New England Clam Chowder



New England Clam Chowder

 I think life will slow down at different times of the year. But, actually it rarely does. It is not that we are super busy in our family. We are each just doing our own activities that as a whole make life seem sometimes a little more than hectic.

Having a few quarts of soup in the refrigerator makes for a quick lunch or dinner. I always have fresh bread on hand to serve with the soup. I wholeheartedly recommend finding a good bakery close to your home because good bread makes such a difference.

I usually make soup about every other week during the fall and winter months. My two oldest usually request a thick and creamy soup and are hoping that I replicate one of the soups served in bread bowls available at our local Panera. I am not sure which they like more -- the soup or the bread bowl. No Thank You Boy likes Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup minus the little bits of the supposed chicken parts or Ramen noodles. Adventurous. Very adventurous. The Husband likes any kind of soup. He is a simple man.

My most recent pot of soup was New England Clam Chowder. The thick chowder is loaded with chopped clams and potatoes and served in individual bread bowls. I picked up some large, crusty dinner rolls and hollowed them out for the perfect single serving of soup.

After a day of holiday shopping, lacrosse games, and volleyball practice, you will be happy to serve New England Clam Chowder to your family and friends.


New England Clam Chowder

Serve this chowder in large, hollowed out dinner rolls. The two kinds of potatoes add different textures to the chowder. The russet potato gives the chowder a smooth texture while the red potatoes hold their shape making the chowder chunky.

makes about 2 1/2 quarts

2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
3 stalks of celery, chopped
5 cups of clam juice
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
1 large russet potato, unpeeled and diced
3 red potatoes, unpeeled and diced
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup half and half
3 cans (6.5 ounces each) chopped clams
6 large dinner rolls, hollowed out, reserve bread for dipping in the chowder

In a large stock pot over medium high heat add the butter, olive oil, onions, and celery. Saute for 8 - 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the clam juice, thyme, and Old Bay seasoning and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add the potatoes. Cook for 15 - 20 minutes or until the potatoes are just tender.

Whisk the flour into the half and half and slowly whisk into the stock pot. Cook and stir until slightly thickened. Add the clams and continue cooking until just heated through, about 1 to 2 minutes. Serve in individual bread bowls.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup - and It's Gluten Free

The more I cook for clients, discuss recipes with friends, and read foodie magazines, I discover that many people are allergic to some sort of food. Go into any elementary school classroom, and about 3 out of the 30 kids will be allergic to nuts. When I interview a potential client, I ask them if any family members have a food allergy. Out of my 6 client families, 2 of them have members that are allergic to a certain food. I have jumped onto the food allergy bandwagon, and will present my Gluten Free Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Olive Oil Croutons.

How hard, you may say, is it to make gluten free soup? Most soups are gluten free already, aren't they? No they are not. Many homemade soups are thickened with a roux which is a mixture of flour and butter. It contains gluten. And most canned soups available on your grocery store's shelves contain gluten.

When I started cooking for a gluten free client, I began to read every food label on each product I picked up at the grocery store. Soy sauce. It has wheat in it. Chicken stock. It has wheat in it. Flour. It has wheat in it. Pasta. It has wheat in it. Salad dressing. It has wheat in it. Making a batch of soup that was gluten free was going to take a little extra work on my part.

In my original Broccoli Cheddar soup recipe, the soup was thickened with flour. That would not work for my gluten free version. I substituted two diced russet potatoes that when cooked in the soup break down and thicken the soup. I also double checked to make sure the broth I was using was gluten free. In this recipe I used Swanson's Chicken Broth. I served the soup topped with my Olive Oil Croutons made with Food for Life's Rice Bread. When I served the new and improved gluten free soup to my soup-loving middle kid, she could not even tell the difference from the original version. She even asked for more of the croutons. Success.

I'll be gluten-freeing it up in my kitchen more often. Stay tuned.

Gluten Free Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Olive Oil Croutons

serves about 8 - 10

4 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped, about 2 cups
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups gluten free chicken stock, Swanson's brand is gluten-free
6 - 8 large heads of broccoli, chopped
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup half and half
salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil croutons made with rice bread

Melt butter in a large stock pot over medium high heat and add the chopped onions and diced potatoes. Saute for about 8 - 10 minutes or until until the onions are softened. Add the garlic and saute for an additional minute.

Add the stock and broccoli to the stock pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for until the potatoes and broccoli are tender. Using an immersion blender or a regular blender puree about half of the soup keeping the other half chunky. Return the pureed soup to the pot and add 2 cups of the cheddar cheese and stir until it melts. Stir in the half and half and season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve with Olive Oil Croutons and the remaining cheese sprinkled on top.

Print recipe

Dinner #8 of the 12 Dinners of Christmas -- Split Pea and Cannellini Bean Chowder

I am coming off a week of nonstop holiday eating with nary a vegetable in sight. It started with our family's Polish Feast of pierogies and stuffed cabbage. The night of dining on Polish delicacies led to two Christmas celebrations with meatballs, baked ham, beef tenderloin, twice baked potatoes, stuffed clams, pigs in a blanket, pizza bites, mini teriyaki turkey burgers, crab salad in phyllo tartlets, Feliz Navidad guacamole and chips, buffalo chicken dip, and countless cakes, cookies, candies and pies. My last 2 days of Christmas consumption included every fried cheese product Wisconsin had to offer while snow tubing and relaxing in the Dairy State. Ya hey d'there! All of the nonstop eating reeked havoc on my digestive system. My body was craving anything green.


Dinner #8 of the 12 Dinners of Christmas was as green as the Grinch. I made a large batch of Split Pea and Cannellini Bean Chowder along with a mixed green salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar to right the wrong I had caused to my digestive system.

My recipe makes about 3 quarts of chowder. Just enough to combat the New Year's Eve and New Year's Day eating during the next 2 days.


Split Pea and Cannellini Bean Chowder

makes 3 quarts
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups of chopped onions
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
7 cups chicken stock
1 cup beef stock
2 teaspoons oregano, dried
1 teaspoon pepper
salt to taste depending on saltiness of stock
1 pound dried split peas
2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans
2 cups of thick cut ham, cubed

Heat a large stock pot to medium high heat and add olive oil and onions. Saute for about 8 - 10 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Add garlic and saute an additional minute. Add both stocks, the oregano, pepper, salt to taste, and split peas. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 45 - 55 minutes. The peas should be just beginning to soften. Add the cannellini beans and ham and simmer an additional 5 - 10 minutes.

Serve immediately. Let any leftovers cool before packaging for the refrigerator.

Dinner # 5 of the 12 Dinner of Christmas -- Crock Pot Baked Potato Soup

Crock Pot Baked Potato Soup

With less than 2 weeks until Christmas, life can get hectic around the house. Being smack dab in the middle of the holiday season, No Thank You Boy thinks homework should be optional. Every night we have a discussion on why he has to do homework, why his teachers are so mean to even give homework, and his general lack of enthusiasm toward homework in general. I bought him a new 24-pack of shiny yellow #2 pencils yesterday. Hopefully they will bolster his cranial thought process until the much anticipated 2 week break from school. If all it took was a $.94 package of pencils to get him excited about school, I would be getting off easy.

For Dinner # 5 of the 12 Dinners of Christmas, I dusted off the trusty crock pot. Baked Potato Soup is a ridiculously easy recipe. I am embarrassed to post it. Not really because on a cold winter night, a bowl of this soup along with a BLT sandwich hits the spot. I treat this soup like a baked potato and offer a variety of toppings: crumbled bacon, chunks of ham, cut up kielbasa, shredded cheddar cheese, corn niblets, petite peas, chopped scallions, and sour cream are just of few ingredients that could top your bowl of soup.

After a week of business travel crisscrossing the United States, The Husband will be kissing my feet when he sees 2 quarts of Baked Potato Soup in the refrigerator.

Crock Pot Baked Potato Soup

makes 2 1/2 quarts

6 large potatoes, peeled and diced - I used Yukon, russet, & red potatoes
1 large onion, chopped
5 cups of chicken stock or use vegetable stock to make this soup vegetarian
1 (15-ounce) can evaporated milk
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

toppings - crumbled bacon, chunks of ham, cut up kielbasa, shredded cheddar cheese, corn niblets, petite peas, chopped scallions, and sour cream

extra chicken or vegetable stock to thin soup

Place potatoes, onions, and stock in a crock pot. Cook on low for 9 hours. After the cooking time, mash potatoes with a potato masher and add evaporated milk and butter. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, ladle soup into bowls and top as desired.

Note: After the soup is refrigerated, it can become quite thick. Keep some extra stock on hand to thin out soup if you so choose.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

The most difficult part of making Curried Butternut Squash Soup is peeling the squash. They are awkward to hold, slimy to handle once you get the peel off, and you need a little muscle to cut it into chunks. If I have not dissuaded you from making this soup yet, you'll be very happy with the results when you do. Once the peeling is done, the soup takes about 10 minutes of active cook time with an additional 30 to 40 minutes of simmering.

This good for you soup is seasoned with brown sugar, cinnamon, sweet curry powder, allspice, and nutmeg. If you would like to skip the peeling and cutting of the butternut squash, most grocery stores carry peeled and cut squash. You'll need about 7 or 8 cups. Also, if you find that you have leftover roasted butternut squash from your Thanksgiving feast, substitute about 6 cups of the cooked squash and cut down on your simmering time to about 10 minutes.

Happy Thanksgiving and joyous leftover eating the next day!!


Curried Butternut Squash Soup

makes about 2 1/2 to 3 quarts

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large vadalia onion, chopped
2 large butternut squash, about 5 pounds, peeled and cut in chunks
4 cups of chicken stock
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon of sweet curry powder
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Heat a large stockpot over medium heat and add olive oil and onion. Saute for 8 - 10 minutes or until the onions are translucent and tender. Add the butternut squash and the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook until the squash is tender, about 30 to 40 minutes. A fork should easily pierce it.

Remove the pot from the stove and either puree with an immersion blender or a regular blender. The soup will be thick. Check seasonings and serve hot.

Note -- This is the immersion blender I use. I love it because the wand can go into the dishwasher when you are finished!!

Italian Chicken and Artichoke Soup

Italian Chicken and Artichoke Soup

Cooler weather has set in the Northeast - time for more soups at our house. It is not too much work to make your own soup. Chopping is the most time-consuming portion of the recipe.

I was scanning the Internet for a new soup to make, and I came across one that looked a little different. Italian Chicken and Artichoke Soup sounded like something a majority of our family members would like. After a few changes, I think I have found a new family favorite soup. My Oldest likes it so much she has been eating it for 4 days in a row.

I made an extra large batch with hopes of putting some in the freezer for later. No such luck. After delivering a quart to the neighbors and enjoying numerous bowls ourselves, we only have 1 quart left in the refrigerator. That should be gone by tomorrow.


Italian Chicken and Artichoke Soup


3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups yellow onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup white wine
2 14-ounce cans of artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes in puree
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon oregano, dried
6 cups chicken broth
1 cup beef broth
2 15-ounce cans of cannellini beans, drained
3 bone-in chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
about 20 basil leaves, chopped
dash of red pepper flakes
Parmesan cheese, grated

In a large pot, heat the olive oil and add the onions. Saute for about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Add the wine and cook for an additional 2 - 3 minutes. Add the artichoke hearts, the three types of tomatoes, pepper, salt, oregano, and both broths. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the cannellini beans, chicken, basil, and red pepper flakes to taste. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese on top.

Clam Chowder with Fresh Thyme

Clam Chowder with Fresh Thyme

After a beautiful summer, we have be experiencing the after effects of the hurricane season in northern New Jersey. It has changed my way of cooking. Typical dinners have usually been on the grill. I have been thinking more about making chilies, pot pies, and big pots of soup.

First up was a stockpot full of Clam Chowder with Fresh Thyme. My Middle One frequently requests this soup along with Broccoli Cheddar. I don't want her to get a Jan Brady complex, so I made her one of her favorite soups with plenty leftover for the upcoming days.

This recipe calls for ingredients that you can keep on hand. Therefore, it is a soup that can be made when you can't think of anything else for dinner. No extra trip to the grocery store will be required. I use canned clams, but by all means you can substitute fresh ones for an even better chowder.

My Step mom always makes a pot of this soup when we visit the Jersey Shore. Kudos to her for the recipe.

Clam Chowder with Fresh Thyme


serves about 10

4 slices of bacon, diced
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 stalks of celery, diced
3 carrots, diced
3 medium potatoes, diced
2 medium zucchini, diced
1 (28-ounce) can of crushed tomatoes
1 (14-ounce) can of diced tomatoes
4 good dashes of Worcestershire sauce
4 cups of chicken stock or water
1 (8-ounce) bottle of clam juice
2 (10-ounce) cans whole baby clams
2 (8-ounce) cans chopped clams
3 tablespoons fresh thyme
salt and pepper to taste

Heat a large stockpot over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp. Add onion, celery, carrots, potatoes, and zucchini and cook for about 8 - 10 minutes. Add crushed and diced tomatoes, chicken stock, and clam juice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the clams and their juices and thyme and just heat through. Adjust the seasonings.

Enjoy!

Black Bean and Barbecued Pork Soup

Black Bean and Barbecued Pork Soup

Even though temperatures are reaching the upper 80s, I had 2 requests for black bean soup. I have made it a couple times and was never really satisfied with the results. Low and behold I was perusing my stepmom's recipe book and found an interesting recipe. Black Bean and Barbecued Pork Soup is a chunky version of the soup with the addition of barbecued pork. How convenient. I have about 5 pounds of pulled pork in my freezer.

As with most soups, Black Bean and Barbecued Pork Soup is quick to prepare. I had most ingredients on hand. If you don't have a ziploc of pulled pork in your freezer, substitute about a pound of cooked ground pork mixed with 1/2 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce.

Before I made the soup, I knew only 3 of the 5 family members would be partaking in the dinner time meal. My Middle One was off to a 24 hour birthday party at a friend's house and, No Thank You Boy was recovering from hernia surgery. His diet has consisted of Jell-O, pudding, ice cream, and more pudding. My Oldest is a huge bean-eater. Nutritious but disastrous on the digestive system. She loved loved the soup, but said, "I could do without the spiciness." The Husband commented that he was glad I made such a big pot of soup. I liked the thick and chunkiness of the soup consisting of beans, corn, onions, and pork.

It is truly a whole meal in one bowl. Make a pot and you won't be disappointed.

Black Bean and Barbecued Pork Soup

Black Bean and Barbecued Pork Soup

makes about 8 servings

Note - if you don't have homemade pulled pork, many grocery stores sell prepmade pulled pork in their meat and seafood department.  Or you can substitute 1 pound of ground pork browned and drained and mixed with 1/2 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce.

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
5 cups chicken broth
4 15-ounce cans black beans
2 10-ounce cans diced tomatoes and green chilies
2 teaspoons cumin
1 lb. pulled pork
salt to taste
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 cups corn
sour cream
3 scallions, sliced thin
1 cup tomato, diced

Heat olive oil in a large stock pot and add onion. Saute for 8 - 10 minutes. Add garlic and saute an additional minute. Stir in the broth, 3 cans of the black beans, the tomatoes and chilies, cumin, and pork. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, process the remaining can of beans in a food processor or blender. After simmering the soup for 15 minutes, stir mashed beans into pot along with the lime juice. Heat for about 3 - 4 minutes or until heated through. Season to taste with salt.

Serve soup topped with corn, sour cream, scallions and tomatoes.

Spring Pea and White Bean Chowder

Spring Pea and White Bean Chowder

Busy Spring nights call for dinner made in advance. With 5 family members all going in different directions, the refrigerator better be stocked with meals ready to go. I spent about a half of my day filling the frig with dinners, lunches, desserts, and snacks for the next few days.

On tap for tonight is Spring Pea and White Bean Chowder and Grilled Chicken Caesar Salads. For the salads, I just grilled up some chicken breasts seasoned with salt, pepper, thyme, and parsley mixed with a few tablespoons of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The sliced grilled chicken tops a bed of romaine lettuce and my favorite bottled Caesar dressing - Cardini's - is drizzled over. A sprinkle of fresh grated Parmesan completes the salad. The Spring Pea and White Bean Chowder is my version of split pea soup. My ham bone from Easter dinner has been haunting me from the freezer. A traditional split pea soup seemed to wintry. I developed a new soup/chowder for the springtime weather we have been experiencing. I used my stock from the freezer. Looks like icebergs headed for the Titanic.


With a big pot of chowder and the fixings for a hearty salad chopped in the refrigerator, dinner is ready to go at our house. With the variety available, each family member will to satisfied with some part of the meal without the Chief Chef and Bottle Washer resorting to preparing different foods for the likes and dislikes of the family. Who would want to do that anyway?!!

Make a couple meals in advance. You'll be happy when dinner time rolls around. With such a big potful of chowder, pack some up for the neighbors. They will thank you.



Spring Pea and White Bean Chowder

makes a big pot of chowder, enough for about 12 - 14 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups carrots, diced
4 cups onions, diced
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
12 cups of chicken stock, low sodium
1 pound dried split peas
1 ham bone from your Easter ham
2 teaspoons thyme
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons pepper
2 teaspoons salt
2 15-ounce cans white beans, drained
a handful of fresh parsley, chopped


In a large stockpot, heat the olive oil and butter. Add the carrots, onions, and garlic and saute for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Add the stock, peas, ham bone, thyme, bay leaves, pepper, and salt. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 1 hour to 1 and 1/2 hours. The peas will be tender and the chowder will have slightly thickened. Remove the ham bone and trim off any ham that may still be on it. Add to the chowder. Stir in the white beans and the parsley and adjust the seasonings.

Store in the refrigerator for about 3 - 4 days. Any chowder that is left can be packed up for the freezer to enjoy later.

Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup

A refrigerator full of Tupperware is The Husband's idea of nirvana. Being that he is married to the Chef/Owner of EAT! A Personal Chef Service , he is quite dismayed when there are less than 3 dining choices waiting for him to reheat.

A man of soup, The Husband enjoys a nice brothy bowl on occasion. I made a batch of Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup for him to take to work for lunch and clear out his sinuses. I used chipolte in adobe peppers for the heat, and it was spicy enough to make No Thank You Boy's eyes water. My Oldest is not a lover of spicy foods and almost ate a big bowl of soup after school. Not to worry, near fiery catastrophe averted.

Frig full of Tupperware = Happy Husband.

Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup

olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
2 large boneless chicken breasts, about 1 pound, sliced very thin
1 teaspoon montreal chicken seasoning
1 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup corn, frozen is ok
1 chipotle in adobo peppers, chopped -- available in small cans in Mexican food section of market
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
4 cups chicken stock
blue corn tortilla chips, broken up into large pieces

Heat a large stock pot to medium high. Add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pot. Add the onions and red pepper and saute for about 5 minutes. Add the sliced chicken, montreal chicken seasoning, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook the chicken for about 3 - 4 minutes Add garlic, corn and chipotle peppers. Cook an additional 5 to 7 minutes to soften. Add tomatoes and stock. Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat to medium low. Simmer for about 10 minutes.

Serve with tortilla chips. Can also serve with sour cream, chopped avocado, and grated sharp cheddar cheese.

Tomato Vegetable Soup

Tomato Vegetable Soup with Beans

Rainy days and Mondays always get me down. I am showing my age with that bad song lyric. And rainy days and Mondays really don't get me down. On rainy days, I cook, cook, cook. No better way to spend a day. And on Mondays, those 3 kids of mine are back at school after our 48 hours of quality time together. Ok, it's not Monday, but it is raining. Time to plan the menus.

After making a shopping list, I was off on no less than 3 stops to get my ingredients for my day of culinary creations as well as the necessary household supplies of toilet paper and laundry detergent. This week includes, Stuffed Manicotti on a Bed of Sauteed Spinach, Tomato Vegetable Soup and Pizza Bread, and Pan Seared Chicken Breats with Sage Gravy, Stuffing and Roasted Parmesan Cauliflower.

First up was the soup. I overlook the ease at which soups can be thrown together. The chopping, sauteing, and simmering were well on their way in 30 minutes. I made enough soup for about 16 servings; I like to hand deli containers of soup to friends.

Along with a salad and more slices of bread than I care to count, I am truly happy. The Husband said the green beans were a tad to hard for his liking. What does he know? It was perfect. My neighbor said that was her favorite aspect of the soup. I adapted the recipe from the Pasta E Fagioli from one of my go-to cookbooks.



Tomato Vegetable Soup

serves 14 with leftovers - YEA!

4 slices of bacon, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large onions, diced
6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 zucchini, diced
4 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
1 teaspoon thyme, dried
sprinkle of red pepper flakes
2 cans (28 ounce) diced tomatoes
1 can (15 1/2 ounce) kidney beans
1 can (15 1/2 ounce) cannellini beans
8 cups chicken stock - I even made homemade
2 cups water
salt
pepper
2 cups green beans, cut in 1 inch pieces
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

In a large stock pot over medium high heat, cook the bacon until almost crisp. Add onion and garlic and sauté for about 10 minutes or until translucent and beginning to just brown. Add zucchini, oregano, thyme, and red pepper flakes and continue cooking for 3 – 4 minutes.  Add tomatoes and their juices, the beans, stock and water.  Simmer the soup for about 15 minutes. Add the green beans and cook until they just begin to lose their crunch, about 5 minutes. Add Parmesan and stir to melt. Season with salt and pepper.

Share with your friends. :)

Parmesan and Herb Sausage, White Bean and Escarole Soup

Actually, this wasn't a dinner. A big pot of soup in the frig is a welcome sight. I made this soup a couple days ago so we would always have something handy to eat. Not that the short members of the family would want to eat it, but at least The Husband and I have been enjoying it. Peanut butter and jelly is a good substitute for them. This recipe is very forgiving and can be adapted to what you have on hand. A different kind of sausage can be used or even poached chicken pieces. If you don't have escarole, spinach works too. Also try sauteed fennel along with the onions, carrots, and celery. It is a nice change of flavor. I use both chicken and beef stocks to give it a full bodied taste. I love the beans, but they don't love me. try kidney beans or chickpeas, too. As always, a loaf of crusty bread and a salad will complete the meal.

Parmesan and Herb Sausage, White Bean and Escarole Soup

makes a lot

a good drizzle of olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 carrots, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
10 cups chicken stock
2 cups beef stock
1 - 1 1/2 pounds of Parmesan and herb sausage or Italian sausage
1 - 15 ounce can white beans (such as cannellini)
1 teaspoon thyme, dried
1/2 teaspoon basil, dried
4 cups escarole, chopped (or fresh baby spinach)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
salt, it depends on how salty your stock is - salt to taste
grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Heat a large stockpot to medium high. Add a good drizzle of olive oil and saute the onions, carrots, and celery for about 5 - 8 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for another minute.

Meanwhile, roast the sausage on an oiled baking sheet in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Slice into bite sized pieces; set aside.

Add the chicken and beef stocks to the pot along with the cooked sausage, beans, thyme, basil, escarole and pepper. Season with salt to taste. Simmer for about 20 - 30 minutes. Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

Summer's Bounty

Last night was one of our best meals since ...... Friday night. The panini machine came out and a trip to the farm stand helped round out the meal with Roasted Tomato Soup, Corn on the Cob, and Watermelon. Repeatedly we heard someone saying "This is a really good dinner." Paninis were Virginia ham and American cheese on sourdough from Panera for the less adventurous or last night's Roasted Lemon Chicken with roasted red peppers, fresh mozzarella and basil mayo on multi grain bread. The soup was another adapted Barefoot Contessa recipe. It is fresh tasting. I left out the basil this time. Just wanted the tomato taste. Sometimes the simplest meals are the most satisfying.

Roasted Beefsteak Tomato Soup

3 pounds beefsteak tomatoes, rough chop
olive oil
1 vadalia onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 - 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
4 cups chicken stock
salt
pepper
pinch of sugar
shake of red pepper flakes

Toss the tomatoes with a good drizzle of olive oil and generously salt and pepper. Roast in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, saute the onions for about 8 - 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook about a minute. Add the remaining ingredients and the roasted tomatoes and simmer for about 1/2 hour. either use an immersion blender or a blender to puree but, leave it a little chunky. Enjoy!!

Cannellini Bean and Escarole Soup

Cannellini Bean and Escarole Soup

With Winter refusing to fly north for the Spring, and last night's Easter Feast still digesting, I decided to make something a little more on the nutritious side tonight. Not that White Bean and Escarole Soup is not delicious, it is and very good for you too. It's a whole meal in a bowl. As I'm reaching middle age, dare I say, I am trying to eat a healthier diet. My diet has been pretty much the same my whole life -- I can eat whatever I like without to many repercussions. The only setback I have had to date is no coffee and donuts. Not good on the early morning digestion. Maybe I'll try popping a Pepcid first next time.

This recipe is a basic soup base. Add any number of ingredients to it to change it up. I especially like escarole in soup because it retains a little crunch even when cooked. Add cooked chicken or sausage. Change the escarole to bok choy and a dash of sesame oil and soy sauce for a more Asian flair. Use a combo of chicken and vegetable stocks with a little beef stock to give your soup a rich flavor.  Mix up the kinds of beans - black, kidney, garbanzo. Clean out the fridge and the pantry. That's what I did. I'm the only one who ate this tonight. No Thank You Boy is still eating the hard boiled eggs that they dyed for Easter and the girls made paninis with the Easter ham. Love to see those leftovers move!

White Bean and Escarole Soup

serves 8

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups onion, chopped
4 carrots, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
8 cups chicken stock
1 can cannellini beans, drained
1 teaspoon dried thyme
pinch of red pepper flakes
6 cups escarole, chopped
salt
pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

In a large stock pot, saute the onions in the olive oil for about 8 - 10 minutes. Add the carrots and garlic and saute another 5 minutes. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add beans, thyme and red pepper flakes. Simmer about 10 minutes. Add the escarole and simmer a 4 - 6 minutes to slightly wilt the leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

Soup and Sandwich Night

Another blast of frigid air blew into northern New Jersey. It feels like a soup and sandwich night for us.

My Dad hands out loads of gift cards as Christmas presents each year. I spent one of mine on my new favorite kitchen gadget -- a Panini Grill. Or as I like to call it, my panini machiney. These contraptions are available at cooking and home stores everywhere. It makes crispy and crunchy pressed sandwiches, and it only takes a couple minutes to create a cheesy and gooey mess of a sandwich. If you don't have a panini machiney, just make a grilled sandwich and put a heavy pan on top of it while it cooks to press it down.

Our menu consisted of Cauliflower, Cheddar and Bacon Bisque and Panini Sandwiches. Two sandwiches were honey ham, Gruyere cheese (like a funky Swiss), thin sliced granny smith apples, and apple butter. Two others were honey ham, bacon and, cheddar. The last one was honey ham, bacon, Gruyere and Dijon mustard. All the paninis were on a rustic loaf of bread. Thumbs up all around for the sandwiches. I like to make soups with lots of chunky ingredients but, this one was more of a creamy one. 4 thumbs up for the soup. My son opted out of trying it.

If winter is still got a hold of where you live, give this menu a try.

Cauliflower, Cheddar and Bacon Bisque

makes about 10 servings

5 slices bacon, chopped
2 cups onion, diced
3 ribs celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped small
2 heads cauliflower, cut into small chunks
6 cups chicken broth
4 ounces cheddar, grated
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 cup half and half
salt
pepper
extra cheddar cheese for sprinkling on top
parsley, chopped fine to make it look fancy
truffle salt or oil, if you have it

Cook bacon in large stockpot over medium heat until crispy. Add onion, celery and garlic and cook about 8 - 10 minutes. Add the cauliflower, broth, cheddar, and tarragon and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered for about 30 - 35 minutes until the cauliflower is tender. Puree soup in batches in a blender or food processor and return to stockpot. Add the half and half and simmer to heat through. Ladle into bowls and top with extra cheddar, parsley, and a little truffle oil or salt.