Health-ier Zuppa Toscana & What To Do with a Rutabaga

Health-ier Zuppa Toscana

 

So one of the 86543 things that I love about fall is the ability to eat ALOT of different kinds of soups, stews, chowders, and bisques. The weather is changing and chilling the air, and it feels nice to have something warm and comforting. Plus most soups reheat so well..... with kids it is nice to have food that gives grace. If you have to walk away from your food to stop a natural disaster in your home, or stop them from killing each other or the cat or ______and the food still tastes good later, that food gets HUGE bonus points. Maybe that's why I like coffee so much. Coffee reheats beautifully even when I forget where it is for half of a morning. 

Something I don't like? Stepping on the scale in my bathroom..... So I found this healthier zuppa toscana soup and was pretty impressed with it. It's not traditional Italian because the tomatoes have been omitted, BUT in this updated, healthier soup there is no heavy cream or potatoes, and honestly I don't miss a thing. Its beautiful. 

One quick word

Rutabagas, a veggie in the ingredient list you may not be familiar with... Let me give you some pointers on this interesting often overlooked vegetable

 and what to do with it. 

First, I confess half of my knowledge about this veggie is because of my kids. They love Winnie the Pooh and his good friend Rabbit grows them in the old disney books. Years ago I had to look it up to see if it was a made up vegetable or not, after being stuck reading the same book at bedtime for 15 straight days..... Parenting is about endurance people! 

Turns out they are a very real root vegetable, very versatile, AND out they are an incredible good substitute for potatoes. They are so good in their disguise that either mashed or in soup, hardly anyone notices. Serious. They taste the same as a potato - just a bit sweeter like the difference between a russet and yukon gold potato. So anything you can do with a potato, almost, you can do with a rutabaga. I am going to try it in scallop potatoes later this month... its going to be exciting! 

What does it look like? 

Thankfully if you can get past the appearance, you'll find gold. Don't judge this book by its cover. Sure....It may look like a big discolored (white, dirty brown, and sometimes a little yellow) bowling ball at the store. But they are white, after peeled and cut, and they look like white russet potatoes. If you find one that is purple and white, and smaller, thats a turnip. There are a lot of similarities between turnips and rutabagas but you want the nice white sweet rutabaga for this soup. I think they are even easier to peel than a russet with thick brown skin. In this picture (below) they look a little orange hahaha as they have taken on some of the color from the sausage and broth. 

AND (most importantly to me) they are lower in carbs and calories than white potatoes, packed with fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. They aren't a nightshade veggie which means they help fight inflammation. Yay! So no bloating... if you have no idea what I am talking about - that means you're blessed and healthy. Carry on.... 

Health-ier Zuppa Toscana

Serves 4-5 

Here's the super easy short shopping list:

1/2 lb of spicy Italian sausage, ground*
1/2 lb of sweet Italian sausage, ground*
1 tsp of Italian seasoning
1 tsp salt
1 tsp of garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 1/2 cups of beef stock
1 1/2 cups of water
1 onion, finely diced (2-3 cups depending on how much you like onions) 
1 large handful of kale - stems removed just torn and set into a pile (about 2-3 cups) 
1 rutabaga, sliced and peeled (3-4 cups about a pounds worth) 
1 can of unsweetened coconut milk lite

Super easy soup directions:

1. Brown the meat in a medium to large pot with a little bit of oil of your choice or just water. This took me about 5-6 minutes. 

2. While the meat is cooking, about half way through add in the onion. 

3. When the meat is cooked, drain about half the fat out and add in salt, pepper, seasonings, stock, and water. 

4. Bring everything to a boil, add in the rutabaga and the can of coconut milk, stir, cover the pot with a lid, and turn the heat down to low

5. About 20 minutes later whenever you check on it, and the rutabagas are getting soft**, add in the kale and cook another 5 minutes. You want the root veggie pieces soft enough that they start to break apart if they are poked with a fork. 

6. The kale just needs a few minutes to wilt and then the soup is done :) If you overcook it will turn from vibrant grass green to more of an army green color. Its still good just not as pretty. 

7. Serve it up and enjoy! Crackers and or bread and butter are great sides to this hearty soup almost a stew. 


*To save money at the grocery store I bought a package of sausage links that had 2-3 spicy ones and 2-3 sweet Italian ones and just squeezed the ground meat out into the pan. Most places only have pre-packaged ground sausage or pork in single pound measurements so this way you get both flavors with no leftover meat. 

** It might take up to 30 minutes to cook the rutabagas depending on the size you cut them. The smaller the cut the quicker the cooking process. 

Have a happy soup filled fall! 
Stephanie

Copycat Lightened-Up Zuppa Toscana

I love this soup. I eat it every time I go to this chain Italian restaurant across town. My hubby is all about breadsticks but this is what I go for. The soup's broth is creamy and flavorful with chunks of spicy sausage and huge pieces of tender potato. It has vibrant green barely cooked kale that makes it feel like a healthy thing to eat (ahem... despite the cream and cheese sprinkled on top). Its the perfect soup if you don't count chili, chicken noodle soup, and tomato basil. Okay I have a fond place in my stomach and taste buds for a good mug or bowl of soup even in the summer. 

But lets just be real for a second, its summer and over 105 degrees outside.  There is no way I am going to drive in a hot car with warm children to go have warm soup. I love soup but that just seems wrong, you know. So I made my own lightened up version at home. It was fast, affordable, and really easy. About $5, 20 minutes, and a yummy half pot of soup that will feed 2-3 hungry people without driving in the summer heat. As my hubby would say, "you're welcome". Lol lets make some soup. 

Serves 2-3 people

Takes 20-25 minutes 

Recipe adapted from a website that doesn't exist anymore 

 Ingredients:
1 link of spicy sausage (I got mine from the meat counter and it only cost $1) 
1 link of sweet Italian sausage (I got mine from the meat counter and it only cost $1)
3 slices of thick smoked bacon
1/2 of a large carrot, scrubbed, and diced small
1 russet potato, scrubbed and sliced in large rounds and then cut in half
1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cups of kale chopped (see note below)
2 cups of chicken broth low sodium or homemade
2 cups of water
1/4 tsp of onion powder 
1/4 Tbs of kosher salt
2 cloves of minced garlic
1/3 cup of whole milk or half and half

Directions:
1. Dice up the bacon into pieces. Put them in a medium or large pot, over medium heat, and cook until crispy. Should take about 5 minutes. Once it is cooked, transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate to let some of the bacon fat drain off. Set aside. 

2. Remove all the rendered bacon fat from the pot except for 1 Tb. Return it to the stove over medium heat. Remove the sausage from the casings. Put the sausage and diced carrot in the flavorful bacon fat and cook until the carrot is softened and sausage is almost cooked.Use a spatula to break up large pieces of sausage as needed. Should take another 3-5 minutes. 

3. Add in the garlic and cook for another minute. 

4. Add in the potato, water, chicken broth, onion powder, and salt. Bring it to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes. 

5. Once potato is cooked through, you can tell this because if you pierce it with a fork it falls apart, add in the kale and milk or half and half and cook an additional 3-4 minutes.  Note: When cutting the 2-3 kale leaves its faster if you hold onto the leaf near the top, pinching the hard stem with one hand and pulling down, the more pleasing tasting leaf should tear away easily. Then just rough chop it into bite size pieces. 

6. Taste and adjust salt/pepper if needed. Serve up with rolls & butter, bread & butter, or crackers. I am a bit more careful with carbs these days so I eat it just as is with no sides. Love those soft chunks of potato. Tastes great the next day too. 

Thanks for stopping by!
Stephanie

The Un-Canned (Childhood) Chicken Noodle Soup

So being pregnant for the first time has me really reminiscing about childhood and missing my mom who lives a zillion miles away, or 1500 miles. And her food. We have driven it a couple times. It feels like a zillion miles away especially with a toddler. Being prego also reminds me a ton of food I used to eat growing up.

Some of those memories have turned into baby food cravings. I call them that because I am craving foods I usually don't eat or haven't eaten in years like cereal, sandwiches, milkshakes, onion rings, potato chips, ect. Thank goodness some of these cravings are short lived! Lol. Although the onion ring one was fun. But, some foods I can't give into like that old comforting can of yellow liquidity chicken noodle soup from my childhood no matter how it beckons me. Those long thing white noodles I used to slurp up with the tiny uniform pieces of chicken... it doesn't make sense to my head but I want to eat it so bad. But I can't knowingly buy it after reading the label. So in effort to please my tongue, taste buds, and this growing little fig inside me I am making my own chicken noodle soup... ahem...  minus the food coloring and other chemical additives that help sustain its canned life on the shelf. Now if I could only stay away from the potato chips ;) 

The Un- Canned Chicken Noodle Soup 

Great meal for people with kids, people without kids, a great way to use up leftover chicken, or anyone that has had a baby or been sick. 

Serves 3-5 people comfortably or 3-4 normal people and 1 prego 

Ingredient list: 
10 cups of water
1 quart of chicken broth (step 1 will create this) 
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 tsp kosher course salt
1/2 tsp course black pepper
1 Tbs dried parsley 
1/2 tsp curry powder
1 chicken breast, trimmed/removed any visible fat  
1 stick/rib of celery, super finely diced 
1 whole carrot, super finely diced
1/4 of an yellow onion, super finely diced
1/4 of a box of whole wheat angel hair pasta 

Directions:

1. Poach the chicken in a large pot to cook the chicken and create a quart of chicken broth. Put one whole chicken breast into 8 cups of water with 1/2 tsp salt, the bay leaf, and all the parsley. Let it come to a boil and simmer it for approx 20- 30 minutes until its completely cooked. 

2. Finely chop veggies and set them aside

3. When chicken is cooked through. Let it cool down in the broth. 

4.  Fish out the chicken with a spoon and strain the broth to get the parsley out and anything else. Should look smooth and liquidity just like the stuff in the can. 

5. If you have time and are making this ahead.... go ahead and throw the broth in the fridge to remove any additional fat. It will rise to the surface in a white solid and you can just scoop it off. No biggie if you can't. I didn't. 

6. Bring the broth back to a simmer and throw the veggies in and let them cook until almost softened 5-7 minutes. Add in the rest of the seasonings, and water (3 cups). Stir to combine. 

7. Bring the entire pot of soup back to a boil before adding your pasta. Cook it to the al dente time as stated on your box. Mine was 3 minutes.  Meanwhile, cut up the chicken into tiny cubes and throw them back into to reheat. 

8. Once the noodles are done the soup is done.  Serve it hot with rolls, biscuits, saltine crackers or just plain. This totally reminded me of the canned soup I grew up. 


My whole family loved it. I hope you like it too. I think I surprised my son by slurping up some noodles with him. Everyone had huge grins on their faces. I need to add a bit more salt to mine, but everything else was spot on. I had forgotten how salty canned soup is. I loved that because I finely chopped the veggies they didn't make the soup chunky. It was a compromise between making the best version of the original canned soup and the nutritional value from a chunkier vegetable chicken noodle soup. 

Stephanie

Smoky Garlic - Chipotle Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese

It is the end of the year. December has flown by! I have probably said that already a dozen times. Despite the fast pace of life, somehow the beginning of the week always crawls by. I was doing yard work in the front this morning... exhausting. It feels good to have gotten out there with the trimmer and blower/sucker up thingy. As a result though I really needed something good for lunch. Something warm, inviting, comforting, nutritious.... Which is why I am SO thankful for this recipe adapted from Heather at Farmgirl Gourmet. Her food is yummy. Click on over there. To speed things up and make the beginning of the week more fun -  create something memorable with this classic soup + sandwich combo. There is a million ways to make this classic soup, but I must say adding chipotles give it the perfect smoky heat to complement fire roasted tomatoes. 

Note: Go ahead and grab a can of chipotles. Use what you need, and freeze the rest. They freeze beautifully in a freezer plastic bag and are easier to chop and drop into other recipes later without defrosting. 

serves 3 adults

prep + cook time approx 35 minutes

Ingredients:
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 1/2 cups of diced onion (half of a large one or 1 small one)
2 - 14.5 oz cans of fire roasted canned tomatoes
1/2 cup of half and half
1 cup of water
1/2 cup of red pasta sauce or tomato sauce 
(click here for a homemade recipe)
2 chipotle chili peppers, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp olive oil
1 oz cream cheese - although I don't think this added much will omit next time


Directions:
1. Saute the onion and garlic together in a medium saucepan
2. When they are browned and softened (about 4-5 minutes) add in the tomato, tomato sauce, water, and peppers. Bring it to a boil. Cover. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes.
3. Blend it in batches (being careful because its hot). Return it to the original pot and over low heat whisk in the cream cheese and half & half. Let it heat through (about 3-5 minutes - turning the heat up to medium if needed). 
4. Taste it and add the salt if needed or more to taste. 


Enjoy with a yummy cheesy grilled cheese. I did one slice of baby swiss cheese and two slices of Colby jack on whole wheat with my soup. 

From my kitchen to yours

Enjoy the last few days of 2013

Cookie Cutter Stew

Do you like to play with your food? I am not talking about playing with mashed potatoes like my son used to do in high chair, making shapes & letters all while having a really good time. Not talking about flinging food across the table at your spouse either (although that seems appealing). Playing with food as in like getting creative with it. If you do, you'll love this recipe. While we are on this subject I admit I am HORRIBLE at crafts so if you happen to be in that same boat. Let me reassure you this is EASY and FUN. 

I heart this stew.... This blog has been a bit one sided lately (heavy on the soups, stews, and chili) but honestly that's I have wanted to eat & cook & thus blog. It's winter what can I say. I just returned from a trip back where I grew up in the northwest and it's really really c-o-l-d there! Which brings me to this warm, inviting, fun, playful, kid friendly, veggie laden, cookie cutter stew. I promise it is just as much fun to make as it is to eat! 

cooking time + prep time: about 2 hrs 15-20 minutes*

*time may seem daunting but make this on a saturday or sunday for an easy way for the whole family to spend time together. Everyone can make their own specific shapes. 

Most of it is hands off cooking.

Recipe is adapted from Rachael Ray Magazine April 2013

serves 4

Ingredients: 
2 cloves of garlic, crushed & rough chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
just over 1 lb. beef chuck cubes
1 onion, rough chopped
4 carrots, cleaned & rough chopped (peel it if you want to)
3 parsnips, cleaned &rough chopped (peel it if you want to)
1 cup of water
1/2 Tbs olive oil
1 cups of beef broth
1 Tbs tomato paste
3 Tbs flour, whole wheat white plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling
1 sheet of thawed puffed pastry
1 1/2 cup of frozen peas (eyeball it - one small package)

Directions:
1. In a dutch heat the olive oil over medium heat. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. 

2. Pat the meat dry, sear the meat on each side using tongs or a spatula - about 3-5 minutes

3. Set the beef aside on a plate.

4. Add the onions to the dutch oven and saute for about 4 minutes until they are soft.  Add in the garlic and cook one more minute - stir

5. Add the flour to the dutch oven and let it start to cook out... stir. Mixture will be dry. Let it cook for one minute before adding the broth and the tomato paste (in that order). 

6. Dump the meat into the dutch oven including any meat juices that may have gathered on the plate. Add salt and pepper. 

7. Cover and bake in the oven for 1 hr & 45 minutes.  

8. Add in the carrots and parsnips. Cover and return to the oven until they are soft about 15 minutes. 

9. When the stew is finished in the oven let it rest on top of the stove while the cookie cutter shapes bake. 

10. Making cookie cutter shapes: When stew is almost finished put some flour down on a clean smooth kitchen surface such as a cutting board or counter. Increase the oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Unwrap the tri-folded puff pastry and start making whatever shapes makes you smile. Put the shapes directly on the parchment paper. 

*Note: wait until you are ready to make any cookie cutter shapes before taking it out of the plastic and letting it sit in the air. The softer it gets/the more time unwrapped, the harder it will be to move it. Bake this for 15 minutes or so until they are golden and puffed. 

11. Stir the frozen peas into the stew. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve and top each stew with a few cookie cutter shapes. The frozen peas will cool the soup slightly, the hot stew will warm the peas, and the peas will keep their lovely green color since they aren't being boiled to mush :)  Enjoy! 

Despite the season of cold - blessings of warmth to you in this dish

from my kitchen to yours

Thanksgiving at my house - Autumn Northwest Salmon Chowder.

Thanksgiving is less than a week away, which means my kitchen table is covered with recipes, a mostly completed shopping list, and stacks of magazines incase I change my mind. No joke. Holiday food is serious business. Reality check. Thanksgiving in our house is a bit too much centered around food and football than it should be, but we do take time to be thankful. It is a time to be thankful for our country, and to celebrate with those who are important in our lives. Sometimes that means grabbing the phone and chatting away with relatives, facebooking an old friend, skyping with a sibling, or watching the game with my son or husband. The important thing here to make the connection any way you can -  in our case most of family lives several states away so this works for us. And yet.... as a mom and a still somewhat new food blogger theres a certain expectation that gets put on the food at thanksgiving - thats clearly different than the ENTIRE rest of the year. Anyone else know what I am talking about here? 

So in light of all the thanksgiving prep and holiday stress fun... its freezing here in southern az, and its been raining for two whole days. I love it but I am c-o-l-d! So thankfully I found something that reminds me of growing up and is warm and comforting. If you need something to take your mind off of thanksgiving preparations or are just c-o-l-d too, try this super delicious, healthy, very easy, 

 Autumn Northwest Salmon Chowder 

serves 3-4 

adapted from: Readers Digest, The Ultimate Soup Cookbook

prep + cooking time: 22-28 minutes

ingredients:

half of butternut squash approx 3 cups cubed small

1 yellow medium sized potato, cubed small

1 large onion

2 1/2 cups of water

2 cups of milk

2-3 Tbs fresh dill

1/2-3/4 lb. salmon fillets, skin removed, cut in 1" chunks

1 Tbs olive oil

2 Tbs unsalted organic butter

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

directions:

1. in a medium - large pot melt the butter and heat the olive oil over medium heat. (The oil helps the butter not burn)

2. sauté the onion in the pot for approx 5 minutes or until the onion is tender

3. Add in the potato, butternut squash, salt, pepper, and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer for approx. 10 minutes until the squash and potato is fork tender. 

4. Add in the fish simmer gently uncovered for 2-3 minutes until it flakes easily. 

5. Add in the milk and dill. Heat but do not boil. 

6. Taste. Adjust any seasonings if needed. Serve hot with your favorite rolls or crackers

Happy fall with this pretty autumn colored chowder 

from my kitchen to yours

Chunky Chicken Vegetable Soup

Hot steamy soup, warm bread slathered with real butter warming you up from your head to your toes.... Yum! I grew up in the northwest and having soup on a cold fall evening was always a good thing. All of us kids gobbled our food down. Speaking of gobbling, thanksgiving is coming up, you should definitely save your turkey bones because homemade turkey broth is amazing and very hard to find in stores. 

So I have made a lot of soup recipes in the last couple years, and here's another one for the blog (yes another one). It may seem a bit redundant to have so many soup recipes on one blog but sincerely its one of my favorite things to eat. My hubby isn't a huge fan unless its steak or beefy veg soup but I think he eats it because he loves me. I love him back :)

Reasons why I adore soup: Its an easy way to pull dinner together, uses a variety of healthy vegetables, hot or cold or pureed, roasted, or chunky - theres so many options how to make it even with the same veggies! Soup is environmentally wise as you get to use the veggies that are in season, it's an affordable meal, family friendly, a fun way to introduce a new veggie to kids, and low in fat/calories if you don't put too much starch in (potatoes, noodles, rice). 

Chunky Chicken Vegetable Soup

prep + cook time = 25-30 minutes
recipe adapted from: 
Reader's Digest The Ultimate Soup Cookbook

Ingredients:
3 Tbs unsalted butter
2 white thin skinned potatoes, washed but not peeled
1 sweet potato, washed & peeled
4 carrots (9 oz), washed & diced
1 leek, washed and rings divided
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbs flour, whole wheat white
1/4 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
1/4 tsp garlic
1 Tbs olive oil
4 cups of homemade or store bought chicken broth
8 oz cooked chicken cut into bite sized pieces

Directions:

1. In a large pot melt the butter with the oil. A tip I learned a few years ago to help the butter not to burn. Add in the potato, sweet potato and carrots. Toss them with a spoon so they are coated.

2. Saute the veg for 2 minutes.

3. Add the leeks to the pot and sauté for one more minute.

4. Add in sugar, tarragon, garlic, flour, salt and pepper.  Stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute.

5.  Add in the chicken broth. Stir. Bring it to a boil. Reduce heat. Add cooked chicken pieces. 

6. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are fork tender. 

Enjoy it with your favorite sides: salad, biscuits, 

rolls, or crackers. 

 From my kitchen to yours 

Brown Butter Cream of Celery Soup

When faced the the problem of making one of my husband's favorite meals, a dinner that his own mother taught me in her kitchen, AND sticking to my own food truths about eating healthy, I am extremely relieved to have this recipe in my back pocket. Brown butter cream of celery soup eliminates the need for the can of cream of whatever at the store, that so many lovingly passed down recipes call for. I love all the casseroles and stuff I grew up. But it totally conflicts with the way I want to eat and how I want to fuel my body. 

3 reasons why you should try it right now... or at least today. 

1. It's easy - not quite as opening up a can but easier than you think. Impress and inspire others to eat healthy after all you will have slaved all day in the kitchen, right? ;) 

2. Taste! You'll want to eat it with a spoon even before you start cooking with it. No really....The browned butter and whole wheat white flour creates a rich nuttiness that you won't want to miss and won't get from a can. It takes a few minutes extra but it totally worth it - just don't move from the stove (laugh). Butter burns easily. 

3. Nutrition-  Okay so a stick of butter isn't usually healthy but stacked up against a can of whatever soup that has a label that reads like this: Water, Celery, Vegetable Oil (Corn, Cottonseed, Canola, and/or Soybean), Wheat Flour, Modified Food Starch, Contains less than 2% of: Salt, Soy Protein Concentrate, Monosodium Glutamate, Cream Powder (Cream [Milk], Soy Lecithin), Yeast Extract, Flavoring, Beta Carotene for Color.  Its the lesser of two evils. Get organic unsalted butter and feel good about the food you buy, eat, and feed to your family. For more info about the commercialized cream of whatever ingredients click here.

The recipe:

makes slightly more than 2 cups

stores average of 3-4 days in the fridge

prep + cooking time: 5-10 minutes

recipe adapted from Life As A Mom

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup whole wheat white flour
1/2 of skim milk
1 1/2 cups of homemade chicken broth (or store brand that has no sugar)
1 chunk of good parmesan cheese (2-3 Tbs/ 1/2-3/4 oz)
1 tsp oil
1 stalk of celery
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:
1. Finely chop up your celery

2. Saute it in the oil in a nonstick pan for 5 minutes (will be tender crisp)

3. While the veg is sautéing start melting the butter in a medium sized pot over medium high heat. Once it melts continue stirring it until it is golden colored. The darkest color will be at the bottom so its important to stay by the stove so you can see immediately when its done and not turning black - burning. Takes 2-3 minutes. 

4. Once butter is golden add in the chicken broth, milk, and stir it until it becomes thick like a béchamel sauce. Think thick... think pancake batter.... will take 2-3 minutes. 

5. Stir in the celery, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Remove from the heat and cool completely or use it in your next recipe immediately. 

See easy 5 steps to avoiding fake cream and essentially chemically engineered food. Some of those cans have an unreal shelf life date. Can't be healthy... maybe we should save them and twinkles just incase someone tries to blow up the planet - its nice to know that there will be food for the bugs that survive ;) I live in Az... trust me. Some bugs have 9 lives. 

From my kitchen to yours

Fall Weather & Toasted Orzo Chicken Soup

Something about me.... I love soup. I counted and have 14 soups, stews, and chili recipes on my blog (some are listed below for further reference). Soup makes me feel content and comforted. I grew up in a cold climate near Seattle, and every fall something in me just wants hot, nourishing soup. 

my fav way to eat soup: in a large coffee cup (I am from seattle) with really good whole grain bread and cheese

I made this soup about a month ago. I was really excited to try it orzo for the first time. I did have an awesome visitor from the great northwest (my mom) whom I hadn't seen in WAY too long, and with whom I was happy to share some sun. So without further ado...heres your new tasty chicken soup recipe perfect for a colder November day (not that we are having one here in Arizona - but I do understand other people are experiencing real seasons). 

This toasted orzo soup is from a Rachael Ray magazine, Feb 2010 issue. Isn't orzo a fun word to say? I heart trying new foods. My husband really didn't care for the texture of the orzo itself but he liked the rest of it. I thought it was wonderful - but it was the first time either one of had eaten this specific kind of pasta before. Infact my son tried to convince me that it was rice because he didn't believe it was "noodles" his word for pasta. The hardest part about this dish is making all the veggie cuts small into a fine dice. If you are able to pull that off, this veggie laden, colorful delight looks like confetti. The best part of the dish is that all you are doing is chopping + dropping into a large simmering pot. 

When should you make it? Now. Of course. No really. Soup is one of those perfect meals to do on a weekend, keep on low while people come in, and out busy with fall activities. You can skip the first part of the recipe by using up leftover chicken from a previous meal or a rotisserie chicken from the store. Soup also reheats beautifully into a make ahead meal for later in the week. Serve it with a fresh green salad, crackers,or some rolls. 

Chicken Soup

prep + cook time = 35-45 minutes

Serves 4-6 depending on your appetites

Ingredients:

4 cups (one 32 oz container) of chicken stock/broth homemade or store bought
1 pound of chicken, boneless, breast pieces cut into bite sized pieces (this was 1 1/2 breasts for me)
2 Tbs unsalted organic butter
3/4 cup orzo pasta
2 Tbs olive oil
2 stalks of celery, finely diced
2 dried bay leaves
1 small sprig of thyme & rosemary each (tied together if you can)
1 small to medium zucchini, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely diced
1 large red bell pepper, finely diced
1 large shallot, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 cups of frozen peas, keep frozen until the end
3 cups of water
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
2 tsp grated lemon peel
salt & pepper 

Directions:
1. In a medium pot, bring the chicken stock and the chicken to a simmer. Once the stock starts to boil, reduce the heat, cover with a lid, and poach the chicken for 12 minutes. 

2. In a large soup pot or dutch oven melt the butter over medium heat. Toast the orzo in the melted butter until its golden color - approx 3-5 minutes. Keep an eye on it. As soon as it is toasted use a spoon to move it aside on a plate or bowl. See the picture below.

3. While the pasta is toasting - chop all your veggies. 

4. Add the olive oil to the dutch oven and all the veggies. Season the veggies with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper to help them to start softening. Stir occasionally for 7-8 minutes until veggies are tender crisp. 

5. Build the soup. Return the orzo to the dutch oven. Add in the chicken pieces from the stock with a slotted spoon. Skim off any extra fat that may be floating at the top of the medium pot of stock, and then add in all of the liquid. Add in the water, bay, and fresh herb bundle. 

6. Bring the soup to a boil and let it cook for approx 5 -6 minutes until orzo is done. In the last minute of cooking add in the frozen peas. 

7. Turn off the heat and stir in the fresh parsley and lemon peel. Remove the bay. Taste & adjust any seasonings. 

8. If using as a make ahead meal, cool completely. Cover & refrigerate. I am not sure it makes a difference to separate the pasta from the soup if you are reheating it. If if bothers you go ahead and keep the orzo separate until the night you are going to serve it. I did notice (when I didn't separate it) the pasta does plump up in size more the next day but it doesn't change the flavor or texture. 

Easy Yummy Healthy Chicken Soup

Enjoy fall weather 

From my kitchen to yours

Related Fall Soup, Stew, & Chili Recipes:
Potato Steak StewBeef Stew - Turkish Style
Cheddar Broccoli Soup

Tomato Basil Hidden Veg Soup

Simple Tomato Soup with Bacon Cheddar Havarti Grilled Cheese
Classic Butternut Squash Soup
Oven Baked Cod & Sweet Potato Chowder
Chipotle Black Bean Zucchini Chili (Slow Cooker)
Beef & Spicy Chorizo Zucchini Chili
Crockpot Chipotle Apple Turkey Chili
Corned Beef, Butternut Squash, & Cabbage Stew

Football & Beef & Spicy Chorizo Zucchini Chili

I love fall here in southern Arizona. This is only my second fall but I am loving every single little second. Its like summer everywhere else. I know 90-97 degrees sounds hot but really this is very comfortable weather. Speaking of fall.... I can't celebrate fall without football and can't have football without chili. It is a tradition. Just incase you aren't a football fan.... (we'll have to talk about that later) there are other reasons to heat up a large pot full of meat and beans and some veg (aka chili). 

Here's recipe #7 of my personal goal of doing 30 new Rachael Ray recipes in 30 days. The original recipe can be found in the October 2012 issue of Everyday. 

Reasons to make chili: 
1. one pot of chili can feed like 30 people
2. it travels well (friend's houses,camping, potlucks,hiking)
3. it freezes well (good if you have a small family)
4. it reheats well (see reasons 2 & 3)
5. it is a great make ahead meal (see reason #4) 
6. the toppings you can put on chili and it still taste good are endless (chips, fresh tomatoes, onions, chopped green onion, caramelized onions, diced red onion, jalapeños, sour cream, greek yogurt, cilantro, chives, Oyster-style/saltine crackers, cornbread croutons, fresh chopped peppers, black olives, sliced avocados, guacamole, shredded jack cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, shredded sharp white, yellow cheddar.... etc.

7. Melted Cheese - you can load chili up with cheese - any dish that lets you have tons of melted cheese is a good recipe
8. Healthy - chili is a great place to get veggies into your diet if you aren't fond of them.

But in the end it does come back to football. It's like Fiddler on the Roof. Do you know that movie? My husband and I quote it often. It's how we roll. There is a whole song about tradition. It's good you could youtube it or something if you haven't ever heard it. So make some chili, sit back, and relax a bit. Just incase you are wondering the game I was most excited about was the Texans vs Seahawks game, and it did not disappoint! Crazy over time game. 

Spicy Beef & Chorizo Zucchini Chili

ingredients: 
1 Tbs vegetable oil
12 oz mexican beef chorizo
1&1/2 lb lean ground beef
2 heaping cups of zucchini, sliced
Tbs vegetable oil
1 Tbs minced garlic, 2 cloves
1/4 cup chili powder, mild
1 Tbs course salt
1 tsp pepper
1 heaping Tbs ground cumin
1 Tbs dried mexican oregano, or regular
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 can low sodium red kidney beans, drained
1 can (14.5) crushed tomatoes 
1 can (14.5) fire roasted tomatoes
1 large onion, chopped
1 small can of tomato sauce (I substituted 2 cups of my veggie filled red sauce from my freezer)
(click here for recipe)
toppings: I used green onion, cheddar cheese, and chips

directions:  
Start cooking beef and chorizo with oil in a very large pan. 
Drain some of the fat out once all the beef is browned. 
Add in everything else except for beans. 
Simmer the flavors together for 40 minutes.
Add in the beans. Remove from heat.  
If using as a make-ahead meal, cover and refrigerate. 
If freezing, cool it completely and measure it into food safe plastic labeled freezer bags. 
If eating immediately..... pull out some of the yummy toppings listed above, and invite some friends over for the game ;)


Enjoy. Go seahawks! 
From my football kitchen to yours