In A Nutshell

This soup is satisfying and hearty; the accoutrements give it an extra bit of pizzaz therefore I highly recommend going the extra mile. For a vegetarian option you can use vegetable broth and leave out the bacon substituting 3 T vegetable or olive oil instead, but the bacon fat does significantly boost the flavor. Duh Adapted from Fine Cooking Annual vol.1 For the avocado cream: 1 large avocado 3 T lime juice (fresh, please) 1/4 c sour cream or table crema 1/2 t kosher salt 1 green onion, chopped 1/2 t honey 1 cup cilantro Mix all the ingredients in a mini food processor until smooth. For the soup: 1 lb dried black beans  6 slices bacon, chopped 6 cloves of garlic, chopped 1 large onion, chopped 1 large celery stalk, chopped 1 medium carrot, diced 4 cups chicken broth 3 cups of water 2 bay leaves 2 t kosher salt 14 oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes Put the dried beans in a large pot with water and bring to a boil; turn off the heat and let the beans soak overnight (or at least se...

  This soup is delicious but I have never particularly enjoyed the sight of a green soup—hence the attempt to draw your eye to the croutons and my cute napkin. I had a hankering for a soup like this but every recipe I looked at involved something I didn't want; for example, a roux with  lots of flour (which IMHO gives it that pseudo-homemade taste that you find in Panera soups or the like), lots  of heavy cream, carrots (why?!!!). I decided to use one small potato as a thickener and only a small amount of cream rather than the 2 cups called for in several recipes I saw. If I’m going to consume 2 cups of cream (and believe me, I’m not unwilling), it’s certainly not going to be with broccoli!  The croutons, in addition to being aesthetically pleasing, are pure deliciousness; I like to make my own from stale baguettes or bread that no one wants to eat anymore. There's not really a recipe- I cut the stale bread into cubes and sauté them in a decent amount of EVOO, sprin...

This recipe is adapted from Bon Appétit magazine; the soup is SO delicious. I like to fry the meatballs in a little bit of olive oil rather than bake them but the choice is yours. Serve with some crusty bread and a bit of parmesan cheese on the side. For the meatballs : 1 egg 1/4 cup dried breadcrumbs 1 lb ground chicken 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated 2 T chopped parsley 1 t garlic salt black pepper to taste Mix everything together gently and form into meatballs approximately 1 1/2" in diameter.  Place the meatballs on a parchment lined baking sheet and chill for 30 minutes to let them firm up a bit (to be honest, I usually don't do this). Fry them in a little bit of olive oil, turning gently on occasion until the outside is browned a bit (you don't have to worry about cooking them all the way through, they will finish cooking in the broth). For the soup : 8- 10 cups chicken broth (homemade is best if possible) 1 cup chopped carrots 1/2 cup orzo 4 cu...

Delicious and hearty! This is adapted from BH&G 100 Best Pumpkin Recipes. 1 T veg oil 1 small onion, diced 1/2 lb Italian chicken sausage (I like spicy from Whole Foods) 32 oz. chicken broth 1/2 cup quick-cooking barley 1/2 t ground sage 1 T vegeta seasoning 15 oz. can pumpkin 1/2 T cider vinegar In a pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil and sauté the onion for a few minutes. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up with the back of the spoon. Add the pumpkin and cook for about 3 minutes; add the broth, barley and vegeta seasoning (or salt if you don't have vegeta which I highly recommend having) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 12 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.

This is an adaptation of another Rachel Ray recipe; it is a meal in and of itself. I used my own turkey chorizo but you can easily find it at the store (Whole Foods often has either chicken or turkey chorizo) or you can use regular chorizo. 1 T vegetable or canola oil 1/2 lb chorizo, cooked and crumbled 1 onion, chopped 1 jalapeno, small diced 4 garlic cloves, chopped 1 t ancho chili powder 1 t cumin 1 t coriander salt to taste 2 cans black beans, not rinsed or drained 3 cups chicken stock eggs, over easy shredded or crumbled queso fresco chopped cilantro diced radish pickled jalapenos diced tomatoes crushed tortilla chips Cook the onion, garlic and jalapeno in the oil for about 5 minutes and then add all the spices, stirring for a couple of minutes. Add the chorizo. In a blender, blend one can of beans with 1 cup of chicken stock. Add this to the pot and then the rest of the beans and stock. Simmer for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Add salt...

January is a terrible time if you enjoy looking at cooking magazines... it's all kale and quinoa... poached and boiled... penance on a plate; so I'm offering a stick-to-the-ribs soup with carbs and cream and all that good stuff our bodies crave during the coldest month of the year. Very slightly adapted from Food Network. Leave out the bacon and use vegetable stock to make this vegetarian. 5 slices bacon, cut into little pieces 2 T butter 1 onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, chopped 1 1/2 lbs mixed mushrooms (I used white button and shitake) 2 medium potatoes, diced 2 T flour 1/2 cup dry sherry 4 -6 cups chicken or vegetable stock 1/2 cup heavy cream chopped parsley for garnish Cook the bacon in a large pot until crisp; remove to a paper-towel lined bowl and pour off all but about 1 T of the fat. Saute the onions in the bacon fat along with 2 T butter until they are very soft, about 8-10 minutes. This will make your kitchen smell like food heaven. Add the garlic an...

This could easily be made into a vegetarian soup by using vegetable broth and leaving out the bacon bits topping. The recipe was ever so slightly adapted from Food Network magazine. 2 butternut squash (about 4 lbs total) 2 T EVOO 2 corn tortillas, torn into pieces 4 carrots, chopped 1 red onion, chopped 2 Fresno chiles, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 t cumin 2 t chili powder 1 T vegeta or chicken bouillon 8 cups chicken broth Toppings : pomegranate seeds toasted, salted pumpkin seeds bacon bits (or pancetta) chopped green onion sour cream with lime zest Preheat the oven to 400º; poke holes in the squash with a fork and place on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake for about 1 hour 10 minutes until you can pierce the squash easily. Let cool. Discard the seeds and string stuff and scoop out the flesh. Heat the EVOO in a large pot and add the carrots, onion, chiles and garlic; saute over medium heat for about 8 minutes. Add the tortilla pieces and cook for 3 or 4 m...

I love this soup in the cool weather- it is hearty enough for a meal, especially if you have a nice crusty bread to go along with it and could not be easier to make. 1 T olive oil 8 garlic cloves, minced 8 cups chicken broth (preferably home made) vegeta seasoning or chicken bouillon  12 oz. cheese tortellini 2- 14 oz. cans diced tomatoes with their liquid (Muir Glen fire-roasted are best for this soup) 1 lb baby spinach leftover chicken from a roasted or rotisserie chicken (optional) grated parmesan Heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the garlic cloves, stirring until fragrant. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Add vegeta and a pinch of white pepper. Add the tortellini and cook according to package directions. Stir in the spinach (it will wilt immediately) and serve with parmesan cheese alongside.

This is kind of a hodge-podge of different recipes; it's very comforting, hearty and delicious. I like to make it the day before serving because it will thicken overnight, therefore requiring less flour.  If you want to serve it the same day, I would suggest using 6 cups of chicken broth to make it thicker and you can always thin it out the next day. 8 cups chicken broth 2 cups whole milk 1/2 cup white wine 4 T butter 1/4 cup flour 2 T olive oil 2 carrots, sliced 1 lb white button mushrooms, sliced 1 small onion, diced leftover chicken meat from a roasted or rotisserie chicken 1 cup wild rice (I used Lundberg Wild Blend), cooked according to package directions 2 -3 T vegeta seasoning (or Maggi chicken bouillon) white pepper, to taste 2 T sherry Heat the olive oil in a large pot; add the onions and saute until softened for about 5 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and cook on high heat until all the liquid has evaporated; add the carrots and stir to combin...

This recipe is adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe ; I opted to leave out the cheese and just garnish a couple of baguette slices with melted cheddar cheese. The soup is delicious with or without the croutons. You can use heavy cream in place of milk if you want to take it over the top, but the cauliflower itself lends a very creamy taste and texture so I don't think it's necessary to add the extra calories or fat. But hey... I don't judge! 1 head cauliflower, cut into small pieces 4 cloves of garlic 4 T extra virgin olive oil 2 T parmesan cheese 1 T butter 1 T EVOO 1/2 small onion, diced pinch of thyme 4-5 cups chicken broth (preferably homemade) 1-2 T sherry 1/2 milk salt and white pepper to taste baguette slices shredded cheddar cheese 1. Preheat oven to 425º; toss the cauliflower and garlic with the 4 T EVOO, generously salt and pepper the florets and roast for 35 minutes; toss the cauliflower with 2 T parmesan and roast another 10 minutes. 2. Melt...

I'm sure a real Colombian person would shudder at my interpretation of this soup; I should really just call it chicken and potato soup but Colombian makes it sound more exotic and interesting. You can use leftover chicken from a roasted chicken or if you make your own chicken broth, use the chicken meat from there. 1 large white onion, chopped 1 T olive oil, veg oil or butter 1/2 t dried oregano 1 potato, shredded coarsely on a box grater 2 potatoes, peeled and diced 6 cups chicken broth 2 cups leftover roast chicken meat 1 cup corn (frozen is fine) chopped cilantro vegeta seasoning or chicken bouillon salt and pepper to taste accompaniments:  diced avocado capers, drained limes Saute the onion in the olive oil until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, oregano, 1 t salt, vegeta to taste, pepper and both the shredded potato and the cubed potato. Bring to a boil and cook for about 15 minutes; add the corn and cook another 5-10 minutes or so until t...

I absolutely love posole (and pretty much all Mexican cuisine) but the preparation can be time consuming. I decided to try a quick version (title courtesy of Leksa) and it turned out to be delicious.  Some heat on a cold day... 6 cups chicken broth 1 large can hominy, drained and rinsed 1 jar Frontera Guajillo Salsa 2 t guajillo chili powder (available in ethnic grocery stores) 2 cups shredded leftover roast or rotisserie chicken Heat all ingredients together thoroughly and serve with your favorite accompaniments: small diced radishes shredded lettuce or diced cabbage small dice red onion crushed tortilla chips (I like the blue ones for visual gratification) crumbled añejo cheese, or ricotta salata (or any cheese you like, for that matter) limes

I LOVE having different soups in the winter; this is adapted from Fine Cooking magazine. 2 T olive oil 2 ribs of celery, sliced 1 onion, chopped 1 cup frozen corn 2 cups shredded, cooked chicken (whatever you have from a leftover roast chicken) 1/2 cup orzo 1/4 cup chopped parsley 3 T lemon juice 2 quarts chicken broth or homemade chicken stock (preferred) vegeta or chicken bouillon, to taste white pepper, to taste Saute the celery and onion in the olive oil until softened, about 5 or 6 minutes. Add the chicken stock, seasonings and corn; bring to a boil and add orzo. Reduce heat and cook orzo according to package directions for al dente. Add the chicken, lemon juice and parsley and heat through; taste and add more salt/vegeta and pepper as needed.  The pasta will really plump up the longer it sits. Easy peasy. Note: the directions in the magazine would have you cook the orzo separately and then put the cooked pasta into the soup-- because I don't like doing dishe...

This recipe is adapted from Emeril; I like to use Italian turkey sausage but you can use regular Italian sausage if you like- either one will be delicious. 1 large butternut squash 2 T veg oil 1/2 lb Italian sausage (spicy or mild), crumbled and cooked 1 yellow onion, chopped 6 cloves of garlic, minced 1 T chopped fresh sage (if you like sage) 6 cups chicken stock 1 t cider vinegar 1/2 cup heavy cream Preheat oven to 400º. Bake the squash until very soft in the thickest part (about 45 minutes). Let cool and scoop out the squash stuff (getting rid of the seeds and stringy business). In a large pot, heat the oil and cook the onions for about 6 minutes until soft; add the garlic and sage and cook for a minute or so. Add the chicken stock and squash and bring to a boil; lower heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and vegeta (optional) or a good chicken bouillon. With an immersion blender, blend the soup until nice and smooth.  Add the sausage, ...

Creamy goodness.... 3 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks 1 large onion, chopped 3 garlic cloves, chopped 2 celery stalks 1 T butter 2 T olive oil 4 (or more) cups chicken broth 1 bottle of ale 2 t vegeta (a bouillon-like seasoning-- use a granular but high-quality chicken bouillon if you can't get vegeta) 1 cup milk 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (medium or sharp) salt and white pepper to taste Melt butter along with the olive oil and add the onions, garlic and celery. Cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes until well-softened.  Add the potatoes, increase heat and stir until coated. Add the chicken broth and the ale plus 1 teaspoon salt; bring to boil, reduce heat and cover. Cook for 30 minutes (potatoes should be very soft). Blend with an immersion blender (or in a regular blender) until smooth. Add the vegeta and then the milk and simmer until heated through. Throw in the cheese; after the cheese is melted, add a bit of white pepper and ...

This is a wonderfully hearty vegetarian soup; excuse the messy picture please!  The recipe is adapted from Food and Wine magazine. The original recipe had zucchini in it which I put in the soup, but I didn't like how it got mushy and watery tasting. Maybe green beans would be a good substitute or perhaps spinach?? Surprisingly delicous and simple... 1/8 cup EVOO 1 onion, chopped 1 1/2 lbs mushrooms, baby bellas and white button (or your favorite blend) 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1/8 cup sweet Hungarian paprika 1/2 T hot Hungarian paprika 1 14 oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes 1 Yukon Gold potato, diced 4 cups vegetable broth 1 bay leaf Cook the onions and garlic in the olive oil until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and a hearty pinch of salt and cook over high heat until the mushrooms are nicely browned and the juices released have thickened somewhat (so that it's not watery in the pot but rather gravy-like). Add the paprikas and stir for a minute ...

I wanted to re-create the comfort of Campbell's Tomato Soup but for my grown up self that no longer eats soup out of a can. This was so creamy tasting but without any actual cream; garden tomatoes are best for this recipe. I prefer to leave out herbs such as basil or parsley so that it won't taste like marinara sauce but that's a matter of personal taste. 4 lbs garden tomatoes, cut in half 1/4 cup EVOO (plus additional for roasting the tomatoes) pinch of crushed red pepper 1 yellow onion, diced 6 cloves of garlic 1 1/2 - 2 cups chicken broth 1/2 cup dry white wine 1 t sugar 2 cubes of Knorr caldo de tomate (or salt to taste if you don't have or want to use the Knorr) freshly ground pepper sliced Italian bread cheese of your choice Preheat oven to 400º; put tomato halves along with the garlic on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle lightly with olive oil; sprinkle with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Roast for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the 1/4 cup...

Meatballs: 1 jalapeño finely diced 1 lb ground chicken 1/2 cup coarsley grated zucchini 1/4 finely grated onion 1/4- 1/2 cup panko (you might need more to firm up the meatballs- I used 1/2 cup) 2 garlic cloves, pressed 1 egg, beaten 1 t ground cumin 1/2 t kosher salt Mix all ingredients together and form into 1" meatballs using moistened hands.  Arrange on a wax paper lined sheet pan. Soup: 1 T olive oil 1/2 small onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 T ancho chile powder 1 t ground cumin 8 cups chicken broth Vegeta seasoning to taste or 2 Knorr caldo de pollo cubes 1 cup coarsely grated zucchini 1/4 cup rice 1/4 cup fresh cilantro 1 T fresh lime juice (or to taste) Sauté onion and garlic until tender in the olive oil.  Add chile powder and cumin; stir 1 minute until fragrant.  Add broth and seasoning cubes or Vegeta and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.  Stir zucchini and rice into soup and cook about 10 minutes....

1 1/2 lbs beef chuck, cut into small cubes 3 slices bacon, cut into small pieces 1 small onion, diced 2 medium potatoes, cubed 1/2 14 oz. can diced tomatoes 4 cups beef broth 2 T tomato paste 1 T sweet paprika 1 bay leaf Fry bacon bits in a large pot and remove.  Salt the beef cubes generously and lightly dust with flour; brown the beef cubes in two batches in the bacon fat, adding more vegetable oil if needed and set aside.  Add 1 T oil and cook onion until translucent, about 5 minutes; add tomato paste and fry a few minutes until caramelized.  Return the beef to the pot and add the paprika; fry for a couple of minutes and then add the beef broth and tomatoes to the pot.  Deglaze the pan over high heat and bring the soup to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer beef for 1 1/2 hours.  Add the potatoes and cook for another 20-30 minutes until potatoes are tender.  Add salt if needed. ...