Posts filed under 'Soups'
Recipe of the Week – Beef Vegetable Soup
(From the Soups Collection at www.emealsforyou.com)
Beef Vegetable Soup
I will try not to jinx it but hopefully we are in the last days of this cold, snowy winter. For this post I will get back to my soup making recipes, although my wife reminds me that soups are good all year long. A hot bowl of soup on a cold day really hits the spot. My father used to make a huge pot of this soup on Saturdays in the winter when we were growing up. He would use up all the small portions of vegetables in those plastic bags in the back of the freezer. It’s a good excuse to clean out the frozen vegetables that have been taking up space.
If your grocery doesn’t have any beef soup bones in the case just ask the meat cutters for some, they always have some in the freezer and should charge you a small amount per pound. As for the soup meat, you can usually find this in the case but any beef will do; I usually look for the least expensive cut as it will cook for a long time and will be tender. Don’t add the salt until you are just about done cooking it as it will reduce and any salt added early will become more pronounced when done.
Give this soup a try, your family will like it and the house will smell great as you watch the last of the ice melt outside.
Beef Vegetable Soup
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 10 |
| Category: | Soups |
| Meal: | N/A |
| 2 | Tb | oil, olive |
| 1 | lb | beef soup bones |
| 1 | lb | beef soup meat |
| 1 | large | onions, chopped |
| 4 | 15 oz can | beef broth |
| 1 | qt | water |
| 2 | lb | mixed vegetables, frozen |
| 1 | 15 oz can | tomatoes, diced |
| 0.5 | tsp | oregano, dried |
| 3 | medium | bay leaves, whole dried |
| 1 | Tb | garlic powder |
| 3 | pinch | salt and pepper to taste |
Heat oil in a large soup pot and soup bones and soup meat. Brown on all sides. Add onions and sauté for 2 minutes. Add broth, water, vegetables, diced tomatoes, oregano, bay leaves and garlic powder. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for several hours, skimming off the foam that forms on the top. Remove bones and soup meat to a separate bowl; using a fork shred meat, discarding bones and fat. Place meat back in soup and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
Add comment March 2, 2010
Recipe of the Week – Bean Soup
(From the Soup Collection at www.emealsforyou.com)
Bean Soup
So the snow continues here in the Ohio Valley; must be that beaver and shadow thing. I don’t know if I can take it for 5 more weeks. I am back on the soup kick. Nothing beats a hot bowl of soup on a cold and snowy day for warming your body as well as your soul.
This recipe comes by way of my father who would save any ham bones he had and then make a pot of this filling and wonderful soup. As there are just the two of us, I substituted a ham steak for the ham bones he used. This is probably the heartiest soup I make. I usually have a couple of containers frozen for days just like this. Just get a pot started and let the magic happen. Use any beans you have in the pantry; well almost any bean. No baked beans please.
Bean Soup
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 4 |
| Category: | Soups |
| Meal: | other (General) |
| 2 | Tb | oil, olive |
| 1 | large | onions, diced |
| 1 | lb | ham, steaks |
| 2 | large | potatoes |
| 2 | large | carrots, diced |
| 2 | 15 oz can | tomatoes, diced |
| 1 | 15 oz can | beans, white, great northern |
| 1 | 15 oz can | beans, black |
| 1 | Tb | caraway seeds |
| 2 | Tb | vinegar, cider |
| 20 | oz | water |
| 2 | 15 oz can | chicken broth |
| 2 | Tb | oil, olive |
| 3 | Tb | flour |
| 2 | pinch | salt and pepper to taste |
Cut potatoes and carrots into small cubes. Heat oil in pan, add onions and ham, sauté until lightly brown, and add potatoes, broth, tomatoes, beans, water, vinegar and caraway seeds. Boil for about 10 minutes; simmer for 30 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking. Lightly toast flour in a non-stick pan, add oil and continue cooking, stirring for an additional 3 minutes to form a roux. Add some of the soup to the roux and mix, add mixture to soup and stir to mix.
Add comment February 9, 2010
Recipe of the Week – French Onion Soup
(From the Soup Collection at emealsforyou.com)
French Onion Soup
It’s still cold, very cold, here in the Midwest. I am staying with my soup theme. What could be better than a steamy bowl of onion soup to warm you after a tough day. This basic and yet terrifically comforting soup is easy to make. A little pre-planning may be necessary to have the bowls or bowl available that may be used in the oven. You can make individual bowls or just one big one; but then there may be fights over who gets the most cheese and bread.
What sets this soup off from many others is the crusty bread that soaks in the tasty broth; and then there is the cheese; gooey, stringy, melted cheese. A popular hit in many bistros why not try this at home and see how the oohs and ahhhs stack up.
French Onion Soup
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 4 |
| Category: | Soups |
| Meal: | other (General) |
| 8 | Tb | butter, salted |
| 4 | large | onions, sliced |
| 2 | cloves | garlic, chopped |
| 3 | medium | bay leaves, whole dried |
| 1 | Tb | thyme, fresh |
| 1 | tsp | pepper, fresh cracked |
| 1 | cup | wine, dry red |
| 3 | Tb | flour |
| 4 | 14 oz. can | beef broth |
| 1 | medium | baguette |
| 0.5 | lb | cheese, Gruyere |
| 0.5 | tsp | salt to taste |
Melt butter in a large pot or saute pan; add onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme and pepper and saute until onions are caramelized, about 20 minutes. Add the wine and reduce, remove bay leaves. Sprinkle flour over onions and cook, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Add broth and simmer for 10 minutes. Add salt to taste. To serve pour soup into oven-proof bowls, place slices of the baguette on top and cover with slices of the cheese. Place under broiler until cheese is bubbly and golden. Watch carefully as the cheese will color rapidly.
Add comment January 13, 2010
Recipe of the Week – Mexican Meatball Soup
(From the Soup Collection at emealsforyou.com)
Mexican Meatball Soup
I guess I owe you all a few recipes as I have been AWOL for a little while. The NJ trip at Christmas and then closing on a condo on the 30th took me away from the blog and I apologize. The move is just about complete now and being that I heard ( course nobody hears anymore; more like emailed back and forth, from my old partner Chef Teresa, I thought I would give you her recipe for Mexican Meatball Soup. I don’t know about where you live but here in “southern” Ohio we had really cold weather and now some snow to boot.
Nothing says comfort like a hot bowl of soup on a gray and cold day. Chef Teresa brings us this wonderful warming and fulfilling addition to our soup collection. Serve it up with some crunchy bread or crackers. It is perfect to warm the soul as well as the body.
Mexican Meatball Soup
| Complexity: | Medium |
| Serves: | 8 |
| Category: | Soups |
| Meal: | Mexican Supper (Quick Meals Planner) |
| 2 | Tb | oil, olive |
| 2.5 | cup | onions, chopped |
| 4 | cloves | garlic, minced |
| 2 | small | bay leaves, whole dried |
| 5 | 14 oz. can | beef broth |
| 1 | 28 oz. can | tomatoes, diced |
| 0.5 | cup | salsa |
| 0.5 | cup | cilantro, chopped |
| 1 | lb | beef, ground |
| 0.25 | lb | pork sausage |
| 6 | Tb | corn meal, yellow |
| 1 | large | egg |
| 0.25 | cup | milk, whole |
| 0.5 | tsp | salt, table |
| 0.5 | tsp | pepper, fresh ground |
| 0.5 | tsp | cumin |
| 0.5 | cup | rice, white |
Heat oil in large heavy pot. Add 1.5 cups chopped onion, 2 garlic cloves, and bay leaves; saute 5 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes with juices, salsa, and 1/4-cup cilantro, bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine ground beef, pork sausage, cornmeal, milk, egg, salt, pepper, cumin, then remaining onions, 2 minced garlic cloves and 1/4 cup cilantro in medium bowl. Mix well. Shape meat mixture by tablespoons into 1 to 1 1/2 inch meatballs. Add rice and meatballs to soup and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until rice and meatballs are tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Hint: Soup is shown in picture topped with sour cream and cilantro.
Add comment January 8, 2010
Recipe of the Week – Chicken Soup
(From the Soup Collection at emealsforyou.com)
Chicken Soup
It’s the flu and cold season and there is nothing that takes the edge off the aching feelings like a bowl of homemade chicken soup. All of us grew up with some form of chicken soup on those days when mom would bring a tray with soup and crackers to our room. Maybe it was the white and red can variety or maybe that somehow good, but strangely green-yellow soup with those thin noodles. Everyone of us can immediately identify that smell from memory.
I am here to tell you that there is real chicken soup, much better than those cans or packets and it is almost as easy to make. The broth should be darker brown, rich in taste and full of veggies. The color and flavor comes from browning the chicken parts, hopefully with skin on, before adding the vegetables and then the liquid. I use some chicken broth from cans to make this soup all that richer. Be careful to hold off on putting too much salt until just before the soup is finished. You will be reducing the stock while cooking it and any salt you add will be stronger in less broth at the end.
Soup’s on, enjoy!
Old Fashioned Chicken Soup
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 10 |
| Category: | Soups |
| Meal: | Weekly 8 (Quick Meals Planner) |
| 3 | Tb | oil, olive |
| 5 | lb | chicken, whole, cut up |
| 2 | tsp | salt, kosher |
| 2 | medium | onions, chopped |
| 1 | cup | carrots, diced |
| 4 | medium | celery ribs |
| 50 | oz | chicken broth |
| 70 | oz | water |
| 1 | pinch | salt and pepper to taste |
| 0.5 | recipe | spaetzle |
This recipe makes a lot of soup and you will have extra cooked chicken leftover for another use. Heat a large soup pot, add the olive oil, when it begins to shimmer add the cut up and dried chicken. Brown, don’t burn, the chicken on both sides. Add the onion, carrots, celery, salt, and stir. Lightly brown the vegetables; add the broth and water and stir. Cook on a low boil for 20 -30 minutes; until the chicken is fork tender. Remove the chicken to a platter and taste the broth. Depending on the chicken, the broth may need to be reduced to concentrate the flavors. Cook on the boil until the broth is tasty. In the meantime, remove the chicken from the bones. Cut half the chicken into small pieces and add back to the soup pot. Once the soup is done adjust the salt and pepper to taste. (It is important to not add the salt prior to reducing; as the soup will become too salty)
Bring the soup back up to the boil. Drop the spaetzle batter into the boiling soup to form small dumplings.
Use the remaining chicken in chicken salad or tacos.
Add comment December 30, 2009
