soup

Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

By in Lunch, Main Dish, Meatless, Soup 7 Comments Tags: , , , ,

slow cooker french onion soup

When I made this soup for the first time I made a big mistake. Since my hubby comes home every day for lunch we usually reserve soup for lunch time. Since this soup takes 6-8 hours to cook in the slow cooker, and I didn’t feel like getting up in the wee hours to get started on it, I decided to make it the day before. It was a great plan, until a couple hours in when my house started smelling fabulous and I knew I had to wait a whole entire day before I could eat a bowl of it. It was torturous. I was tempted to skip on my dinner plans and just have it for supper. But, my will power persevered and I spooned it away in a storage container and stashed it in the fridge to be heated up the next day. It was so worth the wait.

I’ve never made French Onion Soup before. Mostly because James isn’t a fan of onions so I thought it would be off the list. Especially after having not so great versions at restaurants. But then, I had a rich, flavourful version that got me craving another bowl and I decided it was time to try it at home.

This was every bit as good as I hoped it would be. Rich and flavourful, slightly sweet and oh so comforting. And, you know what, it even satisfied the picky onion eaters in the family. The kids, hubby and I gobbled it right up.

Normally you place the bread on top of the soup bowls and then broil it, but since I don’t have oven safe soup bowls we broiled the bread separately and placed it on top. It’s just as delicious and makes for any easy dipper for little people who may have a harder time getting their spoon to break up the bread. I’m a little wary of soggy bread but both me and James loved this and when the bread soaks up the delicious broth there is absolutely nothing to not like about it.

slow cooker french onion soup

Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 4 medium sweet onions, halved and thinly sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 1 cup beer
  • 2 quarts low-sodium beef stock
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme (or 1.5 teaspoons dried)
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 baguette, sliced
  • Gruyere cheese, sliced or grated (harvarti is also good)

Turn on your slow cooker and set to high. Add butter and let melt. Add onions, garlic, vinegar, brown sugar, and salt. Mix well. Cover and let cook for 1-1.5 hours, stirring every 15 minutes, until onions begin to caramelize and turn brown. Stir in flour, allow to cook for a couple minutes then stir in beer and beef stock a bit at a time, stirring well between each addition to avoid lumps. Stir in thyme and pepper. Cover and cook for 6-8 hours on low. Taste and season with additional salt, if desired.

To serve: Top baguette slices with cheese and broil until cheese is bubbly and golden. Serve on top of soup. Alternately, if your soup bowls are broiler safe you can place the bread and cheese right on the soup and broil.

Makes approximately: 8 servings

Adapted from How Sweet it Is. Originally from Tyler Florence.

Vegetable Chowder

By in Lunch, Main Dish, Soup 3 Comments Tags: , , ,

vegetable chowder

It’s February. We’ve had snow since October 3rd. We have another 2 months of snow to go. If I wanted to, I could get quite depressed about that fact. The winter doldrums are fighting hard for our attention. But we’re fighting back by taking swimming lessons, building snowmen, sitting on the front porch when the sun is shining to soak up every bit of vitamin D we can, and of course making soup. I don’t really make soup in the summer, so I console myself by saying that all this cold and snowy weather means I can have soup for that much longer!

This chowder is choc-full of veggies giving it the lightness of springtime but the comforting warmth of winter. Just the thing to lift the spirits and look forward to warmer days.

The next time I make this soup I’ll probably try it with some diced ham thrown in, in place of the bacon, only for the fact that I think it would go beautifully with this soup and it’s always nice to change things up a bit. I’ve learned one thing in making soup, if the recipe calls for chicken stock don’t try and substitute it with chicken broth, it won’t be nearly so flavourful. So go for the dark, rich stuff here.

Vegetable Chowder

Cut up the remainder of the veggies for easy snacking the rest of the week. For a meatless soup omit the bacon and use veggie stock in place of chicken stock.

  • 4 strips bacon, diced
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 1/2 cup diced celery
  • 1/2 cup diced carrot
  • 1 cup diced zucchini
  • 1 cup broccoli florets
  • 1 cup cauliflower florets
  • 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
  • 1 cup peeled and diced Yukon Gold potatoes
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Cook bacon, in a medium-sized saucepot  set over medium heat, until crispy. Remove the bacon to paper towels to drain. Add onion, celery and carrots to the fat in the pot, cook until softened. Add zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, and red bell pepper; cook just until starting to soften. Scrape vegetables into a medium sized bowl and set aside.

Add the butter to the pot. Once melted, stir in flour. Cook until you can smell a slightly nutty aroma. Slowly whisk in chicken stock, in small additions, until well incorporated and mixture is smooth. Slowly whisk in milk. Return the vegetables you had set aside to the pot, along with corn, potatoes, thyme, oregano, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot and continue to simmer until the potatoes are tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove bay leaf and stir in in bacon, to serve.

Serves: 6

Adapted from Fresh with Anna Olson.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

By in GF Mains, Gluten Free, Lunch, Soup 5 Comments Tags: , , , , , , ,

It”s soup season! And, I couldn”t be happier about it. Soup is so comforting, flavourful and easy to make, and that fact that is warms you up instantly from the inside out is an added bonus. I find my feet and hands cold constantly these days and I”m wrapped up in my sweater for most of the day. But after a couple bites of soup the sweater goes off and I”m warmed right through.

Although soup is generally easy to make, it”s not always quick. I”ve had my eye out for quick soups for a while now. I”m lucky enough to have my hubby come home for lunch every day and I like to occasionally make a quick, warm, fresh meal to get us out of the sandwich/leftovers doldrums. Quick, being the key word because although we can take our time with supper, lunch has more of a time constraint.

This soup fits the bill on all accounts. It”s made from start to finish in 30 minutes (great for a last-minute dinner too), it”s so flavourful (the first chicken tortilla soup my family has actually loved), has just the right balance of flavours (I”ve tried so many versions of this soup that were far to tart and lacking in flavour) and it”s a warming, nutritious meal for the middle of the day. I know it”ll be on the table often when we”re in need of something to warm our bellies and our toes.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

You can use partially frozen chicken in this soup, making it perfect for a quick, last-minute meal. Thaw the chicken just enough to cut it into chunks, then add it to the pot as directed.

  • 1/2 onion, diced

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped

  • 1 garlic clove, minced

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 4 cups chicken broth

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 1.5 cups frozen corn

  • 1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes

  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped into bite size pieces

  • juice of 1 small lime

  • To serve: crushed tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped green onions, cilantro

In a large saucepan, heat a bit of oil over medium heat. Add onion, cook until softened. Add salt, bell pepper, garlic and cumin, cook for 2 minutes. Stir in broth, bay leaf, corn, tomatoes and chicken. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Add lime juice, simmer for several minutes. Remove bay leaf and serve with desired toppings.

Adapted from Weelicious.

Marinara-Style Tomato Soup

By in GF Mains, Gluten Free, Lunch, Main Dish, Meatless, Soup 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , ,

I”ve been looking for a good tomato soup recipe for FOREVER. Nothing beats tomato soup and grilled cheese for lunch on a rainy day (and we”ve been having plenty of those lately). But, most of the homemade tomato soups I”ve made in the past were extremely flavourless and left much to be desired.

I wanted something quick, that I would actually make for lunch spur of the moment, but I also wanted it to be so flavourful that I wasn”t wishing for something different. This recipe knocked it out of the park for me. I”ve made it so many times since I first found the recipe – more than any recipe for a long time. It”s made with all pantry staples that I keep on hand, so it can be made at any time.

This isn”t a runny soup, it”s thick and dip-able, almost like a marinara. We like to make grilled cheese and cut it into sticks for dipping. It”s so flavourful it”s actually kind of hard to eat on its own. But that”s not something to complain about. Give me some grilled cheese sticks to use like spoon and I”m set!

Marinara-Style Tomato Soup

The baking soda in this recipe helps to cut the acidity of the tomatoes.

  • 2 tablespoons butter

  • 1 onion, diced finely

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 (32 oz.) can pureed (or crushed) tomatoes

  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 1/4 teapsoon salt

  • pepper, to taste

  • 1 tablespoon fresh basil (or 1 teaspoon dried)

  • 1 tablespoon honey

  • milk or water, to desired thickness

  • sour cream, to serve (optional)

Melt butter in a medium-sized saucepan. Add onion; cook until tender. Add garlic; cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Stir in tomatoes, baking soda, parsley, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 10 minutes. Stir in basil and honey. Add milk (or water) to desired thickness. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Makes: 4 small servings

Adapted from Food Doodles.

Loaded “Baked Potato” Soup

By in GF Mains, Gluten Free, Lunch, Main Dish, Soup 8 Comments Tags: , , , , , ,

It”s still winter. Despite a few days of teasing here and there the cold weather is prominent and spring is still a month away. For my family this means soup – it”s kind of a winter staple around here.

Now that we”ve moved to New York my hubby”s office is only a five minute walk away which means he comes home for lunch almost every day. And, I”m loving it. We generally like to keep things pretty simple but soup and grilled cheese are pretty much a must. The thing I love about soup is that it keeps on giving – you make the recipe once and you can have it for lunch again later in the week.

James isn”t a big fan of potatoes, unless they”re in the form of french fries or mashed potatoes (drenched in gravy, of course), so I don”t make baked potatoes very much at all. Baked potatoes are one of my favourite ways to eat potatoes but for the potato-averted they seem to be a bit of a nightmare since they”re so full of… potato. Because of this, I was pleasantly surprised when James loved this soup. I think the number one reason is because the soup is smooth and silky – no bland chunks of potato to be found. Add some crumbled bacon, cheddar cheese and chives and you have a baked-potato-lovers dream that”s fit for non-potato-lovers too.

Loaded “Baked Potato” Soup

  • 4 strips bacon, diced

  • 1.5 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts only

  • 1.5 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced

  • 5 cups chicken stock

  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme

  • 1 cup full-fat sour cream

  • salt and pepper, to taste

  • grated cheddar cheese and chopped chives, to serve

In a large saucepan cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon to paper towels to drain. Set aside for later.

Cook leeks in a couple tablespoons of the bacon grease until soft. Add potatoes, stock and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover loosely and simmer 15-20 minutes or until potatoes mash easily with a fork. Remove the sprigs of thyme and puree the soup with a handheld blender, food processor or blender. Strain through fine mesh sieve to ensure smoothness, if desired. Pour back into pot, add sour cream and season with salt and pepper. Heat over medium heat until warm; do not boil.

Ladle into bowls and serve topped with cooked bacon, cheddar cheese and chives.

Makes: 6 servings

Adapted from Fresh with Anna Olson.

Chicken Barley Soup

By in Main Dish, Poultry, Soup 6 Comments Tags: , , , , , ,

chicken barley soup

My family (like most families right now) has been struggling with being sick pretty much non-stop. By the time the weekend comes my son has something new to spread around the house. It makes it’s way through the family just in time for something new to catch on. But that’s ok, it’s part and parcel of having kids and having those kids hang out with other kids.

Us adults are lucky, our immunities have already built up and we don’t catch it near as much, or as bad, as the kids. Yay! But it does mean less sleep, lowered immune systems and a general groggy, I’m-feeling-old-and-may-keel-over-at-any-moment feeling. That’s when we turn to chicken noodle soup to boost our immunities again.

Or at least we used to. But recently we tried this Chicken and Barley Soup and I think this may be our go-to from now on. It’s easy, healthy and tastes so unbelievably comforting your mood can’t help but be instantly lifted. It’s easy to throw together and completely homemade, which is just what you need when you’re feeling under the weather.

And, of course, we won’t just be enjoying it when we’re sick. It’s too good to be left on the sidelines. I’m sure we’ll be making and enjoying it often throughout this fall and winter.

Hopefully it can bring some comfort to your family as well, on a cold and sniffley day.

On the day it’s made it’s much broth-ier then shown in the pictures. These were taken the day after and the barley soaked up a lot of the broth overnight. It was still just as comforting and delicious but definitely thicker and heartier. Just FYI. :)

Chicken Barley Soup

For the greatest health benefits use homemade chicken broth or stock.

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 carrots, diced
  • 4 celery stalks, diced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 5 sprigs thyme
  • 1 cup quick-cooking barley
  • 5 ounces (5 cups) fresh baby spinach

In a large pot, cook carrots, celery and onion in oil just until tender. Add chicken; season with salt and pepper. Cook until chicken turns white on the edges. Add broth and thyme; bring to a boil. Stir in barley. Lower heat and simmer, covered, until barley is tender and chicken is cooked through (10-12 minutes). Add spinach and cook until wilted. Season with salt and pepper before serving.

Serves: 4-6

Adapted from Martha Stewart.

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