Split Pea Soup With Bacon, Potato, and Barley

Peas. I'm not a really big fan. Well, when they are alone that is. I am fine with them in salads, pastas etc. But on their own, not so much.

Split pea soup on the other hand, is a favorite of mine. There is something about this hearty soup that makes my heart warm. I thought it might just be because of the addition of the bacon. Because, in my opinion, bacon can really add to ANY meal. But, no. I think it is the consistency, and heartiness that makes a cold night seem warmer with this soup. (okay, and the bacon.) : )

The potato and barley in this recipe really gave it oomph too. This meal is perfect on its own, or add some bread for a real stick-to-your-ribs meal.

Oh, I tried to get the best pictures I could of this soup, but it just isn't pretty to begin with, sooo...

Split Pea Soup with Bacon, Potato, and Barley

1 lb. split peas rinsed and sorted

2 tsp. canola oil

1/2 cup onion diced

1/2 cup celery diced

1/2 cup carrots diced

2 cloves garlic minced

1 Tbs. parsley chopped

7 strips bacon cooked and crumbled (save 1 1/2 Tbs. bacon grease)

3/4 cups barley

2 medium potatoes diced

8 cups chicken stock (or water)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat a large heavy stock pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add canola oil and bacon grease. When it is shimmering, add the onion, celery and carrots. Cook for about 5-8 minutes until onion is wilted and almost carmelized. Add the peas, parsley and garlic. Saute for a few more minutes. Add stock or water and stir to combine. Cover pot and let simmer for an hour and a half, stirring occaisionally.

Uncover pot and stir. If you have an immersion blender, blend until creamy. If not, remove about 1/2 of the soup and put into a blender. Blend until creamy.

Add potatoes, barley and bacon and cook another 1/2-3/4 of an hour. Serve and Enjoy!

Hearty Lentil and Sausage Stew

Tonight I made a soup exactly how I was craving it. I didn't realize it until I started to sit down and eat it. I love, love when this type of thing happens. I was craving a hearty, bean type stew/soup for dinner and I got just that. This is a very pocketbook friendly meal, the most expensive item is the smoked sausage. Not too labor intensive either, just throw things in a pot and let simmer. At the end to make it thick and creamy, I pureed some lentils in my blender. Serve with crusty bread and your good to go with this winter friendly meal.

Hearty Lentil and Sausage Stew

1lb. smoked sausage cut into half moons
1 lb. green lentils
1 medium onion diced
2 large stalks celery diced
1 cup (about) diced carrots

2 medium resset potatoes peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 Tbs. parsley chopped
2 bay leaves
1 Tbs cumin
1 tsp. ground allspice
7-8 cups chicken stock or broth
1 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter

Heat a large pot over medium heat and add butter and oil. When butter is melted add onions, celery, bay leaves, cumin, allspice, and parsley. Cook about 3 minutes and add sausage. Cook mixture for about 5-8 minutes then add garlic. Cook another couple minutes and add lentils and potatoes. Stir to combine and add chicken stock. Bring to a boil, and then turn down to a simmer. Cover and cook about 30 minutes. At the end scoop out about 2 cups of the lentils and puree in a blender. Add back to pan and stir. Serve and enjoy!

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup w/ Orzo and Meatballs

My 2nd night cooking in my NEW kitchen! How exciting! Last night I made chicken makhani and tonight dh requested soup since the weather was getting cooler. I used what I had on hand and came up with a tomato basil soup. I decided to add orzo and meatballs to it to make it a bit heartier, and it was quite a meal!

Meatballs

1 lb ground sirloin

2 slices wheat bread toasted and processed

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

1/4 C. grated parmesan cheese

1 egg

Preheat oven to 350

Mix all ingredients well and roll into mini meatballs. Cover cookie sheet with foil and place a cooking rack on top. Put meatballs on the cooling rack and put in oven. cook for 20-25 minutes.

When finished, take out of oven and set aside.

Tomato Basil soup

2 cans diced tomatoes

1 8oz. can tomato sauce

2 cloves garlic minced

2/3 cup fresh basil coarsly chopped

3 cups chicken stock

1 cup orzo (raw) cooked according to package directions

1 cup half and half

1 stick unsalted butter

Salt and Pepper to taste

Grated Parmesan cheese for garnish

Over med. high heat put tomato products, stock, and garlic in a large stock pot. Let come to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Add basil and with an immersion blender, blend until smooth and pureed (this can be done in a blender as well). Add butter and half and half and whisk until well blended.

Add meat balls and orzo and serve with parmesan cheese.

Turkey Italian Sausage and Barley Stew

Well, this may be the last night I cook for a while. We are moving this Saturday into our new house (Woot!) so I will be packing up the kitchen starting tomorrow.

I had this turkey Italian sausage in the freezer, and I knew I had to use it tonight or it wouldn't ever be prepared. After thinking about a few recipes I kind of just threw this one together. It isn't a soupy stew, more like saucy sausage and vegetables over barley. This was really simple and quick to make too. Oh, and keeping with the WW theme it is only 8 points per serving. Not a low point meal, but the portion was rather large (about 2 1/2 cups or so). So, if you reduce the portion, the points may be more around 6 or 7.

Tuscan Turkey Italian Sausage and Barley Stew

(makes 6 servings)

1 lb. turkey Italian sausage casings removed

2 1/2 Tbs. canola oil (divided)

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 1/2 cups chopped mushrooms

2 Tbs. fresh chopped basil

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 cup frozen chopped spinach thawed and squeezed

2 cloves minced garlic

2 tsp. red pepper flakes (or less if you don't like the heat)

1 can great northern beans rinsed and drained

2 1/2 Tbs. flour

3 cups fat free chicken broth

salt and pepper to taste

2 1/2 cups cooked barley

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add a tsp. of canola oil. Add sausage to pan and crumble and brown. Remove sausage and set aside. Add remaining oil to pan and when heated add mushrooms, onion, basil and oregano. Let cook for a few minutes and add flour. Stir frequently and cook for a couple minutes more (some of the flour may begin to stick but that is okay, when the broth is added it will lift off the pan). Deglaze the pan with the broth and scrape up any bits off the bottom of the pan. Add remaining ingredients except barley including sausage and let simmer for about 6-8 minutes. Add barley and serve in bowls.

Hearty and Healthy Turkey and Vegetable Chili

I bought a couple of turkey thighs a couple weeks back and needed to use them. I decided to slow cook them in some broth and herbs today while I ran errands. When I got back they were fork tender and ready to work with. I added two types of beans to this chili and even contemplating adding another, but I left it at the black and kidney. I used a bunch of fresh oregano which gave this chili depth of flavor, and I added a bit of cayenne for some spiciness. This made a ton, which is great to freeze for days I don't have anything to bring for lunch. This recipe is only 5 WW points but tastes like it could be 10.

Hearty Turkey and Vegetable Chili
(Makes 8 Servings)

3 1/2 cups dark Turkey meat (I used 2 thighs cooked w/o the skin)
2 tsp. olive oil butter spray
1 cup each: carrots diced, celery diced, green pepper diced onion diced
3 cloves garlic minced
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 Tbs. tomato paste
1 can black beans drained and rinsed
1 can kidney beans drained and rinsed
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
6 cups fat free chicken broth
2 Tbs. chili powder
2 Tbs. cumin dash of cayenne (more if you like it hot!) dash of hot sauce
1 Tbs. fresh oregano
1 Tbs. fresh parsley chopped
1 bay leaf salt and pepper to taste

Heat a large soup pot over medium heat. Add olive oil and butter spray. Add carrots, celery, green peppers, and onion. Cook until onion turns translucent. Add parsley, oregano, bay leaf and garlic and cook for a few minutes. Add tomatoes and spices, cooking a few minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes. Serve with a Tablespoon of cheddar cheese and a dollop of fat free sour cream.

Healthy Tuscan Style Soup

I am a huge fan of soup, and I really believe that I will be even more while I'm doing this WW thing. It fills me up and I can put tons of healthy veggies in and not feel guilty for eating just a little bit more. Tonight's soup was inspired by one of my Dh's (and mine) favorite soups, Zuppa Tuscana. But this one is healthy, only 233 calories per serving and 6 g of fat. If you are doing WW like me it is only 4, points!!

This made about 6 large servings but the ingredients can be modified to make a smaller or larger batch.

Healthy Tuscan Style Soup

serves 6

1 link Oscar Meyer Smoked Sausage (3.5 servings)

1/2 onion diced small

1/2 cup celery diced

2 cloves garlic minced

1 cup crimini mushrooms chopped

2 cups diced potatoes

1/2 cup quick cooking barley

1/2 cup great northern beans

1 Tbs. Light Butter (I used Land O Lakes)

1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup 1% milk

1 1/2 Tbs. parmesan cheese

3 cups kale chopped

2 tsp. ground basil

2 tsp. ground oregano

1 Tbs. fresh chopped parsley

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

Heat oil and butter in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery and mushrooms and potatoes and saute about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sausage and cook about 4 minutes more. Add broth and water and scrape up the bits from the bottom. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the milk and cheese and bring to a boil. When it comes to a boil lower heat and let simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Remove pot from burner and whisk in milk and cheese. Enjoy!

Healthier Potato Soup

Chad and I love potato soup. The loaded baked potato kind with all the pieces of salty bacon, gooey cheese, and creamy potatoes. However, we don't like all the fat and calories assiciated with it. So I decided to Dr. up and old favorite and make it healthier. After using the recipe calculator in SparkRecipes, I achieved my goal! I ended up pureeing this with my immersion blender to thicken, but that step is up to you. I like how I got a bite of everything on my spoon, plus it thickened it up a bit. This soup is fairly easy and can be quick if the potatoes are prebaked.

Healthier Potato Soup

4 medium sized potatoes baked, skins removed and diced small

4 cups reduced fat milk

2 cups fat free, low sodium chicken broth

1/2 Tbs. canola oil

1 Tbs. unsalted butter

1/2 cup onions diced small

2 garlic cloves minced

1 1/2 Tbs. fresh chopped parsley

1 1/2 fresh chopped basil

2 Tbs. flour

4 pieces turkey bacon cooked and crumbled

3/4 cup 2 % cheddar cheese

1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. ground (or fresh ground) nutmeg

Heat a large pot over medium heat and add oil and butter. Add onions and saute until soft. Add garlic, parsley, and basil and saute about 2-3 minutes longer. Add flour and stir until it is a paste, continue to whisk for about a minute. Add milk to pot in a slow stream and whisk vigorously until flour is incorporated. Add chicken stock and the rest of the ingredients except sour cream and cheese and bring to a slow simmer. Continue to simmer about 10 minutes and take off heat. Stir in cheese and sour cream. At this point you can use the immersion blender to puree to thicken, or smash the potatoes up a bit instead.

Serves 6

Calories 216.5
Total Fat 9.8 g
Saturated Fat 4.1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.4 g
Monounsaturated Fat 3.7 g
Cholesterol 24.8 mg
Sodium 237.8 mg

Potassium 409.7 mg
Total Carbohydrate 24.2 g

Dietary Fiber 1.8 g
Sugars 0.2 g

Protein 8.5 g

Northern Bean Soup with Turkey Smoked Sausage

Tonight I was in the mood for something simple yet hearty and healthy. For some reason I have been on a bean kick. I have had some sort of beans the past 4 days. No big deal since beans are healthy, I just find it funny that every meal has to incorperate some sort of legume.

I came up with this soup, which was really quick and easy to make. I even entered all the ingredients into Sparkpeople and it turns out it is pretty darn healthy, and under 500 calories! I know it is summer, and this soup is more fall or winter-ish, but I'm a soup freak. I could eat it every day. Unless it is a cold soup, like gazpacho. We had a discussion about cold soups on my message board (The Nest) and most of the ladies agree that soup should be served hot. I have nothing against those who enjoy a cold soup, but I can't get over the, well, coldness of it.

Northern Bean Soup with Turkey Smoked Sausage

7 oz. Louis Rich smoked sausage chopped ( one link)

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup chopped green pepper

3 garlic cloves minced

2 cans northern beans rinsed and drained

1 1/4 cup pearl barley

1 tsp. dried oregano

2 tsp. salt

3 tsp. pepper

2 bay leaves

2 Tsp. canola oil

7 cups chicken stock

Heat a large stock pot over medium heat. Add canola oil and saute pepper, onion and celery until onion gets soft. Add garlic, sausage, bayleaf, oregano, salt and pepper. Saute about 4-6 minutes. Add barley and toast about 1-2 minutes. Add chicken stock and bring contents of the pot to a boil. Add beans, lower to a simmer and cook 20-30 minutes or until barley is cooked. Using an immersion blender, blend soup about 15 seconds to thicken. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts
6 Servings
Amount Per Serving

Calories 408.2
Total Fat 7.2 g
Saturated Fat 1.6 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.9 g
Monounsaturated Fat 3.0 g
Cholesterol 19.5 mg
Sodium 775.7 mg
Potassium 864.0 mg

Total Carbohydrate 65.5 g

Dietary Fiber 14.2 g
Sugars 5.0 g
Protein 21.9 g

Bean Bacon and Vegetable Soup

This was not a recipe I planned on making tonight. Since I was a bit on the lazy side I decided to save the chicken I planned on making for another night. decided instead to throw together a quick soup. And throw it together is what I did. I knew it would start with onions. So I chopped up those. I looked in the fridge and found carrots and celery so I chopped up those too. I also minced up some garlic, and found some frozen peas.

In the pantry I found two kinds of beans and half a box of ditilini pasta, and a couple potatoes. Those went in as well. I decided it needed something else, something to give it flavor so I decided to crisp up some bacon and throw it in. I added some herbs, and spices and the rest was history. Not to shabby a soup either, matter of fact, it was delicious.

Bean Bacon and Vegetable soup

1 medium onion chopped

2 stalks of celery chopped

2 medium carrots chopped

2 cloves garlic minced

1 cup frozen peas

2 potatoes (med. sized) diced

8 slices bacon cooked crisp and chopped

2 cans beans (I used cannelini and garbanzo) drained and rinsed

2 cups small pasta (I used ditilini)

8-10 cups chicken stock or broth

2 bay leaves

2 tsp. basil

2 tsp. oregano

Salt and Pepper

2 Tbs. olive oil

In a large pot heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrots and bay leaves. Cook until onions are soft and transluscent. Add garlic and cook another minute. Add stock, and the rest of the ingredients. Simmer about 20 minutes.

Bean and Pasta Soup

I made this soup last week solely for the fact that I needed lunch the next day. I toyed with the idea of whether or not I was going to leave the white beans whole, or puree them. I decided to puree one can of the beans and leave the other 2 whole. This is one of those soups where you just add ingredients as you go. I checked what was in the pantry and fridge and just threw it all in. Turned out great and now I have some extra portions in the freezer that I can bring to work the next time I have nothing to bring.

Bean and Pasta Soup

2 cans cannelini beans

1 can garbanzo beans

9 cups chicken stock

4-6 strips of bacon diced

2 tsp. olive oil

1-2 cups penne (or what ever pasta you may have on hand)

2 srpigs fresh thyme

2 tsp. dried oregano

2 bay leaves

1 onion finely chopped

3 cloves garlic minced

2 carrots sliced

2 celery stalks sliced

Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook bacon in a large heavy bottomed pot over medium high until crispy. Remove from pot and and drain all but 2 Tbs. of fat. Add onion, thyme, oregano, bay leaves, celery and carrots. Saute until onions are soft. Add garlic and saute a few minutes longer. Add stock and one can of the cannellini beans. Let cook for 20 minutes and blend with an immersion blender, or transfer 1/2 the soup to a blender. Add the rest of the beans and penne and cook for 15 minutes longer.

WC Recipe Exchange: Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

One of my favorite past times is to hang out on a message board on The Nest called "What's Cooking". It is composed of newlywed ladies from all over the U.S. as well as some other countries. They are a wonderful bunch of gals, and I have made some great relationships with quite a few of them and can't wait to meet some of them IRL this summer.

We participated in an anonymous recipe exchange and the theme was "healthy cooking". Everyone who participated sent Faye (the organizer) a recipe and she sent them out to us.

I recieved this soup recipe. I am so happy I got it, because I love, love soup. And so does Chad. The best part is that it really is so healthy. With only 280 calories, I think I can have another serving. : )

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

(source: anonymous for now)

1 cup uncooked quick-cooking wild rice (I used Uncle Ben's Long grain and Wild, I couldn't find just wild rice in my grocery)

Cooking spray

1 cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 cups cubed peeled baking potato

3 cups 2% reduced-fat milk

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

10 ounce light processed cheese, cubed (such as Velveeta Light)

2 cups chopped roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 breasts)

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)

PreparationCook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Add broth and potato; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until potato is tender.
Combine milk and flour, stirring well with a whisk. Add the milk mixture to potato mixture; cook 5 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in rice, chicken, pepper, and salt. Garnish with parsley, if desired.
Yield
8 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups)
Nutritional Information
CALORIES 280(23% from fat); FAT 7g (sat 4g,mono 1g,poly 0.5g); PROTEIN 24.9g; CHOLESTEROL 52mg; CALCIUM 329mg; SODIUM 879mg; FIBER 1.6g; IRON 1.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 28.7g

"Lent"il Soup: In Honor of Lent

I wanted to make something meatless for Chad and I for the Lent season. I found this really easy, and delicious recipe from Alton on the FN website. It sure could have come in handy today for lunch when I absentmindely ate the gumbo leftover from last night's meal.

We had already eaten an early dinner because we had service at 7pm, but I made this to be one of our standby meals. I plan to bring a bit to work, and then freeze the rest.

As always, Alton has come through with his recipes. The only thing I omitted was the grains of paradise as I have never heard of, nor had this on hand. I added about 1 1/2 Tbs. of fresh ground pepper to make it peppery. For garnish I added homemade croutons (french bread cubed, brushed with olive oil and toasted) and carrot shavings.

Lentil Soup

(Alton Brown)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup finely chopped carrot

1/2 cup finely chopped celery

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 pound lentils, picked and rinsed

1 cup peeled and chopped tomatoes

2 quarts chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground toasted cumin

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground grains of paradise

Place the olive oil into a large 6-quart Dutch oven and set over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion, carrot, celery and salt and sweat until the onions are translucent, approximately 6 to 7 minutes. Add the lentils, tomatoes, broth, coriander, cumin and grains of paradise and stir to combine. Increase the heat to high and bring just to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook at a low simmer until the lentils are tender, approximately 35 to 40 minutes. Using a stick blender, puree to your preferred consistency. Serve immediately.

A Quicker Gumbo

In honor of Fat Tuesday, I wanted to make a New Orleans inspired dish. Gumbo is what I was craving, but ugh, who wants to do all that work on a week night?

When I was in Nola a couple months back I happened to stumble across a product that I have doubted until tonight. Jarred Roux. I doubted it because I pride myself on cooking a roux the right way, standing over a pot stirring from anywhere to a half hour to an hour.

When I first opened the jar I was immediately turned off. It was a big brown clump surrounded by oil. Hmmmm I thought, this is going to be interesting.

I sauteed up my veggies, added the sausage and then in went the brown clump and oil. After stirring for a minute it started to come together. I added the stock, stirred again and lo and behold, gumbo was in the making. All in about 15 minutes. I'm shocked that this actually worked. Gumbo in 30-40 minutes? Yup. Impressed, hell yes. I don't know if I'll be able to find this product here in Atlanta, but it is nice to know that such a product exists.

Quick Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

2 Tbs. oil

1 medium onion diced

2 stalks celery chopped

1 green pepper diced

3 cloves garlic minced

Meat from a small rotessirie chicken (about 2 1/2 cups)

1lb andouille sausage diced

1 1/2 cups frozen sliced okra

1/2 jar Richard's Cajun Roux

8 cups chicken stock

1 Tbs. cajun seasoning (I use Tony Chachere's)

2-3 dashes Worcestershire

Hot sauce to taste (I use Crystal's)

File powder to top rice

Fresh chopped parsley to garnish

Heat a big heavy pot over medium heat and add oil. When oil has heated add onion, celery and green pepper (the trinity). Saute about 5-8 minutes until onions just start to brown. Add sausage and garlic and cook 3-4 minutes more. Add roux, worcestershire, and seasonings and stir until everything is covered and smooth. Add chicken stock while stirring continuously. Add chicken bring to a boil and simmer 15-20 minutes. Add Okra the last 5 minutes. Serve with white rice, hot sauce and french bread.

Hearty Chicken and Dumplings

After a little too much partying for Chad's surprise (no he wasn't surprised, he knew something was up) birthday party last night we were in need of a hearty home style meal. The only thing I had in the fridge were chicken legs that I bought on sale so our dinner had to incorporated those. I thought about just roasting them and making some rice and veggies as our sides but instead I decided to make chicken and dumplings (I like to say "dumplins").

I have to admit, I looked online for recipes but the only one I wanted to make was the Cooking Light version. But it was pretty complicated, and I just didn't have the energy. So I totally threw this thing together remembering bits and pieces from the recipes I viewed online. It came out so well, and I am thankful I made a huge batch that we can take to work for lunches later in the week.

Chicken and Dumplings

6 chicken legs roasted(I basted them with a butter, oregano, basil, garlic powder, salt and pepper mixture before roasting), meat removed and roughly chopped (or 3 cups cooked chicken)

1 medium onion chopped

2 stalks celery chopped

1/2 bag of peas and carrots combo

3 garlic cloves finely chopped

3 Tbs. dripping from roasted chicken or 3 Tbs. butter

1 1/2 Tbs. flour

1/4 cup white wine

10 cups good quality chicken stock(warmed)

2 bay leaves

1 Tbs. fresh sage chopped

1 Tbs. fresh flat leafed parsley chopped

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. dried marjoram

Salt and pepper to taste

Dumpling ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 Tbs. baking powder

3/4 cups half and half

2 tsp. salt

2 Tbs. butter

In a large heavy pot heat drippings or butter over medium heat. Add onions,celery, bay leaves, thyme, sage and marjoram and saute for about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook another minute. Add flour and stir constantly for about 3 minutes so the roux doesn't burn. Add wine and deglaze the pot scraping any bits from the bottom. Add chicken stock a couple cups at a time whisking constantly. Add the cooked chicken and the parsley and bring to a gentle boil.

Add the dumplings and cook for about 10-15 minutes longer. Add peas and carrots take off heat and let sit for about 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper and serve.

Dumplings:

Sift all dry ingredients into a medium sized bowl. Combine half and half and butter and heat in a microwave until butter has melted. Add to flour mixture and mix together with a fork until well combined. Knead a couple of times on a floured surface until smooth (a couple of times, don't over do it). Pinch off about a Tbs. size (you can make the dumplings as big as you want them but if they are larger they may have to cook longer) and add to soup.

3 Bean Chili

After a very productive day of cleaning and organizing some areas in our home that have needed it badly, I needed something fairly easy to throw together for dinner. I had a lb. and a half of ground beef that needed to be used, but I just couldn't come up with anything. Until I logged into the nest that is. There were at least 3 posts that referenced chili. I asked Chad what he thought about having chili for dinner tonight and he was all about it. So that is what I madeI remembered that I bought 2 poblano peppers a few days ago for another recipe I didn't end up making so I was very happy to be able to use 2 of them.
I didn't follow a recipe, I just improvised. And the best part was I that I used one pot, one knife, a cutting board and a wooden spoon. Clean up was a cinch!

3 Bean Chili

1 1/4 lb ground sirloin (seasoned with salt and pepper)

1/2 lb smoked sausage diced

2 Tbs. canola oil

1/2 large Vidalia onion medium dice

2 Poblano peppers medium dice

2 celery stalks finely chopped

4 cloves garlic minced

1 Can diced tomatoes

1 can black beans with juice

1 can northern beans with juice

1 can kidney beans with juice

1 can tomato paste

1 can tomato sauce

1/2 cup beer

1 cup beef broth

1 tsp. Cayenne pepper (or more if you like it hot)

2 Tbs. cumin

4 Tbs. chili powder

1 Tbs. paprika

1 bay leaf

3 Tbs. Flat leaf parsley chopped

2 tsp. white sugar

Heat large soup pot over medium heat and brown seasoned ground beef. Drain fat from pot, and wipe out exess with a paper towel. Add canola oil to pot and return to med. heat. Throw in all veggies except garlic and the bay leaf. Saute until onion is slightly brown about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and diced smoked sausage. Saute for a few more minutes (until sausage renders a bit).

Add ground beef and spices except sugar. Stir to combine and cook about 3 minutes. Throw in the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. Let simmer for 45 minutes. Serve with your favorite toppings.

Nothing's Better Than a Bowl of Chicken Soup

Especially on a cold and windy day. I have been in the mood for some brothy goodness ever since the temperature dropped early this week. I am hoping it can ward off any sicknesses I may incur from my students when they come back to school on Monday (as I predict a few dozen will be infected with some kind of virus).

My soup is very easy to make. You can use whatever part of the chicken you desire (I prefer both dark and white meat), and either boil in water or roast as I did. Or you can buy a rotessirie to save on time. Having a good quality stock on hand is always good, and even better if it is homemade. I was very happily prepared in that department in that I made a huge batch of stock and froze it the last time I roasted a bird.

You can include whatever veggies you have on hand. I wanted my soup fairly simple so I only added the usual celery, carrots, onion and garlic as well as some fresh and dried herbs.

I made a HUGE batch that I plan to freeze in portions. With the temperatures the way they are, and no sign of the mercury rising in the near future, I know I'll be needing another bowl of this comforting soup soon enough.

Roasted Chicken Soup with Orzo

For the chicken:

3 chicken leg quarters

1 large chicken breast half

2 Tbs. butter softened

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. fresh pepper

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

olive oil for sauteeing

2 large carrots sliced

2 celery stalks sliced in half moons

1/2 large onion diced

4 garlic cloves minced

2 bay leaves

2 thyme sprigs

1 Tbs. fresh parsley chopped

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. (or more) fresh pepper

1 tsp. kosher salt

10-12 cups chicken stock

1 1/2 cups orzo

1 Tbs. corn starch

1/4 C. water

Preheat oven to 375

Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano, and basil to softened butter and combine well. Rub all over the leg quarters and put in a roasting pan. Season chicken breast with salt and pepper. Roast leg quarters for 1/2 hour covered and another 1/2 hour uncovered. For the last 1/2 hour add the breast. Remove all meat from leg quarters and set aside. Chop up chicken breast and set aside.

Meanwhile chop veggies. Add olive oil to a large pot over med. heat. Add all veggies but garlic. Add thyme, bay leaves, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Saute until onions are soft then add garlic and saute a few minutes longer. Add chicken stock, fresh parsley and chicken meat. Heat to boiling and then reduce to a simmer. Add orzo and let simmer for about 10 minutes. make a slurry with the cornstarch and water and whisk in soup. Remove bay leaves and thyme and serve in big bowls.

Peppery Italian Wedding Soup

I've been in a funk the entire day. When I'm feeling this way I have learned that it is best to keep myself involved in something. One thing I commonly find myself getting into is cooking. So I decided to make a soup. Because I have about 5lbs. of ground beef seperated into 1lb portions in the freezer, I decided to free up some space in there and use a pound. I was in the mood for something comforting, so I was thinking soup. I was desiring a brothy soup, but also something hearty. After fumbling through recipes, I concluded on an Italian wedding soup. Like chicken noodle, there are many variations to this soup. It can include various veggies and proteins, but the star ingredient is the mini meatball. For my adaptation I added a small pasta (pastina) as well as kale and lots of pepper. The soup hit the spot, and the best thing was that it was very simple to prepare, quick to cook, and let me ease my mind from distress.

Italian Wedding Soup

For the meatballs:

• 1lb lean ground beef
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
• Salt and Pepper

Soup:

• 1 small onion diced
• 3 carrots chopped
• 2 large celery stalks chopped
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• tsp. of each: oregano, basil, parsley flakes
• 3 large stems of kale torn into pieces with hands
• 1 cup white mushroom chopped
• Salt
• Fresh gound pepper (I used a lot. about 1 and a half Tbs. The spice just kicks it up so nicely!)
• 8 + chicken broth (for this batch I used 11 cups.
• 1 cup (or more like I like it) small pasta such as pastina

Heat oven to 350 degrees

Add all meat ball ingredients and mix with hands until just combined. Do not over mix!

Roll into little meatballs and put on cooling rack set over a baking sheet so the fat can drip away from the meat. Cook for 10-12 minutes.

While meatballs are cooking heat oil and butter in a large pot over med. heat. Saute onions, celery, mushrooms, carrots, thyme, and bay leaves. Cook until onions are soft and add garlic. Saute a few minutes and then add broth, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and add Kale and pastina. Take meatballs out of oven add them to the pot and let simmer about 10-15 minutes. Serve with a little grated parmesan and crusty bread.

Zuppa Toscana and Pillsbury Rolls with a Twist

Today was a rainy, chilly, and very long day. I really wanted a good hearty soup (when don't I?). I browsed through my recipes and came across one of mine and Chad's favorites. Like many others, I discovered this soup at an Olive Garden restaurant. It seemed so simple to make so I took a shot one day and was pleasantly surprised how easy it was. Since then I have seen many recipes on the web for this soup and many have slightly different variations. I have my own, which is probably very close to some of the others out there.

I also did a little experimenting on some bread for tonight's dinner. I was in no mood to make homemade bread, and a trip to the grocery was out of the question. I noticed that I had a can of the Pillsbury Dinner Rolls in my fridge. I knew I didn't want something as plain as them so I decided to combine all the individual rolls together to make a bread. I couldn't stop there though, so I decided to roll it out and add roasted garlic, cheese, and oregano. It was pretty sticky when I first started rolling it out, so I added some flour and it became easier to roll out. Next time I will add the flour while combining the rolls together and let sit for about 10 minutes. The result was delicious, and went nicely with the soup. Tonight's meal was a perfect ending to a not so perfect day.

Zuppa Toscana

• 1lb mild italian sausage casings removed
• 1 tbs. olive oil
• 6 slices bacon chopped
• 2 medium sized potatoes and sliced in small half moons
• 10 + cups chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 3 cloves of garlic minced
• About 4 cups torn Kale leaves
• 1 can drained and rinsed cannellini beans
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 2/3 C. heavy cream
• Fresh ground pepper to taste

In a large stock pot heat olive oil over medium heat. Add sausage and break up with a wooden spoon. When cooked transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Add bacon and cook until slightly crispy. Remove and add to same plate as sausage. Drain all but 2 Tbs. or so of fat. Add onions and saute until soft, then add garlic, red pepper flakes and bay leaf and saute a couple minutes more. Add cold stock and remove all the stuck on bits on the bottom of the pan with your wooden spoon. Add potatoes and meat and bring to a boil. Simmer 15-20 minutes then add beans, kale and cream. Simmer 10 minutes more and serve.

Cheesy Bread

• 1 Can Pillsbury Dinner rolls combined into a ball
• 1 tbs. flour
• 1 tbs. unsalted butter cut into small pieces
• 2 Tbs. Parmesan
• 1 tbs. mozzarella
• 1 tsp. dried oregano divided
• 3 cloves roasted garlic
• olive oil to brush top
• Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine dinner rolls into a ball while adding flour. Put aside for about 10 minutes and dust rolling surface with flour. Roll out dough into a rectangle (it will be about a foot long and 3 inches wide). Spread dough with garlic and dot with butter. Sprinkle with cheese and fold in half. Brush top with olive oil and sprinke with a little more cheese. Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden.

Dinner for One

I'm on my own again for dinner tonight so I decided to raid the refridgerator and make something for myself. I found lots of veggies, leftover chicken from a roaster I used for the empanadas the other night and homemade chicken stock. I was really craving soup, but I wanted something to go with it. I dedided on a vegetable soup with lentils and vermecelli paired with a chicken salad sandwich on a whole wheat english muffin. This dinner was super easy to make and it was done in under 45 minutes. I did have soup leftover, but all the better. Now I have lunch for tomorrow as well.

Vegetable Soup with Lentils and Vermecelli

• 1/4 cup of each diced: carrots, celery,onion,green pepper
• 1 cup chopped portabella mushrooms
• 1 clove of garlic minced
• 1 1/2 tbs. fresh flat leaf parsley chopped
• 1 tbs. olive oil
• a handful of frozen corn
• 1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach
• 1/2 can diced tomatoes with the juice
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. basil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 cup green lentils
• 2 handfuls vermecelli broken into pieces (mine came in a bag already in one inch pieces)
• 5 1/2 cups chicken stock

Heat a soup pot over med. heat and add olive oil. Saute carrots,celery,onion and green pepper and portabellas until soft. Add garlic, parsley,tomatoes, spinach, basil, oregano and bay leaf and saute a few minutes more. Add chicken stock, frozen corn, lentils and vermecelli. Let simmer for 30 minutes and serve.

Chicken Salad

• 1 1/2 cup chicken meat cut up
• 2 tbs. chopped graped tomatoes
  
• 1 stalk celery diced
• 1 tbs. finely diced onion
• 1 tbs. chopped walnuts
• 1 tsp. fresh flat leaf parsley chopped
• 2 tsp. light mayo
• 2 tsp. light sour cream
• 1 tsp. white wne vinegar
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• dash or two of garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and let flavor meld in the refridgerator for about 20-25 minutes. Serve on toasted english muffins with lettuce.

Beef and Barley Stew with Portabellas

Even though the temperature outside isn't quite stew weather, I was in the mood for it nonetheless. I can't believe the weather lately, 80 degrees mid October?! I'm not sad by any means, I am not a fan of the cold, but I do worry that this weather trend is a bit odd.

Okay, back to the stew.. I never make beef stew without barley. It is one of those ingredients that I have to add or it doesn't seem complete. Stew recipes, beef in particular, are very diverse and I see many that add tomatoes. I'm not a fan of tomatoes in my beef stew so I omit them. I tend to add vegetables I have on hand but typically use the basics (carrots, celery, onions, potatoes, garlic). Tonight I decided to add some portabellas to make it a bit heartier. The stew turned out delicious and it was very comforting. Perfect for a long Monday at work.

Beef and Barley Stew with Portabellas

• 1 1/2 lbs. stew meat cut into cubes and seasoned with salt and pepper
• Salt for dredging
• 2 celery hearts chopped
• 1 large carrot chopped
• 1 small yellow onion diced
• 3 small or 2 medium white potatoes peeled and chopped
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 Tbs. fresh flat leaf parsly chopped
• 6oz. portabella mushrooms chopped
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 4 Tbs. canola oil
• 7 cups beef stock
• 1 1/4 cup pearl barley

Heat large pot over medium heat and add 2 Tbs. of oil. Add stew meat that has been dredged in flour. Sear until all sides are browned. Transfer to a plate. Add remaining oil and add all vegetables except garlic and potatoes. Saute until vegetables are wilted and soft and add garlic, potatoes, bay leaves, salt, pepper,thyme and parsley. Saute a coule minutes longer. Add wine and deglaze the bottom of the pan scraping browned bits off the bottom. Add stock and stew meat back to the pot. Bring to a boil and turn down to simmer 40 minutes. After 40 minutes add barley and let cook 45 minutes more. Serve in shallow bowls with dinner rolls or crusty bread.