Meatball Stew

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I love my crockpot. I would love to get one of those new programmable ones with the multiple temperature settings and all the bells and whistles, but really it's probably not necessary. The food I cook in my old one comes out just as tasty and our home smells just as wonderful!

This is a soup that really makes the house smell great and other than peeling a few potatoes and cutting up some vegetables, it is super easy. Did you know that often the trick to successful crockpotting is the layering? I always put the meat on top and the most dense vegetable (like potatoes) on the bottom. That way the meat doesn't get overcooked and also flavors the vegetables beneath.

Another secret is preparing your meat in advance--making sure it's either seared first (to keep the meat from getting tough or stringy) or precooked for a short time (to lock in the flavor). That's why this meatball stew is so great. I generally prepare my meatballs in advance and freeze them. The trick is to cook them for 7-10 minutes before freezing. That way they're ready to toss into whatever you're preparing. I've shared several of my meatball recipes in past postings so take your pick, but the ones I like the best for this meatball stew are the Swedish Meatballs. Their depth of flavor with the combination of pork and beef is just the ticket.

Meatball Stew

3 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes

1 cup carrots sliced into ½ inch chunks

1 yellow onion, chopped

3 celery stalks, sliced

15-20 frozen fully cooked meatballs (I prefer Swedish Meatballs)

1 (10.75 oz) can condensed tomato soup

1 (10.5 ounce) can beef gravy

½ cup water

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Prepare the vegetables and layer in the order given in a 5-qt. slow cooker placing the meatballs on top. Combine the liquid ingredients in a separate bowl and pour over meatball mixture. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until the vegetables are tender.

Lentil Soup

We hope all of you had a loving Valentine's week!

We had such a sweet Valentine's Day! The downside was our choice of steaks but the steak sauce from Nigella that we made could have made a pair of Nikes taste delicious! I just love her.

This week has been a real challenge with work and family demands and just plain human fatigue! Plus, I made the mistake of not planning meals so everything was hit or miss. We must have gone to the grocery store a half a dozen times and usually we go once. That's why planning is so important (and even more so if you're busy). Haven't got time to plan? You just can't afford not to! It streamlines your life, keeps you on budget, and meal prep is a joy instead of a thrown-together-at-the-last-minute fiasco!

Another confession concerns my Friday night Polynesian chicken catastophe. I thought I'd try a recipe out of one of Grandma's more obscure cookbooks. The sure sign of recipe success is the amount of wear on the cookbook. If it doesn't have dogeared corners, scribbles, recipe adjustments, and random math calculations in the corners, it wasn't one of Grandma's favorite books. This one was apparently not one of her favorites. First mistake.

Second mistake: Too much ginger.

Third mistake: Grilling with a new cast iron grill pan...inadequately seasoned

Fourth mistake: Cooking a meal when no one was even home! Why?

Those are all the mistakes I can think of at the moment. Suffice it to say I spent the better part of Friday night scrubbing my new cast iron grill pan with a nylon scrub pad. My kitchen window will testify to that. I had to scrub that on Saturday morning. Ewwww!

On Sunday when we did our weekly fridge cleaning, my dear husband cut up the Polynesian debacle and we sampled a few bites. It actually didn't taste bad chilled and I thought it might be great atop an Asian variety salad. The disaster ended up okay after all.

So that's my week. Just like everyone else, mine don't always work out as expected! Such is life!

I will admit that my lesson learned from no planning last week began with a plan this week--hearty soups will be on the menu and I might even try some bread recipes to go along with them--in the bread maker, of course.

So this week is going to be great...I just know it!

Lentil Soup

1 cup dry lentils
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon cooking oil
3 cans beef broth (or 4 cups homemade)
½ can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon thyme
¼ teaspoon pepper

sea salt
1 bay leaf
½ cup carrots, chopped
½ cup celery, chopped
1 pound smoked beef sausage, sliced (opt.)

Rinse lentils thoroughly and set aside. In Dutch oven, heat oil and cook onion and garlic until tender. Stir in lentils, broth, ½ can of tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, thyme, pepper. Add bay leaf. Bring to boiling then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add carrot and celery and bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer again for 20 minutes. Add water if necessary to reach desired consistency.  Cook until lentils, carrots and celery are tender.  If using meat, stir in last and heat through. Add sea salt to taste. Pull out bay leaf before serving. 6 hearty servings.

Super Chili

Chili is about the most versatile soup on the planet. You can spice it up if you want it hot or keep the temperature low. With beans, meat, and peppers or without them. Thickened or not. Sky's the limit!

We've posted another chili recipe (Easy Stovetop Chili) which is very good, but this special batch was for the boys on Super Bowl Sunday and it was a hit. Matter of fact, they requested it for next year! Plus it wasn't a budget buster so all around it was a win.

If you have a big crowd, make a lot of it and keep it warm in the crockpot.

Super Chili

1/2 pound of bacon, diced

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2-1 pound ground chuck

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 bottle beer (your choice; we used Guinness)

2 cans (or one large can) tomato sauce

1 can diced tomatoes

2 cans black or red beans

2 tablespoons chili powder

salt and pepper

Cooks the bacon in a Dutch oven or large skillet. Once cooked, discard some of the bacon fat, reserving a little for cooking the onion and garlic. Saute onion, garlic, and red bell pepper then add ground chuck and cook thoroughly until no longer pink.

Pour in bottle of beer, scraping brown bits and incorporating into mix. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer about 5-10 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, tomatoes, beans, and chili powder. Add salt and pepper to taste and simmer for about 40 minutes. If you double the recipe, you'll need to simmer longer.  Transfer to crock pot to keep warm if serving large crowd.

Serve with Irish Soda Bread.

Irish Part 2--Guinness Irish Stew

Here's part 2 of our "Irish series." (Why wait for St. Patrick's Day?) 

No need for perfumy sprays to make your house smell good...this'll do it. Only difference is that your house will smell like a home. Grandma's always did and generally it was so good you just had to ask what it was in the oven creating the wonderful smell! Usually it was something unique and different like this little bit of heaven in a dish.

I'm convinced that the secret ingredient is the dark, heavy and pungent Guinness Draught. It's pricey but I'm not sure anything else would work--I know Bud or Miller would not. Dear husband suggested Killian's Red or O'Douls, but I'm not sure I'd want to risk a substitution! You can tell I'm no beer expert by any means and, in this case, not very adventurous but I would honestly recommend staying true to this stew's ingredients list. You will not regret it!

Guinness Irish Stew

2 tbsp olive oil

3 bay leaves

2 lbs beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch chunks

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

2-3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

¾ cup beef broth

½ cup Guinness Draught

1 tablespoon dried chopped parsley

½ pound carrots, sliced (no need to peel)

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat a Dutch oven over medium high heat and add olive oil and bay leaves. Cook the bay leaves for a moment and then increase heat to high, add the stew meat and brown on both sides. Add the sliced onion and cook for a few minutes until transparent. 

Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, thyme, rosemary and flour. Stir well until smooth. Add beef stock and Guinness. Simmer, stirring until stew thickens slightly. 

Add remaining ingredients, cover, and place in a 275F oven for about 2 hours. Check periodically and add a little liquid if necessary. Salt and pepper to taste before serving (may not need salt). Serves 4-6.

Try the Irish Soda Bread to go along with this.

Ravioli Soup

It is so beautiful when a week comes together--good meals, good memories, and when all the leftovers are used up.  Our fridge was literally jammed with stuff that we really needed to get rid of, but I am loathe to pour anything down the drain or throw it out. I just hate wasting anything!

With that in mind, I found a recipe in Grandma's archives that literally could be considered "toss-it all-in-soup."  She would have been proud.

• Lean ground beef (how about using up that ground turkey?)
• Onions & garlic (what about all the extra onions and garlic we prepped yesterday?)
• Beef broth (what about the leftover French Onion soup we had the other night? It is mostly beef broth.)
• Ravioli (what about that big bag of them in the freezer we've been meaning to use up?)
• Bread (what about that French loaf that will be brick hard by tomorrow?)

Yes, my friends, I threw it ALL in there...and it was quite simply amazing! Only problem? I may have to make it exactly the same, French onion soup and all!

Ravioli Soup

1/2 lb lean ground beef (I used ground turkey)

1/2 lb ground pork

1 cup onion, chopped

2 tsp garlic, minced

1 28 oz can Italian tomatoes, undrained

1 12 oz can tomato paste

2 (14.5 oz) cans beef broth (3 cups of French Onion soup here, onions and all)

1 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp Italian seasoning

¼ cup dry bread crumbs (I processed a couple slices of a French baguette)

½ cup Parmesan cheese (fresh), shredded

1 (12 oz) pkg frozen ravioli (14 raviolis)

Brown beef and pork with onion and garlic in non-reactive pan or a Dutch Oven. Combine tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, sugar, Italian seasoning and dry bread crumbs. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Meanwhile, cook ravioli according to package directions and drain.  Top bowls of soup with ravioli and additional Parmesan cheese and serve with salad and bread.

French Onion Soup

Grandma loved onions. In fact, she would order Vidalia Onions from some mail-order place in Georgia every year. We could tell too. After getting them it seemed all of her recipes calling for onions were magically transformed into something downright miraculous simply because of this change-up. 

There's just something about a Vidalia onion that is unsurpassed. Meaning no disrespect to our nearby Northwest farms, but Walla Walla Sweets just don't compare with Vidalias. It may very well be worth expanding my carbon footprint to have them shipped from across the country. 

So with every order of Vidalia onions welcomed from down South, Grandma would always make up a big batch of French Onion Soup and it was the absolute best. It wasn't the squishy melted cheese or hunk of brioche on top, but the salty-sweet liquid underneath overflowing with Vidalia onions. 

If you are heaven-blessed enough to have Vidalias readily available in your local market, grab a bunch, send some to me, and then make this French Onion Soup. You will thank me (and Grandma too).

French Onion Soup

3 tablespoons butter

6 large Vidalia onions, thinly sliced

1 tsp sea salt
1 cup white wine
2 quarts beef broth
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

6-8 slices Brioche or your favorite French style bread
1½ cups grated Gruyere or Swiss cheese (or blend either one half & half with grated Parmesan cheese)
¼ cup Madeira or sherry

Over medium heat, melt butter in Dutch Oven and add onions. Toss onions with sea salt and gently stir until onions wilt in the pot, then reduce heat to low. Cook onions about 30 minutes, stirring periodically (do not allow them to burn). 

When they turn a rich golden brown color, add white wine and bring to a boil allowing liquid to reduce until almost evaporated. Increase heat to medium and add broth. Bring to a bubbling simmer then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45-50 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350F. Cut loaf of bread into 1 inch slices or chunks, butter each piece if desired, then place in single layer on a baking sheet and toast in oven until golden brown.

After soup has simmered for 45-50 minutes, taste broth and add sea salt (if additional is necessary) and pepper to taste . Add Madeira, stir into broth, then ladle into oven-proof soup bowls set on a rimmed cookie sheet. Top with slice of toasted bread and divide cheese among the bowls. Bake until bubbling and cheese is slightly browned (about 20 minutes). Servings: 6-8. 

Serve with tossed lettuce or spinach salad. Also asparagus wrapped in a crepe would be an impressive side dish!

NOTE: If you don't use up all the broth, save the extra for french dip sandwiches.

Sausage Stew

My weekly meal plans can sometimes take a u-turn if I find something unexpected on sale at the store. But then I stock up and life happens and whatever it was that I bought still sits in the fridge 3 or 4 days later. So before it reaches "the point of no return," I have to come up with a plan to use the bargain I found, along with whatever else has accumulated in the fridge during the past week.

This week it was ground pork. My intent was to whip up a couple meatloaves for freezing, but I never got around to it--life, kids, and holiday exhaustion got the better of me. The solution? Search Grandma's archives for something different that used ground pork and...behold!...I found something that not only used up the pork, but also some accumulated vegetables--celery, carrots, potatoes, and onions, and--bonus--some tomato soup leftovers! It was a trifecta of budgetary compliance! I was also able to convert it to a crock pot meal. 

The verdict? Surprisingly delicious and hearty and it was satisfying to know that nothing went to waste in the fridge this week. Grandma would have been proud.

Ground Pork Stew

1 lb lean ground pork

1 cup celery, chopped

1/2 cup onion, chopped

2 cups potatoes, diced

1 cup carrots, sliced

1 cup frozen peas

1 cup frozen corn

10 oz can of tomato soup

1 tsp dried parsley

salt and pepper to taste

Heat a large skillet or Dutch Oven. Brown pork, onion and celery then add potatoes, carrots, peas and corn. Stir to combine and add tomato soup, parsley and salt and pepper. Mix well. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, and simmer for 2-3 hours. (In a crockpot, I cooked it on low for 6 hours.)

Chicken Soup with Dumplings

There is one thing Grandma made that had such wonderful flavor: Chicken Soup. Unfortunately, I've never been able to replicate it to Grandma's perfection...but I'm working on it. She may have thrown in some seasoning or herb that wasn't called for in the recipe and I have yet to discover what that was. When I do, you'll know. The result is still delicious though.

This particular one-pot soup can be made with or without the dumplings, but I recommend you use pastry flour as called for in the recipe and not all-purpose. Pastry flour is finer in texture and creates a more pliable dough which works perfectly for these dumplings. 

Grandma's dumplings were always fairly large (about 3 inches in diameter) and deliciously doughy and tasty. This particular dumpling recipe is versatile because you can use it in any kind of soup or stew (other recipes might contain the broth or meat of whatever soup you're cooking, but these babies are plain).

Also, serve them as soon as they are done. Adding in the dumplings was the last thing Grandma did right before serving it up. 

One-pot meals are just the ticket on a cold wintry day (or any day, for that matter). They are easy, filling, nutritious and delicious. 

Chicken Soup

2 Tbsp butter or oil

1 large onion, diced (reserve half)

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 ribs celery, sliced (reserve half)

6 carrots, sliced or julienned (reserve half)

1 cube chicken bouillon

8 cups water

1 whole chicken 

salt and pepper
2 tsp sage
1 Tbsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp dried sage

Melt butter in Dutch oven or large stockpot.  Saute onions for 2-3 minutes on medium heat. Add garlic and cook for additional minute; add celery and carrots and cook for 2 minutes. Add in water and bouillon cube and bring to gentle boil. Meanwhile, thoroughly clean chicken, then salt and pepper it and add to pot. Add in parsley and sage.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1-2 hours.

When done, remove chicken and strain broth. Remove all meat from chicken. Return broth to pot along with chicken meat and reserved vegetables. Salt and pepper to taste and let simmer for additional 1/2 hour. Add in dumplings in last 15 minutes.

Dumplings

1 cups pastry flour

1 1/2 tsps baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 small egg

1/3 cup milk

1 Tbsp melted butter

Sift all dry ingredients and set aside. Beat egg slightly in large bowl and add milk and sifted dry ingredients. Beat thoroughly then add melted butter. Drop by spoonfuls on top of stew or soup then cover and cook until done. Serve immediately. Makes 4 large dumplings.

Prime Rib Potage

We had a little leftover prime rib from Christmas--mainly bones with meat on them and a few small pieces that we didn't want to go to waste (but a little too extravagant for the dog!). It took a little searching, but in one of Grandma's nondescript cookbooks was this terrific recipe for Prime Rib Potage or stew. We changed it up a little for our taste and it was outstanding.

The flavor reminded me of a stew served in a local restaurant that Grandma adored years ago. The theme was Tudor England with big fireplaces, drinks served in heavy silver chalices, the wait staff in period dress (yes, the guys had to wear puffy sleeved shirts--a la Seinfeld), and the furnishings were embellished with heavy wood and metal detailing. Can you see it? You could imagine Henry the VIII running through chasing after Anne Boleyn (before the guillotine).

......Okay, I got a little carried away there. I admit I was enamored with that period just like Grandma was, but pay no mind. You will love making and serving this stew if you have some bits and pieces of prime rib left over from a holiday feast.

It has to be started the night before to give it sufficient time to cool so the fat can be skimmed off easily.

I can guarantee you will love making this--did I say that already? Just be sure not to miss the wonderful aroma it creates in your kitchen. If the Internet had "smell-a-vision" I would have a sniffable download available right now! In the meantime, you'll have to get that yourself in your own kitchen. Enjoy!

Prime Rib Potage

2 Tbsp butter

1 large onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

¾ cup Cabernet Sauvignon (anything you love to drink)

1 can beef broth (plus additional can if you want more liquid)

1/2 cup water

3-4 prime rib bones

½ - 1 cup prime rib meat, cubed

1 rib celery, thinly sliced

2 carrots, sliced in ½ inch rounds

2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced in ½ inch cubes
2 tsps dried basil
2 tsps dried thyme
1 tsp Herbes de Provence
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
1 cup uncooked noodles (optional)
Salt and pepper

Melt butter in Dutch oven. When heated, saute onion for 1-2 minutes. Add garlic and cook another minute. Add wine and scrape any bits on bottom of pot. Pour in can of beef broth and water, reduce heat to low and bring liquid to a simmer. Add prime rib bones/meat and simmer on low for 1½ hours. Remove from heat, cool, and refrigerate overnight. 

Scrape or spoon fat from surface and discard. Add celery, carrots, and potatoes and simmer until tender. Remove the bones and let them cool to remove any meat on them. Add the meat from the bones to the soup along with the basil, thyme, Herbes de Provence and mixed vegetables and optional noodles. If the consistency is too thick, add more beef broth. Continue simmering until noodles are done. Salt and pepper to taste and serve with French bread and salad.

Pronto Beef Stew

If you're looking for a flavorful (and fast) full meal deal for your family look no further than Grandma's Pronto Beef Stew. It's a hearty show stopper that your family will love. 

Word has it that heating it up for lunch the next day is even better (although I wouldn't know, because ALL the leftovers were gone and I was unable to check this out for myself)! But I'll take my better half's word for it. He is always game for something delicious for a lunch-time refueling the following day and this stew is just the ticket.

The recipe method calls for processing the diced tomatoes, but if you like your tomatoes a little chunkier, then by all means eliminate this step. It's all personal preference and this stew is so versatile, you can add or subtract darn near anything as your taste desires!

Pronto Beef Stew

1½  to 2 pounds beef stew meat

¼ cup flour

1 tsp Johnny's seasoning

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp butter

1 medium onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

2 cans beef broth

1 (14.5 oz) can chickpeas, drained

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes (Italian style, if available), processed about 10 pulses in food processor

1 tsp salt

½ tsp oregano

½ tsp basil

½ tsp pepper

2 cups frozen mixed vegetables

1 cup unooked ditalini pasta

Shredded parmesan/romano mix cheese

1. Heat olive oil in Dutch oven or large skillet. Meanwhile put flour and seasoning in container or large plastic bag and dredge stew meat, covering completely. Sear meat in oil until browned on all sides then remove from pan with slotted spoon and set aside. Reduce heat to medium.

2. Melt butter in pan and saute onion and garlic for about 2 minutes. Add beef broth and scrape up any brown bits on bottom of pan. Add in chickpeas, tomatoes, salt, oregano, basil, and pepper. Bring to a boil and return meat to broth mixture. Cover and cook for two hours. 

3. After two hours, stir in mixed vegetables and pasta. Cover and cook one additional hour until beef and pasta are tender.  Stir before serving, sprinkle shredded cheese on top and serve with bread and a tossed green salad.

NOTE: This can be modified for a crockpot. Follow #1 and #2 above; then place everything in crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Then follow #3.

Tender Beef Stew

There is nothing more comforting than a hot bowl of beef stew on a cold winter day. It seems the entire house is filled with the fragrance and with a hearty loaf of bread, it's all comfort and joy!

Grandma was skilled at making a delicious stew and her secret was taking the time to brown the meat. This is critical even if throwing stew meat in the crock pot! Soaking in liquid and cooking on low all day does not guarantee tender meat. Sometimes it can actually turn out dry and tasteless. This is a wonderful recipe for stew on a weekend or you can prepare the meat for crock pot cooking the night before. Just remember to place the vegetables on top of the meat in the crock pot so they don't get soggy and overdone.

Another nice plus about this stew is its "freeze-ability." If you're fortunate enough to end up with leftovers that aren't spoken for, let them cool and pour into a freezer safe container for a great meal later on!

Don't forget to make (or purchase) a hearty loaf of artisan bread to go with this. Delicious!

Tender Beef Stew

2½ pounds beef stew meat or round steak, cut into cubes

Salt

Pepper

¼ cup flour

Olive oil

1 cup red wine (plus more if additional browning of meat is required)

1 medium onion chopped

1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes

4 whole cloves garlic, peeled

4 carrots, cut into 1 inch chunks

4 potatoes, quartered

Mushrooms or other desired vegetables

Wash meat and pat dry, salt and pepper meat well, then dredge in flour. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium high heat and add meat to brown thoroughly (about 5 minutes). This may have to be done in batches so all the meat has a browned crust; remove each batch after browning, then continue adding oil, heating it for each batch until all the meat is browned.

After all meat is browned and removed from the pot, pour in ½ cup red wine and deglaze the bottom of the pot by stirring with wooden spoon and scraping up brown bits. Pour liquid into container of browned stew meat.

Heat oil in pot and add in onion and garlic. Cook about 3 minutes until golden. Remove from pot then add in the other ½ cup of red wine and deglaze again. After deglazing, add in stew meat, onions, garlic, diced tomatoes, and additional liquid. Cover, bring to boil stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer for about 1½ hours. Add in carrots, potatoes, mushrooms and any other desired vegetables, cover and cook about 40-50 minutes until vegetables are tender.

Easy and Delicious Stovetop Chili

This recipe flies in the face of yesterday's post touting Grandma's lack of dependence upon the almighty prepared-item-in-the-can.  However, even Grandma used the canned varieties of tomatoes and beans without guilt. Sometimes she even opened up a can of corn or peas! As much as she would have loved to be the consummate farm girl that she was and go out to the garden and pick and prepare her veggies fresh, she lived in the city and urban farms had not quite taken off at that time. 

She didn't make this dish often, because Grandpa didn't care for foods that were too spicy, but when she did the wonderful smell was unmistakable. It can be made with or without the beef and still be amazing too.  This is also a great freezable item or a great dish to take to potlucks. Be sure to break out the cast iron skillet or muffin tin and make some cornbread to serve with it! Your family will sing your praises, I promise.

Easy and Delicious Stovetop Chili

1½ lbs natural lean ground beef (optional)
2 Tbsp butter
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup bell pepper, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans (do not drain)
1 (15 oz) can small red beans (do not drain)
1 (15 oz) can pork and beans
2 (14.5 oz) cans petite diced tomatoes (do not drain)
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper

Brown ground beef; pour off grease or liquid. Set aside. 

In Dutch oven or heavy pan, melt butter and saute onion until golden. Add bell pepper, celery, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and chili powder. Add in browned beef and combine. Stir in canned beans, pork and beans, tomatoes, and tomato sauce, stirring until combined. Add sugar, salt and pepper. Heat to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours. 8 servings.

 

Serve with cornbread and salad for a filling and delicious meal!

NOTE: This freezes beautifully. Let cool after cooking and pour into your desired container.

Basic Homemade Cream Soup

One of the staples of the kitchen are cream soups. Grandma preferred to make her own, rather than depend on a can. After all a creamed soup is just a simple white sauce with milk, chicken broth and mushrooms or celery added, along with your good taste to flavor it. You can whip up a couple batches of it in about 15 minutes over the weekend and save it for your casseroles during the week. Delicious, cheaper, and much healthier than the "synthesized" version.

So here's Grandma's "secret" recipe.  Hello? You can wake up from your faint now! It IS that simple. Funny how we think things are more complicated than they are.

Basic Homemade Cream Soup

2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
¼ tsp salt (optional)
1 cup whole milk or half & half (we use heavy cream)

Heat milk over medium low heat until just steaming. Do not boil.

In a heavy pan, melt butter, sprinkle flour in and whisk to combine, then continue cooking over medium low heat for 2 to 3 minutes whisking continuously. Slowly pour in heated milk and whisk until thickened. (Season to taste...you may have enough salt if using the broth.)

*For cream of chicken use ½ cup chicken broth and ½ cup milk. 

*For cream of mushroom, saute ¼ cup finely diced mushroom in the butter, then add flour and prepare as you would cream of chicken, using ½ cup chicken broth and ½ cup milk.

*For cream of celery, saute ¼ cup finely diced celery in the butter, then add flour and prepare as you would cream of chicken, using ½ cup chicken broth and ½ cup milk.

Creamy Turkey (or Chicken) Noodle Soup

After all the hard work of planning and preparing the Thanksgiving feast, the "gift" that keeps on giving is the leftover turkey. Depending on the size of the turkey you cooked and the leftovers you have, you can create some great meals.

Grandma usually started the morning after Thanksgiving by making turkey broth using the leftover carcass. She would pull out her biggest stockpot, throw in the carcass, cover it with water and add onion, garlic, and whatever other vegetables she had on hand. She didn't peel or chop anything, she just washed it and threw it in.  Today we might add in some of our own rosemary and thyme growing outside our kitchen door (if it has survived the chill winter air), otherwise we use the dried variety. These wonderful herbs add flavor and depth to the broth. Here's the process (which can be used for either leftover turkey or rotisserie chicken):

Chicken or Turkey Broth

Turkey carcass with enough water to cover it in the pot

Vegetables (like onion, garlic, celery and carrots)
Herbs (like rosemary, thyme or sage)

Salt and pepper to taste

Throw everything in the pot and bring to a boil. Cover and let simmer for several hours (2-3 hours is best). After it has simmered, remove the carcass, strain the liquid through cheesecloth or a sieve so you end up with plain broth. Remove whatever meat is left on the carcass Store broth and meat in a separate containers in the fridge or freezer until use.

*  *  *

After all the hearty eating on Thanksgiving, Grandma would prepare something "light" and usually a turkey noodle soup with a green salad and some leftover bread or rolls satisfied what little hunger remained the day after the big meal. This recipe even uses the leftover mashed potatoes, if desired!  The recipe can also use leftover chicken any time of year, plus it's a healthier alternative to the ubiquitous canned cream of chicken soup.

Keep in mind, if you're "turkeyed out," the broth and meat will be safe in your fridge for a couple days until you're ready, otherwise try this creamy turkey noodle soup. It's delicious!

Creamy Turkey (or Chicken) Noodle Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large stalk celery, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon oregano
¼ dried thyme
¼ teaspoon poultry seasoning
5-6 cups turkey (or chicken) broth
1 cup leftover mashed potatoes* (or whisk in 1/4 cup flour)
2-3 cups cooked turkey (or chicken) cut into chunks
1 cup half & half (or heavy cream)
salt and pepper to taste

*If you do not use the mashed potatoes, whisk in about 1/4 cup flour to the broth to thicken things up.

Heat up the oil in a Dutch oven or stockpot. Add in onion, carrots and celery and sauté 3-4 minutes until softened and golden brown. Stir in garlic and cook about 1 minute. Stir in oregano, thyme and poultry seasoning for about 1 minute until blended.

Slowly pour in the turkey (or chicken) broth then add in mashed potatoes (or whisk in 1/4 cup flour) and heat mixture slowly to boiling.

Reduce heat and add in the turkey (or chicken) and half & half (or cream) until heated through, then season with salt and pepper to taste and serve. 6 servings.