Spicy Turkey Chili with Bread Bowls

Fall is in the air.  It's only a few days away, but I am already in gear for warm comfort foods.  I love love love comfort foods like mac n' cheese, chicken pot pie, soups, and stews.  What I don't love is all the calories associated with it.

I am taking a chili recipe, changing up the beef for turkey and kicking up the spice level a bit.  I will be eating sans bread bowl, but I will treat Jay to this little delight :)

turkey chili recipe

1 lb. lean ground turkey
1/2 c. chopped onion
2 1/2 c. tomato sauce, I used leftover pizza sauce
1- 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
2 tbsp. chopped jarred jalapeno peppers
1/2 tsp. grill seasoning
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ancho chili pepper
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 can kidney beans, optional

In a skillet, brown turkey and onions.  Add to slow cooker.  Add remaining ingredients, and cook for 8 hours on low.  I made this the day before I want to serve it, so all the flavors can marry together.  Also freezes well for up to 3 months.

I will post the bread bowl recipe tomorrow :)

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

The first time I had broccoli cheddar soup was when I was working at an Italian restaurant. I love that Billy Joel song, don't you??? Sorry, I digressed. 

I fell in love with it immediately.  I have continued to order it repeatedly at restaurants over the last 20 years.  However, the one thing I don't love about it, is the fat grams and calories.  So I have made my version, a bit healthier.  I say only a bit, because I still use regular cheddar.  I don't like the taste or texture of reduced fat or fat free cheese.

I have substituted the cream for skim milk, and the whole milk for chicken stock. Yes you heard me right, the original recipe called for both cream and whole milk.  Honestly, once it is blended, it still has the velvety texture of a cream soup.  This recipe is also a great cream of broccoli soup, just don't add the cheese.

Serve the soup with nice crusty bread and a salad for a great dinner.  It's also a great soup to entertain with.  If you want to make it vegetarian just use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock :)

recipe  (about 4 servings)

2 c. chicken stock
1 c. skim milk
2 heads of broccoli, cut into florets
4 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. flour
1/2 of a medium onion, diced
1 1/2 c. cheddar cheese
salt & pepper to taste

In a 3 quart stock pot, melt butter and cook onion until soft.  Add the flour and a healthy pinch of salt, and a dash of pepper.  Cook for about a minute. 

Add chicken stock, milk, and broccoli.

Simmer on low for about 20 minutes, or until broccoli is tender.  Transfer to a blender, with the center of the lid removed (but cover the hole with a towel to avoid spatter), blend until desired consistency.  I blended mine until completely smooth.



Return the soup to the pot and add cheese, stir until melted. The soup should be hot enough to melt the cheese, but if it is not turn the heat on low for a few minutes.  Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.

Like I said before, if you don't add the cheese, you have a great cream of broccoli soup.  Also my soup is green, because I blended the "H-E- double hockey sticks" out of it.  You can also blend on the stove top with an immersion blender.



Baby It's Cold Outside!!! (Tortellini Soup)

Yesterday was rainy, windy, and a bit yucky.  I woke up this morning to snow :)  Gotta love New York.  Cold weather, snowy day,  perfect for soup making.

After the kids had a play date, we stopped by the grocery store for a few ingredients. Soup is quite simple to make.  You can add a few ingredients or really amp it up with the whole pantry.  We chose to make a soup with a short ingredient list. 

Adam was my sous chef.  I am really determined that both of my boys will know how to cook basics.  They have been helping me in the kitchen with age appropriate tasks for a while.  Today's lesson had Adam front and center.  While he doesn't eat soup right now, he's learning basic kitchen skills, and someday may try it.

He had the job of peeling carrots, chopping the onion (in the mini chopper, with supervision), and dumping all the veggies into the soup pot.  I stirred, added the stock, and kept a watchful eye on the simmering pot.  Together we made a tasty pot of tortellini vegetable soup, and more importantly had much needed "Adam and Mommy time".

recipe (yields 4 servings)

1 small onion, chopped fine
3 ribs of celery, diced
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
1 large potato, peeled and diced (I used a Yukon Gold)
1 box of vegetable stock, 4 cups
1 lb. bag of frozen cheese tortellini
1 tsp. ground pepper
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried parsley
Parmesan cheese for garnish

In a large stock pot, heat a tablespoon of oil.  Add chopped vegetables, salt, pepper, and saute for about 5 to 7 minutes.  Add vegetable stock, bring to a boil.  Once the soup is boiling, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 30 to 45 minutes.  The vegetables should be tender.  Add frozen tortellini, cover, and cook another 5 to 7 minutes.  Once the tortellini is cooked through, remove from heat.  Check for salt and pepper, and adjust to taste.  Ladle into bowl and top with Parmesan cheese.  Serve with bread, such as my Italian Bread.

** NOTE: If you are making this ahead or freezing it, don't add the tortellini until you are ready to serve.  **

Wholesome Wednesday (Sausage and Kale Soup)

While thumbing through my cookbooks, I came across a recipe that felt perfect with the cold front that is moving through.  Yesterday when I took Adam to school, it was -10 degrees, and the previous night it was -17 degrees.  Cold weather like that makes me crave soup. 

I love all kinds of soup. Soup is comforting and can be so good for you. This soup was inspired by a sausage and escarole soup from Marlene Koch's cookbook Eat What You Love.  I took a few liberties, changed a few items to what I had on hand, and added a little additional seasoning.  She explains her inspiration was a soup at the famous Italian Restaurant chain, that features all you can eat, soup, salad and bread sticks.  Only this soup is much healthier and guilt free.

This recipe makes enough to serve six to eight people. You can easily halve it, or do what I did, give some to the neighbors. 

recipe

8 c. reduced sodium chicken stock
1/2 lb. pre-cooked chicken sausage
1 big bunch of kale (about 5 cups)
1 large russet potato
1/4 tsp. chili flakes
2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tbsp. dried minced onion

Slice sausage thinly, about 1/4 inch slices. Wash the potato and with the skin on, cut into a medium dice. Remove kale from the stems, rinse, and do a rough chop.  In a large stock pot, combine all the ingredients, putting the kale in last.  Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to low heat and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. The kale will wilt down into the soup after about five minutes, but needs to simmer for at least 30 minutes to cook out the bitterness.  Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for a couple of days.  Serve with biscuits or a nice rustic bread!

Wholesome Wednesday (French Onion Soup)

We have welcomed fall here in Oneonta. Cool temperatures, rainy weather, and the leaves are turning. Two of those three I don't mind, as for the rain, it really could go away at this point.  However, fall conjures up memories of my mom's homemade chicken soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. To keep with that theme, today's post is an easy recipe for French Onion Soup.

I first learned how to make French Onion Soup when I was a cook at an Italian restaurant. It was a staple on the menu and I probably served hundreds on any given night.  That recipe was very basic, and while tasty, was very high in salt.  As I am getting older (almost mid 30's, sshhhh...) I realize I can not keep up with high sodium foods.  So after a few attempts at this soup, I have come up with a lower sodium recipe that still boasts flavor.

recipe

French Onion Soup (serves 6)

2 softball sized sweet onions, sliced
1 tbsp olive oil or canola oil
4 cups low sodium beef stock
4 cups low sodium vegetable stock
1 tsp garlic
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp black pepper
2 to 3 tsp salt (to taste)
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp Worchestire Sauce
6 slices of low fat mozzarella or provolone cheese
6 slices of baguette

In a large skillet heat oil and gently saute onions over medium heat with thyme, salt, and pepper for about 5 minutes.  You want the onions to just slightly soften.  Then in a crock pot add stock, garlic, bay leaf, Worchestire Sauce, and onions.  Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. 

To serve, ladle soup into a heat safe coffee mug to about 1/2 inch from top of mug.  Place one piece of baguette on top of the soup and top with cheese. Heat under broiler for about two minutes, until the cheese is golden brown.  Enjoy!!!

Buffalo Chicken Wing Soup

In honor of my hometown and my recent trip I decided to post my recipe for Buffalo Chicken Wing Soup.  There is a restaurant called Danny's that has a soup that is delicious, spicy & bold called Chicken Wing Soup.  I had it at the Taste of Buffalo and have enjoyed it.  About a year ago, my husband's work had a "Souper Bowl". (Basically a contest of the best soups) I entered my version of chicken wing soup and came in a respectable second place.  The recipe has gone under many transformations from the original test pilot. I think the most recent version is pretty balanced in flavor and texture.  It can be made on the stove top, but honestly the easiest way is to pour all the ingredients in a crock pot and forget about it.  If you wish to cook it on the stove, just simmer the veggies first until they are soft and then add the rest of the ingredients and cook on low for about an hour or so.  I use the crock pot, so I don't have to babysit the pot and it's hot throughout the day whenever myself or Jay is ready for it.

recipe

1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 cup chicken stock
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup of hot sauce (I use Frank's, and 1 cup is spicy, try 1/2 cup for milder)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chili powder

Pour all ingredients into a crock pot on low for 4 to 6 hours. Serve with scallions, crumbled bleu cheese, or shredded cheddar. Freeze for up to 3 months.