Roasted Cauliflower and Aged Cheddar Soup

Some of y'all asked for the recipe to the soup I made for Christmas Eve and here it is. I went the slow cooker route to make it easy to transport and keep warm. I doubled this recipe and it made plenty - would be great to do and freeze half.

Bottoms up!

ingredients

• 1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets

• 2 tablespoons oil

• salt and pepper to taste

• 1 tablespoon oil

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, chopped

• 1 teaspoon thyme, chopped

• 3 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth or chicken stock *

• 1 1/2 cups aged white cheddar, shredded

• 1 cup milk or cream

• salt and pepper to taste

directions

1. Toss the cauliflower florets in the oil along with the salt and pepper, arrange them in a single layer on a large baking sheet and roast in a preheated 400F/200C oven until lightly golden brown, about 20-30 minutes.

1. Heat the oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat, add the onion and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.

1. Add the garlic and thyme and saute until fragrant, about a minute.

1. Add the broth, deglaze the pan, add the cauliflower, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

1. Puree the soup until it reaches your desired consistency with a stick blender.

1. Mix in the cheese, let it melt without bringing it to boil again.

1. Mix in the milk, season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.

Slow Cooker: Implement step 1, optionally implement steps 2 & 3, place everything except the cheese and milk in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-10 hours or high for 2-4 hours before adding the cheese and milk and cooking until the cheese has melted.Note: The amount of broth that you are going to need will depend on how large your head of cauliflower is and how thick or thin you prefer the soup to be.

http://www.closetcooking.com/2012/02/roasted-cauliflower-and-aged-white.html?m=1

Easy Tuscan Bean Soup

I made this tonight and it was so so good! I added turkey meatballs for Rob and Bo. Bon appetito!

Easy Tuscan Bean Soup

 

Print

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Serves: 8-10 servings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 medium zucchini, diced
• 1 yellow summer squash, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 quart vegetable (or chicken) broth
• 2 (14 ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (14 ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes with juices
• 3 cups chopped kale, ribs removed
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar (I didn't have this so I used apple cider vinegar)

Instructions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a 6 quart or larger Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, zucchini, and squash. Saute for 4 minutes.
2. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, thyme and rosemary. Cook 30 seconds.
3. Stir in the broth, beans, and tomatoes. Bring the contents to a boil, then turn the heat down to low and add the chopped kale. Cover the pot and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Use an immersion blender* to partially puree the soup, leaving some chunks of beans vegetables for texture.
5. Add the salt, pepper, sugar, and vinegar. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
6. Serve topped with Parmesan or Dubliner cheese and a side of crusty bread.

Notes

*Alternatively, transfer small amounts to a counter top blender and puree as desired.

Spicy Black Bean Soup - Slow Cooker

This was spicier than I thought it would be. Rob and I love hot, hot, hot, but this was too much for Bo. You could cut down on the jalapeño and chili powder to make this more kid-friendly. INGREDIENTS: 1 pound dry black beans, soaked overnight 1 medium white onion 2 cloves garlic 1 large diced jalapeño pepper 2 Tbsp olive oil 6 cups veggie broth 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

salt, black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

	Drain black beans, and rinse. Saute onion, jalapeño, garlic in olive oil till soft in slow cooker base on stove top.
	Add beans and broth. Season with garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, pepper, and salt.
	Transfer base to slow cooker. Cook on Dual for 6-8 hours. *Serve over rice, with sour cream, limes, tortilla strips, avocado.

Vegetarian Enchilada Soup

I got this recipe from Lexi about a year ago and just gave it a go. I made a few changes to make it vegetarian - Lexi's recipe includes chicken while it's cooking, plus chicken stock instead of the veggie. 

It's easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. Hope you all give this a try. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 medium onion, quartered
• 1 large jalapeno, seeded and roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tbsp. cumin
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 2 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles, undrained
• 2 cups veggie broth 
• 1 (15-ounce) can yellow corn, drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained
• 8 corn tortillas
• canola oil, enough to fill a small skillet 1/2-inch high
• garnish options: sour cream, shredded chihuahua cheese, sliced green onion, avocado, fresh squeezed lime, chopped cilantro, grilled and shredded chicken

DIRECTIONS

1. Sauté onion and jalapeño in a bit of oil until soft and onions are just starting to caramelize 
2. In the bowl of a food processor or in a blender, purée the onion, jalapeno, garlic, chili powder, cumin, sugar, oregano, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and green chiles. Transfer to a large stock pot.
3. Add veggie broth, corn and black beans to the pot. Heat over medium heat until ingredients are heated through.
4. While soup warms up, prepare tortilla strips. Stack the tortillas and slice into 1/4-inch strips, then slice the larger strips into halves. Heat oil in a small cast-iron skillet to 350 degrees F (or until very hot so when the tip of a wooden spoon is inserted into oil, the oil will bubble around the spoon). Add a handful of tortilla strips and fry until golden and crispy, 1-2 minutes, separating with tongs so they don’t stick together. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate or baking sheet and immediately season with kosher salt.
5. When ready to serve soup, garnish with tortilla strips and anything else you'd like!

Lentil and Barley Vegetable Soup

Made this the other night and it was fantastic. Very filling, and it has lots of protein, so veg-friends rejoice!

Lentil Vegetable and Barley Soup

• 1/2 large onion or one small onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 2 medium summer squash (or zucchini), halved lengthwise and sliced thinly
• 1 C carrots, thinly sliced (I forgot to get carrots, so I subbed with corn)
• 1/2 C red lentils
• 1/2 C yellow split peas
• 1/2 C barley
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 3 C vegetable broth (or chicken or beef), plus ~2 C extra water
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t sugar
• 1/4 t black pepper
• fresh or dried basil to top (optional)

Dice and layer all the veggies, and top with the grains, liquids and the spices (except the basil).  The order I used was: onions and bell peppers, squash and corn, lentils, peas, and barley, diced tomatoes and broth, salt, pepper, sugar, and finally the extra water.

Set the crock pot on low for eight hours or on high for four hours.  The lentils, peas, and barley will absorb a lot of water, so you may need to add even more water. 

Top with a sprinkle of basil and some pepper and enjoy!

Grandma & Papa's Chicken Soup Tips

A couple months ago Grandma/Mana/Mom/Nana/Flo and Papa/Dad/Walt dropped off a pot of delicious chicken soup for my family.  It was so good.  Like, seriously, SO GOOD.  I asked for the recipe, but it sounds like its a very intuitive dish for them.  Here are their tips:

Papa: FAT...FAT...FAT... About 85 to 90% of the chicken fat generated was left in the soup. The chicken was roasted at 350 for 35 or 40 minutes before going into the fat-free hot broth. The roasting chicken was over 5# with some extra wings and thighs thrown in. Carrots, onion, parsnip, celery and parsley finished off the brew...no salt or pepper, believe it or not. Mrs. Kluski furnished the noodles.

Grandma:  Papa was the chef who prepared this wonderful soup. It is a middle European version, for sure.

The peasants who labored in the fields all day, probably needed the fat in their diets.
I'm not sure that we get that pass here on 16 S !

We all loved the chicken noodle soup prepared for us by Papa's cousin's family, while we visited them in your great great Grandma's home village in Poland.
(I know you don't want to hear any more about that trip that you weren't on ) Anyway, the homemade soup/noodles, bread and pastries were so rich/buttery and flavorful. To die for perhaps :) 

The secrets for the soup seem to me to be ==

1) The whole chicken is roasted first with the skin on and then placed into the broth and simmered with the vegetables with the skin still on.
Now you now know where all that homey flavor comes from :))
2) A few sprigs of Dill are also important.

My "Irish" adaptation through the years has been to simmer skinless chicken breasts in fat free-low sodium broth.
Consequently almost all of the flavor is missing..:(( Healthier for the body if not the Soul .

It is wonderful to share in the foods of our ancestors but I guess moderation would be the theme here....like once in awhile !

Easy Pumpkin Soup

I made this soup and served it in Mom's mini Irish coffee mugs as an appetizer for Christmas Eve this year at the Smithe house. It was soooo incredibly simple and easy to make, and it went over well!

This would make a fantastic addition to your weeknight meal options, as it uses ingredients you can shop for in advance, and preparation time is minimal. Enjoy!

2 15-ounce cans pure pumpkin

4 cups vegetable broth

1 cup half and half

1 garlic clove, pressed

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon curry powder

Bring first 4 ingredients to simmer in large saucepan over medium-high heat, whisking often. Whisk in syrup, 2 tablespoons butter, and curry powder. Simmer soup 10 minutes, whisking often. Season with salt and pepper. (Soup can be made 1 day ahead. Chill until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Bring to simmer before serving.)

*Optional: Garnish with cinnamon-coated mini marshmallows

Lebanese Lentil Soup

 This lentil soup is inspired by one on a blog written by a Lebanese woman.  I add additional seasoning, and I cook it a bit longer. It is a very comforting, tasty and easily vegetarian soup to make.


The recipe calls for red lentils. These are not the same as the lentils most of us are used to, and they can't be interchanged.  I buy them at Treasure Island because our Dominick's doesn't sell them.  The brand I use is Ziyad.

2 small onions, roughly chopped 
4-5 garlic cloves 
2 cups red lentils
10 cups of water or chicken/vegetable stock (I use chicken stock)
2 T cumin 
2 T tumeric
salt & pepper 

Saute the onion in a large pot with some olive oil until softened. Add the garlic and saute for another minute. Add the lentils and stock/water. Season with salt, pepper, cumin and tumeric. Bring to a boil then simmer on low heat (covered) for 30 minutes. Serve with a quick squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Broccoli-Cheddar Soup

Found this recipe in yesterday's Chicago Tribune.  It comes from author Jodi Picoult. I made it for dinner last night and it was very warm and tasty.  Instead of chicken broth I used my homemade vegetable broth that I made using bits of leftover veggies I'd saved in the freezer.

Broccoli-Cheddar Soup

 Ingredients:

3 cups chicken broth
1 onion, chopped
4 cups broccoli, chopped
Dash of garlic powder
1 tsp thyme
2 bay leaves
4 Tbsp butter
4 Tbsp flour
½ tsp salt
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded cheddar
Slices of crusty bread

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, mix chicken broth, onion, broccoli, garlic powder, thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 10 minutes, or until vegetables are soft.

2. Remove bay leaves and pour mixture into a food processor. Pulse until smooth, approximately 1 minute. Reserve in a bowl.

3. In the original saucepan, melt butter. Whisk in flour, salt, and a little pepper until a thick paste forms. Add milk and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Add cheddar; stir until it dissolves.

4. Pour in broccoli mixture and cook until blended. If necessary, add more chicken broth to thin. Season with additional salt and pepper. Serve with bread for dipping.

"Chocolate Thunder" chili

My friend Nicole's brother-in-law recently won a Brooklyn chili cook-off. With colder weather on its way, this recipe should help warm you up.

Andrew Hughes "Chocolate Thunder" Chili

2 ears sweet corn
3 cans red kidney beans (rinse only 1)
2 cans chickpeas, rinsed
2 cans black beans, rinsed
1 large sweet onion
1 red onion
2 shallots
1 bulb garlic
2 pounds ground sirloin
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey or pork
1 cup beef stock
3 T chili powder
2 T garlic powder
2 T onion powder
1 T ground red pepper
1 cup shaved dark chocolate
1 large can peeled tomatoes
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 small can diced tomatoes
2 T sugar
1 t sweet basil
1 t oregano
1 bay leaf
1 t thyme
1 t ground cumin
2 t Kosher salt

1. Cut corn off ears and placing kernels in a pan to be roasted or fried. Add salt and red pepper to taste. (Note: It is OK if the taste is stronger than you would normally like because it will settle when combined with the other ingredients.) When corn is cooked and a bit blackened, set aside.

2. Finely chop all onions, shallots and half of the garlic bulb, combine and set aside.

3. In large frying pan, combine all meats and start browning over a low flame. Begin to add seasoning, but use only half of your measured amounts until the meat is fully browned. Continue to add spices until you get to you desired spicy flavor. Refer to above note. Begin to add the chopped onions, garlic, shallot mixture, use three quarters of the mixture. Cook the combination over a low flame for 30 minutes while adding a half a cup of beef stock. Taste and add seasoning. Once the desired spiciness is achieved, then add two tablespoons of chocolate and stir for another 10 minutes. A lot of the liquid should be reduced by this time. Keep warm over low flame.

4. Pour all cans of tomatoes into a food processor and add sugar, basil, oregano, thyme, salt, the remaining onion, garlic, shallot mixture and pulse until tomatoes make a chunky sauce. Then place in a large slow cooker or pot. Add bay leaf, three whole pieces of garlic and cumin.

5. Over a low flame, place the tomato mixture and begin to add the corn, then the beans, then the meat mixture and stir. This mixture can cook for 30 minutes to 4hours with no problem.

6. And final step, this is what helps to make this chocolate thunder chili and is the family secret, add a spoon full of shaved chocolate on top to mix. The family secret is that the chef and one other member of the house hold are allergic to chocolate.

Simplest Butternut Squash Soup

I make a big pot of soup at least once a week for Chris to have for lunch. So, I'm always on the look-out for new recipes to try. I found this one in yesterday's newspaper. It is so simple that I was a little skeptical (how could it possibly be good???), but I decided to try it out and it is DELICIOUS! Oh, and it is vegetarian, too!!

I would say that whole milk is a necessity - don't try to get away with skim or 1% or else it just wouldn't be as tasty.

Ingredients

1 butternut squash (about 3 lbs)
2 larger leeks, white parts only, split lengthwise, rinsed, and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 cups whole milk
3 cups water
salt, pepper

Directions

1. Peel the squash. Remove the seeds and string, then cut into 1- to 2-inch chunks. Toss into a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Add the leeks, milk, and water; salt generously and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and cook for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the squash is soft enough to mash when pressed lightly with the back of a spoon.

2. Using a blender, food processor or immersion blender, puree the soup in batches until it is very smooth. It may be thick: Thin to your desired consistency with milk or water. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Reheat if necessary. (This soup is at its best when truly hot.)

3. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls, spoon over the apples and nuts, and garnish with a little crème fraîche or cream.

Split Pea Soup

Chris has been asking for soups lately, so every Sunday night I make a big pot and he brings some to work every day for lunch. With the weather getting decidedly fall-like this weekend, he requested split pea for the week.

I was busy for most of the day yesterday, so I knew I'd have to rely on the Crock-Pot from Grandma/Nana/Mom/Aunt Flo/Manna to do most of the work while I slept. Assembling the ingredients took about 10 minutes - and 10 hours later the soup was ready!

For the vegetarians out there (or meat eaters like me who don't like ham!) this can be made without the ham or chicken broth. Just be sure to use vegetable broth for the flavor boost. I kept the pieces of ham on the larger size so I can easily pick them out - haha!

1 bag green split peas (about 2 cups)
1 1/2 cups chopped ham
1 yellow onion, diced
4 stalks of celery, diced (you can include the leaves, too!)
3 cups chicken broth
3 cups water
1 bay leaf
Fresh ground pepper

Layer the above ingredients in the slow cooker in the exact order shown above. Do not stir. Cook on the low setting for 8-10 hours.

Sopa de Lima (Yucatan Lime Soup)

Chris and I enjoyed this soup while in Mexico a few months ago. Allow me to pat myself on the back when I say that the version I made tonight was better than what we had in the Yucatan :) I'm surprised how much of an afterthought the limes are in this recipe - the juice is squeezed in right before serving. The fresh avocado and cilantro are super important garnishes, so don't skip them!

This recipe comes from Emeril Lagasse.

Ingredients

• 8 corn tortillas
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• Salt
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 celery rib, thinly sliced
• 1 carrot, thinly sliced
• 1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, crumbled
• 1 large tomato, peeled and chopped
• 8 cups chicken stock or canned low sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• 3 limes, juiced (about 1/3 cup)
• 1 large avocado, peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

Cut the tortillas into 1/4-inch strips. Heat the oil in a medium skillet and, when very hot, fry the tortilla strips, in small batches, until lightly golden and crisp, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer to paper towel lined plate to drain. Season with salt, to taste. Repeat until all tortilla strips have been fried. Set fried tortilla strips aside and reserve the vegetable oil.

Transfer 1 tablespoon of the reserved cooking oil to a large saucepan and add the chopped onion, celery, carrot, and jalapeno pepper. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables have softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, bay leaf, and Mexican oregano and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tomato and season lightly with salt. Cook, stirring, until the tomato is softened and has released its liquid and the mixture is nearly dry, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and chicken breasts and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a slow simmer and cook until the chicken is just cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove chicken from the soup and set aside until cool enough to handle. Allow soup to continue simmering.

When the chicken has cooled a bit, shred into bite size pieces and return to the pot along with the green onions and lime juice. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the chicken is heated through and the soup is piping hot. Season the soup, to taste, with salt and ladle the soup into wide soup bowls, with a handful of tortilla strips added to each bowl. Garnish with the avocado and cilantro and serve immediately.

Cauliflower Soup

I made this for dinner tonight after I found organic cauliflower for $1.00 at Stanley's, my local produce market. Chris declared this to be one of the finest soups I have ever made (and I usually make soup once a week!). I served this along with a salad of spinach, tomatoes, pine nuts, shaved parmesan and a splash of balsamic and olive oil.

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 quart low-sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper


Directions

Remove the leaves and thick core from the cauliflower, coarsely chop, and reserve. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat and add the onion and garlic. Cook until softened, but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the cauliflower and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the cauliflower is very soft and falling apart, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and, using a hand held immersion blender, puree the soup, or puree in small batches in a blender* and return it to the pot. Add the Parmesan and stir until smooth. Season, to taste, with salt and black pepper. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Recipe from FoodNetwork.com

I have made 2 very large batches of Gazpacho for parties recently. Each recipe will feed several, depending on portion. So good on a hot summer day, and so healthy!

Gazpacho

2 hothouse Cucumbers, do not peel
1 each: red, yellow and orange pepper, seeded
8 plum tomatoes
2 red onions
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 C cilantro, finely chopped
46 oz tomato juice
1/2 C white wine vinegar
1/2 C extra virgin olive oil
1 T kosher salt
1 1/2 t freshly ground black pepper

Roughly chop cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes and red onion into 1 inch cubes. Put each vegetable, seperately into a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until it is coursely chopped. Do not overprocess!
After each vegetable is processed, combine them in to a large bowl and add the garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, cilantro, salt and pepper. MIx well and chill before serving. The longer gazpacho sits, the more the flavors develop.

Serves 8 to 10

(adapted from Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa Cookbook)

Slow Cooker Corn Chowder

I was attempting a silent protest -- no new recipes from me until some of ya'll started posting some. But, last night's dinner was so good and healthy that I can't resist adding it to our blog!

*Bonus: this is vegetarian.
*2nd Bonus: this is super easy -- total time spent working on it was about 4 minutes (plus an additional 5-6 hours of cook time, during which you can paint your nails, watch TV, go shopping, etc)!
*3rd Bonus: this is a perfect meal for the winter months, especially when a panini is served along with it!

1/2 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
3 celery ribs, diced
2 russet potatoes, peeled & diced
3 cups of frozen sweet corn
1 bay leaf
salt & pepper
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 cup heavy cream

Put the onion, carrots, celery, potatoes, corn and bay leaf into the slow cooker. Sprinkle salt and pepper, then pour in 2 1/2 cups of water. Cook, covered, on the low setting for 4-5 hours (until vegetables are soft).

Ladle some of the liquid into a small cup and add the flour to the cup, stirring until smooth. Pour the slurry back into the soup and stir to combine. Cook on high setting for another 30 minutes.

Stir in the cream. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Serve hot.

Carrot Soup

I made this for dinner tonight along with a big healthy salad of baby romaine, tomatoes, shredded zucchini & carrots, poached chicken and provolone. Yum!

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
4 cups carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 cup white wine
1 quart chicken stock
1 teaspoon cumin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add onion and garlic and saute until softened, about 4 minutes. Add carrots and saute for 2 minutes. Carefully add the white wine, chicken, stock, and cumin. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and puree with an immersion blender or, in batches, in a blender. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.