Favorite Soups

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January 31, 2020 By Jennifer Lambert 15 Comments

Winter is the perfect time for warm and filling soups.

January is National Soup Month!

These recipes are great for busy weeknights or using up leftovers.

With a salad and homemade bread, these soups are perfect on cold and dreary winter evenings.

They freeze beautifully and are welcome staples at potlucks. They’re great for lunches the next day too!

Our favorite soups:

What’s your favorite soup?

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Cockaleekie Soup

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January 31, 2020 By Jennifer Lambert 1 Comment

A quick and easy meal for weeknights is cockaleekie or chicken and leek soup.

Leeks are typically a spring vegetable. They’re lighter and sweeter than onions.

They look like giant green onions or chives.

I love having leftover chicken in the freezer and chicken stock on hand for easy meals like this one.

I chop up celery and carrots. I clean and slice up the leeks.

Sauteed in butter or oil, they smell heavenly.

I add herbs, black pepper, chicken stock, and chopped cooked chicken.

It’s ready in fewer than 30 minutes!

With a salad and some 1-hour bread machine soda bread, it’s a hearty meal for a cold night.

Cockaleekie Soup

Course Soup

Ingredients

1 c sliced leeks
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 stalk celery, diced
1-2 T butter, oil, or bacon grease
1-2 T white wine or sherry
3 c chicken stock
1 c cooked chicken
1 T black pepper
1 T thyme leaves
1 c cooked brown rice

Instructions

Saute vegetables in fat for about 5 minutes. Splash with wine.
Add stock and chicken. Heat to boiling.
Add seasoning and rice. Serve warm with soda bread.

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Cheesy Potato Soup

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January 30, 2020 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

Potato soup is a family favorite.

We typically have two kinds of potato soup: creamy or chunky cheesy.

Sautéing up a mirepoix, making a roux, and adding parcooked potatoes is super easy.

I often use leftover potatoes. If not, I boil them separately while I saute up the veggies and make the roux, then the cheese sauce.

I add in the potatoes and make some yummy toppings and it’s like a loaded baked potato in a bowl.

Look at gorgeous this creamy cheesy soup looks!

Cheesy Potato Soup

Course Soup

Ingredients

5 medium potatoes, peeled and parcooked
1-2 stalks celery, minced
1/2 onion, diced
1/4 c butter
1/4 c AP flour
3 c half and half
3 c chicken stock
16 oz Velveeta, cubed
1-2 t garlic powder
salt and white pepper
4 strips bacon, chopped and fried crisp for topping
1 c shredded Colby Jack or Cheddar for topping
1/4 c chopped parsley for topping
1/4 c chopped chives and/or green onions for topping

Instructions

Boil peeled and chopped potatoes if not already cooked.
Saute celery and onion in butter for a few minutes.
Sprinkle with flour and add the chicken stock and bring to boil. Add half and half and turn down heat to make a thick sauce. Do not boil.
Add potatoes to soup.
Add cubed Velveeta until melted and creamy. Do not boil.
Season with garlic, salt, and pepper.
Ladle into bowls and toppings. Enjoy!

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Zuppa Toscana

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January 30, 2020 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

I often make variations of Zuppa Toscana based on what I have on hand.

It’s one of the quickest and easiest soups to make.

I always have the three main ingredients on hand:

Potatoes
Greens
Sausage

I often saute breakfast sausage and/or bacon with chopped onions.

I add potatoes, either chopped and parboiled, or leftovers.

Chicken stock is almost always in my freezer.

I quarter the potatoes for pretty.

Last, I toss in some chopped greens to wilt and salt and pepper for the finishing touch.

Bon appetit!

Zuppa Toscana

Course Soup

Ingredients

1 package sausage Italian or breakfast
1/2 onion, diced
5 new potatoes, cooked
3 c chicken stock
1-3 T minced garlic
2-3 c chopped kale or other greens
1 t red pepper flakes optional
salt and pepper
1 c cream or half and half optional
1-2 T Parmesan cheese, grated for topping

Instructions

Boil potatoes in water in a separate pot if not already cooked.
Brown sausage and onion with a bit of olive oil or bacon grease to keep it from sticking.
Add garlic and saute.
Deglaze pan with chicken stock and bring to a boil. Adjust seasoning.
Drain and quarter potatoes. Add to the soup.
Add greens until just wilted.
Add cream if using. Do not allow to boil.
Grate Parmesan cheese on top of soup to serve.

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Chicken Noodle Soup

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January 29, 2020 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

I almost always have chicken stock in my freezer.

I make a fresh slow cooker full every time we have chicken bones.

Easy slow cooker chicken stock:

chicken bones (or turkey)
1 T apple cider vinegar
1 small tomato or 3-5 grape tomatoes (optional)
1-2 carrots ( I don’t even peel them)
1-2 celery stalks
5 whole cloves
5 whole peppercorns
2 Bay leaves

Fill with water and set slow cooker on low for 12 hours.

*I don’t add onion or garlic to stock because it makes it bitter.

Strain and use immediately in recipes or freeze in labeled quart bags.

I sometimes can get a second slow cooker pot of slightly weaker stock if there are a lot of bones.

Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

Sautéing up a mirepoix, making a roux, and adding fresh boiled noodles or leftover rice with cooked chicken and veggies is super easy and quick.

This is a great soup when someone is feeling sick in my house. I can usually whip it up quick with leftovers or freezer items I keep on hand. I can update this soup with various veggies and herbs for brighter flavor.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Course Soup

Ingredients

1-2 stalks celery, minced
1-2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2 onion, diced
1/4 c butter
6 c chicken stock
1-2 lbs chopped cooked chicken
2 bay leaves
1 T minced garlic
1 t thyme leaves
1 T parsley
1 T lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper
1 package good quality egg noodles boiled to al dente

Instructions

Boil noodles according to package instructions.
Saute veggies in butter for a few minutes.
Add chicken stock.
Add chicken and seasonings. Simmer for 30 minutes until flavors meld.
I sometimes like to add dill, sage, or rosemary for extra flavor.
Remove bay leaves and serve warm with noodles.

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Vegetable Soup

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August 13, 2019 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

Aaron’s mom had this famous busy day soup.

I first had it the weekend I met his parents.

Our kids beg for it – even in summer!

Sometimes, I deviate from the original recipe, but it’s really perfect the way it is.

Directions:

Sometimes, I saute fresh veggies like mirepoix or mushrooms in butter and make my own cream sauces as a base.

Check out our veggie-packed cream soup recipe.

But I’ve found great canned cream soups that are healthier and organic so I just buy those now.

I usually use ground beef, the cheapest I can find.

Then I literally dump everything in and simmer for about 30 minutes. You could use a slow cooker too.

This soup is just perfect for a busy day. You can fix it and forget it and throw it together last minute.

I really like Lima beans, so I usually add those also. You can do just peas and carrots or the medley. It’s up to you!

I sometimes use barley, but I don’t really like it.

I’ve done little noodles before too, but you don’t want those left in the broth or they get soggy for leftovers.

We like to serve it with toast.

Vegetable Soup

Course Soup

Ingredients

1 lb ground meat
1 pack dry onion soup mix
48 oz V8
1 can cream of celery
1 can cream of mushroom
1 bag frozen mixed vegetables
1 cup cooked barley
2 peeled and diced potatoes
1 can kidney beans
salt, pepper, garlic to taste

Instructions

Brown the meat and drain the fat.
Boil and drain the barley.
Peel and dice the potatoes.
Combine all ingredients and simmer for about 30 minutes.
Serve with toast!

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Dill Chicken Soup

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April 6, 2016 By Jennifer Lambert 6 Comments

The kids love this creamy dill chicken orzo soup in springtime – or anytime!

It’s a great way to use chicken leftovers.
Or, I roast some seasoned chicken breasts in the oven while I prep everything else.
I seasoned these with paprika, garlic, lemon, salt, and pepper. I drizzled olive oil to make sure they didn’t stick to the pan.

A super easy way to shred cooked chicken is to use the paddle attachment on the stand mixer.

Give it a whirl until it’s the desired shredded consistency.

I sliced a leek, chopped some celery and carrots. Close enough to the holy trinity of cooking: mire poix.

I sauté those up in a little butter and bacon grease.

You need a good chicken stock. We usually have some homemade chicken stock in the freezer. But we like Kitchen Basics too.

I dump in the frozen stock and put a lid on it. It melts in a just few minutes.

I prefer fresh dill, but we used dried this time.

I throw a handful of sea salt in a pot to boil the orzo al dente.

When the water has big bubbles, I dump in about a cup of orzo.

I drain the orzo and spritz on some olive oil so it doesn’t get all sticky.

The stock is melted, so I blend the vegetables with my stick blender.

The soup is hot, so be careful with the blender.

It’s all pretty now.

I add in the orzo and shredded chicken. I sprinkle in about 1 T of dill.

It smells amazing.

Dill Chicken Soup

The kids love this creamy dill chicken orzo soup in springtime - or anytime!

Course Soup

Cuisine Soup

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

1 T olive oil or bacon grease
4-6 chicken breasts or thighs boneless, skinless
1 leek sliced
1-2 stalks celery chopped
1-2 carrots chopped
6 c chicken stock
1 c orzo cooked to al dente
1/4 c fresh dill or 1 T dry dill
1-2 T lemon juice

Instructions

Season and roast chicken breasts in oven at 350* until cooked through, about 30-40 minutes. Or use leftover rotisserie chicken.
Cook leek, celery, and carrot, in oil or grease, stirring often, until soft, 5-8 minutes.
Set water and salt to boil. Cook orzo according to instructions. Drain. Drizzle with oil so it doesn't stick together.
Add broth to vegetables and bring to boil.
Shred chicken with stand mixer or forks.
Blend vegetables and broth with stick blender.
Add chicken, orzo, and dill to soup and warm.
Season with lemon, salt, and pepper.

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Ham and Bean Soup

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January 19, 2015 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

On dismal cold winter days, I just want soup.

My husband used to love a certain canned variety of ham and bean soup.

This is a much healthier, more natural version of that soup.

Warm comfort food – filling and cozy on blustery days.

We put our holiday ham bone in the freezer with just this soup idea in mind. A frugal way to use the flavor and hammy tidbits rather than wasting.

When we’re in a pinch or hurry, this is my favorite stock to use. We often keep quarts of homemade stock in the freezer.

And I am absolutely in love with this soup starter seasoning. I seriously put it in everything. I can’t vouch for the chemical-free-ness of this product in the States, but it is a pantry staple in Europe!

All good soups being with mirepoix, no?

All ingredients in the slow cooker. (I need a bigger slow cooker!) It smells heavenly after simmering for a few hours.

This ham and bean soup was a HUGE hit for dinner with the whole family!

Ham and Bean Soup Recipe

*If I were making this for myself or a special event, I would add chopped red pepper and peeled, cubed sweet potatoes. I think that would be mighty fine. My husband and kids aren’t big fans of peppers and sweet potatoes.

What’s your favorite warm soup for cold days?

Ham and Bean Soup

Course Soup

Cuisine Soup

Ingredients

1 Ham bone or chopped ham or smoked pork shank (we froze ours after a holiday meal). You could even use smoked sausage – or a beef or turkey product. I love versatility!
1 bag of mixed beans
1 large carrot, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1 box chicken stock
1 Tablespoon soup seasoning optional
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Soak beans overnight or according to package instructions. Combine with hambone in slow cooker. Arrange veggies, stock, and seasoning around hambone. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Adjust seasoning. Serve with cornbread and salad.

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Cream of Vegetable Soup

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April 14, 2014 By Jennifer Lambert 5 Comments

My girls love cream of veggie soup and regularly request it.

It’s a great healthy lunch that takes only 30 minutes or so to prepare. Or you could make it in a slow cooker.

I just prefer to use a big stock pot.

Cream of vegetable soup is a simple, frugal, and quick lunch.

First, I chop up a whole head of broccoli and several celery stalks.

Alex peels carrots.

Alex chops carrots. I snag a few for the soup before he eats them all.

I chop potatoes and onion.

Alex informs me that he doesn’t like onions.

We keep homemade chicken and beef stock on hand in quart zippy bags in the freezer. This recipe uses two bags.

I throw all the veggies in the pot with the frozen broth and it steams as it melts, then simmers a bit and softens the veggies. I also dash in a 1/2 cup of white wine.

After the broth melts, I add salt and pepper and garlic powder and stir.

I scoop out some of the larger chunks of broccoli stalk and throw them out since they clog the blender.

This Cuisinart Smart Stick is a handy dandy tool and is my kitchen friend.

You could also pour hot soup in a big blender – or Blendtec or Vitamix.

Of course, Tori wants to get in on some of that action.

Alex is a bit nervous to push the button.

You can leave it a little chunky or blend it ultra-smooth. I also add a drizzle of cream to make it creamy.

And of course, shred some lovely cheese.

We like it with chopped ham and lots of cheese and fresh rolls or wheat bread.

Except Alex makes himself a ham and cheese sandwich instead.

This soup is really versatile. You can use whatever vegetables you have on hand. It’s a great way to use up leftovers or that head of cauliflower you find in the back of the bottom shelf of the fridge. The soup melds together beautifully, so even if you don’t like broccoli or spinach or onions, you won’t really know they’re in there.

Cream of Vegetable Soup

Course Soup

Cuisine Soup

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 8

Ingredients

1 head broccoli roughly chopped, including stems
2-3 stalks celery roughly chopped
2-4 carrots peeled and roughly chopped
1 medium onion peeled and chopped
4 medium potatoes peeled and roughly chopped
1 cup spinach, kale, assorted greens
1 T minced garlic
2 quarts chicken stock
1/2 cup sherry or white wine
pinch salt, pepper
a drizzle of cream optional
chopped ham or bacon optional
shredded cheese optional

Instructions

Combine ingredients in a stock pot. Simmer for 30-45 minutes or until carrots are softened. Blend to desired consistency. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve whenever. Freezes beautifully.

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