Creamy Tomato Soup

This was a busy, but productive Sunday for us. We got the house cleaned and partially decorated for Christmas. All of our chores that had been piling up are finally taken care of. Our credit cards are hot and Amazon stock is up. We're trying to do 100% of our Christmas shopping online this year so we don't have to fight the crowds. With all of this we still managed to come up with a tasty and incredibly simple soup. In searching for recipes we found that people seem to think tomato soup needs carrots, onions, and twenty other things. So we came up with our own recipe, paired it with grilled cheese, and had a great dinner.

Creamy Tomato Soup

Creamy Tomato Soup

2 28 oz cans diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 tsp basil
1 tsp onion salt
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Blend one can of tomatoes and 3/4 cup whipping cream until tomatoes are broken down and no chunks are left. Pour the mixture into a large stock pot and repeat for the other can of tomatoes and remaining whipping cream. Stir in seasonings and simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally. Serve with grilled cheese.

Chicken Noodle Soup with Homemade Egg Noodles

Winter reared it's ugly head this week in Minnesota!  We got a few inches of snow and ice, and it sounds like the cold temps will be sticking around for a while.  Growing up, my mom always made homemade Chicken Noodle Soup on days like today, so we tried our hand at this classic.  My favorite part about this soup are the homemade egg noodles.  My advice - take a few extra minutes and make your own noodles, you won't regret it.  Enjoy!

Chicken Noodle Soup with Homemade Egg Noodles

Chicken Noodle Soup

4 chicken breasts
10 cups chicken broth
6 medium carrots
3 large stalks celery
1/2 tsp pepper

Homemade Egg Noodles (click here for our recipe or if you are in a hurry you can find Egg Noodles in the freezer section)

Bake the chicken, let cool, then shred.  Coarsely chop peeled carrots and celery. Add 10 cups of chicken broth to a large stock pot and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken, carrots, celery, and pepper and simmer for 3 hours or until carrots and celery are cooked through. With 15 minutes to go, add the egg noodles and return to a simmer. Serve hot.

Homemade Egg Noodles

I remember my mom would make her Chicken Noodle Soup in huge batches, enough to feed an army (or our family of 6 for a week), and this meant there would be egg noodles drying on every flat surface in the house.  I thought my mom slaved over these noodles, but then I found a recipe and tried it for myself.  I couldn't believe how easy these were to make.  Nothing makes Chicken Noodle Soup like homemade Egg Noodles!  It may add an extra 15-20 minutes to your prep, but it is totally worth it.

Homemade Egg Noodles

Homemade Egg Noodles

3 egg yolks
1 whole egg
6 T cold water
2 tsp salt
2 cups flour

In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk eggs until well mixed. Beat in water and salt. Stir in flour with a spoon until combined . Once combined, separate into two balls.  Roll each ball out thin and cut into thins strips using a pizza cutter.  Allow noodles to dry on a baking sheet with parchment paper (or a clean cheese cloth).

    

Mom's Classic Chili

With temps dropping and a big winter storm moving in tonight, it was time to break out Mom's Chili recipe.  I know it's not technically "soup," but we were looking for something hearty for dinner and to have for lunch tomorrow.  This is my go to recipe for a classic chili.  In fact, I still use the original recipe my mom e-mailed me while I was in college.  Don't forget the Fritos Scoops, cheddar cheese and sour cream to make this dish!  Enjoy!

Mom's Classic Chili

Mom's Classic Chili Recipe

2 pounds hamburger

2 cans chili beans

1 can light kidney beans

1 29 oz and 1 15 oz can tomato sauce

1 8 oz can tomato paste

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Brown the hamburger and drain. Add browned hamburger, tomato sauce, and tomato paste to a large pot over medium heat. Add all spices and simmer for 3 hours. Add chili beans and kidney beans. Simmer for another 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve with shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream.

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

Hubby here. Wifey was not home today, so it was on me to make an edible dinner for us. We've been trying to spend less on food, waste less, and eat a bit healthier, so we've started meal planning. And continuing the healthy trend, today's soup is a bit lighter, but still delicious. We were both skeptical at first about a cauliflower soup, but I think it turned out great and we are glad we tried it. We started with this recipe and added a few of our own touches to get the flavor just right.

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

1/2 head of cauliflower

1 large potato
1 medium carrot
1 stalk of celery
1/2 medium onion
3 cups milk
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup cheddar cheese
1/4 cup flour
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic salt
3/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp paprika

Begin by peeling and chopping the potato into half inch cubes. Peel the carrot and chop into eight inch slices. Break down the half head of cauliflower into half to one inch pieces. Add the chopped veggies to a medium pot of hot water and bring to a boil and continue to heat for 10 minutes. Finely chop the celery and onion and pulse a few times in a food processor. In a large stock pot melt the butter and add the celery and onion. Cook over medium heat until the veggies become soft. Add milk and chicken stock to the pot and then whisk in the flour and spices. Add the boiled veggies and simmer over medium low heat. Stir in the cheese and continue to cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes until soup thickens. Serve with cheese flavored croutons.