Curry Pumpkin Soup

Picture from vibrantplate.com

picture credit:  mommyshomecooking.com

Carmelize for 7 minutes in soup pan over medium heat:

2 TBS oil
1 sweet onion

Add and simmer until carrots are tender-about 10 minutes:

6 carrots, diced

4 c. chicken or vegetable broth

-Blend onion and carrot/broth mixture

-Return blended mixture to soup pan

Add:

4 more cups for chicken or vegetable broth

1 28 oz can pumpkin

1/4 c. honey

2 1/2 tsp curry

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1 c. cream

-Stir soup until combined and heat until warm.

-Garnish Ideas: Pumpkin oil and pumpkin seeds, or freshly ground pepper and parmesan cheese, croutons, bacon bits, cream drizzle and parsley

Thai Coconut Soup (Tom Kha Gai)

This is a delicious, fresh, and creamy soup.  I LOVE it!!!  It is also super simple to whip together, so make this soon!

Images (but not recipe) from littlespicejar and 40 aprons

Over Medium Heat sauté 5 minutes:
1 TBS olive oil
2 TBS water
1 medium sweet vidalia onion, sliced
1 TBS minced fresh ginger
1-2 tsp Thai Chili paste (red or green)
2 drop Lemongrass essential oil
4 drops Lime essential oil (or 1 TBS fresh)
Add and simmer 10 minutes or until potatoes/carrots tender:
1 large potato, peeled and diced

2 large carrots, cut into chunks

3 stalks celery, diced

sliced mushrooms
2 15 oz cans chicken broth
2 15 oz can coconut milk
1 TBS honey
salt to taste
Ladle warm soup into bowls.  
Garnish with fresh basil, cilantro, and lime wedges

**Optional add-ins:
cooked chicken, rice, noodles, peppers

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

This is a flexible recipe.  

Soups are a great way to utilize all of the 

random vegetables in your fridge/freezer!

(Image from two peas & their pod)

Carmelize over medium heat for 7 minutes:
1 onion
3 TBS olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced

Add and simmer 10 minutes until vegetables just tender:
1 TBS Thyme
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 c. celery, chopped
2 c. carrots, chopped
1 1/2 c. peas
2 c. zucchini
2 c. cooked chicken
2 quarts chicken broth (prefer Trader Joes brand)
*Optional add ins:  cooked rice, barley, quinoa, orzo, parsley, mushrooms
*Serve with rolls, biscuits, or soda crackers
*Trader Joes 21 Chicken Salute Seasoning works well with this recipe as well.

Cream of Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

This is a throw back to my husband's days working at a small deli in high school called Hickory Kist. They made delicious soups and this was one of his favorites!

Picture Credit:  Cooking Classy

Serves 7-8

7 C. chicken broth

2 C. slices carrots

1 C. sliced celery

1-2 C. wild rice, cooked

2/3 C. sliced green onions

Mushrooms (optional)

1 zucchini, diced (optional)

1 tsp. dried thyme, crushed

Freshly ground pepper

salt to taste

Garlic

2 C. half-and-half or 1 c. cream

3 C. chopped cooked chicken (I like to use a Costco rotisserie chicken)

FOR THICKER SOUP--ROUX option

¼ C. butter

6 Tbs. all-purpose flour

-In a pan mix broth, carrots, celery, green onion (or leek), thyme, freshly ground pepper, and garlic.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 5-10 minutes until vegetables tender.  

-Add cooked wild rice, cooked chicken, mushrooms/zucchini, and half and half ; heat through then serve.

-**NOTE for thicker soup option, for your first step: In large soup pan combine butter, flour, carrots, celery, green onion, thyme, freshly ground pepper, and garlic.  Cook over medium heat for 2 minutes.  Slowly whisk in chicken broth.  Then continue recipe as outlined above.

Taco Soup (chicken or beef)

I love taco salad, so I guess it makes sense that I love this hearty taco soup (I often even use leftovers for "taco salad" the next few days).  Fall is never complete if I don't whip up some of this.  My family loves this meal.  It is also a great meal for entertaining.

Makes 6-8 servings
Ingredients:
1 c. ground beef (cooked) or 1 c. cooked/diced chicken
1 medium onion, chopped
2 bell peppers chopped (any color)
1.5 oz taco seasoning
1 16 oz can corn
1 16 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 14 oz can stewed tomatoes (blend this up before adding if you don't like huge tomato chunks)
1 14 oz can petite diced tomatoes
1 14 oz can tomato sauce
1 4 oz can green chilies
Tortilla chips, cheese, avocado(a must in my opinion!), sour cream, fresh tomatoes for topping
1.  Caramelize onion in 3 TBS olive oil over medium heat for 7-10 minutes.  
2.  Add all other ingredients (except toppings) and simmer on low for 20-30 minutes.  
3.  Serve warm with desired toppings.

Chicken Toscana Soup

This is a comfort food soup for sure!  I prefer using "mini" gnocchi for this if you can find them, but large ones work great too.  It's summer...but hey I'm already craving the fall!

1 TBS olive oil                                                      

1 med onion

3 stalks celery, diced

3 carrots, diced                                                          

1 clove garlic, minced                                                     

6 TBS butter

6 TBS flour                                                           

1 c half and half

8 c chicken broth                                                  

3 c chopped, cooked chicken                                           

1 c chopped fresh tomato (about 2-3 romas)                    

1 c chopped fresh baby spinach

1 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese     

16 oz gnoochi

1 tsp salt

1 tsp Italian seasoning

½ tsp pepper

2-3 shakes of Turmeric (for color)

                                      

Sauté onion in oil until nicely cooked.  Add garlic, celery, carrots, and butter and cook on med until butter is melted.  Add flour to make a roux and cook 1 min, stirring constantly.  Add half and half and stir till well incorporated.  Slowly add in chicken broth.  Add rest of ingredients (except Parmesan cheese) and simmer. Just before serving, remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese. 

My Life in France by Julia Child

I recently read the book My Life in France by Julia Child.  She is even more obsessed with food and cooking than I am!  I loved getting to know her through her writing.  She was an adventurous, glass is ALL full type of person.  

I made my first Julia Child recipe (Garlic Soup) yesterday using her cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking lent to me by a friend.  The recipe was mentioned in the My Life in France book, so I made it and it was delicious!  It was unlike any soup I have ever had.  My five year old downed several bowls of the brothy liquid too.  

One of my favorite quotes from the book was:

"Learn how to cook-

try new recipes, 

learn from your mistakes, 

be fearless, 

and above all have fun!"

Fall Cooking Class Recipes

Here are the recipes from my most recent cooking class.  I took pictures of everything and then they all got deleted somehow...so I'll just post them anyway so you have something to go from for now!

Latacha’s CHILI

Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef 1 medium/large onion, diced 1 29 oz can tomato sauce 1 29 oz can kidney beans, drain liquid 1 29 oz can pinto beans, drain liquid 1 4 oz can mild green chilies 2 stalks celery, diced 3 fresh medium tomatoes, chopped 1 TBS chili powder 2 tsp cumin powder 1 teaspoon black pepper 2 teaspoons salt 4 cups water Directions: 1. Brown the ground beef with onion in a skillet over medium heat;  drain off the fat. 2. Using a fork, crumble the cooked beef into pea-size pieces. 3. In a large pot, combine the beef plus all the remaining ingredients, simmer over low heat. 4. Cook, stirring every 15 minutes, for 2 to 3 hours.  (Or use crockpot: low for 3 hours) 5. For spicier chili, add ½ teaspoon more black pepper. For extra spicy chili, add 1 tsp black pepper and a tsp cayenne pepper. For super hot spicy, add 5 sliced jalapeño peppers to the pot. Laura’s Veggie Chili 1 medium onion, diced 1 can corn, drained 1 zucchini, chopped 2-3 bell peppers (any color), chopped 1 29 ounce can tomato sauce 1 29 ounce can kidney beans, drain fluid 1 29 ounce can pinto beans, drain fluid 1 4 oz. can mild green chilies 2-3 stalks celery, diced 3 medium fresh tomatoes, chopped 1 TBS chili powder 2 teaspoons cumin powder 1 teaspoon black pepper 2 teaspoons salt 4 cups water Directions: 1.     Caramelize onion for 7 minutes (optional) 2.    Combine ALL ingredients in large soup pot (or crockpot).  Stir to combine.  3.    Simmer over low for 2 hours (or cook on low for 2-3 hours in crockpot) Crockpot Pork Chops with Apple Chutney (Betty Crocker) Ingredients 4-8 center-cut bone-in pork loin chops, 1 inch thick (about 2 lb), trimmed of fat ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 6 tablespoons packed brown sugar 2 tablespoons cider vinegar 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ cup sweetened dried cranberries 2 medium baking apples, peeled, chopped (2 cups) Directions 1 Spray 3- to 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper; place in cooker. 2 In small bowl, mix brown sugar, vinegar, ginger, cinnamon, red pepper and cranberries. Spoon over pork in cooker; top with apples. 3 Cover; cook on Low heat setting 4 hours to 4 hours 30 minutes. Fresh Blender Cranberry Sauce  4 c. cranberries 1 whole orange (peel and all!) 1 c. sugar -Cut off ends of orange, then put cranberries, orange  and sugar in blender.   -Blend until smooth. Stir in 1 c. pomegranate seeds (optional).   -This keeps in fridge for a VERY long time!  It also freezes well, so well that you cannot tell the difference between a fresh  or frozen batch! Mini-Gingerbread Muffins ¼ c. butter, softened 2 1/3 c. flour (can use wheat) 2 tsp baking pwdr. 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp ginger ½ tsp cinnamon ½ tsp allspice ¼ tsp cloves ½ tsp salt ¾ c. sugar 1 c. pumpkin ½ c. unsulfured molasses 2 eggs ½ c. buttermilk 1 c. confectioners’ sugar and 2 TBS water (for frosting) -Combine all ingredients (except conf. sugar/water) in bowl  and mix until well combined. Spoon into prepared mini cake or muffin pans. -Bake 350 for 20 minutes. Let sit in pan 5 minutes on cooling rack. Then shake out of pan. Cool completely. Then dip muffin tops in  Confectioners’ sugar glaze if desired. -Yield 36-40 mini muffins. -For LARGE muffins bake 25 minutes. Cheesy Southern Biscuits 1 tsp olive oil 2 c flour 1 TBS baking powder 1 TBS dried parsley 1 tsp thyme 1 tsp salt 1 tsp white sugar 1 c shredded cheddar cheese 5 TBS butter 1 c milk (a little bit more if dough too dry) -Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. -With a fork, mix together the flour, baking powder, parsley, thyme, salt, sugar,  and cheese in a bowl. Cut the butter (or grate) into the flour mixture in  coarse chunks, then use the fork to further]cut the butter into the flour-cheese  mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Lightly stir in the milk  just until the dough holds together. Don’t over stir! -Drop the batter by spoonfuls (or cookie scoop) onto 11x17 the baking sheet,  and bake in the preheated oven until risen and golden brown, 20-25 min.  -Makes 12 large (bake 25 minutes) or 18 medium biscuits (bake 20 minutes).  For mini biscuits (bake 12-15 minutes). *Pumpkin* or Cream Biscuits 2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour 2 TBS sugar 2 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt 1 1/ 2 c. heavy cream -Preheat oven to 425. 1. Mix together all dry ingredients.   Add cream (and pumpkin for pumpkin version) and stir until just combined (add extra cream if too dry). 2. Using hands, shape dough into a circle or rectangle.  Cut into wedges  or circles. 3. Place biscuits on parchment lined baking sheet and bake until golden brown,  about 15 minutes.  Serve immediately. ***For PUMPKIN version, add ½ c. pumpkin at the same time as the cream.  Sprinkle top of biscuits with cinnamon and sugar before baking.