Easy Recipes For Those Who Like To Cook and Bake
Happy Sunday Soup Lovers!
If you are on the East Coast and snowed in, here are some delicious soup recipes to keep you warm! I made a big pot of Chicken Noodle Soup and after a day of shoveling, it was a welcomed meal that warmed up my belly and heart!
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This easy soup can be made in one pot in under 20 minutes! It’s Low Carb too so that’s a win-win for me. Hubs crushed tortilla chips over his soup, so if you aren’t dieting like me, go for it!
I used RO-TEL tomatoes to give it that extra spice. Garnish with ripe avocados and sour cream.
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The weather is getting colder and I am in the mood for Soups! I make my Easy Chicken Noodle Soup when I have some extra chicken thighs in my refrigerator. Since my kids are in College, I still haven’t figured out how to cook for two! This soup freezes well, or you can always share with a neighbor or friend.
Easy Chicken Noodle Soup in a cup
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They say chicken soup cures anything. It’s good for the soul. When you have a cold, you just want your Mom to come over and make a pot of chicken noodle soup…or in my case, chicken matzo ball soup. Chicken broth boosts the immune system. It’s the ultimate comfort food!
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A steaming hot bowl of Wonton soup full of fresh and delicious flavors is so easy to make and so much better than takeout! My kids said this was the best soup that I have made. WOW! I make a lot of soup during the colder months, so that says a lot! Wontons are Chinese dumplings that can be steamed or fried. I filled wonton skins with ground pork, shrimp, ginger,scallions and seasonings. The wontons cook quickly when placed in boiling water. Fresh chopped bok choy and snow peas are a delicious addition to this light and flavorful soup. Sauteed mushrooms are also delicious in this soup.
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KALE is a trendy vegetable right now. Why??? Because, it really is an amazing vegetable that is one of the healthiest vegetables that you can eat, plus it tastes fantastic in soups, eggs, salads, as a side dish, as a chip, in smoothies and especially in soups. I have teamed up with Nature’s Greens because I like that they are a family run business and I like their products. Nature’s Green has a program called KALE UP! They have new and delicious recipes each month and they have a wonderful selection of beautiful vegetables including the very popular: Kale.
Nature’s Green is a family owned company, that has been in business for 85 years. They are way ahead of the times. I have been eating kale for many years and I am just now learning about the benefits of kale, it is a happy food, there is a natural chemical in kale that makes you happy. I think I will try to incorporate kale in most things that I eat.
When I told my girlfriend, who is a wonderful cook and very health conscious, who I have seen eating kale almost every other day, that I was looking for delicious KALE recipes, she stopped by my home to give me a copy of her newest find, “The Fifty Shades Of Kale”! Did you know that kale is sexy??? Oh yes it is, all of these recipes are very steamy!
One recipe that stopped me in my footsteps was the Kale, Sausage and White Bean Soup. I had most of the ingredients, one of the reasons why it caught my eye, plus it looked delicious. I started sauteing vegetables as soon as I saw the recipe!
I am seeing KALE everywhere! In smoothies, in pasta, as chips, in desserts, in cocktails, you name it! Why not?? It is a wonderful vegetable that is so versatile and so good for you! I have been growing it in my vegetable garden because it is hearty and just tastes delicious. I usually grab spinach as my vegetable, but today I am using KALE for this wonderful recipe! It has been very cold here in Maine and I wanted something hearty like a soup that was simple to make, but full of flavor. I love beans in soups and thought the addition of Israeli Couscous would be perfect, almost like a pasta e fagioli soup ( bean and pasta soup) The extra step was worth it. Hubs went back for three heaping bowl’s!
Kale, Sausage and White Bean Soup
INGREDIENTS:
2 Links hot Italian pork Sausage, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Red Onion, chopped
4 Garlic Cloves, sliced
One 10 ounce bunch of Kale, trimmed and chopped ( about 10 cups )
2 quarts Chicken Broth
One 15-ounce can Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed
Israeli Couscous
water and EVOO ( for the couscous)
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh Rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
METHOD
Place sausage in a large sauce pan over medium heat, drizzle with olive oil and toss to combine. Increase the heat to high and cook, stirring, until browned, about 4 minutes. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until it starts to soften. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about one minute. Toss in the kale and stir to combine. Add the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 to 17 minutes, until the liquid has slightly decreased and the broth is flavored by the sausage. Add the beans, rosemary, and fennel seeds and stir to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes to warm the beans. In a separate sauce pan, cook Israeli Couscous according to directions. Add to soup when done. Serve immediately sprinkled with the cheese.
Serves 8
This post has been sponsored by Nature’s Green’s but all opinions are my own.
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Nibbles By Nic
I have a page on Facebook called, you guessed it, Moore or Less Cooking! I just had a chicken party over on this so called page and so many yummy recipes were shared including some really yummy chicken and dumpling recipes. I’m the type of person who once I get something stuck in my head, I have to do that sort of something. Today this sort of something is make Chicken and Dumpling’s. If you aren’t into comfort food, just walk away, this delicious recipe is not for you. Thank heavens I have some fabulous readers who talked me through making the dumplings because I thought I had failed, but the trick is not to lift the lid while they are cooking, but I am an impatient one, I tried and tried not to lift the lid, walked a lap around the house, sure enough, they were perfect, do not be tempted! Enjoy this wonderful soup, it made my day so much better.
Chicken and Dumplings
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
1 whole Chicken, Cut Into Pieces (cut Up Fryer) ( I used 6 chicken thighs)
Salt And Pepper
1/2 cup Finely Diced Carrots
1/2 cup Finely Diced Celery
1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
1/2 teaspoon Ground Thyme
1/4 teaspoon Turmeric
6 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1/2 cup Apple Cider
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
Dumplings:
1-1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
1/2 cup Yellow Cornmeal
1 Tablespoon (heaping) Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1-1/2 cup Half-and-half
2 Tablespoons Minced Fresh Parsley (optional)
Salt As Needed
Directions
Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt and pepper, then dredge both sides in flour.
Melt butter in a pot over medium-high heat. In two batches, brown chicken on both sides and remove to a clean plate.
In the same pot, add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Stir and cook for 3 to 4 minutes over medium-low heat. Stir in ground thyme and turmeric, then pour in chicken broth and apple cider. Stir to combine, then add browned chicken. Cover pot and simmer for 20 minutes.
While chicken is simmering, make the dough for the dumplings: sift together all dry ingredients, then add half-and-half, stirring gently to combine. Set aside.
Remove chicken from pot and set aside on a plate. Use two forks to remove chicken from the bone. Shred, then add chicken to the pot. Pour heavy cream into the pot and stir to combine.
Drop tablespoons of dumpling dough into the simmering pot. Add minced parsley if using. Cover pot all the way and don’t peek!Continue to simmer for 15-20 minutes. Check seasonings; add salt if needed. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Adapted from Gourmet Magazine and The Pioneer Woman
It’s very snowy here in Maine and I have a meaty ham bone from Christmas! You know what that means??? Ham and Pea Soup!! I love it chunky with whole peas and lots of veggies, but you can use split peas if you like and puree the soup, your choice. This is my recipe that I have been making for many years.
Ham and Pea Soup
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1 meaty ham bone
1 bag whole peas (dried)
2 cartons low salt chicken broth, or 64 oz water
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 potatoes, chopped into chunks
pepper to taste
Directions
In a large pot add olive oil over medium heat, add onions and garlic and saute until soft and fragrant, add carrots, celery and potatoes, saute for another 5-6 minutes. Add ham bone and peas, cover with broth or water. Bring to a boil, turn down heat and let simmer on a gentle boil for around one hour or until peas and veggies are soft. Remove ham bone, cut off ham into bite size chunks, add ham back to soup. Stir in and serve. Add pepper to taste.
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I love these simple Crockpot meals that you can throw together without having to measure and use what you have on hand. Soups are easy that way, using aromatics: Onion, Garlic, Celery, Carrots, what ever spices you have on hand, beans and a meat or not. Today, I decided to use my big meaty ham bone to make some delicious ham and bean soup.
Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup
Serves approximately 8 – 10
1 – 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 – 4 ribs celery, diced (about 1 cup)
3 – 4 carrots, unpeeled and diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound dried white beans, soaked overnight
2 – 3 sprigs of thyme
Ham bone with meat, plus any of the solid juices in the pan. Discard any fat.
6 – 8 cups liquid
(I used water this time but you can use half vegetable stock if you have it on hand)
Freshly ground black pepper
Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat (or in your slow cooker insert, if it is safe to use on the stove). Add the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Saute until tender, for about 10 minutes. Transfer the sauteed vegetables to your slow cooker, and stir in the soaked beans, Toss in the thyme, stems and all. Add the ham bone to the slow cooker, and add the liquid. Be sure to add enough liquid to mostly cover the ham bone. Cover, and cook on low for about 8 hours, until the beans are tender.
Remove the ham bone and the sprigs of thyme from the slow cooker, and use an immersion blender to partially puree the soup if you like, I prefer a chunky soup. You can puree as much or as little as you like. Cut the meat off of the ham bone, chop into small pieces, and return to the soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving. Since there is ham in this soup, I prefer not adding salt, it tastes salty enough to me.
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If you have been following my blog for a while, then you know that I am in a predicament, a Food predicament~ A Potato Predicament!! If this is the first time you are visiting my blog, then welcome to the wacky world of the Moore’s!! Hubs loves buying everything in bulk quantity…Is it an Irish thing?? In this case, yes it is. He purchased Fifty pounds of potatoes, much to my shagrin. But never the less, we are eating a lot of potato pancakes, stews, and my newest Creamy Ham and Potato Soup. You will love this soup because it is easy and so delicious. It is on the top ten of our favorite soups now.
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
3 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
1/3 cup diced celery
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup carrot, diced (optional)
1 cup diced cooked ham (buy a ham steak in the deli section)
3 1/4 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, or to taste
5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
Instructions
Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, carrot, ham and chicken broth in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the salt and pepper.
In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk so that lumps don’t form and until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.
Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through.
Top with cheddar cheese, chives, and bacon if desired. Serve immediately.
Source: adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything
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