Market Street Clam Chowder

This soup is so yummy, and even better with sour dough bread, or served in bread bowls. Enjoy!

1 cup potatoes, diced 1/2 inch
1 cup celery, diced 1/2 inch
1 cup onion, diced 1/2 inch
1 cup green pepper, diced 1/2 inch
1 cup leeks, diced 1/2 inch
3/4 chopped clams (canned or fresh)
3/4 Tbsp coarse ground black pepper
1 1/2 Tbsp salt
3/4 Tbsp whole thyme
6 bay leaves
1 tsp Tabasco
3/4 sherry wine (i use water)
2 cups water
3/4 clam juice (drained from canned clams or purchased separately in can)
3/4 butter, melted
1 cup flour
2 quarts half and half

Method:
Combine water, clam juice, potatoes in large pot and begin simmering on stove.
Combine melted butter and flour in oven-proof container and back at 325 degrees for 30 minutes or until it starts to brown. Add remaining ingredients (except half and half) to large pot. Simmer until potatoes are thoroughly cooked. Stir butter-flour mixture into chowder and stir until thick. Mixture will be slightly less thick that cookie dough. Remove chowder from heat. Stir in half and half until blended. Heat to serving temperature, stirring occasionaly.

Serve immediately.

Butternut Squash Soup

A few years ago I discovered Moosewood (YUM!)...one of the first things I tried there was butternut squash soup. Since then I've been searching for a recipe that tastes as good as what I had there, and I think I've finally found one! I was perusing the internet and found this recipe on a blog. Unfortunately I quickly scribbled it down and didn't bother to write down the blog where I found it to give the owner the credit deserved.

2 1/2 cups butternut squash (peeled and cubed)
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 med. onion
1/2 tsp sage
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 TBS butter

Saute onion in butter, add butternut squash and cook for 10-20 minutes until tender. You can add 3-4 TBS broth to keep from burning. Add sage, thyme, and nutmeg and saute for 1 minute. Add remaining broth and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Cool and puree (directions noted that it is a disaster if you don't let it cool before you puree). Return to stove and reheat.

Southwestern Chicken Chili

We like making homemade chili especially because it's easy to keep all of the ingredients around the house. This particular recipe is a little different than regular chili, and it has become one of our favorite meals to throw together when we need something easy and low-key.

1 lb. chicken, cut up and browned with garlic powder
1 can black beans, rinsed, drained
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed, drained
1/2 c. salsa
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 can stewed tomatoes
chili powder, salt, and pepper to taste

Bring everything to a boil then reduce heat and cook until flavors are blended. (Or cook over low heat in crock pot.) Serve with cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips.

Curry Pumpkin Soup

This is one of my favorite soups for fall and winter. It's always a hit at baby and bridal showers too! It has a slight hint of curry, and you would never guess the ingredients include pumpkin!

Saute:
1 large onion
1 lb mushrooms, chopped small
1/2 cup butter

Add: 1/3 cup flour

Cook these a little.

Add & Boil for 20 minutes:
2 quarts chicken stock (broth)
2 cups canned pumpkin

Add when serving:
2 cups whipping cream
2 tsp honey
1-2 tsp curry
salt & pepper

Heat until warm, don't boil.

Yum!

Basil Tomato Soup

5 Strips Bacon
1 Rib Celery, Chopped
1/2 Cup Chopped Onion
1 Carrot, Peeled and Diced
1 Red Pepper, Seeded and Diced
1 Green Pepper, Seeded and Diced
6 Fresh Basil Leaves, Chipped (Divided)
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1 28 oz. Can Chopped Tomatoes
2 Chicken Bouillon Cubes
1 Cup Half and Half

In large soup pot, cook bacon. Drain all but 1 tablespoon drippings. Add celery, onion and carrot and cook 2 minutes. Add peppers, half of the basil and garlic and cook 2 minutes more. Add tomatoes and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add bouillon cues and stir to dissolve. Transfer soup to blender and puree in batches, then return to soup pot. Add half and half and remaining basil. Simmer over low heat for 45 minutes. Serve with toasted garlic or cheesy bread.

Kidney Bean Stew

As Fall is here I'm always looking for healthy comfort food recipes. We got this recipe courtesy of Chad's Grandpa Langer and it is a Carlos family favorite! From reading the ingredients it doesn't sound that good, but I promise it is!

You basically want an equal amount of each of the ingredients below:

1 lb. lean ground beef, browned
1 pkg baby carrots, sliced in circles
3-4 potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 cans kidney beans - juice included, do not drain
1-2 onions, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a crock pot and cook for 8 hours. I will be cooked after a few hours but it gets better the longer you leave it in. Towards the end of the cooking time it will get mushy and make it's own "gravy". This is so yummy with soda crackers and hot bread!

Tortilla Soup

6 tablespoons cooking oil
8 6-inch tortillas, halved and cut crosswise into 1/4 inch strips
1 onion, chopped
4 large cloves garlic, smashed
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 quarts canned low-sodium chicken broth
3 cups canned crushed tomatoes (one 28 oz. can)
2 bay leaves
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves and 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro (optional)
1 3/4 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 3/4 in pieces
1 avocado, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1/4 pound cheddar, grated
Lime wedges for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large heavy pot, heat the oil over moderately high heat.
2. Add half the tortilla strips and cook, stirring, until pale golden, about one minute.
3. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining tortilla strips.
4. Reduce the heat to moderately low. Add the onion, garlic and spices; cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.
5. Add the broth, tomatoes, bay leaves, salt, cilantro leaves (if using), and a third of the tortilla strips. Bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes; remove the bay leaves.
6. In a blender, puree the soup in batches; pour it back into the pot.
7. Add the chicken, bring the soup back to a simmer, and cook until the chicken is cooked through. Stir in the avocado.
8. To serve, put the remaining tortilla strips in bowls, top with cheese and pour in the soup.
9. Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro (if using), and serve with the lime wedges.

This is a recipe Dillon's mom gave me. It takes a little time to make, but I promise, it's SO WORTH IT! It's so yummy!!!

Sweet Corn and Crab Chowder

This recipes is worth the work. It does dirty a number of pans but it makes a really delicious brothy chowder. You can substitue shrimp or lobster for the crab or leave out the seafood and enjoy a corn chowder. Whatever you do don't use fake crab meat! (I got this recipe from the famous Chicago chef, Charlie Trotter)

10 ears of sweet corn
2 bay leaves
4 qts water
Salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
8 oz. bacon
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 large potato, peeled and diced
12 oz. crab meat, cooked
2 T. chopped fresh chives (optional)

Broth:
Cut off the kernels from the cob, reserving both the kernels and the cob. Place the cobs, bay leaves and water into a stock pot and simmer for 1 hour. Strain through a fine sieve and through away the solids. Season the broth with salt and pepper.

Chowder base:
Put half of the corn kernels into a saucepan with the cream and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until the cream is reduced to 2/3 cup. Put in blender or food processor and puree until smooth.

Cook the bacon in frying pan until the fat is translucent. Add the onion, potato and the rest of the corn. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes. Add the crab and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Put the corn puree into a large dutch oven or saucepan and add the corn broth 1 cup at a time until the chowder has the desired consistency. (A chef once told me that in the West, where they don't really understand chowders, they make it too thick. In the East, the home of chowder, they make it brothy.) Add the bacon mixture and cook for 5 minutes or until warm. Add more broth if needed. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve in bowls topped with fresh chives, if desired.