Category Archives: Soup

sing songs about the moon

Posted on January 3, 2010 by questionsfordessert| 2 Comments

I don’t know about where you are, but dude it’s cold here. And windy. And blustry snowy.

Perfect day for soup!

Tomato Balsamic Soup (based on this recipe)

But first I had to model my Christmas present from Nathan

Set oven to 500

Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray

Drain 2 cans of whole tomatoes and put them in the dish along with

an onion chopped up

and 5 cloves of garlic, peeled

In a bowl, combine 1/2 cup beef broth

a tablespoon of brown sugar

3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp soy sauce

and pour it over tomatoes

Bake until everything is nice and smushed. It took mine about an hour.

Ladle all the goodness into your blender

add 1/2 cup beef broth

and 3/4 cup half and half

and take the top out of your lid for ventilation. Or bad things would happen.

Cover the hole with a towel and blend up nice and smooth.

And remember to take a picture before you let it cool and put it in the fridge to eat the next day. (Next to the upcoming Corn Chicken Chowder recipe.)

Or at least take a picture the next day at dinner. Or the day after at dinner.

Imagine that picture here, okay?

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Posted in Soup, meatless monday, recipes, step-by-step

you remember me when the west wind moves

Posted on November 17, 2009 by questionsfordessert| 3 Comments

Seriously, people. I am about to rock your socks off.

Say hello to Chicken Barley Stew. I based this pretty much on a recipe in a magazine. I think it might have been out of Clean Eating. I don’t remember it’s in the big pile o’ magazines in my living room floor. Regardless, socks – be prepared to be rocked.

Take an acorn squash. Cut it into slices and put it in the oven. Salt and pepper. 10 minutes. Then flip. Until soft. While that’s going…

A tablespoon or so of butter in a big ol’ pot.

Followed by a diced onion.

When the onions are soft, drain and rinse 2 cans of black eyed peas. Add them to the pot.

Have your helper measure out a cup of barley

And add it to the pot too.

I added a box of chicken broth. I ended up adding about another cup or so over the course of the cooking. The barley is really thirsty.

Then we added the meat off a rotisserie chicken that the helper had shredded while I was getting it started.

Thyme and basil. About a teaspoon of each. Salt and pepper too.

When the squash was done, peel and chunk it. Add it to the soup.

It cooked for a little while – I straightened up the kitchen and watched the liquid level. And then it was ready.

And it was amazing.

Don’t let this scare you away if you don’t want to use the squash. It would be just as good without it. Next time, I’ll probably leave the squash out. Or add more. It just didn’t seem to add that much. The recipe called for potatoes and carrots. I don’t think I’ll add them either.

So nice on a cool fall evening. You need some of this stew in your life. Amen.

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Posted in Soup, entrees, recipes, step-by-step

it’s not the pale moon that excites me

Posted on October 27, 2009 by questionsfordessert| 3 Comments

It’s Succotash Vegetable Soup!!

Preheat oven to 475. Take an acorn squash…

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Peel it and cut it into chunks. Line a sheet with parchment paper and throw the squash in the oven. For 18-20 minutes.

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Brown a pound of ground beef. I used bison. It was great.

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When browned, take it out of the pot and put it in a bowl.

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To the pot, add a big onion that has been chopped

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and a can of diced chiles

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Let this all get soft, about 8 minutes or so.

Drain a bag of frozen corn

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and a bag of frozen lima beans

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and pull the squash out when it’s ready.

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Get all your cans together and open.

a can of black eyed peas (I would use 2 next time)

2 big cans diced tomatoes and 1 little can

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I ended up adding about 2 cups of tomato sauce and a cup of water ’cause it wasn’t soupy enough for me

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some salt, pepper, and little oregano and you get this:

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Sticks to your ribs! Just a slightly different take on vegetable soup. Yum!

(this is based on a Southwestern Succotash Chili recipe from this month’s Rachael Ray magazine. I messed with the amounts, but the ingredients are pretty much the same.)

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Posted in Soup, entrees, recipes, step-by-step

you married a music man

Posted on October 12, 2009 by questionsfordessert| 3 Comments

Let me introduce you to my new Friend – Autumn in a Pot.

We start with olive oil and garlic in the bottom of a beautiful blue pot. (I don’t think I see anything in this one. Do you?)

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2 large onions, chopped. And add them to the pot.

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2 big turnips. I chopped them up and added them to the pot too.

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Grab your assistant and put him to work. Today he’s just shredding an organic rotisserie chicken. He won’t complain too much.

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3 apples. Chop them up nicely – peel and all – and throw them in the pot.

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4 cans of cannelini beans and about 6 cups of chicken broth. Add to the pot along with the chicken that the assistant shredded.

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Since I don’t believe in thickening stuff, I use a masher. Transfer a few ladles of the soup to a bowl with a lip. And smash.

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So this is the soup pre-mashed addition…

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and in goes the mash.

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Spice time! A palmful of cumin

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about the same smoked paprika

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and some white pepper. and salt.

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it looked kinda dry after the mash, and I was out of chicken broth. So I added some of what I was drinking.

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tah-dah!

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i shredded some gouda…

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and it was time to eat!

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I love Autumn in a Pot! I think you will too!

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Posted in Soup, entrees, recipes, step-by-step

can’t help the way I feel about you

Posted on October 16, 2008 by questionsfordessert| 4 Comments

I have been slacking on so many things the last few months. Cooking in particular. This week has been better. I’ve cooked oldies and goodies this week – Heuvos Rancheros and French Onion Soup. Today I decided to try something new: Chicken Apple Chili. Thank you, thank you, thank you Rachael Ray.

Original recipe is here, but I made some changes. Here’s mine.

Chicken Apple Chili

1 rotisserie chicken, breast meat pulled from bone and shredded

2 tbsp olive oil

4 tsp chili powder

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp cinnamon

1 onion, chopped

2 apples, chopped

4 tbsp butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cups chicken broth

3/4 cup milk

2 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

shredded montery jack

corn tortillas

Heat olive oil to Dutch oven. Add onions and apples. Cook about six minutes or until soft. Place in heat-proof bowl. Add cumin, chili powder, cinnamon, and chicken to bowl. Stir and let sit.

In same Dutch oven, heat butter. When melted, add flour. Whisk for 1 minute. Add milk in 3 parts, whisking to incorporate. Add chicken stock in stages, whisking to retain thickness. When all liquid is added, continue to whisk for 3 minutes.

Add chicken/apple mixture to Dutch oven. Add drained and rinsed white beans. Stir and allow to heat through.

While heating, heat corn tortillas to crisp.

Garnish soup with cheese and tortillas.

Try this! It’s great!

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Posted in Soup, recipes

Mom’s Chicken and Rice Soup

Posted on February 4, 2008 by questionsfordessert| 1 Comment


½ cup plus 2 tablespoons butter
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons chicken fat, or butter
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 cup diagonally sliced carrot
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1/3 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
2 cups frozen white or yellow corn, thawed
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 medium jalapeno pepper
1 gallon (16 cups) homemade or canned chicken broth
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon white pepper
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cayenne
1½ pounds chicken breasts, cooked and diced
3 cups cooked wild rice
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Slivered almonds, toasted

Heat butter in a skillet set over medium heat until hot. Stir in flour. Cook over low heat 2 minutes, or until mixture becomes a paste, stirring constantly — do not brown.

Heat chicken fat or butter in a large sauté pan set over medium heat until hot. Add celery, carrot, onion, green pepper and red pepper. Increase heat to medium-high; cook until onion is tender. Stir in corn, mushrooms and jalapeno.

Cook until mushrooms begin to turn golden brown and shiny wet, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.

Bring broth to boil in an 8-quart stock pot. Stir in butter and flour mixture. Simmer until thickened, whisking to prevent lumps. Stir in cooked vegetables, parsley, salt, black pepper, white pepper, nutmeg and cayenne. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.

Add chicken, rice and whipping cream. Cook just until heated through.

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Posted in Soup, recipes

Creamy Corn and Veggie Soup

Posted on January 25, 2008 by questionsfordessert| Leave a comment

4 cups fresh corn kernels or 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen, thawed
2 cups 2% milk
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 medium zucchini, (about 1/2 pound) diced
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put 2 cups of the corn and the milk into a blender or food processor, until smooth. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over a medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and zucchini and cook, stirring until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2 cups of corn and the broth and bring to a boil. Add the pureed corn and tomatoes and cook until warmed through, but not boiling. Add the salt and season with pepper.

Note: I think next time I’ll add some shredded chicken to add some meat. It’s a great soup, but feels more summer than a cozy winter soup.

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Posted in Soup, recipes

Hamburg Stew

Posted on January 20, 2008 by questionsfordessert| Leave a comment

This was the first meal I made in our new home, which is in the Hamburg area. Thus the name.
12 oz. jalapeno chicken sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced
6 cups fat-free chicken broth
2 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup whole wheat penne
6 cups coarsely chopped kale
2 (16 oz) can navy beans, rinsed and drained
Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil over high heat. Add pasta. Stir in kale and reduce heat. Simmer until kale and pasta are tender. Stir in beans and cook until heated through.

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Posted in Soup, recipes

Black Bean and Sausage Soup

Posted on January 15, 2008 by questionsfordessert| 1 Comment

8 cans black beans
1 lb. hot breakfast sausage
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
3 tbsp oregano
salt and pepper to taste
½ cup red wine vinegar
2 cups water
2 bay leaves
½ cup olive oil

Brown sausage thoroughly and drain. Set aside. Sautee garlic, green pepper, and onion in olive oil. In a Dutch oven, add all ingredients except water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low, stirring occasionally. Simmer for 30 minutes, then add water and continue to cook on low for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cook and put in the refrigerator over night. Before serving the next day, cook for another 30 minutes on low. Remove bay leaves. Continue stirring until ready to serve.

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Posted in Soup, recipes

Hearty Beef and Tomato Stew

Posted on January 13, 2008 by questionsfordessert| Leave a comment

2 tsp olive oil
2 pounds sirloin steak, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 cup finely chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp tomato paste
3 cups beef broth
4 cups cubed red potatoes
2 cups sliced carrots
3/4 cup red wine
2 tsp fresh chopped thyme
1 (16 oz) pkg frozen pearl onions
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 rosemary sprig
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil in a large dutch oven over medium high heat. Add beef and cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently. Remove been from pan, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in pan. Add onion and garlic to pan and saute 2 minutes, or until onion begins to brown. Add tomato paste and cook 1 minute, stirring continuously. Add broth and bring to a boil. Return meat to pan. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook 1 hour 15 minutes, or until vegetables are tender, stirring occassionally. Discard rosemary and bay leaf. Stir in salt and pepper.

Makes 8 servings.

329 calories, 7.5 grams of fat, 4 grams fiber

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Posted in Soup, recipes