Dd's Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

Per Didi:  This is a keeper…..

Me:  That grilled cheese(?) sandwich!!

 

CREAMY TOMATO BASIL SOUP

 

2 TB butter

2 medium carrots, diced

1 medium yellow onion, diced

28-ounce; can whole tomatoes, crushed roughly by hand

2 c. chicken stock

4 oz. heavy cream

½ tsp. kosher salt

¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

*¼ tsp.+ baking soda, as needed

Pinch cayenne pepper

½ c. fresh basil leaves, loosely packed, chiffonade

 

In a large saucepot over medium heat saute carrots and onions in butter.  Cook, stirring occasionally until butter starts to brown, about 15 minutes.  Add tomatoes, basil and stock.  Lower heat to a simmer stirring occasionally, about 1 1/2 hours.  Taste for seasoning; add salt and pepper as needed.  *If acidity level is high for you add baking soda as needed.*  

Soup will foam up; continue stirring.  Taste again. With an immersion blender puree soup to desired consistency.  Stir in cream and cayenne to taste.  Stir in basil just before serving.  

Serves 4-6.

Miso Soup with Fried Eggplant

This recipe is not precise, but I wanted to share (and keep a record) 'cause came out good.  We had leftover won bok so I just added that in.

Thinly slice and fry an eggplant after salting and soaking in water (to remove bitterness, supposedly).  Set aside.

Add a pack of dashi and a pack of bonito flakes (in teabag) to 5 cups of water set on medium heat. Remove and discard the packs after 10 minutes or so.  Add 1/2 cup of sake, a few dried shrimp, little bit of dried wakame, thinly sliced daikon, cubed tofu and the fried eggplant.

Just before turning off the heat put 5 tablespoons of miso into a strainer and strain the miso into the soup.

Dd's Ham and Black-eyed Pea Soup

Didi said that when she has time she always likes to make soup to have on hand for lunch or dinner.  Me too, I love it whenever I have extras to freeze for another day.  So handy.

HAM & BLACK EYED PEA SOUP

 

¼ c. dry black-eyed peas

Pinch baking soda

Water as needed

 

1 medium smoked ham hock

Water as needed

½ cup white wine

 

½ small onion, small stew chop

1 medium carrot, small stew chop

3 cloves garlic, smashed

1 tsp. Kosher salt

1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves

¼ tsp. tsp. smoked paprika

¼ tsp. coarsely ground black pepper

Pinch crushed red pepper

 

In a deep mixing bowl, cover black eyed peas with water. Stir in baking soda. Allow to sit overnight. After soaking black-eyed peas, drain and rinse well.  Set aside. 

In a large saucepot cover ham hock in a stock pot with enough water to cover by about 2 inches. Add wine and bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and allow to simmer boiling for 1 hour. Add beans onion, carrot, garlic, thyme,  paprika, pepper and red pepper.  Add salt as needed. Bring back to a rapid boil. Allow to cook for 30-40 minutes until ham and beans are cooked through . As needed, cut through ham hock skin and shred ham. 

Serves 2-3.

Annie's Green Papaya Soup

This was so ono!  Thank you, Annie!

1 Big Bumboocha Green Papaya

4 organic chicken thighs with bone

3 garlic cloves, chopped

Fresh ginger, smash then chop

1 onion, chopped

Peel green papaya 

Take out seeds, chop into small pieces

Debone and cut chicken into cubes 

Season chicken with salt, pepper, onion powder, cumin 

Add oil in soup pot to brown chicken. Add ginger and garlic. Add about 1 cup water. Bring to boil.  Add onions; boil until translucent, then add green papaya. Cook until tender.

Wendell's Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

This recipe is from the Allrecipes site.  The soup was a hit, especially with a sandwich!

Ingredients

• 2 cooked, boneless chicken breast halves, shredded

• 4 cups chicken broth

• 2 cups water

• 1 (4.5 ounce) package quick cooking long grain and wild rice with seasoning packet

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

• ½ cup butter

• 2 cups heavy cream

Directions

1. Combine chicken, broth, and water in a large pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then stir in rice, reserving the seasoning packet. Cover and remove from heat.

2. Combine flour, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.

3. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in contents of seasoning packet until mixture is bubbly. Reduce heat to low, then add flour mixture, a few tablespoons at a time, into the butter mixture, stirring continuously to form a roux. Whisk in cream, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth. Cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.

4. Stir flour and cream mixture into broth and rice. Cook over medium heat until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes.

Dd's Mushroom Soup

MUSHROOM SOUP

2 TB butter
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ # fresh cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 oz. dried porcini mushrooms, rehydrated in 1 cup water, reserve liquid
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
2-3 TB flour, as needed

2 TB dry sherry
3 c. beef broth
1 tsp. soy sauce

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3-4 TB heavy cream

Garnish: croutons, chopped Italian parsley, grated parmesan cheese

In a large stockpot over medium heat sauté onions in butter until tender.  Add garlic, mushrooms and thyme.  Cook 2 minutes until mushrooms have wilted.  Add flour stirring until completely blended.  Add sherry, broth and reserved porcini liquid scraping any fond that has formed on the bottom of the pot.  Add soy sauce, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer.  Cook 10-12 minutes until mushrooms are tender.  Using an immersion blender purée soup to desired consistency.  Stir in heavy cream.  Garnish as desired. 

Serves 2-3 as entree.

Wendell's Ham and Potato Soup

Here's another dish that Wendell saw in the Crave section of the newspaper.  It's actually supposed to be topped with cheddar cheese and scallions but he didn't do that.  It still was super tasty. 

 

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/2 white or yellow onion, diced

• 2 stalks celery, diced

• 1 medium carrot, diced

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 4 cups chicken broth

• 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 4 cups)

• 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups diced cooked ham (8 to 9 ounces)

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 2 cups whole milk

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium. Add the onion, celery, carrot, garlic and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes, until the onion is just softened and everything is fragrant.

Adjust the heat to medium-high, then add the broth, potatoes and ham to the pot and cover to bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until potatoes are soft when pierced with a fork, 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and whisk until light brown and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add milk and continue to whisk until thickened, making sure no lumps form, 4 to 5 minutes more.

Add the milk mixture to the pot. Stir until incorporated and the soup is fully warmed through and creamy, about 3 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. 

Dd's Hamachi Collar Sinigang

Didi says:  Easy kine……throw in pot….boom !!

HAMACHI COLLAR SINIGANG

 

4-5 cups water

1 small onion, 1-inch stew chunks

3 thick slices ginger, crushed

2-3 cloves, peeled, crushed

1 stalk lemon grass, cleaned, trimmed, crushed

1 Thai chili pepper, stem removed, sliced lengthwise, seeded

1 hamachi collar, thawed

1 small zucchini, 1-inch stew chunks

1 medium tomato, 1-inch stew chunks

2 stalks green onion, chopped

2 TB fish sauce

freshly ground black pepper

 

In a medium saucepot over medium high heat combine water, onion, ginger, garlic, lemon grass and chili pepper. Bring to a rapid boil. Immediately reduce heat to low.

Add remaining ingredients; simmer 10 minutes. Gently remove hamachi from bones. Remove bones, ginger, lemon grass. Serves 2-3.

Dd's Turkey Wild Rice Soup

Here's another leftover turkey recipe from Didi.

 

LEFTOVER TURKEY WILD RICE SOUP

 

¼ c. long grain wild rice, soaked 1 hour, drained well

2 tsp. butter

2 tsp. olive oil

½ c. carrots, chopped

½ c. celery, chopped

½ c. onion, chopped

1 c. mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, chopped

¼ tsp. dried thyme

¼ tsp. dried rosemary, dried

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. black pepper

4 c. turkey broth

1 tsp. Italian parsley, chopped

½ c. leftover turkey gravy

½ c. half and half

2 tsp. all-purpose flour

1 ½ c. leftover turkey, coarsely chopped

Garnish: chopped Italian parsley

 

In a large saucepan over medium heat warm butter and oil until hot.  Add carrots, celery, onion, mushroom, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables are slightly tender, 3-4 minutes.  Add broth, rice and, parsley. Bring to a simmer and cook until rice is tender, about 20 minutes. 

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together turkey gravy, half and half and flour until smooth.  Stir into soup. Simmer until slightly thickened, 5-6 minutes.  Stir in turkey and heat through. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, as needed.  Garnish with parsley. Serves 2-3.

Dd's Seafood Chowder

Uuuuuuuu, this looks so good, but maybe a skosh too hard for me to try make myself.

 

DD'S SEAFOOD CHOWDER

 

6 pc. (21-24 size) shrimp, halved

¼# bay scallops

Salted water as needed

2 TB butter

½ medium onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

¼ small orange bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

3 TB flour

1 small Yukon Gold potato (optional to peel), ½-inch cubes

3 c. seafood broth/stock**

1/8# salmon,* chopped

Salted water as needed

¼ c heavy cream

2 drops tabasco

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

Garnish: chopped chives

 

In a small saucepot over medium heat cover shrimp and scallops with salted water. Bring to a low simmer.  Immediately remove seafood into ice bath; set aside. Place boiled water** in a 3 cup measuring cup. 

In a medium saucepot over medium heat sautee vegetables in butter 6-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in flour until well incorporated. Add stock into reserved water to make 3 cups. Add to saucepot along with potatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer til potatoes are cooked through about 5-6 minutes. 

Add salmon* (I used smoked salmon, added just until warmed through) and simmer until opaque, about 2-3 minutes. Add scallops and shrimp. Stir in cream to heat through. Add tabasco, check for seasoning. 

Garnish with chives. Serves 2.

Dd's Portuguese Bean Soup

This looks soooo yummy!

PORTUGUESE BEAN SOUP

 

2 smoked ham hocks

12 oz. Portuguese sausage, sliced

6 oz. smoked ham chunks, cubed

6 c. water

1 large onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, thinly sliced rounds

1 large stalk celery, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 TB tomato paste

1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce

2 bay leaves

2-3 dashes Tabasco sauce

1 can (28 oz.) stewed tomatoes, with liquid

2 cans (15 oz.) kidney beans, with liquid

2 medium potatoes, cubed

1 c. elbow macaroni

1 c. cabbage, chopped

 

Place ham hocks, sausage, smoked ham and water in a large pot; bring to a rapid boil.  Reduce heat to medium. Continue on slow boil uncovered 1 ½ hours until ham hocks are tender.  

Remove ham hocks from pot and remove bone, fat and skin. Cut meat into chunks and return to pot. Add onion, carrot, celery, garlic, tomato paste, tomato sauce, bay leaves, tabasco and tomatoes; simmer 15-20 minutes until vegetables are tender. 

Add beans, potatoes and macaroni.  Simmer another 10-15 minutes, until potatoes and macaroni are cooked through. Remove bay leaves. Add cabbage. Remove from heat.  Allow to sit for 2 minutes. 

Serves 6-8.

 

Wendell's Kimchi Jjigae

Wendell followed a Times Cooking recipe to make this.  It was very meaty and very ono.  Landon's coworkers scored some of the leftovers.

INGREDIENTS

Yield: 4 servings

• 1pound boneless pork shoulder
• 1(3-inch) piece fresh ginger, scrubbed and thickly sliced lengthwise
• Salt
• 2packed cups coarsely chopped ripe white kimchi (about 1 pound), plus any accumulated juices
• 1medium yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 4garlic cloves, crushed and coarsely chopped
• Fish sauce, to taste (optional)
• 2scallions, thinly sliced at an angle
• Cooked white rice, for serving
• 
  

  PREPARATION

  1. Step 1

     In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine the pork, ginger and 3 cups of cold water. Season with salt. Bring to a boil over high, then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook until the pork is tender and almost falling apart, about 2 hours. You should have about 2 cups of pork broth in the pot; add more water if you don’t.

  2. Step 2

     Stir in the kimchi, onion and garlic and continue simmering until the kimchi is very tender and the pork is absolutely falling apart, about 1 more hour. Taste the broth for seasoning, adding fish sauce as desired; otherwise season with more salt.

  3. Step 3

     Right before serving, garnish the top of the stew with the scallions, break the meat up and serve with the rice.

Dd's Hungarian Mushroom Soup

 Didi made this soup with her homegrown mushrooms!

HUNGARIAN MUSHROOM SOUP

 

2 TB butter

1 large shallot, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ # oyster mushrooms, coarsely chopped

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

1 ½ TB flour

2 heaping tsp. Hungarian paprika

1 ½-2 c. chicken stock

1 ½ TB soy sauce

½ c. half and half

1 ½ tsp. red wine vinegar

2 TB Italian parsley, chopped

Garnish: sauteed mushrooms, sour cream, chopped Italian parsley

 

In a large saucepan over medium heat sauté shallot, garlic and mushrooms in butter. 

Season with salt and pepper. Cook until all liquid has evaporated, about 10-15 minutes. 

Remove some mushroom tops for garnish. Stir in flour and paprika. Cook 2-3 minutes, 

stirring well to combine. Add stock, soy sauce and half and half. Bring to a gentle boil, 

reduce heat. Simmer 10 minutes until thickened to desired consistency. Add stock as 

needed. 

Remove from heat; stir in vinegar and parsley. Season as needed with salt and pepper.

 

For service, garnish with reserved mushrooms, sour cream and additional chopped parsley. 

Serves 2-3 as a meal, 5-6 as a starter.

Cleta's Soon Tofu Soup

 Look at that pikcha!!  Makes me want some right now!

Cleta said she made it with this soup kit which she got from H Mart for around $1.99.  She enhanced it with Kauai Sugar Shrimp (from Sam's), sliced zucchini, soy sprouts and kimchee with "juice".

Dd's Hungarian Goulash

Didi says that this is "Super Ono".

 

HUNGARIAN GOULASH

 

2 # chuck roast, 1/2-inch cubes, trimmed of fat

salt, freshly ground black pepper

1+1 TB Hungarian paprika, divided

1+1 tsp. hot paprika, divided

1 tsp. caraway seeds

1-2 TB olive oil

1 TB butter

1 large yellow onion, chopped

3 TB tomato paste

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 bay leaves

Pinch red pepper flakes

4 ½-5 c. beef broth

3 cloves garlic, peeled, crushed

½ green bell pepper, diced

½ red bell pepper, diced

1 large potato, peeled, ½-inch dice

Garnish: chopped Italian parsley

 

In a mixing bowl, season chuck with half of paprika, caraway seeds, salt and pepper well. 

In a large saucepot over medium heat brown chuck in oil on all sides, about 2-3 minutes. 

Working in batches transfer to a plate and set aside.  

Into saucepot saute onions in butter until limp, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, remaining paprika, salt, pepper, bay leaves and red pepper flakes. Cook; stirring for 1 minute. Add garlic and peppers; cook 2-3 minutes. 

Stir in beef broth and reserved chuck. Make sure chuck is completely covered with stock, 

adding as needed. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer; cover and cook 1 ½ hours. Add potatoes, 

continue cooking 10-12 minutes until potatoes are cooked through. Serves 3-4.

Vegetable Lasagna Soup

Here's another soup that I made using a Ross soup mix.

I actually made only half of the mix this time because, to be honest, Wendell and Landon are not real soup fans, and I sometimes end up with soup for days.  This mix was $3.99.

Here's my recipe:

Fry 4 slices cut-up bacon and 3 links smashed spicy Italian  sausage.  Remove from pot and drain oil.

Add to pot 1 small minced onion, 1/2 cup chopped celery, 4 cloves minced garlic.  Sauté until onion is transparent.

Add 8 cups of chicken stock and 1/2 of soup mix.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes.

Return meats to pot before serving. 

Dd's After Thanksgiving Turkey Tortilla Soup

Oops, am I too late??  Maybe you can make a "Chicken Tortilla Soup" instead.  I think still would be good.

AFTER THANKSGIVING TURKEY TORTILLA SOUP

 

*Turkey Stock:

Turkey bones

Water

4 cloves garlic, peeled

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

**Jalapeno Pesto:

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded

2 TB green onion, chopped

2 TB cilantro leaves

1 clove garlic, peeled

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

2 TB olive oil

Soup:

2 tsp. olive oil

½ small onion, chopped

½ small carrot, peeled, chopped

½ small green bell pepper, seeded, chopped

3 cloves garlic, peeled, chopped

¼ c. frozen corn, thawed

½ c. favorite salsa

½ (14-15 oz.) can refried beans***

½ tsp. taco seasoning

1 c. leftover turkey, coarsely chopped

4 c. turkey stock, with meat **

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

Dash favorite hot sauce

Garnish:  shredded cheese, avocado, crushed tortilla chips, jalapeno pesto***

 

*Turkey Stock: In a large saucepot cover turkey bones with water. Add garlic, salt and pepper. 

Bring to a rapid boil. Allow to boil 10-15 minutes. Reduce heat and bring to a simmer. Simmer 

30 minutes. With back of spoon mash garlic cloves. When cool enough to handle remove any 

meat from bones. Reserve. Transfer into ziptop bags for use later. Reserve 4 cups WITH meat. 

Soup: In a saucepot over medium heat saute onion, carrot, bell pepper and garlic in oil until 

limp.  Stir in remaining ingredients until combined. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 

15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  **Add additional beans to bring to desired consistency. 

Season as needed with salt, pepper and hot sauce.

 

**Jalapeno Pesto: Combine all ingredients in a food processor drizzling in olive oil. 

For service: Garnish with desired toppings. Serves 2.