Creamy Potato Soup

Last week, I shared how I make my vegetable stock. Potato soup is a great way to use up your homemade stock. By adding a few vegetables, you can create a pretty substantial soup for just a few dollars. I used a bag of fingerling potatoes that were on sale for $1, and I kept the skins on. You can use any type of potato, but I would probably remove the skins  if I used a typical baking potato. Thin skin is okay in this case!

 There is something so comforting about potato soup in the winter.

I added bacon to mine, but you can easily leave it out. If you need an extra oomph in flavor, top with green onions instead!

Creamy Potato Soup
6-8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1.5 lb potatoes, diced
• 1 quart stock
• 1/2 c. half-and-half
• salt and pepper
• 2 slices bacon (optional)
• shredded cheese (optional)

In a large pot, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside. Cook onion, carrot, and celery until soft in bacon drippings (if vegetarian, you can use olive oil or butter), seasoning liberally with salt and pepper. Add potatoes and stock. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. Cook for 20-30 minutes until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat and puree using an immersion blender (Or use a food processor). Return to low heat. Add half-and-half. Taste, and adjust seasonings as needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish with crumbled bacon and shredded cheese. Enjoy!

Best Vegetable Stock

 As a graduate student, I try to get the most out of my groceries. Sometimes, it feels like I'm making something out of nothing. Today, I want to tell you how I make the most flavorful vegetable stock possible. I use this stock in my soups, but you could also cook rice or any other grain in stock for added flavor. 

For a couple years now, I've saved my raw vegetable scraps for making stock by sticking them in a large freezer bag. You can add pretty much anything, although I'd stay away from spicy peppers. I usually end up with tons of celery tops, onion peels, and stems from chard and kale. When the bag is full, I know it's time to make stock. My roommates probably think I'm totally weird. But hey, this makes some great soup for pennies!

I learned from Mark Bittman that you should roast your vegetables for a richer, darker stock. And, as usual, he is spot on.

Vegetable Stock
(Adapted from Bittman's How to Cook Everything)

Ingredients:

• 1 large freezer bag full of assorted raw vegetable scraps (approx. 1 lb)
• 8 c. water
• 2 T. olive oil
• salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread your frozen vegetables on a large baking sheet (there's no need to thaw). Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 30-45 minutes, until vegetables are brown but not burnt, turning once or twice throughout cooking time. Remove from oven, and use tongs to transfer your roasted veggie goodness to a large pot. Cover with water. Bring to a boil, and reduce to simmer. Cover and cook for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Strain, and use within a couple days or freeze for later.  This makes about 2 quarts of stock.

Creamy Pumpkin Soup

I'm one of those people who gets overly excited about kitchen appliances. For some time now, I've been eying those immersion blenders. And this year, I finally broke down and bought one. I couldn't be happier with my purchase. I adore soup, and immersion blenders make it so easy to whip up all kinds-- from black bean to potato to broccoli cheese. Last night, I decided to try making my first ever pumpkin soup.

I've always been a huge fan of sweet pumpkin dishes, and I can easily put down an entire pumpkin pie by myself. So, I was a little skeptical of trying this soup recipe.

I apparently had nothing to worry about. Turns out, the pumpkin flavor is super comforting in savory form. Make this now! Seriously!

If you can't find a fresh sugar pumpkin, try substituting a can of pumpkin puree. Or, you could use any variety of winter squash in place of the pumpkin. This recipe can be made vegetarian or vegan with some easy changes.

Creamy Pumpkin Soup
(Adapted from Bittman's How to Cook Everything)

Ingredients:

• 2 T. Butter (or olive oil)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2-3 carrots, chopped
• 1 lb. pumpkin, peeled and cubed
• 4 c. chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
• 1 c. half-and-half (or coconut milk)
• pinch chili powder
• salt and pepper 

In a big pot, cook onions until soft in butter over medium heat, seasoning liberally with salt and pepper.  Add carrots and pumpkin, then pour in the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, and reduce to simmer for about 30 minutes, or under pumpkin is very tender. Remove from heat, and carefully puree with an immersion blender (or transfer mixture to a large food processor). Return to a low heat, and add half-and-half. Adjust thickness with additional chicken broth or water if you like. Add chili powder, and taste to adjust other seasonings as needed. Serve hot.

Clam Chowder

This unusually snowy Tennessee winter calls for comforting recipes involving heavy cream, pork fat, and the like.

Clam Chowder

• 4 slices bacon
  
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 tsp. Old Bay
  
• 2 cups diced potatoes
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 2 7 oz cans minced clams
• 3 tbsp. flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
  
• 1 cup heavy cream
• dash hot sauce
  

In bottom of large sauce pan, fry bacon until crisp. Remove bacon. Discard most of the rendered fat. Add celery and onion, and cook until translucent. Add Old Bay, salt, and pepper. Stir in chicken broth, potatoes, and clams. Simmer until potatoes are tender (10-15 min.). Whisk together cream and flour, and add to pot. Simmer until slightly thickened. Add hot sauce if you like! Top with reserved bacon.

Serve with saltines, or a hunk of crusty bread!

Potato Chowder

This is the kind of food I want to be eating as the weather gets cooler.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups diced potatoes, parboiled (I like the red ones)
  
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped
  
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup milk, heated
  
• 2 cups chicken/vegetable broth, heated
  
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• salt, pepper, garlic, hot sauce
  

In the bottom of a big pot, melt butter over medium. Add celery and onion, and cook until softened. Sprinkle the flour over the veggies and cook for minute or two, until light brown in color. Stir in the milk and broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add potatoes and corn and simmer 30 minutes until slightly thickened and the potatoes are tender. Season to taste. You may leave it chunky or blend half for an even creamier soup.

This is really good served with cheese, green onions, and bacon!

Taco Chicken Soup

I am in the process of clearing out the family pantry and freezer. My mom has this habit of stocking up when she sees things on sale. This is an awesome habit in most circumstances, but sometimes it gets out of hand. For instance, what are we going to do with four containers of hot cocoa, in June? Anyway, this soup is awesome not only because it is a one pot meal, but because it cleared out a little pantry and freezer space. This is a basic recipe that you can adjust depending on what you have on hand. Don't have black beans? Pinto or kidney would work fine. No chicken? Try ground beef! Vegetarian? Double the beans and use vegetable broth. The possibilities are endless! Although we are trying to clear out the freezer, this soup would actually freeze really well! Perfect for a college student. :)

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion, bell pepper (mine was frozen)
• 15.25 oz. can corn
• 15.5 oz. can black beans
• 2 tbsp. chopped jalapenos
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
  
• 6-8 cups chicken broth
• 1 taco seasoning packet
  
• 2 cups shredded chicken (we had some frozen tenderloins)
  
• 1/2 cup rice
• 1/4 cup sour cream (optional)
  

Start off by cooking your onion and bell pepper in the bottom of a large pot in the oil. One they are soft and translucent, add the rest of your veggies and pour in the broth. Stir in the taco seasoning. Cover and bring to a boil. [If your chicken is already cooked, add it and reduce your heat to a simmer] If you are using raw or even frozen chicken like I did, drop it in at this time, lower the heat to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes. Remove the chicken, shred with a fork, and put it back in the soup. Simmer your soup for about 30 minutes so that all the flavors can develop. Add the rice and sour cream, and cook for an additional 15-20 minutes on medium until the rice is tender. Enjoy with a side of jalapeno-cornbread!