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.
Dish up and enjoy!
2 sticks unsalted butter
2 medium onions, finely diced
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
2 pounds broccoli florets
2 quarts reduced fat, low sodium/organic chicken broth (can be made with vegetable stock as well)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups 2% milk
8 ounces shredded reduced fat mild cheddar cheese
8 ounces shredded reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese
Place large soup pot over medium heat. Add butter and stir until melted. Add onions and cook about five minutes until tender but not browned. Add garlic powder and fresh ground pepper and cook one more minute. Add stock and broccoli and bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook 15 minutes.
In a medium bowl, mix flour and milk well; whisk in to soup. Return to simmer and cook and additional five minutes (this helps cook out the flour taste). Slowly add cheese, whisking to combine and heat through.
Serve with croutons. Serves 12.
You can control the heat of this soup by reducing (or eliminating) the cayenne and/or black pepper, and reducing the amount of fresh ginger. I just happen to like it very hot, and hate it when I’m served a dish where it appears the Chef is being apologetic for adding spices.
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (between 6-8 ounces), cubed
1 regular size can of Cannellini (White Kidney) beans, drained, and rinsed
1 can of diced, fire roasted tomatoes
Spices:
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried English Mustard powder
1 tsp celery seeds (whole or ground)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp Amarillo powder (a type of powdered Mexican food colouring)
Fresh cold water
In a medium sized pot, place beans, chicken, tomatoes and spices. Stir to combine. Add enough fresh, cold water to cover the solids and slowly bring to a simmer.
Allow to cool for 20-25 minutes (to cook the chicken, and to allow the flavours to meld). (If you do not have Amarillo powder (normally available on the International aisle of most supermarkets), feel free to omit. I added it, in order to imbue a golden hue to contrast against the red of the tomatoes for the Autumn like feel…)
Serves: 3-4
Vegetarian Option: Omit chicken and substitute cubed firm tofu, adding during the last 5 minutes or so, so the tofu does not disintegrate.
This soup will freeze well for up to 3 months. NB: If making the vegetarian option, I’d suggest freezing without the inclusion of the tofu, and adding once you defrost and reheat.
Coconut Curry Shrimp & Scallop Soup (with Baby Bok Chop and Butternut Squash). (Recipe modified from Nigella Bites “Pumpkin & Seafood Curry)
Made out of necessity because I had no pumpkin, lime leaves, lemon grass, nor salmon, and while I made my own Curry sauce, I’m simplifying for you, the average home cook.
1 can of coconut milk
2 tbsp mild curry paste (or make your own curry with turmeric, cumin, coriander, and cayenne)
1 medium sized butternut squash, cut into 1.5″ cubes
2 cups chicken stock
3 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 lb of 25-30 shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 lb of bay scallops
2 heads baby bok choy
In a large soup pot, stir together curry paste and coconut milk until combined. Bring to a simmer, add butternut squash, chicken stock, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cover. Cook for 5-10 minutes, or until squash is tender, but still has a bite to it. Then, add shrimp and scallops. Stir occasionally for 3-4 minutes until shrimp is pink and cooked through. Cut bok choy into 1″ pieces and then stir in, cooking for 1 more minute until wilted.
Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, and ladle into bowls. Serves 4.
Late work day? This “False Alarm Chili” is just the thing to set the night in motion…and take the stress off of you! (N.B. For an alternate chili that uses the traditional kidney beans, see the post for Chili Con Carne.) I call it “False Alarm Chili” because you get all the flavour, and none of the heat!
2 large cans crushed tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
1 large can tomato puree
3 tbsp minced garlic
3 cans of black beans (drained and rinsed)
2 large onions, minced (separated)
1 tbsp oil
2 lbs 93% lean ground beef
5 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
In a large pot, mix all the canned tomato products, garlic, black beans, and 1 1/2 of the minced onions. Bring to a boil, then back the heat off and reduce to a simmer. Cover, and stir occasionally.
In a large skillet, heat oil until it shimmers. Add the reserved 1/2 minced onion and sauté until translucent but not browned. Add the ground beef and break up any large pieces. Sprinkle over chili powder and cumin, and cook until no longer pink. (Using beef this lean means you will not have to drain it, and therefore not waste your spices as they would normally drain off in the fat!)
Add the spiced meat and onion mixture to the larger pot. Stirring occasionally, allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes.
This recipe can also be made the night before, stashed in the fridge, and reheated the next day to allow the flavours to commune.
(The honesty in me comes out when I have to share that I actually took the last harvest of the season in fresh tomatoes and used it in place of the 2 cans of crushed tomatoes. Cored and peeled, I cooked them down and made my own red sauce which can be used for pizzas, pastas, or in this case, chili!)
I can’t give a serving, because whenever I serve this, people always want seconds (and thirds!) Serve with grated cheese, sour cream, chopped scallions, and black olives as toppers. Oh, and regular saltines (or even oyster crackers) are a welcome accompaniment as well.
(And there’s nothing wrong if you want to have your favourite frosty malt beverage along with, just please remember to enjoy such things responsibly.)
Red Wine Beef Stew
2 lbs of beef roast (such as London Broil) cut into 1″ cubes
1 lb carrots, cut into coins
1 lb fingerlings (new potatoes), or potatoes cut into a 1″ to 1.5″ cube
2 medium (or 1 large) onion, finely diced
2 large garlic cloves (or more), minced
1 750ml bottle of good red wine*
1 tsp each of rubbed sage, oregano, and thyme
2 bay leaves
1 quart of fresh water**
cornstarch
In a large pan, brown the cubes of beef (they’re not to be cooked through). If you have too many for the pan, do them in stages as you’ll want them to brown, not steam. After all have been browned, return to the pan, and add onions, garlic, sage, oregano, thyme, water, bay leaves and wine. Bring to a simmer, covered, and cook for 1.5 to 2 hours, making the beef tender. After 1 hour, add your potatoes. 30 minutes later, add your carrot coins.
Combine cornstarch with cold water and stir to combine. How much you’ll need to use depends on (1) the volume of liquid you have in your stew and (2) the thickness you wish for it to be. Remove the bay leaves, then add the cornstarch/water mixture to the pot and stir to combine. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes to cook the starch thoroughly.
Ladle into bowls, season with salt and pepper to taste and serve alongside fresh Rustic Herb Bread.
* It can be jug wine, but be sure it’s the kind you would drink. As it cooks down, the flavour intensifies, and if it’s bad tasting wine, that too will intensify.
** Yes, “Fresh” Water. Water that has been placed through a filter and let sit on the counter is not “fresh.” Bottled water is not fresh. If you do not wish to use tap water, run it back through your filtration system again. Water loses oxygen as it sits, and there is a difference in the way it cooks.