MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

I don't have anything new for you this week. We have been eating leftovers from our Christmas Dinner. I made a batch of this soup that we could eat over a few days while getting ready for the 25th. You can find the recipe at this link. Our son gave us a box of noodles to try, Girelle pasta, which is one of his and our daughter-in-law's favorites at the moment.

Girelle refers to two distinct types of Italian pasta: a short, corkscrew-shaped dry pasta, and the type we used for this latest version of chicken noodle soup, and a stuffed, rolled fresh pasta.

Short-cut Girelle (Vesuvio) is a dried, commercial pasta shape, specifically a short, semi-hollow corkscrew, often referred to as Vesuvio. The shape is said to be inspired by the famous Mt. Vesuvius volcano in the Campania region of Italy where it originates. Its curly spring shape is excellent for catching and scooping up hearty sauces and chunky ingredients, or in a soup such as this one. It can be found in Italian food specialty retailers such as DeLallo (their website can be found here if interested) or, in our case, son bought it from a nearby Wegmans Supermarket. It may be sold in other supermarkets also, but I haven’t explored that yet.

The stuffed fresh Girella (Rolled) is a handmade fresh pasta preparation, where sheets of pasta are rolled tightly with a filling to create a spiral effect. It resembles a long, uncut roll of tortellini or a variation of rotolo. The rolled pasta is typically sliced into individual servings after cooking or baking. It is often served with a complimentary sauce, such as a rich tomato sauce, Cacio e Pepe sauce, or a simple butter emulsion. Common fillings inlcude ricotta and spinach, ricotta and parmesan, or more unique combinations like mushrooms and goat cheese, or ricotta and 'nduja', a spicy spreadable sausage. It can be boiled like a large, long ravioli spiral and then plated with sauce, or baked in the oven with ingredients like béchamel and mozzarella for a golden crust. 

We took a quick trip around the neighborhood last night on our way home. I thought I would share an 8 second video and a couple of photos to close off today’s post.

A photo of Santa about to make his way back to the North Pole. He is the biggest Santa I have seen and was almost as tall as the house. Hopefully there were no high winds expected but he looked safely tethered.

Several others were pointing him in the right direction, fortified by a glass of Eggnog perhaps.

Thanks for looking, have a great week and...

MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - HEARTY TORTELLINI SOUP - SERVES 6

Last week we had a cold snap. It didn’t last but this recipe had been saved for such a day. We love a good hearty soup. I have another one on my blog at this link, which is also excellent, but there are a lot more ingredients. This one, not as many, faster and delicious. I found it at Charm Recipes and the original recipe is here.

Hearty Tortellini Soup - Serves 6

From prep to table, approximately 30 minutes.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 carrots, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth (I actually used beef broth as it was what I had in the pantry)

1 can (14.5 ozs) diced tomatoes (undrained)

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 package (9 ozs) fresh or frozen cheese tortellini

2 cups fresh spinach or kale

Grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Fresh parsley, choped (optional for garnish)

In a large pot heat the olive oil over medium heat. 

Add the chopped onion, garlic, carrots and celery. Saute for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened.

Pour in the vegetable broth (or substitutes - i.e. vegetable or beef broths) and add the diced tomatoes, also their juices. Stir in the Italian seasonings, salt and black pepper.

Increase the heat and bring everything in the pot to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer.

Add the tortellini to the pot and cook according to package directions (usually about 3 to 5 minutes for fresh tortellini, or 7 to 10 minutes for frozen.

In the last couple of minutes of cooking, stir in the fresh spinach (or kale) and cook until wilted.

Once everything is cooked through, ladle the soup into bowls and top with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley, if using.

We thoroughly enjoyed this soup. We will probably have enough for meals the next couple of days. 

It is a very versatile dish so you can add your favorite protein. Suggestions were sausage, shredded chicken or ground turkey. 

The same with favorite vegetables. I thought mushrooms would be a nice addition.

Next time I would add 1 extra can of diced tomatoes.

Other tips can be found at the original recipe link.

I always add a cup of red wine when we add the broth and diced tomatoes. We both think this makes the broth even more flavorful.

I used spinach and not kale because I already had the fresh spinach in the fridge.

We served it with a roll toasted under the broiler after sprinkling grated Parmesan cheese on top. Left it in there until the top turned golden brown.

Full website address for this recipe is below, in case you prefer to copy and paste instead of using the link at the beginning of the recipe.

https://charmrecipes.com/hearty-tortellini-soup/

Thanks for looking, have a great week and Bon Appetit!

MONDAY MORNING RECIPE ON TUESDAY INSTEAD - EASY POTATO AND CORN CHOWDER - SERVES 4

The weather has turned decidedly chilly. I didn’t think I would be making any soups again until the Fall, but here we are. I found a recipe for an easy potato and corn chowder at Cook2eatwell hosted by Elizabeth Rodriguez. Thank you Elizabeth, it is a delicious soup. You can find her original at this link. She has great tips to make this, along with more delicious recipes.

This soup was a ten out of ten. I made it while Gregg was out of the house for the day, and when he came back and smelled the aroma, he couldn't wait to have a bowl. 

Easy Potato and Corn Chowder

Serves 4

3 tablespoons butter

1 medium yellow or white onion, small dice

1 stick of celery, diced

2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus extra at the end if needed

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 cups chicken broth

2 (16 ounce) cans cream-style corn

10 ounces frozen corn, defrosted (cooked to approximately half suggested cooking time on the package)

1-1/2 pounds potatoes (russet potatoes preferred but Yukon gold, yellow potatoes, or red potatoes will also work)

1/2 cup half-and-half or whole milk

4-5 bacon slices, cooked crispy for garnish (optional)

1 tablespoon chopped chives or green onions for garnish (optional)

Preperation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

Total time: 1 hour

Preparation times above are just a guideline. It always takes me longer as I do everything in stages. Start early and make sure I am awake enough to prepare veggies, which I usually do sitting at the kitchen table. I take breaks to drink a cup or two of coffee. I try not to have any more after the noon hour, and have a cup of green tea in the afternoon, and in the evening have a cup of an herbal caffeine-free chamomile, honey and vanilla tea, which is my favorite at the moment.  

Instructions:

Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. 

Once the butter is melted and foamy, add the onions and celery. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent.

Add the garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring often.

Sprinkle in the flour and cook and stir to mix together for at least two minutes to remove the raw flour taste. Stir almost constantly.

Gradually add the broth while stirring briskly with a whisk or wooden spoon. Continue adding and stirring until the flour is fully dissolved.

Stir in the creamed corn.

Raise the heat to bring the soup to a simmer, which will take about 5 minutes.

Once simmering, lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.

Stir occasionally, adjusting the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer.

While the soup simmers, cook the frozen corn enough to defrost—usually about half the recommended time on the package. Drain well.

Add the potatoes and defrosted corn to the pot. If the soup doesn’t begin simmering immediately, raise the heat slightly. Then, lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the half-and-half (or milk), cover, and cook gently for 2–3 minutes, until heated through.

Taste the soup and add salt if needed. As a reference, ½ teaspoon was added to ours.

 Ladle the soup into individual bowls and garnish with crispy bacon and chopped chives or green onions for garnish.

If you have to watch such things, our blog host suggested using reduced-sodium ingredients like unsalted butter, low-sodium broth, and low-sodium bacon for garnish. We always use low sodium chicken broth.

I wondered if this soup might have been a bit bland but we both agreed it was very tasty. We served it with a crusty roll but feel that it is hardy enough on its own. 

I had whole milk in the fridge especially bought for this recipe. It was one of the ingredients, that or half-and-half. I thought of using my regular 2 percent and might try it next time but my dear other half says I wouldn't mess with it, that's how much he enjoyed it as is. When I went to the fridge this morning I saw the milk I had put in a measuring jug that I was going to add along with the rest of the ingredients. Just saying, because if you ever find yourself without it, we didn't miss it one iota.

We added the bacon and green onions. Gregg ate his on the side while I added mine on top. I ate another bowl without cooking any bacon, just adding the green onions. I think it would be fine without those too.

Other half also suggested a tablespoon of sour cream on top for garnish sometime.

The first bowl I added a few dashes of Siracha hot sauce, the second time left it off. Great either way.

I also made a double batch of soup, so there will be leftovers for the next two or three days.

I left the blog address out in full below, just in case you prefer to cut and paste rather than to use the link I provided above.

https://www.cook2eatwell.com/easy-potato-corn-chowder.

I always try to reread everything to make sure I don't have any typos, but sometimes they get in there. If you have any questions, please feel free to put them in the comments.

Thanks for stopping by, 

have a great day and 

Bon Appétit!

MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - HEARTY CABBAGE SOUP WITH SAUSAGE AND POTATOES

One from my old blog today that I am thinking of making now. This is from January 2010.

I saw this recipe on a food blog called "A Smart Mouth". The link I provided no longer works after checking.

When I made it back then it was also a snow day. We woke up to a couple of inches, not nearly as bad as another snow two weeks before this one, but enough to keep me from wanting to go out, and I was in the mood to spend time in the kitchen. The aroma that wafts through the house is very welcoming. I usually get a "Wow, that smells great! What are we having for dinner?"

Today it is: 

Hearty Cabbage Soup with Sausage and Potatoes

Serves 10 to 12 people

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large Vidalia Onion, 1/2 inch dice (5 cups)

3 large cloves garlic, minced (3 tablespoons)

1 large green cabbage, cored and chopped in 1 inch dice (18-20 cups)

2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, washed but not peeled, 1 inch dice

1-1/2 pounds cooked Andouille or other pork sausage, cut into 1/4 inch coins

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 can tomato paste

8 cups chicken broth, homemade if possible or two 4-cup cartons of low sodium chicken broth)

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon rosemary (about 4 inch sprig), fresh or 1 teaspoon dried

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper to taste

2 teaspoons sea salt

Heat a large pot or Dutch oven to medium low. Add the olive oil. Sauté sausage until it starts to brown, about 5 minutes.

A note about the sausage that was in the recipe, if you would like to use another sausage, try to find a high quality, sturdy pork sausage that has some heat, or your preferred. You can also use less sturdy or raw sausages, but you will want to handle in the following manner. 

If it is the cooked sausage cut into coins, brown it in a pan on each side for 5 minutes, set aside. 

If it is raw sausage, cook whole in a pan on medium until done in the center and browned on the outside. For cooking time, I would use the instructions on the packet, then cut into coins and set aside. 

In both cases, add the sausage 5 minutes before the soup is done to prevent it from falling apart. 

Add the onion and garlic, sauté until they begin to soften. 

Stir in the cabbage and potatoes.

Put on the lid and cook for about 5 minutes until the cabbage begins to wilt.

Making the roux: Put the tomato paste in a small bowl with 1 cup stock and whisk until smooth. Set aside.

Stir 1/2 cup flour into the vegetables. Stir it in completely until there is no trace of flour left.

Add the wine. Stir.

Add the tomato paste. Stir.

Add the broth. Stir.

Season and simmer: add the paprika, sugar, thyme, rosemary, black pepper and salt. Stir.

Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. If it is too thick for your liking, add 2 more cups of either water or broth, and return to a slow boil for 5 minutes more. 

Taste and adjust seasonings. 

The soup can be stored in the fridge for up to a week, or frozen for up to one month.

I served this soup with a crusty baguette the first time. The second time I made cheese straws which you can find here at Blue Ridge Baker's blog (link still works). They were great. Hubs decided to break his up like regular crackers and put them into the soup. They were very good that way.

We have also added a few dashes of the above hot sauce which I can get at most supermarkets. It makes it extra hot and spicy. If you use I would add it sparingly. Soup also tastes great without.

I had to smile at this old photo of our fridge. It broke down too many times, threw up its hands finally and would work no more. We bought a new fridge that would not take a magnet. I didn't know this and missed the old magnets, but it was very nice to have a new fridge.

My mother was a collector of them and so was I. Some we have picked up on our travels and some are from friends who gave us ones from theirs. I also have a few photos in frame-magnets. Now the special ones are in storage boxes, but most have been given away. 

I hope you like this old recipe. It's been a long time since I made it. The ingredients are on our shopping list now. Might change the sausage to turkey this time, or even go without any protein. We could add beans instead. I think that would be nice. I will have to swing that one by my dear other half. Most of the time our tastes are the same, other times we work around it.

Thanks for looking, have a great day and...

MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - HEARTY TORTELLINI SOUP

Today’s recipe was found at Art and the Kitchen hosted by Laureen King and you can find her original recipe here.  It was an excellent soup and we gave it a 10 out of 10. There are several ingredients and there is a lot of prep work, but the end result is very much worth the effort.  You may have many of the ingredients in your pantry/fridge already.

Hearty Tortellini Soup

Makes approximately 10 generous servings

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 cup chopped onions 

1 cup chopped celery 

1 cup sliced carrots

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. extra lean ground beef

2 links mild Italian sausage, sliced

1 (28 oz.) can tomatoes, undrained and coarsely chopped 

4 cups beef stock

1 can (14 ozs.) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups of cabbage, chopped

1 cup green beans

1 cup diced, unpeeled zucchini 

1/2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon dried basil

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper 

1/2 cup dry red wine

2 cups cheese filled tortellini, fresh or frozen

2 cups fresh spinach, shredded

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a large pot heat oil over medium heat.

Add onions, celery, carrots and garlic. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes.

Stir in ground beef and sausage. Cook until beef is no longer pink. 

Stir in tomatoes, beef stock, kidney beans, cabbage, green beans, zucchini, sugar, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. 

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 30 minutes.

Stir in red wine, tortellini and spinach. 

Cook covered for 20 minutes or until pasta is tender but firm.

Taste and adjust seasonings.

Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Our pot was filled to the brim. We need a bigger soup pot! The cabbage cooks down considerably.  That helped!

Changes made: I asked Gregg to purchase turkey sausage as I remember him liking it the last time we used it and I was looking for healthier choices. He picked up these instead. They were excellent! I am thinking with all its ingredients, it helped to add that extra flavor to our soup.

The aroma wafting through the house was incredible!

We forgot to add the green beans, but no problem as we didn’t miss them. I only remembered they weren’t there when typing the ingredients here.

We already had a can of black beans in the pantry and I used them instead of the red kidney beans.

This would be very nice with a crusty roll, but we didn’t feel the need to add one. It is a very hardy soup.

I am thinking this would make a very nice vegetarian meal if you cut out the meat and used vegetable broth.

There are leftovers for several more meals, and I will put portions in the freezer if we need a change from eating this.  Gregg says we won’t do that, he enjoyed it that much. So for the next several meals we know what we will be having for lunch or dinner. It really was a great tasting soup.  My thanks to Laureen for putting it on her blog.

I think that’s about it. If you have any questions or even suggestions, please let me know in the comments.

Here is the website’s address in full in case you want to copy and paste instead of using the above link.

https://www.artandthekitchen.com/hearty-tortellini-soup/

MONDAY MORNING RECIPE - CABBAGE AND POTATO SOUP - APPROXIMATELY 8 SERVNGS

We are definitely going through soup weather. It's going to heat up later this week but in the meantime, it’s been chillier and I wanted to make it on such a day. It comes from a food blog called 'Simply Recipes' hosted by Stephanie A. Ganz. It looked so good I put it on our rotation and we made it a couple of days ago. You can find the original recipe at this link. 

Cabbage and Potato Soup - 8 servings

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced 

1 medium green cabbage, chopped (about 8 cups packed)

1 lb. Yukon gold potatoes, large dice (about 4 cups)

6 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock

(If you would like to make your own stock, Stephanie's recipe can be found here.)

Salt and pepper to taste.

(Optional: Lemon juice, olive oil and fresh herbs like dill or parsley or chives.)

In a large Dutch oven over medium, heat the olive oil and add the diced onion. Cook until the onion is translucent but not brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chopped cabbage and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook the cabbage and onions, stirring occasionally to soften the cabbage and develop some golden brown color, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the potatoes, chicken stock, salt and pepper (It's okay to use a heavy hand with the salt and pepper our host said, “because you are seasoning two very neutral vegetables, and you want to bring out their subtle flavors”.

Cover and bring to a simmer. Lower heat and cook until vegetables are tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

Taste and adjust the seasonings. You can garnish with a squeeze of lemon juice and/or a few chopped herbs.

Serve immediately.

Refrigerate leftovers for up to 5 days.

Cabbage and Potato Soup is a favorite around here. We both gave this a 10 out of 10. It was even better the second day when the flavors were more enhanced.We doubled the ingredients, except for the cabbage as it was more than enough. We don't mind eating this every day until it is finished.

I thought white beans would be a nice addition. 

My dear suggested shredded rotisserie chicken. 

Cooked diced ham could be another choice.  

I do, however, try to put meatless meals on the table and I would use vegetable broth for that. 

This has a very smooth, easy and delicious flavor. Nothing spicy added while cooking, except for the salt and pepper.

 When we sat down to eat Gregg added a little rice wine vinegar in his bowl the first night but I didn’t. I wasn’t too sure about that. The next night I was curious, so I drizzled in a couple of splashes. Much to my surprise I thought it added a nice, tasty little zing. If you want to try this I would go easy at first to make sure it is to your taste. 

I added a packet of oyster mushrooms cut into large dice. These were put into the pan at the same time as the onions. I am sure any mushroom would do. We enjoyed this addition very much.

Stephanie mentions that this would be an excellent soup to give someone who is under the weather. I agree as it is a very smooth, nourishing, mild tasting soup.

She suggested adding lemon juice, herbs like dill, parsley, or chives for a garnish. 

Another suggestion was a spoon of sour cream on the top. 

She has had this for breakfast with a poached or fried egg. 

Crusty rolls would go great but I didn’t have any and didn’t miss them.

Below are the addresses left in full, in case you want to copy and paste instead of using the link at the beginning of my recipe.

The soup recipe first.

https://www.simplyrecipes.com/4-ingredient-cabbage-and-potato-soup-recipe-8716762

Stephanie's chicken stock recipe.

 https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_make_chicken_stock/ 

That's all I can think of but if you have any questions, please put them in the comment section. I will do my best to answer.

Have a great week everyone and thanks for stopping by.

MONDAY MORNING RECIPE - BROCCOLI, CAULIFLOWER AND CHEESE SOUP - SERVES 4

It's not exactly soup weather but I had things to use up in the fridge and this is the first recipe I came across. It comes from Now Cook This hosted by Michelle. You can see the original recipe here. It's a delicious soup, a ten out of ten to our own taste. I will be going back to see Michelle's other recipes many times I can tell.

Broccoli Cauliflower and Cheese Soup - serves 4 and if you are watching such things, approximately 471 calories in a serving.

2 tablespoons olive oil, use regular or light – not extra virgin (we used avocado oil)

2 medium to large carrots, diced

2 large ribs celery, diced

1 small to medium onion, diced

salt and pepper, to taste

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 cups water

4 teaspoons chicken base, such as Better Than Bouillon

3 cups fresh broccoli florets

3 cups fresh cauliflower florets

1 cup half and half

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

In a large pot (4-quart size or larger), heat the olive oil over medium heat.

Add the carrots, celery, and onions. Season lightly with salt and pepper. 

Sauté until the veggies begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

Add the flour and cook for another minute, stirring. Important to cook the flour first. In my early days I remember missing this step and there was a raw flour taste in every bite of soup.

Combine the water and chicken base. Add to the pot along with the broccoli and cauliflower.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot with a lid and simmer until veggies are tender, about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat.

Using a potato masher, mash the veggies until they reach the desired consistency.

Add the half-and-half and the cheese. Stir until the cheese is blended into the soup. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Michelle's notes:

This recipe makes 4 generous servings of about 2 cups each, which is perfect for a bowl of soup as the main dish, but you could stretch it out to 6 servings of about 1-1/3 cups each if you were serving it as a starter – more like a cup of soup rather than a bowl.

You can use frozen broccoli and cauliflower. Just be sure to reduce the cooking time so that they don’t get mushy.

You can use 4 cups of canned or boxed chicken stock in place of the chicken base and water, but the flavor will be a bit different (I think the chicken base has much more flavor).

Omit the flour to make the soup gluten-free. Use your favorite gluten-free thickening agent and method to thicken the soup (cornstarch, arrowroot, tapioca starch, etc.).

I don’t recommend freezing this soup. Soups with dairy can separate and take on an odd texture when frozen and reheated.   

What did we change?  Not much, we had all the ingredients and was very happy with the way it turned out.

I served it with cornbread and we had a mixed salad. We had arugula and much to my surprise I disliked it very much. It had been a long time since we bought it and now I know why. Gregg on the other hand enjoyed it. I like every other kind of lettuce but apparently not arugula, I couldn't even eat it. I picked out the black olives, cherry tomatoes, diced avocado, diced sweet bell pepper strips, diced onion and was happy with those.

We did add an extra carrot and we both agree, it was a good choice.

I added a few drops of Sriracha to mine.

We used an emulsifier instead of the potato masher and mixed it to a texture we both liked. There were still little nuggets of broccoli and cauliflower surprises left.

This is a great soup for hiding vegetables, especially for those who don’t like broccoli or cauliflower, big kids and little kids.  My dear other half for instance, can’t abide broccoli. The good news is he loves this soup. Our tastes occasionally part ways, like me with arugula. 

I wouldn’t hesitate to use regular broth instead of the chicken base, commercial or homemade. I think it would still be a great tasting soup.

If you prefer to copy and paste the address below, I have left it in full.

https://nowcookthis.com/broccoli-cauliflower-and-cheese-soup/

That's about all I can think of but if you have any questions, please let me know in the comment section. I will be happy to answer if I can.

Thanks for visiting and have a great day!