Creamy Potato Corn Chowder and Spicy Cheddar Muffins

Winter is always the time that I begin to crave nice warm bowls of soup. Thick, creamy soups are always a favorite around here. My girls have been sick with colds and my oldest requested chowder yesterday. This recipe really hit the spot for her and helped her sore throat feel much better! This is the recipe I came up with based on several I found on-line and from friends. It came out wonderful and will certainly be a staple for us. To go along with them I made Spicy Cheddar Muffins which were form a recipe I found at King Arthur Flour. I did cut down the cayenne quite, cut the pepper in half and added a little Smoked Paprika for extra flavor. They were wonderful!


Creamy Potato and Corn Chowder

2 1/2 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
1 bag frozen corn
1 onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
2 Qt. chicken broth
4 Tbsp. butter, divided
1/2 c. whole milk
2 Tbsp. corn starch
1/2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp. dill weed
1/2 block cream cheese
Season salt and pepper to taste
bacon bits and sliced scallions for serving

In a large stock pot, melt 2 Tbsp. of the butter. Add onions and celery and cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until veggies are soft. Add broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cover and let simmer for about 30 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Mash a few of the potatoes right in the pot to release the starch as a thickener. Stir the corn starch into the milk then slowly pour into the pot while stirring. Stir in cheddar cheese until it melts. Cut cream cheese in small pieces ans stir in until it melts. Stir in dill. Season with seasoned salt and pepper to your taste. Finish bu stirring in the last two Tbsp. of butter until melted. Serve garnished with bacon bits and sliced scallions.


Spicy Cheddar Muffins
(from King Arthur Flour)

2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour* 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) extra-sharp grated cheddar cheese, divided 1/4 cup (1/2 stick, 2 ounces) butter 1 cup (8 ounces) milk 1 large egg *To add fiber to your diet in delicious fashion, substitute 1 cup (4 1/4 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour + 1 cup (4 1/4 ounces) King Arthur All Natural White Whole Wheat Flour (or 100% Organic White Whole Wheat Flour All-Purpose Flour) for the 2 cups all-purpose flour.

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease the wells of a 12-cup muffin pan, or grease muffin papers and place them in the wells. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, peppers, and 1 cup of the grated cheese. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat together the butter and milk, stirring until the butter melts. Cool to comfortably warm (e.g., it doesn’t burn your finger when you test it), whisk in the egg, and pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir just till everything is thoroughly moistened. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling them nearly full. Sprinkle with the reserved cheese, then very lightly with paprika, if desired, for added color. Bake the muffins for 16 to 18 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center of one comes out clean. Remove them from the oven, cool them in the pan for 5 minutes, then serve and enjoy warm; or transfer from the pan to a rack to cool completely. Store muffins wrapped, at room temperature. They’re best enjoyed warm, so when you’re ready to serve, reheat briefly in the microwave (15 seconds or less), or in a preheated 350°F oven, lightly wrapped in foil, for about 10 minutes. Yield: 12 muffins.

©2007 The King Arthur Flour Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Albondigas

One of my favorite soup recipes comes from my mom. This is a traditional Mexican recipe and found in many Mexican restaurants. When the weather starts to cool off I can't wait to make this satisfying soup for my own family. It is great served with warm tortillas or homemade bread.



Albondigas

For the Broth...

3 qt. water
1 medium onion, chopped
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 tsp. dried oregano (crush in the palms of your hands to maximize flavor)

For the meatballs...

2 lbs. ground beef (use fresh beef, defrosted beef will make the meatballs look uncooked inside)
2 cloves garlic, minced fine
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt (or more to your taste)
1/2 tsp. pepper (or more to your taste)
4 Tbsp. masa harina (corn masa flour, found in the Mexican food isle - if you can't find this, use regular flour, do not use corn meal!)
3 fresh mint leaves, minced or 2 Tbsp. dried crushed mint
1/2 c. uncooked long grain white rice

In a large stock pot, bring water to a boil. Chop cilantro, onion and tomato. Mix together along with oregano. Add to water. Mix ground beef, salt, pepper, garlic, eggs, mint and masa harina. Make into meatballs the size of walnuts. Add to broth, reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer at least 30 minutes, skimming scum as needed. Serve with warm tortillas or fresh bread. We like to top ours with cheese and a dollop of sour cream or a spoonful of salsa. Corn chips would be great with this as well!

Crock Pot Potato Soup

The weather has been dreary and a bit cold lately... perfect weather for warm comfort food. Today I decided to make potato soup. This is a recipe I adapted from several I found in different cookbooks... taking what I know my family loves best to make a nice satisfying dinner. We're having Garlic and Herb Sesame Rolls to go along with it.



Crock Pot Potato Soup

8 potatos, peeled and diced
2 carrots, diced
2 leeks or 4 scallions, sliced
1 stalk celery, diced
2 onions, diced
1 c. diced ham or crumbled cooked bacon
5 c. water
4 tsp. chicken boullion
1 Tbsp., dried parsley
1 Tbsp. chives
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dill
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 c. butter or margarine
1 (13 oz.) can evaporated milk
1/2 c. shreded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 c. sour cream

Add all ingredients except milk, cheese and sour cream to crock pot. Cook 6-8 hours on high or 10 - 12 hours on low. During the last hour add the milk, cheese and sour cream, stir well then cover again and allow to cook until cooking time is done.

Bean Soup

With Mother's Day just a couple of days away, I've been seeing a lot of interesting and delicious sounding recipes on-line lately. One website that really caught my attention is a post on the Beyond Blossoms blog about cooking with flowers. Not only can you send flowers from their website, you can also find some really unique recipes as well. One that sounds really good is Carrot Cake With Thyme flowers. I love carrot cake and will be giving this one a try very soon!

I'm expecting an order from Safeway.com in the morning so dinner tonight is a sort of "clean out the pantry and fridge" sort of meal. It's simmering away on the stove right now and smells really good!

Bean Soup

2 c. dried pinto beans, sorted and rinsed
1 link smoked sausage, cut into bite sized pieces
3 strips turkey bacon, cut into bite sized pieces
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 stalks celery, diced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
1 small can no salt added tomato sauce
1/3 c. pearl barley
1 Tbsp. soul food seasoned salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. dried parsley

Add all ingredients except seasoned salt to a large soup pot. Cover with water to about 4 inches above the ingredients. Bring to a boil then turn down to a simmer and cover. Allow to simmer 3 - 4 hours or until beans are tender. Add salt and allow to simmer an additional 30 minutes. Serve with rice or biscuits.

Another Leftover Makeover

Last night I was trying to clean out the fridge since we will be getting groceries in a few days. In the back of the freezer I found a large Ziploc bag with leftover Arroz Con Pollo, a container of frozen cooked rice, a bag of shredded carrots, a chicken breast from a creamy baked chicken creation I had created and a single Sofrito cube. I decided to combine all of these and make soup.

I put all of these ingredients into the crockpot along with 8 c. of chicken broth and let it simmer all day. When it was done I removed the larger pieces of chicken and shredded them. The verdict? It was very flavorful but the rice was a little mushy (I happen to like it that way but hubby didn't). I served it topped with crispy tortilla strips, shredded cheese, a dolop of sour cream and a spoonful of salsa. It tasted great! There's plenty left for lunch today and I'm looking forward to another bowl :)

ARF Tuesday #7 - Taco Soup

I have been craving a good soup lately and in hoonr of ARF Tuesdays I thought I'd mix up a nice crockpot full. I apologize for the lack of a photo, I FORGOT to take one.

The ARF used here is pinto beans. I basically created this from a bunch of things I had in the freezer and fridge in anticipation of making space since I am grocery shopping this week. Here's what I came up with:

Taco Soup

1 c. cooked, chopped chicken
1 c. dry pinto beans, sorted, rinsed and soaked overnight
1 large can diced tomatoes with juice 1 carton chicken stock - I used organic but Swanson's will do
1 cube Sofrito
1/2 pkg. frozen sweet corn
1/2 c. chopped bell peppers (mixture of red, yellow and green)
4 scallions, diced
1/4 c. pearl barley a few sprigs of frozen cilantro (fresh is even better!)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small can green chilis (I didn't have any on hand but I always add some to my taco soup) Seasonings to taste - salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, ancho chili powder

Add all ingredients to crock pot. If needed, add water to cover by 2 inches then set on low. Cook for 8 hours. Check for seasoning then serve topped with tortilla strips, shredded cheese and sour cream (or in our case, plain yogurt). I served this with homemade rice-a-roni spiked with a little Penzey's Salsa Salad Seasoning.

Tags: Food, Recipes, Soup, ARF

Crock Pot Chili #2

Beans are a staple around our house. Be it crock pot chili, red beans and rice or just plain pinto beans, we eat them often. Tonight I made chili, but I used a slight varation on my usual recipe and it was different enough that I thought I would post the recipe. I actually like this version better, the flavor is deeper and richer.

I apologize for the poor photo quality lately, I have been having some problems with my camera and hope to have those resolved by this weekend (need to find time to sit down and read the booklet that came with it, LOL).



Here's my new and improved chili. We prefer ours not to be so spicy because hubby and the kids can't handle it but if you'd like to kick it up some, just add a chopped chili pepper like a jalapeno or habanero.

Crock Pot Chili #2

1 lbs. ground beef
1 c. dry small red beans (cooked)
3. c. water (or cooking liquid from beans)
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 c. each red, yellow and green bell pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
3 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tpsp. parsley
1/4 tsp. oregano
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatos with bell peppers and onions
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1-2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cocoa powder
pinch of brown sugar

Brown ground beef, drain. Add all ingredients to crock pot. Allow to simmer 6 hours on low. Serve topped with cheese and sour cream, with rice or crackers on the side.

Posole

Posole is a traditional Mexican soup, often served around the holidays, especially at New Years. I haven't made it in a while but today my 5 year old was asking me if I would buy some nixtamal (fresh hominy) and make some so I've added it to my list of menus for the week after Thanksgiving.

Nixtamal looks like this:

Nixtamal can be found in any supermarket in the Southwestern US in the dairy/deli cooler. In other areas of the country it can most likely be found in a Mexican or ethnic market. If you can't find it, canned hominy will do just fine.

Traditionally posole is served with a squeeze of lemon juice, a sprinkle of chopped, fresh cilantro, a few dahses of hot sauce and bollilos on the side.




Posole

2 qt. water
1 lb. stew meat (beef or pork cut into small cubes)
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 white onion, sliced
1 c. nixtamal, rinsed well (or 2 lb. can hominy, drained)
1 c. dried pinto beans, sorted and rinsed
1 Tbsp. New Mexico chili powder
1 Tbsp salt (or more to taste)

Bring water to a boil, rinse meat and add to water with garlic. When meat begins to brown, add salt. Mix in beans, nixtamal and onion. turn heat down to low and cook 3 hours or until beans and nixtamal are tender. Add more water and stir as needed while cooking.

Crock Pot Chili

It's getting a little cooler in the evenings which always makes me think of a nice warm bowl of chili. Mine is simmering right now and smells SO GOOD...can't wait 'till it's done!

Crock Pot Chili

1 lbs. ground beef
1 c. dry pinto beans or kindey beans (cooked)
3. c. water (or cooking liquid from beans)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
3 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. parsley
1/4 tsp. oregano
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1-2 tsp. salt
pinch of brown sugar

Brown ground beef, drain. Add all ingredients to crock pot. Allow to simmer 6 hours on low. Serve topped with cheese and sour cream, with rice or crackers on the side.

It's all in the soup!

It's been a slim week for groceries around here so I am in "soup mode"... meaning I am finding all I can that goes together to make a nice hearty soup for dinner. This is what I came up with for tonight... it's in the crock pot and smells heavenly! Think I'll bake a loaf of bread to go with it.

It's All In The Soup

6 c. water
1 can (14.5 oz) tomato sauce
1 Tbsp. each ham seasoning, beef bouillon granules, chicken bullion granules
1 c. Great Northern Beans, sorted, rinsed and soaked overnight
1/4 c. diced ham
1/2 lb. cooked ground beef
3 carrots, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1/2 bag frozen spinach
1/4 c. barley
2 Tbsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp. parsley
1/2 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. basil
1 bay leaf
drizzle of olive oil
1 C. cooked pasta

Add all to crock pot except pasta, allow to cook all day on low. Stir in pasta before serving. Sprinkle each bowl with Parmesan cheese before serving.

Under $150

Well, the pasta was a hit! The kiddos complained about the tomatoes of course, but that's to be expected :)

I just finished working on our next grocery list and it looks like we will be able to get everything for under $150 for the next two weeks. Our dinner menu for the next two weeks is as follows (breakfast and lunch are not specifically planned in advance).

Dinner Menus

Northern Beans, Rice, Corn Bread, Hot Dogs (leftovers from yesterday)
Aztec Stew
Turkey Casserole with broccoli (made with leftover turkey)
Pinto Beans, Corn Bread, Rice
Salisbury Steak, Roasted Potatoes, Green Beans
Spaghetti, Broccoli/Cauliflower
Butter Beans, Corn Bread, Hot Dogs
Leftovers
Hash, Mixed Vegetables, Homemade Rolls
Pinto Beans, Corn Bread, Rice
Tostadas, Refried Beans (made with leftover Pinto Beans), Spanish Rice
Teriyaki Stir Fry, Basmati Rice
Northern Beans, Corn Bread, Collard Greens
Leftovers
Baked Chicken, Macaroni & Cheese (homemade), Green Beans
Chili, Corn Bread
Leftovers
Beef Stew, Biscuits
Leftovers

As you can see we eats beans a lot! Besides the fact that they are my husband's absolute favorite, they are inexpensive as well as nutritious.

I found a great site that offers some great ideas for ingredient substitutions. This one is a big help while working on a grocery list, it helps you use what you have on hand instead of having to buy more ingredients for recipes.

Tonight we're having leftovers but tomorrow I'm going to make Aztec Stew in the crock pot. It's a recipe I created myself for several I compared in the Fix It and Forget It Cookbookand the Fix It and Forget It Lightly Cookbook. These are two of my favorites because they offer great crock pot ideas and have such a wide variety of recipes. Here's my recipe:

Aztec Stew

1 lb. cooked shredded chicken
1 Envelope Taco Seasoning
1 small can tomato sauce
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 c. frozen corn
1 small can black beans (drained)
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 c. hominy, drained
1 can green chilies, drained
2 c. chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large pot or crock pot and cook until vegetables are tender. Serve topped with shredded cheese, sour creme and tortilla chips.

Pasta a Fagioli Soup

This soup is similar to that one served at Olive Garden. A small cup would make a great lunch and a large bowl is a satisfying dinner. Even my husband who does not care much for soup really likes this one.

Pasta a Fagioli Soup

1 c. ditalini pasta (a.k.a. salad-roni)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, minced
1 stalk celery, minced
1 carrot, minced
1/2 lb. ham or smoked sausage, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
2 (15 oz.) cans cannellini (or Great Northern) beans, drained and rinsed
4 c. beef broth
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. basil
2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese
1 bat leaf
salt and pepper to taste

In a large stock pot, heat oil. Add celery, onion and carrot and saute until tender. Add ham or sausage and garlic, cook stirring for about one minute. Add remaining ingredients (EXCEPT FOR PASTA) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir well and add pasta. Cook for 9 more minutes or until pasta is tender. Remove bay leaf. Serve garnished with additional Parmesan cheese.

Italian Wedding Soup

I first had this soup at a little deli near our house. It was so warm and satisfying, I knew I had to learn to make it. After doing a little research, I created this recipe which thankfully tastes just as good as I remember.

Italian Wedding Soup

For the meatballs:
1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb Italian sausage (mild)
1/4 c. bread crumbs
1 egg
1 Tbsp. flat leaf Italian parsley, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp pepper
olive oil

For the soup:
6 c. chicken broth
1 pkg. frozen spinach, thawed and well drained
1/4 c. grated Romano cheese
1/4 c. barley or orzo
1/2 onion, minced
2 mushrooms, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced

Make the meatballs by combining meat, bread crumbs, egg, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Mix well and form into tiny meatballs (about the size of a cherry tomato). Saute the meatballs in a little olive oil until brown. Drain meatballs on paper towels to absorb oil. Bring broth to a boil and add meatballs plus remaining ingredients except for Romano cheese; simmer until well heated. When ready to serve, ladle into bowls and top each serving with cheese and an additional sprinkle of parsley if desired.

Taco Soup

This is one of my favorite soups. It's so flavorful and satisfying and my family loves it. I love to make this with leftover ground beef from tacos and leftover taco shells.

Taco Soup

1 lb. ground beef, cooked
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 can Mexican style diced tomatoes
1/2 c. frozen corn (I prefer sweet corn)
1 c. pinto beans (cooked and drained)
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 c. hominy, drained
1 small can diced green chilies, drained
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in large pot or crock pot and cook until very hot and onion is tender. Serve topped with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and crushed tortilla chips.

Soups and Stews

Albonidgas
Aztec Stew
Basic Soup Recipe from Up A Creek Without a Patl
Bean Soup
Crock Pot Beef Stew
Crock Pot Chili
Crock Pot Potato Soup
Italian Wedding Soup
It's All In The Soup!
Pasta a Fagioli Soup
Posole
Taco Soup

Tags: food, recipes, cooking, soups, stews, crock, pot