Puerto Rican Chicken Stew

4 chicken leg quarters

Dash of:

Salt

Garlic salt

Pepper

Turmeric

Onion powder

Cumin

2 T oil

1/2 onion, diced

3 cloves minced garlic

1/2 c sofrito

8 oz tomato sauce

1 packet sazon seasoning

Dash or two Italian seasoning

3 large red potatoes, diced, mostly peeled

4 carrots, sliced

3 c chicken stock

1/2 c water

Heat oil in pot.  Add dashes of seasonings.  Place chicken quarters in seasoned oil after removing skin.  Brown on all sides.  Remove and set aside.

Add more oil and onions.  Cook til translucent.  Add garlic and cook til fragrant.  Add sofrito and tomato sauce.  Stir and cook until bubbly.  Add sazon, Italian seasoning, carrots, potato, stock and water.  Combine and bring to a boil. Add chicken back in.  Cover and reduce heat to a simmer.  Cook 30 mins.  

Remove chicken and pull meat from bones/tendons.  Return meat in pieces (will fall apart).  Cook for another 5 minutes.  Serve with dippable bread.

Crack Chicken Soup

6-8 slices bacon, diced

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 small yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

6 cups low sodium chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed

1/2 teaspoon dried chives

salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

1 bay leaf

4 cups cooked shredded chicken

1 package (8 ounces) softened cream cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

3 to 4 cups baby spinach

1/4 cup heavy cream

Sliced green scallions, for garnish

Cook diced bacon to a crisp in a Dutch Oven or soup pot.

Remove bacon from pot with a slotted spoon, leaving bacon grease in the pot.

Add butter to the pot and melt over medium-high heat.

Stir in onions and cook for 3 minutes.

Stir in garlic and cook for 20 seconds.

Add chicken broth and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Season with garlic powder, onion powder, dill weed, chives, salt, and pepper.

Add bay leaf and bring to a boil; lower heat to medium low and cook for 5 minutes.

Stir in shredded chicken; cook for 5 minutes.

Add cream cheese and whisk in until completely melted and combined.

Stir in shredded cheese; whisk until melted and thoroughly combined.

Add baby spinach; cook for 2 minutes.

Stir in heavy cream and cook for 1 minute.

Taste for seasonings (salt and pepper) and adjust accordingly. Remove bay leaf.

Remove soup from heat; top with scallions and previously prepared bacon.

Serve

Chicken Fajita Soup

Found this recipe but added some more flavor and took it out of the crockpot (yuck) and onto the stovetop.  Make sure to have a good amount of taco toppings, too.

1 lb chicken
1 can black beans
1 can corn
1 green onion
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 c salsa
1 T cumin
taco seasoning
salt and pepper
1/2 c water
1 c cheese, cheddar or pepperjack, or your preference

toppings:
sour cream
avocado
tomato
shredded cheese
tortilla chips

Cook chicken, then shred.  Add to a pan with taco seasoning, and a bit of water, to cook it like taco meat.  Could also replace with cumin, chili powder, and salt.  Once it's mostly cooked, add beans, green onion, and corn.  Cook well, not letting it stick.  Dump all contents into a soup pot.  Add salsa, chicken soup, cumin, salt and pepper, and water (if needed).  Cook until combined, hot, and cooked down to a good consistency (per preference).  Add cheese and mix to melt, then serve immediately.  Top with favorite toppings, and a side of tortilla chips.  Make about 5-6 bowls.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

I'm the only one in my family who will eat this, but it is SO good!

1/2 stick of butter (1/4 cup)
1/4 of a medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups half and half (or 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of heavy cream)
3 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup corn starch
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Dash seasoned salt
2 bay leaves
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped small
4 cups broccoli florets (about 2 heads)
2 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese (about 8 ounces) or more.  Can mix in another cheese if you want.
Salt and Pepper to taste


Cook the butter, onion, and garlic on about medium heat until tender.

Slowly add the half and half and chicken stock. Mix the corn starch with a little bit of water until there are no clumps and add it to the rest. Add the nutmeg, sea salt, salt n pepper, and bay leaves and cook on medium low until thickened.

Add the carrot and broccoli and simmer until tender and thickened as desired. Discard the bay leaves. Add the cheese and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper.

Good Chili

No doubt, this is spicy.  But delicious!  I made this up  - so I think this is how it went.

2 lbs ground meat (beef, turkey, venison are good, but whatever)
2 cans kidney beans
2 jalepeno chiles
1 poblano chile
1 anaheim chile
(or whatever chiles suit your fancy and tolernace)
2 c beef broth
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 onion, diced
2 t minced garlic
1 can tomato sauce
2 t cumin
1/2 t cayenne pepper
1 1/2 T chili powder
salt and pepper
1 t brown sugar
1 T mustard
1/4 t paprika
dash worchestershire sauce
1 T cocoa powder
1-2 T flour
1/2 can crushed tomatoes

Brown beef, drain.  Add other ingredients to pot and cook 2-4 hours on low-medium heat, until consistency is right.  Adjust spices and amounts as seems right as you're cooking - I kinda just fiddled with the pot until it smelled and looked good.  Cook it long and really let the flavors meld.  Serve with cheese, sour cream, etc.

Seafood Soup

Pretty good soup with a little kick.  Kind of a creole type of flavor.

1 T oil
1/2 onion, chopped small
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
1 cloves garlic, minced
1 can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 c tomato sauce
3/4 c broth, beef or chicken
1 t salt
3/4 t pepper
Dash basil
Dash Italian seasoning
Dash bay leaf
1 t chili powder
Dash red pepper flakes
Dash hot sauce
1/4 lb shrimp
3/4 lb salmon, cut into bite sized squares
1T parsley

Heat oil in soup pot.  Add onion and bell pepper.  Cook until tender.  Add carrots and garlic.  Cook 2-3 minutes.  Add tomatoes, sauce, broth, seasonings.  Boil, then simmer and cover about 20 mins.  Dice salmon, and sprinkle with salt.  Let sit until the 20 mins is up.  Add shrimp and salmon.  Cook about 7 minutes, until fish is flakey.  Add parsley and cook another minute.  Let sit, off heat, for five minutes covered.  Serve.

Black-Eyed Pea Soup

Slightly tweaked this one from online.  Great recipe with some good spice and lots of flavor.

4 brats (chicken with onion and bell pepper is perfect!), sliced thin
1 lb dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight
3/4 green bell pepper, diced
1 serrano chile, sliced thin and diced
1 c chicken broth
1 c ham/pork broth or soup base
(may need to add a little more water for consistency)
2 cloves garlic
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t Italian seasoning
1 t salt
dash black pepper

Dump all the ingredients in the crockpot and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8.  Soup is done when beans are tender.  May need to add extra water as it cooks to keep the consistency right.

Could also be cooked over the stovetop instead of the crockpot to preserve more of the solid beans.  Again, cook until beans are tender.

Italian Soup

This is kind of a cross between a vegetable soup and a minestrone.  Mostly, it's a basic soup.  It's heartier than you would think and the sausage flavor really makes this soup.  Makes a lot (about 8 cups), so plan on a crowd or freezing leftovers.

olive oil
1 lb Italian sausage (choose the kind you like)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 t Splenda
2-3 carrots, sliced
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes, undrained (can replace with fresh and some water)
4.5 c chicken broth
1/2 t Italian Seasoning
1/4 t salt
14 t pepper
1 15-oz can Cannellini beans, drained (white kidney beans)
1 zucchini, diced or cubed
1/4-1/2 c small pasta

In a soup pot, add olive oil and brown sausage with garlic.  Crumble sausage as it cooks.  Stir in Splenda, carrots, broth, tomatoes, Italian Seasoning, salt, and pepper.  Cover and simmer about 20 minutes.  Add beans, zucchini and pasta.  Return to simmer and simmer uncovered 20 minutes or until veggies are tender.  Serve warm.

To Freeze:  Let cool completely.  Ladle into individual servings (in quart bags) or meal servings (gallon bags).  Freeze flat until frozen, then you can stack how you want.  To thaw, it's best to pull it out and leave in the fridge for several hours, then reheat, but you could just zap it until it thaws and re-heats if you're impatient or didn't plan ahead.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

I kinda combined 3 or 4 recipes into this one and it turned out great!!  Nice and filling and it's a pretty cheap dish.  Yum, yum, yum!

1-2 T butter
1/4 c flour
1 c chicken broth
1/2 c water
5 russet potatoes (medium-large), baked
1 1/2 c Half n Half
2 oz cheddar cheese
2-4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled/chopped
2 T chives
salt & pepper
1/2 c skim milk
1/2 c light sour cream
Top with more: sour cream, cheese, bacon, chives, etc if desired

In a bowl, remove the filling of each potato after you have baked and cooled it.  You can dice up a little of the skin to throw in if you like the crunchy texture, but I don't notice it.  In your pot, add butter and melt.  Add flour to butter and mix.  Add broth and water.  Stir until combined and bring to a boil.  Add in potato mush, cheese, chives, salt & pepper.  Slowly add in Half N Half.  Cook slowly until thickened (will almost seem like mashed potatoes).  Leave in some chunks of potato, but smash the rest.  Add in bacon bits.  Add in milk (this is approx amount) and sour cream.  Slowly re-heat until desired texture.  Should be thick, on a spoon, but not on a fork.  

Serve topped with extra sour cream, cheese, bacon, chives, etc.

Jambalaya

Got this online and tweaked it a little to adjust the heat.  Really good.

1 t oil
1/4 lb ham, diced
1/4 lb smoked sausage - cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/2 onion, chopped
1/ green bell pepper
1 1/2 celery ribs, chopped
1 1/2 cloves garlic
1/2 can diced tomatoes, (use all juice)
10 oz chicken broth (or more)
1/2 c uncooked rice
1/2 T worcestershire sauce
1/2 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
1/8 t chili powder
4 oz shrimp (I like the tiny ones), precooked
2-4 oz shredded mozarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375.  Spray 9x9 pan with pam.  Heat oil in a large pan.  Add sausage and ham.  Cook 3-5  minutes.  Remove from skillet and add to pan.  In the same pan add onion, green pepper, celery and garlic.  (Add pam first if needed).  Cook 3 minutes.  Add to sausage and mix.  In the pan, add remaining ingredients except for shrimp and cheese.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes.  Pour over sausage and vegetables.  Stir well.  Cover tightly with foil.  Bake for 35-45 minutes.  Remove cover, add shrimp and cheese to the top and return to oven.  Cook uncovered 5 minutes.  Serve.

Leftover Poultry Soup

Here is a great recipe for using up those leftover scraps of chicken or turkey.

1 T butter
Dash celery salt
7 c chicken broth
1/2 c water
1/2 c milk
1/2 lb cooked chicken or turkey, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 c noodles
1 1/2 c carrots, chopped
Dash Italian seasoning
Dash poultry seasoning
salt and pepper

Add all ingredients except for noodles.  Boil.  Simmer for 10 mintues.  Add noodles.  Simmer for 10 more minutes.  Serve warm.

Sausage & Lentil Soup

I made this one up all by myself!  It's pretty good in my opinion.

4 c water
2 c beef broth
1/2 lb lentils
1/2 can petite diced tomatoes
dash paprika
1 bay leaf
1/2 t salt (or more)
dash pepper
dash Italian Seasoning
dash red pepper flakes
oil
3-4 medium carrots, diced fairly small
1/4 c onion, diced
1 clove garlic
1 lb sausage (pick spiciness carefully)

In a soup pot, combine water, broth, lentils, tomatoes, paprika, bay leaf, salt, pepper, Italian Seasoning and red pepper flakes.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer.  In a pan, coat with oil and place on high heat.  Add onion, carrots and garlic.  Saute until onions start to change color.  Add sausage.  Brown sausage completely, making sure to crumble it.  When finished, drain all fat.  Add sausage mixture to soup pot.  Cover and simmer 45-60 minutes.  Stir occasionally.  Add water if needed to keep consistency.  Serve warm.

Note: The spiciness of the sausage is very apparent in this soup, so be careful what kind you get.

Shrimp and Cheese Chowder

I got this recipe from a cookbook, then made a few changes. Super yummy!

2 1/2 c chicken broth

4-5 medium potatoes, roughly peeled and cubed

1/2 c chopped celery

1/4 c green onion, chopped

1 1/2 c skim milk

2/3 c evaporated milk

1/4 c flour

1/4 t pepper

1/4 t cayenne pepper OR chili powder

2 T apple juice

1 c cooked shrimp

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped and lightly sauteed

1 T parsley

1 t Worcestershire sauce

1/2 t paprika

3 oz cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 t salt

In a soup pot, bring broth to a boil. Add potatoes, celery, and green onion. Return to a boil. Reduce to medium heat, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes - until potatoes are tender. Slowly stir in the skim milk. In another bowl, whisk together the evaporated milk and flour. Add to the pot. Mash about 1/3 of potatoes in the pot with a spoon. Add pepper and cayenee/chili powder. Cook over medium heat until thickened. Stir in apple juice, shrimp, bell pepper (make sure to saute first), parsley, worcestershire sauce and paprika. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese and salt until cheese is melted. Cover and let stand for 15-30 minutes to let flavors blend. Reheat if necessary.

Minestrone

Here is a tomato-based minestrone! Yum!

2 t oil

3/4 c onion, chopped

1/2 c diced celery

1 clove garlic, minced

1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes

3 c chicken broth or veggie broth

3 c vegetable cocktail juice (regular or spicy)

1/2 c cream

1 c chopped carrots

1 c chopped zucchini

1 c chopped green cabbage

1 c canned chickpeas or kidney beans, drained and rinsed

3-4 oz spiral, small shell or other small pasta, uncooked

3 T fresh parsley, or 1 T dried parsley

1 bay leaf

1 t oregano

1/2 t thyme

1/2 t black pepper

Heat oil in large soup pot over medium heat. Add onions, celery and garlic. Cook and stir for 3 mins, until vegetables begin to soften. Add all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Seafood Chowder

Seafood Chowder

This actually started as the recipe for Potato Leek Soup, but I played with it a lot and so it's now a completely different recipe. Makes 3-4 bowls of soup.

2-3 c diced potatoes (peel or not, according to taste)

1/4 c diced leek or sweet onion

1/4 c flour

1 c milk, plus (can replace with half n half)

1/2 T onion, chopped

1 T butter

3 c chicken broth

salt & pepper (don't be stingy)

Dash paprika

Dash chili powder

2 cans chopped clams

3/4-1 lb shrimp

2 filets tilapia, diced small

1/2 can corn

1/4 green pepper, grated and lightly sauteed

2-4 mushrooms, roughly chopped

grated white cheese (any kind you like: mozzarella, jack, pepper jack, etc)

Saute clams until cooked but not rubbery; set aside. Cook shrimp and tilapia, then set aside. Saute onions in butter. Add flour and mix. Add 1/2 broth. Simmer slowly. In another pot, mix 1/2 broth, potatoes and leeks. Boil, then simmer 20 mins. Potatoes should get soft. Smash some of the potatoes as you stir. Mix pots together, then add milk, paprika, chili powder, salt & pepper. Add clams, shrimp, tilapia, corn, and green peppers. Cook. Add additional milk, as needed.  Add cheese and mushrooms at the end. Cover and take off heat.

Beef Stew

Beef Stew

1 lb stew meat, cut into bite-size pieces and trimmed of all visible fat
1 can kidney beans, drained

4 potatoes cut into bite-size pieces (peel if desired)
6 carrots cut into bite-size pieces
1 onion, cut into chunks
1-2 ribs celery, sliced (optional)
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup tapioca
8 oz tomato sauce
12 oz beef broth (or 2 bouillon cubes and 12 oz water)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons parsley (can use dehydrated)
Salt & pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in crock pot and cook on low 8-12 hours. Remove bay
leaf before serving.

Brown Stock Vegetabke Soup

½ lb bacon

2 c cabbage, chopped

1-2 diced leaks

1 c diced carrots

2 c diced zucchini

2 cloves garlic

1 c peas

2 c diced tomatoes

2 t salt

3 qt brown stock

1 c pasta, cooked and drained

1 c kidney beans, drained

salt and pepper

Saute bacon. Saute onion in bacon drippings. Add cabbage, leaks, carrots, zucchini and garlic. Remove from heat. Add peas, tomatoes and salt. Separately, combine stock, beans and pasta. Add salt and pepper. Add vegetable mixture. Cook for 15 minutes.