Soup

Broccoli Cheese Soup

August 25, 2009 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

It’s August in the south and the last thing on my mind should be soup, but for some reason it sounds so good. I believe I’ve had more soup this past summer than I’ve had any other summer. I don’t know what my deal is but there is just something so comforting about a big bowl of soup, no matter what season.

I don’t think I’ve met a soup that I don’t like but I do have my top favorites: broccoli cheddar, potato and chicken tortilla. Those three are my “go to’s” that I can eat any time. Out of those three soups the only soup I’ve tried to make at home so far is the potato. The potato soup turned out well; it was thick, creamy and it had a little richness to it. It was definitely a hit and although I did like it a lot I am still going to try to create another potato recipe that isn’t so rich; jus so I can have a choice when it comes to making it. So, I say all that to say this, since those are my favorite soups I figured I need to find some recipes that I like that I can make at home. Going out to get a bowl of soup is great but it would be so much better to just stay at home and have some comofort food in the comfort of your own home. So I’m working on finding or creating some soup recipes that I love that I can add to my recipe collection.

This was my first attempt making homemade broccoli cheese soup and for my first attempt I think it was pretty good. I honestly wasn’t sure what all went into making this type of soup but it wasn’t hard at all and there really wasn’t that much to it. Overall, I believe it had a pretty good consistency and it tasted good too. I believe next time I may puree some of the soup so some of the broccoli pieces are a little bit smaller and I think I may add some more cheese to the next batch too. You can never have too much cheese:)! For my first attempt I’m pretty happy with the way it all turned out. I will definitely be making it again and hopefully the next time I will come up with the perfect consistency.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 Cup chopped sweet onion
3 Garlic cloves, minced
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
12 1/2 Ounces chicken broth
5 1/2 Cups broccoli florets, chopped (fresh or frozen, I used frozen)
1/4 Teaspoon parsely
1 1/2 Cups half and half
1/4 Cup cream
1 1/2 Cups shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Melt butter in a large nonstick saucepan and then add onions and garlic. Saute both until tender. Stir in the flour, make sure the mixture is well blended, and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, cook and stir for 1-2 mintues or until slightly thickened.
Add the broccoli, parsley, salt and pepper and return to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until broccoli is tender. Reduce heat to low and then add 1 to 1 1/4 cups cheese. Stir the cheese until it’s melted.
Serve while warm and top with shredded cheese.

Recipe Source: adapted from Taste of Home

Buffalo Chicken Chili

February 4, 2009 by Lynsey 1 Comment

Hot wings are one of our favorite foods. We usually have them at least once a month if not more. There are so many different flavors available now but I think it’s safe to say that original hot is still the most common flavor served. There are several different recipes and dishes floating around that have the taste of hot wings incorporated in them; from soups to sandwiches to pastas, there’s a recipe out there to quench your craving.

I have made a few different recipes that use the flavor of hot wings and so far they have all been winners. I’ve also come across other recipes that include the flavor that I have saved and will try one day. I try to space them out so we don’t have a hot wing flavor overload:).

I was in the mood for the hot wing flavor on a cold night last week but I also wanted a soup or chili; so I decided to make Rachael Ray’s Buffalo Chicken Chili. I’ve made this recipe before and it was a huge hit. The flavors incorporated in it are awesome and you definitely do get the taste of hot wings. She also recommends serving it with a side of tortilla chips that have been sprinkled with blue cheese crumbles and put in the broiler for just a few minutes. Eating the chili with a side of blue cheese chips definitely has the taste of wings with blue cheese dressing. This chili is a great spin on such a popular dish!

Buffalo Chicken Chili

Yes, that’s ice in the milk. Spencer likes to ensure his milk is very cold!

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (I used about 4 Tablespoons)

2 Pounds ground chicken breast (I boiled 2 pounds of chicken breast and shredded them)
2 Large carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1 Large onion, finely chopped
4 Ribs celery with the leafy part, finely chopped
4 Cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tablespoon sweet smoked paprika (I used regular paprika since that’s what I had on hand)
1 Bay leaf, fresh or dried
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
2 Cups chicken stock
1/2 Cup hot sauce (I used a little over 1/4 cup Louisiana Hot Sauce and filled the rest with buffalo wing sauce)
1 Can tomato sauce (15 oz)
1 Can stewed fire roasted or crushed tomatoes (15 oz)
1 Bag whole grain potato chips, lightly crushed (I left them whole)
3/4 Pound blue cheese crumbles
Parsley, dried or fresh, for garnish

Directions:

Place a large pot over medium-high heat with the extra virgin olive oil. Add the ground chicken and break it up, lightly browning it for 5 minutes. (Since I boiled and shredded my chicken I eliminated this step and just added the veggies to the pot. You will need a little more olive oil if you do it this way)

Add the carrots, onion, celery, garlic, paprika and bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 7-8 minutes.

(I added the shredded chicken after I cooked the veggies down but before I added the stock) Add the chicken stock and scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot.

Add the hot sauce, tomato sauce and the stewed, fire-roasted or crushed tomatoes and bring up to a bubble. Simmer for 8-10 minutes more to let the flavors come together.

While the chili is simmering, pre-heat the broiler.

Spread the chips out on a cookie sheet. Top with the crumbled blue cheese and transfer to the oven to melt the cheese, 2-3 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the chopped parsley. (If you don’t have a broiler just use your oven and they’ll turn out the same)
Either top the chili with chips or serve chips on the side. I served them on the side because I didn’t want them to get soggy.

Recipe Source: Rachael Ray

Maple Cream Sweet Potato Soup

January 1, 2009 by Lynsey 5 Comments

Sweet potatoes are being seen more and more in many different types of recipes now. As society is going to healthier alternatives for meals more of the “better for you vegetables” are making appearances. I have found myself trying to make more things with vegetables that are a little better for me; and sweet potatoes are one of the foods that I’m trying to cook with on a more regular basis. I’m a huge fan of sweet potatoes so it hasn’t bee too hard for me to incorporate them into my cooking. It seems like more and more people have started cooking with them as well so it hasn’t been hard to come across recipes for sweet potatoes. This soup is just one of the many that I’ve come across lately.

When I was watching Rachael Ray’s talk show I saw her making a soup with sweet potatoes. I thought the concept sounded very interesting and I really didn’t know what to think about it at first. I watched her make the entire recipe because I was pretty curious of the outcome. After seeing her make it the entire way through I was amazed, the soup was so hearty and with pairing of the white cheddar apple grilled cheese I knew it was something I had to try.

Whenever I told people about the soup and what all it involved I got a lot of different reactions. A lot of people didn’t really know what to make of it or what to even imagine when I told them about it. I had at least one other person that wanted to try it, Spencer, so I know I could at least cook it for the two of us. Once I finished making it we sat down and ate it; it was definitely something different but we both loved it. After I tested the recipe on us I took some to work to share with a co-worker and at first she didn’t know what to picture but after I showed the soup to her and she tasted it she was hooked too.

The soup is a lot thicker and more hearty than you would imagine. Although it’s made with some broth it’s definitely not a broth-y, runny soup. It’s so filling by itself but when you add the sandwich it’s a perfect pair and it’s more than enough for a good meal.

When I saw Rachael Ray making this she just did a cream, maple syrup, and cinnamon reduction. That sounded very good to me but I knew Spencer would need something in there to tone down the sweetness of it, especially since it wasn’t a dessert! Rachael mentioned using some chipotles in adobo to give it a kick, but she said to use that instead of using the maple syrup. I did take her advice on adding some spice in it but I still wanted that element of sweet that the syrup would add so I took her advice on adding the spice but I also kept the sweet of the syrup. The combination of the mixture was amazing. The sweet hits you first and then it’s followed by that kick of spice.

To add the spice to it I used chipotle salsa. I ended up using the entire can (7 ounces) of the chipotle salsa but I incorporated it in different ways into the dish. I boiled some in the cream, syrup, cinnamon mixture; I added some in the potato puree and then I just stirred some in the soup itself. Everything mixed together very well and it was a big hit with everyone that tried it.

Maple Cream Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dark maple syrup

1 cup heavy cream
1 cinnamon stick
3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
1 medium onion, halved
4 ribs celery, halved
1 bay leaf
Salt
3-4 cups chicken stock, divided
1 cup apple cider
A few grates fresh nutmeg
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, removed from stems
A few pinches cayenne pepper

Ground black pepper1 (7oz) can chipotle salsa

Directions:

Place a small pot over medium heat with the syrup, heavy cream, 1/4 of the chipotle salsa and cinnamon stick. Bring the liquid up to a bubble then reduce the heat to low and simmer until thickened and reduced, about 15 minutes.

Place the sweet potatoes, carrots, onion, celery and bay leaf into a medium-size stockpot and cover them with cold water. Season with salt and place over medium-high heat, bringing the liquid to a bubble. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the potatoes until tender, 15-18 minutes.

Drain the cooked potatoes and discard the onion, celery and bay leaf. Transfer the potatoes and carrots to a food processor, add a splash of chicken stock , another 1/4 of the chipotle salsa, and puree until smooth, adding more stock as needed to keep things moving.

Return the pureed veggies to the pot they were cooked in and add the cider, remaining stock (add as little or as much as you like to get the consistency you want), nutmeg, thyme, cayenne and some more salt and pepper, add the rest of the chipotle salsa. Simmer the soup until heated through and thickened slightly, 3-4 minutes. Stir the reduced maple cream into the soup.
***If you don’t want as much spice eliminate some of the chipotle salsa.

Grilled White Cheddar and Apple Sandwiches-
Bread
Butter
1 Granny Smith Apple
1 Block sharp white cheddar cheese

Directions:
Heat a small skillet over low-medium heat. Place a little butter in the skillet to melt. Spread a small amount of butter on one side of the bread, place buttered side down in skillet. Place a few slices of cheese on bread, place apple slices on top of cheese and then lay more cheese on top of the apple slices. Butter the other slice of bread and place non-buttered side down on the cheese and make a grilled cheese sandwich. Cook until sandwich is golden brown on each side and cheese is melted.

Cut sandwich in 2-3 strips and serve with soup. Use these dippers to dip into soup. It’s a wonderful combination!

Recipe adapted from: Rachael Ray

Three Bean Chili

November 13, 2008 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

It’s chili time!!! Sunday was a day of many “to do’s”; I had stuff to do around the house plus I was baking cookies for round 4 of Operation Baking Gals. I wanted to make something good for supper but I didn’t really have to time prepare a meal that needed a lot of attention through the cooking process since I had the cookies going on I was doing other stuff. I decided that chili would be a pretty easy thing to put in the crockpot and let let it go.
I have made chili multiple times before and it’s always met our expectations. Even though I love the past chili recipes I’ve made, this time I wanted to make one all my own. I am so glad I decided to make my own version of chili, it turned out so very good! There were so many flavors that went into this recipe and they all blended so well and made a very good flavored chili.
This recipe really didn’t take long to put together. It would also be a great meal where everything could be prepared ahead of time and then put together and cooked at the desired time. It would also be great meal for the crockpot or on the stove top.
Remember, the spices and flavors will blend together more after the chili sits a day. Be careful with the amount of heat added because it will get more intense!

Three Bean Chili

Ingredients:
1 Pound sausage
1 Pound ground beef
1 Can chili hot beans
1 Can black beans
1 Can navy beans
1 (6oz) can tomato paste
1 Large onion, chopped
1-2 Carrots, chopped
1 Stalk celery, chopped
2 Medium jalapenos, seeded and diced
1 1/4 Tablespoon seasoned pepper blend
1/2 Teaspoon onion powder
1 1/2 Tablespoon garlic salt
1 Bay leaf
2 Cups Water
1 1/2 Tablespoons Louisiana hot sauce (or any type of hot sauce desired)
1/2-2 Tablespoons chili powder (season to desired taste)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

In a large pan brown the sausage and beef. Once browned drain meat well and set aside.
Heat skillet and melt 1-2 tablespoons butter. Once butter has melted add onion, carrots and celery. Sautee the mixture until onions turn clear. Once onions begin to turn clear remove from heat.
In a large stockpot or crockpot (whichever cooking method desired) pour all 3 cans of beans in and mix together. Stir in tomato paste and water. Add browned meat, veggies, jalapenos, bay leaf, hot sauce and other seasonings and mix together well. Adjust seasonings to fit your taste.
Once everything is mixed together turn on the heat.
For crockpot cooking cook on high for about 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally then turn to the warm setting. If needing to cook for a longer time set temperature on low.
For stove top cooking turn stove on medium to medium high and let chili cook/simmer for about an hour to an hour and a half.
Spoon into a bowl and serve with favorite toppings…chives, sour cream, cheese etc.

Recipe Source: A Lynsey Original

A Big Bowl of Crabby Goodness

October 30, 2008 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Spencer has a new found craving for Crab Bisque. He has gone to a local restaurant a few times for lunch and this is his favorite thing on the menu. He has been wanting me to taste it for quite some time so I could get the taste for it and try to recreate it but I just haven’t gotten the chance. I finally decided to start searching for recipes, since I wasn’t sure when I would be able to go and try this bisque, in hopes to come across one that is similar to his new found favorite. I think we came close with this recipe!

It’s hard to try to recreate something not ever tasting it. I was going by Spencer’s memory and the recipe I found. He was very pleased with the outcome, as was I. I really didn’t know what to expect and what the texture was supposed to be since I had never had any type of bisque before. This recipe was awesome; it was so creamy and buttery and just full of flavor. I could taste every flavor that was included in this recipe; the flavor of the sauteed vegetables, even though they weren’t in the final product, were so evident…It was amazing.

This recipe was incredible and there really wasn’t that much to it. Out of all the ones out there, and there are a ton, I’m glad I chose this one to follow. Now that I’ve finally made a bisque I know that I will be making more; and I won’t be afraid to branch out now that I know what to expect. We enjoyed it so much, I hope you do too!

Crab Bisque

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 large carrot, chopped
2 stalk celery, chopped
1 quart (32 ounces) chicken stock
1 (8-ounce) can tomato paste (I used Hunt’s Roasted Garlic)
1 Pound, 4 Ounces lump crab meat (Reserve a little to top when serving)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cooking sherry
1 cup heavy cream, divided
Sea salt and ground white pepper to taste
2 teaspoons paprika
Whole or chopped chives for garnish (optional)

Directions:

In a large stock or soup pot, melt one tablespoon of butter with the olive oil. Cook onion, carrots and celery over low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft but not browned. Add stock and tomato purée and simmer 20 minutes. Strain mixture through a fine sieve and return liquid to pot, discard vegetables. Measure out 1 cup of strained liquid and set aside.
Melt remaining butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisk in flour and stir until smooth. Very slowly stir in sherry and the cup of reserved liquid. Add this mixture to the large stock pot and bring to boil, whisking until smooth. Reduce heat, add crab meat and simmer 10 to 15 minutes. Season with sea salt and white pepper.

In a small bowl, blend 1/4 cup cream with paprika. Set aside. When ready to serve bisque, whisk remaining 3/4 cup cream into bisque and adjust seasonings. Ladle bisque into bowls and top with reserved claw meat pieces. Garnish with paprika-spiced cream and chives if desired.

Adapted From: Whole Foods

Chicken Stew and Cornbread Dumplings

October 28, 2008 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Soups, stews, chilis and more. Fall and winter are the perfect time to break out the classic soup recipes that are favorites as well as try some new ones that you run across. There are all types of soups; from the ones that make you feel cozy and warm because they are “home style” to the ones that are a little more fancy with rich tastes. I’m a huge fan of any type of soup and I’ll try anything once.

I’ve been looking through different cook books, catalogs and on different websites to get an idea of some different soups I would like to try this season. There are tons out there that sound so incredible; I don’t know if I will get to all of them this year! I’ve definitely gotten inspired by all the different types out there and I’m honestly amazed there are endless options.

I came across one that sounded so good and it was basically a spin on the classic chicken and dumplings recipe. Spencer loves chicken and dumplings, so when I saw this recipe I knew it was a must try. This wasn’t your typical chicken and dumplings; for starters the base was more of a cream base and the dumplings weren’t ordinary dumpinlings, they were cornbread! I love cornbread so I really didn’t think you could go wrong having cornbread dumplings, plus they had cheese in them. This treat just seemed to be getting better and better by the minute!

This was more of a stew than a soup, and it was so good. Spencer absolutely loved this; I know it’s one thats going to be on the menu from now on. Even in you’re not a dumpling fan you would probably like this recipe, these aren’t your typical dumplings that are actually down in the soup. This is also a recipe that could be made without the dumplings and with a side of cornbread instead.

Chicken Stew and Cornbread Dumplings

Ingredients:

1 16 ounce bag frozen, mixed vegetables
14 Ounces water and 1 chicken boullion cube
1 Medium onion, roughly chopped
1/2 Cup water
1/2 Teaspoon dried oregano OR 1 Teaspoon fresh
1/2 Teaspoon dried dill OR 1 Teaspoon fresh
***You could use any other herbs instead.
1/4 Teaspoon garlic powder
Fresh cracked pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste
1 2/3Cup milk
1/3 Cup all purpose flour
2 chicken breast poached and cubed-season with salt and pepper
1 Recipe for cornbread dumplings

Cornbread Dumplings:

In a medium bowl stir together 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 1/3 cup yellow cornmeal, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and a dash of black pepper. In a small bowl combine 1 beaten egg, 2 tablespoons milk, and 2 tablespoons cooking oil; add to flour mixture, stirring with for just until combined.

Directions:

In a large saucepan combine brother, frozen vegetables, onions, water, dried herbs (if using), salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Bring to boil.
In a small bowl combine milk and flour, stire into vegetable mixture. Stire in checken. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Stir in fresh herbs if using.
Drop Dumpling dough from a tablespoon into 4-8 mounds on top of the bubbling stew. Simmer, covered (do not lift cover), over low heat for 10-12 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in a dumpling comes out clean. Once finished add a little more fresh cracked pepper and salt.

Recipe Source: adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook

White Chili

October 17, 2008 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

I love the fall season for many reasons, but one of my favorite things of fall are the foods. There are so many different foods that go along with fall; but I think soups, stews and chilis are among the most popular types. There is nothing better than having a hot bowl of chili with cornbread on a cool, crisp fall day.

Since I live in Arkansas, seasons are very rare and don’t last long at all. It seems like we go from extreme heat to extreme cool with no between period. Any time we get semi-seasonal weather we take advantage of it to the fullest.

This past Saturday was a perfect fall day here and I was craving some chili. I had recently made regular chili so I thought this would be a perfect time to try out White Chicken Chili that I’ve seen on so many blogs. I had really never seen or heard of white chili before I got into the blogging world and started browsing other people’s blogs. I knew when I saw it I had to try it because it looked incredible. Saturday was the perfect day to try out this new found chili recipe (new for me at least:) ).

This recipe was actually pretty easy to put together. It’s also one of those recipes where you pretty much have everything on hand at all times…I love those types of recipes! It was such a hearty chili that I didn’t really need to cook any side items to go with it; so I cooked some cornbread and that was it. The chili was a big hit with everyone, there were barely any leftovers and what we did have left over was gone pretty quickly.

White Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

2 Cans navy beans
1 large onion, chopped
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 cups half-and-half
1 teaspoon Tabasco, or to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon white pepper, or to taste
two 4-ounce cans whole mild green chilies, drained and chopped
5 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 2 pounds), cooked and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack (about 6 ounces), plus extra for topping
1/2 cup sour cream

Directions:

In a skillet cook onion in 2 tablespoons butter over moderate heat until softened.

In a 6- to 8-quart heavy kettle melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter over moderately low heat and whisk in flour. Cook roux, whisking constantly, 3 minutes. Stir in onion and gradually add broth and half-and-half, whisking constantly. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes, or until thickened. Stir in Tabasco, chili powder, cumin, salt, and white pepper. Add beans, chilies, chicken, and Monterey Jack and cook mixture over moderately low heat, stirring, 20 minutes. Stir sour cream into chili.

Recipe Source: adapted from Epicurious

It's Chili Time

October 11, 2008 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

I love the fall and everything that comes along with it. I have been waiting for the weather to change and actually feel like fall for quite some time now. I love soups, chili, stews and all the other cool weather fall type foods. I enjoy these types of food all the time but I really enjoy them when the weather is crisp and cool.

On a cool night there is nothing better than a warm, spicy bowl of chili with cheese and Fritos. The other night was the perfect night to make my first batch of chili for the season; it was cool outside and I was bundled up inside.

I love deer meat; dear steak, chili, sausage or whatever…I’m a fan. We had a deer processed and had some chili meat made so I thought I would try that out for this batch of chili. The chili turned out incredible; it was so tasty and all the flavors blended perfectly. The night before I browned the meat, cut up onions and peppers and got them all ready so I could just throw everything in the crockpot the next morning. Chili is a great meal to make ahead; and that’s exactly what I did.

Ingredients:

1 Pound Italian sausage

1 Pound deer meat (I had the processor cut up some in a chili cut)

1 Can chili with beans

1 Can chili with hot beans

3 Cans stewed tomatoes

1 Can Rotel

2 Medium/1 Large bell pepper-chopped

4-5 Medium peppers- such as jalapenos or habaneros (add more or less according to taste)

2 Tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes

Pepper-to taste

Garlic salt-to taste

3-4 Tablespoons chili powder

3-4 Tablespoons Louisiana hot sauce

Cheddar cheese-shredded to go on top

Fritos

Directions:

Place meat in pan and cook thoroughly. Once meat is cooked, drain, and then add seasonings. Dice peppers and onions and mix into meat. ***If cooking it in a crockpot place mixture in refrigerator until ready to cook.

Once ready to cook place meat and onion mixture in crockpot; stir in rest of ingredients. Place crockpot on low before work and when you come home you’ll have a nice, hot meal ready when you get home.

Top with cheese and a side of fritos!

Recipe from Lynsey Lou

Thick and Creamy Potato Soup

September 9, 2008 by Lynsey 2 Comments

This weather is killing me; a couple of days of fall like weather (soup weather) and then it goes back to summer time weather. It seems like about the time I get my mind made up to start making fall type foods the weather goes back to cool, light food weather or grilling weather. As you can tell by some of the previous posts I was in the fall mood and there is a soup or two out there right now. The other night I wanted soup so bad that I really didn’t think about the weather outside and I made up my mind that’s what we were having.

I love potato soup, it’s one of my all time favorites. I think my top two favorite kinds are my Grandma’s and McAlister’s Deli; you just can’t beat them. I have seen my grandmother make her potato soup a lot throughout the years but I couldn’t remember the recipe step by step so I tried to recreate it to the best of my knowledge. It turned out pretty good; I did add a few extra things to mind. This is definitely a great cool weather meal!

Ingredients:

6-8 Medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 Stalk celery, thinly sliced
1 Medium carrot, thinly sliced
1/2 Onion, diced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2-2 Cups Chicken Broth
1 Cup milk (or more if needed to thin it down…depends on desired consistency)
1-8oz block cream cheese
4 Slices thick bacon, cooked and chopped (for this I used pepper bacon)
1 Cup cheddar cheese, shredded (reserve some to sprinkle on top)
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Scallions
Sour Cream

Directions:

In a large pan, add olive oil and heat over medium. Add the carrots, celery and onions and cook until tender. Add the prepared potatoes and chicken broth and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Add the cream cheese and milk and stir to combine. Add the bacon and cheddar and stir until combine. Spoon into bowls, garnish with sour cream, cheese and scallions.

Recipe Courtesy of: Lynsey Lou

Salsa Stoup with Avocado Smash and Double Decker Baked Quesadillas

September 1, 2008 by Lynsey 1 Comment

A few days ago we actually had some nice fall like weather that got me in the mood to make some soup. This weather is so odd…soup in August, who would have thought??? Anyway, I wanted something that wasn’t too hearty that I could add something with and we wouldn’t feel overloaded with food. I was looking through recipes and magazines when I came accross one at Food Network that looked pretty good, fall like and not too heavy.

Also we were having my hubby’s mother over, and it was a work day, so I wanted something that was going to be good and taste great but didn’t take forever. I didn’t want us to be sitting down to eat at 9:00. Since I’m a big fan of salsa this recipe jumped out at me; what a great idea to make a soup out of one of my favorite appetizer dishes. It was so simple to throw together and it’s one of those, just like my salsa recipe, that can be moderated to accomodate any temperature for people who do like spicey and then those that don’t care too much for it. It’s also great left over and could be a great base for another type of soup later on in the week; just add some hamburger meat or beef chunks and it would be a great beef stew recipe.

The quesadillas that went with this recipe were really good. I could have had the whole meal be meatless but my hubby thinks that a meal without meat it just incomplete. When I was at the store I bought one of those rotisserrie chickens and pulled some meat off and put it in one of the double layers of the quesadillas. It turned out so good and the quesadilla recipe would be great on it’s own.

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 Green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2 Jalapenos, seeded and chopped

1 Large onion, chopped

3 Ribs celery, chopped

3 Cloves garlic, chopped

Salt and Pepper

1 (28oz) can stewed tomatoes

1 Can crushed tomatoes

2 Cups veggie/chicken stock

3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley

6 Flour torillas (6-8in)

1 Cup shredded cheddar

3 Scallions- chopped

4 oz brick Pepper Jack- shredded

Sour Cream

***Use recipe for Avacodo Smash under the tags of appetizers or veggies***

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Heat soup pot over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons evoo, jalapenos, bell pepper, onion, celery and garlic. Season with salt and pepper then saute veggies for 5 minutes, add tomatoes, crushed tomoatoes, and stock and bring to a bubble. Reduce heat to a simmer and add cilantro.

Brush one side of tortilla with oil, place next to one another, oiled side down on large cookie sheet. MIx cheddar with scallions and divide cheese evenly among tortillas. Top with another toritilla and top each with pepper jack cheese (and chicken if desired). Set last tortilla on top and brush with evoo. Cook 10 minutes in oven to melt cheese and crisp tortillas. Let cool then cut each quesadilla into 6 pieces.

Top soup with sour cream and avocado smash.

Avocado Smash

Adapted from Food Network per Rachael Ray

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