Throwdown: Tortilla Soup

My blogging buddy Heather, of Girlichef, is in love with Tortilla Soup! Heather loves Tortilla Soup so much that she announced she would be trying lots of new Tortilla Soup recipes over the course of a year and requested everyone to join in and do the same. Tortilla soup is pretty tasty, so I decided to jump on board. I found several Tortilla Soup recipes that I wanted to try, so I opted for a Tortilla Soup Throwdown. We're lightening things up in the Stirring the Pot kitchen and Tortilla Soup fits right into our menu plan. Not only does it taste great, but it's some pretty healthy stuff too!

I chose two different styles of soup. The first recipe has a smooth consistency with toppings and the second recipe is more of a chunky-based soup with lots of texture. I did this on purpose because I wanted to see which one my family preferred best. It was basically smooth vs. chunky.

First up is Ellie Krieger's Tomato-Tortilla Soup from her first book, The Food You Crave. Ellie's soup is a blend of canned diced tomatoes, jalapeno, chicken broth, onion, garlic, cumin and quite a bit of lime juice. The soup is blended for a smooth consistency. Corn tortillas are brushed with a bit of canola oil and baked until crisp and used to garnish the soup, along with sour cream and cilantro. Ellie's soup makes 4 servings and comes in at 270 calories, including garnishes. The recipe can be found HERE online at Food Network.

The finished product was a very well-balanced soup which was very well-received by everyone. The lime juice really stands out and the jalapeno gives the soup the perfect amount of heat. I topped the soup with the baked corn tortillas, cheese, and cilantro BUT you could literally top it with all kinds of things: avocado, chicken, maybe some more jalapeno?

The second recipe is more of a traditional recipe and can be found on the Eating Well website, HERE. This tortilla soup was more of a broth-based soup with lots of diced poblano peppers, onion, a can of diced tomatoes with green chiles, boneless skinless chicken thighs, cumin, and lime juice. This recipe also called for the corn tortillas to be baked as well, which cuts down on the calories quite a bit. A completely different take on tortilla soup, this one packed quite a bit more heat than Ellie's version. I usually find poblano peppers to be pretty mild, but the ones I used in this recipe were really packing some heat. This recipe was filled with all kinds of texture and was very satisfying, filling and comforting. Everyone liked the addition of the chicken and thought it was more of a meal-based recipe.


The winner of the Tortilla Soup Throwdown is........................


Ellie Krieger's Tomato-Tortilla Soup!!!

Why?
I think the tomato based version of Ellie's Tomato-Tortilla Soup was more flavorful. It was a very bright soup with the addition of 1/4 cup lime juice. Ellie's soup was so well-balanced and was just a pleasure to eat. It was preferred by everyone across the board and disappeared very quickly. In addition, everyone liked the idea of topping their soup with whatever their heart's desired. Chicken, cheese, avocado, chorizo, rice, anything would be great on top of this soup. I highly recommend it!

The Eating Well recipe was a great recipe but packed a little too much heat for some, good for the adults, not so great for the kids. It was a good solid recipe, but didn't disappear anywhere near as fast as Ellie's soup. Also, I noticed afterwards that it didn't contain any garlic! What the heck? We can't have soup without garlic, right?

Either way, I've come to the conclusion that the lime juice is the key to some very tasty tortilla soup!


I am submitting both recipes to my friend Deb at Kahakai Kitchen for her Souper Sundays roundup. Every Sunday Deb features a wonderful roundup of tasty soups, sandwiches and salads.


I am also submitting this to my flavor-loving friend, Heather, of Girlichef, for her Tortilla Soup Challenge.

Heather has a 4 spoon rating system for the Tortilla Soup Challenge, with 4 spoons being the best rating.

I'm giving the Eating Well recipe 2 spoons. A good solid recipe, which I would eat again.


I'm giving Ellie's recipe 3 spoons which means that it is a recipe worth getting excited about! I even emailed a few people to tell them about it :0)

If you would like information about joining up with Heather's Tortilla Soup Challenge, click HERE to read about it!

Jacques Pepin's Onion Soup Lyonnaise-Style {French Onion Soup}

 

Awhile back I bought some soup bowls specifically made for serving French Onion Soup. I had intended to make the soup straight away, but every time I thought about it I envisioned standing in front of the chopping board with tears streaming down my cheeks. Now I love onions, especially when topped with crusty bread and lots of cheese, but I do not love continuously crying over mounds of onions. Never mind that it ruins my makeup.

Fast forward to today when I was planning on spending a lazy Sunday at home in my pajamas, no makeup necessary.  I decided it was time to blow out my Farmer's Market candle and get this house smelling like proper French Onion Soup.

Now if you love French Onion Soup then hear me when I say this recipe is total and complete perfection. In fact, it's easily one of my favorite recipes I've made since blogging almost 8 years ago! Why? Well, the French Onion Soup we've all come to know and love is so delicious because it is topped with that crusty bread and melted cheese. That crusty bread and melted cheese is easily the pièce de résistance.  Now, how do we improve on that? By adding more cheese and bread, of course! How about crusty bread and cheese on the bottom of the bowl and on top? Yum! What's more, Pepin makes this soup even more easy to eat by running the soup through a food mill to chop the onion into bits so that it fits on the spoon better. This means no juggling big rings of onion on your spoon while you spill broth everywhere. Score! Now we have a French Onion Soup worth crying over!

Onion Soup Lyonnaise-Style

Adapted from Essential Pepin

Serves 6-8

15-20 slices baguette, 1/4 inch thick

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 medium onions, thinly sliced (about 4 cups)

8 cups homemade chicken stock

salt and pepper, to taste

2 cups grated Gruyere cheese

2 large egg yolks

1/2 cup sweet port
Optional: sprinkling of Herbes de Provence, to taste

Note: This recipe can be halved quite easily. Also worth noting that I skipped adding the egg yolk and the port, although I'm quite sure it would be delicious.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

Arrange the bread slices on a cookie sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until browned. Remove from the oven and set aside (Leave the oven on).

Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onions and saute for 15 minutes, or until dark brown.

Add the stock, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes. Push the soup through a food mill, if desired.

Arrange one third of the toasted bread in the bottom of an ovenproof soup tureen or large casserole. Sprinkle with some of the cheese, then add the remaining bread and more cheese, saving enough to sprinkle over the top of the soup. Fill the tureen with the hot soup, sprinkle the reserved cheese on top, and place on a cookie sheet. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a golden rust forms on top. 

Combine the yolks with the port in a deep soup plate and whip with a fork. With a ladle, make a hole in the top of the gratinee, pour in the port mixture, and fold into the soup with the ladle. Stir everything together, bring the soup to the table, and serve.

Every Sunday @ Kahakai Kitchen

Theme: Monthly Featured Chef: Jacques Pepin

Split Pea Soup with Crispy Kielbasa {And A California Tale}

Imagine this, it's the very early 00's and me and my husband are visiting California. We're leaving L.A and driving "the 5" all the way to San Francisco. Now, I don't know what we were expecting, but I can tell you this experience did not end up anywhere near anything we had dreamed up in our east coast minds. I don't know if "the 5" has changed much in the last 20 years, but at the time it was a lot of nothing: Six Flags, some brown mountains, nothing but brown dirt and maybe mountains, aqueducts, signs for orchards, windmills, thousands upon thousands of cows, and then a pea soup restaurant called Pea Soup Anderson's. Now, if you're gonna be making this drive you're gonna get hungry and you're probably not gonna be craving pea soup, but that's all you're gonna get. So pea soup it is!

Now, in all of my 45 years, I've never felt more like I was in an episode of The Twilight Zone more than the day we made that drive. So, in the middle of nowhere, we drove up to a pea soup restaurant thinking, "what in the absolute world is going on?" I can remember inhaling dust while walking into the restaurant, everything was so brown and so dry, and when we walked inside I was taken aback. The inside of the restaurant was pea green too! Mind blown. Still is. I remember being totally tripped out. I know we ate the pea soup and some bread. I just can't remember the pea soup because everything else was so darn out of place that day. I'm thinking I must've liked it because I remember buying pea soup and eating it at work in the years that followed.

Fast forward 20 years and me and my husband still laugh about our ride down "the 5". Then I came across Ina Garten's recipe for Split Pea Soup with Crispy Kielbasa and I thought, "why the heck not?" It took me weeks to find a ham hock and the rest was easy peasy.

I have to say we were not overly impressed. Don't get me wrong, the soup is good and if you love split pea soup then you would love this recipe! The crispy kielbasa is really great and the soup is A LOT better the second day, but it's just not something that we crave or feel we need to eat on a regular basis. So, if split pea soup is your jam, then you'd probably love this recipe and a drive up "the 5". But if split pea soup is not your jam, then you might wanna drive up the 101 if you're ever in California, and skip this recipe.

 

Split Pea Soup with Crispy Kielbasa

Adapted from Modern Comfort Food

by Ina Garten

Serves 6

olive oil

2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts, spun dried (2 leeks)

1-1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (1 large)

2 cups 1/2" diced, scrubbed carrots (3 large)

1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)

1 pound dry green split peas

8 cups good chicken stock (preferable homemade)

1 smoked ham hock

8 fresh thyme sprigs, tied with kitchen twine

2 large fresh bay leaves

salt and pepper

12 ounces smoked kielbasa, halved lengthwise and sliced diagonally in 1/4" thick pieces

minced fresh parsley, for serving

Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large (11 to 12") pot or Dutch oven, over medium-high heat. Add the leeks, onion, and carrots and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender and starting to brown. Stir in the garlic and cook for one minute. Stir in the peas to coat with oil and cook for one minute. Add 8 cups of the chicken stock, 2 cups water, the ham hock, thyme bundle, bay leaves, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, partially covered, for 1-1/4 hours, stirring occasionally, until the peas are very tender and falling apart. After 45 minutes, stir more frequently, scraping the bottom of the pot to be sure the soup doesn't burn.

Discard the thyme bundle, bay leaves, and ham hock. Transfer 2 cups of the soup to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and puree. Return the puree to the pot, adding more chicken stock or water if the soup is too thick.

To serve, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium (10 to 11") saute pan over medium heat. Add the kielbasa and saute for 5 to 6 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the kielbasa is browned. Serve the soup hot with the kielbasa and parsley sprinkled on top.

Hearty Tomato Soup with Lemon and Rosemary Cream AND Pecorino Crackers

This Hearty Tomato Soup with Lemon and Rosemary Cream is definitely a grown-up version of the traditional tomato soup. This is a hearty soup, with lots of body, thanks in part to the addition of the cannelini beans. This recipe is another winner from Giada's Kitchen, which in my opinion, is her best cookbook yet.

Hearty Tomato Soup with Lemon and Rosemary Cream
Serves 6-8
About 250 delicious calories, even with a dollop of cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped (about 1 cup)
2 garlic cloves, chopped (I think I used about 4-5 cloves)
1 (15 ounce) can cannelini (white) beans, drained and rinsed
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
3 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary (I used dried)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (I used about 1 tsp. red pepper flakes)
salt and pepper to taste
2/3 cup heavy cream
Zest of one lemon

In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and garlic and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 4 minutes. Add the beans, tomatoes, broth, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon of the rosemary, and the red pepper flakes. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, covered.
Puree the soup in a blender in batches, being careful to remove and discard the bay leaf. Return the soup to the soup pot and keep warm over low heat. Season with salt and pepper.
In a medium bowl, whip the cream to soft peaks. Fold in the lemon zest and remaining teaspoon of rosemary. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and dollop with lemon-rosemary whipped cream. Serve immediately.


Pecorino Crackers
Makes 24 crackers
1-1/4 cups freshly grated Pecorino Romano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temp
1 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350F. Line 1 or 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine the cheese, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Add the butter. Using a hand mixer, beat the cheese mixture and butter until combined. Add the flour 1/4 cup at a time, mixing only until incorporated and the mixture holds together. Place tablespoon-size balls of the dough on the parchment-lined baking sheets, tapping the dough down gently with your fingertips. Bake until just beginning to brown at the edges, about 15 minutes. Let the crackers cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer them to a serving plate.




Notes/Results: I really liked this tomato soup. In fact, I think I almost liked it better without the dollop of cream. The soup itself has a lot of body, from the beans, and a wonderful fresh flavor. It seems that the carrots helped to tone down the acidity of the tomatoes. Either that, or the San Marzano tomatoes really make some great soup. The dollop of lemon and rosemary cream is a fun addition and makes this a great soup to serve to company. It's very pretty! This is a healthy soup that will become a staple recipe for me. It's low in calories, even with the addition of cream. The crackers, on the other hand, are dangerous. They are really good and addictive. I baked up 6 of them and then I ate four very quickly. After eating four of them in a row, I reasoned with myself and put the rest of the dough in the refrigerator so I could share the love later. They are buttery, cheesy, crispy deliciousness and pair wonderfully with this soup.

I am sending this recipe over to my friend Deb at Kahakai Kitchen for her Souper Sundays roundup. Each Sunday, Deb has a roundup of soups, salad and sandwiches. Check it out!

Roasted Jalapeno Potato Soup with Greens and Chorizo

Sometimes you just need comfort food.  Food that gives you a hug. The past few weeks have have been extreme.  We had a great family vacation over the 4th of July, but we came back to two broken vehicles and some heartbreaking news from a dear friend.  Lots of ups and downs.  On top of that things have been really busy and we really haven't had time to process anything. 

This afternoon we had a long awaited thunderstorm and it cooled off just enough to make a comforting bowl of soup.  It's been a few weeks since I had a few hours of time to myself and I decided kitchen therapy was definitely in order.  Potato soup is one of the most comforting meals I know of so potato soup it was. 

This potato soup differs from the traditional cream and cheese laden potato soup.  This is a chicken broth based potato soup.  It has no cream or butter and only uses a small amount of cheese as a garnish.  Surprisingly, this potato soup is every bit as creamy and delicious as it's calorie-laden counterpart.  We loved the heat from the jalapeno, the healthy addition of greens, and the gorgeous and flavorful chorizo topping.  My husband, who isn't a big soup fan, enjoyed two bowls.  It was a hit for sure!

Roasted Jalapeno Potato Soup with Greens and Chorizo

Adapted from Rickbayless.com

Serves 6

6 medium red-skin boiling or Yukon Gold potatoes
6 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
1 1/2 quarts chicken broth
2 large jalapeno peppers
8 ounces Mexican chorizo, casing removed (used as a garnish)
8 cups stemmed, sliced greens (such as spinach or chard)—1/2-inch slices are good
Salt

To garnish:
grated Mexican queso anejo or other garnishing cheese like Romano or Parmesan
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Cut (4) of the potatoes into 4 pieces each and scoop them into a large soup pot (dutch oven), along with the garlic.  Chop the remaining (2) potatoes into 1/4-inch cubes and set aside. Pour half of the broth into the saucepan and set it over high heat.  When the liquid boils, reduce the heat to medium and simmer briskly until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. 

While the potatoes are cooking, roast the jalapenos over an open flame or 4 inches below a broiler, turning regularly until blistered and blackened all over, about 5 minutes for an open flame, 10 minutes for a broiler.  Cover with a kitchen towel or place in a brown paper bag. Let cool until handleable.  Cut the top off the chiles, slit the side from seed pod to point, open out flat and scrape out the seeds; discard.  Flip over and scrape the skin off the flesh; discard.  Chop the flesh into smallish pieces.

When the potatoes are tender, use an immersion blender to coarsely puree the soup base (or coarsely process in several batches in a food processor or a loosely covered blender draped with a kitchen towel, then return to the pan).  Add the remaining half of the broth, the reserved cubed potatoes and the chile pieces.  Simmer 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, fry the chorizo in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking up any lumps, until thoroughly cooked and well browned, about 12 minutes.  Scoop onto a plate lined with paper towels to drain.  

Just before serving, stir the greens into the soup and let simmer until they are tender—2 to 4 minutes.
 
Taste and season the soup with salt, usually about 1 1/2 teaspoons depending on the saltiness of your broth.  Ladle into warm soup bowls, then sprinkle with a portion of the chorizo, cheese and cilantro.  Serve right away.

Theme: Soups and Sides

Every Sunday @ Kahakai Kitchen

Tuscan White Bean and Garlic Soup

Every once in awhile I get a massive craving for beans. Kinda strange, huh? I mean who craves beans? Maybe it is the result of being a vegetarian for several years, who knows. I think I ate about every kind of bean this week. I made a creamy rice dish with red chili beans and kidney beans, this Tuscan White Bean and Garlic Soup, black bean burgers, and then had garbanzo beans in my couscous. Suffice it to say, I have certainly satisfied my craving for beans this week!

This Tuscan White Bean and Garlic Soup is really creamy and flavorful and costs next to nothing to make, which is a plus. The recipe and the picture caught my eye while reading through a copy of Giada's Kitchen and I was very happy to find that I had all the ingredients to make this soup. I am a big sucker for recipes made with pantry/staple ingredients.

Tuscan White Bean and Garlic Soup
*Adapted from Giada's Kitchen*
Makes 4-6 servings
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 shallots, chopped
2 sage leaves, stems removed
2 (15-oz) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
4 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 slices ciabatta bread
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Place a medium, heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add the butter, olive oil, and shallots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are softened, about 3 minutes. Add the sage leaves, cannelini beans, and garlic and stir to combine. Add the chicken broth to the pan, until the garlic is softened, about 15 minutes. Pour half the soup into a large bowl. Carefully ladle a third to half of the soup from the bowl into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth (be careful to hold the top of the blender tightly, as hot liquids expand when they are blended). Pour the blended remaining soup from the bowl. Once all the soup is returned to the soup pot, stir in the cream, salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm over very low heat.

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle the slices of ciabatta bread with the EVOO. Grill the bread until it is warm and golden grill marks appear, about 3 minutes per side. Serve the soup in bowls with the grilled bread alongside.

Notes/Results: I blended about half of the soup and left the other half chunky. I also added some red pepper flakes and a little more sage. This soup doesn't have a lot of body to it, but it is flavorful, delicious and filling nonetheless. I enjoyed it with some baguette, which I didn't even bother to grill. It is a simple, easy and delicious soup that can be made from pantry ingredients. I made this for dinner one night and was eager to have it again for lunch the next day. If you are concerned with calories, I think the cream could probably be omitted, or at the very least reduced. This is a keeper recipe based on the fact that it is easy, delicious and pretty healthy!

I am sending this recipe over to my friend Deb at Kahakai Kitchen for Souper Sundays! Each Sunday, Deb has a roundup of soups, salads and sammies. Head on over there this Sunday to check out all the delicious goodies!

A Simple Carrot Soup

The color orange is sunny and appealing. It reminds me of all things bright and happy. It's for that very reason I find carrot soup so appealing. For years now, I've had my eye on carrot soup. I knew I wanted to make it, but I just couldn't find the right recipe. Until now.

This carrot soup is simple enough to make; but, there are a few touches that take it to the next level, without making it too fussy.  Firstly, I love the addition of coconut milk which makes things a little creamier and thick.  However, the thing that sold me on this soup was the addition of red curry paste.  Red curry paste is a lovely and very aromatic paste made with red chili pepper, garlic, lemongrass, galangal, shallot, kaffir limes and various spices. When the paste hits the pan it is rather seductive and for that reason I am always looking for a reason to use it. While both the coconut milk and red curry paste add consistency and remarkable flavor to the soup, it is the condiments that initially drew me in to this recipe. I can assure you these condiments are not just for looks. The toasted almonds lend a wonderful crunch and flavor to the dish and they definitely steal the show in this soup. In fact, they are a must if making this soup! I also love the brightness that a squeeze of fresh lime adds, as well as the subtle spiciness from a couple shakes of chili oil. The cilantro does it's part to help the dish look colorful, while adding the touch that only herbs can. This, my friends, is the carrot soup to try. It is sure to brighten your day like a ray of sunshine.

A Simple Carrot Soup

Adapted from 101 Cookbooks

by Heidi Swanson

Serves 4

2 tablespoons butter or oil

1 onion, chopped

scant 1 tablespoon red curry paste, or to taste

2 pounds carrots, peeled and chopped - 1/2-inch chunks (about 10-11 medium-sized carrots)

1 (14 oz) can full fat coconut milk

salt and pepper, to taste

1-1/2 cups water, or to cover

1 lemon or lime

To serve: micro greens, cilantro, chopped & toasted almonds, chile oil, etc.

In a large soup pan over medium-high heat add the butter and onion.  Stir until the onions are well-coated, and allow to saute until translucent, a few minutes. Stir in the curry paste, and then the carrots. Allow to cook another minute or two, and then add the coconut milk, salt, and water, adding more water to cover if needed. Allow to simmer until the carrots are tender, 10 - 15 minutes, and then puree using a blender or hand blender until the soup is completely silky smooth.  This next part is important (with any soup)- make any needed adjustments. Add more water if the consistency needs to be thinned out a bit. After that taste for salt, adding more if needed.  I also like to season this soup with a great big squeeze of lemon or lime juice. Serve topped with whatever you have on hand. I like it with a little something crunchy (almonds), and a lot of something green (micro greens & cilantro).

Every Sunday @ Kahakai Kitchen

Smoked Sausage and Potato Soup

 My family really enjoys smoked sausage, so when I saw this recipe for Smoked Sausage and Potato Soup on the How Sweet Eats blog this week, I knew I had to make it!

The recipe calls for Yukon Gold potatoes, but you could use regular old russet potatoes if you like. The Yukon Gold potatoes hold up better and retain their shape, making more of chunkier potato soup with a thinner broth. The russet potatoes will break down into the soup, creating a thicker soup, with not as many chunks of potato. Use what you like best or use what you have on hand!

I used the Yukon Gold potatoes that the recipe called for and my family loved the flavor and texture of the soup. They thought the sausage to potato ratio was right on point and especially liked dunking their crusty bread into the flavorful broth. They said the soup was hearty and satisfying and gave it bonus points for being a little different than your everyday soup.

 

Summer Sausage and Potato Soup

Adapted from How Sweet Eats

by Jessica Merchant

Serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 package smoked sausage, sliced into rounds

2 pounds yukon gold potatoes, cut into chunks

5 cups chicken stock

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

4 cups shredded kale or spinach

Note: Feel free to use russet potatoes if that's what you have on hand. The russet potatoes will break up and help to give you a thicker and creamier soup. The yukon gold potatoes will hold their shape and your end result will be a more brothier soup.

Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and the garlic with a big pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the onions soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the paprika and oregano.

Add in the sausage. Cook, stirring often until the sausage browns a bit on both sides, another 5 to 6 minutes.

Add in the potatoes and the stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer. Cover and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Whisk or shake together the cream and flour until combined. Pour the mixture into the soup and bring it to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring often, until thickened.

Taste the soup and season with more salt and pepper if desired. Stir in the kale. Cook for 5 more minutes until the kale wilts a bit and serve! 

16 Bean Pasta e Fagioli

This "16 bean" pasta e fagioli beckoned to me from the pages of Ina Garten's Cooking For Jeffrey. A simple peasant soup full of all the things I love: tomatoes, beans, and pasta. It screams of comfort food.

So, on a blustery winter day, I gathered my ingredients and set about preparing this soup. This recipe takes some forethought, namely soaking the beans overnight. If you forget, like me, you can do the quick-soak method (thanks Deb). After soaking, this recipe does take quite a bit of time. The beans cook an hour and you have to watch, skimming off foam. When they're done it's time to get out the food mill, or in my case, the blender.  One-third of the beans gets pureed so as to thicken the soup. Then you have to add all the beans, and pasta, back to the pot and cook the soup for another 30 minutes.

Do you see where I'm going with this? This soup takes forethought, quite a bit of work, and results in lots of dirty dishes. No problem, right? After all, I love all the ingredients and this soup is definitely going to be great.

Wrong. So wrong. I wish I didn't have to say this, but my soup was really mild. Way too mild. In fact, my husband's comment was "this has no flavor at all." I had to agree with him. Baffled, I explained how I added bacon, extra onions and garlic, loads of red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, and topped it off with a little drizzle of some really nice extra virgin olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and fresh basil.  Normally, these ingredients always deliver flavor. This time they did not.

Every once in awhile I have a kitchen failure, but I don't mind because I usually learn something helpful. This one leaves me wondering. What was the lesson? Was it the brand of beans? Were they old? Was it because I didn't soak my beans overnight? Maybe the quick-soak worked to make them tender but perhaps they just didn't soak up enough water? Maybe the quick-soak method affected the flavor profile of the soup? Maybe when you quick-soak you need to add xyz.... to help make up for something. Maybe it's something else altogether.

Either way, this recipe is a no go for us. Don't be afraid to give it a try though because I know a few others who have really enjoyed it! But, do me a favor, soak your beans overnight!

"16 Bean" Pasta e Fagioli

Adapted from Cooking For Jeffrey

by Ina Garten

Serves 6-8

1 (1-pound) bag Goya 16 Bean Soup Mix*

2 tablespoons good olive oil, plus extra for serving

6 ounces pancetta, 1/4-inch-dice, or bacon*

1 large onion, chopped*

1 tablespoons minced garlic (3 cloves)*

red pepper flakes, to taste*

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1 cup dry red wine*

4 to 6 cups good chicken stock

salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup miniature pasta, such as ditalini or tubettini

1/2 cup freshly grated Italian Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

1 tablespoon good red wine vinegar*

Julienned fresh basil leaves, for serving

Note: My grocery didn't have the Goya brand bean mix so I bought an equiavalent. I used bacon in place of pancetta, added extra garlic and onions, about a tablespoon or more of red pepper flakes, two teaspoons of Italian seasoning, and a good amount of salt and pepper. I didn't add the red wine but replaced the liquid with chicken stock. The red wine vinegar did help to wake up the flavors, but unfortaunely not enough.

The day before you plan to make the soup, place the bean mix in a large bowl, add cold water to cover by 2 inches, and refrigerate overnight. The next day, drain the beans, rinse under cold running water, and drain again. Place the beans in a large pot with 8 cups of cold water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 1 hour. Stir occasionally and skim off any foam that rises to the top. The beans should be very tender and the skin will peel away when you blow on them.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium (10-inch) stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the pancetta and onion and saute over medium to medium high heat for 12 to 18 minutes, until browned. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute for one minute. Add the tomatoes, wine, 4 cups of the chicken stock, salt and pepper, and turn off the heat.

Drain the beans and add two-thirds of them to the soup. Pass the remaining beans through a food mill, discarding the skins. Stir the bean puree and the pasta into the soup, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender. Add up to 2 more cups of chicken stock if the soup is too thick. Stir in the Parmesan and the vinegar. Ladle the soup into shallow bowls and add a swirl of olive oil,a sprinkle of Parmesan, and some basil. Serve hot with extra Parmesan on the side.

Trisha Yearwood's Chicken Soup and Pioneer Woman's Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Apricot Sauce

Still obsessed with my copy of Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood, I made Trisha's Chicken Soup. The picture in the book was so beautiful and I was convinced that I needed to make it as soon as possible. I have tried five of her recipes so far, and I like this recipe for her Chicken Soup the best. It was delicious, outstanding, creamy, hearty, and quite addictive. My husband and I each had two bowls, in one setting.

I love how Trisha uses tricolor pasta to really liven up this bowl of soup. This soup is also chockful of veggies, bell peppers, onions, celery, red potatoes, and a bag of frozen mixed veggies!! To thicken the soup, Trisha uses a mix of Wondra flour and water and then finishes the soup off with a liberal dose of cream and butter. Thick, creamy, hearty and addictive, this is a soup recipe that I will make over and over again in my kitchen.


Chicken Soup
Adapted from Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood
Serves 10
Salt and Pepper
4 Whole Chicken Breasts, bone in and with skin
2 medium bell peppers, cored, seeded, and chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
1 48-ounce can chicken broth
3 medium red potatoes, chopped
1 16-ounce pacakage frozen mixed vegetables
1 cup tricolor rotini pasta, uncooked (I used the whole pound)
1 cup small carrots, cut lengthwise into fourths
3 tablespoons Wondra or all-purpose flour
2 cups (16 ounces) heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

Sprinkle salt and pepper on each chicken breast and place in an 8-10quart stockpot. Add the bell peppers, onions, and celery, then pour the chicken broth over all. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the chicken for 40-50 minutes, or until done.

Transfer the chicken to a bowl. Allow to cool slightly. Remove the bones and skin and discard. Shred the chicken and put back into the pot. (NOTE: I skipped the above steps because I used a rotisserie chicken. Instead I sauteed the bell peppers, onions and celery in about one tablespoon oil, until tender. I then poured in the required amount of broth and followed the steps below.)>Add the potatoes and cook for 12 -15 minutes. Add the mixed vegetables and cook for 12-15 minutes more. Add the pasta and carrots, and cook for 7 minutes more. (NOTE: I cooked an entire pound of the tricolor pasta separately so that the pasta would remain al dente. I kept the pasta separate until right before serving).In a quart glass measuring cup, mix the flour into 1/4 cup water until smooth. Pour in the cream, then add to the soup mixture along with the butter. Cook for 10 more minutes. Allow to stand for at least 15 minutes before serving. (NOTE: I spooned the tricolor pasta over each bowl prior to serving)

In the mood for both soup and sandwiches this week, I also made Pioneer Woman's Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Apricot Sauce. A creamy sauce is made from equal parts apricot preserves, mayo and Dijon mustard. You begin by spreading the sauce on two slices of good sourdough bread.

Layer spinach and sliced red onions on one slice of bread and the grilled chicken breast on the other side. Ree chose to leave her grilled chicken breast whole. I had to slice mine in order for it to fit on the bread.

I think you could definitely stop here and eat this sandwich cold, but Ree grilled hers and so did I. If you chose to serve it grilled, brush the bread with a little bit of oil to ensure that nice crispy brown crust. You can also find the recipe over HERE on Ree's website.


I am submitting both the soup and sandwich to my friend Deb over at Kahakai Kitchen for her weekly Souper Sundays roundup.
I am also submitting the Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Apricot Sauce to Foodie Friends of the Pioneer Woman.

How Sweet Eat's Cheeseburger Soup

 It is officially soup season when the nights get cold and dark and we turn the clocks back!

I made Cheeseburger Soup for the first time years ago and I remember it being a big hit! When I saw How Sweet Eat's share her family's favorite version, I knew I had to give it a try.

You start with browned ground beef, then add all the classic soup veggies like onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. You cook the cubed potatoes in broth with the veggies and meat, until tender and then you add in the roux, milk, and cheese.

In the soup world, I feel like there are two kinds of people: those who like thick soups and those who like brothy soups. This version is differently on the brothy side. We are not brothy soup lovers, but we did enjoy this with some pretzel garlic bread. It was cheesy and comforting and we loved dipping the bread in the soup.

Cheeseburger Soup

Adapted from How Sweet Eats

by Jessica Merchant

Serves 4-6

1 pound ground beef

salt and pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 sweet onion, diced

1 cup freshly grated carrots

1 cup diced celery

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 pound petite gold potatoes, quartered

4 to 5 cups chicken stock*

2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk

16 ounces freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

freshly chopped parsley or chives, for serving

*Note: If you are a brothy soup person, go ahead and use the 4 cups of chicken broth in this recipe. If you're into thicker soups, maybe start with 3 cups of broth and add more if you feel like it needs it.

Season the ground beef all over with salt and pepper. Heat a large stock pot over medium heat and add beef. Brown the beef, using a meat chopped or wooden spoon to break it into small crumbles.

Once browned, remove the beef with a slotted spoon and transfer it to a plate.

Add the olive oil to the same skillet. Add in the onions, carrots, celery and garlic with a big pinch of salt and pepper. Add the oregano. Stir. Cook, stirring often, until the veggies soften, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Add in the potatoes and 4 cups of chicken stock. Return the beef to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Heat the butter in a separate skillet. Once melted, whisk in the flour to create a roux. Whisk and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the color is golden and the mixture is fragrant.

Use a spatula to scrape the roux right into the soup pot. Bring the mixture back to a boil. Boil for 1 to 2 minutes. Add in the milk and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.

Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cheese. Stir until it is all melted. At this point, you can add in the additional cup of chicken stock or not. Sometimes I like to add it before I pack the soup up for the fridge since it thickens more as it sits. Taste and season the soup with more salt and pepper if necessary. Stir in the sour cream. Once melted, serve! Top with fresh chives or parsley to serve. 

 October Potluck @ I Heart Cooking Clubs!