Broccoli Cheese Soup

Soup season is close to over in MN (thankfully) and warmer weather is on it's way. However, soups make an easy lunch to bring to work, so I thought of broccoli cheese soup this week! My husband liked this soup, even though it has an arch enemy in it-broccoli! I don't blame him, it's not everyones favorite veggie. I don't mind it if it's in a soup like this or dipped in a veggie dip or ranch dressing. Broccoli is high in vitamins K, C, and A and Fiber-I vow to try and like this veggie more from now on :)



Broccoli Cheese Soup (from My Kitchen Cafe)

1 3/4 cups of chicken stock
1 small onion, diced
1 Tbsp butter

1/3 c. flour
1/4 c. butter
Pepper to taste

2 c. milk (1% is fine)
1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c. shredded swiss cheese
2 1/2 to 3 cups steamed chopped broccoli

In a saucepan, cook chopped onion with 1 Tbsp butter for a few minutes until the onion softens and begins to turn translucent (about 4-5 minutes.) Add chicken stock and bring to a simmer for 15-20 minutes in a covered small saucepan.

Heat milk in microwave for 1-2 minutes.

In a separate medium-sized stockpot, melt butter then add flour and pepper. Cook together for a couple of minutes, then whisk in warmed milk. Stir and heat together on medium-high heat until soup starts to thicken. Next add chicken broth and continue to stir until well blended. Add cheeses and steamed broccoli. Serve immediately.

Makes approximately 4 servings

Toasted Orzo Kielbasa Soup

While Rachel Rays original version looked appealing, I felt this version would be a little tastier ;) not that there was anything with the original, I feel a little 'chickened out' lately and needed a little change. It's prime soup season around my house, and this one I think is a keeper.

Toasted Orzo Kielbasa Soup (inspired by Rachel Ray)


6 cups chicken stock
1 whole bulb of garlic, peeled and top removed
1 package kielbasa, diced
3 Tbsp butter

1 cup orzo pasta

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 large carrot, peeled and chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2 shallots, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

salt and pepper

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

In a medium sauce pan, bring the chicken stock to a simmer. Peel the whole clove of garlic of any excess paper, and slice the top of the bulb off so the garlic is partially exposed. Drop the whole clove of garlic in with the simmering stock while you prepare the rest of the soup. Allow to simmer a minimum of 15-20 minutes.

Heat a stock pot or dutch oven over medium heat and add the 3 Tbsp of butter and allow to melt. Add the orzo and cook, stirring until well toasted. Transfer to a plate.

Return stock pot to heat and add the extra virgin olive oil to the pan. Add the carrots, peppers, garlic, shallots, and season with salt and fresh cracked pepper. Add the diced kielbasa to the pot at this point. Stir occasionally until vegetables are softened. Return the orzo to the pot.

Remove the garlic from the simmering chicken stock and discard the garlic. Add the chicken stock to the orzo, vegetables, and kielbasa. Stir occasionally, bring the soup to a boil and cook until the orzo is tender.

Add the chopped parsley for garnish and serve immediately.

Potato Leek Kielbasa Soup

Potato Leek soup has always been a favorite in this house and now it has gotten even better with the addition of kielbasa.

Leek, Potato and Kielbasa Soup (Recipe from Gourmet Magazine via Food Network Website)

1/2 teaspoon fennel seed, lightly crushed (we like a lot of fennel so I use about a Tbsp. or more) 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cups sliced leeks, white part only, rinsed and drained

5 cups chicken stock
2 lbs small red potatoes, peeled and largely diced

1 pound kielbasa, diced

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup thinly sliced arugula, optional

1/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper, for garnish, optional

Directions

In a small skillet toast the fennel seed over moderate heat until very fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes.

In a large saucepan melt the butter and cook the leek until very soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in stock and potatoes and bring to boil. Simmer the soup until the potatoes are tender, about 10-15 minutes. Stir in the toasted fennel, kielbasa, cream and salt and pepper, to taste.

Before serving stir in the arugula. Garnish with red bell pepper.

Wild Rice Soup

There are few things that will warm your little tummy up on a chilly day like creamy chicken wild rice soup. Here in Minnesota we go crazy for it! The original recipe calls for sherry, but..I don't have any sherry, what is sherry? Why can you only buy sherry by the jug it seems? A local merchant once told me that any recipe that calls for sherry can easily be substituted with a dry white wine, I actually use a sauvignon blanc, nothing fancy. But if you do have sherry stocked in your cupboards, dig it out and use it!


Wild Rice Soup (From Lunds and Byerly's)

6 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 tablespoon minced onion
1/2 cup flour
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups cooked wild rice
1/2 cup finely grated carrots
1/3 cup minced ham (can also use chicken or turkey)
3 tablespoons chopped slivered almonds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup half and half
2 tablespoons dry white wine
snipped fresh parsley or chives

In large saucepan, melt margarine; saute onion until tender. Blend in flour; gradually add broth. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; boil and stir 1 minute.

Stir in rice, carrots, ham, almonds and salt; simmer about 5 minutes. Blend in half and half and white wine; heat to serving temperature. Garnish with snipped parsley or chives.
Amount: 6 cups.

Tip: One-half cup uncooked wild rice=1 1/2 to 2 cups, cooked. If you can, use MN Wild Rice and keep it real!

Tomato Basil Soup

This is the time of year to start turning to soups for a light lunch, or maybe paired with a nice grilled cheese sandwich for dinner. Either way, they are a tasty combination!

San Marzano tomatoes are considered one of the best tomatoes varietals for sauce making, they have fewer seeds, thicker skins, and they are also more sweet and less acidic. Italy is very particular as to which tomatoes are considered San Marzano Tomatoes and we reap the rewards of their hard work. Thank you Italy.

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup (From Barefoot Contessa/Food Network)

3 pounds ripe plum/roma tomatoes, cut in half
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) canned plum tomatoes, with their juice
4 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 quart chicken stock

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss together the tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the tomatoes in 1 layer on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes.

In an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the butter, and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, and chicken stock. Add the oven-roasted tomatoes, including the liquid on the baking sheet. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Pass through a food mill fitted with the coarsest blade (or a food processor or a blender.) Taste for seasonings. Serve hot.

**Optional for a creamy tomato basil soup, add a cup of half and half or heavy cream at the end.

Thai Corn Chowder

As we near the end of summer we begin to reap the rewards of all the hard work our local farmers do. Fresh local produce is one of the best things of late summer in Minnesota (besides the state fair of course.) To celebrate this I wanted to use as much of this as I possibly could. This soup does just that.

I have never tried fresh corn, cut from the cob, uncooked. I did and it is sweet, like it could be better this way than cooked. Then I came to my senses, but try it sometime, I bet you'll like it. The basil and mint came from my own garden, which now is huge. This is a great way to start putting your hard work out there to your benefit. Plus the jalapeno and ginger add a very nice kick!

Thai Corn Chowder (from the Food Network Kitchen)

4 ears corn
2 cups diced red-skinned potatoes (about 12 ounces)
3/4 cup chopped scallions
2 tablespoons grated peeled fresh ginger
4 cloves garlic, smashed
8 black peppercorns
1 stalk lemongrass, cut into thirds
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Kosher salt
1 red jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 13.5-ounce can coconut milk-light
8 fresh basil leaves
8 fresh mint leaves
4 radishes, thinly sliced (I omitted this for fear of radishes in soup, use if you like)
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of 1/2 lime, plus lime wedges for garnish
1 tomato, seeded and diced

Cut off the corn kernels; set aside. Combine the cobs, 1 cup potatoes, 1/2 cup scallions, 1 tablespoon ginger, the garlic, peppercorns and 5 cups water in a pot. Smash the lemongrass, if using, and add to the pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 25 to 30 minutes.

About 10 minutes before the broth is finished, melt the butter over medium-high heat in a separate pot. Add the remaining 1 cup potatoes, season with salt and cook until slightly soft, 5 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon ginger and the jalapeno; cook 1 minute. Add the corn kernels; cook until the vegetables are just tender, 3 to 4 minutes.

Strain the broth, pressing out as much liquid as possible; discard the solids. Add 2 cups of the strained broth to the potatoes and corn; bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the coconut milk, basil and mint; season with salt. Stir until simmering. Remove from the heat and add the radishes (if using,) cilantro and lime juice. Top with diced tomato and the remaining 1/4 cup scallions and serve with lime wedges.