

We found this at our local library.

Recipe: Lettuce Soup

Did you buy too much lettuce at the farmer's market, have a bunch coming up in your garden or, like me, received a huge bag of it from your sweet neighbour?  If you don't feel like salad for the next 2 weeks, this soup is a delicious option.  It can be served hot or cold and the taste is savoury, fresh and earthy.  After you put some in your bowl, try it with a couple small drops of apple cider or white vinegar and it will burst with flavour.

LETTUCE SOUP

from Serious Eats

1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
10 large outer leaves of Romaine lettuce, torn into pieces (I just used a mix of lettuce I had on hand)
1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced (I used red potatoes, skin left on)
3 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup heavy cream (I used fat-free half and half)
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon parsley leaves
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a 4-quart saucepan. Add the onion and cook until beginning to soften. Add the lettuce, potatoes, chicken stock, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover the pot and reduce the heat so that the liquid stays at a brisk simmer. Cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes depending on the size of your dice.

Off the heat, add the cream, nutmeg, lemon juice, parsley, and a bit of freshly ground black pepper. Carefully puree the soup with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve hot or cold. The soup will keep in the fridge for up to a week, and the flavor improves as it rests. Reheat gently before serving if desired.

Printable Recipe
 
Enjoy!

 

Recipe: Vegetable Beef Soup

We had spring thunderstorms all day yesterday, so it was a perfect day for warm hearty soup.  This thick and flavourful soup has a wonderful tomotoe herb base, with ground beef and vegetables.  What I liked most about it, is that it wasn't too beefy at all.

I modified this recipe to what I had on hand.  The recipe had some big gaps in it where it mentions an ingredient but never says what to do with it.  It was a good base to go from, and the end result was delicious.

Although I loved this soup, the kids didn't really care for it.  I served some to my friend who was visiting that afternoon and she really enjoyed it.  It's so difficult sometimes to find a dish that everyone likes.

VEGETABLE BEEF SOUP
Printable Copy

1 24oz. can  of diced tomatoes
1 cup fresh parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried or 1 Tablespoon fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon thyme
dash salt & pepper
Put herbs in food processor with juice from tomatoes and process 20 seconds. Add tomatoes and pulse 4 times. Put in bowl and set aside.

1 lb. ground beef
1 large white onion
3 garlic cloves minced
1 cup tomatoe juice
Blend together in food processor 30 seconds. Place in wide bottomed soup pot and boil 20 minutes until ground beef is fully cooked.  Add tomatoe and herb mixture that was set aside.

3 cups tomatoe juice
3 cups beef broth
1 cup pearl barley
4 celery stalks, thinly sliced
3 medium carrots, thinly sliced
4 small (or 1 large) red potatoe, diced
2 bay leaves
Add to cooked ground beef mixture and simmer on low heat until carrots and potatoes are tender. Discard bay leaves.

I made this around 2:00pm so I'd have it ready for after school.  I transferred it my slow cooker and placed it on low (or keep warm setting).  I froze the leftovers into lunch-sized portions for later.

Enjoy!

My troop flys-up from Brownies to Juniors soon. 

I'm so proud of them!

Recipe: Chicken Cacciatore Soup

I'm not posting a St. Patrick's Day recipe today.  Our family heritage is more of a "mush" than anything else.  I'm English (Grandad from England), Scottish, Acaidian French, Spanish (Great Grandfather from Spain), and who knows what else.  Then our kids have a mix from Dad's side (Saxon, Irish, et al) so our kids are like 6 or more heritage mixed together - mush!

So, I'm posting an Italian recipe just to throw everyone for a loop ;o)  I actually had a bottle of Ledo's tomatoe sauce that my darling husband got for me the last time he was in Maryland that I've been dying to cook with.  Don't know Ledo's Pizza?  I (and Gail from Oprah) can only describe it as the best tasting pizza ever!  Ledo's Pizza was featured on Oprah's Quest for the Best: The Best Pizza in America back in Nov 2006.

I found a great recipe on the Food Network Site for Chicken Cacciatorie Soup by Pat Bias.  Oh boy, this was soooo delicious and quick to make.  I read it's taste described as "spaghetti soup" and I think that's a good fit.  We had it sprinkled with parmesan cheese and served with a side of homemade Buttermilk Cheese Bread (I'll post this yummy bread machine recipe later).  Our daughter had a friend over for supper and even she gobbled it up.  Our 3 year old son (who we can hardly get to eat anything) ate his whole bowl.  Sucess!

I did make a few changes to the recipe.  I cooked the diced chicken in Montreal Chicken Spice and Olive Oil prior to adding it to the soup.  Why?  Becasue I thought it wouldn't be as gross would taste better than adding the uncooked chicken to the soup.  After all the ingredients were mixed I transferred it to the slow cooker turned on low for an hour until we were ready to eat.

CHICKEN CACCIATORE SOUP
from Food Network's Pat Bias

1 cup uncooked rotini
3 cans vegetable broth
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 8 ounces)
1 (30-ounce) jar of extra chunky spaghetti sauce with mushrooms and diced onions
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon garlic puree
1/3 teaspoon Italian seasoning
3 teaspoons red wine (optional)
1 (14.5-ounce) can stewed tomatoes, cut up in juice
1 medium zucchini sliced

Cook rotini according to package directions, substituting 1 can vegetable broth for part of the water. Cook until done (about 10 minutes). Drain and set aside. Cut chicken breasts into a 1-inch dice. In a large pan, combine spaghetti sauce, 2 cans of vegetable broth, onions, garlic puree, chicken, Italian seasoning, red wine, tomatoes, and zucchini. Cook until vegetables are tender and chicken is cooked through (20 to 30 minutes). Add cooked rotini, and cook until heated through.

For a printable version of this recipe go here.
Enjoy!
 

Sugar and Spice Cookbook for Kids
by Julia Kiene
1950 Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Appliance Division

Recipe: Peasant Style Cabbage Soup

We love German food at our house.  My husband's family heritage is from Transylvania, so I try to make German dishes periodically as a treat. 

I found this recipe by searching Swagbucks for a cabbage soup recipe.  I had a head of cabbage in the fridge that needed to get eaten and soup seemed like a perfect fit for all the rainy days we've been having.  Most hits were for the famous "diet soup" but I wanted something heartier.  I came across the Peasant Style Cabbage Soup on Leslie Cooks and it looked so good so I gave it a try.

I made this in the  slow cooker and noted my recipe adjustments below.  There's alot of chopping and preperation involved, so I chopped it all the night before and stored it in the fridge.  There are also many ingredients so I organzied all of those before I decided to make this to be sure I had everything I needed.

This was so good and you could really taste the smooth tomatoe broth with the cabbage, pork, caraway seed and spices.  The cabbage added at the end added a bit of crunch and texture to the soup.  If you have a family who will scream "but I dont' like cabbage!", don't add the second portion at the end and they'll never know it's in there ;o)

I served this with Homemade Rye Bread from the bread machine and Pfferrneuse cookies for dessert.  I'll post these recipes later this week.

PEASANT STYLE CABBAGE SOUP
from the website Leslie Cooks

2-medium onions, chopped
2-large celery ribs, chopped
1-cup chopped rutabaga
1-medium carrot, chopped
1-large tart apple, peeled & chopped
1-tbsp canola oil
2-tbsp flour
5-cups beef stock
1/4-cup chopped parsley
7-cups coarsely shredded cabbage, divided
2-small pork hocks (about 1 1/4lb)
1/4-cup uncooked pearl barley
1-tbsp paprika
2-large bay leaves
1/2-tsp dried thyme
1/4-cup tomato paste
3/4-cup water
1/4-tsp caraway seeds
Salt & pepper to taste

In a large saucepan sauté onion, celery, rutabaga, carrot and apple in oil until soft, about 10 minutes.  Stir in flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.  Stir in beef stock, parsley, 3 1/2-cups cabbage, pork hocks, barley, paprika, bay leaves and thyme.  Heat to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer, covered for 1 hour.

CROCK POT VARIATION:  I put everything in the slow cooker at this point and let it cook for about 6 hours on low.

Remove meat from pork hocks, shred and return the meat to the soup.  Remove bay leaves.  Skim the fat from the soup.  Combine tomato paste with water and add to soup.  Add remaining cabbage and caraway seeds.  Heat to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until cabbage is tender, about 10 minutes.  Season with salt & pepper to taste

CROCK POT VARIATION:  After adding the tomatoe past, cabbage and caraway seeds, I closed the lid and let it cook for another 30 minutes on high.

Makes 7-8 servings

For a printable copy of this recipe go here.

Happily submitted to Ultimate Recipe Swap where she's featuring Whole Grains this week over at Life As Mom.
 
Enjoy!  Sarah
 
from the book "The Rooster Crows - A Book of American Rymes & Jingles"
by Maud and Miska Petersham
1955 The Macmillan Company

Recipe: Tomatoe Basil Soup

My daughter and I had some Tomatoe Basil Soup at a coffee shop last week and it was so good I had to try to make this at home.  She's always loved Tomatoe Soup and used to call it "plain soup" when she was little.  If I could make this at home then it would be a good soup for her to take for school lunch.

I found a recipe for "Rich and Creamy Tomatoe Basil Soup" from http://www.allrecipes.com/.  The only ingredient I couldn't find was fresh basil leaves so I substituted with dried basil leaves.  I also made a double batch so I could freeze some for future use.

Instead of peeling the tomatoes with a knife I blanched them in rapidly boiling water for about 25 seconds until you see the skins "crack".  Then you can just pull the peels off with your fingers.  See example picture of the tomatoes with the skins "cracked" below.

Not only did my daughter love this but my husband and 3 year old son did too - score!  Isn't it great when you make something that everyone can agree on, and it's good for them?  We had this as a side dish with hamburgers last night.  It is very creamy and the basil is not overpowering but compliments the tomatoes well.

TOMATOE BASIL SOUP

4 tomatoes - peeled, seeded and diced (I blanched the tomatoes to peel them easier)
4 cups tomato juice
14 leaves fresh basil (I used ALOT of dried basil with the tomatoes & at the end with the butter)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup butter
salt and pepper to taste (I forgot this step)

Place tomatoes and juice (and dried basil, about 3 tsp) in a stock pot over medium heat. Simmer for 30 minutes. Puree the tomato mixture along with the basil leaves, and return the puree to the stock pot.

Place the pot over medium heat, and stir in the heavy cream and butter (and dried basil, about 4 tsp). Season with salt and pepper. Heat, stirring until the butter is melted. Do not boil.

For a printable copy of this recipe go here.

Happily submitted to Ultimate Recipe Swap - Lunchtime Edition over at Life As Mom.

Enjoy!  Sarah
 
It's another cold day today so we'll be staying indoors doing lots of this....
 

 
From the book "The Macmillan Science Life Series 1"
Illustrated by Leonard Weisgard
1962 The Macmillan Company

Recipe: Tomatoe and Cannelli Bean Soup

This recipe comes from Woman's Day September 1, 2009 magazine. They ran an article on Jewels and Jill Elmor new cookbook "The Family Chef: Make Your Kitchen the Heart of Your Family" and previewed a few recipe's like this soup. I already had a bowl full of fresh tomatoes, that a friend had given me from her garden, and fresh onions from the farmer's market. This was a great way to use them.

Jewels’ Favorite Soup Jill Makes Recipe
By Jewels and Jill Elmore from Woman's Day; September 1, 2009 September 1, 2009

Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 36 minutes

INGREDIENTS
2 T bsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

4 ripe tomatoes (fresh or canned), cut in small chunks

1 tsp sea salt or kosher salt

6 cups chicken broth, vegetable broth or water

3 cans (15 oz each) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

2 cloves garlic, sliced

1⁄4 cup parsley, chopped

Serve with: grated Parmesan

PREPARATION
1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery and sauté 5 to 6 minutes until soft. Add tomatoes and salt, and sauté 3 minutes.

2. Add broth, beans and garlic, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes for flavors to blend, adding the parsley during the last 5 minutes. Serve with grated Parmesan.

The soup was quick and easy to make, very colourful and delicious. I served it as a side dish with london broiled steak. The leftovers I poured into a gallon Ziplock bags and froze flat to save for later.