Smokey Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups peeled and diced sweet potato, 1/4 inch diced
• 3 cups cooked black beans, or 2 - 15oz cans drained
• 3 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3-4 cups vegetable stock, depending on how thick you want your soup

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, a pinch of salt and stir for 3 minutes. Then add garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add sweet potato, black beans, and all the spices. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add stock, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are cooked through.
2. Using a cup or soup ladle, scoop out 2 cups of the sweet potato and black beans and set aside. Let soup cool and then using an immersion blender, blender, or food processor blend the remaining soup together. Turn the heat back on and add back in the reserved sweet potato and black beans. Heat soup, stirring occasionally, until hot.
3. Serve with your favorite garnishes: cilantro, red onion, avocado, tortilla strips, salsa etc...

~Recipe adapted from shelikesfood.com

Chicken & Dumplings

Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 2 1/2 pounds skin-on, bone-in chicken pieces
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 2 cups diced carrots
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme)
• 3 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 10 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon sherry

For the dumplings:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, melted
• 3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, plus more for garnish

Directions:

1. In a large, deep pot set over medium-high heat, melt together olive oil and butter. Generously season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken on both sides, working in batches so as not to crowd the pot (about 4  to 6 minutes per side). Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
2. Add the celery, carrots, and garlic to the pot. Cook the vegetables in the drippings until they begin to soften, stirring and adjusting the heat as necessary, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the browned chicken pieces, thyme, bay leaves, garlic powder, onion powder, and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove and discard the thyme stems and bay leaves. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate. Remove and discard the skin and bones, shred the chicken, and return to the pot.
3. Ladle 2 cups of the cooking liquid into a large bowl or quart-sized measuring cup. Whisk in 1/2 cup of the flour until smooth. Continuously whisk the contents of the pot while slowly pouring in the flour mixture. Simmer and whisk until slightly thickened, about 8 to 10 minutes.
4. To make the dumplings, in a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir in the melted butter, buttermilk, and minced parsley until just combined. With heat reduced to low, drop rustic, tablespoon-sized balls into the simmering broth. Gently stir dumplings one time and then simmer, covered, until the dumplings are firm, about 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in sherry and season the dish with additional salt and pepper, to taste. Serve immediately with additional minced fresh parsley.

*If you don't have buttermilk, measure the amount of milk you need and add a dash of vinegar.

**The addition of sherry at the end of the recipe is optional but I think it really gives a unique and delicious depth of flavor to the soup. Do Not buy "cooking sherry," as it has added salt, etc., and also don't buy sweet sherry. A regular bottle of medium dry sherry is what you are looking for, and it will last indefinitely in the pantry.

~Recipe from fivehearthome.com

Minestrone Soup (Olive Garden Copycat)

Ingredients:

• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup minced white onion (about 1 small onion)
• 1/2 cup chopped zucchini
• 1/2 cup frozen cut Italian cut green beans
• 1/4 cup minced celery
• 4 teaspoons minced garlic
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 (15 ounce) cans red kidney beans, drained
• 2 (15 ounce) cans small white beans or great northern beans, drained
• 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup carrots (julienned or shredded)
• 2 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3 cups hot water
• 4 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1/2 cup small shell pasta

Directions:

1. Heat three tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot
2. saute onion, celery, garlic, green beans, and zucchini in the oil for 5 minutes or until onions begin to turn translucent.
3. Add vegetable broth to pot, plus drained tomatoes, beans, carrots, hot water, and spices.
4. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Add spinach leaves and pasta and cook for an additional 20 minutes or until desired consistency.
6. Makes about eight 1 1/2 cup servings.

~Recipe from food.com & Stephanie M.

Zuppa Toscana Soup (Copycat)

 

Yields: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 lb Italian Sausage (casing removed if necessary)
• 4 oz bacon (about 5 slices), diced into 1/2 to 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion (about 1 small onion)
• 3 (14.5 oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 1/2 lbs Russet potatoes, scrubbed and rinsed then sliced into halves, halves diced into 1/8 to 1/6-inch slices
• 1 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1/2 salt, then to taste
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup lightly packed kale, chopped into bite size pieces
• finely shredded Romano cheese for serving, optional

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large non-stick saucepan over medium-high heat. Crumble sausage into 1-inch pieces and add to saucepan.Cook sausage, stirring occasionally until cooked through. Drain sausage onto a plate or baking dish lined with paper towels leaving 1 tsp fat in pan, set sausage aside.
2. Add diced bacon (being sure to separate pieces from each other if you stacked them when slicing) to fat in saucepan, return to heat and saute 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add diced onions to bacon in saucepan and saute mixture until bacon is cooked through (not crisp) and onions are tender, about 5 minutes longer.
4. Add chicken broth, water, sliced potatoes, sugar, fennel seeds, salt and pepper. 
5. Bring soup just to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low and stir in half and half, kale and cooked sausage. Cover saucepan and simmer 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are very tender. Use a spoon or ladle to remove excess fat from top of soup if desired.
6. Serve warm topped with Romano cheese.

Recipe from Cooking Classy

Irish Potato Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
• 1 cup thinly sliced onions
• 1 cup thinly sliced leeks
• 4 cups peeled, sliced potatoes
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• One half cup freshly grated Cheddar cheese
• 4 slices crisp-cooked bacon, drained and crumbled bacon
• one half cup chopped fresh chives

Directions:

1. Melt the butter in a large heavy pot over low heat. Add the onions and leeks and stir to cover them with butter. Cover the pot and cook slowly to allow the vegetables to "sweet" ~about 20 minutes.
2. Add the potatoes, stir them into the butter, cover the pot, and cook over low heat another 15 minutes.
3.  Stir in the stock, salt, and pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a bubble. Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
4. In a food processor or blender, puree the soup in batches and return it to the pot. Heat thoroughly.

*You can add more potato to make the soup thicker. You can also get creative and add carrots, broccoli or other veggies to increase nutritional value. I use vegetable stock instead of the chicken broth. Serve with crackers or bread and cheese and a salad.

~Recipe from Stephanie M.

Tortellini Florentine Soup

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

• 6-8 cups vegetable broth
• 1 bag frozen cheese tortellini
• 1 Jar of pasta sauce (either full jar or about 3/4 of jar)
• 1 box/bag of fresh spinach
• shredded Parmesean (optional for serving)

Directions:

1. Bring broth to a boil
2. Add tortellini and cook until al dente. 
3. Lower heat to a simmer. Add the pasta sauce and stir in spinach
4. Simmer everything together until the spinach is good and wilted.
5. Serve with shredded Parmesean cheese on top.

~Recipe via Stephanie

Creamy Chicken Curry with Potatoes & Split Peas

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 inch piece fresh ginger, grated
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• salt and pepper
• 2 rounded tablespoons curry powder
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 large starchy potatoes (russet), peeled and cut into 1 1/2- to 2 inch chunks
• 1 cup yellow split peas
• 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 lime, halved
• 1 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt
• Chopped fresh cilantro, for serving

Directions:

1. In a Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, ginger, garlic, cumin seeds, and salt and pepper. Sweat the onion a few minutes.
2. Add the curry powder and stir for 1 or 2 minutes. 
3. Add the stock and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
4. Add the potatoes, split peas, and chicken. Cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the peas are tender, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.
5. Pull the chick out of the pan. Shred the meat with 2 forks and add it back to the curry.
6. Squeeze in the lime juice and stir in the yogurt. Adjust the seasonings. Serve sprinkled with cilantro.

*I served the curry with rice. I used lentils instead of yellow split peas, I just happened to already have them in the house.

~Recipe from Rachael Ray via 1 Grocery Bag 3 Meals

Easy Taco Soup

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 chicken breast
• 1 can white beans
• 1 can beans of your choice
• 2 cans diced tomatoes
• 2 cans chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• Salt & pepper
• Tobasco (optional)

Directions:

1. Cut chicken breast into bite sized pieces. Saute Chicken in a large pot over medium-high heat until chicken is almost cooked through. Add minced garlic and green onions to the pan, cook for 1-2 minutes. Add chili powder and cumin, cook for an additional minute. 
2. Add beans, diced tomatoes, and broth to the pot. Bring to boil then cover, turn heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. (For everything to heat through and flavors to mingle)
3. Add salt & pepper to taste and serve. Tobasco can be added to increase heat.

*Serve with chips, sour cream, cheese...

**I added one can of corn with peppers, drained.

~Recipe via Briana

Minestra with Beef & Pork Polpette

Soup Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons Olive oil
• 4 ounces thickly sliced pancetta (I used bacon, chopped)
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic: 3 thinly slices, 1 smashed but whole
• 1 starchy potato (such as russet), peeled and diced
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and pepper
• 2 heads escarole, chopped
• Freshly graded nutmeg
• 1 (15- to 19-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained
• 6 cups chicken stock

Meatball Ingredients:

• 3 slices white bread or peasant bread, crusts trimmed
• Milk, for soaking the bread
• 8 ounces ground beef
• 8 ounces ground pork
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, fennel pollen, or ground fennel
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika (smoked or regular)
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• Salt and pepper
• A generous handful of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• A handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley tops, finely chopped
• 1 egg yolk
• Olive oil, for drizzle

Directions:

1. Make the soup: In a soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the Olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and render a couple minutes. Add the onions, sliced garlic, potato, bay leaf, and salt, pepper, and a few grates of nutmeg. Cover to wilt. Stir in the beans, stock, and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a rolling simmer while you make the meatballs.
2. Make meatballs: Douse the bread with milk to soften. Place the ground meats in a bowl. Season the meat with fennel, paprika, red pepper flakes (if using), and salt and pepper. Add the cheese, parsley, and egg yolk. Squeeze the milk out of the bread and pull it into little crumbs as you add it to the meat. Drizzle with olive oil and roll the meat into walnut-size balls.
3. Remove the bay leaf from the soup. Add the meatballs and poach until cooked through.
4. Serve the soup in shallow bowls with shredded Parm on top and an extra drizzle of olive oil.

~Recipe from Week in a Day with Rachael Ray

Three Bean & Beef Chili

Prep time: 15 minutes
cook time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 1 onion, diced (1 cup)
• 1 red bell pepper, diced (1 cup)
• 2 carrots, diced (1/2 cup)
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 lb ground beef or turkey
• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups water
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced
• 2 tsp adobo sauce
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• salt & pepper
• 1 (15.5 oz) can black beans
• 1 (15.5 oz) can kidney beans
• 1 (15.5 oz) can pinto beans

Directions:

1. Heat oil in large pot or Dutch oven over moderate heat.
2. Add onion, bell pepper & carrots, cover and cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes.
3. Add cumin and cook, stirring 1 minute.
4. Add ground beef; raise the heat to high and cook, breaking up meat with spoon, until meat is no longer pink.
5. Stir in tomatoes, water, chipotle and adobo sauce, oregano, salt and pepper.
6. Cook, partially covered, stirring from time to time, for 30 minutes.
7. Stir in beans and continue cooking, partially covered, 20 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

*I enjoy a mild chili, so I use a few tablespoons of hot sauce rather then chipotle and adobo.

~Recipe via Ellie Krieger on foodnetwork.com