Bacon Parmesan corn chowder

 6 oz bacon (or pancetta)

 1 medium onion, diced

 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or minced

 1 ½ tbsp whole grain mustard

 ¼ cup dry white wine (sherry worked fine as well)

 3 medium (Yukon gold) potatoes, diced (russet was fine)

2 c corn

3 c stock (chicken or other, for corn stock-see below)

 ⅓ cup heavy cream

 kosher salt, to taste

 coarsely cracked black pepper, to taste

 chives, thinly sliced for garnish

 shaved parmesan cheese, for serving

 

1. In a Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium high heat. Cook until browned and crispy. Using a slotted spoon, remove pancetta bits and reserve for topping. Remove all but 2 T fat. To the rendered fat, add the onions and garlic and cook until softened and fragrant, 5-6 min. Add the whole grain mustard and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.

 

2. Deglaze the pan with white wine and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add corn, potatoes, and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine. Add stock, bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer for 20 minutes.

 

3. Once the potatoes are tender, add heavy cream and stir to combine. Remove from heat (optional: using an immersion blender, blend the soup for 10-20 seconds making sure to leave some potatoes and corn intact). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with reserved pancetta, thinly sliced chives and parmesan cheese curls.

 

Original zwilling recipe had a first step for making your own corn stock: Using the back of a butter knife, scrape down 4 corn cobs into a stock pot, releasing the excess liquid and any extra kernels left over on the cob. Once done, the cobs should look dry and be free of any corn pieces. To make the corn stock add the chicken stock to the scraped corn mixture, cut cobs, 1 3 in piece parmesan rind and 1/2 lemon zest. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Once the flavors have melded together, remove the corn cobs, shaking out any excess stock, discard the cobs and if you desire you can strain the stock.

https://kitchenwindow.com/recipe/zwilling-pancetta-parmesan-corn-chowder/

Chicken and wild rice

 Ingredients

• 3/4-1 C dry wild rice (can do half wild rice and 1/2 brown rice or a blend), then cooked according to package
  
• Onion, carrots, celery (1 C each or to taste), garlic (1 large clove or to taste)
  
• 7 T Butter
• 2 C (or more if you like it very soupy) chicken broth (could also sub some white wine)
• 1/4 t each, dried or 1 t fresh, Thyme, marjoram, sage and rosemary (I used 1 t. herbs de Provence blend)
  
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Chicken breasts (I used 3 small ones, about 1 lb)
  
• 2 T cornstarch, 2 T gluten free 1-1 flour blend (is a sub for 1/2 C regular flour)
  
• 1 C Half and half (can also add 1 cup milk if you want it soupier)
• 1 t lemon zest (optional)
  

Instructions

• While the rice is cooking, in a separate pot, melt 1 Tbsp butter over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and celery and sauté 4 minutes, add garlic and sauté 30 seconds longer. Add chicken broth, thyme, marjoram, sage, rosemary and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Increase heat to medium-high, add chicken and bring mixture to a boil.
• Cover pot with lid, reduce to medium-low heat and allow mixture to simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 12 - 16 minutes (rotating chicken to opposite side once during cooking for thicker chicken breasts - if they don't fully immerse in broth).
• Remove chicken and set aside on cutting board to cool 5 minutes then shred into small bite size pieces. Leave soup covered over warm heat.
• If rice is finished, add it to the soup and use that pot or another saucepan to melt remaining 6 Tbsp butter over medium heat. Add flour/cornstarch and cook 1-2 minutes, whisking constantly.
• Then while whisking vigorously, slowly add half & half. Cook mixture, stirring constantly until it thickens.
• Add milk mixture to soup mixture in pot along with shredded chicken, cooked rice, and lemon zest. Stir well and remove from heat.
• Let soup cool slightly and serve with bread or crackers.
  

Adapted from https://www.cookingclassy.com/creamy-chicken-wild-rice-soup/

Ramen noodle stir fry

 2 pkgs (6oz) ramen (or try other thai noodles)

3 c water

8 oz boneless chicken breasts (1 large breast is sufficient)

2 t canola oil

1 large green pepper

chopped onion

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 c chicken broth (or just use leftover water from noodles)

2 t soy sauce

1 t seasoning blend (about 1/2 of ramen packet)

1 small tomato, cut into wedges (optional)

Directions;

1. Stir fry chicken in 1 t oil. Remove and cut into bite sized pieces after cooled. 

2. Cook noodles according to package. Leave however much water you desire in the pan, depending on how soupy you want it to be. Add chicken, any additional broth, soy sauce, seasoning, and opt. tomato.

3. Stir fry pepper, onion, and garlic in 1 t oil until crisp tender, using same pan the chicken was in. Add the noodle-pot full of ingredients and serve. Broccoli or other stir fry vegetables make a good side.

Cheddar Ham Soup

It's like a healthier version of mac and cheese, with veggies instead of noodles!

2 C potatoes, diced (and peeled if you'd like)
1 1/2 or 2 C water (or broth)
1/2 c sliced carrot (I made coins and cut bigger ones in half)
onion (I used dried minced onion with broth mixture and frozen chopped onion in cheese sauce)

1/4 c butter, cubed
1/4 c flour
1 1/2 or 2 C milk (I used skim with some heavy cream, recipe says 2%)
1/2 t. salt or much less (depends on if you use salty ham and stock or not)
1/4 t. pepper
2 C cheddar cheese
1.5 C fully cooked ham, cubed
1 C frozen peas (peas and carrots worked fine for us)

noodles, optional (it tastes like mac and cheese, so adding noodles can make it more appealing to kids)

1. In a saucepan, combine first 4 ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer covered, about 10-15 minutes (depending on size of chunks)

2. In another saucepan melt butter with some more onion for a few minutes. Stir in flour until smooth. Add milk, pepper, and salt to taste. Boil for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cheese until melted. Add to undrained potato mixed. Ham and peas can be added to either mixture, if one is finished before the other.

Cincinnati Chili

1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork
chopped onions (recipe says 4 but we do a lot less)
6 garlic cloves, minced
16 oz. can kidney beans (recipe says 2 but we did 1)
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/4 c. baking cocoa
1/4 c. vinegar (recipe says white vinegar but we did red wine vinegar which was good)
2 T. chili powder
1 T. ground cinnamon
1 T. Oregano
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
2 t. ground cumin
2 t. allspice
1 t. sugar
1-2 t. hot pepper sauce
3 bay leaves

1. Brown beef and pork, drain some of the fat. Add chopped onions. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 1.5 hours or until flavors have a chance to blend. Discard bay leaves.

2. Serve with spaghetti and garnish with cheese, tomatoes, and green onions.

Cheesy Broccoli Soup

1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 c. broccoli
1 large carrot, finely chopped
3 c. chicken stock
2 c. half and half
2 bay leaves
1/2 t. salt (a little more if using a stock with no salt added)
1/4 t. ground nutmeg
1/4 t. pepper (I used white pepper)

1/4 c. cornstarch
1/4 c. additional stock
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

5-6 bread bowls (8 oz)
Optional: could also crumble bacon or additional cheese on top

1. In stockpot, heat butter and saute onion and garlic until tender, 6-8 minutes. Stir in broccoli, carrot, stock, cream, and seasonings; bring to a boil then simmer uncovered until vegetables are tender (10 minutes).

2. Mix cornstarch and additional stock; stir into soup. Bring to a boil, stirring until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Remove bay leaves and stir in cheese.

Crockpot Chicken Wild Rice soup

The texture of this soup was too mushy on first attempt so I'm going to suggest here that we try adding some bigger chunks of carrots towards the end and much less flour/butter roux than the original recipe. Definitely should be served with bread or crackers. 

1 c. uncooked wild rice soup
1 lb chicken breasts
1 c. chopped carrots and 1 c. diced celery and onions (mirepoix plus extra carrots)
6 c. chicken broth
1 t. poultry seasoning (used Herbes de Provence; needed more) 
1/2 c. butter (try half of this)
3/4 c. flour (try half of this)
2 c. whole milk
a few tablespoons white wine (optional)
up to 2 c. additional milk or water, if needed

1. Rinse the wild rice. Place the uncooked wild rice, raw chicken, 1.5 c. mirepoix, chicken broth, and poultry seasoning in a crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. The chicken should be cooked through and the rice should be soft. There will be extra liquid in the crockpot; do not drain.

2. Try adding 1/2 c. chopped carrots about an hour before done. Using a fork or two, shred the chicken. As the rice, carrots, and chicken are about done cooking, melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and let the mixture bubble for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the whole milk until a thick, creamy mixture forms. Stir in the wine. Add this to the rice and chicken in the crockpot and stir to combine. Add extra water or milk to adjust the consistency as you like it. Season with additional salt and pepper.

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Chicken Potato Corn Chowder

Highly recommend with Red Lobster Cheddar Biscuits!

Ingredients:

- olive oil
- 2 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped

- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 pepper (red and/or green), chopped
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 tablespoon (smoked?) paprika

- 2 medium potatoes, chopped
- 1 carton (32oz) chicken broth (use less-- 2/3 of it?)

- 3 cups corn
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup milk (if you use skim milk, substitute some half-and-half or heavy cream for part of the milk)

Directions:

Cook chicken in olive oil. Let rest for 5-10 minutes, then chop.

Heat butter in a skillet. Add onion and chopped pepper. Cook, stirring, until vegetables are crisp-tender (3-4 minutes). Stir in flour and paprika until blended. 

Add potatoes and chicken broth to skillet. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, until tender (10-15 minutes).

Stir in the chicken, corn, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook, uncovered, until corn is tender (4-6 minutes) or until heated through if the corn had already been cooked. Add milk; heat through (do not boil).

Cream of Chicken Soup

To make cream of anything soup, just substitute the broth for another type. This recipe makes a little over a cup, equivalent to one can of soup. It will keep for a couple days in the fridge, but is best used the day you make it.

Ingredients:

- 3 tablespoons butter
- garlic, onions, and/or mushrooms (optional)
- 3 tablespoons flour

- 1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
- 1/2 cup milk

- salt and pepper

Directions:

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, then add the flour. Cook, stirring rapidly, until the mixture is thick.

Add the chicken stock; whisk until smooth. Add the milk. Bring to a simmer; cook, stirring, until thickened.

Remove from heat; add salt and pepper to taste.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

- 12 baby or 3 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 3 celery ribs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces or diced
- 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley or equivalent dried
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (a very small amount makes a big difference, so do half this amount if you don't like it spicy; can do more if you like it spicier)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seed
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- chicken (can use thighs or breasts, we usually do 3 chicken breasts)
- chicken broth (we like to use about 40 oz, but you can have more if you like it soupier)

-salt to taste, if the broth doesn't have added sodium consider starting with 1 teaspoon and go from there

-8-10 oz egg noodles (about 1/2-2/3 of a 16 oz package)

Directions:

In a 5-quart slow cooker, combine the everything except the noodles. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until meat is tender.

Remove chicken; cool slightly. Stir linguine into soup; cover and cook on high for 30 minutes or until tender. Cut chicken into pieces and return to soup; heat through.

Beef Stout Stew

Ingredients:

- 12 oz boneless beef chuck, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

- 5 teaspoons olive oil, divided

- 2 cups finely chopped onion
- 1 1/2 cups diagonally cut carrot (1/4 inch thick)
- 6 oz pre-sliced cremini mushrooms (about 2 cups)
- 3 thyme sprigs

- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic

- 3/4 cup stout beer (e.g. Guinness)

- 1 1/2 cups unsalted beef stock (e.g. Swanson)
- 1 tablespoon flour

- 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce

Directions:

Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add beef to pan; cook for 3 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove beef from pan.

Add another 2 teaspoons oil to the pan; swirl to coat. Add chopped onion, carrot, mushrooms, and thyme sprigs. Saute for 4 minutes.

Add tomato paste and garlic; saute 1 minute. Add beer; cook 1 minute, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.

Whisk together the beef stock and flour in a small bowl. Add to pan. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.

Stir in the beef; cook 1 minute or until heated through. Stir in soy sauce. Discard thyme sprigs.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Ingredients:

- 2 lb boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon canola oil, divided

- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 3 medium yellow onions, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
- 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 nut brown ale (12 oz)

- 1 cup unsalted beef stock
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 3/4 teaspoon pepper

- 1 1/2 lb baby Dutch potatoes, halved
- 1 lb carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 2-inch pieces
- 4 thyme sprigs
- 2 bay leaves

- 1/4 cup unsalted beef stock
- 2 tablespoons flour

- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves

Directions:

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle beef evenly with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Add 1/2 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add half of beef; cook 6 minutes, turning until well-browned on all sides. Remove beef from pan and repeat with remaining beef and 1/2 tablespoon oil. Remove beef and juices from pan.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onions and garlic; saute for 4 minutes. Add ale. Bring to a boil; cook for 2 minutes. Stir in 1 cup stock, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then pour into a 6-quart slow cooker.

Add beef, potatoes, carrots, thyme, and bay leaves. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours.

Whisk together 1/4 cup beef stock and flour. Stir into stew; cook 15 minutes or until thickened. Stir in mustard and vinegar. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Sprinkle with parsley.

Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients:

- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning or herbes de provence
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast

- 1 cup flour
- 3 cups milk

- 2 cups frozen peas and carrots (or frozen mixed vegetables)

- 2 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon butter, softened
- 1 cup milk

Directions:

In a large pot (preferably a Dutch oven, as a large steel pot may get too hot) over medium heat, combine the first 10 ingredients. Cover and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, cut chicken breast into bite-sized pieces. Add to soup mixture. Stir to combine; cover.

In a sealable container, combine 1 cup flour with 3 cups milk. Seal tightly; shake vigorously to combine well to create a slurry. Slowly pour the slurry into the broth, stirring constantly. Add frozen vegetables; cover.

Combine the last 5 ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix well with a fork.

Remove cover from stew and stir well. Drop dumpling mixture into stew one tablespoon at a time.

Reduce heat to simmer. Cover; cook for 10 minutes.

Sour Cream & Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients:

- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped
- 1 cup celery, chopped
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1/8 teaspoon flour
- 1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth
- 1 3/4 cup wild rice, cooked
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups milk

Directions:

In a saucepan, cook bacon over medium-high heat until bacon begins to brown, about 3-5 minutes.

Add onion and celery to bacon. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until bacon is brown and vegetables are crisp-tender, about 5-7 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium. Stir in flour and pepper.

Whisk in the broth. Cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly, or until the mixture thickens and comes to a full boil. Boil for one minutes, stirring constantly.

Stir in the wild rice, sour cream, and milk. Continue cooking until heated through, 4-6 minutes.

Chicken Tortellini Soup with Sage Pesto

Holy cow, delicious food! Combine cheesy tortellini with sauteed chicken, and fantastic homemade sage pesto.

Ingredients:

- 1 cup walnuts
- 1 cup tightly packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves
- 1 clove garlic, smashed
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup grated Romano cheese
- salt and pepper

- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- salt and pepper
- 6 oz chicken breast
- 8 cups chicken stock (or less if you want it to be less "soupy")
- 9 oz fresh cheese tortellini
- grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
- parsley

Directions:

To make the pesto: combine the nuts, parsley, sage, and garlic in a food processor until coarsely ground. With the motor running, slowly add 1/3 cup of the oil until the mixture is emulsified. Add the cheese, salt, and pepper; pulse a few times until it reaches a loose-paste consistency. Scrape into a bowl.

To make the soup: heat the canola oil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper on both sides; cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Remove chicken to a plate. Drain any fat left in the pan, then add the chicken stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Replace the chicken into the stock; cover the pan tightly and remove the heat. Let the chicken sit in the hot broth until cooked through (about 8 minutes). Remove the chicken breast to a plate and let cool for 10 minutes, then shred into small pieces.

Return the stock to high heat and bring to a boil. Add the tortellini and cook until tender (about 7 minutes). Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the shredded chicken. Ladle soup into bowls and add a scoop of sage pesto and a sprinkling of cheese; garnish with parsley.