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Category Archives: soup
Creamy Butternut Squash Soup (no cream)
I decided to re-post this amazing soup as it is one of my most favorite recipes and one of my most popular recipes. So very easy to make with pre-cut butternut squash readily available almost everywhere now. If you’d like a little different flavor you can roast the squash first.
It’s definitely fall and my first soup of the season is almost always butternut squash soup. I’ve simplified the recipe along the way so that now it is just the way Joel and I like it. it’s pretty easy as long as you buy the squash pre – cut (available in every supermarket, and corner produce store). I just made my first batch of the season, and the squash is sweet and delicious. I always add a little butter to it, but you can totally leave it out. It tastes so creamy you’ll swear there’s cream in it, but really, there is none. I love a little freshly grated nutmeg in it too, but you can certainly just sprinkle in a very little bit of already grated nutmeg. I hope your family and friends enjoy this as much as my family does! It’s always on my table for Thanksgiving. A delightful way to start a dinner, or a delicious main dish served alongside a beautiful salad and bread. This can easily be made vegetarian by substituting chicken broth for vegetable broth, which is how I make it on Thanksgiving for Kerri, who is vegetarian.
Ingredients:
4 pkgs. (approx. 4 lbs.) butternut squash (it’s doesn’t have to be exact)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large spanish onion, chopped
8 – 10 cups chicken or vegetable broth
*1 -2 tablespoons unsalted butter (for this serving size, I use 2 but it’s totally optional)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
*use whole nutmeg – you just grate a little in for flavor. I always tend to use whole, but grated will do. It’s just a touch of it–if I had to guess, I’d say 1/4 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon depending on your taste
Directions:
In a heavy Le Creuset (or any other ample size large pot), I heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil. When oil is heated, put in onion and about 1/2 tablespoon of kosher salt. Sweat out the onions until they are translucent (approx. 5 – 8 minutes). If you’re using the butter, add it now too. I then add all of the butternut squash and mix the onions, oil and butter as best I can all over the squash. Next, add enough broth to cover the squash (I used approx. 10 cups of chicken broth to cover). I keep the remaining half a box of broth in case I need it later. Return to a low boil, then bring to a simmer. I let it cook a very long time–at least an hour until soft–and then I turn off the heat and let it sit for a while. I like to make it early and let it sit for as long as possible, because the squash gets very soft. Then right before I am about to serve, I use an immersion blender and blend it into a beautiful smooth soup. If you need more broth, add it as you blend. This is also your salt, pepper and nutmeg moment. Season to taste and blend just until smooth. I leave it in the pot until I need it and then gently warm it up. This soup will keep in the fridge for a few days. It can be frozen as well. Upon defrosting you may need to add more broth. Sometimes I serve this soup with beautiful croutons if I can find them in specialty stores, but it is delicious and beautiful on its own, and very good for you! My family loves it , and I hope yours does too.
*should serve 10 – 12 as appetizer
Homemade Chicken Soup with Not-So-Homemade Matzo Balls
I always make my own chicken soup. It is delicious broth. I usually make a few batches and freeze them because it’s a great thing to have frozen in quart containers as stock and will last for up to six months frozen. When the holidays come—whether Rosh Hashanah or Passover—I always make my chicken soup with matzo balls. I make the soup a day ahead and skim whatever fat is on there before adding my matzo balls.
INGREDIENTS: CHICKEN STOCK:
1 5lb. organic roasting chicken (I throw away the insides)
1 package of chicken wings (this was suggested to me a long time ago by my BFF Karyn and she was oh so right. It adds some fat, which translates into a lot of flavor and you will skim off the fat the next day. Thanks, Karyn…yes, I remembered!)
1 large, yellow Spanish onion; unpeeled and quartered
A big bunch of dill
4 celery stalks with leaves, cut into thirds
4 carrots, unpeeled and halved
Bunch of flat-leaf parsley (Use this only if you want. This time, I didn’t have it so I used only the dill.)
A bunch of thyme (if you wish)
1 head of garlic, cut in half cross-wise (skin and all)
2 tbsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. whole black peppercorns
DIRECTIONS FOR SOUP:
I place the chicken, chicken wings, onion, carrots, celery, whatever herbs I’m using, garlic, salt and pepper in as large a pot as I can find (usually about a 16-20 qt. stockpot.) Add cold water to cover chicken by at least 2 inches above the chicken but not to the top of the pot because it will boil over (very messy). Bring to a boil and then simmer, uncovered, for about 3 hours. I skim the soup skum (sounds lovely) off for the first half hour or so—after that, you shouldn’t have much more. I remove the chicken from the broth after an hour or so, because it is cooked and it will taste like a rubber chicken if you plan on eating it. Sometimes, I like to shred it and return it to the soup. If you are not using the chicken (what a waste of good chicken), just leave it in. It will fall apart in there. I leave the wings and discard them at the end of the 3 hours. Next, I strain all of the soup, discard all remnants, fill my containers and put in the fridge. The next day (or the day of the holiday), I usually skim off the fat that has risen to the top and make my matzo balls (recipe below).
MATZO BALLS:
This has always been my secret, but now it’s out. Okay, I own it. After years of making matzo balls from scratch, my mother (yes, my mother, the cook) turned me on to Manischewitz boxed matzo ball mix! It just wasn’t worth it. My balls weren’t as consistent as I would have liked, whereas these are always perfection! Light and fluffy and everyone always loves them. No sinkers here!
I follow the directions on the box carefully. They sell just the mix box. You will need vegetable oil and 2 eggs per box. I do add a little piece of dill inside each ball, but that’s it! Now my secret is out. Sometimes this is really the only way to go. It saves time and ingredients and is really good. No MSG or trans-fats either! So make the soup, cheat with the balls, and enjoy. There is no substitute for homemade chicken soup, though.
*You can also add thin soup noodles to this recipe, if you like.
Italian Wedding Soup with Chicken Balls
Italian Wedding Soup with Chicken Balls
this is one of my absolute favorite recipes. It is a soup , which is also a full meal. It is hearty and pretty healthy. It is one of my staples from September through April. It freezes well and you can just take it out of the freezer the night before, and you’ll have a wonderful meal the next evening. When you defrost it you will probably want to add broth/water to it. add a little at a time till you get the consisitency you like. Enjoy:)
Ingredients: chicken balls
1 lb. ground chicken
1/2 lb chicken sausage, casings removed
3 slices whole wheat bread for bread crumbs ( I put into food proccesor with steel blade for crumbs) i remove crusts . should be app. 1 cup of bread crumbs
2 teaspoons minced garlic ( 2 – 3 cloves)
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano ( fresh is best) but whatever you have will do
1/4 cup grated Parmesan ( again nothing beats fresh) but whatever you have will do here as well
3 tablespoons milk
1 extra large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Soup Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small -medium yellow onion minced
1 cup diced carrots ( 3 )
1 cup diced celery (2 stalks)
10 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup dry white wine( use whatever you have open)
1 cup small pasta tubetini, ditalini, stars, etc.
5 ounces fresh spinach, washed and trimmed
*fresh dill ( I love the flavor) add at your own discretion about 1/4 cup minced fresh dill.
Directions:
preheat the oven to 350 degrees put parchment paper on a cookie sheet.
for the meatballs, place the ground chicken, sausage,bread crumbs, garlic, Pecorino, Parmesan, milk, egg, salt and pepper all in a bowl and mix well with a fork. I use a teaspoon, and make 1 to 1 1/2 inch balls and drop onto parchment paper lined cookie sheet. you should have about 30 to 40 small balls. bake for 25 – 30 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned. set them aside. (I made about 30 balls, they were a little larger this time out)
For the Soup:
heat the olive oil over medium – low heat in a large heavy bottomed soup pot ( Le Creuset type pot) Add the onion, carrots, and celery and saute until softened, about 10 minutes, don’t brown. Add the chicken stock and wine and bring to a boil, at this point I let soup cook a while to soften the vegetables, app. 1 hour. ( a low simmer) if you’re in a hurry you can probably do the whole soup in 1/2 hour , veggies will be soft enough to eat. if some of the liquid evaporates you can always add a little more broth.
chicken balls out of the ovenItalian Wedding Soup cooking
Add the pasta to the simmering broth and cook another 6 – 8 minutes, until the pasta is tender. Add the meatballs and simmer for another minute or so. taste for salt and pepper. Stir in the fresh spinach and cook for another minute or so, the spinach will just wilt. Ladle into soup bowls and serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Cold Corn Soup (Corn Vichyssoise, Vegetarian)
Cold Corn Soup
- best way to cut kernels off cob (in a bundt pan)
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Cold Corn Soup on the Stove
cleaning leeks
Summer is really coming to an end and we have to take advantage of the delicious fresh produce that is in such abundance before the official end of the season arrives. I love corn, and am always looking for new ways to cook with it. This recipe is very tasty. It’s not for everyone, I’m sure; but for those of you who can handle cold soups, this is a real treat and something a little different. That being said, I don’t know why you couldn’t serve this warm. I just like it with fresh corn and think that for summer, it should be served cold. A corn Vichyssoise, for those among us who like fancy French titles. This also happens to be vegetarian and can also be vegan without the sour cream at the end. (Even Joel likes this recipe!)
INGREDIENTS:
5 ears of fresh corn, kernels cut off the cob (see picture); reserve the 5 cobs
2 medium leeks, white and light green parts only. Cut up leeks need to be cleaned very well (I place them in a bowl of cold water, drain and look over for dirt–see picture again)
1 potato, peeled and cut up into cubes
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 cups vegetable stock (unless you don’t care about being vegetarian and then you can use chicken stock)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
*sour cream and fresh chives for garnish
DIRECTIONS:
Heat oil in a large, heavy pot (le Creuset is good) over medium heat. When oil is hot, add leeks and cook until softened (about 6 minutes). Add in the corn kernels, cobs, potato, and stock. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer. I cover almost all the way. You basically need to cook this until the veggies are all soft (about 45 minutes to 1 hour). After an hour, discard the cobs and let the soup cool off. Then, using either a blender or Cuisinart food processor, blend in batches until very smooth. There should be no chunks of vegetables at this point. If it is too thick, add a little water. I probably end up adding about 1/2 cup of water, which I do while the soup is cooking. You can add water for consistency and adjust seasonings at any time. At this time, season again with salt and pepper. I add a spoonful of sour cream and cut up fresh chives for garnish. Very tasty and very beautiful.
Gazpacho in the Blender
Gazpacho in a Glass
- Gazpacho in the Blender
As much as we hate to see it happen, summer is coming to an end. Gazpacho is all about the summer though and now is the most perfect time to make it. It’s so cool and refreshing. This recipe is super easy and I make it all in the blender. I love it very spicy so I use Jalapeno peppers and Serrano chiles. I also add some Tabasco. Obviously, you don’t have to add this hot stuff. Just make it without the spicy additions. My sister is out here now and she likes it as spicy as I do. Feel free to indulge as you wish. We loved it! This is really very easy to make and looks beautiful. You can add croutons or sliced avocado or chopped up shrimp,or crab to the top when you serve it. This recipe is a go-to every summer. I have mixed and matched many recipes to perfect it.
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb ripe cherry tomatoes (they’re so super easy as is but you can use 1 lb of any kind of tomatoe–you’ll just have to cut up the larger ones)
1/2 Hot House cucumber, peeled and cut into chunks
1 large (or two small) shallots, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic (smash the whole clove)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
*hot stuff (use as much or as little as the traffic will bear. I always wear gloves when handling these peppers. Be very careful of the oils getting into your eyes, nose, etc. I also use a separate cutting board for these and then wash the board very carefully still with the gloves on):
1 Jalapeno chile (stemmed, seeded and coarsely chopped)
1 Serrano chile (stemmed, seeded and coarsely chopped)
Dash of Tabasco
DIRECTIONS:
Place all the ingredients into the blender and blend until smooth. Adjust the seasoning with salt, to taste. I make this ahead of time (at least two hours) so it gets nice and cold in the fridge. I put in stemless wine glasses and serve right before meal.
*Yields about 4 servings
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