soup sundays

All summer we have been having Salad Sundays on our deck.
Well, this week the temperature was in the 60's so
it was time to switch - now we'll have Soup Sundays
First up . . .

Parmesan, Sausage and Spinach Soup

cook time: 6 hours in slow cooker

yield: 8 servings

{photo credit 365daysofcrockpot.com} 

Ingredients
1 lb ground Italian sausage (I used mild)
1 small onion, diced
32 oz chicken broth
1 cup water
3 celery ribs, sliced
1 carrot, finely diced
1 yellow potato finely diced
1 clove garlic diced
1/8 tsp ground thyme
1 Tbsp dried parsley flakes

6 Tbls butter
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 cups milk

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 oz spinach torn into small pieces stems removed
      (original recipe calls for kale)

Instructions
In a pan, brown the sausage for 3-4 minutes.  Add in the onion and continue cooking until
sausage is completely cooked through.  Drain off excess grease. Put sausage and onion in the slow cooker.

 Add broth, water, celery, carrot, potatoes, garlic powder, thyme and parsley to the slow cooker.
 Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours, or until potatoes are tender.

In a small bowl combine salt, pepper, and flour. In saucepan melt butter over medium low heat. Stir in flour mixture to form a roux. Whisk in milk, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth.

 Stir cream mixture into slow cooker and then let cook on high without the lid for 15 more minutes.
 Just prior to serving add Parmesan cheese and spinach.

{adapted from a recipe found on www.365daysofcrockpot.com}

creamy cauliflower soup

My son Blaine is a fan of America's Test Kitchen

and asked for a Cook's Illustrated Cookbook for Christmas.

So . . . I have been looking at their recipes and they always 

have a bit of culinary science woven in.

For example, their recipe for Cauliflower Soup has an interesting twist:
To really let the cauliflower shine, we cooked it in seasoned water 
rather than broth. We also added it to the saucepan in
two stages to ensure that our soup had both 
the grassy flavor of just-cooked cauliflower and 
the nuttier notes that come with longer cooking times.

Here is their recipe adapted a bit by me . . .

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

{America’s Test Kitchen}

Serves 4-6

"For a creamy cauliflower soup without cream, we relied on cauliflower’s low insoluble fiber content to produce a velvety smooth puree. To ensure that cauliflower flavor remained at the forefront, we cooked the cauliflower in seasoned water (instead of broth), skipped the spice rack entirely, and bolstered the soup with sautéed onion and leek. We added the cauliflower to the simmering water in two stages so that we got the grassy flavor of just-cooked cauliflower and the sweeter, nuttier flavor of long-cooked cauliflower. Finally, we fried florets in butter until both browned and used each as a separate, richly flavored garnish."

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower, (2 pounds)

8 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 leek, white and light green parts only, sliced, and washed thoroughly

1 small onion, halved and sliced thin

Salt and pepper

5 cups water

½ teaspoon sherry or white wine vinegar

Instructions

1. Pull off outer leaves of cauliflower and trim stem. Cut heaping 1 cup of 1/2-inch florets from head of cauliflower; set aside. 

2. Cut remaining cauliflower crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices.

3. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add leek, onion, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; cook, stirring frequently, until leek and onion are softened but not browned, about 7 minutes.

4. Increase heat to medium-high; add 4 1/2 cups water and half of sliced cauliflower. Bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Add remaining sliced cauliflower, return to simmer, and continue to cook until cauliflower is tender and crumbles easily, 15  minutes longer.

5. While soup simmers, melt remaining 5 tablespoons butter in 8-inch skillet over medium heat. Add reserved florets and cook, stirring frequently, until florets are golden brown and butter is browned and imparts nutty aroma, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and use slotted spoon to transfer florets to small bowl. Toss florets with vinegar and season with salt to taste. Pour browned butter in skillet into small bowl and reserve for garnishing.

5. Process soup with an immersion blender about 45 seconds. Adjust consistency with remaining water ½ cup water as needed (soup should have thick, velvety texture but should be thin enough to settle with flat surface after being stirred) and seasoning with 1/2 tsp pepper and salt to taste.

6.  Serve, garnishing individual bowls with browned florets, drizzle of browned butter and seasoning with pepper to taste.

I am not sure I could separate the grassy flavor from the sweeter nuttier flavor but it was delicious.

{original recipe video}

cream cheese chicken chili

So simple yet so delicious

Slow Cooker Cream Cheese Chicken Chili

Number of Servings: 6

Ingredients

2 chicken breast  halves (frozen) 

1 cup chicken broth

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can corn, undrained

1 can RoTel, undrained

1 pkg ranch dressing mix

1 tsp caraway seeds (or cumin)

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese

Directions

Drain and rinse black beans. Place chicken at the bottom of the crock pot.  Pour the broth, can of corn, RoTel and drained black beans over the chicken. Top with the ranch mix and seasonings. Stir together. Place cream cheese on top. Cover with lid and cook on low for 6-7 hours. Remove chicken, shred it and return it to slow cooker.  Cook for 1 more hour. Stir cream cheese into chili and serve. 

cheese broccoli soup {lite version}

Cheese Broccoli Soup {lite version}

Serves 2

Simmer for 8-10 min

6 oz broccoli spears (steamed for 2 minutes - partially cooked)

13 oz chicken broth

10 oz Rotel Mild Diced Tomatoes and Green Chiles,

Stir in until melted

4 oz Kraft Velveeta Pasteurized prepared cheese  

Amount Per Serving

WW PointsPlus 6

Calories 242

Total Fat 13

Total Carbohydrates 16

Dietary Fiber 3

Protein 18

Sugars 9g

Next time I may puree 1/2  the soup with an immersion blender and stir it back in for a smoother soup.

beer cheese soup

Since autumn's arrival

we have returned to our Soup Sunday routine.

Here is our first of the season . . . .

Beer Cheese Soup

3 stalks celery chopped
1 small onion chopped
2 Tbls butter

2 cans cream of celery soup
12 oz beer
15 oz shredded cheddar cheese (4 cups)
2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 tsp paprika

croutons (optional)

Pace butter, celery and onion in slow cooker. Cook on high for 2-3 hours stirring occasionally until soft.

Place rest of ingredients in slow cooker except croutons. Cover and cook on high 2 hours stirring occasionally.

Top with croutons before serving.

taco soup

I have read that it is lucky to eat beans on New Year's Day so . . . .


{photo shows kidney beans but we prefer black beans}

Taco Soup
A family favorite
serves 6-8

2 lbs ground beef
1 red onion chopped
2 - 15 oz cans tomato sauce
2 - 15 oz cans of corn (undrained)
1 - 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
2- 15 oz cans black beans (drained)
1 pkg taco seasoning
black olives

Brown beef and onion in skillet. Put all other ingredients into crock pot and add beef. Cook on low for 6 hours. Serve in bowls - garnish with tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream and black olives.

squash soup

An autumn/winter favorite that we make again and again every year.

Squash Soup
yields about 8-10 servings

1 large onion
6 medium carrots
3 Tbls butter
2 medium butternut squash (peeled and cubed)
7 cups chicken broth
2 tsp salt
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp pepper
chives

Slow cooker directions
In large frying pan, saute the onions and carrots in margarine for 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally.

Add to large slow cooker along with squash, broth, salt, thyme and pepper.



Cover and cook on low for 8 hours (until vegetables are tender). With immersion blender puree soup until smooth being extra careful not to burn yourself from "splashes". Garnish with chives if desired when serving.



Stove top directions
In soup kettle, saute the onions and carrots in margarine for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Add squash, broth, salt, thyme and pepper; bring to a boil.

Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes (until vegetables are tender). With immersion blender puree soup until smooth being extra careful not to burn yourself from "splashes". Garnish with chives if desired when serving.

pizza soup

Crockpot Pizza Soup
serves 6-8

Ingredients

1 jar (14 oz) of pizza sauce
3 empty jars full of water
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 cup sliced mushrooms
     {leaving these out next time}
1 can diced tomatoes, drained)
1 cup cooked and crumbled Italian sausage
1 cup pepperoni minis
1 Tbls dried basil
1 Tbls dried oregano
1/2 cup of dry elbow pasta
shredded mozzarella cheese (to add later)

Directions
Wash and prepare veggies. Put them into 5 or 6 quart crockpot. Add sausage and pepperoni. Stir in basil and oregano. Pour in the pizza sauce, and follow with three empty jars of water.

Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours.

Thirty minutes before serving, add the dry pasta, and turn to high.

Garnish/top with shredded mozzarella cheese.



adapted from a recipe posted on a year of slow cooking

cheeseburger soup

Cheeseburger Soup
Serves 6-8

1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 of a white onion, diced
5 cups chicken broth
2 small garlic cloves, minced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
2 potatoes (not peeled) cut into cubes
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried parsley
16 oz Velveeta, cubed (to add later)
Tabasco sauce, optional

Brown the meat on the stove top with the onion, and drain fat.

In a 5-6 quart crockpot, pour in chicken broth. Add garlic, bell pepper, celery, potatoes and spices. Stir in the browned meat and onion.

Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or until potatoes are tender. Stir in Velveeta 30 minutes before serving.

Garnish with Tabasco sauce if desired.



adapted from a recipe found on A Year of Slow Cooking

ham and potato soup

Just in time for St. Patrick's Day . . .

Ham and Potato Soup
Serves 4-6

Ingredients
2 large potatoes peeled and diced
2 stalks celery diced
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup diced cooked ham (or corned beef)
28 oz chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, or to taste
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk

Directions
Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham and water in a 4 qt crockpot. Cook on low 8 hours until potatoes are tender.

In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly until a paste forms, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 5 to 6 minutes.

Stir the milk mixture into the crockpot, and cook soup on high just until heated through. Be sure not to let it boil or the milk will separate. Stir in salt and pepper. Serve immediately.