[a trick] for thickening soups…

10/29/2011 by · Leave a Comment

I’ve mentioned this before (in my Cheddar Fondue Soup recipe) but I thought this trick needed its own post for clarification.

My secret for thickening soups (and we like most of our soups thick around here!)…

is Instant Mashed Potatoes!

I buy a big box of these Honest Earth* natural instant mashed potato packets at Costco, and use about 1/4-1/2 of a packet for each batch of soup, depending on how much there is or how thick we want it.

Some soups, like Split Pea & Ham, turn out nice and thick the second day when you reheat them, but sometimes not so thick the first day.

To solve this problem, I sprinkle in a bit of instant mashed potatoes and instantly we’ve got perfect soup!

*Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. Honest Earth doesn’t know anything about me… I just love their product because #1: it is natural - potatoes, butter and salt, nothing more… and #2: I can buy it at Costco!

Filed Under: ramblings, recipes, recipes - soup, recipes - tips and tricks ·

slow cooker cheddar fondue soup

10/23/2011 by · Leave a Comment

This cheesy fondue soup is a beautiful, rich, creamy fall treat. Lots and lots of cheesy goodness with the tang of a good full-bodied beer (I used an Alaskan Amber for this one!) and a smoky hint of spice.

It really does taste like a big bowl of fondue. Yum!

I am beyond obsessed with soups lately… I know I’ve used that word quite a bit recently, so if you’re keeping track: Soup + eggnog + pumpkin = my current obsessions.

There’s just something about soup when it’s cold out. It’s so comforting. Every part of it!

The mouthwatering smells as it simmers away all day long…

The rich soothing taste as you slurp it up with lots of fresh bread…

The fact that it tastes even better the next day when you heat up some leftovers!

Seriously… how does it get much better than that??

This soup really, really, really tastes better after it has had a day to sit and meld in the fridge.

So much so that if you are making this for company, I would suggest you make it ahead and just reheat it. You will be amazed at how great it tastes after sitting a day or two!

Please don’t be scared of the instant mashed potatoes. They are a great secret-ingredient for thickening soups quickly… and if you check the packages, you can find brands with no weird ingredients… just potatoes & salt!

(Oh, I added a bit of chicken to the soup… because we just love meat. And a little protein never hurts! But it’s definitely not necessary, so feel free to leave out the chicken if you want!)

Slow Cooker Cheddar Fondue Soup Recipe
adapted from The Gourmet Slow Cooker Vol II

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 celery stalks, thinly chopped
2 medium russet potatoes, cut into 1″ chunks
(1 chicken breast, optional)
1 cup full-bodied beer
6 cups chicken stock
1/2-1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3 cups shredded Tillamook medium or sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup, or so, instant mashed potatoes
salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:
In a skillet, sauté the onions is butter over medium-high heat until they are just brown. Stir in the garlic for a few seconds and then dump it all into the crockpot. (Alternately you can put the onions and melted butter into the crockpot on HIGH for one hour and then add the garlic and continue with the recipe below.)

Dump in the celery, potatoes, beer, stock & spices and stir. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, until the veggies are tender and the chicken is cooked through.

Take out the chicken breast and shred it or chop it up and set aside. With a potato masher, mash up the potato chunks in the soup, until it is creamy, but still a bit chunky. Add the chicken back in.

Add the cheese into the crockpot and cook on low, stirring occasionally, until melted. If the soup is not as thick as you’d like (we like our soups thick!) slowly sprinkle in instant mashed potatoes until it has reached the consistency you’d like and season wit salt & pepper to taste

Serve with lots of bread, apples & veggies to dip in it!

Filed Under: recipes, recipes - crockpot, recipes - freezer, recipes - make ahead, recipes - slow cooker, recipes - soup, slow cooker sundays ·

buffalo chicken corn chowder

10/10/2011 by · 1 Comment

Nothing says “Fall” to me more than soup.

So, when I was thinking about what to make for the fall-one-pot-meal theme of this week’s Holiday Recipe Exchange*, I knew it had to be soup.

And then the idea for this Buffalo Chicken Corn Chowder jumped in my head and just would not be pushed aside!

I knew the flavors would be a hit with the husband (and me… I craved buffalo wings with my last pregnancy, and still the thought of them makes me smile!), so I threw it together for Sunday dinner… and it wow… it was just as good as we hoped!

Creamy, rich corn chowder full of our favorite buffalo chicken flavors… plenty of heat, but not too spicy. This is a perfect meal for these cold fall days ahead of us!
I served this with Cheesy Garlic Biscuits and celery sticks. Such a comforting meal!
Buffalo Chicken Corn Chowder Recipe
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
3lbs chicken, chopped
1 large onion, diced
3 ribs celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Sauce
4 cups chicken stock
4 cups half & half
4 cups shredded cheese (cheddar, jack or a blend!)
1 (14.75oz) can cream-style corn
salt & pepper, to taste
blue cheese crumbles, for topping (optional)
Directions:
Heat the oil and butter over medium-high heat in a large stockpot. Sautée the chicken until golden brown.
Stir in the onions & celery and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot, until soft. Stir in the garlic and let cook for a few seconds, until fragrant.
Pour in the buffalo sauce and simmer for a few minutes. Stir in the chicken stock & bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Stir in the half & half, cheese, corn and salt & pepper and heat until the cheese is melted and the soup is hot. Serve with a small pat of butter, blue cheese crumbles and drizzle of more buffalo sauce if you want it spicier!

(This meal is perfect with some crusty bread for dipping, or my Cheesy Garlic Biscuits!)

*Come join the fun at the Holiday Recipe Exchange over at GoodLife Eats and My Baking Addiction! Le Creuset sponsored this week’s “Fall One Pot Meals” theme!

Filed Under: holiday recipe exchange, recipes, recipes - dinner, recipes - freezer, recipes - soup ·
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