November 5, 2024

Korean Beansprout Soup (Kong Namul Guk)

kong namul guk

One of the best parts of winter is enjoying all the warming soups, stews, and other comfort foods.  This Korean Beansprout Soup (Kong Namul Guk) is just what the doctor ordered if you’r sick, or just what your tummy ordered if you’re not!

Some recipes call for an anchovy and seaweed broth, but I prefer this soup with a beef broth.  You can either use canned or homemade beef broth, or my favorite – bone broth.  Serve this soup with a scoop of cooked rice for a traditional Korean breakfast, or any time you need to warm up.

Korean Beansprout Soup (Kong Namul Guk)

Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 4 ounces beef, sliced fine into small pieces (or you can chop up a leftover hamburger – not traditional, but it’s delicious!)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups beef broth, bone broth, or other broth of your choice
  • 8 ounces beansprouts
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • cooked rice, green onions, sesame seeds, dried chili pepper flakes to serve

Directions:

  1. In a large pot with a lid, heat the sesame oil and add the meat, stirring to cook through.  (If you are using leftover cooked beef, just sauté quickly.)  Add the minced garlic and stir for a minute or two – don’t let it burn!
  2. Add the broth.  Bring it to a simmer.
  3. Wash and sort through the bean sprouts – get rid of any that are discolored or mushy.   Add to the broth and cook, covered, for about ten minutes.
  4. Add soy sauce and taste for salt.  Serve with rice, green onions, sesame seeds, and chili pepper flakes, if desired.

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana


To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!

 

Pease Porridge

Pease Porridge

“Pease porridge hot, pease porridge cold, pease porridge in the pot, nine days old!”

 Yes, it’s a real dish; and, yes, it’s delicious hot (but I would recommend skipping it cold – and DEFINITELY don’t eat anything left out for a week!)  With fall coming next week, I thought I’d beat the rush and share my recipe for Pease Porridge.

Okay, I’ll be honest…this is just Split Pea Soup with less liquid added.  It comes out more like a stew—or even a pudding—when I make it like this.  Same ingredients though — if you want soup, just add 2 more cups of water or broth.  Easy!   You can add other ingredients to it as well – maybe a diced potato along with the veggies, or a smoked turkey leg as well as the ham.  Warm up your belly with this old favorite!

Pease Porridge

Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces of ham, diced (use Soyrizo for a vegetarian version)
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 cup diced carrots
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 1 pound bag of split peas
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 bay leaf
  • salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. In a large pot, saute the ham for a few minutes.  Add the onion, carrots, and celery and stir over medium heat until the onion is translucent.
  2. Add the peas, broth, water, and bay leaf.  Cover and simmer until thickened, 30 – 45 minutes.  Add more water if you like a thinner consistency (or add up to a full two or more cups of water or broth to make split pea soup.)  Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana


To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet

Seafood Soup

Many of you have gone on Spring Break or are anticipating taking a vacation this summer. It is a time to refresh spirit, soul, and body. Over the next couple of weeks, our faithful bloggers will be taking a ‘spring break’ from writing so that they can come back to us refreshed and freshly anointed.
However, Girlfriends’ Coffee Hour website won’t ‘go black’! We will be revisiting some of our favorite blogs and daily devotions which have blessed us in the past. We pray that each of you, our faithful friends and readers, will continue to start your day meditating on the devotionals and songblogs, and be encouraged and blessed.

Let’s give each of our bloggers a big round of applause,
a hug, 
and the rest they so deserve. God bless you, ladies!

I am sure you have heard me mention once or twice (or a dozen times!) how very much Robert loves his soup!  And homemade soup is often on our menu…summer, winter, spring or fall!  This is a great soup to prepare even when you don’t have some of your own wonderful stock on hand.  It is a really flavorful soup that doesn’t need to rely on homemade stock.

This soup also lends itself to substitutions.  Choose varieties of fish (maybe even some mussels or small clams!) that your family enjoys.  And the choices of vegetables can be switched up, too.  If I had had a head of cauliflower, it definitely would have joined the pot!  I did steam a couple of handfuls of fresh green beans that I found in the veggie drawer…they were a nice addition!  (I would love to hear what you decide to add to your rendition of this soup; please leave a message in the comments section, ok?)  Enjoy!

Mediterranean Fish Soup

2014-09-14 20.36.05

ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, diced small
2 stalks celery, cut into narrow slices
5 or 6 medium-sized baby bella mushrooms, chopped medium
1 cup chopped leeks use ONLY white part (approx. 2 leeks)
2 tablespoons chopped garlic (I use jarred)
1 cup dry white wine (or additional stock)
1 (28 ounce) can chunky crushed tomatoes
1 quart good chicken (or vegetable) stock
1/2 small butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1/2″ chunks
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
few grinds of freshly ground pepper (or lemon pepper!)
1 (6 ounce) salmon fillet (no skin), cut into bite-sized chunks
1 (4 ounce) tilapia fillet (or another mild-tasting white fish), cut into bite-sized chunks
6 ounces raw medium-sized shrimp, peeled and cleaned
½ lemon

directions:

  • in a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat
  • add onions, mushrooms, celery, and leeks; saute for 7-8 minutes ‘til mushrooms just begin to brown
  • stir in the chopped garlic and stir constantly for 1 minute
  • add in the wine, stock, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes
  • remove lid, add in the butternut and seasonings; stir well. simmer for additional 10 minutes
  • slide in the salmon and tilapia pieces; continue to simmer for 8-9 minutes.
    add in the shrimp and simmer for 5 more minutes
  • reduce heat to very low and carefully taste for additional seasoning; add if needed
  • serve with rice or small pasta  (a little squeeze of fresh lemon is perfect!)

♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

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

♥  coleen

Italian Vegetable Cheese Soup

Italian Vegetable Cheese Soup

 

I remember my Mom made a version of this dish probably 25 years ago, and it was FANTASTIC.  It was one of those things that was so rich and luxurious that the memory stayed with me for a quarter century!  I asked my sister, who is now in possession of my mother’s recipe box, to find the recipe, but to no avail.  After some hunting online, I think I found something close.  As is my modus operandi, I tweaked it and made it my own, and now I’m sharing with you:  Italian Vegetable Cheese Soup!

It’s a very simple recipe, and of course, I always encourage you to make it how you and your family will like it best.  Feel free to add more vegetables to the soup.  This recipe is pretty basic, but please keep the zucchini, lots of onions and garlic, and the garbanzo beans.  I guess you could sub in another bean – Great Northerns would work – but I like the firm texture of dried garbanzos that have been cooked just to al dente.  Do NOT skip the wine in this recipe.  You only need half a cup, but it adds so much flavor.  As for the cheese, I used a combination of cream cheese, goat cheese, and a very sharp white cheddar.  You use what you like – maybe some Asiago would be nice, and Fontina would definitely be delicious.

This is not diet food, but a small bowl will fill you up, so it’s okay!  Eat this for lunch with a green salad and enjoy!

Italian Vegetable Cheese Soup

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 pound dried garbanzo beans (or use one can of garbanzos)
  • 2 onions, diced
  • 1/2 stick butter
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 zucchini, sliced into half-moons
  • 1 can crushed or diced tomatoes (I used fire-roasted with peppers, and it added a welcome spicy kick!)
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs (or use a combo of dried oregano and basil)
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 4 ounces cream cheese
  • 1 ounce goat cheese (or more!)
  • 2 ounces sharp cheddar or other cheese (parmesan, mozzarella, fontina, gouda, asiago…)

Directions:

  1. If you are using dried garbanzos, pour them into a pot, cover with a  few inches of water, and simmer for about an hour.  If you are using canned, skip to step 2.
  2. In a large pot, cook the onions in the butter for about five minutes until soft.  Add the zucchini and garlic and cook for another 3 minutes.  Drain the water from the beans and add to the vegetables.
  3. Add in the can of tomatoes and the dried Italian herbs.  Add the wine, cover the pot and let simmer for 5 minutes.
  4. Add the milk and cheeses. Stir to combine and cover, over medium low heat.  Let simmer for five minutes, then stir again.  Don’t let the cheese stick to the bottom of the soup!
  5. I like it thick, but you can thin this out more with either milk or wine.  Serve hot!

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana


To view even more of Dana’s unique recipes, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!

 

Stuffed Cabbage Soup

Stuffed Cabbage Soup

In the dead of winter, there’s nothing better than a hot bowl of soup.  With this Stuffed Cabbage Soup, you get all the flavors of a delicious, labor-intensive meal, without all the hard work!

I based this soup on a dish your Polish grandmother might make—called galumpkis—meat, rice and vegetables rolled up in soft cabbage leaves and baked in a savory tomato sauce.  Don’t have a Polish grandmother?  Never fear!  This soup comes together in half an hour and is very forgiving.  No green onions?  Garnish with dill!  Don’t eat rice?  Serve with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt!  You can use ground beef, pork, or even turkey here.  Or do what I did and use leftover meatloaf or hamburgers.  See?  Easy!

Stuffed Cabbage Soup

Ingredients:

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil or bacon fat
  • 4 cups thinly sliced cabbage
  • 2 cups chicken, beef, or vegetable stock
  •  2 cups water
  • 1 pound cooked ground beef (I used last night’s leftover meatloaf and broke it into small pieces)
  • 1/2 cup minced carrots
  • 1 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon toasted and ground fennel seeds (or use ground fennel or anise)
  • 2 green onions, minced
  • rice, to serve

Directions:

  1. In a very large pot, sauté the minced garlic in the oil for one minute.  Add the sliced cabbage and stir.  Cook for about 5 minutes.
  2. Add the stock and the water.  Crumble the meat into the soup and add the carrots.  Stir to combine.
  3. Add the tomatoes, paprika, and ground fennel.  Turn the heat to medium-low and cover with a lid.  Cook for about 15 minutes.
  4. To serve:  Ladle soup into a big bowl.  Add a scoop of rice and sprinkle with minced green onions.  Eat hot!

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana


To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!

 

 

CrockPot Black Bean Soup

I love my Crockpot. I have found, however, that almost all the recipes in my Crockpot cookbooks are for meat-based entrees. That’s all well and good, but there are some times you want something lighter, or vegetarian (or that isn’t made with a can of cream of chicken soup!) I ordered a book on Amazon.com, hoping to find something new and different, and I did: “Fresh From the Vegetarian Slow Cooker” by Robin Robertson.

The recipe for Black Bean Soup was easy to follow, and I had everything I needed for it already in my pantry and fridge – and I’m betting you do, too. This came out better than I expected!  The texture was both chunky and smooth after I used my immersion blender (you can put your soup in the blender or food processor and pulse lightly, or even use a potato masher to get your desired consistency.)
Serve this with chopped green onions, cilantro, sour cream, shredded cheese, salsa, tortilla chips—any or all of the above.  Terrific!
 
(Sorry about the photo. It’s bean soup, and it’s delicious and nutritious, but there’s just no way to make it look glamorous in a photo!)
gchdanablackbeansoup
 
Black Bean Soup
(recipe courtesy “Fresh From the Vegetarian Slow Cooker” by Robin Robertson)
 
Ingredients:
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 1/2 green (I used red) bell pepper, seeded and minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cans (15.5-ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can diced tomatoes, left undrained
  • 4 cups stock (I used less, probably closer to 3 cups)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (optional)
Directions:
  1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, bell pepper, and garlic; cover and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
  2. Transfer the cooked vegetables to a slow cooker, add the beans, tomatoes and their juice, stock, bay leaves, cumin, thyme, and cayenne, and season with salt and black pepper. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours.
  3. Remove and discard the bay leaves and taste to adjust the seaosonings.  Just before serving, stir in the lemon juice, if using. To thicken, puree at least 2 cups or up to one half of the soup solids with an immersion blender used right in the CrockPot, or ladled into a regular blender or food processor and returned to the CrockPot.  Serve hot.

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana


To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!

Broccoli Cheese Soup

 

Here in New York, we have had quite the cool fall season so far!  (How about where you live?) Here in our home that means it’s soup season!  I’ve already made and frozen a batch of veggie broth and also chicken broth. Having those containers stacked up in the freezer means that basically any day I can throw together a pot of soup. All of the ingredients for today’s recipe are things that are generally on hand in my ‘fridge and pantry…well, maybe not the ham steak. 🙂

There are plenty of bright green broccoli florets floating around in this hearty soup, but it’s broccoli stems that make up the base of the soup. This is a ‘healthified’ version of many Broccoli-Cheese soup recipes available. Rather than making a roux—a soup base consisting of onions, butter, and flour—we prefer to thicken this creamy soup by pureeing the potatoes and broccoli stems. Also, I use a larger proportion of broth, and less of milk and cream. And, I have found that using just 4 ounces or so of shredded cheese is quite enough. Each of these changes makes this soup ‘healthy but oh-so-yummy!’ Enjoy!

Broccoli Potato Cheese Soup

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ingredients:
2 large heads broccoli (approximately 2 pounds)
1/2 large onion
5 medium Yukon Gold potatoes (approximately 1+1/2 pounds)
1/2 pound ham steak, cut into small cubes (optional)
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil + 1 teaspoon
2 heaping teaspoons chopped garlic
4 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth
2 cups milk (I used coconut milk)
1/2 cup half & half
4 ounces shredded cheese (use something very flavorful
sea salt and freshly ground pepper (I used a lemon-pepper-salt combo)
directions:

  • preheat oven to 375
  • separate florets from stems of broccoli
  • take 1 cup of tiny florets, toss with 1 teaspoon olive oil; season w/salt&pepper
  • place on baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes…just ‘til beginning to brown;
  • remove from oven when done and set aside for garnishing
  • when you set aside the roasted broccoli, use the same pan to heat the ham cubes for about 6-7 minutes; remove from oven and set aside ‘til plating
  • rough chop stems of broccoli into 1-1+1/2″ pieces
  • peel and cube potatoes into 1″ pieces
  • chop onion into small dice
  • heat butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 4 quart (or larger) stockpot
  • add cut veggies and stir to coat; saute for 5-6 minutes; do not allow to brown
  • stir in broth; raise heat to bring to a boil
  • cover pot; reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or so…’til broccoli stems are tender
  • remove pot from heat and, using immersion blender, puree ‘til smooth
  • place back on stove and add broccoli florets and the milk; stir
  • cover and simmer for 10 minutes or ‘til florets are still bright green but cooked through
  • remove pot from heat and, again using immersion blender, puree for just a minute or so, breaking up the broccoli
  • place pot back on stove; and over low heat add half & half, and shredded cheese; stir ‘til combined and cheese is melted
  • carefully taste for seasoning, adding more s&p as needed
  • scoop into bowls adding the ham and roasted broccoli florets

NOTE: if not using an immersion blender, you can puree the soup like this (from Food Network.com):

“When blending hot liquids, first let cool for 5 minutes or so, then transfer to a blender, filling only halfway. Put the lid on, leaving one corner open; this will prevent the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel to catch splatters and pulse until smooth.”

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

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

♥  coleen

Mediterranean Fish Soup

It has been quite ch-ch-chilly here in the NorthEast over the past few days.  And I have been just waiting to bake!  But yesterday my husband asked, ‘So, is it time to make soup again?’  I am sure you have heard me mention once or twice (or a dozen times!) how very much Robert loves his soup!  And homemade soup has not been on our menu over the summer months, for sure!  Being it is just the onset of soup season, I had not made a vat of stock since the Spring so I thought long and hard about a really flavorful soup that wouldn’t need to rely on homemade stock.  This Mediterranean Fish Soup is the result.  He thoroughly enjoyed it…with the only thing missing being a loaf of homemade bread.  (“Maybe tomorrow!”, I said.)

This soup is fairly forgiving.  Choose varieties of fish (maybe even some mussels or small clams!) that your family enjoys.  And the choices of vegetables can be switched up, too.  If I had had a head of cauliflower, it definitely would have joined the pot!  I did steam a couple of handfuls of fresh green beans that I found in the veggie drawer…they were a nice addition!  (I would love to hear what you decide to add to your rendition of this soup; please leave a message in the comments section, ok?)  Enjoy!

Mediterranean Fish Soup

2014-09-14 20.36.05

ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, diced small
2 stalks celery, cut into narrow slices
5 or 6 medium-sized baby bella mushrooms, chopped medium
1 cup chopped leeks use ONLY white part (approx. 2 leeks)
2 tablespoons chopped garlic (I use jarred)
1 cup dry white wine (or additional stock)
1 (28 ounce) can chunky crushed tomatoes
1 quart good chicken (or vegetable) stock
1/2 small butternut squash, peeled and chopped medium
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
few grinds of freshly ground pepper (or lemon pepper!)
1 (6 ounce) salmon fillet (no skin), cut into bite-sized chunks
1 (4 ounce) tilapia fillet (or another mild-tasting white fish), cut into bite-sized chunks
6 ounces raw medium-sized shrimp
½ lemon

directions:
in a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat
add onions, mushrooms, and leeks; saute for 7-8 minutes ‘til mushrooms just begin to brown
stir in the chopped garlic and stir constantly for 1 minute
add in the wine, stock and tomatoes; bring to a boil. reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes
remove lid, add in the butternut and seasonings; stir well. simmer for additional 5 minutes
slide in the salmon and tilapia; continue to simmer for 8-9 minutes
add in the shrimp and simmer for 5 more minutes
reduce heat to very low and carefully taste for additional seasoning; add if needed
serve with rice or small pasta  (a little squeeze of fresh lemon is perfect!)

♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

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

♥  coleen

Sweet Pea Soup

Sweet Pea Soup resize

I call both of my girls “Sweet Pea.”  My Mom called me “Sweet Pea” too.   So when I was working on a recipe to use up the last of my buttermilk and stumbled on this tempting combination of peas and mint, I couldn’t help but give it a cute name:  Sweet Pea Soup!

Peas and mint are a natural springtime match-up.  This soup comes together in half an hour, and with another half hour to chill,  it will be ready to eat.  I used both frozen peas and pea pods (which are all over my Farmer’s Market, and probably yours, too.)  If you can’t find pea pods, just double the frozen peas and use a full pound.  The recipe calls for you to strain the blended soup, which gives it a more silky, smooth texture.  You can skip this step if you are in a hurry, or if you like a little thicker body to your soup.  Either way I think you’ll love it, and so will all the “Sweet Pea’s” in your life!

Sweet Pea Soup

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup pea pods, any kind
  • 1 onion (sweet Vidalia would be nice, but I just used a regular white onion), chopped
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 8 ounces frozen peas
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 handful mint leaves (save a few pretty ones for garnish)
  • salt to taste

Directions:

  1. In a large pot, heat the pea pods and onion in the butter.  Cook over medium heat for ten minutes until the onion is getting soft.
  2. Add the frozen peas and chicken stock.  Cook on medium for ten minutes.
  3. Turn off the heat.  Pour in buttermilk and mint.  Blend with an immersion blender, or transfer to a large blender and blend in batches until smooth.  Taste and add salt to your liking.
  4. Strain the soup through a mesh sieve (or not, your choice.)  Cool in the refrigerator for half an hour.  Serve chilled, with additional mint leaves for garnish.

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana


To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!

Broccoli Stalk Soup

Broccoli Stalk Soup Resize

I’m coming in, just under the wire, with a soup recipe to round out January as National Soup Month!  It’s creamy, it’s Paleo, it’s as frugal as can be:  Broccoli Stalk Soup!

I seriously buy about ten pounds of broccoli a week, and I’m ashamed to admit how many stalks have gone to waste over the years.  My girls didn’t want to eat the tougher stalk and will only eat the florets, and to be honest, they do take a little more work to prepare if you want to serve the stalk together with the floret, since you have to peel off the tough outer layer.  But I couldn’t accept throwing all those healthy green vegetables into the compost bin, so I made a broccoli soup out of them.  Hooray – it is delicious and uses up nearly all the stalk.  So much less to compost!

If you don’t follow the Paleo diet, feel free to use one large or two small potatoes in place of the rutabaga.  But I really liked the rutabaga – I think it adds a sweetness, and contributes a creamy texture to the soup when you blend it.  And because you are blending it up, you don’t have to worry about mincing and dicing carefully – just chop up your veggies and cook them til tender.  You can serve this with some shredded cheese on top, or like I did, with a dollop of plain yogurt.  You can also add a little more chicken stock than I did if you want a thinner soup.  But I like it this way:  thick, warm, and truly satisfying!

Broccoli Stalk Soup

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil or bacon fat
  • 1 large rutabaga, peeled and cubed
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 6 broccoli stalks, plus one head of broccoli
  • 4 cups (or more) chicken or vegetable stock

Directions:

  1. In a very large pot, heat the oil and add the rutabaga, garlic, onion and carrots.  Cook on medium, stirring to keep the garlic from burning, for about ten minutes.
  2. While the other vegetables are cooking, prepare the broccoli.  With a paring knife or vegetable peeler, peel the broccoli stalks.  Cut off the bottom half inch of stalk, and then cut the stalks into smaller pieces.  Chop the head of broccoli and separate the florets.  Add the broccoli to the pot and cook another five minutes.
  3. Add the chicken stock and cover the pot with a lid.  Simmer over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.  Transfer soup to a blender – CAREFULLY! – in batches and blend until mostly smooth.  You can leave a few chunks if you like.  I used an immersion blender and it worked very well.  You can add a little more stock here if you want a thinner soup.
  4. Serve soup hot, garnished with grated cheese or yogurt.

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana


To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!