Fire-Roasted Tomato and Black Bean Soup with Fresh Salsa

I got this soup recipe from Mel's Kitchen Café blog and it is truly delicious!  In fact, we love most of her recipes.  This one is really hearty and full of flavor, and I love the contrast of the fresh salsa on top.  The younger kids don't like salsa, so I just left that off their bowls. Now that it feels like winter again (most of our February was unseasonably warm here in Utah), we will be eating this soup on those chilly nights.

Fire-Roasted Tomato and Black Bean Soup with Fresh Salsa

Serves 4-6

 

Ingredients

Soup:
• 1 tablespoon oil (canola, vegetable, olive, coconut)
• 1 red onion, coarsely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 cans (14-ounces each) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 cans (15-ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• Squeeze of fresh lime juice, a couple teaspoons
Salsa:
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced or pressed
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels (thawed if frozen)
• 1/2 cup chopped red pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• Squeeze of fresh lime juice
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. In a 4-quart pot, heat the oil over medium heat until rippling. Add the onion and saute 4-5 minutes until it turns translucent. Add the garlic, oregano, cumin and chili powder and cook, stirring constantly, for another minute or so.
2. Stir in the tomatoes, black beans, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 30-45 minutes. Carefully puree the soup with a handheld immersion blender or by ladling it into a blender (may need to do it in batches depending on the size of your blender). Puree to your desired consistency. Stir in the lime juice and any additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
3. For the salsa, stir together the ingredients, adding salt and pepper to taste. The salsa can be covered and refrigerated for a day or so.
4. Ladle the warm soup into bowls and top with a generous spoonful of salsa.

Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup {Gluten-Free}

We have recently decided to go gluten-free as a family, but a few of our favorites have cream-of-something soup as an ingredient, so I came up with this recipe.  It tastes 1000 times better than canned soup and is way better for you, too!  If you aren't gluten-free, you could just use flour in the recipe. PS I have added a wheat-free label to my sidebar, so be sure to check those recipes out if you are looking for some ideas.  We have been using cornstarch a lot when a recipe calls for flour for thickening or coating meats, and it works great- we can't even tell the difference!

Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup {Gluten-Free}
2 Tb butter
2 Tb cornstarch
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. water
1 tsp chicken bouillon powder or 1 cube
1 tsp dried parsley

Melt butter in saucepan.  Whisk in milk, water, cornstarch and bouillon.  Stir constantly over medium heat until thickened.  Mix in parsley and use in any recipe.  This makes the equivalent of one can of soup.

Suggestions for using this soup: Chicken Divan, Creamy Chicken Enchiladas, Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

Variations: you could use this recipe for any cream soup, just leave out the bouillon powder and...

• Cream of Mushroom- sauté 4 ounces sliced mushrooms with butter, continue as directed.
• Cream of Broccoli/Asparagus- trim 1 cup broccoli florets or asparagus spears, chop into 1/2" pieces, cook 'til tender, and add to soup at end of recipe.
• Cream of Potato- Peel, cube & boil 1 potato 'til tender, add to soup at end of recipe.
• Cream of Celery- sauté 1-2 chopped celery ribs with butter, continue as directed.

Each of these would need to be seasoned with salt & pepper at the end of cooking.  Enjoy!

Tomato-Basil Parmesan Soup

I adapted this recipe from one I found on the Sister's Cafe.  They used a crock-pot, but somehow I often forget to start dinner that early, so I made it on the stove.  It was the best soup we've had in a long time!

Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup

2 (14oz) cans diced tomatoes, with juice
1 cup finely diced celery
1 cup finely diced carrots
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup finely diced onions
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried oregano or 1 Tbsp fresh oregano
1 Tbsp dried basil or 1/4 cup fresh basil
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
1 cup Parmesan cheese
2 cups half and half, warmed
1/2 tsp black pepper
salt, to taste (I didn't need to add any)

In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine tomatoes, celery, carrots, chicken broth, onions, bay leaf, oregano, and basil . Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to a simmer for about 30 minutes, until flavors are blended and vegetables are soft.

Blend soup with an immersion blender or in batches in your regular blender. Next prepare a roux: Melt butter over low heat in a skillet and add flour; stir constantly with a whisk for 5 to 7 minutes. Slowly stir in 1 cup hot soup until smooth. Add another 3 cups soup and stir until smooth.

Add all back into the pot. Stir and add Parmesan cheese, warmed half and half, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for about 10-15 minutes until ready to serve. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Chicken Tortilla Soup & How to Cut an Avocado

I have my old standby Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe that I got from a roommate in college, but I saw a new recipe on Pioneer Woman's blog and liked some of her ideas. So I took both recipes and combined them. We absolutely loved the results- this has all the things I loved about my recipe (corn and a sprinkle of lime juice at the end), plus some new flavors- like the black beans and ro-tel instead of a tomato and fresh jalapeno- which was always a little too spicy for the kids. I also loved this method of cooking the chicken- it was so flavorful and juicy! It is my new go-to recipe for quesadilla chicken, and you can change the spices to adapt it to any recipe that calls for cooked chicken.

Chicken Tortilla Soup (adapted from Pioneer Woman)

2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1-½ teaspoon Cumin
1 teaspoon Chili Powder
½ teaspoons Garlic Powder
½ teaspoons Salt
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 cup Diced Onion
1/2 cup Diced Green or Red Bell Pepper
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 can Rotel Tomatoes And Green Chilies (I used mild)
32 ounces Low Sodium Chicken Stock
3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
4 cups Hot Water
1 can Black Beans, drained
1 can Corn Kernels, drained
3 Tablespoons Cornmeal Or Masa
5 whole Corn Tortillas, Cut Into Uniform Strips Around 2 To 3 Inches
Toppings:
Diced Avocado
Grated Colby Jack or Cheddar Cheese
Lime Juice
Chopped fresh cilantro, optional

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cumin, chili pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on chicken breasts, then sprinkle a small amount of spice mix on both sides. Set aside the rest of the spice mix.
Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Use two forks to shred chicken. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. Add onions, peppers, and minced garlic. Stir and begin cooking, then add the rest of the spice mix. Stir to combine, then add shredded chicken and stir.
Pour in Rotel, chicken stock, tomato paste, water, and black beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes, uncovered.
Mix cornmeal with a small amount of water. Pour into the soup, then simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Check seasonings, adding more if needed—be sure not to undersalt. Turn off heat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Five minutes before serving, gently stir in tortilla strips and corn kernels.
Ladle into bowls, then top with diced avocado, grated cheese, chopped cilantro and a sprinkle of lime juice!

Here is a super easy and not-so-messy way to cut an avocado:
1. First, cut all the way around the avocado, splitting it in half lengthwise. Make sure to cut all the way to the pit. Open the 2 halves by gently twisting them in opposite directions.

2. To remove the pit, carefully insert your knife into the pit. Twist it slightly and the pit will slide right out (make sure your avocado is ripe enough, or some avocado flesh will stick to the pit. You don't want to waste any of that yummy goodness!)

3. You can now scoop out the flesh, but wait! If you are slicing or dicing, it is much less messy to do it while the flesh is still in the skin. Just slice it right in there, being careful not to cut through the skin (or your fingers!). If you need it diced, just turn it and slice again the other way.

4. Now just scoop the flesh out of the skin using a medium-sized metal spoon. Now wasn't that easy?!

5. Now what to do with that avocado? Use it to top sandwiches, hamburgers or tortilla soup. Or mash it with a potato masher and make it into guacamole- awesome on enchiladas, quesadillas, or as a dip for chips. If you are making guacamole or another dip (how about Mexican Caviar or Shrimp Ceviche Dip?), make sure to save that pit. Store the dip with the pit in the middle and plastic wrap pressed down onto it to help keep the avocado from turning brown.
*Need to know how to pick a good avocado? Here are my tips: first, you need to decide when you need the avocado. If you are grocery shopping Monday and don't need it until the weekend, go ahead and choose a very firm avocado (it will be bright green in color). You can speed up the ripening process by placing it in a paper lunch bag with an apple- but this still takes a day or two. If you need the avocado right away, you'll have to buy one that is already ripe- it should give a little when you press the skin (sort of like a peach), but still be slightly firm (it will be dark green). I NEVER buy the ones that are already mushy and black!

Creamy Potato Leek Soup

This soup is so delicious, it might be my new favorite! And that's saying a lot, because I'm really not a huge potato-soup fan. I got the recipe from the Sister's Cafe blog. The only changes I made were to blend the soup at the end of cooking (because I don't like chunks of potatoes, plus then my kids don't know about the leeks & onions), and then afterwards I added the bacon to the soup instead of putting it on top, so we'd all get an equal amount. Oh, I also cooked it on the stove this time because I forgot it was a crock-pot dish until dinner-time. I simmered it, covered, for about 45 minutes, instead of cooking it all day in the crock-pot. Then I just stirred in the evaporated milk right before blending it. It worked great!

Creamy Potato Leek Soup
6 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
2 leeks, washed, sliced, including white and light green parts
1 cup chopped onion
1 carrot, sliced
1 stalk of celery, sliced
4 cups chicken broth
1 Tb dried parsley flakes
1 tsp garlic salt
2 Tb butter
12 oz. can evaporated milk
12 oz. bacon, cooked and crumbled
sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
chives, chopped - optional

Combine everything except last 4 ingredients in crockpot. Cook on low 7-9 hours or on high 3-4 hours. Stir in the can of evaporated milk the last 45 minutes. Serve hot topped with bacon, cheddar, and chives. (If you have a family that loves bacon, like mine, then you might want to stir in the bacon at the end too... otherwise you might run out fast!)

Barley Jambalaya

I got this recipe at a healthy cooking class Dustin and I took together back at CSU. It is easy, flavorful, and healthy since it is chock full of veggies and uses whole grain barley instead of white rice. Make sure to decrease the amount of cayenne if you don't like things too spicy, as it is pretty hot as is. The kids can't handle it, and it's even a bit much for me. So half the cayenne if you think you need to.

Barley Jambalaya

2 bay leaves

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (decrease if you like things milder)

1 1/2 tsp oregano

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp thyme

1 tb canola oil

1 c turkey ham or turkey sausage (I use turkey polska kielbasa), sliced

1 1/2 c onion, diced

1 c celery, sliced

1 c green bell pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

28 oz canned tomatoes, diced, with sauce

5 c water or broth

2 c barley, uncooked

leftover cooked chicken, optional (I never use this)

Preheat oven to 350. Mix together 1st 6 ingredients (spices) and set aside. Heat oil in large oven-proof saucepot or dutch oven. Cook onions, celery, bell pepper, garlic, and meats for 5-10 minutes, stirring. Add tomatoes, water or broth and barley. Mix and bring to boil, stirring often. Add spices and any leftover chicken, stir, and cover. Place in oven and cook for about 30-40 minutes, or until almost all liquid is absorbed. Remove bay leaves before serving. Serves 6.

Italian Wedding Soup

First of all, sorry for the picture. Soups are just not very photogenic. But this one was really yummy- it really hit the spot! So please ignore the bad photo and try it anyway!

Italian Wedding Soup

1 lb. ground turkey (or beef)

1/4 c. milk (or 1 egg)

1/4 c. Italian breadcrumbs

2 tb. parmesan cheese

1 tsp. basil

3 tb. minced onion (or 1 tb. dried)

1 garlic clove, minced

10 c. chicken broth

2 c. frozen chopped spinach

1 c. diced carrot

1 c. acini de pepe pasta (dry)

Bring broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Mix ground meat, milk, breadcrumbs, parmesan, basil, onion and garlic. Using a small scoop, make 3/4 " meatballs and drop them into boiling broth (I used the small end of a melon baller). Throw in carrots and acini de pepe and simmer for about 10-15 minutes, until carrots are softened and meatballs are cooked. Add spinach and bring back to boil, cook a few more minutes. Serve with crusty bread.

Chicken & Dumplings

Easy. Fast. Warm. Delicious. Enough said.

Chicken & Dumplings

3 frozen chicken breasts

2 tb. chicken bouillon granules (or 6 cubes)

8 c. water

1/2 tsp. black pepper

2 tsp. dried parsley

2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tb. baking powder
1/2 c. cold butter
1/2 c. milk

Place chicken in 6 quart saucepan with water and bouillon granules or cubes. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink inside. While chicken is cooking, make dumpling dough: mix flour, salt and baking powder. Cut in butter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Mix in milk. Roll out on floured surface to about 1/4" thick. Cut with cookie cutters, using all dough. Remove chicken from broth to cool. Season broth with pepper and parsley, bring back to boil. Gently place dumplings in broth, submerging each one. Cover and cook about 10 minutes. Chop chicken and add back to broth, warm and serve.

Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

This recipe is from my Pampered Chef cookbook. It is a nice change from the old Chicken Noodle Soup (though I love my homemade version of that too, find it here). The lemon flavor gives it a very refreshing taste.
Greek Lemon Chicken Soup
2 c. chopped cooked chicken
2 medium carrots, peeled, halved and sliced
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon zest
2 tb. fresh snipped parsley (or 1 tb. dried)
1 garlic clove
1 can cream of chicken soup
3 cans chicken broth
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2/3 c. uncooked long-grain white rice

Saute carrots, onion and garlic in a pan with a little oil for a few minutes. Stir in chicken, lemon juice and zest, soup, broth, pepper and rice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer. Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir parsley into soup just before serving.

Creamy White Chili

This is another recipe I found on My Kitchen Cafe. It definitely has a little kick, but if you tone down the chiles and cayenne to make it mild, even the kids will eat it. Dustin thought it tasted a little like chicken enchiladas. YUM!

Creamy White Chili

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 medium onion, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder (I used 2 cloves fresh minced garlic)

1 tablespoon oil

2 cans (15 1/2 ounces each) Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth

2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies (if you like less kick, add just one can)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I would decrease or even omit this for kids)

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup whipping cream

In a large saucepan, saute chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and cream. Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired. Serve immediately.

Real Comfort Food!

I love chicken noodle soup, or turkey noodle soup. When I'm sick, when it's cold outside, or just whenever I feel like it. It only takes about 30 minutes, and once you've made it yourself, the canned stuff just won't do. So here's my own recipe, after much experimentation to make it the very best. We all love it, and it's always the first thing I make with leftover turkey (along with turkey/cranberry sandwiches). I usually just make a basic chicken or turkey noodle soup with leftover cooked meat, but I sometimes add variations to make it a creamier soup, so I'll add those at the end of the recipe. Try it!

Chicken or Turkey Noodle Soup

2 tb. butter or canola oil

4 stalks celery, halved lengthwise and chopped 1/2 inch

1/2 med. onion, chopped

1/2 lb. baby carrots, cut in half

2 c. chopped cooked chicken or turkey

8-10 c. chicken broth (I use 10 c. water + 3 tb. bouillon granules)

1 tb. dried parsley

1/2 tsp. black pepper

8 oz. (1/2 package) egg noodles

In large saucepan or Dutch oven, saute celery, onion and carrots in butter/oil for about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth, parsley and pepper. Bring to boil, turn down heat. Simmer about 10 minutes, or until carrots are crisp-tender. Add egg noodles and cook 7-8 minutes more. Add chicken or turkey and heat through. Serves about 6-8 hungry people.

*Variation for Creamy Chicken or Turkey Noodle Soup: Prepare as directed, adding 1 can cream of chicken soup or 2 c. homemade turkey gravy with the meat at the end. Heat through. If you need a good turkey recipe, just ask. I've got one that makes the best, most juicy, tender turkey and fabulous gravy. And it's easy!

White Bean and Ham Soup

Okay, finally, here is the recipe for the soup that I make using the leftover hambone. You could use any kind of beans you like, or lentils or split peas, I just like white beans best.

White Bean and Ham Soup

1 lb. white or other beans, rinsed and soaked overnight

1 meaty hambone

1 sm. onion, chopped

2 cubes chicken bouillon

1/2 tsp. celery salt

1 bay leaf, salt and pepper

Rinse and drain your soaked beans. Place all ingredients in a crock-pot. Fill with enough water to cover beans (about 6-8 cups). Cook on low heat for 6-8 hours. Remove bay leaf and bone, chop meat into small pieces, and add meat back to soup. Serve with hot bread or rolls.

Roasted Squash Soup

I think I got this recipe from a Martha Stewart show. It is a good, easy, warm fall dinner.

Roasted Squash Soup

1 large butternut squash

8 sprigs thyme (or ground thyme)

salt and pepper

1 head garlic

1 tb. olive oil

3 c. chicken broth

Spray baking sheet liberally with oil. Cut squash in half, remove seeds. Spray cut sides with cooking spray, season with salt and pepper. Tuck 4 sprigs thyme in each cavity (if using ground, sprinkle on each half). Place cut sides down on baking sheet. Place garlic head on square of foil, Pour olive oil on and sprinkle with salt. Seal foil, place on baking sheet. Bake squash and garlic at 425 degrees for 40 minutes, or until squash is tender. Remove from oven, take out thyme sprigs, cool until can touch. Scoop flesh into blender, squeeze 4 cloves roasted garlic in (save rest for another use), add 1 c. chicken broth. Pulse until smooth. Pour into saucepan and add remaining broth. Stir and heat until heated through. Season with s & p if desired. Serve warm with crusty french bread.

Allspice Meatball Stew

This is a recipe my mom made for us when we were visiting last winter. It is so easy and delicious!

Allspice Meatball Stew

1 lb. frozen meatballs

2 cans green beans, drained (the Italian ones are good)

1/2 lb. baby carrots, cut in half

1 can diced tomatoes

2 cans (about 4 cups) beef broth

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. allspice

cooked rice

Mix all ingredients except rice in large pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and cover, simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until carrots are tender. Serve over rice.

Spicy Zucchini Soup

This is one of my personal favorite soup recipes. I got it from a teacher I worked with in Fort Collins, Mary Miller. It's a great way to use some of that pesky zucchini from your garden, but I like it enough to buy zucchini in the winter to make it! I serve it with french bread.
Spicy Zucchini Soup
1 lg. or 2 sm. zucchini, washed and sliced 1/2" thick
1 lb. hot Italian sausage (I use mild, so it's not that spicy)
1 sm. onion, chopped
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 can cream of mushroom soup
Brown sausage and onion, drain. Place all ingredients in a crock-pot. Add enough water to make the consistency you desire, season with salt and pepper if needed. Cook on low 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours. Serve with french bread.

Cheese Tortellini Soup

I got this recipe from Parents magazine a few years ago. We all love it- in fact the kids each ate several bowls! Anytime they eat their vegetables without complaining, dinner was a success! Plus it's fast and easy!

Cheese Tortellini Soup

3 slices bacon, diced

1/2 c. onion, chopped

2 cloves minced garlic

32 oz. (4 cups) chicken broth

10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed

16 oz. frozen cheese tortellini

Cook bacon and onion until browned. Add garlic and cook a few seconds more. Add broth and bring to a boil. Add spinach and tortellini, bring back to boil. Cook until pasta is tender (check package directions). Serve with crusty bread or crackers.