Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

I made my first batch of homemade chicken noodle soup when one of our good friends and her daughter was sick recently. There really is nothing better than a steaming hot bowl of good old fashioned chicken noodle soup when you aren't feeling well. This recipe made a huge batch so hubby and I also enjoyed it even though we weren't sick! And like most soup recipes, this soup tasted even better the next day. It will be hard to eat  chicken noodle soup from a can after discovering how easy and delicious it is to make myself!

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Printable Version
Modified From Food Network.com
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium carrots, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
2 celery ribs, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2 inch thick clices
4 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
2 quarts chicken stock
8 ounces dried wide egg noodles
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 cups of cooked chicken, shredded
1 handful of fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

Directions
Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, thyme and bay leaf. Cook and stir for about 6 minutes until the vegetables are softened but not browned.

Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the noodles and simmer for five minutes until tender. Fold in the chicken and continue to simmer for another couple of minutes to heat through; season with salt and pepper. 

Sprinkle with the chopped parsley before serving. 

Cream of Potato Soup

Here in Okinawa we've had a pretty crazy typhoon season. There have been three pretty large typhoons that swept across our small island in the past couple months and we are very thankful that no one we know sustained any damage from them. For some reason typhoons make me want to cook! I guess it's because we are stuck inside for a couple days while we wait out the storm. During Typhoon Bolaven I woke up wanting comfort food so set about making cream of potato soup. I browsed a couple different recipes before settling on this one from allrecipes.com. It was an excellent recipe that I tweaked a little and made even better by adding in bacon crumbles! It's a filling, belly warming one pot meal that is perfect for any dreary day!

Cream of Potato Soup
Modified from Allrecipes.com 
Printable Version 
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped carrots
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups whole milk or half and half (I used fat free half and half)
3 large potatoes, peeled and chopped (I used six small potatoes)
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons mustard powder
3/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon chicken bouillon
4 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions 
In a large stock pot or Dutch oven saute onion, carrots and garlic in the butter until soft but not browned. Sprinkle in flour and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add broth slowly, stirring as you add. Add milk, potatoes, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, celery seed, seasoning salt, pepper, parsley, and chicken bouillon.

Allow to simmer and thicken, stirring frequently until the potatoes are cooked through, approximately 25 minutes. Serve warm with bacon crumbles and shredded cheese. 

Creamy Meatball Soup

I was inspired to make meatball soup at home after hubby ordered a bowl of it while we were out in town. I had never thought of using meatballs in soup before, but it was so yummy and filling I came right home and googled a meatball soup recipe. This soup sort of tastes like a grown up version of SpaghettiO's, as it combined orzo pasta with diced tomatoes and of course meatballs. It was super easy and made a huge batch! If you are only serving two people, I recommend cutting the recipe in half unless you want lots of leftovers!  

Creamy Meatball Soup
From Delicious Meliscious
Printable Version
Makes 8 single bowl servings 
Ingredients
16 meatballs - baked according to directions
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 cup fresh basil coarsely chopped
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup raw orzo cooked according to package directions
1 cup half and half
1/2 stick unsalted butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
Chopped green onions for garnish, if desired

Directions
Combine diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken stock, and garlic in a large stock pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil and simmer for fifteen minutes. Add basil. With an immersion blender, blend until smooth or desired consistency is reached (I left mine chunky)/ Add butter and half and half and whisk until well blended. Add meatball and orzo. Scoop into individual bowls and serve with Parmesan cheese and chopped green onions. 

Meatless Mondays: Mediterranean Pumpkin Soup

My wonderful friend Jess made this soup a couple of weeks ago and had me try a bite of it. I loved the smoky pumpkin flavor and the fact that this recipe is super healthy. I borrowed her cookbook and made it just a few days later. It's a great way to use up one of the several cans of pumpkins I still have sitting in my pantry from hoarding them this fall. I say hoarding because I was told that canned pumpkin would be in limited supply at our commissary. This caused me to not only purchase three or four cans here on the island, but I also also freaked out when there were truly none in stock at the store and asked my Mom to ship some cans to me from the States. My lovely obliging Momma sent me four cans. Note to self: seven large cans of pureed pumpkin is a little excessive. Regardless, this soup is a wonderful and guilt free Meatless Monday Meal!

Mediterranean Pumpkin Soup
From Mediterranean: A Taste of the Sun Cookbook and my friend Jess :)
Serves 4
Printable Version
Ingredients
2 pounds pumpkin, peeled and seeds removed (I used 28 ounces canned pumpkin)
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 leeks, trimmed and sliced (I used 1/2 yellow onion)
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons cumin
3 3/4 cups chicken stock (I used homemade turkey stock given to me by  my friend Krimp)
2 tablespoons peanut butter (I added this in, was not in original recipe)
Salt and pepper to taste
Cilantro leaves to garnish
4 tablespoons plain yogurt, to serve


Directions
Cut the pumpkin into chunks. Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch Oven to medium and add the leeks (or onion) and garlic. Cook gently until softened. Add the ginger and cumin and cook, stirring for another minute. Add the pumpkin and the chicken stock and season with salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes, until the pumpkin is tender. Process the soup in batches if necessary or use a hand blender to create desired thickness (not necessary if you used canned pumpkin).  Serve the soup in bowls with a swirl of yogurt and a garnish of cilantro leaves. 

Lasagna Soup

Happy New Year! For my first recipe of 2012 I wanted to share this out of the ordinary soup recipe that I found on Pinterest. Lasagna turned into a soup just has to be good, right? It was! I substituted turkey sausage for pork and added in more pasta than the original recipe called for. The results were a yummy, flavorful soup with just a tiny kick of spice from the sausage. It's a perfect, filling dinner for these cold winter nights.

Lasagna Soup
From A Farm Girls Dabbles
Makes 12 servings
Printable Version
Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds Italian sausage (I used 1 pound ground turkey sausage)
3 cups chopped onions
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 28 ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes (I couldn't find these so just used regular)
2 bay leaves
6 cups chicken stock
8 ounces mafalda, fusilli, or cellentani pasta (I used about 10 ounces)
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves 
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8 ounces ricotta cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch of freshly ground pepper
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (I didn't end up using very much of this)


Directions
Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch Oven over medium heat. Add the sausage, breaking up into pieces and brown for about five minutes. Add the onions and cook until softened, about six minutes. 

Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.  Add in diced tomatoes and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add uncooked pasta and cook until al dente (about 7 minutes).

Do no overcook soup or let simmer for a long period at this point or the pasta will get mushy. Stir in basil and season to taste with salt and pepper. 

While the pasta is cooking prepare the cheese by combining ricotta and Parmesan with salt and pepper in a small bowl. Place soup in individual serving bowls and stir in a dollop of the ricotta/Parmesan mixture. If desired sprinkle some mozzarella on top. 

Meatless Mondays: Kickin' Black Bean Soup

Meatless Mondays are back! It's been a while, but it is my goal to get back to eating vegetarian at least once a week. This spicy black bean soup is a perfect Meatless Monday meal: it's hearty, healthy, and has some kick to it! I cooled it off with a squeeze of fresh lime, a dollop of sour cream, and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro. It's a wonderful, filling soup that is a cinch to make! From start to finish this soup takes less than half an hour. 

Kickin' Black Bean Soup
Modified From Let's Dish
Printable Version
Makes 4 bowls
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil 
1 small onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped (I used about six slices of pickled jalapenos from a jar)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon Julio's Seasoning (a gift from our awesome friends from TX!) or a dash of cayenne
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups beef stock or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
Sour cream
Salt and pepper, to taste


Directions
Heat olive oil in a Dutch Oven over medium heat. Add the onion, jalapeno and garlic and cook until soft, about five minutes. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, and Julio's seasoning. 

Add the beans and broth and simmer for fifteen minutes. 

Remove 1 1/2 cups of the soup and puree in a blender then return to a pot (or use a hand blender directly in the pot). 

Remove from the heat and stir in lime juice. Ladle into individual bowls and add a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Excellent with tortilla chips!

Creamy Chicken and Brie Soup

While most of you are enjoying cooler weather the temperature here on Okinawa remains a balmy average of 86 degrees. Irregardless, I've been wanting fall type foods lately and soup is the quintessentail fall food to me. I had bookmarked this recipe from How Sweet It Is months ago, waiting for the next time I was craving soup. I knew this would be a winner because hubby and I are cheese fanatics and Brie is among our favorites. With sauteed peppers, onion, spinach, chunks of chicken and swirls of melted Brie this soup was comforting, filling, and perfect with crusty bread. If I enjoyed it on a tropical island I know you will enjoy it too!

Creamy Chicken and Brie Soup
From How Sweet It Is
Printable Version
Makes 4-6 bowls
Ingredients
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
3 cups raw spinach, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 cups milk
1/2 cup half and half
8 ounces brie chopped into small pieces

Directions
Heat a large pot to medium and add olive oil. Add in onions and peppers with a sprinkle of salt and saute until soft about 7 minutes.

 Stir in spinach and garlic. Add butter and once it melts whisk in flour to create a roux. 

Continue whisking until all ingredients are combined. 
Add chicken to the pot along with milk and chicken stock. 

Allow soup to come to a simmer then add Brie. 

Stir until it melts for about 5 minutes. Stir in half and half. Turn heat up to high and let soup come to a boil, stirring every few minutes. Once soup boils turn it down to a simmer and allow to cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve hot!

Miso Soup

For my second post from Japan, I decided to go with Miso Soup. I've always enjoyed Miso Soup when dining at Sushi restaurants in The States. I love it's subtle taste and the different textures from the seaweed and tofu. It is very healthy and hubby even says he thinks it has "healing powers". Not so sure about that, but when I looked it up on Wikipedia, it did say that some researchers believe it it can reduce the risks of breast cancer. 

It was fun shopping for the ingredients for the soup and guessing as to what things were. I was proud that for my first time I found all the correct items. I think I went a little overboard on the seaweed, mushrooms and tofu, so next time I will scale it back a little. This recipe makes 4 one cup servings.

Miso Soup 
From my Japanese Food Explorers Guide, given to us at our orientation :)
Printable Version
Ingredients
6 ounces tofu
2 1/2 tablespoons Miso (fermented soy bean paste)
3 cups Katsuo dashi (fish soup stock)
1 green onion
1/2 cup small mushroom or seaweed (I went with 1/2 cup of each and it was too much)

Directions
Cut tofu into 1/2 inch cubes. 

Chop green onions. Heat soup stock in a sauce pan. I did this by heating 4 cups of water and adding in the Katsuo dashi (fish stock). Bring to a boil. Add green onion. Mix miso into soup stock. Add tofu cubes, seaweed, and mushrooms and bring to a boil. 

Remove from heat and serve in small bowls. 

Meatless Mondays: Asparagus, Broccoli, and Spinach Soup

A very long time ago, while watching Rachael Ray, I heard her say to save the woody ends of asparagus instead of throwing them away because they can be made into soups. I remembered this little tip while I was making Marinated Asparagus, Tomatoes, and Hearts of Palm the other day.

I scoured the internet looking for recipes for asparagus soup using the leftover parts of asparagus, but every singe recipe called for whole asparagus.

 I decided to go for it anyway and threw in spinach and broccoli because I had those on hand and knew it would bulk up the nutritional value and flavor of the soup. I used vegetable soup as the base but used a little half and half to make it more velvety and creamy. Shredded parmesan cheese added in at the end made the soup richer. This soup is uber healthy and chock full of veggies. I hope you'll give a try the next time you have asparagus ends and if you do, please let me know what you think!

Asparagus, Broccoli, and Spinach Soup
An Ashley's Cooking Adventures Original
Printable Version


Ingredients
1 pound of the leftover woody ends of asparagus
1 cup spinach (frozen or fresh)
1 cup broccoli (frozen or fresh)
4 cups vegetable broth
1 cup halt and half
2 tablespoons garlic
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese


Directions
In a dutch oven or large pot, bring the vegetable broth to a slow boil. Add the asparagus and broccoli to the pot and cook for about five minutes. Add in the spinach and cook two minutes more. Stir in the garlic. Take the pot off the heat and with a hand blender, slowly begin to puree the vegetables until only a few small chunks remain (or to your desired consistency).

Add in the lemon juice and half and half. Stir in Parmesan cheese until combined, then season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese and sour cream if desired (this was my hubby's touch).