Thai-Style Shrimp/Chicken and Rice Soup

Adapted from Gourmet 2005 Cookbook (also found here: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/thai-style-chicken-and-rice-soup-109019)

I was worried the curry paste might make it too spicy; it really wasn't spicy at all, and I think by using chicken in place of shrimp and skipping the fish sauce, this would make a tasty top-8 allergen free dinner.

INGREDIENTS

8 cups homemade chicken stock 

1 heaping tablespoon Thai green curry paste*

4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1 (2-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed I only had ground coriander, since it is run through a paper towel, I just used that instead

2 cups loosely packed whole fresh cilantro leaves plus 1/2 cup chopped (from 2 large bunches)

1 cup jasmine rice

3 stalks celery, medium chop

1 cup carrots, medium chop

3/4 lb medium shrimp in shell (31 to 35 per lb), peeled and deveined

1 (13- to 14-oz) can unsweetened coconut milk, stirred well I used light since that's what I had

2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste

Accompaniment: lime wedges

PREPARATION

Combine stock, water, curry paste, garlic, ginger, coriander seeds, and whole cilantro leaves in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan, then simmer, uncovered, until ginger is softened, about 15 minutes. Pour through a paper-towel-lined sieve into a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot and discard solids. Stir rice into soup and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 15 minutes. The celery and carrots are my additions; I added them with the rice, and I thought the texture was perfect.

Add shrimp and poach at a bare simmer, uncovered, until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Stir in coconut milk and fish sauce and simmer, uncovered, until peas are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice, salt, and chopped cilantro. I added a dash of fish sauce and lime juice to my bowl right before I ate my lunch.

*Available at Asian markets, some specialty foods shops, and some supermarkets.

Amy's Curried Cauliflower Soup

My friend posted a soup recipe made out of pantry staples that sounded so good, I knew I had to make a special trip to Trader Joe's to get the yellow curry sauce. (Apparently, you can get it from Amazon, too.)

I bulked it up with some items I had to use, too.

Amy's Curried Cauliflower Soup
1 yellow onion, diced
1 bag riced cauliflower, in the bagged salad/coleslaw produce section of the grocery store
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch grated fresh ginger, I learned from Martha Stewart to keep my ginger in the freezer, stays fresh forever and way easier to grate
1 can coconut milk
8 to 10 ounces chicken stock
1 jar Trader Joe's yellow curry sauce

Saute onions first. When they start to get soft, add cauliflower, garlic and ginger. Saute until cauliflower is soft, too (this happens quickly, 2-3 min). Add coconut milk, chicken stock and yellow curry sauce and simmer for about 10 min. I don't know that this is necessary, but I was chopping toppings for the soup at the time.

Put soup in blender with hard plastic middle core pulled out and a dishcloth over the hole. Puree and serve.

Toppings
cilantro
green onion
lime

I added fried tofu (drained wrapped in a dishtowel for half and hour, cut in slices, dredged in corn starch and fried with about 1/2 c canola oil in a cast iron skillet) and thawed some frozen shrimp for extra protein.

Lemongrass Soup

This recipe comes from my Aunt Katie, which means it's pretty much guaranteed to be awesome. Lately, I've been thinking about adding a can of coconut milk to it but I already know it's so good without the coconut milk. When I lived in Boston, I was determined to find a recipe to make that slightly sweet coconut lemongrass soup that one could get at pretty much any Thai food restruant. I tried 5 different recipes before giving up. This is a great substitute; it's spicy instead of sweet.

It's also delicious as a side dish with pad thai.

Lemongrass Soup

3-4 stalks of lemongrass
8 cups chicken broth
1 tomato, diced
1 can straw mushrooms
1 small can bamboo shoots (I added this)
1/2 pound shelled shrimp or tofu diced
2 T instant sour shrimp paste (Tom Yum)
1/2 lime
fish sauce Aunt Katie suggests a few shakes; I think I did about 1/2 t
green onions, sliced thinly
fresh cilantro
basil (I happened to have some Thai basil)

Trim ends of lemongrass, using meaty portion only. Pound lemongrass with mallet. Add lemongrass to chicken broth in sauce pan and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove lemongrass from broth using a strainer.

To broth, stir in shrimp and cook until pink (only takes a few minutes). Drain liquid from mushrooms and bamboo and add to broth and shrimp. In a serving bowl, combine Tom Yum paste, juice from 1/2 lime and a few shakes of fish sauce. Stir until blended. Stir hot broth into mixture.

Garnish with diced tomato, green onion, cilantro, and basil.
Serves 8

Chicken and Dumplings

I have been looking for a good chicken and dumpling recipe for years, and this one hits the spot (though, I have to admit, I don't consider this recipe easy to quick like the website says). Nate was very excited about it, and my kids loved it. I've put some changes I'll do next time below in italics.

The Ultimate Chicken and Dumplings
Tyler Florence
Food Network website

Chicken and Stock:
1 (3 to 31/2 pound) whole organic chicken
2 bay leaves
6 sprigs thyme
4 to 5 black peppercorns
1 head garlic, split through the equator
2 tablespoons salt

Buttermilk-Chive Dumplings: I think I'll halve this part next time; I had a lot of leftover batter.
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/4 cup chopped chives
3/4 to 1 cup buttermilk

Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons oil
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups chicken stock
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen pearl onions I think I'll chop a regular onion and saute it with the carrots, celery and garlic. Nate and I didn't like the pearl onions, though I suspect it's more traditional this way
1/4 cup heavy cream Forgot to put this in but didn't miss it.
Freshly ground black pepper, for garnish
Chopped chives, for garnish

For the stock:
Place the chicken and all stock ingredients in a large Dutch oven and cover with water. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 1 hour until the chicken is tender. Skim the surface of fat and scum as it cooks. I cooked my chicken in the crock pot using the same ingredients all day until I was ready to make dinner.

When done remove the chicken to a cutting board. Strain the stock and shred the meat into big pieces - the stock will be used for the sauce and the chicken will be folded into it.

For the dumplings:
Sift the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a small bowl, using a whisk, lightly beat the eggs, chives and buttermilk together; pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold. Mix just until the dough comes together; the batter should be thick and cake-like.

To prepare sauce:
In a Dutch oven, over medium heat, add the butter and oil. Add the carrot, celery, garlic, and bay leaves and saute until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour to make a roux. Continue to stir and cook for 2 minutes to coat the flour and remove the starchy taste. Slowly pour in the chicken stock, 1 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. Add frozen peas and pearl onions.

Let sauce simmer until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. Stir in heavy cream.

Fold the reserved shredded chicken into the sauce and bring up to a simmer. Using 2 spoons, carefully drop heaping tablespoonfuls of the dumpling batter into the hot mixture. The dumplings should cover the top of the sauce, but should not be touching or crowded. Let the dumplings poach for 10 to 15 minutes until they are firm and puffy. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Season with freshly cracked black pepper and garnish with chopped chives before serving.

Broccoli and Cheddar Soup

So, we Arizonans are living up the last days of soup weather (because, you know, it's only in the low 80's). Nate isn't a soup fan, but he loved this one. I'm sure a big part of this recipe is because it's a tried and true one from my lovely friend, Kate, but I think homemade chicken stock played a big part in its success.

BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP
Kate Holbrook

1/2 lb fresh broccoli
3 Tbs butter
1/4 c onion (1/2 small)
3 Tbs flour
1 (14-oz) can chicken broth (or vegetable broth, Swansons either way)
2 c milk or half and half
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 c cheddar cheese, grated

Cook broccoli in microwave. Meanwhile, melt butter in saucepan and sauté onion until just translucent. Add flour and stir for 2-3 minutes.

Slowly add broth. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly. Add salt and broccoli. Remove from heat, add nutmeg, garnish with cheese.

Lentil Vegetable Soup

I should note first that I'm not a huge fan of vegetable soups or most lentil dishes, but when Ina writes up a recipe that uses these ingredients, well, I trust her, so I tried it. Then, there's Asher who is not as loyal to the Contessa as I am. I packed this soup in his lunch not even hoping he'd eat it because we were out of anything else to send him off with. He came home and said, "MOM, I ate all of my carrot and bean soup. Can I have some more now?"

With that in mind: Run, don't walk to make this soup! (And, if you have a bowl with these muffins for lunch, you'll be a happy camper.)

Lentil Vegetable Soup
Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
Serves 8 to 10 I halved this recipe and felt like it made plenty!

1 pound French green lentils I used regular brown ones
4 c chopped yellow onions (3 large onions)
4 c chopped leeks, white parts only (2 leeks)
1 T minced garlic (3 cloves)
1/4 c good olive oil
1 T kosher salt
1 1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
1 T minced fresh thyme leaves or 1 t dried
1 t cumin
3 c medium-diced celery (8 stalks)
3 c medium-diced carrots (4 to 6)
3 quarts chicken stock
1/4 c tomato paste
2 T red wine or red wine vinegar I thought this was delicious already and left this out
freshly grated Parmesan cheese I never leave out cheese when a soup calls for it, but again, I just didn't feel like it was necessary

In a large bowl, cover lentils with boiling water and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drain.

In a large stockpot on medium heat, saute the onions, leeks, and garlic with the olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme, and cumin for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are translucent and very tender.

Add the celery and carrots and saute for 10 more minutes.

Add the chicken stock, tomato paste, and lentils. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for one hour, until the lentils are cooked through. Check the seasonings.

Add the red wine and serve hot, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese. I skipped this last part.

Pumpkin Soup

Rachel and I both remember the Thanksgiving our mom made this soup; I was 12, she was 7. It was delicious, but my mom insisted she didn't have the recipe anymore. After digging through her recipe folder (a treasure!), I found this along with menus of elegant parties and lunches she had given in the late 1970's and early 1980's.

Pumpkin Soup
Mary Clyde


1/2 c butter
1 large onion sliced
3/4 c green onion
1 16 oz can pumpkin
4 c chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1/2 t sugar
1/4-1/2 t curry
1/8-1/4 t nutmeg
parsley
2 c milk
half and half or cream
salt and pepper

Melt butter in 6 quart sauce pan over medium high heat. Saute onions until soft and golden. Stir in pumpkin, stock, bay, sugar, spices. Bring to simmer. Reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 15 minutes. Stirr occasionally. Take out bay leaf. Transfer soup in batches and puree. Return to sauce pan. Add milk, cream (to equal 2 cups) and salt and pepper. Simmer 5-10 minutes, but don't boil.

Chicken Chile

3 tsp cumin
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can garbanzo beans
1 can white corn
1 can green chiles
1 can great northern beans
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
2-3 chicken bouillon cubes
1 1/2 C water
chile powder to taste
garnishes

Saute chicken, onion, and garlic. Add all other ingredients (just dump it all into the pot, no draining needed!). Garnish with cilantro, sour cream, cheese, and/or diced tomatoes.
A Clyde family favorite!

Split Pea and Brown Rice Soup

I was supposed to soak lentils and rice, but did not realize my mistake until the next day when I had already soaked all my peas and rice together. So I made split pea soup with rice. Yum!

Accidental Split Pea and Brown Rice Soup

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large onions, chopped
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1 cup dried split green peas, picked over and soaked overnight
1 cup brown rice, soaked overnight
3 cups water
3 cups chicken stock
juice of 1/2 lemon (reserve the zest)
a few pinches of smoked paprika
olive oil to drizzle

Soak peas and rice together in a bowl with plenty of clean water, covered, overnight, or at least 8 hours.

When ready to cook: Add butter to a big pot over med-high heat. Stir in onions and salt and cook until the onions soften, just a minute or two. Add the split peas, brown rice, water and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, dial down the heat, and simmer for 30-60 minutes, or until the peas are cooked through (but still a touch al dente). Using a large cup or mug ladle half of the soup into a bowl and set aside. Using a hand blender (or regular blender) puree the soup that is still remaining in the pot. Stir the reserved (still chunky) soup back into the puree - you should have a soup that is nicely textured. If you need to thin the soup out with more water (or stock) do so a bit at a time. Stir in the lemon juice and taste. If the soup needs more salt, add more a bit at a time until the flavor of the soup really pops. Serve garnished with paprika and olive oil. I like to eat it with whole grain crackers scattered across the top.

Chicken Noodle Soup (or Dumpling, if you like)

Here is my chicken soup recipe, a truly nourishing meal for keeping your health up. As before, read this broth information if you are interested. The stock recipe immediately below is from that link.

When I make soup, I start in the morning with the chicken stock and then by 5pm or so, the chicken is cooked, the broth is dark golden, and I am ready to assemble a soup. The soup recipe follows the stock recipe. As soon as you do it once, it is much easier to remember and make.

Chicken Stock:

1 whole free-range chicken or 2 to 3 pounds of bony chicken parts, such as necks, backs, breastbones and wings*
gizzards from one chicken (optional)
2-4 chicken feet (optional) I cannot find these anywhere, so I omit
4 quarts cold filtered water
2 tablespoons vinegar I use raw apple cider vinegar
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
1 bunch parsley

*Note: Farm-raised, free-range chickens give the best results. Many battery-raised chickens will not produce stock that gels.

If you are using a whole chicken, cut off the wings and remove the neck, fat glands and the gizzards from the cavity. Cut chicken parts into several pieces. (If you are using a whole chicken, remove the neck and wings and cut them into several pieces.) Place chicken or chicken pieces in a large stainless steel pot with water, vinegar and all vegetables except parsley. Let stand 30 minutes to 1 hour. Bring to a boil, and remove scum that rises to the top. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 6 to 8 hours. The longer you cook the stock, the richer and more flavorful it will be. About 10 minutes before finishing the stock, add parsley. This will impart additional mineral ions to the broth.

Remove whole chicken or pieces with a slotted spoon. If you are using a whole chicken, let cool and remove chicken meat from the carcass. Reserve for other uses, such as chicken salads, enchiladas, sandwiches or curries. Strain the stock into a large bowl and reserve in your refrigerator until the fat rises to the top and congeals. Skim off this fat and reserve the stock in covered containers in your refrigerator or freezer.

Chicken Noodle Soup:

chicken meat from 1/2 whole chicken, reserved from making chicken stock, shredded
reserved broth from making chicken stock
2-4 T. unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped
4 carrots, peeled and sliced thinly crosswise into rounds
4 celery stalks, sliced thinly crosswise
4 T. chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp. dried basil
salt and pepper to taste

dumplings (or noodles, if you want to roll them out):
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 eggs
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

1. Melt 2-4 T. butter in a stock pot. Add onion and saute until soft. Add all chicken stock and bring to a simmer. While heating up, add carrot, celery, parsley, basil, salt and pepper. Cover and let simmer over low heat for 30-60 minutes, or until vegetables are soft.
2. Start making noodles/dumplings: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with your hands in a large mixing bowl, measure out flour and salt. Add eggs and oil and combine until dough forms. If making dumplings, stop here and spoon directly into soup (about 1/2 tsp. each--I use a small ice cream scoop). If making noodles, continue: On a lightly floured surface, knead for 10-12 minutes until dough is elastic. Roll out and cut into 2 inch strips. Add to soup pot.
3. Cook for about 30 minutes, until noodles/dumplings are cooked through. Serve with whole grain bread, sourdough if you can find or make it, toasted with butter. Can also sprinkle additional parsley on top.

Christmas Gift 2009: Creamless Creamy Tomato Soup

Every Christmas, I try to make a treat for neighbors who help me make it through my day-to-day life. However, I am not a baker, and though I LOVE it when others bring me cookies and treats, some days around the holidays, I think it would be so handy to have a quick homemade dinner (that I didn't have to make).

This year, I wanted to make pesto because it can be used for so many things, but when pine nuts cost $7.99 for a little over a cup, plus the copious amounts of good quality olive oil and parmesan cheese, I decided that may be a little pricey.

Then, inspiration hit...I could make this tasty tomato soup and put a little pesto on the side. Have you tried 1 (or 2) teaspoons of pesto in tomato soup? DELICIOUS!

And, it's a gift that has red and green! How festive! I know, I know, just call me, "Martha."

Creamless Creamy Tomato Soup
Cook's Illustrated

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling I only use about 2 T at the beginning; the recipe says to add more as you're blending the tomatoes, but I haven't found that to be necessary to the creaminess or flavor-enhancing
1 medium onion, chopped
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
Pinch hot red pepper flakes (optional) I haven't done this
1 bay leaf
2 (28 oz) cans whole tomatoes packed in juice I buy mine diced
1 T brown sugar I do 1 1/2 T brown sugar
3 large slices good-quality sandwich bread, crusts removed, torn into 1-inch pieces I measured 3/4 c of fresh bread crumbs that I've run through the food processor and keep in the freezer
2 C low-sodium chicken broth I think homemade stock makes the difference here because there are so few ingredients
2 T brandy (optional) I haven't done this
Table salt and ground black pepper I left out the pepper for purely aesthetic reasons and thought it still tasted fine
1/4 c chopped fresh chives I think this is unnecessary when adding the pesto

Heat 2 T oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion, garlic, red pepper flakes (if using), and bay leaf. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, 3-5 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes and their juice. Using potato masher, mash until no pieces bigger than 2 inches remain (this is why I just buy the tomatoes already diced).

Stir in sugar and bread; bring soup to boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until bread is completely staurated and starts to break down, about 5 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf.

Transfer half of soup to blender. Add 1 T oil and process until soup is smooth and creamy, 2-3 minutes. Sometimes, I add this, but often, I don't. There's usually a little fat in the chicken broth, so I count that instead. Transfer to large bowl and repeat with remaining soup and oil.

Rinse out Dutch oven and return soup to pot. Stir in chicken broth and brandy (if using). Return soup to boil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve soup in individual bowls. Sprinkle each portion with pepper and chives and drizzle with olive oil. I omit this last sentence and instead add 1-2 teaspoons per bowl of this pesto. Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches for an easy dinner.

Christmas Gift 2008: Red Lentil Soup

I LOVE this soup. So, last year, I put together all the dry ingredients as a gift for our neighbors during the holidays. It does involve a lot of chopping, but it's well worth it. (Oh, another task that's well worth it--hunting down those 6 whole cloves!)

I make it throughout the year, but it’s great at Christmas—the cinnamon, allspice and cloves make the whole house smell like the holiday season.

Bob’s Red Lentil Soup
Bob Adams

3 C red lentils
1 C chopped celery
1 red pepper, diced
1 C chopped ripe tomatoes
9 C chicken or vegetable broth
1 onion chopped
1 c sliced carrots
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t cumin
1 t coriander
1 t thyme
½ t allspice
dash cinnamon
2 bay leaves
6 whole cloves
dash flaked red pepper
2-3 t vinegar
1 lemon juiced

Simmer lentils in broth with spices and garlic until lentils are soft. Add vegetables and simmer 10-15 minutes. Blend/puree soup in blender. Add vinegar and lemon juice. Serve with plain yogurt or sour cream on top.

Tortilla Soup

This is another soup I make with homemade stock/broth. Here is the link again, with the health benefits and recipe on one page. (I find I crave this for mineral content and especially calcium now that I am no longer drinking milk.)

Tortilla Soup

(my mother-in-law's recipe)

1 pound cooked chicken, cubed
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 oz. can diced green chiles
15 oz. can stewed tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth
1 tsp. lemon-pepper
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon hot sauce
4 tablespoons flour
½ cup water

1. Boil water with chicken and bouillon until cooked. Save 4 cups broth and cube chicken. (I don't do this part, I make stock that morning and use the broth and chicken from it. If I am in a pinch and do not have time to do that, I will use bouillon but from the Better Than Bouillon jars, NOT the cubes. (They contain MSG.))
   
2. In a large stockpot, sauté onion, garlic in oil. Add green chiles, tomatoes, saved broth, lemon pepper, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, cumin, and hot sauce.
3. Add flour and water and cook until thickened. Add chicken and stir to combine.
4. Serve with tortilla chips, guacamole, sour cream and grated cheese on top.

Cheese and Vegetable Chowder

This is, without a doubt, my favorite soup of all time. Seriously. It is good with store bought stock, but I highly recommend buying an organic, free range chicken if you can find a decently priced one (I go to Sprouts), and making your own stock that morning. Then you just use the stock that night for dinner. The reason I go through the trouble is for the massive health benefits from one single recipe and made all in one pot: Broth is Beautiful (recipe included).

Cheese and Vegetable Chowder

2 T. butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large leek, split lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
6 T. whole wheat pastry flour
5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
3 carrots, finely diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
1 turnip, finely diced
1 large potato, finely diced
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1/8 tsp. dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1½ cups light cream or half-and-half
10½ oz. mature Cheddar cheese, grated
fresh chopped parsley, to garnish
salt and pepper

1. Melt the butter in a large heavy-based saucepan or stockpot over a medium-low heat. Add the onion, leek and garlic. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the vegetables start to soften.
2. Stir the flour into the vegetables and continue cooking for 2 minutes. Add a little of the stock and stir well, scraping the bottom of the pan to mix in the flour. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, and slowly stir in the rest of the stock.
3. Add the carrots, celery, turnip, potato, thyme and bay leaf. Reduce the heat, cover and cook gently for about 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender. Remove the bay leaf and the thyme branches.
4. Stir in the cream and simmer over a very low heat for 5 minutes. Add the cheese a handful at a time, stirring constantly for 1 minute after each addition, to make sure it is completely melted. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning, adding salt if needed, and pepper to taste. Ladle immediately into warm bowls, sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and serve.
   

Escarole, Sausage, and White Bean Stew

My family doesn't like spicy food, but I think the heat here is important to the overall flavor. I found a sprinkling of cayenne did the trick; kids would still eat it and the heat was still there albeit slightly muted. With a loaf of bread and a side of apple slices, this was an easy dinner.

With some minor modifications (dairy-free sausage, no butter or cheese), I think this dish would still be quiet good, definitely lower in calories, and a top-8 allergy-free dish.

Escarole, Sausage, and White Bean Stew
Gourmet Cookbook

1 t olive oil
1 pound bulk Italian sausage (sweet and/or hot) broken into 1-inch pieces I used Trader Joe's chicken sausage with fontina cheese and garlic
5 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste I sprinkled a bit (less than 1/8 t) of cayenne pepper instead
1 head escarole, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces couldn't find this anywhere! I used 1 C thawed frozen spinach instead
3 c cooked or canned white beans, such as great northern or navy, drained and rinsed if canned I used 2 15 oz cans of great northerns
3 c chicken stock
1/2 stick (4 T) unsalted butter
1/2 c finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or a combination of Parmigiano and pecorino Romans
2 plum tomatoes, diced I drained a 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
2 T choped fresh flat leaf parsley not a bit fan, so I left this out

Kosher salt and pepper

Heat oil in a deep 12-inch skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Brown sausage, stirring, for 7-10 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until garlic is softened, about 2 minutes. Add beans and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Add stock and beese, tomatoes, and hal Stir in butter, cheese, tomatoes, and half of parsley and cook, stirring, until butter is melted and stew is heated through.

Favorite Thanksgiving dishes

The Peterson Shrimp Brick: sounds gross, looks a little gross, but trust me, it's a delicious appetizer!

Deer Valley Turkey and Black Bean Chili: to take care of the leftover turkey

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Carmelized Apples: my new favorite way to eat sweet potatoes

Sweet Potato Casserole: my old favorite way to eat sweet potatoes

Nate's Marshmallow Salad: because it wouldn't be Christmas or Thanksgiving without it

Katie's Dinner Rolls: while my grandma's rolls are what really reminds me of the holidays, Katie's are easier to adapt to to Asher's allergies and just as tasty!

Brussel Sprouts with Proscuitto: people who don't like brussel sprouts enjoy these because of the magic of proscuitto

What are your favorite Thanksgiving dishes?

Deer Valley Resort's Turkey and Black Bean Chili

This is what we're having tonight for dinner (because you can't beat a chili that uses a stick of butter!). Leonore made this a couple years ago and won our ward's Chili Cook-off and comes from the all-famous Arcadia/Camelview Ward cookbook, submitted by Sharon Williams, who also submitted my favorite pumpkin bread.

Deer Valley Resort's Turkey and Black Bean Chili
Arcadia/Camelview Ward Cookbook
Sharon Williams

2 cans black beans, drained
1 (4 oz) can mild green chilies, drained
2/3 c red onion, chopped I used a whole small/medium sized on
2/3 c celery, chopped I used 2 stalks
2/3 c red bell pepper, chopped I used 1 whole red bell pepper
2/3 c chopped leeks (white part only) 1 med/large leek--can you tell I don't have much patience for measuring?
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T oregano, I assumed this meant dried oregano; I used a scant 2 T dried oregano
1 stick butter when Asher was still allergic to dairy, I sauteed the vegetables in 1/4 c olive oil, which takes away some of the richness of the chili, but still well worth making the recipe
1/4 c flour
4 c shredded turkey 1 Costco rotisserie chicken will work nicely
4 C chicken broth
2 1/2 C thawed frozen corn
2 T chili powder
2 T ground cumin
1/2 t salt afterwards, I seasoned a bit more with added salt and pepper
1/4 c brown sugar I did about 2 T brown sugar

In a stock pot, saute chilies, onion, celery, pepper, leeks, garlic and oregano in butter over moderate heat for approximately 15 minutes until softened. Gradually add the flour, cooking over low heat until mixture is golden, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

Gradually stir in chicken broth. In a blender put half or 1 1/4 c of the corn and puree. Add that and the remaining corn, meat, beans, and spices until heated through.

Taco Soup

I think just about everyone has a version of this recipe. I've been partial to this one, which is easily Top-8 allergen free if one checks the taco seasoning and leaves out the Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning.

Mexican Soup

My good friend Kim gave me this recipe and it is delicious. I made is Christmas Eve and it was a hit (if I don't say so myself).
7-8 medium potatoes
1 large onion
1 large can stewed tomatoes drained
1-2 cans diced green chili's
1 bunch cilantro
1 pound Monterery Jack Cheese
1/2 cup butter
salt
pepper
garlic salt
oregano
1. Peel and cut potatoes, put in pan and cover with water
2. Add salt, pepper, garlic salt, 1/8 tsp oregano and 3 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves
3. Cook potatoes until tender, don't drain water
4. In frying pan melt 1/2 cup butter, add diced onions, drained tomatoes and green chili's - Saute until soft
5. Add to soup onion, tomatoes, green chili mixture
6. simmer 20 minutes
7. Turn off heat and add 1/2 lb cheese cut in chunks until melted
8. Add the other 1/2 lb cheese chunks just before eating

New Bedford Clam Chowder

My mother-in-law makes this for Christmas every year. She got it from a woman she did some catering for when she lived in Boston, so it's authentic and has some nice family history behind it. It's not as thick as most clam chowders. I would guess this is because of the lack of potatoes.

2 T salt pork cubes (or 2 T butter and 1 t bacon pieces)*
1/2 c chopped onion
1 lb scallops
2 10 oz cans whole baby clams with juice
1/4 c butter
1/4 c sherry or white cooking wine
2 c whole milk
2 c cream
salt, pepper, parsley to taste

Saute salt pork cubes until crisp, discard pork cubes and saute onion in remaining fat until soft (The only salt pork I could find required me to buy a pound of it, which I wasn't willing to do for 2 T of it. Then, I meant to use the bacon instead, but I got lazy, so I just added a little more salt).

Dredge scallops in flour. Shake off excess and brown lightly in pan. Add wine or sherry and simmer briefly (to cook). Add remaining ingredients and simmer gently until warmed through.

This recipe will feed 8 adults with leftovers. I forgot this and doubled the butter and nothing else, which made it rich and delicious, but more for something to dip your bread in rather than a soup to eat. Next year, I'll get it right!