Winter swallows everything for a solid six months (insert black and white scream mask here) in the grand land on Lake Ontario. And when winter hits, it gives the ol' one, two punch with knee deep snow, plunging temps and grey, grey, GREYNESS. For. Months. On. End. My current fight-back technique is straight from the kitchen- armed with pots, measuring spoons, butter and a LOT of spatulas. Cooking and baking. That's how I fight
fire cold with fire. And, when I'm in Narnia, I cook a lot of soup. I mean, A LOT OF SOUP. I'm actually thinking of hosting a soup swap party, where everyone brings recipe cards and a big bowl of their favorite kind... We'd use approximately 87 paper bowls sampling the soup spread, drink generous amounts of wine and soak up olive oil and pepper with the best bread, but anyway, I digress..
So, soup. Chowders. Bisques. Stews. Jambalaya. Broths. Stocks. Curries. Chilis. Yep, I love all of that hot in a pot goodness.
Here's what is boiling on my stove this winter:
Zuppa ToscanaIngredients
1 pound Italian sausage
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 slice pancetta bacon, diced
1 1/4 teaspoons garlic, minced
1 tsp chicken base (or bouillon)
4 cups water
2 potatoes, cubed
2 cups kale, rinsed and julienned
1/3 cup heavy cream
Directions
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Place sausage links on a sheet pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until done. Cut each link in half lengthwise, and then into 1/2 inch slices. Set aside for later.
In large pot, over medium heat, saute onions and pancetta for 10 minutes, or until onions are almost clear.
Add garlic and saute one minute. Add chicken base, water and potatoes and bring to a simmer for 15 minutes.
Add kale, cream and reserved sausage, simmer for 5 more minutes and serve.
Minestrone Soup {Slow Cooker}
Ingredients
4 cups vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups water
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced onion
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried crushed rosemary
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 1/3 cups diced zucchini
1 1/3 cups shell pasta
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup green beans
2 cups slightly packed fresh spinach
Finely shredded Romano cheese, for serving (Parmesan works too)
Directions
Add vegetable stock, water, tomatoes, celery, carrots, onion, parsley, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves and sugar to large slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and cook on low heat 6 - 8 hours or high 3 - 4 hours.
Add in zucchini, green beans, pasta, garlic, kidney beans and cannellini beans and cook on high heat and additional 30 - 40 minutes, until pasta is tender. Stir in spinach and cook several minutes until heated through. Serve warm topped with Romano cheese.
Chicken Noodle
Ingredients
1 rotisserie chicken, deboned and meat chopped
2 TBS butter
1 med onion, diced
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup peas
1 cup corn
1 cup green beans
6-8tsp better than bullion, chicken
10 cups hot water
1 tsp marjoram
frozen or refrigerated noodles (i.e., Reames egg noodles)
1/4 fresh parsley
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions
Saute onion and celery in butter in large stock pot or dutch oven.
Add remaining veggies and chicken.
Dissolve bullion in a cup or so of the hot water. Stir into pot. Add remaining water and marjoram.
Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. Let simmer about 35 minutes.
Return to a boil and add noodles and parsley. Boil about 3 min (or according to directions on package).
Remove from heat. Pepper to taste.
Bigos
Ingredients
1/2 medium cabbage
4 cups sauerkraut
1 lb stewing pork
1/2 lb bacon, uncured
1 lb kielbasa sausage sliced
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can tomato paste
1 bay leaf
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Cut the cabbage in thin slices and boil until tender in a pot of boiling salted water.
Boil the sauerkraut in another of about 2 cups water. Strain and keep the sour water aside.
Saute diced pork. Set aside.
Saute bacon, kielbasa, onion and garlic together.
In a large pot, combine cooked cabbage, sauerkraut, sour water, tomato paste, spices, cooked meats, onion and garlic.
Bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer. Let simmer 1 hour.
Meaty Split Pea
Ingredients
1 lb sausage
6 cups water
2 cups split peas
2 med potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
2 tsp salt
1 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp pepper
Directions
Cook sausage until browned, drain. Add water.
Rinse peas, add to meat.
Stir in remaining veggies and spices.
Bring to boil. Reduce to simmer. Cover and let simmer about 1 hour, until peas are tender.
Spiced Kettle of Beef and Vegetables
Ingredients
2 lbs boneless beef chuck roast (stewing meat)
1/2 cup flour
1 Tbs salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
Olive oil
1 cup onion
6 cups water
1 clove
1 tsp pickling spice
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 cups carrots, diced
1 cup celery, chopped
3 cups potatoes
1 cup peas
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
(thickener)
3 Tbs cornstarch
1/4 cold water
Directions
Combine 1/2 cup flour, 1Tbs salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and 1/2 tsp paprika. Dredge beef in spice mixture. Brown dredged beef in stock pot with olive oil.
Add onion, saute.
Add water. Put clove and pickling spice in mesh wire tea ball. Immerse in soup.
Simmer 30 min, covered.
Add veggies and seasonings. Simmer uncovered another 30 min.
Make thickener. Stir into hot soup.
Cauliflower, Bacon & Cashew Curry
Ingredients
2 cups coconut milk (canned)
4 Tbs curry powder
1 lb bacon, uncured, cut in 1 in strips
1 tsp sea salt
2 onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2/3 cup water
3 cups cauliflower, cut in small florets
2/3 cup cashews
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
Directions
In a large skillet cook bacon. Set aside
Add 1 cup coconut milk to stock pot with curry powder and sea salt. Bring to simmer. Whisk to combine.
Add cooked bacon, onion and garlic. Cook one minute. Add remaining coconut milk and water.
Boil a few minutes to reduce liquid. Add florets and cook 3 minutes, until just tender.
Remove from heat. Stir in cashews. Garnish with cilantro.
***Follow the link to read about these previously posted amazing soups.***
