Broccoli cheese soup

In a large stockpot, melt 2 Tblsp. butter. Add 1 medium chopped onion, 1 cup diced celery, 2-3 cups diced broccoli stems (reserve the thinner stalks/tips) and 1 large grated carrot. Saute (covered) for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until wilted.

To the pot, add 2 quarts chicken (or vegetable) stock. Add 6 cups (more or less - depending on how much broccoli you have - chopped broccoli stalks/tips). Season with salt (to taste) and a generous tsp. (or more) of ground black pepper & bring to a simmer. Simmer, covered, for 45 minutes, or until broccoli is tender.

With a potato masher, an immersion blender (if you don't have one, GET one - they're fabulous!!!) or with a blender, mash the broccoli until it's pureed as thick or as smooth as you like.

To the broccoli soup, add approximately 1-1/2 cups heavy cream. Make sure the heat is low so it doesn't scorch on the bottom. Continue stirring. If you want the stock thicker, add a few Tblsp. (or more) of instant mashed potato flakes. When the consistency is to your liking, taste to see if it needs more salt/pepper. Add several cups of grated cheddar or co-jack cheese, stirring so that it melts evenly in the soup.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken Noodle Soup..

I like to use Thighs and Legs

4 thighs
4 legs
4 boulion cubes (chicken)
4 stalks Celery (Chopped to your liking)
a large onion
about 4-5 Carrots..cleaned and cut up
1 Bay leaf which will be removed
a dash of cumin
pepper (lots for me)
parsley (lots for me)
a little italian seasoning..about a tsp
Noodles cooked seperately...about a half lb

Put Chicken in stock pot and fill about 2/3 with water..
add celery, onion, carrots, boulion, and all seasonings...Cook for about an hour...take out chicken..cool..and pick off bone...put all chicken back in and add noodles..Serve with hot Italian bread.. Its a meal in itself..

Cream of Potato Soup

In a large stockpot, heat 2 Tblsp. butter and 1 Tblsp. vegetable oil.
Over medium heat, saute:
2 cups diced onions
2 cups diced celery
1-1/2 cups diced carrots
Cover and saute until wilted, not browned.
Add 8 slices of fried, drained and chopped bacon.

To the vegetables, add:
10 cups chicken (OR vegetable) stock
Bring to a boil. Lower to med-low and simmer - COVERED - for 1/2 hour. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Add a couple Tblsp. chopped parsley.

In another pot, place 8 medium peeled & diced potatoes (doesn't matter what kind) and bring to a boil - simmer for 10-15 minutes until potatoes are nearly cooked. Drain & carefully add the potatoes to the stockpot. Simmer for 15 minutes, keeping the heat on medium-low.

Keeping the heat on low, add 2 cups heavy cream (whipping cream), stirring to heat, but NOT boil! Taste - add more S&P if needed.

If you're happy with the thickness of the soup, leave it the way it is. If you like a thicker soup, add (a Tblsp. at a time, whisking constantly to prevent clumping) instant mashed potatoes. It works a LOT better than making a flour/cornstarch thickening paste and tastes much better too! Thicken as little or as much as you like.

Now's the time to add cheese if you like a cheesy potato soup. Grate as little or as much colby/jack cheese as you like, and add to the soup, stirring constantly and keeping the heat LOW to prevent sticking/scorching. Here's a tip: If you really like a smoky/bacon flavor but do not want to ADD bacon (or just don't have any on hand), grate smoked Gouda cheese and add a half cup or so to the soup. It will TASTE as though there's bacon in the soup even if there isn't any! Be creative - use chopped ham or whatever else sounds good to you. Serve in bowls and have shredded cheese on hand to sprinkle on top.

Pappa al Pomodoro (Stale Bread and Tomato Soup)

This is a Tuscany style soup which instead of being served with cheese is drizzled with Olive oil.

1/2 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Plus 1/4c for serving
4 cloves Garlic chopped
1 Lg Sweet Onion halved and sliced vertically
1/2 of 1Lb loaf Day old crusty style Italian bread, sliced thick and torn into large bite sized pieces
2 28oz cans Tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup Fresh Basil leaves
1/2 tsp salt
pinch Red Pepper

In a large pot heat onion in oil over medium heat till tender
Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute
Add tomatoes (with liquid), salt and red pepper
Simmer loosely covered over med heat for about a half hour until tender
Add bread pieces stirring until fully incorporated (about 2-3 minutes)
tear up basil leaves and stir in, reserving a few leaves for garnish
Season to taste with salt and pepper

Serve
To serve drizzle a little EVOO over each bowl and garnish with basil leaf or two

If making soup ahead of time, don't add the bread until soup is hot, then add bread till incorporated.
Then serve as directed above

Tortilla Soup

Keep in mind that there isn't a standard recipe for this and amounts are approximate. Add more (or less) vegetables/seasonings, depending on your taste! In an 8 qt. stockpot, add a couple tsps. olive oil and saute 2 cups sliced celery, 2 cups chopped onion & a few cloves crushed/chopped garlic - until soft & wilted, NOT browned. To that, add 1- 15 oz. can of chopped tomatoes with juice (or 2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes. Add 1-1/2-2 cups sliced carrots. Add 4 qts. chicken stock/broth, home made or canned/boxed. Bring to a boil - add 2 large pcs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Simmer (covered) for 1/2 hour, until chicken is cooked. Remove chicken & dice up meat - return meat to stock. Simmer another 1/2 hour. Season stock with salt & pepper to taste. Add 1 teasp. ground cumin, 2 teasp. chili powder and 2 tblsp. chopped fresh parsley. You can add some fresh, chopped cilantro now OR before serving, if you'd like - I'm not crazy about fresh cilantro so I don't use it. If you like a super-spicy soup (say THAT 3 times quickly!!), add some hot chili peppers or cayenne - to taste. Continue to simmer the stock for another 15 minutes. Add 2 cups (canned or fresh/cooked) black beans and 2 cups (canned, frozen or fresh off the cob) corn. Taste and add more salt/pepper, if needed. Simmer for another half hour. Spoon the soup into bowls - add grated chihuahua cheese (or co-jack) and garnish with tortilla strips.

Pasta Fagioli Soup

2 Tsps. Olive Oil
5 oz. Chopped Onion
5 oz. Diced Celery
5 oz. Slivered Carrots
1 can (16 oz.) Diced Tomatoes
1 can Red Kidney Beans
1 can White Beans (any)
29 oz. Beef Stock
3/4 tsp. Pepper
1/4 tsp. Tabasco Sauce
1/2 to 2/3 box of Ditalini Pasta
2/3 lb. Ground Beef
16 oz. Spaghetti Sauce
1 to 1 1/2 tsp. Oregano
1 2/3 tsp. Chopped Parsley

Saute' ground beef in the olive oil until browned. Add onions, carrots, celery and tomatoes; simmer for about 20 minutes. Drain and rinse the beans then add to pot. Add beef stock, oregano, pepper, Tabasco sauce and spaghetti sauce. Simmer for 45 minutes or until the celery and carrots begin to get tender. Add the Ditalini and cook according to directions on box.

Yields 3 quarts.

NOTE: For more heat add 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Escarole and Beans

Ingredients:

2-3 Tbsp. Olive oil
3 – 4 Cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 Head escarole, approximately 1 Lb., washed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 14 oz. cans cannellini, drained and rinsed
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan
Heat a pot over medium-high heat

Cover the bottom of a soup pot with olive oil

Add garlic and sauté for a minute or so.

Add the escarole and stir to coat with the oil.

Toss in red pepper flakes and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the escarole begins to wilt.

Stir in the beans. Lower the heat, add up to a cup of water (more if you prefer it soupier), season with salt and pepper, and simmer for five to ten minutes.

Serve with a crusty Italian Bread

Pasta Fagioli

If you're using dried beans, take 1-1/2 cups dried cannellini beans, soak them, cook & cool them according to package directions. If using canned beans, use 4 cups of rinsed beans.

In a pot, saute 1 C. sliced celery, 1 C. diced onions, 2 lightly crushed & chopped garlic cloves in 1/4 cup olive oil until softened, but not browned.

Add:

2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes or canned Italian peeled tomatoes

4 Tblsp. tomato paste

2 cups water

pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

salt & pepper, to taste

Simmer 15 minutes. Add the beans, mashing some of the beans with the back of a wooden spoon. Bring back to a simmer. Add 1/2 lb. of linguine or angel hair pasta (broken into 1"pcs.) to the simmering pot, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente (approx. 8-10 min.). The mixture should get quite thick, but you can add a little boiling water if it seems TOO thick.

Turn off the heat and let stand for 10 min. before serving.

Minestra/Italian wedding soup

In a large stock pot, bring to a good simmer:

6-8 quarts chicken stock (homemade is best, but I often use those mega-cans of chicken stock purchased from GFS)

4 large carrots, peeled & chopped

1 c. diced celery

1 large head of escarole, cleaned and chopped (approx. 6 cups or so)

few cloves of smashed/minced garlic

S&P to taste

Simmer for 30-45 minutes, until the escarole is tender.

Make the meatballs while the stock is simmering:

For meatballs:

1-1/2 lb. ground veal (OR use a 50-50% mix of LEAN ground beef & ground pork)

3 large eggs

1 cup plain breadcrumbs

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 Tblsp. chopped parsley (fresh or dried)

Form into small balls, an inch or less in diameter. Place them on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake in a 375 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Remove the meatballs from the pan and carefully place them into the stockpot.

Simmer for another half hour.

If you like, add 4 cups of COOKED small pasta (any shape - or broken up linguine) If you prefer to put the uncooked pasta right in with the soup to finish cooking, make sure you add an additional 2 cups of chicken stock to replenish the loss of liquid.

Freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano puts the icing on the cake... or the cheese on the soup!

minestrone

garlic ( as much as you like)
3-carrots - dice
3-celery stalks -dice
1- lg. potato -dice
16oz can diced tomatoes
1-Tblsp tomato paste
16 oz can italian white beans
26oz beef stock
1/4 lb panchetta
swiss chard
bay leaf
rind from parma/reggiano cheese


saute
panchetta
carrots
celery
potato
garlic


add tomatoes
chard
simmer 10 mins

drain beans---save 1/4 cup whole
puree rest with about 1 cup stock ( for thickening)
add tomato paste stir to melt
add stock
tomatoes
pureed beans
rind
simmer 20 mins
put in saved beans

mangia