mexican lime soup with turkey

Need another idea to use leftover turkey??
This is great.
Yes, another Tex Mex recipe but it's so so good.
Light but hearty with the addition of good-for-you-fat avocados.
Perfect and comforting but not too heavy after that big meal you just had on Thursday.
Try it!

Mexican Lime Soup with Turkey
Serves 4.
Adapted from Soup of the Day.
8-10 small limes
about 2 cups leftover turkey (or chicken!), shredded
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, minced
3 cups chicken stock (or turkey, if you have it!)
1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and diced

Cut 2 of the limes into wedges and set aside for serving.  Juice as many of the remaining limes as needed to measure out 1/3 cup juice.
Heat oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven.  Add the onion and saute until softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in garlic and jalapeno and saute until fragrant, about a minute.  Stir in stock, 3 cups water, lime juice, and oregano.  Add shredded turkey.  Turn heat up to high and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for about 15-20 minutes.
Serve, passing avocado and extra lime wedges.  Enjoy!!

chunky heirloom tomato soup

Another awesome tomato soup.
This one is chunky, which I'm usually not a huge fan of but when the tomatoes are in season, you really want to let their lovely texture shine.
Combining the red and yellow tomatoes gives this soup a beautiful, Autumn color.
Still not my favorite, but another close one!
Serve with a huge chunk of crusty bread and a nice glass of white wine.

Chunky Heirloom Tomato Soup
Serves 6.
From Soup of the Day.
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, chopped
3 red heirloom tomatoes, chopped
3 yellow heirloom tomatoes, chopped
2 cups chicken stock
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large, heavy pot, warm the oil over medium heat.  Add the onion, garlic, and carrots and saute until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the tomatoes, stock, and sugar, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Meanwhile, combine cream and basil in a blender and puree until smooth.  Let sit while soup is simmering.
Puree half the soup, return to pot, and add basil cream.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

avgolemono

Avgolemono is a rich, lemony chicken and rice soup.
It's a signature dish of Greece.
Creamy but bright and satisfying yet light, it's a great dish to have the day after Thanksgiving.
Plus, we added turkey.
:)

Avgolemono
Serves 4.
From Soup of the Day.
6 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup long grain white rice
4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely chopped lemon zest
1-2 cups shredded turkey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley

In a large Dutch oven, bring the broth to a boil over medium high heat.  Add the rice and cook, uncovered, until tender, about 15 minutes.
In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, lemon juice, and lemon zest.  Whisking constantly, slowly pour 1 cup of the hot stock into the egg mixture.  Reduce heat under the stock to medium low and slowly stir the tempered egg mixture back into the pot.  Add turkey and cook, stirring, until the soup is slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes.  Do not let it boil!
Season to taste and garnish with the parsley.  Enjoy!

chicken soup with gnocchi, basil, and parm

This is perfect for a warm, comforting meal with the taste of summer.
The basil and tomatoes and spinach remind of a warmer day but the soup is still substantial enough to heat you through in November.
It's great.
And great for leftover turkey too ;)

Chicken Soup with Gnocchi, Basil, and Parm
Serves 4.
From Soup of the Day.
2 small skinless, boneless, chicken breasts....or the equivalent of leftover shredded chicken
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups chicken stock
1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes
18 ounces potato gnocchi (frozen is fine but homemade is better!)
1-2 cups baby spinach, washed
1/4 cup chopped basil
Grated Parm for serving

Preheat your oven to 375*.  Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheets, brush with 1 tablespoon of the oil, and season with salt and pepper.  Roast the chicken until just cooked through, 18-20 minutes.  Let chicken cool a bit then shred into bite sized pieces.
In a large Dutch oven, heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and garlic and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add the stock and tomatoes, with their juices, and bring to a boil.  Add the chicken and gnocchi and cook for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat, add the spinach and basil, and stir until just wilted.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with Parm all over the top!  Enjoy!

ramen noodle soup with edamame

This is so easy.
And so flavorful!
And so cheap!
Win win win.

Ramen Noodle Soup with Edamame
Makes 4 servings.
From Soup of the Day.
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
6 cups chicken stock
3 ounces dried ramen noodles...and not the spice packet! (one package)
8 ounces spicy tomato sauce....you can find the "spicy" kind now in the regular grocery store, but if you can't, add more Sriracha
1 1/2 cups frozen, shelled edamame
4 scallions, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Sriracha, for serving

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add shallots and garlic and saute for 3 minutes.  Add the stock and bring to a boil.  Add the ramen noodles and tomato sauce and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add the edamame and green onions and cook for 3 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and Sriracha to taste and enjoy!

chili con carne

I love me some chili con carne.
I grew up with this stuff.
Being from Texas and all.

It's like a thick, Tex Mex chili.
With no beans.
And huge chunks of shredded, falling apart beef.
It's delicious.

Chili Con Carne
Serves 4-6.
From Soup of the Day.
2 pounds boneless beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup mixed peppers, finely chopped....your call as to how spicy or mild
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
8 cloves garlic, minced
4 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups beef stock or water
1 cup sour cream
Chopped cilantro, for garnish

Sprinkle the beef evenly with salt and pepper.  In a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat.  Working in batches, brown the beef on all sides and transfer to a plate.
Warm the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the same pot.  Add the peppers, bell pepper, and garlic and saute until the veggies get soft, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the chili powder, cumin and coriander and cook for about a minute.  Add the tomatoes with their juices and the oregano, season with salt and pepper, and stir well scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot.
Add the beef back in and stock.  Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat.  Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer, cover, and cook until the beef is tender and the liquid is slightly thickened, around 2 1/2 hours.  If too thin, remove cover and simmer for the last 30 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper, garnish with sour cream and cilantro, and enjoy!

corn and cheddar chowder

I love chowder.
Usually, it's clam or potato or something white-ish.
Today, it's corn and cheddar!
Couldn't resist.
However, this is not a figure friendly meal.
This is a hearty, thick, and delicious-calorie-laden (and worth it!) meal.
Enjoy!

Corn and Cheddar Chowder
Serves 6-8.
Ina Garten.

8 ounces bacon, chopped

1/4 cup olive oil

4 large onions, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup flour

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric (optional, I hate this stuff...)

12 cups chicken stock

6 cups medium-diced white boiling potatoes, unpeeled (2 pounds)

10 cups corn kernels (I use frozen)

2 cups half and half

1/2 pound sharp white cheddar cheese, grated

In a large stockpot over medium high heat, cook the bacon in the olive oil until the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions, bell pepper, and butter to the pot, and cook for 10 minutes, until the onions are softened.

Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, and turmeric, if using, and cook for 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and potatoes, bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Add the corn to the soup, then add the half and half and cheese. Cook for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is melted. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve hot and enjoy!