Bread Bowls

2 packets yeast (4 and 1/2 teaspoons)
2 and 1/4 cups (540ml) warm water
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons salt*
2 Tablespoons (30ml) olive oil
6 cups (780g) bread flour
egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon milk


Pour the warm water over yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Or, if you don’t have a stand mixer, a regular large mixing bowl. Whisk together and allow to sit for 5 minutes. 

Add the sugar, salt, olive oil, 4 cups of bread flour. Beat on low speed for 1 minute, then add remaining 2 cups of flour. Beat on low speed for 5-6 minutes. The dough should be thick, yet soft. And only slightly sticky. It should pull away from the sides of the bowl as it mixes. If it’s too sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and form into a ball. Then place into a large greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. (I just use the same mixing bowl– remove the dough, grease it with nonstick spray or olive oil, put the dough back in.) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm environment to rise until doubled, about 90 minutes(mine didn't take this long).

Once doubled in size, punch down the dough to release any air bubbles. Remove dough from the bowl and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Punch down again to release any more air bubbles if needed.

Using a sharp knife or dough scraper, cut into 6 even pieces. Form each into a large ball.
Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Place 3 dough balls onto each. Cover lightly and set aside to rest for 20 minutes as the oven preheats.

Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Brush each dough ball with egg wash and, using a sharp knife, score an X into the tops of each.

Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Once cool, cut around the top and scoop out the insides, fill with soup and enjoy.


Notes:
*The original recipe didn't specify what kind of salt, so I guessed and used kosher. They came out very under-salted, so try it with table salt instead.

*I've only used these with chowder so far, so I'm not sure how they'll hold up to a brothy soup.

Thai Curry Soup

• 2 ounces, weight rice noodles
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons minced lemongrass (if you can't find it just add an extra tablespoon of lime juice)
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons red curry paste
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 can reduced fat coconut milk, 14 ounce can
• 1 cup peeled and deveined shrimp (or shredded cooked chicken)
• 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• ¼ cups chopped cilantro
• ½ cups fresh sliced mushrooms
• 1 bag baby spinach, 6 ounce bag

Heat oil in saucepan, add onions and cook over medium heat until softened. Stir in garlic, lemon grass and ginger until aromatic — about 1 minute. Add the curry paste and stir. Pour in 1/2 of the chicken broth and stir until curry paste is dissolved, add the rest of the broth along with soy sauce and sugar. Let it simmer for 20 minutes, covered.

Stir in the noodles, coconut milk, shrimp(or chicken), and lime juice. Cook until shrimp is pink and done. Stir in cilantro, mushrooms and spinach until softened. 

Makes 4-6 servings

Zuppa Toscana - Instant Pot

½ pound bacon, chopped

1 pound mild Italian sausage
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
28 oz honey gold potatoes, scrubbed clean quartered
10 cups water, divided
3 tbsp. Chicken Base
5-6 cups chopped kale (approximately, I did not measure)
2 cup heavy whipping cream
salt and pepper, to taste

Steps

1. With instant pot on  sauté mode, cook bacon until crisp, set aside. 
2. Crumble in sausage and red pepper flakes, cook until almost done, then add onion and cook 3-4 minutes. 
3. Next add the garlic and cook 2-3 minutes. Turn IP off. 
4. Add potatoes, 8 cups of water, and bullion. Lock lid in place, set knob to seal, set IP to manual 10 minutes. 
5. Let stay on keep warm mode for 15 minutes, then turn IP off and turn knob to venting. 
6. Once all pressure released, open lid and add kale and 2 additional cups of water. 
7. Set to sauté mode and cook 10-15 minutes to tenderize the kale. 
8. Turn off, once soup stops boiling, add cream. Serve with crumbled bacon.

NOTES:

• This called for 12 cups of water (four cups in step 6 instead of the two I added).  That seemed like too much.
• I used a carton of chicken broth in place of a bunch of the water.
• I also a left the bacon in during the cooking process instead of serving it on top at the end.
• Add more red pepper if you like it hotter.  The original called for 1 tbsp.
• We also would have preferred it to be thicker.  I'd recommend a roux in the last step.
• Opinion: This is one of those recipes that made me not buy an Instant Pot.  Basically, it cooked the potatoes a little faster, although not really once you consider how long it takes to build pressure.  The saute mode steps are probably less efficient using the IP than they would be on the stove top.  Especially my lovely gas stove where I have better control over the temp. 
• Having said that, the recipe is good - we all liked it.

Source

Slow Cooker Chicken Chili

2 (14 ounce) cans petite diced tomatoes, drained
2 (7 or 8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
2 large skinless boneless chicken breasts (about 1 and 1/2 pounds)
1 cup (240ml) chicken broth (I use reduced sodium)
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
1 large green bell pepper, diced
1 (14 ounce) can corn (rinsed and drained) or 1 package of frozen corn
1 (14 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 small jalapeño, minced (remove seeds and ribs)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons chili powder (reduce to 1 teaspoon for less spicy chili)
1 Tablespoon ground cumin (for that key chili taste!)
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
4 ounces brick-style light cream cheese (or full fat)

Directions:

• Add all the ingredients except the cream cheese to a slow cooker. Give everything a stir as best you can to mix. 
• Cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3 hours.
• Remove the chicken and chop into pieces or shred into pieces, then return chicken to the slow cooker and give everything a few stirs. 
• Stir in the cream cheese until fully melted and combined. Taste and add more salt or add ground black pepper to taste. Cover the slow cooker and cook for about 10-15 more minutes.

MY NOTES:

• Source - Sally's Baking Addiction
• Not surprisingly, I didn't add the jalapeño and I wenT for the "less spicy" option on the chili powder.  I was going to add a can of diced chilies, but didn't have any.  
• I also didn't add any salt.
• The cream cheese looked a little lumpy at first, but it all melted in before too long.
• It's very good! 

Goulash Stew

1/2 c butter, divided
2 lbs. beef, cubed
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp paprika
2-3 bay leaves
2 tsp salt (start with less and add at the end, if necessary)
1/2 tsp pepper
3 cups chicken broth
3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 carrots, peeled and cubed
1/8 c flour

Melt half of the butter in a large pot over medium heat and add meat.  When it it slightly browned, add the onion and cook until it is transparent.  Add paprika, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and chicken broth. Bring to simmer * and add potatoes and carrots; cover.

Meanwhile, melt remaining butter in a saucepan over medium heat and gradually add flour, stirring constantly.  Cook until mixture thickens and add to stew, stirring constantly.  Cook another 5 minutes or until potatoes and meat are tender.

NOTES:

• Quite delicious!  The spice combo made a fantastic broth.
• From Kramarczuk's cookbook.
• Start with 1 tsp salt.  It's probably enough.
• It's not in the original recipe, but it would be possible to simmer it longer at this * point if the meat needed to be more tender.
• Makes 6 servings.
• Try a more interesting paprika next time.  I just used cheap-o store brand.
• Serve with the Old Country Hard Rolls.

Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup

1 tablespoon melted butter
1⁄2 medium chopped onion
1⁄4 cup melted butter
1⁄4 cup flour
2 cups half-and-half cream
2 cups chicken stock
1⁄2 lb fresh broccoli (chopped into bite size pieces)
1 cup carrot, chopped
1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg
8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
crusty bread

• Sauté onion in butter. Set aside.
• Cook melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly and add the half & half.
• Add the chicken stock. Simmer for 20 minutes.
• Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat 20-25 minutes.
• Add salt and pepper and add cheese. Stir in nutmeg.
• Serve with crusty bread and Enjoy :).

NOTES:

• I'd consider steaming (or microwaving) the veggies a little next time.  
• I used processed cheese instead of cheddar.  Don't judge, it melts perfectly!
• Considering the cheese choice, I did not add any additional salt.

Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
2 cups chicken stock
1 1/4 cup (or 1 10-ounce can) red enchilada sauce
2 (14-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 (15-ounce) can whole-kernel corn, drained
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 white onion, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt, or more/less to taste
optional garnishes: chopped fresh cilantro, diced avocado, diced red onion, shredded cheese, sour cream, tortilla strips/chips

DIRECTIONS:

Add all ingredients to a slow cooker, and stir to combine. Cook for 3-4 hours on high heat or 6-8 hours on low heat, until the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily. Use two forks to shred the chicken.

Serve warm, with optional garnishes.

You can also refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 5 days. Or freeze it for up to 3 months.

NOTES:

• I particularly liked the part of the method that had me cook the whole chicken breast and then shred it toward the end.  I simply scooped them out into a bowl to cool a little and they fell apart as I was cutting across the grain.  It was much simpler than trying to cut up the raw meat.
• I used a bigger can of diced tomatoes because that's what I had on hand.
• The original recipe called for a different kind of tomato, but regular ones worked just fine.
• Fwiw, this is gluten free if you're careful on what enchilada sauce is added.

Black Bean Soup

I don't know if this was the best soup I've ever eaten, but we did like it and it was easy enough to finish up the cooking when I got home from work.

1 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced
4 carrots, diced
3 ribs celery, thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
6 cups chicken broth
4 15-oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed (you can also make your own recipe-ready black beans)
Salt and pepper
Saute onion, garlic, pepper, carrots, and celery in oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally and cook until softened. Add chili powder and cumin and saute for a few more minutes.

Stir in broth and beans and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Remove a few cups of the soup and puree in a blender. Stir pureed soup back into the soup, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for about 5 more minutes.

Serves 6.

NOTES:

• This could easily be an "all Aldi" recipe and if you started with dried beans the cost per serving would be pennies for a very hearty soup.
• I had turkey stock in the freezer from last Thanksgiving and used that instead of the broth.
• I did the saute step this morning and reheated for the last 25 minutes when I got home later in the day.  
• Guessing it would freeze well.
• Easy and good.

Basic Lentils with Carrots

I don't know when we became Lentil People, but they seem to have become a Friday go-to for us. No photo, because they're lentils and not very attractive, but trust me, they're good. This is also a very versatile recipe: add more water/chicken stock for soup, add ham or bacon on a non-Friday, etc.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

  1 medium yellow onion, chopped

  1 carrot, chopped

  3 cups water

  1 cup French green lentils, rinsed

  1 bay leaf

  1 teaspoon dried thyme

  Sea salt and pepper

In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add carrot, water, lentils, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer until lentils are tender, about 25 minutes. Remove bay leaf, adjust seasoning and serve.

Via Whole Foods

 

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

First of all, Molly's version:

Ingredients
1 medium onion
2 Tbsp butter
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 cans tomato soup
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 8 oz package cream cheese, cubed
Directions:
Saute onions in butter. Stir in tomatoes, soup, milk, and spices. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer ten minutes. Stir in cheese until melted (or "melty").

I was making it for a group so I needed a bigger batch and I had some random, related things on hand so this is what I did:

• 2 (on the small side of) medium onions, chopped 
• Saute in some butter
• 1 carton of Aldi's Roasted Red Pepper Tomato soup
• a bunch of leaves from my basil plant
• 16 ounces of softened cream cheese

Puree it all with an immersion blender, heat, then add:

• 2 tsp. paprika
• 3/4 tsp garlic powder
• 2 28 ounce cans of petite diced tomatoes

Heat and serve with buttery croutons.

It was a hit with the Core Team!

Apologies for the terrible picture.  It tastes much better than this makes it look.

French Onion Soup

8-10 large onions, sliced

1/2 cup butter

60 ounces beef broth

1 1/2 tsp. Worchestershire sauce

3 bay leaves

10 slices french bread, toasted

grated Parmesan and/or shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Saute onions in butter until crisp-tender. Transfer to slow cooker.
2. Add broth, Worchestershire sauce, bay leaves.
3. Cover and cook on low 5-7 hours.
4. Ladle into bowls. Top with a slice of bread and cheese.

10 servings.

Source: Fix It and Forget It (2000), page 61

NOTES:

• I loved this soup! It was so flavorful and unbelievably easy.
• I made half a batch.
• I used a variety of onions (one red, one sweet white, and three yellows). I think this contributed to the delicious flavor.
• The original recipe called for condensed beef broth (like Campbells), but I think that would be too intense and probably too salty. I just used a carton of store brand beef broth.
• I added a little pepper and found another recipe that called for thyme. (I didn't have any, but that would be good.) I usually think French Onion is oversalted, so didn't add any salt to this recipe. Surprisingly, that was a good choice. I didn't add any at the end either.
• I buttered and toasted the bread on a grill (like a grilled cheese sandwich) and that added a nice flavor and texture to the bread.
• We would've used a blow torch to "broil" the cheese as a final step, but it seemed like too much bother for the three of us, so we just microwaved it for 40 seconds or so to make everything melty at the end.

White Chicken Chili

Adapted from Pioneer Woman's recipe

2 chicken breasts (would probably be better with on-the-bone pieces, but this was fine)

3 c. chicken broth

1/2 onion

1 tbsp. garlic, or to taste

1 jalapeno, chopped (seeds and all)

1 can great northern beans, drained

1 can kidney beans, drained

1 can diced tomatoes, with juice

1 can chili peppers, chopped

cumin

Boil chicken until thoroughly cooked (about 25 minutes); remove meat from bones if necessary. Shred meat with forks. Saute onion in pan, adding garlic and jalapeno for the last couple minutes. Add everything else and simmer. Season to taste.

Zuppa Toscana

1 bunch Kale, cut into bite-sized pieces

12 whole Red Potatos, cubed

1 whole Onion, Chopped

1-1/2 pound Italian Sausage

1/2 pound diced bacon

1 tsp. garlic

1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (more To Taste)

2 cups Chicken Broth (1 15 ounce can)

2 cups Milk

4 cups Half-and-half

Fresh Or Dried Oregano

Black Pepper To Taste

Preparation Instructions

• Prepare the kale and set it aside.
• In a medium pot. boil sliced potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain and set aside.
• In a large pot, crumble and brown the Italian sausage with the bacon and onion. Drain as much as the fat as you can. Stir in the red pepper flakes, garlic, oregano, chicken broth, milk, and half-and-half. Simmer for 30 minutes.
• Give it a taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Add the potatoes, a splash of heavy cream for richness, then stir in the kale. Simmer an additional 10-15 minutes, then serve.

We had this soup at Olive Garden and it was fantastic! This recipe is a combination of my memories of the event combined with these two recipes. (Mostly the Pioneer Woman version but with less kale, more bacon and garlic.)

I did thicken it a little with cornstarch before adding the potatoes, but that's probably just my preference.

Machine Shed's Baked Potato Soup

How could I never have posted this before? It's Nick's favorite food in the world!

2 1/2 lb. baby red potatoes (quartered)

1/2 lb. raw bacon, diced

1 jumbo yellow onion, diced

1/4 bunch celery, diced

1 quart water

2 ounces chicken soup base

1 quart milk

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper

1 1/2 sticks margarine (butter is the obvious substitute here)

1 1/2 c flour

1 c whipping cream (or half and half)

1/4 bunch chopped parsley

1. Boil potatoes in water for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. In a large, heavy pot, saute bacon, onions, and celery over medium heat until celery is tender. Drain bacon grease and return stuff to the pot.
3. Add milk, 1 qt. water, chicken base, salt and pepper. Heat over med. heat until very hot, but do not boil.
4. In a heavy saucepan, melt butter and add flour, making a roux. Mix well and allow to bubble, stirring for 1 minute. While constantly stiffing the soup, add the roux slowly. Continue to stir until thick and creamy.
5. Stir in potatoes, parsley and cream.
6. Serve hot. Garnish with shredded Colby, fried bacon bits, chopped green onions, or all three.

NOTES: I quite often do not have cream and have just substituted another cup of milk instead. It kinda balances all that butter and bacon anyway.

Clam Chowder

1/2 lb bacon, minced

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 onion, diced

2 lg. potatoes, peeled and diced

1 tsp. thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

Chicken broth and clam juice, combined to make 2 cups

1 cup milk

1 cup half-and-half

1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup butter

2(6 1/2 oz) cans chopped clams, juice reserved

Fry Bacon until crisp, remove and set aside.  Cook the celery, onions and potato in bacon fat until the onions soften.  Add seasonings, milk, half-and-half, and broth.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.  Make a roux by melting 1/2 cup butter in a skillet over medium-low heat, stir in flour.  Cook, stirring continuously for 2 to 3 minutes.  Slowly add 1 to 2 cups hot liquid to the roux, stirring to incorporate and remove lumps.  Immediately add roux mixture to chowder, stir to blend. Add clams and bacon.

Makes 4 servings.

Double for Christmas.

Winter Veggie Soup

12 oz bacon, diced

2 shallots, minced

5 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 large* sweet potato, peeled and finely diced

3 carrots, shredded

1 cup frozen broccoli

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 can beef broth

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese*

salt to taste

plain yogurt or sour cream

In a kettle cook bacon and shallots, until the bacon is cooked but not too crispy; remove bacon, shallots and all drippings to a bowl. Place potatoes, sweet potato and carrots in the pot, cover with water and add a bit of salt, place over high heat and cook until the sweet potatoes are very soft. Strain off and reserve about 2/3 of the water, add broccoli, puree vegetables and the broth they're in until nearly smooth; pour back into the pan. Add beef broth, garlic, pepper, the bowl of bacon, shallots and grease, and enough of the reserved broth to reach the desired consistency; place over low heat and warm through. Taste and add salt if needed. Stir in cheddar until melted. Serve with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream.

Notes:

*small nerf football sized

*the sharper the better

I'm sure those of you who like celery could add it when cooking the potatoes, it would also be good with a mix of broccoli and cauliflower.

Best Beer Cheese Soup

1 ½ cups minced carrots

1 ½ cups minced onion

1 ½ cups minced celery

5 cloves garlic, pressed

2 sticks butter (1 Cup)

6 cups chicken broth

24 oz. dark beer (2 12fl oz beers- I used Guinness draught)

1/3 cup corn starch

2 cups cream (I used heavy whipping cream)

5 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese (I used a colby/monterey blend)

2 cups shredded/grated parmesan cheese

2 T. dry mustard

2 T. Worcestershire sauce

1 T. hot sauce

Pepper and salt to taste (I omitted the salt)

Mince carrots, onions, celery and garlic using a food processor, if available.

Heat large pot on medium with butter, minced vegetables and garlic and sauté. (I then pureed this mixture)

Add chicken broth, beer and corn starch (premix corn starch with some of the beer for best results)

Heat to boiling, then reduce to low and simmer for 45 minutes.

Heat cream in separate saucepan on medium.

On medium-low, gradually add the cheese to cream and stir constantly. Make sure heat is not too high or it will break down the cheese.

Once all the cheese has been added to cream and broth mixture is done simmering and has thickened, add cheese mixture gradually.

Lastly, add dry mustard, Worcestershire, hot sauce, and pepper. Can be served with bacon bits, croutons or bread. Enjoy!

Serves 16

SOURCE: Jane Hintz. I haven't made this myself yet, but Jane brought it to a potluck and it was delicious! (More cheesy than beer-y.) She said this particular beer makes a difference.

Wild Rice Soup

¾ c uncooked wild rice
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
4 c. water
½ tsp. salt
1 med. onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 carrot, chopped
½ c butter
½ c flour
3 c chicken or turkey broth
*2 c milk or half and half
¾ c diced turkey, chicken or ham
½ tsp. dried rosemary
parsley, salt, pepper

Rinse rice, sauté in oil, add water and salt. Simmer rice about 30 minutes, or until cooked. Drain, reserving 1 ½ cups of liquid. In large soup kettle, sauté onions and carrot in butter until onion is transparent, reduce heat. Thoroughly blend in flour and cook five minutes, stirring frequently. Do not brown. Using a whisk, blend in hot chicken stock and reserved rice liquid. Cook, allowing to thicken slightly.
*If you want a creamy soup, add the milk or half-and-half.
Add rice, meat, and seasonings. Simmer 20 minutes. 8-10 servings.

Chilled Strawberry Soup

4 cups strawberries (can use frozen)

1 cup sugar

1 cup sour cream (can use vanilla yogurt instead or a combination)

1/2 cup cold water

Blend strawberries in a blender. Add to a saucepan, whisk in sugar and sour cream. Stir in cold water. Stir constantly over low heat until heated through; do not boil. Chill thoroughly, perhaps overnight. Serve up and eat until all gone.

Source: Ann Tristani

Johnny's Thanksgiving Minestrone

2 cups coarsely chopped onions
1 cup sliced celery (or more)
1/4 c minced fresh parsley
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 c vegetable oil
5 (15 oz.) cans vegetable broth
1 (15 oz) can crushed or diced tomatoes
1 (8 0z) can tomato sauce or tomato paste
2 cups coarsely chopped cabbage
1 c chopped carrots (or more)
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 c. sliced zucchini
1 c fresh green beans (sliced)
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup uncooked pasta (I used Creamette's large rings)

Saute the onions, celery, parsley and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in the broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, cabbage, carrots, and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for one hour. Add zucchini and beans.

I cooked the pasta in a separate pan according to directions, but you could just cook it in the soup if you have enough liquid.

Optional: Top each serving with grated Parmesan cheese.

NOTES: It's possible he was just being polite, but since Johnny ate 5-6 bowls of this soup this weekend I think he was sincere. Glad you liked it, Gerardi! ;-)