Roasted Potato and Onion Soup from Leftovers

It's the day after Christmas and I'm staring at the left over roasted potatoes in my refrigerator. I had sliced them very thin and roasted them with red onions just the day before, but they never reheat and taste the same.

These Yukon Gold slicers are begging for a second life. Here's what I have to work with: 4 unbaked Yukon Golds medium size, 2 pints of half and half, left over chicken stock, 2.5 cups of roasted Yukon Gold potatoes and red onion (tossed with basil, garlic and olive oil when roasted).

Let's make soup.

4 Yukon Gold medium size potatoes
2 1/2 cups roasted Yukon Gold potatoes (roasted with red onion optional)
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
3 turns of black pepper from mill
1 teaspoon salt
1 small clove garlic minced
Adobo seasoning 1/2 teaspoon
Fresh basil and parsley to taste


Dice the remaining raw potatoes and boil in 4 cups of salted water for 10 minutes. Drain and reserve three cups of liquid.

Using an immersion blender puree the boiled potatoes and 2 cups of cooking liquid.

Add 1 1/2 cups of roasted potato and onion and puree. Add additional cooking liquid as needed. Add puree to soup pot. Put pot on low heat.

Dice remainder of roasted potato and onion in 1/4 inch bite size pieces. Add to soup pot.

Add 1/2 cup of half and half and 1/2 cup of chicken stock or vegetable stock. Add garlic. Add Adobo seasoning, fresh parsley, basil or any herbs you prefer to taste. You can try a touch of cumin for a smokey taste.

*Add additional cooking liquid, stock or milk to get your desired consistency.

Whala! Yummy soup!

Rapunzel's Soup Marathon- Three Soups, One Day

After a hectic week I hadn’t gotten to cook much and I’ve been experiencing a serious withdrawal from stove time. I made up for it yesterday—three soup in 2.5 hours! It really wasn’t as hard as I thought.

I laid out my three recipes and chopped all the veggies at once and divided them up per dish. I started the first soup and when it was ready to simmer, I turned on a new burner and started the second and so on.

The first soup I made was Ina Garten’s Ribollita. This Tuscan vegetable soup is a mixture of earthy vegetables including white beans, kale and Savoy cabbage. Tons of fiber and healthy ingredients. The soup ends with the integration of sour dough bread right into the pot to thicken it. I omitted the bread but sautéed a little pancetta in with my vegetables to add more flavor to the base. I also used half vegetable broth and half chicken brother, rather than entirely chicken broth. Here’s the recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/ribollita-recipe/index.html.

The next soup I made is a hearty Beef Barley Stew with Spinach from The New Whole Grains Cookbook, by Robin Asbell (http://www.robinasbell.com/.) I used lean beef and hulled barley purchased at Whole Foods. (Barley is a great source of fiber.) It turned out great except I didn’t pick the right cut of beef. The recipe calls for tenderloin, but I used the tips they sell for stir fry. Still tasty but a bit tough. The only version of the recipe I could find online is from a TIDE site: http://tidefans.com/forums/recipe-forum/68583-filet-mignon-barley-stew-spinach.html


The third soup I made is from 100 Best Vegetarian Recipes by Carol Gelles. The recipe is for Lentil Spinach Soup. Right at the top of the page it said, “If you like escarole, it’s excellent here.” Being a huge fan of the stuff that’s what I went for. I used the Traders Joes precooked lentils in my version. It was just easier for me that way. But the lentils they sell are very small, and may have worked better mixed with rice or other vegetables in a stew. Still the soup is absolutely delish. A base of vegetables and celery leaves gives it a really savory flavor. For this recipe, I started with a bit of pancetta and onion for the base. You can easily omit it but I think it adds some nice flavor. Here’s some information about the soup: http://www.foodsiteoftheday.com/100%20best%20vegetarian.htm

It’s important to let your soups cool to room temperature before storing them. I packed all my soups into reusable containers. They first go into the refrigerator overnight and then to the freezer the next day.

Matt’s Potato Soup

My stepson Matt came over on Sunday and brought a recipe he learned in school for potato soup. This recipe comes from one of those chain restaurants themed for good food and friends on a Friday night. (wink wink)

Matt made the soup with a little help from me. My husband Rich and nephew Johnnie were supervising. LOL!

The soup is rich, delicious and very filling. This recipe calls for baked potatoes so remember to prepare those ahead of time. We put four potatoes into our soap instead of three.

Ingredients
1 carrot finely diced
4 ribs celery diced
1 onion diced
1 quart chicken stock
½ quart heavy cream
2 c. milk
3 large baked potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tbsp. garlic powder or 1 clove of garlic minced
small bunch parsley, minced
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Roux
½ stick butter
4-6 tablespoons flour

Garnish
Chopped scallion
Crumbled bacon
Shredded cheddar cheese

1) Add butter to pot. Melt and then add carrot, celery and onion. Cook until soft.

2) Add flour and stir to combine. It should make a chunky paste also known as roux.

3) Add all dry seasonings, then add chicken stock. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Simmer for 15 minutes.

4) Add diced baked potato and milk and cream. Simmer for 15 minutes.

5) Add salt and pepper to taste.

Put soup in bowl and add garnish to top.

Minestrone Soup

This recipe is my variation of a recipe I found in the Williams-Sonoma Appetizer book.

It's a delicious, hearty minestrone soup. My recipe includes many changes to give this soup more of an earthy, rich flavor. It's winter now and fresh tomatoes are out of season and I hate those flat tasting ones that are in the stores right now. Instead I found fire-roasted diced canned tomatoes at whole foods that are organic too. These tomatoes added a nice smoky flavor to the stock.

This soup does include one cup of diced pancetta and low sodium chicken stock. If you are vegetarian you can skip the meat and use water or vegetable broth for your base. If you leave out the stock all together, you may want to add some extra herbs from this recipe or your own choice to further enhance the flavor. I also recommend you allow the soup to simmer longer. That will give it time to develop it's own rich broth. I also added red pepper flakes, garlic, basil and parsley because I like my soup stock to have a nice, fresh flavor and smell.

Ingredients
1 can of small white beans (northern beans or cannellini beans)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 yellow onions diced 1/4 inch size (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup of diced pancetta (diced to tiny pieces 1/8 inch)
3 carrots, peeled and diced 1/4 inch
2 celery stalks, diced to 1/4 inch
2 cans (1 lb) fire roasted diced tomatoes (I purchased the organic ones from whole foods)
3 cups chicken broth, low sodium
3 cups filtered water
1 1/2 - 2 cups russet potatoes, diced 1/4 inch
1/2 cup fresh green beans, trimmed, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cups Swiss chard, chopped
1/4 cup basil sliced
2 gloves garlic minced
fresh chopped parsley
red pepper flakes (optional)
salt to taste
pepper to taste

In a large stock or soup pot heat olive oil. I like to add a fresh dashes of red pepper flakes and let them begin to sizzle, to give the oil a little flavor, but you can omit it if you like. Add the onions and cook until they are soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook until garlic is slightly golden. be careful not to over cook. Add pancetta and stir until warm and integrated. Add celery, carrots and potatoes and stir. Cook until they just begin to soften. Add 1 and 1/2 can of tomatoes and liquid. (You can save the remainder of the tomatoes for a salsa or other dish or use only one can if you prefer.) Add broth and water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer.

Drain white beans in a colander rinsing off liquid from can. Split bean in half. In a food processor or with a potato masher, mash beans into a puree.

Add the white beans, puree, green beans, parsley and basil to the pot. Let cook for another 5-10 minutes or until potatoes are nicely done. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Servings: 8

Portuguese Soup with Hearty Kale

This recipe was inspired by a recipe for Caldo Verde in the Williams-Sonoma appetizer book. If you like soups, I highly recommend this book because it's filled with many delicious and hearty soups and many interesting recipes. This recipe is similar to the one in the book, with some changes to reduce fat and calories.

The site http://www.everynutrient.coml/ says that "Kale provides an excellent source of vitamins B6 and C, carotene's, and manganese. Kale is also a very good source of vitamins B1, B2, and E, fiber, iron, copper, and calcium. Kale provides an excellent source of vitamins B6 and C, carotene's, and manganese. Kale is also a very good source of vitamins B1, B2, and E, fiber, iron, copper, and calcium. "


Ingredients
12 oz Turkey Kielbasa sausage
3/4 pound kale
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced 1/4 inch pieces
4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic minced
3 cups organic chicken stock
3 cups filtered water
2-1/2 teaspoons salt
fresh ground pepper and salt to taste

I purchased Turkey Kielbasa at Whole Foods. It's a smaller link that traditional kielbasa and the flavor is incredible! It added a great flavor to the soup. Slice up kielbasa into small pieces and set aside.

Rinse and dry kale and remove large stems. Slice across leaf into fairly thin ribbon like pieces.

In a large stock pot or sauce pan, heat up olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and saute until tender and translucent. About 10 minutes. Add potatoes and garlic. (I left skins on my potatoes but they do tend to peel off once potatoes are cooked.) Saute until potatoes begin to become translucent. Be careful not to overcook or burn garlic, it will turn bitter.

Add water, stock and salt. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Scoop out 1-1/2 cups of potatoes into a small bowl and with a potato masher or immersion blender, puree or mash potato. I prefer mine for rustic, so I just used an ordinary pastry blender to break it up. Return to pot. Add kale and kielbasa and stir. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until kale has wilted.

The Williams-Sonoma cookbook noted not to overcook the kale, that is should be slightly crunchy. When I made this recipe the kale was still pretty tough after ten minutes. I found it needed to cook longer. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Roasted Corn and Red Pepper Chowder with Shrimp & Red Potato

This is a hearty soup for a cold day. This recipe is easy to make because most of the ingredients are already made, you just need to combine them. I use Trader Joe’s Organic Roasted Corn and Red Pepper Soup as a base. I also use TJ’s pre-cooked frozen medium shrimp, and their frozen roasted yellow corn. If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s in your area, you can still look for the same ingredients. If you can’t find roasted yellow corn, make your own. The frozen corn I buy is nicely browned on all side and has a smoky flavor to it. I like to add a nice spicy flavor to this soup with a dash of Tabasco.

Ingredients:
2 cups medium frozen shrimp
1 tablespoon olive oil
1- ½ cup roasted corn
2 cups of red potatoes, diced into 1/2 inch cubes, skin on
1 carton Organic Roasted Corn and Red Pepper Soup, 32 fl. Oz.
I clove garlic minced or use frozen garlic cube
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
¼ parsley, chopped
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Thaw frozen shrimp by place in a colander. Put colander in a larger bowl and fill with cold water. I like to keep the water trickling into the bowl for a few minutes to keep it circulating. Gently swish shrimp around every few minutes until they are separated and feel like they are beginning to thaw. Add new water as needed.

If possible I like to let the frozen corn thaw a bit. If you don’t have time to can work with it frozen.

In a large pot add five cups of water and cook potatoes until al dente. When potatoes are done drain most of the water except for about a half cup.

To make soup: If you are using fresh garlic, heat oil and add garlic to the oil and stir for just a minute, just until you can begin to smell it. Add the corn and stir. Add soup base, potatoes and potato water and shrimp to pot. Bring to s soft boil and then reduce heat to simmer.
Add Tabasco sauce and parsley and stir. Continue to cook for another 5-10 minutes until potatoes are fully cooked. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Servings: 6

French Onion Soup

This recipe comes from Williams-Sonoma. I attended a French cooking class at one of the stores today and saw a cooking demo for this soup.

Notes:
-The instructor recommended using chicken stock instead of beef stock.
-I used two medium sized leeks instead of four.
-For additional flavor, add 2-3 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce.
-I needed to add quite a bit of salt and pepper to enhance the flavor.
-My husband had trouble finding shredded Gruyere cheese so we substituted organic shredded mozzarella cheese instead, and it came out great.

You can find the original recipe at:
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/recipedetail.cfm?objectid=8133885B-30AC-480F-A36B0CA68A044859

Potato and Leek Soup

I have a leek I’ve been courting. Yes, it’s been sitting in my refrigerator for about four days now. When I open the door I admire how perfect it is in color and texture and I’ve been asking myself, “When are you actually going to cook it?” Tonight I decided to step into uncharted waters. Yes, that mysterious world of the leek. I took a whiff of that oniony stalk and decided it must go to into a soup… my very own, first time ever created potato and leek soup! But could I do this picture perfect leek justice?

To start, I researched a bunch of recipes online and chose the ingredients I wanted in my soup. This was a really fun exercise to do. Once I decided on the basics of my recipe, I just went from there.

Here’s my version of potato and leek soup. Mine isn’t the fancy, pureed version you’ll find at a restaurant. It’s more rustic and less creamy in consistency. I did use a cup of heavy cream which you can omit to cut down on fat and this soup will still be super delicious without it. Really.

Ingredients
2 shallots diced
2 cloves garlic, minced or frozen cubes
1 leek sliced into rings
4 large russet potatoes, diced
4 cups of vegetable broth
1 cup of filtered water
½ cup yellow onion diced
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon Fresh ground pepper
Sea salt to taste

Heat olive oil and butter in a stock pot or Dutch oven. Add leeks, onion, shallots, celery and salt and pepper. Cook until very vegetables are soft. Add garlic, and cook for another minute.
Add vegetable broth, water, parsley and potatoes. Bring mixture to a slow boil and then reduce to simmer. Cook until potatoes are very soft. Use a slotted spoon or pasta spoon with teeth to slightly break up potatoes. Do this until potatoes are in small piece and broth becomes creamier. Add one cup of heavy cream and stir. Turn off heat and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

6 servings

Hearty Kale and White Bean Soup

I never fully understood what kale was until last year. My girlfriend made us a holiday dinner and served kale sauteed with garlic and olive oil. It was delicious. Then she explained that this leafy green vegetable is full of all kinds of nutrition, including calcium.

Here's a recipe I found at chowtimes.com! I made a few changes and my notes are below. You won't be disappointed. This soup is hearty, healthy and delicious!

http://chowtimes.com/2008/03/04/kale-and-white-bean-soup/print/




My notes:
-Replace the bacon with turkey bacon to reduce fat.
-Add one chopped celery heart with leaves to cook with the carrots and onions.
-Add one cup vegetable stock when simmering soup at end.
-Substitute dry beans with one can 14.5 oz of canned beans.
-Add 2-3 additional teaspoons of salt.
-Add extra fresh ground pepper to taste.

Kale is super healthy, so you can't lose with all the nutrition you get from this soup! Here's a few links about the health benefits:

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=38
http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Health-Benefits-of-Kale&id=136177
http://www.everynutrient.com/healthbenefitsofkale.html

King Crab Bisque

Christmas Eve, we returned home from visiting family to find a package at our door from FishEx.com. We opened it to discover a dozen gigantic king crab legs. I've never seen crab legs this big in my life! They were well over a foot long each and several inches wide.

After stuffing ourselves with this succulent crab meat for days, we needed a change. I was craving a rich bisque with a nice sherry flavor to it. Here's a recipe I worked from.

King Crab Bisque: Recipezaar
http://www.recipezaar.com/King-Crab-Bisque-195554

Recipe #195554 25 min prep time

Ingredients

8 tablespoons butter
8 tablespoons flour
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (I added additional 1/2 teaspoon)
3/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper (I added additional 1/2 teaspoon)
2 garlic cloves, minced (used forzen garlic cubes)
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cups heavy cream
3 cups 2% low-fat milk (I used whole milk)
1 lb king crab meat (I added and extra 1/4 pound of meat)
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup fresh parsley
3 tablespoons sherry wine (I added an extra 1 1/2 tablespoon)

Directions
In a large sauce pan add olive oil, onions, celery and garlic. Heat on medium until onions are translucent. Add butter and melt, then add flour, salt and pepper and make a roux.
Once the rue is golden brown add the milk and cream; blend well. Crumble crabmeat and add to the sauce pan. Slowly bring mixture to a boil and simmer for a few minutes.
Add the sherry and serve garnished with parsley and a dash of paprika.


Notes: I added an extra ½ teaspoon of salt and ground black pepper plus 1 ½ tablespoons sherry. I used two frozen garlic cubes which I melted into the butter before adding the flour. I also sprinkled a teaspoon of paprika on top of the soup while still in the pot.

Thanksgiving Day Vegetable Soup

We’re eating with my husband’s family today and being Italian they don’t make a traditional Thanksgiving Day dinner. Usually it’s an endless spread of appetizers, soup and then meat and potatoes. I decided since I was going to indulge in Italian meats, rich appetizers and desserts all day, I should make myself something healthy to eat for the days to follow. I grabbed all the veggies in my refrigerator this morning and put this soup together.

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 small russet or yellow potatoes diced
2 large carrots diced
½ medium red onion diced (about ¾ cup)
3 stalks of celery diced (use one inner stalk (s) and leaves and two large exterior stalks)
3 cloves garlic minced
½ flat leaf parsley- rough chopped
2 cups of escarole sliced thin
Fresh ground pepper
1-1/2 teaspoon sea salt (add more for taste as needed)
½ teaspoon ground cumin
Low Sodium chicken stock (free range/organic) 32 oz.
Grated Parmesan cheese

In a Dutch oven (Le Cruset 5-1/2 qt. round), add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and two tablespoons of butter. On low heat melt butter, and then add potatoes. Stir so they are well coated and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Add carrots, stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add diced celery and diced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes. You want to get all these veggies roasting in the oil and butter. If they stick to the pot, that’s good, just scrape them away with a wooden spoon. All that roasted stuff on the bottom of the pan will add great flavor to the soup.

Add minced garlic and stir. Add ½ cup parsley rough chopped, and stir. Add 5 turns of fresh ground pepper, cumin and sea salt and stir. Add chicken stock and escarole. Stir and loosen and incorporate any of the browned coating from bottom of pan. Bring soup to a low boil and then reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes.

After letting soup simmer, give it a taste. Add more salt as needed. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

*Add additional water or broth if you want more liquid.
*This recipe adds very little salt to start. Adjust salt to taste or dietary requirements.
*Omit butter to reduce fat content.

Servings: 4-6

Tips: Save the ends of your Parmesan cheese. Add a rind to your soup before simmering. The cheese will melt and add a nice nutty flavor to the soup.

Stock- Trader Joes makes a low sodium, organic chicken stock

Luke's Roasted Squash, Port & Cream Soup

Luke is a broadcast editor in New York. When he's not crafting a film or television project, he puts on his chef's hat. Coming from the UK, his dishes are rich and hearty.

Luke's recipe:

"Here's my roasted squash, port & cream soup: (the measurements aren't too specific I'm afraid, as it's mostly done by sight!)

1 butternut squash, halved, seeded, scored and seasoned (pepper & olive oil), roasted for 50 mins or so.

Then I make my stock separately, which whatever is around the kitchen....but usually I start with garlic, onion and olive oil as the base, mixed with some regular chicken broth. If I have some ginger around, I might put some of that in too. Then once that's going, and the squash is done, I scoop that into the stock mixture, and leave that on the boil for a bit. Then I blend that, and return it to the pot, and add some port wine (a good glug of it) and some heavy cream to smooth it all out a bit, and that's about it.

Probably not too healthy once I've written it down and seen what's in it. But it's good for the winter months!"

Comforting Soup (Vegetable)

Hearty, warm and delicious. .. this soup is great for cold weather or a Sunday night when you just want to chill and snuggle-up on the couch with something comforting.


Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion diced- approx. 1 cup
1 ½ cup diced carrots
1 ¼ cup celery diced (add leaves and some stalk from inner plant)
1 ¼ cup diced zucchini
3-4 cloves of garlic roughly chopped
1 can stewed tomatoes (14.5 oz)
1 can white kidney beans or navy beans (15 oz)
4 cups organic free range chicken broth (32 oz)
1 cup chopped escarole
½ cup flat leaf parsley
Fresh ground pepper
Sea salt
Chopped basil- optional

Heat oil in large dutch oven. Over medium heat, cooks carrots, zucchini, celery and onions until slightly brown. Add garlic and stir. Add stewed tomatoes and beans. Let mixture cook together over low heat. Add chicken stock and stir. Rough chop parsley and add. Add 8 turns of fresh ground pepper. Add about a teaspoon of sea salt. (Adjust salt to your personal taste.) I like to add fresh basil or one or two of the little frozen basil cubes you can get at the grocery store. Simmer for one hour.

I like my soup thick, like a stew, but you can add more water or chicken stock if needed.

Chicken and Lemon Borsellini Soup

I found a package of Chicken and Lemon Borsellini while grocery shopping, and I knew I just had to make something with it. I decided to create a soup that was light and could carry the yummy texture of the little pasta pouches filled with chicken.

In this recipe, you can add more or less pasta, lemon, garlic, cheese, salt and pepper to get the desired flavor.


Ingredients
1-1 1/2 cup chicken and lemon borsellini
1 cup vegetable stock
1 cup chicken stock low sodium
1 scallion stalk
1 clove garlic minced (Frozen cubed garlic blends best)
2 squeezes of of fresh lemon juice (or to taste)
Lemon rind grated
3 tablespoons grated Parmesean cheese
Handful of loosely chopped parsley
Kosher salt (about 2-3 teaspoons)
fresh ground pepper

Slice up scallion and mince garlic. Bring water, vegetable and chicken stock to a simmer. Add garlic, scallion, 1/2 parsley, 1-2 teaspoons of salt and about 1/2 teaspoon of fresh ground pepper. Bring to a low boil and add borsellini. (Add a bit of water is more liquid is needed) The pasta only needs to cook for two minutes so keep it on a very low boil or simmer until pasta floats to the top. Remove from heat. Cut a lemon in half. Grate some lemon rind into broth and then add two squeezes of lemon juice. Stir and taste. Add more if necessary. Take a taste and season with more salt and pepper as desired. If you used low sodium stock you may have to add more salt to get desired taste.

Spoon into bowls and top with remainder of grated cheese and parsley. Eash dish should be filled with pasta sitting in an inch or two of broth.

Servings: 2

White Bean and Escarole Soup

My friend Pam came by on Sunday night and she brought me a gift. A jar of her delicious, homemade White Bean and Escarole soup. I love escarole and it's jam-packed with great nutrients.

Here's her recipe:

Ingredients
1 medium chopped onion
5 cloves of garlic chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 leek cleaned and chopped
1 32 oz can of plum tomatoes
1 can or organic white beans (drained and washed)
½ head chopped escarole
4 chicken or vegetable Knorr vegetable bouillon packets (powder)
Grated parmesan cheese (optional)
Add enough good water to cover

Sautee onions, garlic and leeks in olive oil until golden brown. Add tomatoes, canned beans, chopped escarole. Cook until escarole is done – maybe about 20-30 minutes. Sprinkle grated parmesan cheese over soup when done. Delicious!