Chicken Pot Pie Soup

This is one of the best soup recipes I have ever made.  EVER.  Try it.  You will thank me.

I'm normally disgusted by anything crumbled up in my soup.  But the pie crust stands up to the broth and really makes this soup taste like a pot pie.  Even still, I only crumble a little bit at a time, just in case. :-)

This recipe comes from the December 2012 issue of Food Network Magazine.  Their recipes are often complicated, but this one is simple and yummy!  There's a fair amount of chopping, but that's never really bothered me.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

1 disk refrigerated pie dough
freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp plus a pinch of poultry seasoning
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
salt
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup flour
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I usually buy regular)
1 cup half-and-half
3 medium Yukon gold potatoes, chopped
1 10-oz package frozen peas and carrots

1.  Preheat the oven to 425.  Unroll the pie dough onto a baking sheet and sprinkle with pepper and a pinch (I used a little more than that!) of poultry seasoning.  Cut into wedges.  Bake until puffed and golden, about 10 minutes (mine were better at around 8 minutes).

2.  Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken and 1/2 tsp salt and cook, undisturbed (this makes the chicken golden on the outside), 2 minutes, then cook, stirring, 1 more minute.  Transfer to a bowl.

3.  Add the celery, onion, flour, 1/2 tsp salt, and the remaining 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning to the pot and cook, stirring, 1 minute.  Stir in 2 cups water, the broth, the half-and-half, and potatoes; cover and bring to a simmer.  Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, partially covered, 10 minutes.  Add the peas and carrots and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 6 minutes.  Return the chicken to the pot and simmer until cooked through, about 1 minute.  Serve with the crust wedges.

Serves 4

Southwestern Chicken Soup

I tried this crock pot soup tonight so we'd have something hot and ready for dinner when we came in from passing out trick-or-treat candy from the bed of our '51 Chevy!  It was FANTASTIC.

The recipe comes from a Taste of Home cookbook from 2008 called Heartwarming Soups.  I served it with cornbread based on the recipe for Mini Corn Muffins I posted awhile ago.

This soup is zesty, without being spicy.  We loved it, and I will definitely be making it again!

Southwestern Chicken Soup

1 1/4 pounds boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1-2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 cans chicken broth (14.5 oz each)
1 pkg frozen corn, thawed (16 oz)
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 can chopped green chilies (4 oz)
1 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1 tsp cumin (skipped this since I don't like it)
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Saute chicken in oil in a large skillet until lightly browned.  Transfer to slow cooker with slotted spoon.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Cover and cook for 7-8 hours on low.

Pumpkin-Onion-Spiced Soup (courtesy of my student, Molly)

Hands-On Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 Tbsp butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 Tbsp all purpose flour
1 cup half and half
1 tsp ground ginger (I didn't have this, so I substituted cloves...and did about 2 tsp)
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1. In a blender, puree pumpkin with 3/4 cup broth. Set aside.
2. In a saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add onion and saute for 3 minutes. Stir in flour. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
3. Whisk in half and half. Add ginger, nutmeg, and salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium and cook, still stirring, for 4 minutes, or until mixture starts to thicken.
4. Add pumpkin puree and remaining broth. Cook until hot. Taste, adding extra spice if desired.
5. Top with garnish (parsley?) and serve.
Enjoy on these chilly fall nights! :)

Shrimp and Corn Chowder

Yes, ANOTHER corn chowder recipe!

This one has white wine and shrimp in it.  And it was FABULOUS.  It comes from the September 2011 issue of Woman's Day. 

We ate it with a simple salad and cheddar-garlic biscuits Chris made -- the recipe for that is on the Bisquick box.  They were possibly THE BEST biscuits I've ever had.  Ever.

Shrimp and Corn Chowder

4 oz sliced bacon
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/2 lb potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup dry white wine
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 cup corn kernels (cut fresh from 3 small ears or frozen and thawed)
3/4 lb medium peeled and deveined shrimp (I buy cooked shrimp and add them at the very end just to take the chill off -- you don't want them to overcook)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup fresh flat- leaf parsley, chopped (I skipped this)
crusty bread for serving

Cook the bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat until crisp, 5-6 minutes.  (I use kitchen shears to cut it raw so you don't have to deal with cutting up hot, greasy bacon)  Transfer to paper towel lined plate.  Break into pieces.

Wipe out the saucepan and heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onion, salt, pepper and cook, strring ocassionally, for 5 minutes.  (I added the celery at this point because I wanted to make sure it wasn't crunchy).

Add the potatoes, wine and 2 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are just tender, 12-15 minutes.  Stir in the celery, corn, shrimp and cream.  Simmer until the shrimp are no opaque throughout, 3-4 minutes.  Top with back and parsley.  Serve with bread, if desired.

Southern Corn Chowder

I know there are already other corn chowder recipes on this blog, but each one is delicious in its own way. 

This recipe appeared in the food section of The Repository this week.  Although you don't think of soup as a summer food, this one calls for corn right off the cob, which is in season now.  The article with the recipe suggests that the best way to get the corn off the cob is to use a fork.  Do it in a bowl to capture all of the "corn milk" too.  Believe me, it is tough to do, but it is so worth it!  (Corn pulp is the corn off the cob plus the corn milk)  Honestly, next time I might just cut it with a knife.  That seems much simpler.

Southern Corn Chowder

1 medium sweet onion, diced
1/2 carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, chopped (TIP:  Store unused celery wrapped in aluminum foil -- it will last for weeks)
1 bay leaf, whole
1 pinch sage
1 pinch thyme
4 slices bacon, chopped
2 cups corn pulp (about 8 ears)
5 cups chicken broth
1 cup red or new potatoes, peeled and diced (I didn't peel mine)
1 pinch cayenne pepper (I skipped this)
1/2 cup cream or half and half
1 Tbsp cornstarch

Heat (do not hard fry) the bacon until it begins releasing fat.  Add corn, onions, carrot, celery, and potatoes and saute until tender, 6-8 minutes.  Pour in chicken broth.  Stir and add remaining ingredients except cornstarch and cream.

Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for half an hour, covered, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

Remove the bay leaf.  Dissolve the cornstarch in cream or half and half (put the cornstarch in a bowl and slowly whisk in cream).  Stir mixture into soup.  Keep stirring until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.  (I turned the heat up and stirred for about 10 minutes to get it the consistency I wanted)

Serves 6 "heartily"

Cream of Mushroom Soup

This is from the Central New York Time Warner News Channel. And they've fairly recently updated their site to include video of the segments. Which is always helpful I think. We couldn't find mushroom broth *anywhere* so we went with vegetable broth. And we picked up packages of pre-sliced mushrooms, and they were 5-8oz sizes, so it's even more mushroom heavy than called for.

SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS:

* 5-6 ounces sliced Portobello mushrooms

* 5-6 ounces sliced white mushrooms

* 5-6 ounces sliced shiitake mushrooms (or see hints below)

* 1 large onion, peeled and thinly chopped

* 2 minced cloves garlic

* 4-5 Tbs butter total (added at different times)

* 1 Tbs chopped fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme)

* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

* 4 cups mushroom broth (or chicken or vegetable broth)

* 1 cup heavy cream

* Salt and pepper to taste

PROCEDURE:

Melt 3 Tbs butter in a large, heavy bottomed soup pot on medium high heat and add 1 large thinly chopped onion and 2 minced cloves of garlic and get those going.

Once the onions have softened up a bit, add 5-6 ounces each of sliced Portobello mushrooms, sliced white mushrooms and sliced shiitake mushrooms.

Add a couple more Tbs of butter to the pan and also add 1 Tbs of fresh chopped thyme.

The mushrooms will take 8-10 minutes to cook down and brown up a bit and, at that point, sift in 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour....stir that in and let it cook for a minute or so and then add 4 cups of mushroom broth and 1 cup of heavy cream and bring it up to a simmer.

Use your spoon to scrape up the flavor bits on the bottom of the pot and, as the soup simmers along, the flour will help it thicken up, let it go for 10-15 minutes, season with salt and pepper to taste and it is good to go!

HINTS:

You could use 1 pound of just one type of sliced mushroom instead of the three different kinds. If you do use shiitake mushrooms make sure you remove the stems because they are too woody to eat.

Squash Bisque

When Chris and I moved to Ohio, we had to give up going home to New York for Thanksgiving.  I replicate my grandmother's Thanksgiving dinner as best I can, with a few of my own special touches.   One thing I've added is a first course of this amazing squash bisque!

The hardest part of this recipe is peeling the squash.  We always use acorn.  They are easier to peel if you microwave them for about 5 minutes first. 

It makes a lot of soup, so you'll have plenty to feed a crowd or to freeze for later.  It thaws beautifully.

This recipe comes from an issue of Woman's Day back in 2002, the second year we lived here.  I've been making it ever since.  I make it on Tuesday night as per the "make ahead" tip for Thanksgiving on Thursday.  Don't skip the roasted red pepper garnish -- it's FANTASTIC on leftover turkey sandwiches too!!

Squash Bisque

1⁄2 stick (1⁄4 cup) butter

1 1⁄3 cups finely chopped onions

1⁄3 cup finely chopped carrot

3 medium potatoes (1 lb), peeled and cubed (2-1⁄3 cups)

3 medium acorn squash or butternut squash (4-1⁄4 lb), halved, seeded, peeled and cubed (9 cups)

6 cups 100% fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth (I use regular -- reduced sodium makes it a bit too bland for me)

3⁄4 cup each heavy (whipping) cream and whole milk

1 tsp salt, or to taste

1⁄2 tsp freshly ground pepper, or to taste

Garnish: drained roasted red peppers (from 12-oz jar) puréed in a blender with 3 Tbsp olive oil; fresh chives

1. Melt butter in a 4- to 5-qt pot over medium heat. Stir in onions and carrot, cover and cook 6 minutes or until tender. Add potatoes, squash and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 25 minutes or until vegetables are very soft. Let cool.

2. Process in small batches in a blender or food processor until smooth.  I use an immersion blender (what Emeril calls a "boat motor") right in the pot -- WAY easier than transferring scalding hot vegetables into a blender or food processor.  We bought one just for this recipe and rarely use it on anything else.  It is WORTH IT.  Buy one.

3. Return to pot; stir in cream, milk, salt and pepper. Heat over medium heat.

4. Garnish: Drizzle pepper purée on each serving; top with chives.

Planning tip: The roasted pepper garnish can be made 1 week ahead. Refrigerate covered. The bisque can be made through Step 2 up to 3 days ahead. Refrigerate covered. About 15 minutes before serving proceed with Step 3. Garnish just before serving.

Wild Rice and Chicken Soup

I have never found a better chicken soup recipe than this one!  It's ingenious!  Let the rice packet season the soup for you!

It comes from the January/February 2011 issue of Midwest Living.

Wild Rice and Chicken Soup

2 1/2 cups of chopped cooked chicken

2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

2 medium carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, sliced

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 6oz package long gran and wild rice mix (I use Uncle Ben's)

5 cups chicken broth (I use 6 cups -- one box and one can of Swanson's)

5 cups water (I use 4 cups)

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. 

Makes 8 to 10 servings -- enough for lunches and some to freeze!

Corn Chowder

You can also make this way healthier with fat-free half and half instead of heavy cream, of course. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup pureed corn
3 slices cooked bacon
diced chives
salt and pepper to taste


Directions:

1) Melt 3 Tbsp. butter in a saucepan on medium-low heat and stir in flour, using a wire whisk.

2) Add chicken broth, stirring vigorously with whisk. When thickened and smooth, continue cooking over low heat for 15 minutes.

3) Cook corn, and then puree corn in a food processor. Stir in one cup corn and one cup cream to saucepan. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.

4) Stir in additional 2 Tbsp. butter.

5) Cook bacon and drain, then tear and add 1 strip to soup as it's cooling down from being heated. Add additional 1/4 strip to each serving when just about to serve.

6) Garnish with chives.

Serves 4.

Wine pairing: Chardonnay (either oaked or unoaked, but I really like Bourgogne Blanc from France as my pair with this...that's white Burgundy, which is Chardonnay, just with a French label instead of an American one!)

Potato Vegetable Soup

The soup looks much better in person!  The flash makes it look washed out.

This soup is a fantastic -- and quick -- homemade dinner on a cold, winter night!  This recipe makes a small amount of soup, so I always double it.  I also add more than double the cheese.  I love cheese.  I usually serve it with biscuits.  (Schwann's cheddar biscuits are PERFECT.)

This recipe comes from Taste of Home's cookbook Heartwarming Soups.

Potato Vegetable Soup

1 bacon strip, diced
1 medium potato, peeled and cubed
1/2 medium carrot, sliced
2 Tbsp chopped celery
2 Tbsp chopped onion
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp flour
1 cup 2% milk
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tsp butter

Cook bacon in a small saucepan over medium heat until crisp.  Remove to paper towel.  Drain grease from pan if desired.  In same pan combine potato, carrot, celery, onions, water, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

In a small bowl combine flour and milk and mix until smooth.  Stir into vegetable mixture.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.  Reduce heat.  Add bacon, cheese and butter, stir until melted.

Serves 2

Corn Chowder

My sister gave me this recipe.  She got it from a friend whose grandmother used to make it.  It is FANTASTIC.  Just a little bit sweet.  It makes a great first course, side dish or even the main meal, served with cheddar biscuits or crusty bread and butter.

Since it is an "heirloom" recipe, it is a little vague.  Cut up a small onion to begin with.  If you want more, add some more next time you make it.  I confess, I made this back in November and I don't remember how much onion I used!  (It freezes very well!)

The only thing I would do differently next time is drain the canned corn (not the creamed corn) to make it thicker and more "chowder like."


Corn Chowder

½ stick butter
1 pint of half-and-half or heavy cream4 big potatoes cut up
onions
2 cans creamed corn
1 can regular corn (drained)
Salt & pepper to taste
chicken broth (optional instead of water)

Put butter, half-and-half or cream, potatoes and onions in pan with enough water (I used chicken broth to add a little flavor) to cover, add corn when potatoes are soft.