Soul Food Saturday

With the weather being uncooperative on some days, I find deciding on dinner is a little more difficult. So it being a chillier night just called out for soup. Not just any soup, but one that would be extra filling and perfectly satisfying. This one did it.
Lots of veggies, and  chicken what more could we want? Grab your favorite bowl, this one will fill you up and keep you toasty warm.

Chicken Vegetable Soup

For the chicken and broth
4 leg thigh quarters
8 c. Water
2 Tbs. granulated garlic
2 tbs. dried parsley
1 tbs. salt
1/2 tbs. Pepper

To a large stock pot add chicken with spices and water. Cover, then bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer until chicken is cooked through. Skim broth if needed, then remove chicken from pot to remove bones/skin. Taste broth for seasoning, and adjust if needed.

3 c.  Celery, chopped
4 c.  Carrots, chopped
2 bunches kale, stemmed and chopped (yielded approx. 8 c. Before cooking)

Add celery and carrots to pot. Stir to combine. Cover and cook until carrots have softened slightly. Add kale and stir to combine. Add deboned chicken pieces back to pot as well. Cover and cook until carrots are tender, and chicken is warmed through. Stirring occasionally.

My New Crock Pot

One of my favorite lunchtime treats is the all you can eat salad and soup at Olive Garden. In fact, I probably go there for lunch three times more often than what we do for supper. I think their lunch time specials are one of the best deals around; not to mention delicious. And every single time I go, no matter what, this is the soup I get. Sure they have other varieties, and they always look yummy too when my lunch companions get them, but this is always in my bowl.

So you can imagine my excitement when I found a make-at-home version I could enjoy any time I wanted. Then try to picture how over the moon I was when I discovered I could make it in the slow cooker. Plus, this just so happened to be right after I had gotten a brand spanking new Crock Pot for my birthday! What a better way to break it in, than with one of my very favorite soups on the face of the planet!

If you've never had this soup, and aren't sure you want to try it...take my word, you do! The creamy broth is only outdone by the flavors of the sausage, potato and kale In fact, this was the dish that introduced me to kale. Until I had this soup years ago, I had never even heard of kale; and actually had to ask the waitress what it was. (Obviously this was before my foodie days and the explosion of kale's popularity!) Plus, there is just a little bit of kick from the red pepper. But not too much. You know me, I can't take a lot of heat, so you know if my wimpy taste buds can stand it, it can't be too spicy.

I'm so happy I found this recipe. It was so close to the original, if I closed my eyes I could have sworn I was sitting in the restaurant. Plus, how fun to have this be the very first thing coming out of my brand new Crock Pot. I'm sure it has many, many delicious meals in it's future, but this wonderful favorite will always be the first!

Crock Pot Zuppa Toscana Soup From Joyful Thrifty Home

1 lb. bulk pork sausage

1 medium white onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, grated or minced

1 medium bunch kale, chopped

1 lb. bacon, diced, cooked crisp and drained

32 oz. chicken broth

16 oz. heavy whipping cream

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 TBS Italian seasoning

5 small potatoes, skin left on, diced

Parmesan cheese for garnish

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large skillet over medium heat, brown sausage, onion and garlic until meat no longer pink. Drain grease if necessary. Transfer to Crock Pot. Add chicken broth, cream, bacon, red pepper, Italian seasoning, kale, salt and pepper. Stir well. Cook on HIGH for 3 hours. Add potatoes and cook another 30-60 minutes until tender. Garnish individual portions with Parmesan.

Shared on The Country Cook Mar. 28, 2014

Soul Food Saturday #40

Well, we spent another week in a total deep freeze. I don't remember a winter recently when we have had so much snow, and such bitterly cold temperatures. I'll tell you what, I'm going to appreciate spring even more than I normally do when it finally makes an appearance!

If you are frozen to the bone too, Bekki has something that is sure to thaw you out, while filling you up. Comfort in a bowl to warm from the inside out!

This recipe just came about when I was noticing what I had in the fridge and what I had a desire for. Chicken and dumplings and Zuppa Tuscana. Yes both, at the same time. I had just poached some chicken, so I had a pot with just cooked broth and chicken ready to be de-boned. I looked in the fridge to figure out what to do next and had the idea. Why not make chicken and dumplings with kale? I love to add carrots and celery anyway so why not beef up the veggies, Right? I also love using canned biscuits cut up for the dumplings. But alas I only had crescent roll dough. No worries, I used it anyway. Loved the butteriness, definitely one to keep close, it really is that good!

Loaded Chicken and Dumplings
For the chicken and broth
4 leg thigh quarters
8 c. Water
1 Tbs. granulated garlic
2 tbs. creole seasoning
1 tbs. salt

To a large stock pot add chicken with spices and water. Cover, then bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer until chicken is cooked through. Skim broth if needed, then remove chicken from pot to remove bones/skin. Taste broth for seasoning, and adjust if needed.

3 c.  Celery, chopped
4 c.  Carrots, chopped
2 bunches kale, stemmed and chopped (yielded approx. 8 c. Before cooking)
1 can crescent dough, cut to approx 2 inch pieces

Add celery and carrots to pot. Stir to combine. Cover and cook until carrots have softened slightly. Add kale and stir to combine. Bring stock back up to a boil then add crescent pieces one at a time. Cover and cook until dough is firm and carrots are tender. Stirring occasionally.  Serve hot in your favorite bowl. This will warm your belly and your soul. Enjoy!

Soul Food Saturday #33

Good Morning! I hope ya'll had a fantastic Thanksgiving filled with family, love, memories made and yummy food! Is your fridge stuffed with leftovers? Want something to use that turkey for besides yet another sandwich? Bekki has just the answer today!

I hope that you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving and all of the wonderful things that surround us during the holidays; our families, friends, and time together. I have a huge soup addiction and the Fall and Winter are the perfect time to make big pots of the bubbly deliciousness. With all the left over turkey we all need new ways to use it up and make it stretch for a few more meals. This is just one more way. Along with my addiction to soup I have a new love for kale. It’s a peppery green leafy vegetable that is perfect in this soup. Add a few more veggies, some pasta, your remaining gobbler and voila dinner! Let’s continue our time of thanks giving, with something to warm you heart and soul. Enjoy!

 

Turkey and Kale Noodle Soup

6 c. low sodium chicken stock

3 c. carrots, sliced

1 medium onion, diced

1 orange bell pepper, chopped

3 c. cooked turkey, chopped

3 c. kale, chopped and stemmed

4 c. cooked pasta

1 tbs. olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

 

In medium stock pot add olive oil, and onion. Cook until onions are softened. Add bell pepper, and carrots. Stir to combine. Add chicken stock and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. Cook until carrots are tender. Add kale, turkey and pasta. Taste for seasoning, add salt and pepper if desired. Soup is ready when kale is tender and turkey is warmed through.

Soul Food Saturday #23

Welcome to yet another weekend, and another yummy recipe from Bekki! Today she is sharing a make at home version of a favorite soup of mine from Olive Garden! I can't wait to try this myself and enjoy a restaurant treat right in my own kitchen!

This Olive Garden soup is my husband’s favorite. He couldn’t ever get enough. So having it at home was a must. After trying the recipe several times, his one request was that it had more “stuff” than broth. So the next time I loaded it up, and he LOVED it. This is a family favorite now and we make it as often as possible. Whether its, in the low temps, or highs of over 100 its cooking. I know after you taste it, you will be hooked as well.

Loaded Zuppa Toscana  Adapted from Restaurant Food
1 tsp. olive oil
2 pound ground spicy sausage
1 large onion, sliced
3 medium potatoes, cut in half lengthwise, and then cut into 1/4" slices
1 ½ tsp. granulated garlic
4 cups kale leaves, stems removed, cut in half, then sliced
4 c. chicken broth
½ c. heavy whipping cream

 In a medium stock pot add oil. Add sausage to pot. Stirring frequently, breaking up so it cooks evenly. Cook until no longer pink. Then add onions, cook until onions are almost clear. Add potatoes, garlic and chicken stock. Simmer 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add kale and cream simmer 5 more minutes for kale to become tender. Serve hot, with your favorite bread. Enjoy!

Two Days Before Spring

Technically the first day of spring this year was March 20, 2013...that's for those of you who were buried under snow, hence not realizing it! Or like us, had a frigid week, beginning with a school cancellation due to ice, only 2 days before spring was to arrive. We have had 3 school cancellations this year due to weather, two of which came in March! Apparently, Old Man Winter didn't know he had over stayed his welcome and needed to move on.

Anyway, on this cold, icy "no school" day, I decided it was the perfect opportunity to play with my menu plan a little. See, I was supposed to be testing a new Crock Pot soup recipe later in the week, but since I had some extra time on my hands in the morning, plus what goes better with ice, wind and freezing temps, I switched a couple meals around so we could be warming up with a big bowl of soup later in the day.

This soup is a veggie lover's dream! So many colors, varieties and textures, you won't even miss the meat! In fact, if you use vegetable stock instead of the chicken (I used it because I had it on hand) it would make a fantastic, filling, vegetarian meal. The one ingredient that first caught my eye was kale. I love this dark leafy green, but I don't cook with it enough. In fact, the last time I did so was another soup, my Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice soup...and that was in January 2012! See, I told you I don't cook with it enough! This is also a great recipe because you can mix up the veggies you add. Whatever you have in the crisper, or whichever ones are your family's favorites, throw them in too! In fact, the original recipe didn't call for green beans at all, but I had some beautiful fresh, organic ones just waiting to be used up, so I thought why not.

If it is looking more like Spring where you are, I am sure you are as happy as can be. But if you are in an area that winter has camped out a little extra longer, find some solace in this soup. Either way, it's a comforting, healthy and delicious meal to come home to!

Crock Pot Minestrone Soup Adapted from Fix It and Forget It
6 c. chicken broth
4 carrots, peeled and diced
4 ribs celery, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small zucchini, diced
1 c. kale, chopped
1/2 c. fresh green beans, chopped
1/2 c. pearl barley
1 (15 oz.) can cannellini beans
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
Salt and Pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Mix everything in Crock Pot. Cook on LOW 6-8 hours until veggies are tender. Garnish with cheese if desired.

Shared on Make Ahead Meals Apr.1, 2013
Shared on Mandy's Recipe Box Apr. 3, 2013
Shared on Lady Behind The Curtain Apr. 3, 2013
Shared on The Country Cook Apr. 5, 2013

Crock Pot at Very Good Recipes
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