Tom Kha Kai Soup Coconut and Chicken Soup

4 cups chicken stock

2 leaves thai basil

1 2-inch piece lemongrass

1 1-inch piece galangal

2 tablespoons granulated white sugar

2 tablespoons tamarind juice, optional

1/4 lb. chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 13.5 oz can coconut milk

2 to 10 small red chiles, slightly crushed

1/4 cup of fish sauce, add at end

1 whole Juice of 1 lime, add at end

Cilantro leaves for garnish

Directions:

1. Bring 4 cups chicken stock, 1/4 cup Thai fish sauce, the juice of 1 lime, 2 crushed wild lime leaves, a 2-inch section of lemongrass, and a 1-inch section of galangal to a boil. Simmer 20 minutes. Strain if desired (though left unstrained in Thailand, the lemongrass, lime leaves, and galangal are not meant to be eaten).

2. Add 1/4 pound bite-sized pieces of chicken breast, 1 13.5-ounce can coconut milk, and 2 to 10 (to taste) small red chiles, slightly crushed, and return to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve.

Also, the type of coconut milk you use will make or break this dish. I recommend 'chao koh' or 'mae ploy' brands, from Thailand. Or, if you can get the frozen coconut milk in see-through bags, that's even better.

Notes:

Leave the lime juice and fish sauce out until after you're done cooking. If you boil it, you'll lose the flavor. And don't be shy with that cilantro. Over here we use a big handful!

Also, the type of coconut milk you use will make or break this dish. I recommend 'chao koh' or 'mae ploy' brands, from Thailand. Or, if you can get the frozen coconut milk in see-through bags, that's even better.

Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

3 to 4 medium to large onions, sliced into rings
2 to 3 tablespoons butter
3 (14 ounce) cans beef broth
¾ cup water
2 tablespoons Worchestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
Dash of garlic powder
Dash of salt
Dash of pepper
French baguette, cut into thin slices
1 (8 ounce) bag grated Italian blend cheese

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onions and saute’ until tender. In a slow cooker, combine broth, water, Worchestershire sauce, bay leaves, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir in onions and butter. Cover and cook on low heat for 3 to 5 hours. Remove bay leaves.

When ready to serve, lightly toast bread slices until just crusty. Place one to three slices in each soup bowl. Top each slice with 1 tablespoon chesse. Ladle onions and broth over bread and cheese.


* I used 3 onions and beef bullion. I did not add the ¾ cup of water. Also, I am noticing that I totally did not follow the recipe. I did not read the recipe all of the way through!!! – I did not saute’ the onions before I put them in the slow cooker! I just dumped everything in the cooker and turned it on. I think I would do it the same way when I make it again!

Miso Soup

Japanese miso ( みそ ) is a traditional Japanese food produced by fermenting rice, barley, and or soybeans with salt and the fungus kojikin. Miso is extremely healthy as it contains protein, calcium, iron, and potassium. Miso is a part of many Japanese-style meals. It most commonly appears as the main ingredient of miso soup, which is eaten daily by much of the Japanese population. The pairing of plain rice and miso soup is considered a fundamental unit of Japanese Cuisine. This pairing is the basis of a traditional Japanese breakfast. Surprisingly, miso is also used to make cookies, candies, and stir fries.

The taste of miso varies depending upon: what it is made from, how long it has been fermented, and how much kojikin has been added. However; there are 4 main flavor catagories:

Shiromiso -“white miso” The white colour is obtained by using a lot of rice koji (about 60%) and fewer soybeans. Of all miso varieties, the white miso contains the most carbohydrates and therefore tastes the sweetest. It’s texture is very smooth. It ferments quickly, only a few days are required.
Akamiso— “red miso” Red miso is made from white rice, barley or soybeans by a natural fermentation, which takes about one to three years. The colour of red miso is red to brownish. Red miso contains the highest levels of protein of all types of miso.
Kuromiso—”black miso” Barley miso is made from barley grains, soybeans and barley koji. Barley miso has a very dark colour and quite salty but very rich taste.
Hatchomiso— A special type of soybean miso is Hatcho miso. The koji for Hatcho miso contains a special mold: Aspergillus hatcho instead of the usual Aspergillus oryzae. Hatcho miso should be aged for at least 16 months. Hatcho miso is considered the miso of Emperors. Hatcho miso is reddish-brown, somewhat chunky, and often used to flavor hearty soups.

Shiromiso is used in central Japan , Akamiso is used in the South, and Kuromiso is used in the North. Hatchomiso is a specialty only found in the Kansai area where I served my mission. Unfortunately I have been unable to find it here in UT so I am using shiromiso commonly found in Kansai.

Since miso is a personal preference, I prefer to give you the method and the basic ratios. Adjust to your liking.

Miso Method
Make the dashi broth
Put water in a pot and place on medium heat. Just before the water boils, add dried bonito flakes. Once the water boils you will need to skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Turn the heat off and wait until the bonito flakes sink. Strain the stock by placing a paper towel in the colander that is nestled over a bowl. Push down on the flakes with a ladle to extract all of the broth.

Cook vegetables
Here you will add any diced vegetables you like. It is common in Japan to put in daikon.

Add cubed tofu. Cut firm tofu into small cubes and add them to the soup. Simmer the tofu for a few minutes on low heat. Scoop out some soup stock from the pan and place in a bowl. Add miso paste and mix until combined. Gradually return the miso mixture to the soup. Stir the soup gently. Remove from the heat and add chopped green onion, wakame, and enoki mushrooms. (Miso should never be cooked)

Ratios
1 package of dried bonito flakes per 1 cup of water.
1 inch of grated daikon per 2 cups of soup
1/3 standard package of tofu per 2 cups of broth
1 Tbsp. miso paste per 1 cup of broth
1 inch sliced green onion per cup of broth

Broccoli Chowder

1 10oz. pkg. frozen broccoli
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
2 Tbsp. flour
1 1/3 c. milk
1 c. cheddar cheese
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper
Bring ½ c. water to boil. Add broccoli and onion. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Do not drain. Stir in soup, flour, milk, cheese and pepper. Cook on low until flour is cooked and soup is thoroughly heated.

Wisconsin Chowder

3 Tbsp. butter
4 Tbsp. flour
4 c. chicken broth
2 c. milk
1 c. cheddar cheese
1 c. pepperjack cheese
1 c. lite cream
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 c. pureed cauliflower

Melt butter and flour to make a rou. Add chicken broth, milk, cream, salt, pepper, and cauliflower. Heat through. Add cheese. Heat until cheeses are melted.

Tortilla Soup

1 can chicken broth
2 cans French onion soup
1 -12 oz. can Tomato juice
2 c. water
1 06 oz. can green chili salsa or regular salsa
1 small can of corn
6 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 green pepper, chopped
3 potatoes, peeled and chopped
3-4 chicken breasts

Boil chicken in water 15 minutes and shred. Dice all vegetables. Add all ingredients to large soup kettle. Simmer 1 ½ -2 hours. Top with cheese and tortilla chips/strips.

Minestrone Soup

1 Tbsp. olive oil
6 oz. Canadian bacon
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. celery
1 c. carrots
1 c. zucchini
2 ½ c. water
2 c. tomato juice
12 oz. drained kidney beans
3 Tbsp. fresh basil (1 ½ tsp. dried)
2 pkgs. Instant beef broth
¼ tsp. oregano
¼ tsp. pepper
1 c. cooked small macaroni noodles
¼ c. fresh parsley

In a 2-quart saucepan heat oil over medium heat. Add bacon and garlic, sauté briefly. Add celery, carrots and zucchini. Cook, stirring until veggies are tender-about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients except macaroni noodles and parsley and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer, stirring occasionally; for about 15 minutes. Add pasta and parsley. Let simmer until heated.

Pasta e fagioli Soup

1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 large carrot, chopped or julienned
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can red kidney beans, with liquid
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (15 ounce) can great Northern beans, with liquid
1 (12 ounce) can V8 juice
1 Tbls vinegar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 pound (1/2 package) ditalini pasta (or other small pasta)

Brown ground beef and drain off most fat. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic; sauté for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, except pasta, and simmer for 1 hour. Just before serving, cook pasta in boiling water just until al dente (in separate pot, of course). Drain pasta and add to soup and simmer for 5 minutes.

Makes a lot of soup, and is great the next day. Sometimes I will leave the pasta separate for storage, as it soaks up a lot of liquid overnight

This takes a lot like the Olive Garden soup.

Tortilla soup

2 (14 ½) oz cans of chicken broth or 1 quart homemade chicken broth
1-2 cups diced, cooked, chicken. (I usually boil 3 breasts of chicken for 20 minutes)
1 small onion, diced, finely
½ to 1(4-oz) can diced green chilies
½ to 1 Tablespoon chili powder
A pinch of ground red pepper (cayenne)
Tortilla chips
Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2-3 tomatoes chopped
Avocadoes diced (optional)
1 lime (optional)


Instructions:
1. In a large saucepan, stir together the chicken broth, chicken, onion, green chilies, chili powder, and ground red pepper.
2. Bring the soup to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer the soup, uncovered, about 10 minutes or until the onion is tender.
3. Ladle the soup into individual bowls or a soup tureen. Add broken up chips, sprinkle with cheese, tomatoes, avocado and finish with a squeeze of lime. Note: The chilies and chili powder can be altered depending of how hot you want the flavor to be.

Serves 2-4 people

Kale, Kielbasa and Cheese Tortellini Soup with Cannellini Beans

Serves 6
Ingredients:
2 tablespoon olive oil
16 ounces smoked kielbasa sausage, fully cooked, thinly sliced
1 large onion, diced
1 cup fennel bulb, fresh, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme, fresh, chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
12 cups chicken broth
4 cup kale, 1/2 bunch, chopped
1 15 oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed, drained
1 9 oz. package cheese tortellini
2 ounces asiago cheese, 1 cup, grated or Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Place kielbasa in a heavy large pot over medium-high heat and brown.
Then add oil and the next 6 ingredients and sauté until vegetables are
soft, about 12 minutes. Add broth and bring to boil. Stir in kale and
cannellini. Reduce heat to low and simmer until kale is wilted, about
4 minutes. Add tortellini to soup. Simmer until pasta is just tender
but still firm to bite, about 5 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls. Add
cheese separately into each bowl.

Making this soup 1 day ahead, makes it almost creamier. Cool
slightly; cover and refrigerate. Bring back to a simmer the next day.

Cream of Asparagus

Serves 4, please note that the soup we made doesn't have the cream.
Ingredients:
1 lb. asparagus, diced into 1" pieces
1 medium onion, diced
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 cups chicken broth
1 medium potato, peeled and grated
1 stalk celery, diced
1 sprig fresh thyme, or 1 tsp. dried thyme
1 cup heavy cream, or whole milk
kosher salt
freshly ground white pepper
lemon

Directions:
Rinse asparagus. Remove top 1 inch of each spear, discard tough lower part, reserving middle portion of stalks. In a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat, saute onion in butter for 3 to 5 minutes or until translucent. Add chicken broth, asparagus tips and stems, potato, celery, thyme, and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Remove from heat and let cool.

Remove the asparagus tips. Place the soup at a time in a blender container. Cover and blend at high speed for 20 to 30 seconds or until very smooth. Pass through a fine sieve and return blended soup to saucepan. Add reserved asparagus tips and cream (or half and half, or milk) and heat thoroughly, or refrigerate to be served cold.

Squeeze a few drops of lemon at the end to brighten the flavor in each bowl when serving.

Notes:
Half & half or milk may be substituted for the cream if fat content is a concern, although it won't taste quite as good. Be sure to adjust the seasoning after you add the cream (or half & half, or milk), especially if you plan to serve it cold.

Papa al Pomodoro

Serves 8
Ingredients:
4 ounces chewy bread, about 2 cups, 1/2 loaf dense tuscan like a
ciabatta or any other rustic bread
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 small onion, finely grated
1 cup chicken broth
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes, Hunt's Brand
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes, Hunt's Brand
1 cup fresh basil
1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated, or to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, for garnish

Directions:
I use leftover bread. Remove the crust of the bread and save them for
making breadcrumbs. Break the bread into small chunks no bigger then
1 1/2 inches and set aside.

Heat a medium pot over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup of olive oil, and then
add the rosemary and the garlic. Peel and halve the onion and grate
directly into the soup pot. Saute for a couple of minutes, then remove
the rosemary stem. When you smell the fragrance you will know it is
done.

Add the chicken broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add the bread
chunks and stir until the bread “melts” into the soup, giving it a
thick consistency. Tear or shred the basil, and stir into the soup.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, about 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher
salt.

Ladle the soup into bowls, and top with an extra tablespoon of very
good extra-virgin olive oil and however much parmesan or romano cheese
you want.

Bush's Best Three Bean Chili

2 (16-oz) cans Kidney Beans

2 (16-oz) cans Pinto Beans

2 (15-oz) cans Black Beans

2 Lb. Ground Beef

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1 small green pepper, chopped

1 (14-oz) can Diced Tomatoes

3 tsp chili powder

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp Garlic salt

1/2 tsp. Ground pepper

1/2 tsp. Cumin

1 pinch cinnamon

1 (6-oz) can tomato paste

In a large pan, cook beef, onion and green pepper until meat is browned.  Drain excess grease.  In a large pot, combine with remaining ingredients.  Bring to boil.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Top with sour cream.

Chicken mug pie

1 tube jumbo bake-off butter biscuits, from the dairy aisle of market (recommended: Grands by Pillsbury)
Sweet paprika, for sprinkling
1 1/2 pounds chicken breast pieces, diced
3 tablespoons butter
2 ribs celery and greens from the heart, chopped
1 medium yellow onion,
chopped 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup shredded potatoes, ready to cook hash browns, available in sacks on dairy aisle
1 pint half-and-half or cream
1 quart chicken stock, available in boxes on soup aisle
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg, a healthy grating
1 cup frozen green peas


Preheat oven according to package directions and arrange biscuits on cookie sheet. You will have 4 extra biscuits. Save them for ham and cheese or egg and cheese breakfast sandwiches the next morning. Sprinkle biscuits with a little paprika and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
In a medium pot over medium to medium high heat, cook chicken in butter 2 minutes then add veggies and season with salt and pepper and poultry seasoning. Cook 5 minutes more, add flour cook another minute. Add potatoes, then whisk in half-and-half or cream and chicken stock. Add nutmeg. Bring soup to a boil by raising heat, then turn heat back to simmer and cook soup another 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings. Add peas. Stir in to warm them through a minute.
Serve mugs of soup with biscuits on top to cap the mug: chicken mug pies!

Potato Cheese Soup

4 cubes chicken bouillon
3 c. hot water
5 c. potatoes, diced
1 c. celery, diced
1 c. carrots, diced
½ c. onions, chopped
¾ c. butter
¾ c. flour
1 (8oz.) jar Cheez Whiz
2 c. milk
2 c. half & half
1 to 2 c. Cheddar cheese (optional)

Dissolve bouillon cubes in 3 cups hot water.
Add potatoes, celery, onions, and carrots.
Cook 10 to 15 minutes. Melt butter and add
Flour. Stir into other mixture. Add half & half
And milk. Add the Cheez Whiz. If you like a
Lot of cheese, add 1 to 2 cups Cheddar. If
Soup is too thin, add more flour mixed with water.

Potato Leek Soup

2 c. chicken broth (I have also used vegetable broth to make it vegetarian)
3 med. potatoes
1 lg. leek
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 T chives
1 c. milk
1/2 t salt

cut potato into cubes & slice the leek. Put the leek, potatoes, broth & salt in the pan. Bring to a boil and take the heat down to a simmer. cook 15-20 mintues. With a hand mixer, puree ingredients. (or put in a blender. I like the hand mixer though because it leaves some chunks) Stir in sour cream, milk & chives.

Steakhouse Chili

1 Tbsp. oil
1 lb. beef top round steak, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 Tbsp. chili powder
2 cans diced tomatoes with chilies, liquid reserved
1/3 cup A1 Steak Sauce
2 cans kidney beans, drained
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 green pepper, chopped

Heat oil in saucepan on medium-high heat. Add meat, cook and stir until browned. Add to crock pot. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Cook on low 8 hours or high 4 hours. (the longer the better)

* You may substitute 1 lb lean ground beef for round steak