Chicken Coconut Soup with Lemongrass

Back when we lived in the same city (many years ago!), my sister and I attended a cooking class at our local Williams-Sonoma store. Such fun! We came away with a few great recipes, one of which has been on this blog for a while (Chipotle Cheddar Chicken Cakes). It's time to put the other one I still make on this site so I won't lose it. The lemongrass in this is KEY. We serve this with sticky rice. If you want to pin this, head on over to the Williams-Sonoma site and pin theirs because they have a lovely photo of it.

Chicken Coconut Soup with Lemongrass

~Williams Sonoma

• 4 c. chicken broth
• 8 large slices peeled fresh galangal or 4 slices peeled fresh ginger*
• 1 large lemongrass stalk, cut into 2-inch pieces and crushed
• 16 fresh kaffir lime leaves, torn in half, or grated zest of 1 large lime*
• 2 (14-oz.) cans coconut milk
• 1/4 c. lime juice
• 2-3 T. Thai fish sauce**
• 2 T. light brown sugar
• 1 T. red chili paste
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 pound white mushrooms, sliced (I don't use)
• 5 small fresh red or green chilies, sliced cross-wise paper-thin
• fresh cilantro for garnish

*I use the more ordinary of these ingredients

**a strong taste--if you're new to this, use the smaller amount

1. Cook chicken in water to cover (season with salt and pepper) just until it's barely done (a step our instructor added).
2. Bring broth, galangal, lemongrass, and lime leaves to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute.
3. Reduce heat to low, stir in coconut milk, and bring to a simmer. Add lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar, and chili paste; mix well and simmer for 5 minutes. Add chicken pieces and simmer until tender (a few minutes). Add mushrooms, if using, and simmer for 1 more minute.
4. Float chili slices and cilantro leaves on top of each serving.

Serves 4-6

Sausage Tortellini Soup

Another recipe from YEARS ago (10!), so no picture for pinning. This is delicious!

Sausage Tortellini Soup

~my friend Betsy K.

• 1 pound Italian sausage
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, pressed
• 3 (14.5-oz) cans beef broth
• 2 (14.5-oz.) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (8-oz.) can tomato sauce
• 1 c. dry red wine
• 2 carrots, thinly sliced
• 1 T. sugar
• 2 t. Italian seasoning
• 2 small zucchini, sliced
• 1 (9-oz.) package refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini
• 1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Discard sausage casings.
2. Brown sausage over medium high heat along with onion and garlic. Drain and return to pot.
3. Stir in broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, wine, carrots, sugar, and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Skim off fat if desired.
4. Stir in zucchini and tortellini; simmer 10 minutes.
5. Top each serving with cheese.

Makes 10 cups (~6 servings)

Spicy Chicken Soup

A recipe from the days before I took photos of my finished meals. No pinning this recipe anytime soon! It's a tasty, hearty soup that makes a lot. Low-sodium products are recommended since there are a lot of canned/processed ingredients (salsa, canned tomatoes, etc). Note: this is a great recipe for a mountain cabin vacation. The few spices can easily be brought along and everything else is readily available even in smaller stores.

Spicy Chicken Soup

~adapted years ago from this top rated allrecipes recipe

• 2 quarts water**
• 8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves*
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 t. ground pepper
• 1 t. garlic powder
• 2 T. dried parsley
• 5 cubes chicken bouillon**
• 1 T. onion powder
• 3 T. olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (16-oz.) jar chunky, medium salsa
• 1 (14.5-oz.) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 can tomato soup**
• 2 c. frozen corn 
• 4 c. cooked beans: seasoned black beans, pinto beans, etc.**
• sour cream to top bowls

*use less if you have LARGE chicken breasts (which so many are these days!)

**one of the nice things about this soup is that you can mix and match your leftovers: leftover tomato soup, homemade chicken stock, leftover chili, ... just adjust liquid measurements accordingly (and remember that canned tomato soup is usually thinned on the stove--your homemade version might be much thinner already)

1. Combine water through onion powder in a large pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until chicken is cooked (up to an hour). Remove chicken and shred; reserve 5 cups broth. (This step can be done well in advance of the next one--just refrigerate until needed.)
2. Saute onion and garlic in olive oil in a large pot. Add all the remaining ingredients (including chicken/broth and NOT including sour cream). Simmer for 30 minutes.
3. Top individual bowls with a spoonful of sour cream.

Serves 8

Potato Soup

Too much month at the end of the money? LOTS of potatoes and turnips lying around from a CSA box or your garden? Or simply lingering because they last so long, you can afford to save them for the end of the grocery week?

I used up lots of my Colvin CSA potatoes and turnips in this simple, delicious soup. It's a basic potato soup that is kid-friendly, makes a lot, and is fairly inexpensive. There is time spent on the front end peeling and chopping and braising, but after that, it's fairly straightforward. It reheats fine, too.

Potato Soup
~based on techniques from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, Simply in Season, and Joy of Cooking

• 2 pounds potatoes
• 1-1 1/4 pounds young white turnips
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 6 T. butter
• 3 bay leaves
• salt and pepper
• 2 cups milk
• garnishes: bacon bits, chopped fresh parsley, shredded cheese

1. Start onions slow cooking over medium heat in 2-3 tablespoons butter.
2. Peel and roughly chop potatoes and turnips. Blanch turnips in boiling water for 6 minutes. Drain.
3. Add chopped potatoes and bay leaves to cooking onions and stir/cook for about 10 minutes, until potatoes are starting to brown and soften slightly.
4. Meanwhile, melt remaining butter in large skillet. Add turnips and 1 cup chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer (covered) until turnips are tender, 10-12 minutes. Note: entire turnips recipe can be made ahead of time and just added in when the puree step comes.
5. When potatoes have browned slightly, add 1 cup chicken stock to the pot and deglaze, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom. Cook and stir for a few minutes. Add remaining 2 cups chicken stock plus enough water to cover potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender.
6. Combine turnips (and juice) with 1/2-2/3 of the potatoes (and some juice) in a food processor. Pulse until mostly pureed but still slightly chunky. Add back to pot with remaining potatoes and stir in milk. Reheat and season to taste with salt and pepper.

~Serves 8

White Bean Chicken Chili

We're no strangers to chili around here--we love it red, black, and white, or red with a kick. Mmmm... But we've grown dissatisfied with our white chicken chili recipe (too much work, for one thing!). When I got tomatillos last week from the Colvins, I decided to look up chile recipes and see what I could find. Jackpot! This was delicious!! Bonus: I had all the fresh ingredients for it from the Colvins--garlic, onion, tomato, tomatillo.

 I imagine it freezes well since I have yet to meet a chili that didn't. I've heard, too, that tomatillos freeze easily: peel, wash, and throw in the freezer whole! So, you can stock up for this coming winter.

White Bean Chicken Chili
~adapted from allrecipes

• 2 T. vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 3/4 c. water (original calls for chicken broth)
• 1 quart box fresh tomatillos, husks removed, cored, and chopped, or 1 (18.75-oz) can
• several fresh tomatoes, chopped, or 1 (14.5-oz) can diced
• several fresh hot peppers or 1 (7-oz) can diced green chilies
• 1/2 t. dried oregano
• 1/2 t. ground coriander
• 1/4 t. ground cumin
• kernels from 2 ears corn or equivalent frozen
• 1 pound chopped, cooked chicken
• 2 (15-oz) cans white beans, drained
• salt and pepper to taste
• shredded cheddar cheese, optional topping
• sour cream or plain yogurt, optional topping
• salsa, optional topping

1. Saute onion and garlic in hot oil until softened (about 5-10 minutes)
2. Stir in water/broth, tomatillos, tomatoes, chilies, and spices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for about 10 minutes if using canned vegetables, 15-20 if using fresh. 
3. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Check for seasoning and serve with or without optional toppings.

~Serves 6-8

Butternut Squash Soup with Roasted Apple

We are partial to our favorite Butternut Squash Soup, but since I was able to get regional apples and fresh local apple cider in addition to more butternut squash from the Colvins, I figured I try this new recipe. It's a sweeter soup than our favorite and not as substantial (no dairy or anything to offer some staying power). It freezes fine, too.

Butternut Squash Soup with Roasted Apple
~from The B. T. C. Old-Fashioned Grocery Cookbook

• 2 pounds mixed apples, peeled, halved, and cored*
• 2 T. olive oil, plus more for the apples
• salt
• 1/4 t. pepper, plus more for the apples
• 1/2 c. butter
• 6 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 8 cups chicken or vegetable stock (or part stock/part water)
• 2 c. fresh apple cider
• 2 T. apple cider vinegar
• 2 T. apple butter
• 1 cinnamon stick or ~ 1/4 t. ground cinnamon
• 1/8 t. allspice
• 1/8 t. ground fennel
• 1/8 t. nutmeg
• dash cloves
• sprigs fresh thyme

*cookbook specified granny smith, but I used a mixture of local apples

1. Toss apples in enough oil to coat, season with salt and pepper, and roast at 425 degrees (cut-side down) for 30 to 45 minutes, until caramelized. 
2. Heat butter and oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add squash and onion and cook, stirring, until squash is soft, about 15 minutes. Add garlic and cook another 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients (except thyme). Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for about an hour.
3. Remove pot from heat, remove cinnamon stick if using, and puree. 
4. Sprinkle individual servings with thyme, if using.

~Serves 6-9

Farmer's Market Chicken Vegetable Soup

This is a perfect recipe for this time of year! I had nearly everything for this recipe from my last 2 weeks' baskets from the Colvins; in years' past, I would have had everything (but the weather kept those potatoes and tomatoes on the scanty side this year). No matter--those were easy enough to pick up elsewhere. The wine and fresh basil are optional, but they really are good in this. My roommate and I used to make this years ago before we each got married and before our budgets allowed either wine or fresh basil--and it was delicious even with substitutions.

Preparation Note: You can make this soup in about 45 minutes if you're strategic. Cut the vegetables up in order listed; you should be able to start cooking the potato pieces while you're working on the butternut squash, and so forth.

Farmer's Market Chicken Vegetable Soup
(titled in cookbook: "Chicken and Potato Soup with Fall Vegetables")
~Dairy Hollow House Soup and Bread Cookbook

• 2 1/2 quarts chicken stock**
• 3 c. dry white wine
• 1 T. tomato paste, optional (but adds good "oomph")
• 2 t. dried basil, or 1 c. lightly packed fresh basil leaves
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 to 2 cups peeled, seeded, and diced butternut squash (1 small to medium butternut)
• 1 T. butter
• 1 T. vegetable oil
• 2 large onions, diced
• 1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
• 1 fresh tomato, roughly chopped (scrape out the seeds)
• 1/2 pound fresh green beans, stems trimmed, and sliced into very thin 1/4-inch slices
• salt and pepper
• 1 1/4 to 2 c. diced cooked chicken**

**I only use 4 cups stock, and, if I don't have cooked chicken on hand, will cook a chicken breast in the stock with the potatoes and the squash (it's easy to pull the whole piece of chicken out as long as you do it before you add too many of the rest of the vegetables!).

1. Bring wine and stock to a boil in a big soup pot. Turn heat down to medium-low and let simmer. Whisk in tomato paste, if using. Add dried basil, if using. Add potatoes to simmering stock, cover, and let cook 10 minutes. Add butternut squash and recover.
2. Meanwhile, heat butter and oil together in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion for about 3 to 4 minutes, until translucent. Add pepper and cook for about a minute. Add tomato and continue cooking for another 3 to 4 minutes. Add these vegetables to the stock mixture (deglaze skillet with some hot stock). Simmer the soup for another 5 minutes, covered.
3. Add green beans to simmering coup and recover. 
4. If using fresh basil, slice into thin ribbons. Add basil ribbons to soup along with salt and pepper to taste. Add chicken pieces. Cook until squash and green beans are tender (about 5 more minutes). 

 ~Serves 5 to 6 amply

Carrot Apple Ginger Soup

I realize it's August and might not feel like "soup season" for many of you. But fall apples are coming in here in East Tennessee AND I got carrots and onions from the Colvins this week in my CSA basket. Ergo: this soup! I'm really sad that I didn't take a picture of my pretty carrots--with their tops on, too! But this soup is gorgeous in its own right, is very gingery, and will be a great recipe to have on hand for cold/flu season. The kids didn't slurp it down, but two proclaimed they liked it. Good thing since it's on their lunch menu tomorrow!

Carrot Apple Ginger Soup
~from Oh She Glows (you MUST check out her amazing photographs)

• 1T. olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced (1 cup diced onion)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 T. fresh grated ginger
• 1 large apple, peeled and chopped
• 1.5 pounds carrots, peeled and chopped (~5 cups)
• 4 c. water or vegetable broth (I used water with a touch of extra salt)
• pinch of nutmeg--totally forgot this!!
• Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Heat olive oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Saute onion for about 5 minutes, or until translucent (adjust heat as needed). Add garlic and ginger and cook for a couple more minutes (she says low--I did medium-medium high). Add apple and carrot and cook for a few more minutes.
2. Add in vegetable broth or water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender (I forgot about it and let it go 30...).
3. Let cool slightly and then puree in blender, with an immersion blender, or in a food processor with rubber gasket. Soups can be really tricky and explode everywhere if they're too hot and you're pureeing them, so pulse gently at first.... The whole batch fit in my big food processor, but you might need to do it in batches if you're using a blender.
4. Delicious-ness!

~Makes 5 cups (or more--mine definitely made closer to 8)

Beans and Greens Soup

Spring is unseasonably cool this year, so you may still be willing to eat soup in the middle of May! My friend Bridgette recommended this recipe to me. She notes that you can puree the entire soup at the end for those who find the texture of beans/greens offensive or if you're serving soup to a very young child who might need a smoother consistency. I'd say cornbread would make an idea accompaniment to this!

Beans and Greens Soup
~from my friend Bridgette; she says this is a "Blendtec" recipe

• 1 T. olive oil
• 1 med onion, roughly chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 c. water, divided
• 2 t. veg. broth powder
• 4 c. kale (6-8 leaves, ribs removed and chopped)
• 2 cans white beans, rinsed, drained, and divided
• 1/2 t. crushed red pepper
• 1/4 t. cumin (or double!)

1. Saute onion and garlic in oil over med-hi heat (about 5 min.). Add 1 c. chicken broth and kale to pan and cover. Cook until wilted, about 5 min. 
2. Blend remaining stock, half of beans, red pepper and cumin. Add blended beans and whole beans to pan. Simmer for 5 minutes and serve. 

~Serves 4

Pasta Os with Meatballs

I once tried to feed my kids canned spaghetti o's.... It did NOT go over well. My kids love some processed foodstuffs, but apparently Chef Boyardee does not make the cut. This recipes is America's Test Kitchen's version of the same and, let me assure you, even grown-ups will like it! (and it's one of my kids' favorite recipes)  The soup can be frozen up to 2 months, so you can make double if you'd like.

Pasta Os with Meatballs
~America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Favorites

• 6 oz. ground chicken (not chicken breast/99% fat free)
• 3 T. pesto
• 3 T. plain dried breadcrumbs
• salt and pepper
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped coarse
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped medium
• 1 small celery rib, chopped coarse
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (28-oz) can diced tomatoes
• 4 oz. ditalini pasta (about 1 cup)

1. Combine chicken, pesto, breadcrumbs, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and pinch pepper in a bowl and mix with hands until uniform. Use a heaping teaspoon to gently form the mixture in 3/4-inch round meatballs (about 28 meatballs), place on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until needed.
2. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, carrot, and celery and cook until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth and tomatoes with their juice, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the carrot is softened, 15-20 minutes.
3. Transfer soup to a blender and process until very smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Return the pureed soup to a clean pot, cover, and return to a simmer over medium heat.
4. Stir in pasta and reserved meatballs and continue to simmer until pasta and meatballs are cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Makes 4 (1 1/2 cup) servings. Goes well with a big salad.

Mom's Crockpot Country Chicken Soup

Here's a nice, easy, hearty soup recipe for a cold January night. Even better--it does its thing in your slow cooker while you putter around the house (ahem, taking down that Christmas tree, maybe?). This is a recipe from my mom.  (*the picture shows this soup with a few modifications based on what I had--just so you know. I used a cup of ditalini noodles instead of egg noodles. I also threw in some corn that was hanging out in the fridge as well as less chicken....)

Crockpot Country Chicken Soup

• 2 onions, chopped
• 2-3 carrots, sliced
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 t. salt
• 1/4 t. pepper
• 1/2 t. basil
• 1/4 t. thyme
• 3 T. parsley
• one 2.5-3 pound chicken, cut up (or equivalent chicken parts--can use all white meat if preferred)
• 4 c. water
• 1 c. egg noodles (uncooked)

1. Place all ingredients except noodles in crockpot in order listed. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or on high 4-6 hours. 
2. One hour before serving, remove chicken and chop (let cool slightly first).  Return meat to pot and add noodles. Cook on high for remaining hour.

Serves 4 amply

Gazpacho

I've tried gazpacho before, but I don't think I was ready; I'd only just barely learned to like fresh tomatoes. This summer, however, I've eaten it multiple times. If you're on a diet, it's a perfect food. If you have lots of seasonal summer produce, it's a perfect recipe. Don't want to turn on the oven? Try this. I like to top mine with sliced black olives. Croutons and olive oil are traditional.

Gazpacho
~adapted slightly from The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook

• 3/4 pounds tomatoes, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 small cucumber (or larger!), peeled (or not!), sliced lengthwise, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1/4 c. chopped onion
• few Tablespoons balsamic vinegar (half of a 1/3 cup measure)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• salt and pepper
• 2 1/2 cups tomato juice
• 1/2 t. hot sauce, optional
• 4 ice cubes

1. Combine tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber, onion, vinegar, garlic, and 2 teaspoons salt in a nonreactive bowl and season with pepper to taste. Let stand until vegetables just begin to release their juices, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato juice, hot sauce if using, and ice cubes. Cover tightly and refrigerate to blend flavors, at least 4 hours and up to 2 days.
2. Remove and discard unmelted ice cubes and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve cold.

~Makes 4-5 servings

Aunt Jeanne's Taco Soup

Try this easy recipe out sometime this winter! These ingredients are all easy to keep on hand (meat in the freezer), so you can whip it up at the last minute.

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 can stewed or diced tomatoes
• 1 can diced tomatoes with chilies (like Rotel)
• 1 envelope taco seasoning mix*
• 1 (16-oz) can tomato sauce**
• 1 can kidney or black beans
• 1 envelope Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
• 1 (16-oz) can corn
• toppings of choice (shredded cheese, sour cream or plain yogurt, etc.)

*You can make your own taco seasoning fairly easily.
**can leave out if you don't have on hand

Brown meat and onion; drain. Add all ingredients and cook about 1 hour. 

~Makes about 10 servings (can halve it by using smaller can sizes and leaving out tomato sauce if you use a whole can of tomatoes)

Busy Day Soup (aka Mean Soup)

Just what we need this time of year! It's cold and blustery outside, Christmas shopping or gift wrapping or baking is wearing you out, and the kids are hungry. Enter "Busy Day Soup." These are all ingredients that keep for a while (especially if your meat is frozen), so you can "whip it up" whenever. (This is from my friend Bridgette's mother-in-law and she calls it "Mean Soup".)

Updated 10/31/14: My friend Megan and I've discovered that you can adapt this soup easily to the contents of your pantry/freezer. We both have added bouillon or chicken broth to the water (if using a can of chicken broth, simply add it first and then add water as needed). I had some leftover green beans but no potatoes when I made the version pictured above. It's also good with a sprinkling of shredded cheese on top.

Busy Day Soup (aka Mean Soup)

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 c. chopped onion
• 1 c. sliced carrots
• 1 c. chopped celery
• 1 c. cut-up potatoes
• 1 (14.5-oz) can whole or diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• pinch of basil (or several shakes!)
• water

Brown beef and onions. Add remaining ingredients. Add enough water to cover vegetables. Cook for 30 minutes or till vegetables are tender.

Cuban Black Bean Soup

This soup is hearty and warming, but has a simple ingredient list. Enjoy.

From Gourmet Magazine (years ago!)

• 2 1/2 cups dried black beans (about 1 pound)
• 1/2-pound smoked ham hock, tough outer skin and visible fat cut away and discarded
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped fine
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 t. ground cumin
• 6 c. water
• 2 c. chicken broth
• 1 T. red-wine vinegar
• 1/2 t. sugar
• 1 small red onion, chopped fine (optional garnish)

1. Simmer beans, ham hock, yellow onion, garlic, cumin, water, and broth, partially covered, until beans are tender (about 1 hour; older beans may take longer to cook). Transfer ham hock to a work surface and cool until it can be handled. Cut away ham and chop fine, discarding bone and fat.
2. Transfer 1 1/2 cups each beans and cooking liquid to a blender and let cool slightly. Puree mixture carefully and return to pan. Stir in ham, vinegar, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste and heat until hot.
3. Serve soup sprinkled with red onion.

Makes about 8 cups, serving 4 as a main course

Serve with a salad and cornbread or chips (or over rice)

Red Lentil Soup with Garam Masala

This is a long-time favorite of ours. The flavors are Indian in inspiration, but are not the usual curry--more of an aromatic dish. The "soup" is quite thick, and we like to serve it over rice. Especially if you serve it over rice, this recipe makes a lot; half it or plan on reheating it the next day (it reheats fine). I haven't frozen it, but I don't see why it wouldn't freeze okay. The color is not very appetizing, but the taste is!

Red Lentil Soup with Garam Masala

From Gourmet Magazine (years ago)

• 2 1/2 c. dried red lentils (about 1 pound)
• 2 medium onions, chopped fine
• 2 T. vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 t. salt
• 2 t. chili powder
• 1 1/2 t. ground coriander
• 1 t. turmeric
• 3/4 t. ground cumin
• 3/4 t. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 t. cayenne
• 1/4 t. ground cardamom
• 1/8 t. ground cloves
• 6 c. water
• 2 c. chicken broth
• 1 t. black pepper
• cooked rice (we serve this "soup" over rice)

1. In a bowl, soak lentils in water to cover by 2 inches for 1 hour and drain in a fine seive.
2. In a 4-quart heavy saucepan, cook onions in oil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden. Stir in salt and spices and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Stir in lentils, water, and broth, and simmer until lentils fall apart (about 25 minutes). Let soup cool slightly.
3. Transfer soup to a blender in batches and puree carefully, transferring to a bowl. Reheat over moderate heat, stirring until hot, and season with salt if necessary.

Makes about 12 cups, serving 6 as a main course.

Serve with salad and cooked rice.

White Bean and Garlic Soup

'Tis the season for soup! This is simple, rustic, and tasty. Can be made ahead and/or frozen.

From The America's Test Kitchen Family Favorites Cookbook

• 1 pound dried cannellini beans, picked over and rinsed (other white beans can be used, but these are best)
• 4 ounces bacon, chopped (about 4 slices)
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 1 small head garlic, top third and loose paper skins removed and discarded
• 6 c. low-sodium chicken broth
• salt
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• pepper
• 1/4 c. minced fresh parsley
• olive oil (optional)

1. Bring beans and 6 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Simmer for 2 minutes, remove from heat, cover, and let soak for 1 hour. Drain.
2. Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate, leaving the rendered fat behind in the pot. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add broth, 1 teaspoon salt, and drained beans to the pot. Bring to a simmer and cook until the beans are tender, 40 to 50 minutes.
3. Remove pot from heat. Add rosemary sprig, cover, and let stand for 15 minutes.
4. Discard rosemary. Remove garlic and squeeze out the softened cloves. Mince the softened garlic and return to the soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, garnishing bowls with reserved bacon, parsley, and a drizzle of olive oil (if desired).

Serves 8

Basic Lentil Soup

This is from my college friend, Kathy. Simple, basic, filling, tasty, and inexpensive.

• 2 c. dried lentils (almost 1 pound)
• 8 c. water
• 3 slices bacon, diced
• 1/2 c. chopped onion
• 1/2 c. chopped celery
• 1/4 c. chopped carrots
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 1/2 t. salt
• 1/4 t. pepper
• 1/2 t. dried oregano, crushed
• 2 c. tomatoes, or 1 can (14-16 ounces)
• 2 T. wine vinegar

Rinse lentils and drain. Place in pot and add all ingredients except tomatoes and vinegar. Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours. Then add vinegar and tomatoes. Cover and simmer 30 minutes more and season to taste.

Basic Beef Stew

This is winter comfort food at its best: hearty, warming, and so satisfying. The red wine is optional, but really does add a nice touch.

Recipe from How to Cook Everything, 10th ann edition (with slight modification)

2 T. olive oil

1 clove garlic, lightly smashed, plus 1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1-2 pounds beef stew meat (chuck is good; chop into 1- or 1 1/2-inch cubes)

salt and pepper

2 large onions, sliced into eighths

3 T. flour

3 c. liquid*

1 bay leaf

1 t. fresh thyme or 1/2 t. dried

4 medium waxy potatoes (can use all-purpose as well); peeled and cut into small chunks

4 carrots cut into small chunks

1 c. fresh or frozen green peas

Chicken (or Turkey) Soup with Lentils and Barley

This is an easy, inexpensive soup to make and perfect for cold weather (and when you've had enough of rich holiday fare!).

From Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook, 11th edition

• 1 c. sliced leeks or chopped onion
• 1/2 c. chopped red or green pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 T. butter
• 2 (14.5-oz.) cans chicken broth (or 3 3/4 cups homemade)
• 1 1/2 cups water--1/2 c. more if using pearl barley
• 1/2 c. lentils, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 t. dried basil
• 1/4 t. dried oregano
• 1/4 t. dried rosemary
• 1 1/2 c. chopped cooked chicken (or turkey)
• 1 1/2 c. sliced carrots (about 3 medium)
• 1/2 c. quick-cooking or pearl barley
• 1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1. In a large saucepan, cook leeks/onions, pepper, and garlic in butter until tender. Carefully stir in broth, water, lentils, basil, oregano, rosemary, 1/4 t. pepper, and barley--if using pearl barley. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
2. Stir in meat, carrots, and barley, if using quick-cooking, and simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes more or just until carrots are tender. Stir in undrained tomatoes and heat through.

Serves 6 (makes about 8 cups)