Someone forgot to tell the weatherman that November is an autumn month. The forecast for the next several days sounds more like winter. By the time this column comes out in the newspaper, we will know if we have descended to the predicted lows, which could be record-breaking. All I have to say is “Brrrrrrr!”
Since last week’s weather forecast kept mentioning the cold front headed our direction, I decided that this would be an excellent time to get out some soup recipes. I‘m sure that I am not the only one who loves to enjoy a hot bowl of soup on cold, dreary days. I have featured plenty of soups in the past, and could fill up several columns with previous submissions; however, I wanted to include at least one new recipe this time. With that in mind, I began cookbook browsing. My search for a different recipe ended quickly when I discovered one for Chicken Chowder.
Knowing that I like to use cooked chicken in a lot of dishes, I have formed a habit of keeping cubed, cooked chicken in my freezer. I purchase large trays of boneless, skinless chicken breasts for that purpose. To prepare them, I trim off the fat and any pieces of gristle, bone, or other tissue that I don’t want on my finished product. However, I don’t throw them away; I place them in a medium-sized saucepan and fill the pan with water. Then I bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and let it simmer for a few hours, adding water as necessary. When the contents of the pan are strained, they make a tasty broth.
Now back to the good parts of the chicken breasts. I slice them into pieces, removing the chicken tender, then cutting the rest first lengthwise, then crosswise. Those pieces go in a steamer basket in my pressure cooker, keeping them out of the water I place in the bottom of it. Once the cooker comes up to pressure, I count 25-30 minutes of cooking time, depending on the amount of chicken in the pot. After the pressure is reduced from my pan, I usually take out the chicken and refrigerate it until it is sufficiently cooled. This allows me to cut it more easily and keeps it from falling apart. Once cubed, I pop it into a freezer bag and save it for a “soup-er” day. And of course I use the broth left in the pan!
Since I had just completed the process of readying chicken for future use, I was well-stocked with meat and broth for Chicken Chowder. I also had everything else I needed to complete the recipe. While preparing the chowder, I wondered if it would require more seasoning, but decided to leave the ingredient list alone instead of experimenting (which is highly unusual on my part). I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised to find that sometimes plain is better; I even had seconds.
Several years ago, I developed a recipe that I call “Creamy Turkey Noodle Soup.” (For those who can’t have dairy, I have since made it with unsweetened almond milk, and it turned out fine.) My family loved it, and it became one of our favorites, but there is a funny story that goes with it:
One time I was making my turkey noodle soup, and I realized I didn’t have any rubbed thyme. I substituted dried thyme leaves. My hubby took one bite of the soup and asked if it was a new recipe. When informed that it was a soup he loved and had asked for again, he said he would NEVER have asked for that soup, and please do not serve it to him anymore. It was too “herby.” The next time I made it, I used rubbed thyme, and my hubby went on and on about what a great recipe it was. I guess it just goes to show that there is no thyme like the rubbed thyme…
Another soup I concocted one evening also became a requested menu item for my family. I wanted something without meat and came up with “Refried Bean Soup.” We don’t use spoons when we eat it; we scoop it out of our bowls with tortilla chips.
Want something on the sweeter side? Try my fruit soup. My late hubby was unsure about it until he tried it, then he couldn’t get enough. We enjoyed it cold, too.
Chicken Chowder
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
2 cups diced, cooked chicken
1 (14.5-ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Place broth in large saucepan; add potatoes, carrots, and salt. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10-12 minutes. Add chicken, corn, tomatoes, and pepper; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Yield: 4 servings.
Creamy Turkey Noodle Soup
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground turkey (or 2 cups chopped cooked turkey)
2 celery ribs, diced
1/2 of a small to medium onion, chopped
(OR 1 tablespoon dried minced onion)
1/2 to 1 Tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon rubbed thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 regular-size can chicken broth (or 2 cups homemade)
1/2 cup water
1 cup fine egg noodles
1/4 cup flour
3 cups milk (may use unsweetened almond milk)
Brown ground turkey, onion and celery in a Dutch oven, cooking until meat is no longer pink. (If using cooked turkey, do not brown but add after onion and celery are softened.) Add parsley, marjoram, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Add broth and water, bring to a boil. Add noodles; boil for 5 minutes. Place flour in a mixing bowl; whisk in milk until well-blended. Stir milk mixture into soup. Return to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until noodles are tender.
Refried Bean Soup
2 cans refried beans
1 can cream-style corn
1 can chicken broth
1 envelope taco seasoning mix
1/2 cup water
Shredded 4-cheese Mexican Blend
Tortilla chips
Place beans, corn, broth, seasoning mix, and water into a large sauce pan. Mix well and heat thoroughly. (Do not boil.) Ladle into bowls. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Serve with tortilla chips.
Sara’s Fruit Soup
May be served warm or chilled.
1 (20-ounce) can pineapple tidbits
1 (15-ounce) can mandarin oranges
2 large or 3 medium bananas (ripe but not overripe)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons corn starch
Drain pineapple and oranges, reserving juice. Measure 1/2 cup of juice; set aside. Place remaining juice in saucepan. Slice bananas into juice and add brown sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, until bananas are completely soft. Let cool and puree in blender, or (while still warm) use an immersion blender to puree in pan. Dissolve corn starch in reserved 1/2 cup juice; add to pan. Heat through over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture begins to thicken. Add fruit to pan and stir frequently until fruit is hot through. Remove from heat and serve warm. (To serve chilled, let cool and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours.)