So easy to make, you’ll wonder why you order take away!
4 cups low sodium chicken stock (or make your own) 2 tsp grated ginger 2 tsp onion powder 1/2 tsp turmeric (for colour) 2 tbsp corn starch mixed with 4 tbsp water 4 eggs (beaten) sliced green onions for garnish
Bring stock to a boil and reduce heat to medium low. Add grated ginger, onion powder and turmeric and allow to simmer for 5-10 minutes. Mix in corn starch slurry and allow to simmer for one more minute. Then slowly drizzle in beaten eggs in a spiral, not stirring the soup to allow the eggs to form larger ribbons in the soup. Simmer for 2-3 more minutes to cook the eggs. Serve in bowls with sliced green onions for garnish. Serves 3-4.
Perfect for a cool (or cold) evening’s dinner. Fresh vegetables, dark meat chicken, stock, and Cheesy Garlic Biscuits (instead of crackers) make this a satisfying meal for any member of your family!
Chicken
Vegetable Soup
2 quarts chicken stock 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs 2 large carrots, cut into coins 3 ribs of celery, cut into 1/4″ inch pieces 2 medium onions, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 medium potatoes, peeled, diced 2 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp Italian seasoning salt and pepper to taste
In a 350F oven, roast off chicken thighs. Remove and allow to cool, then cut into bite size pieces.
In a soup pot, heat olive oil until just smoking. Add onions and garlic, and toss to coat. Cook 2 minutes, then add celery and carrot. Stirring occasionally, cook for 4 additional minutes. Add potatoes, Italian seasoning, and stock. Bring to the simmer and add chicken. Allow to cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serves: 8.
Cheesy
Garlic Biscuits
2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tbsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 1 cup skim milk 1/3 cup mayonnaise 1 tbsp sugar 1 cup Mozzarella/Cheddar/Monterey Jack cheese blend, shredded 1 tsp garlic powder 3 tbsp melted butter
Preheat oven to 450F.
In a mixing bowl, place
flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir to combine. Add milk, mayonnaise, sugar, and
beat on high speed until batter is smooth. It should not be pourable thin — it
should be spoonable. Using a rubber spatula, fold in 3/4 cup cheese shreds.
Lightly grease 12
muffin tins (you may also use the liners if desired, or a silicon muffin pan).
Spoon enough batter to fill each tin no more than 1/2 way (they WILL expand as
they bake).
In a small bowl,
combine melted butter and garlic powder. Using a brush, lightly paint the top
of each biscuit with mixture. Then, using the reserved cheese, sprinkle the top
of each biscuit.
Place on rack in the
middle of the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to
cool slightly on a wire rack before removing from pan. Serve warm with soups,
roasts, stews, or broiled meats.
Continuing with the “French Connection,” Potage Aux Carottes is merely “Carrot Soup.” Thickened with rice instead of cream or flour, this is great served hot on a cold winter day, or served chilled on a hot summer day. An excellent way to get your veggies, and the balsamic reduction adds a sweet, yet savory tang that has to be tasted to be believed!
Soup:
1 tbsp olive oil
6 scallions, white part with a most of the green, cleaned and thinly sliced
4 cups peeled carrots, thinly sliced
2 tsp dried thyme leaves, crumbled
1 tsp cracked black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
6 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup brown rice
Sea salt
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add scallions and carrots and cook, stirring until carrots are softened, about 7 minutes. Add thyme, peppercorns and bay leaves and cook, stirring, for an additional minute. Transfer to pot. Add hot stock and stir well. Bring to simmer.
Stir in rice. Cover and cook for 35-40 minutes or until rice is to your liking and carrots are tender. Discard bay leaves.
To make balsamic reduction, combine the vinegar and molasses in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, and stir occasionally, until the amount is reduced by about half and the mixture is of a maple syrup consistency. This should take about 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate to further thicken as it cools. When ready to serve your soup, drizzle each serving with a swirl of the balsamic reduction
* N.B. — if you’ve never processed soup in a blender before, please for safety’s sake, cover the lid and spout with a kitchen towel before pulsing the blender on. Hot soup can be painful, and it will find a way out of the container!
Nothing can compare to a warm serving of French Onion Soup…especially if it’s homemade! This recipe has been modified from Julia Child’s French Onion Soup recipe…you can adjust the ingredients to your own tastes.
INGREDIENTS:
5-6 cups of yellow onions, thinly sliced
3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
3 tbsp flour
2 quarts beef stock or beef bouillon
1/2 cup dry white wine or dry white vermouth
Salt and pepper to taste
Rounds of hard-toasted French bread (1/2″ – 3/4″ thick) store purchased or homemade (Rustic Herb Bread (recipe here) is good for this soup)
1 to 2 cups grated mozzarella or 4 cheese Italian blend
It is important to know that (1) sweet onions cannot be used for a good, quality French Onion Soup and (2) it will take 2-3 hours from start to finish. Attempting to rush the preparation will leave you with burnt onions or a sub-par soup.
In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter and oil, then add onions. Reduce heat to low.
Stir onions into oil and butter, then scatter salt and sugar overtop. Allow onions to cook down and caramelize, intensifying flavour and reducing in volume. Once the onions take on a medium caramel colour (this will take 40-50 minutes), add flour and stir to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes to cook out the raw flour flavour. (The flour will also provide a slight thickening to the soup.)
Ladle in the beef stock/bouillon (you can make your own, use canned, or a stock from paste or cubes…though homemade stock allows you to control the strength, flavour, and sodium). Stir the liquid into the onions after each addition. Once the stock/bouillon has been fully incorporated, add the wine or vermouth, if so desired. (If you choose to cook without alcohol, add an additional 1/2 cup of beef stock.) Season with salt and pepper to your own liking.
Keeping heat on low, allow soup to simmer for 30-45 minutes, allowing flavours to meld. (If you wish, at this point you can allow the soup to cool, uncovered in the refrigerator and then cover and freeze for up to three months. When you’re ready to serve, thaw and bring back to the simmer.)
Use an oven safe serving dish (if making in large volumes) or a oven safe bowl or mug. If making in volume, cover bottom of dish with toasted rounds; if making individual servings, place 1-2 toasted rounds of bread in the bottom of the bowl or mug. Ladle over the French Onion Soup (the toasted bread will float to the top). Scatter shredded cheese over top of soup and bread, and place under a broiler set on low until the cheese melts and browns. Serve immediately. Bon appetit!
So easy to make, so filling to serve as lunch or dinner!
1 bag of frozen chopped spinach
2 cans of diced fire roasted tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
4 cups chicken broth
2 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
1 bag of frozen cheese tortellini
Place all ingredients except tortellini in slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours or 4 hours on high. Add tortellini and cook for 30-45 minutes longer.
