Chicken Soup- For What Ails You

Last year I made a recipe for Turkey Noodle Soup (recipe is on the blog) with all the turkey we had leftover from Thanksgiving and it was good but this recipe for Chicken Soup is great! I needed to whip up something to cure this nasty cold that Billy was so nice to share with me and since I had a little chicken from McDowell Family Farm in the freezer I thought why not whip up some chicken soup- it can't hurt! We don't eat a lot of meat, mostly just what I can get local but thanks to the McDowell family and their wonderful chicken I might just out smart what's ailing me! Enjoy!

Here's how to start:

In a large soup pot add-

1 whole chicken w/most of the skin removed (my chicken was local, organic and weighed under 3lbs)
1 large onion, quartered
2 large carrots, chopped in big pieces
4-5 stalks celery, cut in half
1 whole head of garlic, remove the outside skins
2 tsp. peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 gallon water

Simmer at medium heat for 1 hour. Turn off the heat, remove the chicken and place him or her on a plate to cool (when cool, pick off as much meat as you can, reserve for the soup). Strain the cooking liquid and the vegetables through a strainer- reserve the cooking liquid and the garlic. Set those two things aside and discard the rest.

-Chicken Soup-

4 carrots, diced
8 stalks of celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, diced
herb bundle (1 medium sprig rosemary, thyme and sage. Tie together w/kitchen twine)
olive oil
salt and pepper
reserved cooking liquid
reserved garlic
chicken meat
*optional- cooked pasta of your choosing (Billy request tiny little pasta called Stellette)

1. In a large soup pot heat olive oil over medium heat, when you can smell the oil add the carrots, celery and onions. Saute until the veggies start to soften (about 10 minutes), season with salt and pepper. Next add the reserved garlic and stir to combine.

2. Next add the reserved cooking liquid, and the herb bundle. Turn the heat up just a bit. When the soup begins to boil turn heat back down to medium low and simmer for 30 minutes.

3. When the 30 minutes is up add the chicken meat and the fresh garlic, stir to combine. Check flavor to see if you need more salt and pepper. Take out the herb bundle and discard.

4. Serve hot just like it is or w/a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and if using, your pasta of choice.

Serve it Cordray style: 1/2 c. Stellette pasta, ladle over warm chicken soup, squeeze a slice of lemon over soup and pasta, top w/huge handful of arugula and sprinkle on some Pecorino Romano. VIOLA!

Vegetable Minestrone

I LOVE SOUP! I think soup is the perfect meal for lunch, well really anytime but especially during the cold months when you need just a little hug of warm soup in the middle of the day. Last week I made Lentil Stew (recipe is on the blog) but this week I went for Vegetable Minestrone. I appreciate the protein coming from the white beans (that I made instead of buying canned... I swear their easy) and the abundance of vegetables, also bean and veggie soups are good to your waistline, at this time of year that's a blessing in my book. Enjoy!

-Vegetable Minestrone-

1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
4 carrots, diced
2 zucchini, diced
1/2 c. leafy celery tops, chopped
3-4 c. cooked white beans (you can use 2 14oz. cans of cannellini beans, making your own is an extra step but worth it)
1 jar of my canned tomatoes, crushed up with your hands (you can use 28oz can of whole tomatoes, I like the Eden brand)
1 bunch of kale, chopped
2-3 c. savoy cabbage, chopped (savoy cabbage is milder in flavor and texture than your traditional green cabbage)
1 quart veggie stock
1 1/2 c. water
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
*optional- Parmesan or Romano cheese rind

-Directions-

1. Start by heating some olive oil in a big soup pot over medium heat, when you can smell the oil add the onions and start to saute. Saute for just a few minutes and add the carrots, celery and garlic. Saute for just another few minutes (maybe 5 minutes). Season with salt and pepper.
2. Next add the zucchini and season well with salt and pepper, toss around and saute until the zucchini starts to soften just a bit, maybe another 5 minutes. Next add the tomatoes, broth, beans and rind if using, bring this mixture to a boil and reduce back to medium heat. Simmer for 20 minutes.
3. The last 5 minutes add the kale and cabbage, stir in until it starts to wilt, add the water and top with the lid and let simmer for those last few minutes. Remove the lid and taste for salt and pepper- add more if needed.
4. Serve hot with a drizzle of olive oil, grated cheese and a slice of bread, or divide into lunch containers for the week.

Broccoli-Cheddar Soup on the Food Network- Soup and Salad Night

Broccoli-Cheddar Soup on the Food Network

I posted the link above for the soup, there is only two things that I did different and here they are...
1. I used 4 c. veggie broth (in their recipe they use 2 c. chicken stock and 2 c. of half and half)
2. I sauteed some bacon in the soup pot before I started making the soup. I scooped out the cooked bacon and about 2 T. of the bacon oil for my salad dressing. I left the rest of the bacon oil to saute the vegetables for the soup.

-Bacon Avocado Salad- Makes 2 servings

1 head of butter lettuce, torn into pieces and rinsed and spun in a salad spinner
1 avocado, diced
4 strips of sauteed crispy bacon, chopped
2 T. reserved bacon oil
2 T. red wine vinegar
2 T. veganaise or regular mayo
salt and pepper

1. Start with the dressing, whisk red wine vinegar into the reserved bacon oil, next add the veganaise and whisk again. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Place the torn clean lettuce into a large mixing bowl, pour over half of the dressing and toss lightly.
3. Plate your greens and top with diced avocado and chopped crispy bacon, drizzle the rest of the dressing over the two salads.

Market Squash Soup

This photo says it all-EASY! Just a few other ingredients are missing but it is really this simple. I had some leftover squash hanging out in the fridge and bought some at the Farmer's Market, they all came together for this lushish, warm, grounding soup for my lunch this last week. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 c. leftover roasted pumpkin puree
1 1/2 c. leftover baked sweet potato
2 c. diced kombocha squash
1 c. diced carrots
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 T. chopped fresh sage
1 quart veggie broth
2 tsp. chipotle in adobo
olive oil
salt and pepper (I used a smoked salt)
*the juice and zest of one orange, add just before you serve
-optional: top w/ toasted pumpkin seeds or walnuts, drizzle w/ olive oil or any other flavored oil

Directions:

1. Start by heating your favorite soup pot over medium heat. Drizzle in some olive oil and add the onion, carrots and kombocha squash. Season with salt and pepper, stir and cover and with lid and cook for 15 min. Remove the lid, add the sage and saute for 5 minutes.
2. Add the pumpkin  puree and baked sweet potato, stir to incorporate. Cook for a minute just to warm through. Season with a bit more salt and pepper. Next add the veggie broth and simmer the soup with the lid slighty askew for 15 minutes.
3. After you have simmered the soup, turn of the heat and blend the soup. (You can use a blender, food processor, or I like my hand held immersion blender). Last but not least add in the chipotle and orange juice and zest and stir to mix in.
4. Serve right away topped w/ toasted nuts and a drizzle of your favorite oil, or portion out in your lunch containers and store in the fridge for later. You can also freeze for a when your in a pinch.

-If the soup is too thick just add a bit of water to loosen it up.

Zuppa e Councesze: Soup with Mussels

Honestly this is on of the best recipes I've made in awhile, maybe because the first time I saw this recipe on David Rocco's Dolce Vita show on the Cooking Channel I've been waiting for the best time to make it, well last night was the night and this recipe didn't disappoint. Fresh, easy, seasonal and healthy- all the things this Cosmo Hippie Chef looks for. I served it with a crisp white table wine and slices of baguette topped with black truffle butter- totally gourmet and we didn't have to leave the house. Maybe I should start charging Billy for dinner, Kidding! Enjoy!

TOTAL TIME:45 minPrep:20 Cook:25 min YIELD:4 to 6 servingsLEVEL:EasyIngredients

1/2 cup/125 ml extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 fresh chile pepper, chopped (I used a fresno chile, they have a sweet heat. A new ingredient in my kitchen.)
2 pounds/1 kg fresh mussels, cleaned and debearded* (I only used a pound)
1 cup/250 ml white wine
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 onion, chopped
10 ounces/300 g butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into cubes
7 ounces/200 g ditalini pasta
2 cups/500 ml water (I used veggie broth)
1/2 cup/125 ml Parmigiano cheese

*I used the juice and zest of an orange,  I mixed those in right at the end

Cook's Note: To clean fresh mussels, rinse under cold running water and rip off any beards. Discard any that do not close when tapped.

Directions

Heat up 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil in a deep saucepan. Add the garlic and chopped chile pepper and cook for 1 minute. Add the mussels, wine, salt, pepper, and stir together. Cover with a lid, allowing the mussels to steam open. Cook until all the mussels are fully opened. Discard any unopened mussels.

In another saucepan, heat up 1/4 cup olive oil. Add the onion, butternut squash, salt, and black pepper. Cook for a few minutes. Then add the pasta and mix together. Add the water and allow the mixture to cook for 15 minutes or until the squash is fork tender. Cook's Note: To give the soup a creamier consistency, mash 1/2 the squash with the back of a fork.

While the butternut squash and pasta are cooking, shell the mussels and place them back into the saucepan. Transfer the mussel soup to the butternut squash soup. Mix together and add the Parmigiano cheese.

Tortilla Soup...YUMMY!

Okay kids here's a good one for you, this soup is a staple in our house during the cold month's. Lucky for me and my family it was soup weather this weekend! ENJOY.

Soup:

3 lrg carrots, chopped into bite size pieces

3 stalks of celery, diced

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

-Start by sauting these ingredients in a medium size soup pot with some olive oil over medium heat.

1 package baby bella mushrooms, sliced or chopped

2 c. rainbow swiss chard or spinach

16 oz to 32 oz canned tomato's ( I can my own and they really make the soup awesome)

32 oz/4 c/1 quart vegetable broth

2 chipotles in adobo sauce, chopped ( can be found in any supermarket), ( put the left overs in a zip lock bag and store in the freezer)

2 tsp. adobo sauce

salt and pepper ( My store had this smoked salt and I use it in place of regular salt, delish!)

-When the other ingredients have started to soften make sure to stir and season with salt and pepper. Then add the mushrooms, let them saute a minute or two before you season or the salt will draw all the moisture out, and we want them to brown a bit first. Next add tomato's, chipotles, adobo sauce, and vegetable broth. Let it come to a boil and turn to medium low and simmer 10 min. When those ten minutes are up turn heat to low or simmer and add the chard or spinach.

* optional indredients

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 c. fresh corn, or canned

-So when the chard/spinach has wilted at this point you could add the optional ingredients. This is the first time I've pureed this soup and it was great. So if your going to puree it do that first, and then add beans and or corn.

-We like to top our soup with local beehive sharp cheese and tofutti sour cream (vegan). We also use hot sauce and diced avocado, oh yes and my homemade tortilla strips.

Tortilla Strips:

1 package corn tortillas ( you might only use half the package)

olive oil

spices: ( your choice) 1/8 tsp. - 1/4 tsp. salt, pepper, cumin, garlic salt or garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, cayenne pepper.

- Take two tortillas at a time, cut in half stack the two half moon shaped pieces on to of each other and then cut into strips. Do this to at least six tortillas, then toss in a bowl with olive oil and spices of choice. Line a baking sheet with foil, heat the oven to 375 . Place strips onto baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 min.