Turkish Red Lentil Soup

About a month ago I returned from a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Turkey & Greece.  Everywhere we went, they had the most comforting Lentil Soup.  Since I've come home, I can't get it out of my mind - so of course I had to find a recipe that was at least close to what I remembered. 



Before this, whenever I heard the word "Lentil" - I immediately lost interest.  But this soup changed that.  Of course, it could have been the location - that always helps.  But this is just as delicious as I remember.  Two things make it stand out:  smoked paprika (Spanish paprika is OK, but the smoky flavor is outstanding) & fresh squeezed lemon juice.  Be sure to check out the Turkish way to squeeze fresh lemon juice - without seeds.  

Creamy Yellow Squash Soup

Time to introduce myself - I'm Anne's third daughter, Whitney.  I'm the only daughter that lives close to Mom, and the two of us like to get together whenever we can for a little "cooking therapy".  

We are a family of four, but often times only three are at our table.  My husband has very busy periods at work which often leaves me alone persuading (begging!) my two stubborn toddlers to eat. I married a Southern boy with a drawl and an expectation that food is always paired with football. I'm slowly learning some of his favorite southern dishes.  I remember there being lots of spilled milk around our childhood table.  There is plenty of that at my table today.  My family is in the stage of sticky fingers and temper tantrums over eating peas. Cooking with young kids can sometimes be less than motivating to get dinner on the table, but I enjoy baking a treat after the kids are in bed. Our favorites are chocolate chip cookies and rice crispy scotcheroos.

With summer on it's way out, and fall on it's way IN - we decided to whip up a new soup recipe I found using the yellow squash that is taking over this part of the planet right now.  

Most squash (or veggie based) soups have a boatload of cream, sour cream, cream cheese, or whatever it takes to make them a little more flavorful.  That defeats the purpose of a veggie soup in my mind.  So when I saw this recipe, and noticed it only has BUTTERMILK for an added ingredient - it was hard to believe.  But when squash is cheap (uh... FREE) - why not give it a try?  You'll also notice it has a small amount of potato as an ingredient.  We think that is one of the things that adds to the creaminess and makes it silky smooth.

Just a few things to know first:  If you're using a squash the size of a LOG (Did you forget to pick for a few days?  Surprise!) - be sure to remove all the seeds and soft pulp in the center.  

Next - don't season until the soup is finished.  The original recipe didn't call for any salt, pepper, or seasoning of any kind.  We felt it needed some salt (but not much!) and spice.  We did a little taste test with Cumin and Curry Powder.  It was hard to decide - they both added a nice warmth that we loved.  If you salt this, take it easy - and add in 1/2 tsp increments, tasting as you go.  We used about 1-1/2 tsp salt.  

The buttermilk is totally under cover - you'll never know it's there.  We think it adds just enough tang to the bland squash.  And to think this is a low calorie soup too - a bonus!  

The acid test was feeding it to my little guy (soon to be age 2 - and he dissects most of what is on his plate first before attempting it)  He had three bowls - gone in a flash.  

Before your squash freezes - give this a try, you won't be sorry.  

Creamy Zuppa Toscana

I'd never ordered Zuppa Toscana at Olive Garden until recently - strange, isn't it?  It just didn't look as appealing as their other soups, with wilted greens and a strange color.  I always opted for Chicken Gnocchi or Pasta e Fagioli instead.  But once is all it takes.  Delicious!

I searched until I found a recipe that I could work with. I found it on recipecritic.com.  Of course, I had to make a few changes.  First, I didn't throw the potatoes into the broth raw.  I sautéed them first, and I really think that gave them a little texture and additional flavor.  

Great soup for the first weeks of cool weather.  

Creamy Zuppa Toscana

Ingredients:

3 cans chicken broth (about 5-6 cups)
2 cups heavy cream
1 lb Italian Sausage
1/2 lb bacon - cooked and crumbled (retain a few tablespoons of the bacon fat)
4-5 russet potatoes, peeled and diced (or sliced)
1 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves (or 1/2 tsp minced, dried garlic)
2-3 cups chopped kale (or spinach)
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook and crumble sausage, draining completely.  Set aside.  

Cook and crumble the bacon, retaining half of the bacon fat in the pan.

Now dice or slice potatoes (I left the skins on, but peel if you wish).  Add them to the bacon fat with the diced onion.  Saute until onion is limp and potatoes begin to change color.  

Add sausage to potatoes and then add reserved bacon.  Stir in chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Boil until potatoes are fork tender.

Add in the chopped kale or spinach, cooking until the greens start to wilt.  Reduce heat and add heavy cream.

Cook until heated through, then salt & pepper to taste.

Crock Pot White Chicken Chili

This is a recipe adapted from a Betty Crocker Slow Cooker Recipes Cookbook.  Works well with either frozen (which I used), or fresh boneless chicken breast.  Also easily adapted to stovetop preparation.  

We loved this soup.  Although it's not quite as rich and creamy as a previous post (Creamy White Chicken Chili - link is HERE), it has the same "comfort" level.  

The difference is how much TIME and effort it took to make it (AND this chili has corn - which is a nice addition)  I would say this is the "speedy" version of the same great soup.  It took so little time to throw together, I really didn't think it would be a success.  I love surprises.

Recipe source:  food.com

Crock Pot White Chicken Chili

1-1/4 lbs boneless, skinless chicken (breasts, or use tenders)
2 15-oz cans Great Northern Beans (or substitute Navy Beans)
1 15-oz can white corn (or Hominy)
1-1/4 oz envelope Taco Seasoning Mix (I used about 2 Tbs from a bulk container)
1 4-1/2 oz can chopped green chilies
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup (undiluted)
1 14-oz can chicken broth
1/2 cup sour cream
Chopped green onions - for garnish
Monterey Jack cheese (shredded) - garnish 

Place chicken in the bottom of a 4-quart slow cooker.  

Top with beans and corn (I drained & rinsed the beans, but added corn with the liquid)

In a bowl - combine taco seasoning mix with chiles, soup, and chicken broth.  Stir until smooth.  Then pour over the top of ingredients in the crock pot.  

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.  

Before serving, remove chicken breast and dice (or leave in crock pot and shred with a fork).

Stir in the sour cream.  

Serve topped with green onions and jack cheese, if desired.

Roast Chicken Gnocchi Soup

If you’ve enjoyed this soup at Olive Garden, this is a pretty close duplicate.  Gnocchi is an Italian dumpling made from potatoes and flour.  Made correctly, they are light and fluffy - rather than dense & chewy.  If all you can find are the shelf-stable gnocchi in your store, they resemble the texture of pasta.

Did you know that Costco sells rotisserie chicken in bulk?
(Best invention ever!)

I don’t worship Olive Garden like my daughters do, but I love their version of this soup which is rich and hearty.  

The copy-cat recipe for it is all over the web.  I can’t give credit to any individual here, but I thank those who have adjusted it to become what it is.  

I used rotisserie chicken breast, which made this a cinch to make.  I also cut the gnocchi in half, which made them a little more “bite-size”.  

You can sometimes find mini-size gnocchi.  

The indentations in these little dumplings are from being pressed between the thumb and the tines of a fork.  (My neighbor JoAnn makes her own and it’s fabulous)

You can trim down the calories by using milk instead of half-and-half, but it really changes the flavor (and is not as good reheated later)

This stores well and lasts a long time if you can’t use an entire batch.  Sprinkle with a little grated parmesan - it can’t hurt.

For the recipe, go to:
www.changeabletable.com

After-Christmas Beans & Ham

Have you ever been guilty of slipping the ham bone into the trash (and making sure nobody saw you?)  I admit I’ve done that a few times, but I was raised to never waste ANYthing that could be used.    My mother taught me that time is your friend when trying to get every meaty scrap off a ham bone.

Usually a good week or two goes by before I am even the least bit motivated to deal with a ham bone after Christmas.  This year I was early - I had my HoneyBaked Ham bone made into this hearty soup by New Year’s Eve.  

Key to success here?  Soak your beans overnight, and you are halfway there.  This year I used Great Northerns - a very soft-textured bean compared with the ones I used to use (standard red beans).  I have to say - these were a good choice.  They are so mild that they take on the rich taste of the ham and you hardly know they are there.

If you are using the bone from a spiral-sliced (and glazed) ham - throw it ALL in - including the glaze and all the scraps.  The glaze makes the broth very rich and slightly sweet.  

After simmering all day long, you’ll notice every scrap of meat has fallen off the bone.  I use my tongs to remove it all, then I clean it up and remove all the fat and the gristle (which has turned completely soft).  I dice the meat into bite-size chunks and return it to the broth.

Not much need to add anything in the way of spices - and especially NOT salt.  The ham bone has all you need (and more).  

To dilute the salty broth, you can add more water without losing flavor.  Depending on how well your ham bone was trimmed, you may need to skim off a layer of fat after cooking.

For this simple recipe, go to:
www.changeabletable.com

Cheesy Lasagna Soup

When the holidays end and the real cold begins, that’s when I (seriously) need a warm bowl of soup.  And I’m not talking about the dainty soup of summer - but something that stays with you and warms you to the core. I would compare this to loose lasagna in a bowl.  Nothing better for days like these.

I really haven’t entirely forgotten to post these past few weeks.  There has been a lot of cooking happening, but a lot of FAMILY going on as well.  I have a new little grandson born just before Christmas, and my youngest son returned from his LDS mission a few weeks before that event.  

I made this soup to take to my daughter as she came home from the hospital with their new little boy.  In my church (the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints - or the “Mormons”) - it’s common to welcome a new mom home with at least a few meals after a new baby.  The Relief Society assigns Visiting Teachers, and they are angels of mercy at times like this.  Since this happy event happened right before Christmas, Melyn didn’t want them to have one more thing to worry about during the holidays - so they will begin bringing meals to her after the New Year.

Lasagna is a favorite portable meal that is commonly brought in to a home when needed.  It’s hearty, everyone likes it, and it transports well without spilling.  But I wanted to give this a try.  It would be much easier to warm up for a quick meal, and I liked the fact that it’s simple to assemble too.  

Most versions of Lasagna Soup you see on the web have everything mixed in - noodles, sauce, cheese, and all the rest.  I decided to make it more “soupy” - and leave the garnishes out, to be added in just before serving.  This way the noodles don’t get softer with each reheating.  The ricotta/parmesan mixture added at serving helps to cool the soup down enough to eat right away.  Grated cheese makes it heavenly.

There are several recipes that have YOU add in all the Italian seasonings - such as basil, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, etc...  I took the easy way out - and used a bottle of pasta sauce (which is already seasoned).  The chicken broth, and the can of diced tomatoes with juice cut it to the right consistency.

You can use leftover broken lasagna noodles, or go the easy route with Campanelle (a dried, curly pasta that resembles mini-lasagna noodles).  I stored my extra soup and noodles in separate containers, then warmed and combined them before serving for several more individual meals.

Add more (or less) liquid - depending on if you like yours very soupy, or more hearty and thick.  The cheesy ricotta mixture is my favorite garnish - delicious.  I think next time I’ll add a little Italian Seasoning along with the ground black pepper.

For the recipe, go to:
www.changeabletable.com

Old Standby Hamburger Soup

EVERY family has a version of a hamburger soup in their recipe file - and this one is ours.  It couldn’t be easier - the hardest thing is remembering to thaw out a pound of ground beef.  We love the texture, which is right in between a broth and a creamy tomato - which is accomplished by two little tricks.

My grown kids are getting too accustomed to having this blog at their fingertips.  I know that because they occasionally call me and ask “Mom... WHY isn’t ________ on your BLOG?  I had to look it up in the cookbook!”  (the equivalent to having to watch a VHS tape?)  All I reply to that is “Life is hard!”  

There are many recipes that most of us just have memorized.  Then there are others that we make often, but not often enough to remember all the proportions.  This is one of those.  So now I’m posting it so those kids don't have to 'look it up'.  

Hamburger soup is what I would call a “just good soup” recipe.  I always made this when I had warm bread coming out of the oven at dinnertime.  My kids used to enjoy breaking up slices of cheese in the soup, giving it a little stir, and then “finding” the melted cheese as they ate.  Funny how you remember little things like that...

The two little tricks I always used to keep the soup between broth-y and creamy are these...  1) Boil the macaroni JUST until it starts to soften, and then keep part of the water you boiled it in to add to the soup (details are in the recipe).  2) Use a plain old can of condensed tomato soup - undiluted of course.

I use my home-canned tomatoes and dice them before adding to the soup.  I love finding those chunks of tomatoes amongst the macaroni and beef.  

So... on those cold evenings when you have nowhere to go, and don’t necessarily care to “wow” your family - you can’t go wrong with this great standby soup. 

For the recipe, go to:
www.changeabletable.com