Broccoli Cheese Soup

Brittany stole this delightfully rich soup from Ree Drummond - another winner!  I gave it a zesty twist, by combining pepper jack and sharp cheddar cheese (the more pepper jack, the spicier the soup), and serving with hot pepper sauce (Frank's Red Hot is my favorite)!

1 onion diced
1 stick butter
1/3 cup flour
4 cups whole milk
2 cups half and half
4 heads broccoli cut into florets
1 pinch nutmeg
2 cups grated cheese (cheddar, jack, pepper jack, or some combination)
salt to taste
ground pepper
chicken broth if needed to thin

Melt butter in dutch oven and add onions.  Cook for 3-4 minutes, then sprinkle with flour to coat.  Stir to combine and cook for 1 minute, then add the milk and half and half.  Whisk well so no lumps appear.  Add nutmeg, broccoli, salt (start with just a dash) and black pepper.

Cover and reduce heat to low.  Simmer for 20 - 30 minutes or until broccoli is tender (stir often so soup doesn't scorch). Stir in cheese and allow to melt.   Taste and adjust seasonings.

At this point, the soup may be served as is, OR you may use a potato masher to break up larger broccoli chunks OR use an immersion blender to puree the entire soup. Splash in a little chicken broth if soup (in whatever form) needs thinning.

Serve with crusty french bread and a dash of hot pepper sauce!

Cauliflower Soup

Brittany found this recipe on the internet (I think it came from Ree Drummond) and made it for me on a bitterly cold winter night.  I'd been on an airplane all day, and had a bad head cold.  Nothing ever tasted so good!

1 stick butter
1/2 onion, diced
whole carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1-2 whole heads of cauliflower, roughly chopped
2 T fresh or dried parsley, chopped
2 quarts chicken broth
6 T flour
2 cups whole milk
1 cup half and half
salt, pepper to taste
1 cup sour cream (optional)

In dutch oven, melt 4 T butter.  Add onion and cook until it starts to brown.  Add the carrots and celery and cook an additional couple of minutes.  Add cauliflower and parsley and stir to combine.

Cover and cook over very low heat (careful not to scorch) for 15 min.  After 15 min, add chicken stock.  Bring to boil and simmer.

In medium saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter.  Mix in flour, then milk, and whisk well to combine. Remove from heat and add half and half.

Add thickening mixture to the simmering pot.  Allow to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.  Check seasoning and add more salt and pepper if necessary.

For a creamier soup, just before serving, fold sour cream into soup.  Serve immediately!

Cioppino - Seafood Stew

One of my all-time favorite foods!  I've included this recipe here, even though its very similar to the Bouillabaisse recipe.    


3/4 cup olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, with juice
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1 cup dry white wine (or more, to taste)
16 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
20 mussels, cleaned and debearded
20 small clams
1 1/2 pounds cod fillets, cubed
1 1/2 pounds bay scallops

In a large stock-pot, cook onions, celery and garlic in butter until soft.  Add tomatoes, bay leaf, basil and wine.  Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, pick through clams and mussels, discarding any with broken shells or emitting a foul odor.  Rinse in cold water.

Add cod and shellfish.  Cover, and bring to a boil.  Lower heat to medium, and simmer about 10 minutes, until clams and mussels open.  Ladle stew into bowls, discarding any mussels or clams that haven't opened.  Serve immediately, with good firm bread, like sourdough or French bread.

New England Clam Chowder

This is a great tasting recipe (from America's Test Kitchen), though not nearly as thick as a traditional restaurant chowder.  I was a bit put-off by this at first, but was afraid that adding additional thickener would alter the taste. Nobody else seemed to mind the consistency of the broth, so I never messed with the ingredients.  After all, who needs the added calories?

4 (6.5 ounce) cans minced clams, or the equivalent fresh clams chopped
24 ounces clam juice
4 slices bacon, minced (I admit to adding more :)
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced (1/2 t crushed garlic)
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 pounds (about 5 medium) red potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (red potatoes don't deteriorate like russets)
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1 cup heavy cream (use half and half for fewer calories)
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the onion, and cook until the onion is soft (watch you don't burn the bacon).

Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Stir in the flour to coat the bacon and onion mixture.  Gradually whisk in the 5 cups of clam broth.  Stir in the potatoes, bay leaves and thyme.  Bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Stir in the clams, cream, and parsley.  Return to a simmer briefly, then remove from the heat.  Discard the bay leaves and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Potato and Leek Soup

My brother and I with Papap - taking a break from his beloved garden.

I'll always think of my grandfather when I make potato soup, for it was his specialty.  Sadly, I don't have a copy of his recipe, but the ingredients vary little from recipe to recipe.  My grandfather was never one to skimp on fat, believing that everything, tasted just that much better, with a few more calories.  Papap probably used heavy cream in his soup, but I'll stick to the less fatty, half and half (you may choose to eliminate the half and half, for an even healthier version).

4 tablespoon butter
2 pounds boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into pieces
1 pound leeks (white and pale green part only), washed and sliced
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
5 cups chicken stock (water may be substituted, but the soup will be a bit less flavorful)
2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup half and half
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper
chopped chives (optional)

In a large soup pot, melt butter.  Add carrots, leeks and celery, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add the broth (or water), bay leaf, about one teaspoon of salt, and the potatoes (make sure there is enough liquid to fully cover).  Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat and simmer on low, uncovered, until the potatoes are fully cooked, about 30 minutes.

Discard the bay leaf and let the soup cool for 10 minutes.  Transfer the mixture to a food processor, and process in batches, until smooth (Pap did this by hand - it's much easier with a food processor :)

When ready to eat, heat the pureed soup over medium heat. Thin with milk, until the soup is the desired consistency.  Ladle into individual bowls, and swirl one tablespoon half and half into each serving.  Sprinkle with pepper, and serve.  For a bit of added color, top with a scattering of chopped chives. Wonderfully delicious!

Hearty Split Pea Soup

Rick never fails to mention how good the house smells when I'm cooking split pea soup.

2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 teaspoons crushed garlic
6 cups water
1 ham steak, skin removed and cubed into bite-sized pieces
2 smoked ham hocks
16 ounces (2 cups) dried green peas
1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
2 bay leaves
2 carrots, chopped
1 stalk celery
salt and pepper to taste
fresh mint sprig and a handful of frozen sweet peas (heated of course) for garnish

Rinse peas and pick out any that appear irregular.  Heat butter in a large Dutch oven or soup pot.  Add chopped onion and cook until softened, about four minutes.  Add garlic and stir.  Add water, ham steak, ham hocks, peas, thyme and bay leaves.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for one hour, stirring frequently.

Remove the ham hocks from the soup and discard.  Add the chopped carrots and celery.  Cover and continue to simmer an additional 30 minutes.  Watch!  If at anytime, soup appears too thick, add water or chicken broth to suit.  When peas are tender and mushy, remove from heat.  Serve with buttery, garlic croutons and top with a fresh mint sprig and a sprinkling of sweet peas.

Vegetarian Black Bean Chili

Black and gold chili and skillet cornbread - the perfect menu for a Steeler game-day.


This recipe is from America's Test Kitchen.  I tweaked it just a bit to suit my fancy.  The original recipe calls for two red bell peppers, which I found too strong.  I used my own canned tomatoes which added a bit more water.  Too really thicken it up, I pureed a cup of the cooked beans and returned them to the pot, just prior to serving.

Since this is a meatless chili, the chopped mushrooms are a important ingredient because they don't degrade completely while cooking.  They provide body without masking the flavor of the beans.

The chipotle pepper in adobo sauce is an essential ingredient.  One minced teaspoon provides a nice bit of heat, without being overpowering.  Of course, the chipotle pepper is what gives the final product a distinctively smokey flavor.  If you can really tolerate heat, add a bit more, but be careful because they're powerful little buggers.

Finally, if a strictly vegetarian chili isn't all that important to you, add a couple of smoked pork hocks to the pot along with the beans.  Remove after the first hour, and you'll get a chili with a smoked pork flavor.

1 pound white mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon mustard seeds (or 1/2 tsp dry mustard)
2 teaspoons cumin seeds (or 1/2 tsp ground cumin)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 tablespoons minced or crushed garlic
1 tablespoon minced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (buy canned, in Mexican food aisle) see note below
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 pound dried black beans, brined (soaked overnight in salt water)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
2 bay leaves
28 ounces of crushed tomatoes
1 red bell pepper, chopped into 1/2 pieces (more if you really like the flavor)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, minced
salt and pepper
lime wedges, shredded mexican cheese, sour cream and chopped green onion for serving

Preheat oven to 325.  Toast mustard and cumin seeds in a dry dutch oven until golden (if using dry seasonings, add with chili powder).  Stir in oil, onion, and mushrooms.  Saute until dry and slightly browned.  Stir in garlic, chopotle, and chili powder (dry seasonings).  Cook one minute, stirring constantly.  Add broth, water, brined beans, sugar, baking soda (to prevent beans from losing their color) one tablespoon of salt, and bay leaves.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and place pot on middle rack in oven for one hour.

Remove pot from oven and add tomato and bell pepper, cover and return to oven for additional hour, or until the beans are tender.  Watch that chili doesn't scorch on the bottom.  If needed, add more water.

When beans are tender, remove pot from oven.  If the chili is too thin for your liking, scoop a cup or two of the beans from the pot, and puree in a food processor or food mill.  Return the puree to the pot, and stir.

Add cilantro, season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with lime wedges, shredded cheese, sour cream and chopped green onion. Serve with Old Fashioned Skillet Cornbread.

Note:  I place the remaining chilies in a small ziplock bag and freeze for future use.

Ham and Bean Soup - Quick Method

I love homemade bean soup, but don't always have time to soak my beans overnight.  I use canned cannellini (white kidney beans) for a quick and easy alternative.  The cannellini beans won't degrade while cooking like some of the other canned bean varieties.    Since I don't always have a ham bone on hand, I keep small packages of smoked ham hocks in my freezer.  The ham hocks give my soup the smokey pork flavor I expect in a bean soup.  Dice up a ham steak, and throw that in with the beans, and veggies for a nice hearty cold-weather lunch or dinner.

32 oz chicken broth (stock)
15 oz can cannellini beans, drained
2 cups diced tomatoes, including juice
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced onion
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
1 ham bone or 2 ham hocks
1 - 2 cups diced ham

Combine all of the above ingredients in a large stock pot.  Add 1 teaspoon of salt.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 90 minutes, stirring every 20 to 30 minutes.  Remove ham bone or hocks.  Season to taste and serve with a nice slice of French or Italian bread.

Fresh Tomato Soup with Basil

I like to serve this garden-fresh soup, with cheesy crostini.

Campbell's tomato soup, and grilled cheese sandwiches were a snow-day tradition at our house.  I'm no longer a big fan of canned soup, but I love this fresh and easy version of an old classic.  For a more hearty soup, I add soup pasta (ditalini, here), but its equally delicious without it.

3 T butter

1 large onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, shredded

4 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped, loosely packed

1 tsp salt

3/4 tsp sugar

1/8 tsp pepper

2 cups chicken broth

pasta, to suit

sour cream to garnish

In a soup pot, saute onion and carrot in butter until soft, about 10 minutes.  Stir in the tomatoes, basil, salt, sugar, and pepper.  Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally; reduce heat, cover and simmer for ten minutes.

Whirl tomato mixture, a portion at a time, in a food processor (or food mill) to puree.  Set aside.

Add chicken broth to pot.  Bring to a boil.  Add a small amount of soup pasta (be careful not to use too much or the pasta will absorb your broth), and reduce heat.  Cook for five minutes, then add the tomato mixture.  Stir to combine, and continue cooking until pasta is tender, another three to five minutes.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of fresh ground pepper.

Irish Potato and Cabbage Soup with Diced Ham

This soup is a take-off on one of my favorite Irish dishes, colcannon.  The braised cabbage gives the soup a slightly sweet flavor.

I'll make no apology for my use of bacon drippings in this recipe!  "Everything in moderation," Mom used to say :)

6 medium russett potatoes, cut into quarters

1 large carrot, finely chopped, or shredded

1 small head of cabbage, finely chopped or shredded

1 small onion, chopped

two large leeks, white part only, finely chopped

2 - 3 tablespoons of bacon drippings (can use butter or cooking oil)

1 small ham steak, diced into 1/4 inch pieces

32 oz vegetable broth (I like Trader Joe's Organic broth)

salt and pepper

2 tablespoons butter

1 - 2 cups milk or half and half

In a dutch oven or soup pot, combine potatoes, carrot, and vegetable broth.  Add a teaspoon of salt, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer until the potatoes begin to degrade.

Meanwhile, melt bacon drippings in large skillet.  Add cabbage, onion and leeks.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat evenly with drippings.  Saute until cabbage takes on a golden hue.  Cover, reduce heat and braise until completely tender, about ten minutes. Add ham, toss, and continue to braise on lowest heat while potatoes cook.

When potatoes begin to degrade, remove from heat.  Puree lightly, in batches with cooking liquid, inside a food processor.  Return puree to pot, add 2 tablespoons butter, and the cabbage mixture.  Mix well.  The soup should be very thick.  Thin to the consistency you like, with milk or half and half.  Season with salt and pepper.

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Combining these two fall harvest favorites, is like putting autumn in a bowl!

Sounds like a strange combination for a soup, but this is delicious.  The apples add just enough sweetness to offset the tangy curry.

I borrowed this recipe from Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa.  Its the most popular soup served in her restaurant and the best of the squash or pumpkin soup recipes I've tried.  If you don't like curry, this isn't a recipe for you.  I like curry, but cut the amount Ina uses in half (she uses 2 tablespoons, and I use only 1).  If you are a real curry lover, you can increase the amount.

2 T unsalted butter

2 T olive oil

1 large sweet onion, chopped

1 T mild curry

2 large butternut squash

4 large apples

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 cups (more or less) apple cider or apple juice

pint of sour cream (optional)

In a large stockpot, combine the butter, olive oil, onion and curry.  Cook over medium heat, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, until the onions are soft.  I stirred the mixture frequently to prevent it from sticking, as the curry absorbs the oil and thickens.

While the onion is cooking, peel the squash (I use a potato  peeler).  Cut in half and scrape out the seeds.  Cut the squash in 1 or 2 inch chunks.  Peel, core and quarter the apples.

In the stockpot, combine the squash, apples, salt, pepper, and 2 cups of water.  Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low.  Cook for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the squash and apples are very soft.

Process the squash/apple mixture in batches, in a large food processor.  Don't over-process.  The mixture should be fairly thick.  Return to the stockpot and add enough apple cider/juice to make the soup the consistency you like it.  Serve piping hot with a small dollop of sour cream in the center.