Tortellini and Sausage Soup

 Ingredients

1 lb. Ground Italian Sausage

Olive oil

4 cloves garlic minced

1 medium onion minced

½ cup apple juice

½ cup water

32 oz. chicken stock

1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes

1 15 oz. can crushed tomatoes

4 medium carrots diced

2 T. fresh basil chopped

1 ½ t. Dried oregano

2 medium zucchini grated

1.5 lbs. Fresh five cheese tortellini

4 T. fresh parsley chopped

1-2 t. Salt

⅛ t. Pepper

Instructions

In a large soup pan brown the sausage with a little olive oil over medium heat.  Once sausage is mostly cooked add the onions and garlic and continue cooking until the onions are soft and translucent.

Next add the cans of tomatoes, apple cider, water, chicken stock, diced carrots, dried oregano, and fresh basil.  Let that simmer for about 10 minutes while you shred the zucchini and chop up the parsley. Add zucchini and parsley and simmer for 5 minutes.

Finally add the tortellini and cook until tender, season the soup with salt and pepper to taste and cook for another 5 minutes.

Chile Verde

Ingredients:

• 3-4 lbs of pork trimmed of fat and cut into bite size chunks
• salt and pepper
• flour
• 3 T. oil
• 3 yellow onions diced
• 2 green bell peppers
• 2-3 jalapenos diced
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 1/2 lbs. tomatillos (roasted, then blended)
• 4 c. chicken stock
• 1 T. oregano
• 2 t. cumin
• 2 t. coriander
• 2 Anaheim or Poblano chiles (roasted, peeled, diced)
• 1 bunch cilantro (washed and chopped)
• 2 bay leaves

Directions:

• Wash, cut in half, stem and seed chiles.  Wash and cut in half tomatillos.  Place cut side down on greased baking sheet and broil till puffy and brown.  Wrap chiles in aluminum foil to steam for several minutes then peel and dice.  When cool, puree tomatillos in blender and set aside. 
• Season pork with salt and pepper and dredge in flour.  Heat oil 2 T. oil in large saucepan or dutch oven till the oil just begins to smoke.  Brown pork in batches on all sides till golden brown. Take pork out and set aside.  
• Add 1 T. of oil to pan and add onions, peppers, and jalapenos.  Cook till tender, scraping up browned bits from pork while stirring.
• Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
• Add tomatillo puree and chicken stock.
• Add spices, roasted chiles, and cilantro.
• Simmer for 3-4 hours.

This dish is a labor of love for it takes awhile to prepare.  I think I spend about 1 1/2 hours getting it prepared for simmering.  But we like it, so on occasion I make it.  We like to eat it with warmed corn tortillas and shredded jack cheese.

Chicken Noodle Soup

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

Ralphie

 

The real deal, from scratch. It is A-MAZING.

 

1 rotisserie chicken

4 eggs

2 tsp. salt

2-3 C. flour (maybe more)

1 can cream of chicken soup

2-3 Tbsp. whipping cream (optional, but recommended)

Some chopped celery, carrots, and onions---as much or as little as you like

Salt and pepper to taste

 

1.      Remove as much of the chicken from the rotisserie chicken as possible, shredded into bite-sized pieces. Set aside, or refrigerate. Keep chicken remains.

2.      Put whatever remains of the rotisserie chicken (bones, skin, everything) in a pot of boiling water, high enough to cover the chicken. Boil for around 30 minutes. Strain chicken to remove bones, and reserve the leftover broth. Leave broth on stove at a low boil.

3.      In a medium bowl, mix the eggs with a fork. Add the 2 tsp. salt and stir. Add 2 C. flour. Knead until it isn’t sticky anymore, using more flour as necessary (~5-7 minutes). Dust counter with plenty of flour, and using lots of flour, roll dough out very thin (1/8-1/4 inch or so), then slice thin noodle strings with a pizza cutter (or use a pasta crank if you have one). The noodles will expand quite a bit in the soup.

4.      One at a time, add the noodles to the simmering broth (if added in clumps, they will stick together.

5.      Add can of cream of chicken soup.

6.      Add some water until it looks like the right amount, anywhere from 4-8 cups of water probably. Then add chicken bouillon and/or salt until it’s the flavor you want. If using whipped cream, add it here, just enough to make your soup look a touch creamy. Let it simmer until the noodles are done, maybe about 20 minutes. It won’t matter much if it is on the stove longer.

7.      About 10 minutes before service, add chopped celery and onion. About 5 minutes before service, add chopped carrots and the chicken from step 1.

8.      Add salt and pepper to your liking.

Kimchi Soup II

KIMCHI SOUP

Troy

(a more authentic version, but remember, every ingredient is optional!)

 

·        1/8 lb pork loin (omit for vegetarian)

·      1 tablespoon rice wine

·      3 pinches black pepper

·      1 cup sour kimchee (cut into 1x1, reserve juice)

·      1/4 white onion , cut into slices

·      1 green onion , sliced

·      1/4 cup mushroom (regular or shiitake)

·      3 tablespoons sliced anaheim green chili peppers

·      1 cup tofu (extra firm, cut into 1/4-inch slices)

·      1 1/2 cups water

·      vegetable oil , to coat small pan

Ingredients for Base

·      4 teaspoons korean chili flakes (gochugaru)

·      2 teaspoons korean chili paste (gochujang)

·      4 teaspoons soy sauce

·      1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (fresh or bottled, just not dried)

·      4 pinches black pepper

Directions:

1.     Cut up vegetables, kimchi and tofu and set aside.

2.     Rinse meat, cut into thin strips 1-2" long.

3.     Marinate meat in rice wine with two pinches black pepper for 15 minutes (you can use your stew pot for this).

4.     Meanwhile, add vegetable oil to pan or wok and cook kimchi on medium-high until done (usually 5-7 minutes). Stir consistently. Kimchi will turn slightly translucent.

5.     In a separate bowl, combine soup base ingredients and mash together.

6.     Add vegetables, kimchi, soup base and water to the pot with the meat, leaving out the tofu. Use kimchi juice as part of the water if extracted.

7.     Bring to a boil; leave on a rolling boil until meat is cooked or about 5 minutes, being careful not to let water boil away.

8.     Taste soup for adjustments; add water as needed, or make extra soup base if needed.

9.     As soon as the meat is done, turn the heat down to low, add the tofu slices.

10. Stir gently, serve with rice (your mouth will be hot -- I like to use rice that is room-temp!).

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/kimchi-jjigae-korean-kimchi-soup-324429#ixzz1giPBLp2f

Kimchi Soup

KIMCHI SOUP

(How Troy makes it)

(Korean “Kimchi Chigae” or “Jigae”)

 

Kimchi

Seseame Oil (or whatever oil you have)

 

Optional:

green and/or white Onions

mushrooms

Tofu

Cayenne/Red Pepper powder

 

Optional Korean ingredients, if you're able to go to a Korean market:

·        “Go-ju-jong”  or as Troy calls it, “Savory Seasonings.”  This is spicy red-pepper paste. 

If you          find this, you can omit the cayenne pepper listed above.

·        “Da-shee-da”  Yeon called this “magic powder.”  Basically, it's beef broth flavoring with MSG. 

 

1.  Fry Kimchi in a pot (however much you like) with a little sesame oil.  The sesame gives it the oriental flavor—but other oil works too, since Sesame oil is so expensive.  It's more affordable at Asian markets.

2.  Add the chopped onions, tofu (optional), water as needed, and Cayenne pepper to taste.

3.  Warm and serve over Rice with chopsticks.  (Sticky rice preferably, for the more authentic experience.)

Tomato Basil Bisque

TOMATA BASIL BISQUE

Georgia

 

This one uses butternut squash.

 

*Serves 4 - 6

Note:  I cooked my butternut squash the day before and stored it in the refrigerator.  Worked great!

 

Ingredients:

1 medium butternut squash (about 1 1/2 cups cooked squash)

1 tablespoon butter (I used olive oil to lighten it up)

1/4 cup finely diced onion

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 can (14.5 oz) Italian-stewed tomatoes

1 cup chicken stock

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half (I used the latter)

1/3 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

 

Directions:

Prepare the butternut squash by preheating your oven to 375 degrees.  Cut your squash in half and clean out the string and seeds.  Place the squash on a baking sheet lightly sprayed with cooking spray, cut side down.  Roast in the oven for 45 minutes, or until soft all the way through.  Let it cool about 15 minutes before scooping out the flesh.  If preparing the day before, scoop out the flesh and place in a tupperware.  Let cool completely.  Cover and refrigerate until using it in the soup.  If using the squash immediately, scoop the squash into the blender or food processor.

 

While the squash is cooking, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter (or heat the olive oil) and saute the onion until soft and translucent.  Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Scoop the onion/garlic mixture in the blender or food processor with the squash.

 

Add the canned tomatoes (undrained) to the blender or food processor.  Process until the mixture is smooth.  Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and add the chicken broth, salt, sugar, basil and cream (or half-and-half).  Stir to combine well.  Heat over medium-low heat until the soup is warm.  Do not let the mixture boil or simmer to avoid the cream curdling.  Serve immediately.

Minute Minestrone

MINUTE MINESTRONE

Georgia

 

I’m always looking for recipes to use the things I get in Bountiful Baskets, this one uses cabbage.

 

1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
1 carrot, grated
2 small zucchini, diced
2 cups cabbage, shredded
2 cups chicken broth
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 15-oz. can cannelloni beans, drained
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

 

1.     Heat olive oil in a large saucepan.

2.     Saute garlic, onion, carrot and zucchini until tender.

3.     Add cabbage and continue cooking until cabbage is tender.

4.     Add remaining ingredients and cook over medium heat for 15 - 20 minutes.