Creamy Mushroom/Spinach Soup and A New Puppy

We got a new puppy! This is Sally! Isn't she gorgeous? Sally says hello to everyone, and she would like to tell you a little about herself.

I am a Huskimo breed. That means I'm half Husky and half Eskimo.
I am three months old right now, and very smart. I have one blue eye and one brown eye. When my master tells me to sit, I sit. When my master has a handful of treats I shake hands with him/her to get one. I also do a high-five when I know I have done something good. I am house broken, and my master has been good enough to give me full access to a doggy door so I can go in and out as I please. And that also gives me full rights to bringing in sticks, rocks, leaves, and mud. I don't even get in trouble for bringing in my chewy outdoor stuff......
I spend a lot of time at the doggy park making new friends too. We go on long walks on the weekends to get me used to walking on a leash. I love my new home!

Sally

 Yes, I know.....

I know.....

It is summer and I'm posting a recipe for soup.

But this is a good soup.

This is a soup that is very versatile.

You can use it for soup and salad for a lite lunch,

and then you can use it for a simmering sauce for a great chicken dinner.

 This is one of those recipes that came about to empty out my fridge.

I had heavy cream,

mushrooms,

and spinach that was right on the edge of turning to mush.

So into a soup it all went.

Please bear with me while I try and get this into recipe form for you.

Oh and,

This is the chicken dinner I made with the leftover soup.

Just brown your chicken breast and pour the soup over it to simmer 

for about 30 minutes.

Creamy Mushroom/Spinach Soup

2 c. water

1 1/2 TBS chicken soup base

Heat these to ingredients in a small saucepan until soup base dissolves.

2 large handfuls of spinach, chopped

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

8 oz package button mushrooms, sliced

3 TBS butter

salt/pepper to taste

1 tsp. dried thyme

2 TBS Worcestershire sauce

4 TBS flour

2 c. heavy cream

I don't think the ingredients are in order, but I will step you through everything.

In a dutch oven melt the butter on medium heat. Cook onion and garlic until translucent. Add mushrooms, thyme, salt and pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Cook until mushrooms are tender. Add flour and stir till butter and liquid is absorbed. Slowly pour in heavy cream while stirring. As it thickens, slowly pour in the soup base mixture. Add spinach, cover and simmer on low until spinach is wilted. 

(Leftover) Stuffed Pepper/Artichoke Soup

 Is anyone else experiencing a crazy winter?

I haven't seen a winter this bad for a very long time.

Since the weather is still freezing cold I thought I would share

a soup recipe that I created.

This soup is the BOMB!

Are you a stuffed pepper fan?

I know I am!

I was walking past the meat department at my local grocery store

when a display of stuffed peppers caught my attention.

How easy is that?

Take them home, 

place them in a baking dish,

create my own tomato sauce,

and bake.

Simple!

Simple!

Simple!

But I bought four of them for two people.

Which that means we had leftovers.

I consider myself the leftover KING.

I can take leftovers and turn them into something new

over

and

over

and

over

I had one leftover stuffed pepper from our dinner the evening prior.

What can a lonely stuffed pepper be turned into?

Soup, of course.

As I created this soup I wrote down all my ingredients and steps involved. 

This is what I did:

(Leftover) Stuffed Pepper/Artichoke Soup

2 1/2 qrt. water

4 TBS beef soup base

2 c. whole wheat spiral pasta

1 can diced Italian seasoned tomatoes

Bring broth and tomatoes to a boil, add pasta and boil according to pkg. directions for al dente.

Then Add:

1 can artichoke hearts (drained and chopped), chopped leftover stuffed pepper, 1 c. frozen corn, and a few drops of hot sauce of your choice. 

Simmer until heated through, approximately 18-20 minutes.

Place in soup bowls. 

Top with Parmesan or grated provolone. 

White Chili (with artichoke hearts)

 The weather is nice and cool this weekend.

And what do I have on my mind?

Chili!!

One of my all time favorite soups for the fall season.

But I did a little something different with this chili.

Wait till you see the spices and ingredients involved.

I am a stickler when it comes to leftovers.

I DO NOT throw away!

There are so many meals that can be recreated through leftovers.

This chili is one of them.

I had two leftover chicken spinach feta brats from dinner the night before.

YUP, you guessed it....

They went into my white chili.

And have you ever thought about adding artichoke hearts to your white chili?

FANTASTIC!!

I loved it!!

The spices and ingredients in this chili sound to be extremely fiery hot,

but don't let them fool you.

The spices and ingredients are the good ones.

One of those dishes that has the good bite but no burn.

Okay, I won't keep you waiting any longer.....

Here is the recipe!

White Chili

2 c. water
1 TBS chicken soup base
1/4 c. medium salsa
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 can artichoke hearts (organic if possible), drained and chopped
1 can chili ready beans, rinsed and drained
1 c. milk
2 fully cooked chicken brats, sliced in bite sized pieces
*You can use any fully cooked meat of your choice; chicken, ground turkey, sausage, etc...

Add all ingredients except milk. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add milk while stirring and bring back up to heat (maybe 5 minutes).

Weight Watchers Monday: Creamy Chicken Mushroom Soup

 Today is Memorial Day, and let's not forget why we celebrate this day.

With the weather being so unpredictable....

cold one day

raining the next

I decided to slip in one more soup recipe.

This soup is out of this world fantastic.

I am a creamy mushroom soup fan, and the chicken added is a super bonus.

This will certainly warm your soul.

This creamy soup is only 5 WW points per serving (1 cup).

So if you want to end your day with a warm heart, this soup will do the trick.

Creamy Chicken Mushroom Soup

1/2 lb. mushrooms cleaned and sliced

2 1/2 c. cubed cooked chicken (I used Tyson ready to use grilled chicken (1 1/2 packages))

1/4 c. onions, chopped

1/4 c. celery, sliced thin

1/4 c. carrots, sliced

5 1/2 c. chicken broth (I used chicken soup base)

1/4 c. butter

3 c. half and half 

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. pepper, add to your liking

1/4 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. white pepper

1 pinch dried tarragon

1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce

1 TBS minced parsley

1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. salt, add to your liking

In a large Dutch oven, saute mushrooms, onion, celery, and carrot in butter until tender.

Stir in flour until blended. Add broth and seasonings, mix well. 

Bring to a boil, reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. 

Stir in half and half, chicken, parsley, lemon juice, and salt. Heat 5 more minutes on low heat.

WW points per serving: 5 

Nutritional information per serving: 205 calories, 13.5 g fat, 0.6 g fiber

A Chicken/Pork Soup

 It's almost Spring, and that means the soup season is coming to an end.

So I thought I would throw one more at you.

I was debating on posting this one. 

This soup is kind of odd with the ingredients I chose to put in it.

But my son was very persistent.

He said the soup was fantastic and that it needs to be shown to the public.

So here I am with a throw together soup that I created.

I have a full plate as of late, and some of you regulars may have noticed.

I am struggling with keeping up my posts, but I promise, no matter how busy

I get, I will keep you supplied with great recipes. 

It looks like I will be making another move (3 hours away from where I currently live), 

and there may be a slight break (down time) concerning the blog. 

I will keep you informed on what is going on.

Until then, let's eat!

A Chicken/Pork Soup

2 c. ham broth (jellied broth from ham roast that I had in the fridge, fat removed)
3 c. chicken broth
1 1/2 c. water
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic and herb seasoning
1 c. carrots sliced
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 c. dry whole wheat pasta shells
1/2 c. diced ham
2 c. cooked chopped chicken

Combine broths, water, onion powder, and garlic seasoning together in a large Dutch oven. Bring to a simmer and add carrots. Simmer carrots until tender (about 8-10 minutes). Add black beans and pasta. Simmer according to pasta package directions. Add ham and chicken, heat through.

Weight Watchers Monday ~ Potato Chowder

 This is the perfect recipe to use left-overs.

And if you have been following me (forever) for a while you know 

how I like to introduce left-overs with new dishes. 

Turn left-overs into left-overs....

This recipe came at me when I had two of those Weight Watchers

Stuffed Potatoes left-over.

Do you remember them?

What a better way to eat them up....

SOUP!

 I chopped up the left-over potatoes and turned them into Potato Chowder.

And you are going to love this one. 

It was fantastic!

Weight Watchers Potato Chowder

2 left-over stuffed potatoes, chopped
1/4 of an onion chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 c. low sodium chicken broth
1/4 tsp. dried crushed rosemary
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 c. Silk unsweet soy milk
2 handfuls of baby spinach

In a dutch oven over medium heat, combine chopped potatoes, onion, garlic, broth, and rosemary. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Stir in soy milk slowly while stirring and then add spinach. Simmer on low for another 10 minutes, or until spinach is at the consistency you want it.
You can eat it with or without crackers. The crackers shown are Cheez-Its new Provolone flavor. 

Serving size: 1 1/2 c.
Points 4
Nutrition Facts:
170 calories
1.5 g. fat
28g carbohydrates
9g protein
4g fiber

Weight Watchers Monday ~ Mexican Soup

 Mondays have been a focus on Weight Watchers, 

but you can have low calorie meals and still stay within your points.

This recipe was sent to me by Raylene Matheny.

It is super good and contains all the Mexican spice one can ask for.

I loved it!

And I used what I had on hand.

It was a very satisfying lunch.

This soup only takes 30 minutes to prepare.

A little tip that Raylene gave was, cook chicken breast ahead and freeze.

Very handy to have to throw into soups and casseroles.

I will give you Raylene's recipe along with the ingredients I used.

Mexican Soup

2 c. of cooked chicken breast (I used smoked turkey)

1 can (14 oz.) chicken broth

1 can spicy V8 juice (I used 12 oz. plain tomato juice)

1 can Green Giant Mexican veggies (I used 1 can Progresso (18.5 oz.) World Recipes Black Bean Jalapeno soup)

1 c. thick salsa (medium)

1 can chopped green chilies (I did not put this in due to the jalapeno soup)

1/4 c. chopped cilantro (optional)

In large saucepan put all ingredients except cilantro. Heat to boiling then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving (1-1 1/2 c.):

170 calories

40 from fat

total fat 4.5 g

saturated 1 g

trans 0

cholesterol 40 mg

sodium 1280 mg

carbs 17 g

dietary fiber 2 g

sugars 7 g

protein 16 g

This recipe is linked to:
Feeding Big and more ~ In and Out of the Kitchen Link Up Party

Chili ~ It's Oh So Chilly ~ It's A Good Time For Chili

 How many of you are like me and bite at the bit during the 

summer just to see it cool down enough for a big

bowl of chili?

WOW!! That was a mouthful.....

But better yet, I loved this mouthful of chili since

the weather is fit for it.

 My mom!

I really think her and her husband have some kind of food fetish.

I'm serious!

They could probably be listed really close to being HOARDERS.

I love going to my mom's just to look through the food that she

has collected. And the funny thing is, there is just the two of 

them. They are not feeding anyone but themselves.

1 + 1 = 2

But anyway, the last time I was there I found this 32 oz. carton

of Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup.

AH HA!! I'm thinking chili.

My thoughts became reality....

And isn't it amazing what an old broken chair can do for photos?

Chili

2 pounds ground beef, ground turkey, ground chicken, ground sausage (your choice)

1/2 of an onion, diced

1 packet chili seasoning mix

1 reg can diced tomatoes (your choice of flavors), (undrained)

1 reg can black beans (rinsed and drained)

1 reg can chili beans

1 reg can red kidney beans

1 - 32 oz carton Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup

Salt & Pepper to taste

(Also, if you don't like the consistency of the soup, you can add tomato juice to thin it)

Brown the ground meat and onion together until meat is cooked thoroughly (drain if there is a lot of grease). Add chili seasoning and let it cook into meat. Add all the remaining ingredients, cover with a lid and let simmer on low for about an hour. Serve with peanut butter sandwich, of course.

This recipe is linked to:
Foodie Friends Friday

Talk About Comfort: Tortellini Soup

 Tortellini has always been a favorite in my house.

We love to eat it drenched with Pesto. 

It makes a perfect side for any meal.

But I have never used it in a soup.

Sometimes I am intimidated by certain foods.

Tortellini is one of them.

Don't ask me why, because I don't have an answer.

It's just one of those things.

So, to throw my intimidation aside, I set out to make 

Tortellini Soup.

 I found these lonely Chicken/spinach/Swiss burgers in

my freezer that I had purchased from Sam's Club.
I decided to ground them up (using my fingers) to use
in my tortellini soup.

I browned the chicken patties, onion, and garlic together.

With the patties being chicken, there was no grease, 

but watch it closely so it doesn't burn. 

I stirred it often for about 10 minutes on med. heat.

 This is what I did to create my soup (and you can use

the meat of your choice, or no meat at all).

This was pure comfort since the evenings have

been quite chilly.

Last Monday we had frost here in Ohio.

Tortellini Soup

4 thawed Sam's Club Chicken/Spinach/Swiss patties

1 c. chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, sliced

5 c. vegetable stock

1/3 c. water

1/2 c. red wine

1 can (4.5 oz.) Hunt's diced basil, garlic, and oregano tomatoes

1 c. sliced carrots

1/2 tsp. dried Basil

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1 med. size zucchini, washed, seeds removed, and chopped

1 pkg. frozen cheese tortellini (I forgot to write down the size, but it would be a normal size bag found in the grocer freezer)

Grated Parmesan Cheese for individual servings (opt.)

Place the chicken patties (ground) in a large Soup Pot along with onion and garlic. Over med. heat saute for 10 minutes, or until well browned.

Next add the vegetable stock, water, wine, tomatoes, carrots, basil, and oregano. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add the zucchini and tortellini. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until tortellini is fully cooked. Ladle into serving bowls and garnish with grated Parmesan.

This recipe is linked to:
Love Bakes Good Cakes ~ All My Bloggy Friends
Miz Helen's Country Cottage ~ Full Plate Thurdsay
Foodie Friends Friday

Fall Is Coming Quickly: Bean Soup

Beans are kind of a touchy subject with some people.

You either like them, or you don't.

Me, I love them!

Any kind, shape, or form.

When I sent my bean soup pictures through Facebook,

everyone went wild....

I guess I didn't realize that bean soup was such a hot item.

I used two smoked ham hocks in this recipe.

And yes, it simmered all day.....

The house smelled wonderful!

Like FALL!

This soup turned out fabulous.

Even the "I don't like soup" person liked it.

This is how I made it:

Bean Soup

2 1/2 c. great northern beans (dried)

2 quarts water

2 smoked ham hocks

2 TBS Italian seasoning

1-2 TBS ham soup base

1 c. diced onion

1 c. chopped celery (I used 2 celery stalks)

5 small/medium carrots (diced)

3 cloves garlic (diced)

salt and pepper

Tabasco

Fill a pot large enough to hold the beans and water. Bring the water to a boil. Turn off heat and add the beans. Soak the beans for about 2 hours. Drain the water.

Meanwhile, put the ham hocks in a large pot and cover with 2 quarts water. Add the Italian seasoning and ham soup base. Bring to a simmer and simmer for about an hour. Add the chopped vegetables and beans. Simmer for another hour (I simmered with lid on), until the vegetables are soft and the meat easily pulls away from the bone. Pull the meat off the bone and discard the bones (this last step took longer than an hour).

Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the Tabasco to individual servings if you like.

This recipe is linked to:
Miz Helen's Country Cottage ~ Full Plate Thursday
The Better Baker ~ Weekend Pot Luck

It's Nameless: Meatless Masterpiece

 This is one hell-of-a vegetable soup!.....Yup, just vegetables!

I didn't have a name for this soup,

so I turned to my Facebook fans (of course!) to help create a name.

There were three participants:

Vickie Collins - Summer's Delight

Tori Winegarner - Vegetable Penne

Michelle Brenneman - Summer Stew

They obviously were all thinking alike, 

and it was hard for me to pick just one.

Therefore, I decided to combine all three.

The name I came up with....Summer's Penne Stew

Thank you so much ladies for helping me out with this.

I have some of the best fans in the world!

You should come and join us.....A'lil Country Sugar fan page.

 Since I have been hitting the local Farmer's Markets 

I've been eating a lot of vegetables.

Which is good for me, right? 

I don't think I could possibly become a vegetarian though....

I tried once, and at the end of five days, 

I was ready to kill a cow. 

For real!!

The loss of meat in my diet turned me into a beast.

 To create this Summer's Penne Stew I worked in stages.

I took my leftover beef broth from a roast I cooked (6 cups worth)

and added two more cups of water to give me an even 8 cups.

 I chopped my carrots, 3/4 c. (sorry, that's all I had)

4 red potatoes, washed and chopped

4 celery heart stalks, chopped.

I simmered these vegetables for 8 to 10 minutes.

Then added:

I chopped one small zucchini into bite sized pieces (skin on),

Added the zucchini with the penne pasta (1/2 box)

and simmered according to pasta directions.

When there was about 3 minutes left on the pasta timer

I added 2 handfuls of spinach leaves.

When the timer went off, I shut the burner off.

Summer's Penne Stew complete!

This recipe is linked to:
Lady Behind the Curtain, Cast Party Wednesday
Foodie Friends Friday
The Better Baker~ Weekend Pot Luck
Fit and Fabulous Fridays~ Amee's Savory Dish
Share it Saturday~ Lemon Sugar

For Real! Zoodles: Turkey Zoodle Soup

Is your freezer packed so full that when you open the door every item in there shouts, "Pick me, Pick me"? Well, that's what I'm facing......So I simply do ennie-meenie-minie-mo (don't know if I have that spelled right, but you get the picture, right?)
When I picked the item that was "IT", I ended with a package of turkey breast fillets, or turkey breast strips as it said on the package. There was three in the package. I have been so hungry for chicken noodle soup, so my direction for the turkey was soup.

I had just picked up a package of three small zucchini. I love using zucchini in stir-fries, but this time I decided to turn the zucchini into zoodles. The julienned zucchini takes the place of the starchy noodles that would normally go into soup.
All you have to do is take your trusty julienne tool (I was lucky and received one for Christmas last year from a wonderful brother and sister-in-law). Nope, not married, but I sure do appreciate them considering me part of the family. At Christmas time when we make out our lists for name drawing, mine always consists of two words....Anything Kitchen. And then I end up with cool gadgets like the julienne tool.

But anyway, it's summertime, why am I talking about Christmas? Right?

To julienne a zucchini for zoodles you can leave the skin on. Wash real good chop the ends off and start julienning.....just don't get the seeds. You can throw that part away or keep it and throw it into some stir-fry.

Three small zucchini gave me a bowl full of zoodles.

This is what I did to create this soup....and the reviews in the household were magnificent. Even a soup hater loved it.

Turkey Zoodle Soup

1 TBS olive oil
3 turkey breast fillets or strips, cut into bite sized pieces
1 chopped vidalia onion (small)
4 stalks celery hearts, chopped
2 large cloves garlic sliced
Lots of crushed black pepper
10 c. water
5 tsp. chicken soup base with parsley
1 small package baby carrots, chopped
3 small zucchini, julienned

Add the olive oil to the bottom of a dutch oven. On medium high heat, brown the turkey, onion, celery, and garlic all together until turkey is fully cooked. Sprinkle crushed black pepper over the meat and veggies while they are cooking. Add 10 c. water and chicken soup base. Add the carrots and simmer for about 10 minutes (until carrots are fork tender). Add the zucchini zoodles and stir into soup for about three to five minutes. You don't want them mush so keep an eye on them.