Soup | Good Dinner Mrs Mellen

Tag: Soup
- Stracciatella- My Family Recipe
  
  Posted at 10:09 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Nov 2nd
  This recipe for Stracciatella is an old family recipe that my grandmother passed down to my mother and my mother to me. Every Italian family has its own way of making Stracciatella; some families use eggs, cheese, and pasta. Some families use only eggs and cheese. Our family uses spinach, eggs, cheese, and chicken. I love this outstanding soup that is a meal with a salad and a beautiful loaf of bread. I have included my mother’s recipe for Chicken stock, or you can substitute low-fat chicken broth. (chicken stock isn’t that hard to make!) If you use chicken broth, use 4 quarts. And I love chicken in the soup so just add 3 cups of cooked chicken. If you want a vegetarian soup, substitute vegetable stock, and omit the chicken.
  
  Stracciatella
  
  Chicken Stock
  
  1 4 1/2 lb 5 lb whole chicken
  
  2 celery ribs, cut into 2-inch lengths
  
  2 carrots, quartered
  
  2 medium onions, halved
  
  6 fresh parsley stems(without leaves)
  
  1 Turkish bay leaf
  
  8 black peppercorns
  
  3-4 qt cold water, enough to cover the chicken
  
  1 1/2 tsp salt
  
  Wash chicken well. My mother always put a tablespoon of sea salt in the chicken cavity for a few minutes and then rinses the chicken well. Bring all ingredients to a boil in a large 10-qt pot. Skim the frothy fat off until there is no more sudsy fat. Simmer for 3 hours, covered. Remove chicken to a large bowl and set aside. The chicken will be very tender and fall apart. Let cool and then remove meat from the chicken. Set aside The white meat is what I like to use in my soup. Pour stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl and discard the remains in the sieve. If using stock right away, skim off and discard any reminding fat. If you make the stock a day ahead and chill overnight, the fat will form on the top and easy to remove, making the stock lower in fat. The broth will keep for 3 days in the refrigerator or can be frozen for 3 months.
  
  Soup
  
  1 box 10 oz frozen chopped spinach
  
  5 eggs
  
  1 cup Parmesan cheese, plus additional for serving
  
  Cooked chicken about 3 cups cut into bite-size pieces
  
  Cook spinach according to package instructions; I like to microwave. Beat eggs well in a large bowl, adding spinach and 1 cup cheese. Bring stock to boil, add spinach mixture. Don’t touch soup for a minute or two. Then stir and reduce heat immediately to low. Continue stirring for 4 to 5 more minutes. Add cooked chicken—season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot, topped with additional grated cheese.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in light dinner, lunch, Soup | Tagged Italian Food, Soup, Spinach and egg soup, Stracciatella, Stracciatella Italian chicken soup
- Winter is Coming Vegetable Stew
  
  Posted at 8:31 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Nov 1st
  Winter is Coming Vegetable Stew
  
  Like The Seven Kingdoms of Westerly, I do miss Game of Thrones, winter is coming to New England. To ward off the frigid, snowy weather, I love to create tasty, healthy soups and stews filling but low in fat, salt, and calories but not short on flavor. My vegetable stew fits that description perfectly. Totally healthy, vegan, flavorful with just the right kick from the hot sauce. I make a big batch for future dinners when snowdrifts are blanketing our homes.
  
  Hearty Vegetable Stew
  
  2 tablespoon olive oil
  4 cloves garlic crushed
  1 large shallot chopped
  8 oz baby portabella mushrooms, sliced
  1 can(14.5 oz) petite diced tomatoes, Hunt’s no salt added
  2 cups vegetable broth
  1 tablespoon chili powder
  1 cup chopped baby carrots
  1 cup farro, rinsed
  1 can (15 oz) Cannellini Beans, rinsed
  Griller Crumbles, Morning Star
  2 tablespoon Franks Hot sauce
  
  In large stock pot heat olive, add garlic and shallot cooking for 5 minutes until translucent. Don’t brown. Add mushrooms cooking another 5 minutes. Combine tomatoes, vegetable broth and chili power adding to vegetables mixture. Add carrots, farro, cover, simmer for 15 minutes. Finish stew by adding beans, Griller Crumbles and Franks Hot Sauce. Simmer for 10 more minutes.
  
  Enjoy!
  
  October 30, 2020
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  Posted in Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Healthy, Main Dish, Main Meal, Soups, vegan, Vegetarian | Tagged Cold weather, Heathy, Soup, vegan, Winter
- Avgolemono Soup
  
  Posted at 12:00 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  May 2nd
  I was introduced to Avegolemono Soup when I married into a Greek family. My mother-in-law, a non-Greek like me, shared with me her delicious recipe. My mother-in-law usually make her soup with homemade turkey stock. Her recipe does not contain chicken or turkey meat, and our family prefers our soup prepared this way. And if you love lemon as we do use the juice of two lemons.
  
  What I love about this soup is that is is light in texture. It reminds me of spring with the underlining hint of lemon. I have a love affair with lemons, the taste, the smell and you can use the fresh lemon juice with baking soda for an wonderfully scented cleansing scrub.
  
  4 cups stock, chicken, turkey or vegetable
  
  1/2 cup orzo
  
  2 eggs
  
  juice of 1 -2 lemons
  
  salt and pepper
  
  In a large saucepan, bring the stock to a boil.
  
  Add the orzo, reduce heat and medium until tender but still al dente, about 9 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper and reduce heat to low; simmer.
  
  Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and lemon juice until smooth.
  
  Ladle about 1/4 cup of the hot stock into the egg-and-lemon mixture, add another 1/4 cup of stock, then whisk to combine. Do this until the egg mixture is warm. If you add the hot stock too quickly the egg mixture will curdle.
  
  Add the mixture back to the simmering saucepan. Stir just until the soup becomes opaque and thickens as the eggs cook, 1 to 2 minutes. Add more salt and pepper, if desired, and serve. Serves four.
  
  The recipe doubles easily for a larger group.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Soup, Soups, Springtime, vegan, Vegetarian | Tagged avegolemono soup, easy quick, Easy recipe, Greek cooking, Soup
- BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND APPLE SOUP
  
  Posted at 9:50 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Dec 22nd
  A good bowl of hot soup on a cold winter day, what better way to celebrate the Winter Solstice. Add a crisp salad, fresh bread and a glass of wine perfect for celebrating the changing rotation of the earth. I always felt there was something mystical about a solstice reminding me four times a year that the earth and life are transient, ever-changing and by embracing this fact life is perfectly imperfect.
  
  My recipe for Butternut Squash soup with a touch of apple captures the essence of the winter season with just a touch of aromatic spices that don’t overpower the squash and apple. I use store purchased cut and cleaned butternut squash when I make a small batch of soup; making the work and clean up easier.
  
  INGREDIENTS
  
  1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
  
  1 celery rib, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
  
  1 carrot, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
  
  2 Tbsp butter
  
  1 package(20 oz.) butternut squash
  
  1 tart granny smith apple, peeled, cored, chopped
  
  3 cups vegetable broth
  
  1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  
  1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  
  1/8 cayenne
  
  salt and pepper to taste
  
  1. Heat a large thick-bottomed pot on medium-high heat. Melt the butter in the pot and let it foam up and recede. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and sauté for 5 minutes. Lower the heat if the vegetables begin to brown.
  
  2. Add the butternut squash, apple, and broth Bring to boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes or so, until the squash and carrots have softened.
  
  3. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup, or work in batches and purée the soup in a standing blender.
  
  4. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, and cayenne. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  
  Enjoy!
  
  gooddinnermrsmellen.com
  
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  Posted in Apples, cooking, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Healthy, Soup, Vegetarian, Weeknight dinner | Tagged Apple, butternut squash, easy, Soup, vegetarian, winter solstice
- A Trio of Heart Warming Soups for a Snowy Day!
  
  Posted at 5:48 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Dec 30th
  One of my favorite things about living in New England is snow days! Mother Nature visits our part of the earth all winter long with the gift of beautiful fresh snow which means for most of us an impromptu snow day. Ah, safe in my warm home looking out on the majestic brilliant white snow falling in my back yard starts me thinking that it’s time to restock my freezer with home made soups to warm us all on the snowy winter days ahead!
  
  I’ve spotlight a trio of my family favorites heart warming soups for a snowy day or any day in fact!
  
  Garlicky Baby Bela Mushroom Soup with Brown Rice
  
  Making soup is so much fun on a cold wintry day especially when I use mushrooms. I make many different soups but I like this soup so much that I make it over and over changing a little here and a little there. Today I wanted the soup very flavorful add four cloves of garlic! Garlic sauteing filled my kitchen, so delightful.
  
  Baby Bela Garlic Mushroom Soup with Brown Rice
  
  2 tablespoon olive oil with Myer lemon
  
  4 cloves garlic, minced
  
  8 oz baby Bela mushrooms, chopped
  
  32 oz organic vegetable broth
  
  2 teaspoons Herbs de Provence
  
  1/4 cup brown rice, I used Trader Joe’s Brown Rice Melody
  
  Rinse mushrooms well and pat dry. Heat olive oil in medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add garlic sauteing for 5 minutes on low heat. Don’t let garlic brown. Add mushrooms; continue sauteing for 10 minutes. Pour in broth bring to a boil. Add herbs and rice; cover and simmer on low for 30 minutes.
  
  Spinach, cheese and egg Chichen Soup – Stracciatella
  
  This recipe for Stracciatella is an old family recipe that my grandmother passed down to my mother and my mother to me. Every Italian family has their own way of making Stracciatella, some families use eggs, cheese and pasta, some families use only eggs and cheese, our family uses spinach, eggs, cheese and chicken. I love this wonderful soup that is a meal with a salad and a beautiful loaf of bread. I have included my mothers recipe for Chicken stock or you can substitute low fat chicken broth.(chicken stock isn’t that hard to make!) If you use chicken broth use 4 quarts. And I love chicken in the soup so just add 3 cups of cooked chicken.
  
  Stracciatella
  
  Chicken Stock
  
  1 4 1/2 lb 5 lb whole chicken
  
  2 celery ribs, cut into 2-inch lengths
  
  2 carrots, quartered
  
  2 medium onions, halved
  
  6 fresh parsley stems(without leaves)
  
  1 Turkish bay leaf
  
  8 black peppercorns
  
  3-4 qt cold water, enough to cover the chicken
  
  1 1/2 tsp salt
  
  Wash chicken well. My mother always put a tablespoon of sea salt in the chicken cavity for a few minutes and then rinses the chicken well. Bring all ingredients to a boil in a large 10-qt pot. Skim the frothy fat off until there is no more sudsy fat. Simmer for 3 hours, covered. Remove chicken to a large bowl and set aside. The chicken will be very tender and fall apart. Let cool and then remove meat from the chicken. set aside The white meat is what I like to use in my soup. Pour stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl and discard the remains in the sieve. If using stock right away, skim off and discard any reminding fat. If not cool stock completely, skim fat and then chill covered. If you make the stock a day ahead and chill over night the fat will form on the top and is very easy to remove making the stock lower in fat. Stock will keep chilled for 3 days or can be frozen for 1 month.
  
  Soup
  
  1 box 10 oz frozen chopped spinach
  
  5 eggs
  
  1 cup Parmesan cheese, plus additional for serving
  
  Cooked chicken about 3 cups cut into bit size pieces
  
  Cook spinach according to package instructions, I like to microwave. Beat eggs well in large bowl adding spinach and 1 cup cheese. Bring stock to boil, add spinach mixture. Don’t stir for a minute or two. Stir and reduce heat immediately to low. Continue stirring for 4 to 5 more minutes. Add cooked chicken. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot, topped with additional grated cheese.
  
  Tortellini and Escarole Soup
  
  3 Tablespoon olive oil
  
  3 clovers garlic crushed
  
  2 shallots, chopped
  
  1 head of escarole, thoroughly washed and cut into bit size pieces
  
  1 box(32 oz.) organic low salt chicken broth, I love Trader Joe’s
  
  1 package cheese tortellini(9 oz) fresh or frozen
  
  Parmesan cheese (optional)
  
  Cook garlic and shallots in olive oil on low for 5 just until shallots are translucent. Don’t brown garlic (it taste bitter if you do). Add escarole, stir, coating escarole with olive and cook for another 5 minutes just until the escarole is wilted. Add chicken broth, tortellini, salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil, then simmer for 20 minutes.
  
  Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over individual servings if you want. Serve with fresh Italian bread and a salad for a wonderful fall meal.
  
  Enjoy!
  
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  Posted in Chicken, Soups | Tagged easy, garlic, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Soup, vegetarian
- Blizzard 2015 Provencal Vegetable Soup with Pistou
  
  Posted at 9:54 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Jan 29th
  On a snowy blizzard day or any day what could be more enjoyable than a bowl of homemade Vegetable Soup with Pistou. I make this classic french Provencal soup vegetarian by using vegetable stock. You can substitute chicken stock if you prefer. I also added one of my favorite grains, farro for an added nutty grain taste.
  
  Ingredients
  
  2 tablespoons good olive oil
  
  2 cups chopped onions (2 onions)
  
  1 cup chopped celery (4 stalks)
  
  2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 to 4 leeks)
  
  3 cups 1/2-inch-diced unpeeled boiling potatoes (1 pound)
  
  3 cups 1/2-inch-diced carrots (1 pound)
  
  1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
  
  1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  
  32 ounces (box) no salt added vegetable broth or homemade
  
  1 cup of water
  
  1 cube vegetable bullion
  
  1 teaspoon saffron threads
  
  1/2 pound haricots verts, ends removed and cut in 1/2
  
  1/2 cup farro
  
  1 cup Pistou, recipe follows
  
  Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving
  
  Directions
  
  Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot, add the onions, and saute over low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions are translucent. Add the leeks, potatoes, carrots, salt, and pepper and saute over medium heat for another 5 minutes. Add the vegetable stock, water, bullion, and saffron, bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender. Add the haricots verts and farro, bring to a simmer, and cook for 30 more minutes.
  
  To serve, whisk 1/4 cup of the pistou into the hot soup, then season to taste. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and more pistou.
  
  Pistou:
  
  4 large garlic cloves
  
  3 cups basil leaves
  
  1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
  
  1/2 cup good olive oil
  
  Place the garlic, basil, and Parmesan in the bowl of a food processor and puree. With the motor running, slowly pour the olive oil down the feed tube to make a paste. Pour into container placing plastic wrap directly on the Pistou surface. It can be made two days ahead and refrigerated.
  
  Yield: 1 cup
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Easy recipes, Food, Soup, Vegetarian | Tagged pistou, Soup, vegetable, vegetarian
- Quick and Healthy Cauliflower Soup with Leeks and Gralic
  
  Posted at 3:11 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Jan 8th
  When the temperature dips to minus six in New England then it is time to start making batches of soup to warm you up on our cold winter days. This is a soup that is rich in flavor but low on fat and calories. It tastes like a creamy soup without any dairy product. A healthy choice for a light meal.
  
  Leek, Garlic and Cauliflower Soup
  
  1 tablespoon butter
  
  1 tablespoon olive oil
  
  3 large leeks, sliced
  
  1 head cauliflower, remove leaves and thick core and coarsely chop
  
  1 head of garlic, roasted
  
  2 tablespoon dry white wine
  
  3 14-ounce cans chicken broth, use light
  
  1 teaspoon snipped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
  
  salt
  
  Cracked black pepper
  
  sniped fresh thyme sprigs (optional)
  
  1. In a Dutch oven, heat butter and oil over medium heat. Add leeks; cook about 10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.
  
  2. Slowly add wine. Cook and stir about 2 minutes or until wine is almost all evaporated. Carefully add broth and cauliflower. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 30 minutes or until vegetables are very tender. Cool slightly.
  
  3. Transfer mixture, in batches to blender or food processor along with roasted garlic, cover and blend until smooth. Return pureed mixture to Dutch oven. Stir in thyme; heat thoroughly
  
  4. Season to taste with salt. Sprinkle with pepper and if desired, garnish with fresh thyme.
  
  Roasted Garlic: Cut 1/4 inch off the top of the garlic head. Place garlic in a garlic roaster or baking dish with a cover. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Roast covered at 350 F for 1 hour. Garlic will be soft. Gently remove cut garlic from the skin with a fork or small knife.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Easy recipes, Food, Soups | Tagged Cauliflower, Cauliflower Soup, dry white wine, garlic, Healthy, Leeks, roasted garlic, Soup
- Tuscan White Bean Soup with Murshooms and Fennel
  
  Posted at 4:48 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Jan 6th
  Growing up of Italian heritage I have wonderful memories of my mother making all kinds of soup with beans, white beans, black beans, lentils, all different varieties. My mother taught me to layer my soups, you could say marry the different ingredients that just compliment each other for a deliciously flavorful satisfying soup. When I wanted to make a vegetarian white bean soup I added fennel and mushrooms to complement the beans, shallots, and garlic for flavor, plus giving more substance to the soup making it a nice light meal. This soup is perfect for a cold winter day, filling and warming!
  
  Tuscan White Bean Soup with Mushroom and Fennel
  2 tablespoon olive oil
  2 shallots, chopped
  4 cloves garlic, chopped
  1/2 bulb fennel, chopped
  8 oz white button mushrooms, chopped
  1 sage leaf
  3 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans drained and rinsed
  4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  1/2 cup dry white wine
  1 vegetable bouillon cube
  1 cup of water
  1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  6 slices French baguette
  Extra olive oil, for drizzling
  
  Place a medium, heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add olive oil, garlic, and shallot. Cook, stirring occasionally until they are softened, about 5 minutes. Add fennel and mushrooms cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add the sage and beans: stir to combine. Add the stock, wine, vegetable bouillon cube and water bring the mixture to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 20 minutes. Keep warm, covered, over very low heat.
  Place a grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle the slices of ciabatta bread with extra-virgin olive oil. Grill the bread until warm and golden grill marks appear, about 3 minutes on each side. Serve the soup in bowls with the grilled bread alongside.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Fennel, Mushrooms, Soup, Tuscan White Bean Soup, White Bean
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