Chicken And Dumplings

Ingredients

 8 cups chicken broth
 1 chicken, cut into pieces or left whole
2 to 3 ribs celery, diced
1 onion, chopped
1/2 c. carrots, sliced
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. parsley flakes

Dumplings

2 c. baking mix
1/4 tsp. thyme, dried
1/2 tsp. parsley fakes
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 c. milk

Directions

In a Dutch oven, combine chicken broth, chicken, celery, carrots, bay leaf and parsley. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low and cook for 60 minutes or until chicken is tender and falling off the bone.

Remove the chicken from the broth.  When it is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and separate the bones and gristle from the meat. Cut any big pieces of meat into small bite size pieces.  

Return the chicken to the broth, carrots and celery mixture. Return to a boil then cover and reduce heat to low while you make the dumplings.

In a bowl, combine baking mix, thyme, parsley and salt. Stir in milk just until moistened.  Do not over mix or they will be tough.

Turn the heat up on the chicken soup and bring it back to a boil. Drop  the dumplings by tablespoonfuls into the boiling broth and reduce heat. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes and then cover and cook an additional 10 minutes.  Do not lift the cover during that time or the dumplings will be soggy.  

Remove dumplings with a slotted spoon and serve in bowls. 

Remember to remove the bay leaf before serving.

 

 Beef Vegetable Soup

This is a recipe from my childhood. I will admit, I never liked vegetable soup when I was a kid. However, after a while, I found that it was good when I put the vegetables on a cracker and ate it that way.

Now that I am grown up, I find that this is a fantastic tasting soup on its own, without the crackers. My mom would always use beef roast meat cut into cubes. She did not buy stew meat because that was always more expensive than just a regular roast. Beef stew meat is still expensive, and I don’t mind cutting up the roast myself.

The recipe calls for simmering for 1 hour, but I have found that if you put a lid on the pot and simmer for most of the day, you will get a much better tasting soup. It gives the flavors a chance to marry and the meat to become tender.

Ingredients

2 lbs. hamburger or beef roast meat
1 large onion chopped
3 c. tomatoes, diced
2 medium carrots, sliced
2 c. cubed potatoes
1/2 c. diced celery
1 sweet pepper, chopped
1 tsp. salt
1/4 c. rice
Pepper to taste
1 or 2 bay leaves (Optional)
8 c. water

Directions

Brown hamburger or cut up beef roast, onions and sweet pepper together in a cast iron skillet. Season with salt, and pepper. You can also use garlic and onion powder as well.

In a large sauce pot, combine tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, celery, salt, rice, pepper and water. Begin heating while the hamburger or roast cooks.

When the meat is done, drain off excess grease. Add the hamburger, or roast, onions and sweet peppers to the pot of vegetables.

Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 1 hour. You can also make this in a crock-pot.

Serve with bread or crackers. Remove the bay leaves as these are not edible.

 Chicken, Tomato and Orzo Soup

Tomato soup is comfort food. Add some chicken, orzo, herbs and spices to it, and you have a fantastic meal. This soup tastes great on its own, or with grilled cheese sandwiches.

Ingredients

4 chicken thighs or drumsticks
6 c. chicken broth
1 onion, chopped fine
3 cloves garlic, minced fine
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 (15 oz.) cans diced or crushed tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 tsp. tomato paste
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. rosemary
Pinch of red pepper flakes
2 bay leaves
1/4 c. parsley
3/4 c. orzo
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 c. heavy cream (Optional)
1/4 to 1/2 grated Parmesan cheese (Optional)

Directions

Simmer the chicken thighs or drumsticks in the chicken broth until the meat is falling off the bone. Remove from heat. When the chicken meat is cool enough to handle, remove the bones, gristle and the skin. Shred the chicken meat and set aside.

In a large heavy pot, sauté the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery in olive oil for about 6 minutes. 

Stir in chicken broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, basil, oregano, rosemary, red pepper flakes, bay leaves and parsley. Bring to a boil.

Add the Orzo, and shredded chicken meat. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the Orzo is done. Stir occasionally to keep the orzo from sticking to the bottom of the pot. 

Stir in the heavy cream. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Add the Parmesan cheese if desired.

Serve and enjoy.

**If you want a smoother soup, use an immersion blender before adding the orzo and chicken. Remove the bay leaves before blending, then blend the soup until smooth.

 Turkey Noodle Soup

Cleaning the meat off the turkey bones if a daunting task that seems to take forever.  So instead of standing at the counter trying to get all the meat off, why not make some great tasting Turkey Soup.   We often make homemade bread with this meal for the best tasting meal.

Ingredients

1 turkey carcass from a 12-pound or larger turkey
4 quarts water
1 onion, diced
2 to 3 large carrots, chopped fine
2 to 3 ribs celery, chopped fine
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
4 oz or 5 cups egg noodles, uncooked
Cut up turkey meat if you want more than what fell off the bones
Salt and pepper

Directions

Place the turkey carcass into a large pot. If it does not fit, you may need to cut the carcass up into pieces.  Pour in the water and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the turkey bones for 1 to 2 hours. The longer you simmer the bones, the better the soup will taste.  You'll want the meat falling off the bones. Remove the turkey carcass. At this point, you may want to remove the turkey meat from the broth and allow it to cool, so you can cut it up into smaller pieces. Then strain the liquid to make sure all the bones are removed from the soup. 

Measure 8 cups of broth out for your soup.  Place the rest of the broth in the refrigerator to use for other dishes.  Pour the 8 cups broth back into the pot.

Add the chopped up turkey meat, onion, carrots, celery, and bay leaves. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Stir in the egg noodles. Continue to simmer, uncovered, until the noodles are tender. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.  Serve and enjoy!

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup 

Ingredients

4 Tbs. butter
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, diced
3 celery ribs, chopped
1/4 c. flour
1 (4.5 oz.) pkg wild rice or 1 c. wild rice
Salt and pepper to taste
4 c. chicken, cooked and shredded
4 c. chicken broth or 4 tsp. chicken bouillon with 4 c. water
2 c. water
1 can mushrooms, drained
1 c. heavy cream (or use evaporated milk)

Directions

In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the onion, garlic, carrot, and celery. Cook over medium heat until tender, stirring occasionally to keep it from burning. 

Stirring continuously, sprinkle the flour over the vegetables to evenly coat the vegetables. Cook for about 3 minutes as this takes away the flour taste. 

Add the wild rice.  Stirring continuously, gradually pour in the chicken broth and water.  Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low. Simmer for about 30 minutes. 

Add the chicken. Continue to simmer the soup, stirring occasionally, until the wild rice is tender. This can take about 15 minutes more or less.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour in the heavy cream and add the mushrooms. Heat until contents are warmed, but do not boil. Taste the soup and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Easy Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

Who doesn't like bacon and a nice juicy cheeseburger? Well, this is a new way to serve those same flavors for a real, family pleasing meal. 

Directions

8 to 12 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 lb. ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
3 to 4 c. beef stock
4 c. cubed potatoes, or about 1 1/2 lbs.
1 c. celery, chopped
1 c. carrots, diced
1/2 tsp. red pepper
1 tsp. parsley
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
1 c. milk
1/2 c. sour cream
1 lb cheese, shredded or cut in cubes
1 Tbs. yellow mustard
1 Tbs. ketchup

Directions

In a large cast iron Dutch oven, fry the bacon until it is crisp. Remove from pan and place on paper towels to absorb extra grease. Remove all but a fourth of the bacon grease. Add the ground beef, onions, celery, carrots and potatoes. Cook and stir until the meat is no longer pink. Drain.

Pour in the beef stock. Stir in red pepper, parsley, basil, and oregano. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a bubble.

Reduce heat to low.  Cover the Dutch oven with a lid and continue to simmer until vegetables are tender. If there is not enough liquid, add more beef broth.  

Pour in the milk and stir in the sour cream until blended.

Stir in the cheese, stirring until the cheese is melted.

Add the mustard, ketchup and crumpled bacon.  Serve and enjoy!

Good Old-Fashioned Beef Stew 

 Not many meals warms the tummy and comforts the body better then a big bowl of beef stew. This is another one of those recipes I remember from my childhood. My mother would make it quite often when the days grew cold and the wind came out of the north.

She could have easily opened a can of beef stew and set it on the stove to heat, but money was tight.  Of course, money is still tight in my household. We try to make satisfying meals that are healthy, easy to prepare and will save money.

You can make this stew in a number of ways.  You can use the vegetables in the ingredient list, or you can leave some of them out or replace them with the vegetables you like best.

Most of the time, we omit the bacon. And, if you are on a really tight budget, leave the bacon out. It is mostly added in this recipe for the flavor. 

Ingredients

3 slices bacon (Optional)
2 lbs. beef stew meat * see note below
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced (I generally use the entire garlic head. We love garlic!)
2 cubes beef bouillon or 2 tsp. bouillon granules
6 c. boiling water
2 Tbs. Tomato paste
6 potatoes, cut into cubes
2 carrots, cut into rings or smaller pieces
1/4 tsp. thyme
2 tsp. Worcestershire
1/2 tsp. liquid smoke
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
1 small can sliced button mushrooms, drained
1 (10 ounce) package frozen peas, thawed and drained / Or 1 can peas, drained
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water

Directions

Place bacon strips in a cast iron Dutch oven. Fry them over medium heat until they are browned and crisp. Remove the bacon and set it aside for later. Drain away all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat from the pan.

Brown the beef stew meat, onions and garlic in the reserved bacon grease. Fry the meat until it is browned on the outside.

Dissolve the bouillon cubes or granules in boiling water. Carefully pour this into the Dutch Oven. 

Add tomato paste, potatoes, carrots, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke and bay leaf.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low. Cover, and simmer for approximately one hour, or until meat is tender.

In a small cup or bowl, dissolve cornstarch in cold water. Slowly pour this into the stew, stirring constantly. When the liquid has thickened, add the peas, and mushrooms. Cook until heated through.

Taste the broth to see if it needs more salt or pepper.  Serve.

Tips and Extras

* Instead of buying already cut up beef stew meat, I buy a roast.  I remove most of the fat and then cut the meat into 1 inch cubes. This tip will save you some money because beef stew meat is expensive, and you don't get as much for the price you pay.

* Substitute one cup of water with 1 cup of red wine.  Make sure to choose a wine that you like to drink. Don't use cooking wine, because there is too much salt in it.  

* If you want a little kick to your beef stew, add a hot pepper. I usually chop 1 to 2 hot peppers, depending on the variety, and add it with my onions.  I leave the seeds in, but if you want less heat, remove the seeds and discard them.

*If you want a thinner broth, add more liquid, or use less cornstarch.  For a thicker broth, add more cornstarch.

 Daddy's Bean Soup

My daddy would cook for us when he had the time, and it was sure a treat! One of his favorite dishes to make when the weather turned cool and cold was bean soup. He often used Lima beans in the large variety and baby Lima beans in his soup. Sometimes, he would buy a package of the 15 Bean Soup beans. Daddy would start cooking early in the morning and let it cook until it was time for supper. What I wouldn't give to have a bowl of his soup again.

Ingredients

2 c. Lima beans (big Lima beans, baby Lima beans, or a mixture of both)
5 cups water
ham bone with meat on it, or ham hock
1 onion, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Wash, and sort the beans in a colander.

Put beans, water, meaty ham bone or ham hock, and onion into a large pot.  Bring to a boil and then boil for 2 minutes. 

Put a lid on the pot and turn the heat to low. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally and adding more water as needed. After the first hour or two of cooking, add the salt and pepper.  Cook until the beans are soft and tender.

Serve with homemade bread.

Classic Chili Soup

Chili soup has always been a favorite of mine when I was growing up.  Instead of store-bought tomatoes in a can, my mom always used tomatoes she grew in the garden and canned in Mason jars.  She would always add some hot peppers to her chili to give it lots of flavor and spice.  I carry on this tradition of my mother's cooking. We grow a garden every year with plenty of peppers and tomatoes. Then, we preserve as much as possible until the frost takes the plants out.

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 or more jalapenos, chopped (Optional)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs. cumin
2 1/2 Tbs. chili powder
1 Tbs. garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (Optional)
2 Tbs. tomato paste
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes with or without green chilies
1 (15 oz) can chili beans, undrained *we use spicy chili beans in ours
1 1/2 c. beef broth
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
Optional toppings: sour cream, cheddar cheese

Directions

In a Dutch oven, add the ground beef, onion, bell pepper, jalapenos, and garlic. Cook until the beef is browned and no longer pink.

Stir in the cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper until well combined.

Add the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, diced tomatoes with green chilies, chili beans, beef broth and tomato sauce. Stir well and bring the mixture to a boil.   Lower heat, or you can put this in a crock pot to cook.  Cook low and slow for the best flavor, stirring occasionally.   Or if you don't have the time, simmer the chili for 30 minutes, stirring from time to time. 

Serve and enjoy. 

We like a spicy chili, but if you do not, omit the jalapenos and cayenne pepper. Sometimes, we add a squirt of catsup to our chili as well.  It just gives something to the flavor.

Potato Soup

Potato soup is comfort food to me. It is the perfect meal to serve on a cold day when you want to unwind and relax. It is one of my family's favorite soup to eat in the fall and winter months. 

Ingredients

6 bacon strips, diced
3 cups cubed peeled potatoes
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning
3 cups cubed peeled potatoes
1 carrot, grated
2 chicken bouillon cubes
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 c. water
3 cups milk *see below
8 ounces cheese cubed
2 green onions, thinly sliced, optional

Directions

Add potato cubes into a large pan and fill the pot with water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil and continue to boil until the potatoes are tender. Drain.

In a heavy cast-iron Dutch oven, fry the bacon until crisp. Drain all but 3 tablespoons grease. Add the onion, celery and garlic to the drippings and fry until the onion is translucent. Stir in flour and cook for about 1 minute. Pour in the milk, stirring constantly, so the flour does not become lumpy. Season with salt and pepper. We also add Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning to the mixture as well.

Add the potato cubes, grated carrots and chicken bouillon cubes, Cook and stir until the mixture is at a simmer. Do not let it boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer until potatoes are tender., stirring every couple of minutes, so the soup does not burn on the bottom.

Stir in cheese. Or you can just put the cheese in a dish and let people add their own cheese when you serve the soup.

** We often use 1 can evaporate milk, 1 1 /2 c. water and 1 c. whole milk. You can also use powdered milk as well.