Italian Wedding Soup

We got 5 inches of snow today so it seems like a perfect day for soup. I love everything from this soup; it is more of a hyped up chicken noodle soup that is better. Little round noodles, pork meatballs, spinach, egg all floating around in a wonderful warm chicken broth. This is a new all time favorite and will be adding this to the menu list. I hope you and your family enjoy this as much as mine did.

Ingredients: 

Meatball:

1 lbs Ground Pork

1 Tablespoon Onion Powder

1 Tablespoon Parsley

1 Large Egg

1 Garlic Minced

1 Teaspoon Salt

1/3 Cup Italian Bread Crumbs

Broth:

12 Cups Chicken Broth

1 Cup Chopped Spinach 

1 Cup Acini de Pepe Pasta

2 eggs (mixed)

2 Tablespoons Parmesan Cheese

Salt & Pepper

Instructions: 

Make your meatballs by mixing the seven ingredients into a bowl. Scoop up 1 Tablespoon or any bite size, form into a ball and set aside.

Place your broth and spinach into a pot and bring to a boil, Add in your uncooked meatballs and simmer for 20 minutes; stir constantly.  Mix the eggs and parmesan cheese together in a separate bowl and slowly pour into soup while mixing the soup into a circle. Add in your Acini de Pepe pasta and cook on medium for another 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Adapted by

giada de laurentiis

Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Something comforting about soup, isn't there? Instead of having your original chicken noodle soup, have something a little different and try this chicken wild rice soup. You will probably never want to make noodle soup again, there is something so great about wild rice. The taste is delightful and is perfect for a fall or winter day. 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups Uncooked Wild Rice

1 LB Boneless Chicken Breasts or thighs (cut into bite sized)

1 Small Onion

1 Cup chopped carrots

3 Bay Leaves

2 Teaspoons Parsley

1 Teaspoon Thyme

1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder 

1/2 teaspoon Salt and Pepper

4 Cups Chicken Stock

3 Cups of water

1/2 Cup Heavy Cream (Separate) 

Directions:

Place all ingredients into slow cooker except heavy cream.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours, remove bay leaves, place 1 cup of hot soup in a bowl and stir in heavy cream and pour back into slow cooker and stir again.

Add more salt and pepper to your taste and add more water if it is too thick.

Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup

For this week's crockpot Saturday I made this gem. You all know that soup is my favorite so I am super excited to share this recipe with you all. This is one of our favorites, it is so flavorful, aromatic, creamy, and full of bacon. Yes, I said bacon so right there you know you will love this soup. Try it out the next time you need to throw something into your crockpot.

Ingredients:

1 pound Chicken Breast, cut into bite sized chunks

2 Carrots, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

2 Teaspoons Dried Basil

2 Teaspoons Italian Seasoning

1 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon Pepper

4 Cups Chicken Broth

2 Tablespoons Corn Starch

2 Tablespoons Water

2-12 ounce cans of Evaporated Milk

1 pound package of Gnocchi

6 slices of bacon, chopped

2 garlic, minced

3 handfuls of Fresh Spinach

Instructions: 

Place chicken, carrots, onion, basil, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and broth into crockpot and place on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours.

Mix together the cornstarch and water

Place cornstarch mixture, milk, and gnocchi into crockpot (after cooking) place lid back on crockpot.

Cut bacon into bite-sized pieces and cook in pan, when done take out. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes and add in spinach until it wilts. 

Add bacon, garlic, and spinach into crock pot and mix. Place lid on for 15 minutes on high cooking level. 

Add salt and pepper to taste

Stir and Serve

Recipe adapted from:

http://pinchofyum.com/

Simple Crock Pot Chili

It is officially fall and that means it is soup season in my house.  I could live off of soup, I really could, there is nothing better than a soup on a cold day and today it is 53 so, soup it is.

I make this chili when I don't have a lot of time on my hands and it is so simple just to throw it in the crock pot and let it simmer all day long. It has the perfect amount of spice and the upside is that you don't have to chop up anything? Not kidding, learn my trick below.  Happy Soup Season!

Ingredients:

1 lb Ground Beef

2 cans, 15 oz, Tomato Sauce

1 can, 15 oz, Dark Kidney Beans, Rinsed

1 can, 15 oz, Light Kidney Beans, Rinsed

1 jar or 1 1/2 cups, Chunky Salsa

2 tablespoons Chili Powder

1 Tablespoon Paprika

1 Teaspoon Onion Powder

1/4 Teaspoon Pepper Flakes

Instructions:

Brown meat and place meat and all other ingredients into slow cook, mix and place on low for 6 hours, high for 3 hours.

Top off with crackers, cheese, sour cream, gold fish, or even corn muffins.

Beef Barley Soup

Hello all long time no see!!  So it has been a while....well more like a year a very long year.  My laptop broke down and I had no computer for a while and we were finally able to buy one but mostly because I will be starting college online in the fall and of course in the mean time I will be blogging like crazy.  So for my first post in a year I bring you Beef Barley Soup, one of my many favorites, yes I know I say that a lot but I have many favorites.  This soup warms my soul and it reminds me of childhood, my mother makes amazing barely soup, so here is my version.

1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil

1 LB Stew Beef

1 Teaspoon salt & pepper, each

4 Tablespoon Beef Base

10 Cups of water

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire

1/2 onion, chopped

1 clover garlic minced

2 Large carrots shredded

1 Large potato shredded

1 cup Barley

Instructions:

Put oil in a large soup kettle and put in stew beef, cook until browned.

Add salt and pepper.

Add onions and garlic and stir for one minute.

Pour in water, beef base (better than bouillon or a powder mix) and Worcestershire. 

Bring to a boil and then set to a simmer, put lid on and let simmer for 2 hours.

When the 2 hours is up put in shredded carrots, potato and barley. Put heat on med for 1 hour.

Salt and pepper to taste

Turkey Wild Rice Soup

Looking for a way to use up the last of that turkey or maybe just in the mood for an amazing creamy soup?  This is it your whole family/ friends will love it, pair it with biscuits or corn muffins.

2 Stalks Celery Chopped

2 Carrot Sticks Chopped

1 Medium Onion Chopped

1 Cup Mushrooms Chopped

2 Cups Wild Rice

2 Cups Shredded/Cubed Turkey 

2 Cups Half/Half

4 Cups Chicken Stock

1 Tablespoon Parsley

Salt and Pepper to taste

1/2 Cup Butter

1/2 Cup Flour

Place butter,celery,carrots,onion and mushrooms in a dutch oven until all the veggies are tender.

Mix in flour and stir until bubbly, gradually whisk in broth, bring to boil, stirring constantly, cook for 1-3 minutes or until thickened.

Stir in all remaining ingredients, return to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes - 1 hour

Serve

Tuscan Soup

So this soup is amazing is so many ways, the flavors are so outstanding it is down right redonkulous.

So I saw someone post a similar recipe to their Facebook that they made and I said to myself "oh my goodness, this could be 10x better!"  So I playing with ingredients and changed a lot around and I thought I created a master piece but only to find out there are tons of other versions of this every where on the foodie internet.  So here is my version of the "Tuscan Soup"

Now I like to cook my meats into the soups because well it adds more flavor but with doing that you have to let the soup cool down and then render the fat off the top or you could cook the meat first then add it to the soup, your choice.

32 oz Chicken Broth

1 Cup Heavy Cream

1 Cup Water

4 Italian Sausage Links * Cut in chunks*

2 Large potatoes *Cut into smaller chunks*

1/2 Cup Chopped Onion

1/4 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

1/4 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

Fresh Spinach Leaves

Place chicken broth, water, onions, sausage, and potatoes into large pot.  Let boil and cook sausage and potatoes until done.  Let soup cool and then render the fat off the top or as much as you can.  Bring soup back to boil add in cream, onions, garlic, and flakes.  Boil for 15 mins and stir constantly.

Take a hand full of spinach leaves in bowl, pour soup over spinach leaves, drool, and enjoy

Chicken and Dumplings

I love soup any time even if it 200* out ok maybe I am a little dramatic I wouldn't eat soup if it were 200*out but it was 75* out so that is ok.

This is a very simple creamy flavorful chicken and dumpling soup that will please anyone you serve it to.

1 LB Chicken Breast cubed

1/4 Teaspoon Salt and Pepper

1//2 Onion Chopped

2 Cans Chicken broth

2 Cans Cream of Chicken

1 Cup Milk

16 OZ frozen peas and carrots

1 Teaspoon Garlic

Dumplings

2 Cups Flour

4 Teaspoons Baking Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon Parsley

1 Cup of milk

1/4 Cup Melted Butter

Place chicken,onions and garlic in a kettle and cook until chicken is no longer pink.

Stir in chicken broth, cream of chicken, milk, peas and carrots.  Bring to boil and then let simmer for 20 minutes. 

In a bowl stir flour, baking powder, salt, parsley.  Add milk and melted butter and  stir. 

Place tablespoons into soup mixture and cover for 15 mins

Irish Beef Stew

So I am a little late on the whole Irish theme but I could eat Irish Stew any month any week.  Like I have said in the past I am horribly obsessed with mashed potatoes.  If I knew that today was my last day on earth I would spend it eating mashed potatoes, okay maybe that is to much but you get the point.  The flavor of the stew is amazing, it is creamy and just full of deliciousness.  The smell in home is heavenly, everyone was excited to eat this.

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 lb. chuck roast, trimmed and cut into cubes

1 yellow onion, diced

3 large carrots, peeled and chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon crushed rosemary

1 Tablespoon Basil leaves

2 cups beef broth

2 Tablespoons butter, softened

2 Tablespoons flour

Heaping 1/3 cup frozen peas 

In large pot or deep skillet set to medium-high heat, add olive oil. Once hot, add chuck roast and cook until browned on all sides, about 4 minutes. Add onions, carrots, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary and bay leaves. Cook another 5 minutes. Pour in beef broth. Cover and simmer 2-4 hours, until meat and vegetables are tender.

When ready to serve, remove bay leaves. In a small bowl, stir softened butter and flour together until smooth. Stir butter mixture into the stew. Add frozen peas. Once the gravy thickens slightly, it's done. Serve hot over mashed potatoes.

adapted by

http://www.thecomfortofcooking.com

Chicken Chowder

Soup will always be my food of choice during the winter months.  I am not to picky but I love chowders they are creamy and full of potatoes who couldn't ask for more?  Creamy thick soups are my weakness I will barley make a watery soup unless it is chicken noodle or a beef barley but that is it!

So instead of cooking up a chicken noodle soup try this chicken chowder instead!

• 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small onion diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 Teaspoon parsley
• 1 Teaspoon Basil
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups milk
• 3 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 cups diced raw chicken breast
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Shredded Colby Jack Cheese (Optional)

Melt butter in large pot over medium heat and add in onions,carrots and celery.  Cook on low for 10 mins stirring frequently until they are fragrant. 

Turn up heat to a medium and whisk in flour until fully mixed for about 1 minute, whisk in milk and broth for 2 mins until thickened, whisk constantly.

Stir in parsley,basil,thyme,potatoes and chicken, bring to a boil and reduce to a medium heat until chicken is done and potatoes are tender about 20-30 minutes.

Add in salt and pepper to taste. 

 If chowder is to thick add in a half up of milk at a time if needed.

Serve right away and garnish with cheese, if desired.

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Tortellini Sausage Soup

Hey all I am back!  I wish I could say I was on vacation or something cool but if you seen on my Facebook page my power cord broke so we just had to order a new one.

It is officially soup season because all week it has been in the negatives.

So this soup was perfect, it is fast and simple and seriously just great.  It was gone and it fills up your crock pot.  This is a must make for the cold season.

1 lb. Italian Sausage 

20 oz. Frozen Three-Cheese Tortellini 

32 oz. Low Sodium Chicken Broth

2 Cans Diced Tomatoes – The kind that are seasoned with basil, garlic & oregano

8 oz. Cream Cheese *room temp*

Grated Parmesan Cheese for topping

Cook your sausage in a pan and put everything else including the cooked sausage into the crock pot and cook on low for 4 hours.

Beef Stew

It is cold and windy here in Wisconsin so I brought out the stew! It is thick and full of deliciousness.  It is full of flavor

I swear I can never ever get enough of soups in summer fall or winter but I make one at least once a week during the winter season especially when it gets to negative 30.

2 lbs of stewing beef, trimmed and cut into 1 inch cubes * I just buy the stew meat*

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion

2 ribs celery, chopped

handful baby carrots

6 baby red cut in big chunks

1  28 oz. can whole tomatoes 

1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning

2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder 

1 Teaspoon Parsley

1 Tablespoon Thyme

3 1/2 cups sodium reduced beef broth, divided

3 bay leaves

1 cup frozen peas

1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Salt and Pepper to taste

Dump the tomatoes into your pot, juice and all.  Crush them with a potato masher. Add the onions, celery, carrots and potatoes. Add the four seasonings in over the vegetables and then add the beef. Pour 3 cups of the beef broth over the beef and vegetables. Give the mixture a quick stir. Add the bay leaves.

Cover and cook on low for an 2 hours.  Stir every 30 mins

About 20 minutes before serving, add the peas  salt and pepper. In a small bowl whisk together the flour and remaining 1/2 cup of beef broth, creating a smooth paste. Stir into the stew. Replace the cover and cook until thickened 10-15 mins.

Remove the bay leaves before serving.

Lasagna Soup

In the mood for lasagna but don't want the work and mess?  How about a soup?  It is officially soup and comfort food season.  This soup was amazing.  Everyone ate it, everyone loved it.  It was simple to throw together and yea you will just have to make it on your next cold front.

• 1 lb. ground hamberger 
• 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
• 1 green pepper, seeded and diced
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 carton (32oz) chicken broth
• 1 can (14.5oz) diced tomatoes 
• 1 can (15oz) tomato sauce plus can of water
• 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 Tbsp Sugar
• 2 Tsp Oregano 
• 8 lasagna noodles, broken into bite sized pieces
• 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

In a large soup pot, brown ground beef with onion, green pepper and garlic. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and seasonings. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Boil 2 minutes, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, covered. Stir occasionally.

Add bite sized lasagna noodles to soup and cook until tender (about 15 minutes).

When ready to serve, mix in the grated Parmesan cheese. Ladle into individual bowls and sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese.

Adapted by

http://www.shugarysweets.com