Skinny Soup (Instant Pot)

Delicious, filling, and super low calorie.  It's a snap in the Instant Pot.  If you wanna take it over the top, add some freshly sliced avocado to your hot bowl of soup.  Amazing!

Ingredients
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1 chopped onion
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 head green cabbage, chopped
1 chicken breast, cubed small
3 cups chicken broth
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes-Italian style
1 can corn, drained
Italian seasoning
Salt & pepper

Directions
Saute carrots, celery, onion, and bell pepper in instant pot for 4-5 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients.  Pressure on high for 15 minutes.  Natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then quick release.

Dump Soup

I know, the name isn't super appetizing.  But don't be afraid . . . once you try this, you'll appreciate the concept.  It's as easy as dumping cans into the crockpot and letting it cook.  I try to keep 1 lb. packages of cooked ground beef in my freezer so I can just dump that in, too.  It's a wonderful soup for a busy day and makes great leftovers.

Dump Soup

1 lb. cooked ground beef

1 onion, diced

1 can green beans, with juice

1 can corn, with juice

1 can carrots, with juice

1 can tomato soup

1 can condensed vegetable beef soup

2 cans chili

1/2 bag frozen peas

1 tsp. chili powder

Combine all ingredients into a 6 qt crockpot and cook on low for 3-4 hours.

Corn Chowder

Honestly . . . I was a bit skeptical when someone brought me this chowder.  I have texture issues and I always hated creamed corn.  I took a leap of faith and tried it--delish!  This recipe makes a great freezer meal (store in a 1 gal. ziploc bag)--so be sure to double for an easy meal another day.  Sometimes I throw in a can of chopped green chili.

Corn Chowder

1 lb. frozen hashbrowns

1 can creamed corn

1 can corn (with liquid)
1 12-oz can evaporated milk

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

12 oz. slices bacon, chopped & cooked

Combine all ingredients in a 4 qt crockpot and cook on low for 4-6 hours.  If frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge before placing in the crockpot.

Clam Chowder

There are two types of people in this world--those that love clam chowder and those that won't touch it.  This recipe is for the lovers.  It's evolved a bit over the years, and it's my family's most favorite soup.  

Clam Chowder

4 slices bacon diced

4 cups diced potatoes

2 cups diced onion

4 stalks chopped celery

2 grated carrots

3 cans minced clams--drain and SAVE juice

1 1/2 sticks butter

1 cup flour

1 quart half and half

1 quart milk

1 tsp sugar

2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp pepper

In a large stock pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until cooked through.  Add potatoes, onions, celery, carrots and clam juice.  Simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through.

Meanwhile in another stock pot add butter and let it melt over medium heat.  Stir in flour and wisk until blended--cook and wisk for 1-2 minutes to eliminate any raw flour taste.  Pour in half and half and wisk until blended.  Add milk, sugar, salt, and pepper.  Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently and cook until it turns quite thick and creamy--it takes a little while.

Stir in white sauce and minced clams to vegetables.  Serve.

Made with Love

Sometimes I like to show love through food. Do you have any food memories from childhood that made you feel special and loved?

Nothing says love like homemade chicken noodle soup. If you've never made homemade noodles, give it a whirl. There's nothing that even compares in taste . . . and your family WILL feel the love!
This recipe makes one large stockpot full of goodness--plenty to share with a friend or two.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
6 eggs
3/4 cup water
2 tsp. salt
4-5 cups flour
6-8 chicken thighs (or drumsticks)
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp dried parsley
salt & pepper
chicken bullion

In a bowl combine eggs, water, and salt. Add in flour one cup at a time and mix with fork for first 3 cups. Mix in 4 and possibly 5th cup with hands. Knead together a few minutes until dough is cohesive, a bit sticky, but not tough or dry. Let dough rest for 5 minutes.

Roll out dough onto a pastry cloth or onto floured surface until quite thin. Sprinkle more flour over the top and rub it into the dough. Let dry for 2-4 hours. It won't be dried out completely, just enough to make it easier to cut and handle.
In the meantime, bring a large stockpot of water to boil. Add vegetables, salt & pepper, parsley, bullion, and chicken thighs. Boil for 30 minutes, remove chicken and let cool. Turn off the heat.

Once chicken is cooled, remove meat, then add to stock pot and bring back to a rolling boil.

You can cut noodles with a knife. OR, you can make your life wonderfully simple by using the tool pictured below . . . it's called an herb mincer in stores. But in my house it's called the noodle cutter. My kids love helping cut the noodles. I typically cut the dough into smaller sections before cutting into noodles so each noodle ends up being about 6-8 inches long.
Cut noodles and add to the pot, separating the noodles a little bit as you add them so they don't stick together. Don't shake off excess flour as it will help thicken the broth.

Cook for approximately 20 minutes or until noodles are cooked through.

Tortilla Soup

I am re-posting this recipe with pictures this time around. With all the not-so-healthy recipes I've posted lately, I decided it was time for something that's really, truly good for you! This soup is jam-packed with flavors and vegetables. But don't tell your crew about those kinds of details.

It takes a few minutes to create the soup base, but oh so worth the depth of flavors. Don't be deterred by the list of ingredients. It's quite simple. I often use the leftover turkey from Thanksgiving rather than chicken to make it.

Tortilla Soup
3 chicken breasts
1 small onion chopped
1 red bell pepper chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
2 cans mexican style stewed tomatoes
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp worchestershire sauce
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups beef broth
1 can corn, drained
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Toppings: tortilla chips, shredded cheese, diced tomato, diced avocado, sour cream

Directions:
Cook chicken breast until cooked through. Remove from pan and let rest. In the same pan, saute onion, bell pepper, and garlic on medium low for 5-10 minutes until softened. Add cumin and chili powder while cooking.

Transfer sauteed ingredients to a blender and add canned tomatoes, worchestershire, and salt. Blend until smooth.

In a stock pot, pour in blended ingredients. Add chicken broth and beef broth. Add cubed chicken, corn, and kidney beans.

Bring the soup to a simmer. Serve and add toppings. Be sure to ladle plenty of broth into the bowl so it has room to absorb all the chips, etc.

*This soup freezes perfectly. Just thaw and add fresh toppings.

My kids saw this array of vegetables for the soup base and quickly stated they didn't want red peppers or onions in their soup. They said they don't like those things. Little did they know they ended up eating it anyway!! I love motherhood trickery!!

Soup Base Ingredients:

Soup Fillers:

Soup Toppings:

Soup - ready to eat!

Creamy Ham & Potato Soup

Comfort food at it's best--and the best part is how easily it comes together!

Creamy Ham & Potato Soup
3 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
1/3 cup celery diced
2 carrots diced
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 cup cooked diced ham
3 1/4 cups water
2 Tbsp chicken bouillon granules
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
5 Tbsp butter
5 Tbsp flour
2 cups milk

Combine potatoes, celery, onion, ham, and water into a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook uncovered over medium heat until potatoes are tender--about 15 minutes. Then add chicken bouillon, salt, and pepper.

Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium low heat. Whisk in flour and cook stirring constantly for about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk and keep whisking to avoid lumps. Continue stirring over medium heat until thick--almost like a country gravy--it will take 5-8 minutes.

Stir milk mixture into stockpot and cook until heated through.

The recipe feeds my family of 4 1/2 eaters perfectly (Alyssa can't have it because of milk allergies). This soup is easily doubled.

Southwest Chicken Chili

My friend, Angela, shared this recipe with me. So good to eat, so good to your figure!! My family ate every last bite of this pot of chili. I took out some for Alyssa before I added the cheese at the end.

Again, I used leftover turkey. I'm sorry, it's soup season in Idaho, so you'll have to bear with me in my soup phase.

Southwest Chicken (or turkey) Chili
1/2 cup onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp olive oil + 1/3 cup olive oil
3 cups cooked and cubed or shredded chicken
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp oregano or italian seasoning
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 can (14 oz) chicken broth
2 cups drained Great Northern beans
1 (4oz) can diced green chilis
3 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Saute onion and garlic in 3 Tbsp olive oil on medium low heat for 5 minutes. Add chicken, cumin, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Cook together for a few minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer for 20 minutes. I let it stand on the stove another 20 minutes and it thickened up quite a bit.

You could even freeze this and pop it in the crock pot on a busy day.

Soup!

Remember how I am trying to find recipes with beans? I found one that I really like. It's simple, full of protein, and low fat. Best of all, it can be made easily if you keep your pantry stocked.

Bean Soup
2 cans Ranch Style Beans
1 can corn
1 can white hominy
1 can garbanzo beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can diced green chilis
1 lb ground beef (browned with onion, salt, pepper)

Place all items in a crock pot and cook on low for 4-6 hours. I dump all cans in with their juices. You can add a little water if you like. I also added a small amount of salt and pepper.

And what's a bowl of soup without fresh homemade bread???

I'm thinking you could really jazz up this soup like we do the tortilla soup. A dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of cheese, some avocado . . . but it's good enough to stand on its own, too.

Side Note: When I cook ground beef, I always do it with an onion. I cook about 4 lbs at a time, then freeze them in 1 lb increments. It makes life so easy since it is ready for soups, casseroles, spaghetti sauce, etc.

Go East!

Asian Dinner

My family loves going out for Chinese food. But sometimes I don't wanna go out. It gets expensive. And it would mean I have to change out of my stretchy pants--cuz I'm never gonna be one of those people that wears their sweats to the buffet. Ew.

When we lived in Texas, a good friend who had lived in Japan for a while introduced us to Yakisoba. It's a lot like Lo Mein. And you make it at home in oh, about 5 minutes. You can buy the Yakisoba noodles with the seasoning (looks like a package of Ramen) in the refrigerator section at your grocery store. Then just buy whatever else you'd like to add. Our favorite is diced ham, thinly sliced cabbage, mushrooms, and bean sprouts.

The noodles are pre-cooked and come with their own seasoning package. You saute your chopped ingredients for about 3-5 minutes. Then add the noodles, a little water, and the seasoning. That's it. Really.

This picture really doesn't do it justice, but I was using my point and shoot after dark without a flash. So use your imagination. : )
I made Egg Drop Soup to go with the Yakisoba tonight. I'm a big fan of Egg Drop, but I've only liked it at one place. This recipe is as good as or better than the restaurant version and my kids loved it. And oh, ya, it takes about 5 minutes to make, too. Hooray for easy, yummy food!!
Egg Drop Soup
4 cups chicken broth
2 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbsp cold water
2 eggs beaten
pepper

Heat chicken broth to a boil. Stir in cornstarch/water mixture until blended with broth. Remove from heat. Pour in beaten eggs and stir around the pot twice--no more. Cover and let sit for 2-3 minutes. Serve.