national soup month

Roasted Butternut and Apple Soup

January 7, 2015 by coleen hayden

Did you know that January is National Soup Month? That is a fact that my husband does not let me overlook. He loves soup…and would eat soup every single day! Here on our healthy but oh-so-yummy! segment of the At Home w/ GCH blog, we are celebrating our third annual Soup-Palooza! Each week this month we will feature soup, soup, soup...and soup! Use the search feature here on our website to explore other soup recipes that Dana and I have posted in the past.

This week’s recipe spotlights three ingredients that are good for you, and really yummy, too: butternut squash, organic chicken meatballs, and baby kale. Interesting combination, you say? You betcha! I do believe this soup would be equally delicious without the chicken meatballs…making it perfect to serve as a vegan dish. This soup also freezes (and defrosts) beautifully! A note on the chicken meatballs: There are a number of brands out there to choose from. These are the ones that I use…they have no preservatives, no filler, and are organic. This company offer quite a variety of products—meatballs and sausages.

Enjoy…see you back here next week with another soup!

Butternut-Apple Soup with Chicken Meatballs

ingredients:
1 medium butternut squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
cinnamon
1 teaspoon EACH sea salt, freshly ground pepper (I use lemon-pepper blend)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 pkg chicken apple meatballs, cut in quarters
1 small onion, diced
1-2 stalks celery, thin slices
1 medium carrot, shredded
1 tablespoon minced garlic (I use jarred)
1-2 teaspoons herb medley of your choice (thyme, tarragon, crushed rosemary, marjoram)
1-2 large apples, peeled and cubed
6 cups chicken stock
1 cup apple cider
1+ cups water (optional)
baby arugula
finely shredded sharp Cheddar (optional)

directions:

preheat oven to 400
line a baking sheet with parchment paper
cut butternut squash in half; clean out seeds
peel the skin; cut the squash into 1+1/2″ cubes
place in large mixing bowl along with 1 tablespoon olive oil, a couple of good shakes of cinnamon, and the seasonings; mix together and pour onto lined baking sheet
roast for 20 minutes or so ‘til the butternut yields easily when you pierce with a knife; remove from oven and set aside

meanwhile…

heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in medium stockpot
add cut-up chicken meatballs and saute ‘til lightly browned (6-7 minutes)
remove from pan and add the onion, celery and carrot; cook about 5 minutes until vegetables are starting to get soft and caramelized
add herbs, apple chunks, garlic, season w/salt and pepper saute for 1 minute, stirring constantly
add stock, water and cider; stir to bring together
bring to a boil and add roasted butternut squash
reduce heat to medium low and let simmer about 30 minutes
using immersion blender (or carefully in a blender/mixer), puree about half the veggies, leaving the rest whole
adjust the consistency of the soup to your liking, adding up to 1 cup of water (or additional broth) to thin it out if you prefer
add in the browned chicken meatballs and heat through

to serve:

put a bit of raw baby arugula (I put in a small handful) in the bottom of your mug or soupbowl; ladle the finished soup on top
taste for additional seasoning (arugula will make it peppery!)
finish with a sprinkle of shredded cheese, if you like

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

God loves you! ♥ (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥ coleen

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SoupPalooza 2014: Chili w/ Veggies

January 27, 2014 by coleen hayden

Final Week of SoupPalooza 2014! Here on the Monday edition of the At Home w/ GCH blog, we have celebrated with four different soup recipes: Mushroom Soup with Wild Rice, Baked Potato Soup, Turkey Veggie Soup, and today’s recipe, a Chili w/ Veggies. Each recipe a completely different ‘style’ soup than the next! From Mr. Hayden and I, we hope you have enjoyed the variety…He certainly has!

This week’s recipe was inspired by a suggestion from our Dana Kim in her recent post ing of a Cabbage and Pineapple Slaw recipe. (Boy, was that good!) She hinted at a recipe for a spicy soup or chili. So, I prepared BOTH her recipe along with mine…here y’go!

Ingredients

2# ground beef (or turkey)
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium-sized sweet onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
4-5 ounces Baby Bella mushrooms, chopped1 medium-sized sweet onion, chopped
3 tablespoons chopped garlic (I use jarred)
1-28ounce can crushed tomatoes
1-15 ounce can dark red kidney beans, rinsed
1-15 ounce can black beans, rinsed
1 package taco seasoning (* see below for ‘homemade’ seasoning recipe)
1-2 cups frozen corn, defrosted
Optional toppings: sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped avocado, salsa

Directions

Saute the ground meat ‘til all the pink is cooked out. Drain away the excess liquid and set the cooked meat aside.
In the same pan, add 2 tablespoons olive oil to heat over medium heat; add the chopped onion and mushrooms. Saute for 5-6 minutes.
Add in the chopped bell pepper; stir well. Saute the veggies for approximately 6-7 minutes ‘til just beginning to get slightly brown.
Lower heat and add chopped garlic. Stir constantly for 1 additional minute.
Increase heat to medium-high, pour in the chopped tomatoes and the taco seasoning mix. Stir.
Finally add back the cooked meat as well as the beans; stir well ‘til all is combined.
Bring just to a boil; and lower heat so the mixture is gently simmering.

Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix

1/4 cup chili powder
3 tablespoons dried minced onion
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1+1/2 teaspoons salt (optional, I do not include it)
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/3 cup cornstarch

Place all ingredients in a small glass jar; shake really well ‘til all ingredients appear to be evenly distributed. (To substitute for the mix that comes in a yellow package: use 3 tablespoons of mix and 1/3 cup water for each pound of meat.)

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

God loves you! ♥ (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥ coleen

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SoupPalooza 2014 – Mushroom Soup with Wild Rice

January 20, 2014 by coleen hayden

SoupPalooza continues! Here on our healthy but oh-so-yummy! Monday’s on the At Home w/ GCH blog, we are promoting soup, soup, and soup! This is National Soup Month, and my husband, Robert, certainly enjoys his bowl of soup—he would eat soup every single day! (I know, you’ve heard this before…but it is true!) So, I have committed to serving soup at one meal each day for all of National Soup Month. So far, so good!

This week one of the soups I made was a hearty, earthy Mushroom Soup. Oh, if you could have smelled this house…between the onions, garlic, mushrooms, and thyme! This soup is thick and creamy…and I thought it would go really well with the recipe that Dana shared with us recently—Spinach Salad w/ Warm Bacon Dressing. She is SO right…soup and salad? Such a great combination!

Don’t forget to utilize the search button on our website to check out soups from SoupPalooza 2013 along with soups that Dana has shared with us, too! I would love to hear what varieties of soup you and your family enjoy! Leave a comment below, ok?

Now, I did use one *secret ingredient…want to know what it is? Dried Mushrooms. Incredible Ingredient…you really should get some for your pantry! They can be purchased in the spice aisle, or the ethnic foods aisle of your grocery store. They come in a small baggie. And are really inexpensive, too! I put mine into a grater like this one. Super easy to use! And the grated mushrooms add SUCH a depth of flavor! Try adding a tablespoon or so to any number of dishes: quiche, stews, marinara sauce, soups, etc. Try it; I think you will like it!

I used a combination of the fresh mushrooms…about 1 pound altogether. Whichever (shitake, button, baby bella) mushrooms you choose to use, be sure to cook them deeply before adding the flour, wine and stock. Along with the onions, they should get really brown and caramelized. This takes a little while, but this is also where the soup gets its deep savory flavor and richness.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup wild rice
1/2 teaspoon butter
1 cup broth
1 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup onions, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1# mushrooms, white, baby bella, shitake, cleaned and chopped
1/4 cup brown rice flour (you could use all-purpose flour)
1 teaspoon kosher salt, freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup red wine
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, separated
6 cups broth or stock
8 ounces frozen carrots, defrosted
2 cups cooked wild rice
1/2 cup half and half (or milk)
1/2 cup sour cream

Instructions

In a small saucepan, melt 1/2 teaspoon butter. Stir in wild rice to coat with butter, and heat for 1 minute.
Pour in broth and water. Bring to a boil; cover and immediately reduce heat to very low; simmer for approximately 45 minutes or ‘til liquid is absorbed.
Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a medium-sized saucepan or soup pot over medium heat.
Add onions, mushrooms, and celery and cook, stirring often, until softened (7-8 minutes).
Allow the mushrooms and onions to get some color.
Sprinkle flour over cooked veggies along with salt and pepper; cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. (This is where I added my ‘secret ingredient; *see above.)
Stir in wine and thyme; increase heat to medium-high and reduce ‘til the liquid is almost absorbed.
Add broth and carrots to pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for 7-8 minutes.
Scoop out the carrots and just a bit of the veggies, and set aside.
Using an immersion blender, puree the soup and the veggies ‘til smooth;
Add back in the carrots, along with the half and half and additional thyme.
Heat over low ‘til piping hot! When ready to serve, place a small portion of wild rice in the bottom of the bowl or mug, add soup and top with a dollop of sour cream. Enjoy!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

God loves you! ♥ (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥ Coleen

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SoupPalooza2014 – Turkey Veggie Soup

January 6, 2014 by coleen hayden

SoupPalooza time again! January is National Soup Month, and for my hubby, Robert, we have entered his ‘happy zone!’ The man will eat soup every single day! So, just like January 2013, I am indulging him and have committed to serving soup at one meal per day for the entire month.

Here on our healthy but oh-so-yummy! Monday’s on the At Home w/ GCH blog, we will be promoting soup, soup, and soup for the next four weeks. Each week will focus on a different type of soup, i.e., veggie-based, creamy, chunky, meaty, etc. And don’t forget to utilize the search button on our website to check out soups from SoupPalooza 2013 along with soups that our Dana has shared with us, too! With all of the ch-ch-chilly temperatures around the country recently, perhaps soup will feature more in your menu planning, too!

Turkey Veggie Soup

Ingredients
4 quarts homemade turkey stock (or your choice of boxed broth)
3-4 cups of cooked turkey meat, shredded
1 small sweet onion, finely diced
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped garlic in oil (jarred)
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium-large butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 can (15 oz) stewed or crushed tomatoes
1/2 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree (NOT seasoned!)
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
2 garlic cloves (crushed)
salt and pepper to taste
6-8 ounces green beans (if using frozen, defrost)
2 cups cauliflower florets (ditto)
1 cup cubed zucchini
8 ounces carrots (I used frozen)
optional: cooked rice, quinoa, or tiny pasta

Directions

In a large soup (or stock) pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat, and then add onion and celery. Saute for 5 minutes.
Add cubed butternut squash and saute for an additional 10 minutes, stirring only once or twice, ‘til just beginning to brown.
Add chopped garlic and saute for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Stir in stock, tomatoes, and pumpkin puree, mixing thoroughly.
Add vegetables (zucchini, cauliflower, carrots, and green beans) and seasonings. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 or so minutes ‘til veggies are getting tender.
Using a slotted spoon, remove about half of the veggies to a bowl and set aside.
Turn heat very low, and puree the broth and remaining veggies ‘til smooth using an immersion stick blender (or very carefully! puree in a blender container).
Add back in the reserved veggies along with the cooked meat. Heat ‘til nice and hot. Enjoy!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

God loves you! ♥ (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥ coleen

* * * * * * * * * *

Interested in joining us for our next Online Bible Study that starts on January 13, 2014? Click HERE for more details!

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At Home with GCH – SoupPalooza Week 5

January 31, 2013 by coleen hayden

Here on our At Home with GCH blog, Monday’s are usually focused on healthy but oh-so-yummy! recipes. But this week, I get to visit with you on Thursday! This past Monday, our Christi put forth a challenge that you just might want to take part in…check it out!

Christi’s Pantry/Freezer Challenge

We are continuing to celebrate soup, soup, and soup since this is National Soup Month! Now this week—since SOME of us are gearing up for Super Bowl Sunday with all of the eating attached to the watching—we are making Cheese & Cider Soup, with a Spicy Popcorn topping as well as a hearty Black Bean and Sausage Soup. These are my contributions to the “Soup”er Bowl buffet!

Cheese & Cider Soup w/Spicy Popcorn

2 slices bacon, diced
1 medium onion, small dice
1 large Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice
1 medium carrot, minced
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced small
1 heaping teaspoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1+1/2 cups apple cider
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup filtered water
1 can (12 ounce) evaporated milk
Pinch cayenne pepper (add up to 1/8 teaspoon if you enjoy the heat!)
4 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (I also use Gouda)
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves (if using dried, use 1 tsp)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Fry the bacon in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, 5-10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon pieces to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, and set aside.

Add the onion to the bacon drippings and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the potato, carrot, apple, and garlic stirring continuously for about 1 minute, or until the garlic is fragrant.

Dust the flour across the vegetables and stir to coat the vegetables; cook for approximately 2 minutes until the mixture JUST begins to brown on the bottom of the pot.

Gradually whisk in the cider, water, and chicken stock; increase the heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to medium-low; simmer uncovered until the vegetables are cooked, approximately 30-40 minutes. Stir occasionally; you will see the liquid begin to thicken slightly. When the potatoes yield to gentle pressure (done!), whisk in the evaporated milk and bring back to a very gentle simmer. Stir in the cayenne (if using) and the thyme, and then slowly add in the cheese stirring JUST until the cheese melts. Remove from heat. Carefully taste for additional seasoning, if necessary. Ladle into bowls or mugs; serve immediately with Spicy Popcorn on the side.

Spicy Popcorn

In a small bowl, mix:
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8-1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Simply prepare your popcorn in the manner you prefer (you will need about 2 cups). As soon as it is done popping, IMMEDIATELY sprinkle 2 cups of popped popcorn with the seasoning mixture. Stir gently. Serve alongside your Cheddar & Cider Soup along with the bacon bits you prepared in the beginning. Enjoy!

_________________________

OK! Onto our second soup this week, Black Bean and Sausage Soup. This has a decidedly Mexican flavor so top it with some chopped avocado and red pepper…or a simple guacamole.

Black Bean and Sausage Soup

1/2# Italian sausage meat, hot or sweet—your choice*
1 small onion
2 heaping tablespoons chopped garlic
1 (14-15 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
2 cups broth
2 cups filtered water
3 cans (14-15 ounce) black beans, drained and rinsed with warm water**
2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped and drained (optional)
1 teaspoon EACH: dried oregano, chili powder, cumin
1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (optional)
1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 small red pepper, seeded and chopped small

Add a small amount of oil to stockpot; heat over medium-high and then saute the sausage meat and onion together for approximately 6-7 minutes. Stir in chopped garlic and stir continuously for 1 minute.

Then add in tomatoes, broth, TWO (2) cans of the black beans, and all of the seasonings. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes allowing for flavors to meld.

Remove from heat. Take approximately 1 cup of the beans and tomatoes out of the soup and add to the reserved can of black beans. Using a blender or an immersion blender, CAREFULLY puree, making as smooth as possible. Add back into hot soup and stir well. Ladle into bowls or mugs. Serve immediately.

I like to serve this soup with the following toppings, letting everyone make their own choice of how to finish off their mug of soup:

chopped avocado
chopped red pepper, and/or tomato
chopped fresh cilantro
sour cream
shredded sharp cheddar
crushed tortilla chips

*I purchased ground Italian sausage meat OUT of the casings (looks like ground beef and is packaged the same). However, if you already have sausage links on hand, you could just as easily remove the sausage from the casings and use that.

** reserve 1 can of black beans

God loves you! ♥ (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥ coleen

_________________________________

If you would like to send a personal message to Coleen concerning this series, you may email her at: Coleen@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

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At Home with GCH – SoupPalooza, Part 4

January 21, 2013 by coleen hayden

SoupPalooza Part 4 – Creamy Homemade Tomato Soup

Here on our At Home with GCH blog, Monday’s are always focused on healthy but oh-so-yummy! recipes. We are continuing to celebrate soup, soup, and soup since this is National Soup Month! Each week we will explore soup basics sometimes along with a bonus recipe for you to serve to your loved ones.

This week we are making Creamy Homemade Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons. Such a comfort food and indulgence! The way we manage to stay within our ‘healthy’ parameters is that this soup contains evaporated milk instead of heavy cream. Using evaporated milk saves approximately 80 calories AND 12 grams of fat (yes, you read that right!) in each serving. All the yummy creaminess…and now—since you have kept the soup lower in calories—you can thoroughly indulge in those grilled cheese croutons; oh my!

Creamy Homemade Tomato Soup

1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped small
1 Tablespoon chopped garlic (I use jarred)
1 Tablespoon dried basil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups broth
1 cup red wine, or additional cup of broth
1 can crushed tomatoes (28 ounces)
1 can tomato puree (28 ounces)
1 small jar of roasted red peppers, chopped small, optional
1 portion homemade condensed tomato soup (see recipe below)
1 can evaporated milk

In a medium-sized saucepan (4 quarts or so), melt butter and olive oil together over medium heat. Add chopped onion and saute for 5 minutes until softened and transparent. Add garlic and basil; cook for 1 minute stirring continuously. Pour in red wine to deglaze pan; then add broth, all tomato products (also roasted red peppers, if you are using them) and salt & pepper. Stir really well. Bring up to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally, making sure to mix up from the bottom. Carefully taste for seasoning, adding if necessary. Finally, add in evaporated milk and heat through. Keep warm.

Another aspect of this recipe that fulfills our healthy but oh-so-yummy needs is the homemade condensed soup. You know… just like in the can BUT no wheat, no additives, no un-pronounceable ingredients, no high fructose corn syrup! So easy and quick to pull together!

Homemade “Condensed” Tomato Soup

8 ounces tomato puree or sauce
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

In a small saucepan over low-medium heat, stir all ingredients together. Bring just up to a boil, reduce heat to very low and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Ready to use!

OK!

Now the part that (some of you!) have been waiting for…Grilled Cheese Croutons! Actually, no recipe 🙂 Prepare your most incredible, delicious, gooey grilled cheese sammies! You choose the bread (I would suggest cutting off the crusts!)…you choose the cheese! Make sure that they are really nicely crunchy and toasted! Let them cool for just a minute or two, and cut up into small squares. Serve alongside the soup…toss them in as you go because you wouldn’t want them to get soggy! Comfort food that is healthy but oh-so-yummy !

God loves you! ♥ (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥ coleen

_________________________________________________________________

If you would like to send a personal message to Coleen concerning this series, you may email her at: Coleen@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

Filed Under: At Home w/ GCH Tagged With: At Home w/ GCH, coleen hayden, Girlfriends Coffee Hour, grilled cheese croutons, healthy but oh so yummy, homemade, national soup month, reduce the fat, soup, Soup Recipes, SoupPalooza

At Home with GCH – SoupPalooza Part 3

January 14, 2013 by coleen hayden

SoupPalooza, Part Three

Here on our At Home with GCH blog, Monday’s are always focused on healthy but oh-so-yummy! recipes. We are continuing to celebrate soup, soup, and soup since this is National Soup Month! Each week we will explore soup basics sometimes along with a bonus recipe for you to serve to your loved ones.

Last week I shared that I made a commitment to Mr. Hayden to serve soup at least once each day for the month. So far…so good! He’s enjoyed Homemade Mini-Meatball Soup, White Bean & Kale Soup w/Chicken Sausage, as well as Vegetable Tortellini Soup, and homemade Creamy Tomato Soup.

This week we are making French Onion Soup accompanied by the traditional baguette with a yummy, cheesy topping. Whenever I think of this soup, I always remember Julia Child! Any other Julia fans out there? For fans, or those who would love to be entertained while learning from the best, I have attached a short video of Julia preparing her version of French Onion Soup. Bon Appetit!

Onto our preparation… This soup is fairly uncomplicated but it does take some time. One important part of the preparation for this recipe is the manner in which the onions are cut…really. In this recipe this is the shape onion that works best. Onions sliced from top to bottom, or “pole to pole” also cook more evenly. And they have a shape and size that ‘eats well.’ You don’t want long, stringy pieces of onion falling off your spoon! Try this: Peel the onions and slice off the ends. Cut the onion in half through the middle (think: along the equator). Then lay the half of the onion down and make thin (1/4″) cuts from top to bottom.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup (½ stick) unsalted butter
5-6 small to medium-sized onions (approximately 2#), sliced thin **
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 tablespoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried crushed rosemary
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup red wine, or additional cup of broth
3 tablespoons flour
2 quarts broth (beef, chicken, or veggie)
1 loaf French, or Italian, bread
3/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese (traditionally Gruyere is used; pricey! I use Jarlsberg)
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Melt the stick of butter in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add all the onions, the herbs and a few grinds of salt and pepper. Stir well making sure to thoroughly coat all of the onions with the butter. Now just allow the onions to cook; occasionally, give a thorough stir up from the bottom of the pan. After 10 minutes, turn the heat down just a bit. The onions will need to cook for an additional 20 minutes or so; during the last minute or two, stir in the chopped garlic. You will see the onions getting very soft and turning a light brown. This is called caramelization. Do Not Let Burn…just brown…this is where the majority of all the yummy flavor of the soup will come from.

Add the wine and raise the heat to bring to a quick boil. Immediately reduce the heat to low and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions appear almost dry, about 5 minutes. Dust the onions with the flour; give them a stir. Cook for 5 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Now slowly add in the broth, and raise the heat to bring the soup back to a simmer; cook for 15 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

When you’re ready to eat, preheat the broiler. Cut the bread on the diagonal into 1″ slices that will fit into your soup bowl or mug. Place the bread on a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle the slices with the cheeses (mound it up!) and broil until bubbly and golden brown, 3 or 4 minutes. Watch they don’t burn! I usually make a few extra for dipping.

Ladle the soup into the bowls and float the bread slice on top. Voila! French Onion Soup!

God loves you! (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥ coleen

For all the Julia Child fans, I give you Julia at her best—she always gives wonderful tips and ideas! My favorite here is how to get the onion-y smell off your hands!

http://video.pbs.org/video/2261536742/

** Here is a tutorial about all types of onion cuts, if you would like to check it out: HOW TO CUT ONIONS

If you would like to send a personal message to Coleen, in regards to this blog, please email her at: Coleen@girlfriendscoffeehour.com.

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GCH: What’s on Your Plate? – SoupPalooza, Part Two

January 7, 2013 by coleen hayden

Soup-Palooza, Part Two

“Not from a Box, Nor from a Can” Chicken Broth
White Bean & Kale Soup with Chicken Sausage

Did you know that January is National Soup Month? That is good news to one particular individual here in the Hayden household…my husband would eat soup e-v-e-r-y single day! So this month I have committed to serving soup at one meal per day for the entire month (ummm, yeah…he’s a happy camper!). And I am taking YOU along for the ride, too!

Here on our GCH:WoYP, where Monday’s are focused on healthy but oh-so-yummy! recipes, we will be promoting soup, soup, and soup for the next four weeks. Each week we will explore the basics along with a delicious recipe for you to serve to your loved ones.

So, this week we are starting from scratch! Homemade chicken broth. Oh, yeah! Now don’t be afraid, please…this is so simple, I promise! One way to make this easy to fit into a busy schedule would be to start it as you are making your supper preparations. Then the broth can simmer away, and you can finalize it after supper. Just a thought!

This recipe makes a vat…well, not quite a vat…it makes 8+ quarts. A quart of soup is the size of those aseptically sealed boxes from your grocery store (or approximately 2 cans). Most soup recipes that feed 4-6 people require two quarts of broth. Now you can have delicious, nutritious, chemical-free chicken broth handy right in your refrigerator or freezer! Let’s get started!

“Not From a Can, Nor From a Box” Chicken Broth

Makes 8+ quarts

1 8-9# ‘oven stuffer’ whole chicken, cut-up (or buy cut-up chicken)*
1 large sweet onion (Vidalia), rough chopped
4-5 stalks of celery WITH the leaves, cut in 3-4″ sized pieces
1/4# carrots (3-4 whole carrots, or ½ bag baby carrots), rough chopped
1 heaping tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons whole peppercorns
1 teaspoon kosher salt

4-5 sprigs each of fresh thyme and dill, optional
9 quarts of water; I use filtered; use whatever you would drink 😉

Use the largest pot you own.** I use a 12 quart-sized pot. You don’t want to fill your pot up to the top; this needs a little room to move around while it is boiling.

Carefully rinse the cut-up chicken (the better the chicken is rinsed…the less yuck floating around in your broth). Then place the chicken pieces along with the vegetables, and the seasonings, into the pot and pour water over them all. Cover pot and heat on high ‘til just coming to a boil; reduce heat and partially cover. You want the soup to be gently boiling. You can occasionally skim off the yucky stuff from the top of the broth. Let everything simmer away for a half hour; remove breastmeat to cool. Continue cooking an additional 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove pot from heat. Take dark meat sections and add to breastmeat which has cooled. You can strain your broth, if preferred; it all depends on just how clear you would like the broth to be. CAREFULLY pour, or ladle, the broth along with the cooked veggies into storage containers, leaving enough room to add the chicken. Cut up (or shred) the chicken into bite-size pieces; keep every last one of all the little bits! Add back into the broth.

Let cool ‘til container is no longer HOT to the touch; refrigerate. When thoroughly cooled, I would suggest discarding the layer of fat that will have solidified on the top of the container. This broth freezes very well. I usually keep 2 quarts in the refrigerator (use within 1 week or so) and the rest in the freezer.

* Toss the wings in the trash…not even worth cooking. I cut each of the breastmeat pieces in half; that way they don’t overcook. You want tender meat in the end (but throw the bones into the pot, too).

**Should you not have a pot this size, or cannot beg or borrow one, just reduce all of the ingredients by half and proceed, ok? Don’t let that stop you!

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Now, to actually USE that healthy but oh-so-yummy broth…

White Bean and Kale Soup with Chicken Sausage

Makes 6 servings

8 cups (2 quarts) chicken broth, divided
(1) 12 oz pkg italian chicken sausage, sliced diagonally ½” thick
2+ tablespoons olive oil
1 large sweet onion (Vidalia), sliced
1 heaping tablespoon minced garlic
½ cup white wine, or additional broth
2 cans cannellini (white kidney) beans, drained and rinsed
1 can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 bunch kale, stems and tough ribs removed, leaves roughly chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1+1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (I used lemon pepper)
½ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated if possible
1 lemon

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot (4 quart) over medium heat. Add sausage slices and cook, stirring occasionally, until sausage is just starting to brown, about 5-6 minutes. Add onion slices and additional olive oil, if necessary. Cook, stirring often, until onions and sausage are slightly browned, about 10 minutes more. Reduce heat to low; stir in garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Remove sausage, onions and garlic; set aside. Pour wine into pot and scrape up brown bits stuck to the bottom. Let simmer for a minute or two. Meanwhile, put 3 cups beans and 2 cups broth into a blender and purée ‘til smooth; set aside. Add all of the remaining broth to the liquid in pot; increase heat to medium and bring to a boil. Add kale, reduce heat; cover and gently simmer, stirring a few times until kale is wilted and softened, about 5 minutes. Uncover, add remaining beans, bean puree, sausage and onion mixture; stir well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer gently until hot, about 5 minutes more. Ladle into soup bowls; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and a squeeze of lemon juice.

“This soup is delicious, hearty and satisfying while still light and fresh-tasting. It definitely fits the healthy but oh-so-yummy comfort food category.” (Comment from the hubby.) 🙂

If you would like to send a personal message to Coleen, in regards to this blog, please email her at: Coleen@girlfriendscoffeehour.com.

Filed Under: At Home w/ GCH Tagged With: At Home w/ GCH, bean recipes, chicken broth, chicken sausage, coleen hayden, gch: woyp, GCH:What's on Your Plate?, Girlfriends Coffee Hour, healthy but oh so yummy, homemade, Kale, kale recipes, national soup month, soup, Soup Recipes

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