Cream of Broccoli Soup

Cream of Broccoli Soup

Rich in vitamins A, C and K, and a host of other vital nutrients, broccoli can help reduce chances of cancer. Cream of broccoli soup will please even those who turn up their noses to more traditional broccoli dishes.

Serves   4

  

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1/4 cup melted butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cups half-and-half

2 cups chicken stock or bouillon

1/2 pound fresh broccoli

1 cup carrots, julienned

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions adapted from Panera Bread:

Saute onion in butter. Set aside. Cook melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly and slowly add the half-and-half. Add the chicken stock whisking all the time. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat until the veggies are tender for 20-25 minutes. Add salt and pepper. The soup should be thickened by now. Pour in batches into blender and puree. Return to pot over low heat and stir in the nutmeg and serve.

Top with grated cheese if desired.

TIP: Since the broccoli is pureed, feel free to use stalks for this soup, saving the florets for another meal.

Roasted Broccoli Soup - low fat

3 heads fresh broccoli 

1 onion, cut into wedges

2 cloves garlic, peeled

4 cups chicken broth or stock (or broth of your choice)

salt and pepper, to taste

1/8 teaspoon Cajun Seasoning (if desired)

NOTE: if not watching fat intake, add 1/2 cup shredded cheese (whatever your favorite is)

Preheat oven to 400F. 

Cut the broccoli into florets and place them on a lined cookie sheet, with onions and garlic.

Lightly sprinkle Extra Virgin Olive Oil on the top of the vegetables. Bake for 20 minutes until vegetables are soft. 

While the vegetables are roasting, heat the chicken broth. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat. Cook covered on very low until vegetables are ready.

Add the vegetable mixture to the broth. Set aside to cool slightly. 

Puree it, in batches, in the blender until very smooth. (see NOTE below)

Return puree to the pot and add Cajun Seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 10 minutes. Ladle into bowls and serve, sprinkled with shredded cheese.

NOTE: Be careful when using the blender with hot liquids. Hold blender cap down securely, and only fill blender half way.

Collard Green Soup

Many Greens like Swiss Chard, Bok Choy, Spinach and all lettuces are among my favorite veggies! But there is something too bitter or "texturie" about traditional Southern Greens for me. Recently, Jack created a wonderful soup using those beautiful and nutritious collards, and I couldn't get enough. Maybe this recipe will convert you? Make a big batch and freeze several individually-sized portions for future meals. (Take advantage of those pesticide-free collards while they are in season!)

Since this is Thanksgiving Week, try using home made turkey brother, and left over (even unwanted parts?) turkey to make your soup!

Jack’s Collard Green Soup

1 (8-ounce) ham hock

2 (32-ounce) containers chicken broth

3 bacon slices, chopped

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/3 cup diced onion

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup water

2-4 ounces Chorizo sausage, sliced

1 mess fresh, pesticide-free collard greens, chopped into 1” squares

1 teaspoon kosher salt (if desired)

1 teaspoon pepper

1 carrot, shredded

2 celery stalks, diced

Prepare fresh Collards.

Boil ham hock and broth in a large pot; Add sliced chorizo sausage, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. (if desired, add a few more cups of water for a less stew-like soup). 

Cook chopped bacon in medium-hot skillet until crisp; remove bacon,

and drain on paper towels, saving the drippings in skillet.

Sauté onion and celery in drippings 5 minutes or until tender in bacon drippings; add bacon.

Stir flour and 1/2 cup water together until smooth (no lumps allowed). 

Stir into bacon, onion and celery mixture.

Stir bacon mixture and collard greens into broth mixture.

Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 1 hour or until collards are

tender.

Remove ham hock. After allowing to cool somewhat, remove meat from bone, dice meat, and add met to soup mixture.

Yields: 12-15 cups.

Prep: 10-20 min.; 

Cook: 1.5 - 2 hours

Prep time varies, depending how much has been previously frozen when greens are in season. This is an excellent freeze-able dish for a yummy meal when time is scarce.

Jack’s EASY Ginger & Nutmeg Carrot Soup

We enjoy our soups, and find it convenient to make a large kettle, freezing several individual and family size portions for future meals. 

A quick thaw and "soup's on!"

Ingredients:

2 lbs carrots, rough cut

6 cups of chicken broth (or your favorite stock)

1 rough cut onion

1/2 tsp white pepper

1 tsp ginger

1 tsp nutmeg

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 tsp salt

(OPTIONAL: cinnamon or more nutmeg)

Many recipes include brown sugar and half & half. Striving to exclude excess sugar and fat from the soup, we eliminated both, and found the flavorful carrots sweet in themselves.

Method:

Saute onion in olive oil.

Add carrots and 4 cups of chicken broth.

In covered pot, boil carrots until tender.

Cool slightly.

A little at a time, add cooked mixture to blender.

Caution: (do not fill blender completely -- about half way -- as the heat may blow the top off the blender)

After mixture is blended, return to pot and add seasonings, and remaining two cups of broth.

When serving, add toppings of fresh sour cream, cut scallions, sprig of mint or basil, or freshly ground nutmeg.

mmmmmm! Delicious. It’s one of our favorites!

Hearty Chicken Soup

Jack's Hearty Chicken Soup

    

Chicken soup has long been a comfort food.

Add your family's favorite vegetables; potatoes, noodles or rice; and simmer.

Cut one chicken and place in dutch oven or large soup pot.

Cover with water and boil with your favorite seasonings until chicken is tender.

(salt, pepper, oregano, garlic)

For rich flavor, use fresh thyme and rosemary.

While chicken is boiling (about 1 hour), cut, peel, dice, chop your favorite vegetables.

For nutrition, try chopped turnips.

Skin and debone the chicken, cutting into bite size pieces.

Place back into soup pot, cover with stock from boiling, and add vegetables.

If more stock is desired, add store-bought or previously-frozen broth.

Because turnips are low in calories and carbohydrates,

they make a great starch substitute. Otherwise, add rice or noodles.

Enjoy! Be sure to freeze your left overs for quick sides and meals on chilly days!

Don's Sausage and Lentil Soup

Today we are sharing one of my "soup-a-holic" Dad's hearty, delicious soups. Feel free to substitute fresh ingredients for dried or canned items listed below.

Ingredients:

1 carrot, diced                         2 cups dried lentils

2 stalks of celery, diced          1 tsp salt

1 large onion, chopped            ¾ tsp black pepper

2 cloves crushed garlic            ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1# hot Italian Sausage             ½ tsp oregano

8 cups of chicken broth          ½ tsp thyme

2 cans tomatoes                      ½ tsp fennel seeds

1 tbsp olive oil

Method:

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil. Add carrot, celery, onion, and garlic. Saute until tender.
2. Remove vegetables from the pan and add Italian Sausage, removed from the casing. Brown and drain off fat.
3. In a large stockpot, place add chicken broth, vegetables and sausage. Open tomatoes, break them up by squeezing them with your hands and add to the soup along with the juice.
4. Add the lentils.
5. Season with salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, oregano, thyme, and fennel seeds.
6. Simmer until the lentils are tender…45-60 minutes. Remove 1/3 of the soup and puree it using a blender or hand held mixer, then return to the pot.
7. Taste for seasoning…if needed add whatever.

Turkey and Swiss Chard Soup

Turkey and Chicken soups are easy recipes because they make their own flavorful broth. It’s especially economical when poultry leftovers are utilized in making soups and stews. 

In our home we sometimes slow cook a whole bird. Other times we use leftovers or even just “the bones” to create that flavor which makes soups so yummy.

In this case, turkey leftovers were boiled with bay leaves, pepper corns, fresh rosemary and basil, and several other favorite seasonings.

The refrigerator was raided for any leftover veggies, and the freezer was searched for bags containing enough veggies to save them from being placed in the compost heap.

After the turkey was sufficiently cooked, excess fat and unwanted seasoning “dregs” were removed. Turkey was taken off the bone, and set aside. 

Carrots, sun-dried tomatoes, and celery were cooked. Then peppers, field peas, green beans, green peas, and corn were added. Finally, the turkey was plopped back in with the diced swiss chard. Swiss Chard is great because it offers lots of flavor. Stalks and leaves may both be used. I always add the swiss chard, spinach or bok choy at the last minute when making soups and stews, to keep the nutrition level high.

Soups are fantastic meals and sides - perfect for the freezer, and quick meals on days where cooking is not possible. We enjoy taking advantage of the Beasley pesticide-free greens by chopping them and placing in the freezer for future use.

The simple, delicious soup below was made using Chicken broth, zipper peas, onions, chopped swiss chard and herbs.

Jack's Chicken Collard Soup

Ingredients:

1 singing chef  

1 chicken

2 celery stalks

1 rough cut onion

bouquets of your favorite fresh herbs

salt and pepper to taste

later add:

bunch of collards

3 carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 onion, chopped

For rich flavor, use fresh thyme, parsley and rosemary bouquets, or any fresh herbs your family enjoys. 

In our home, Jack returns from the herb garden singing Simon and Garfunkel’s “Scarborough Fair” -- “Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme”.

The singing is guaranteed to produce a broth even richer in flavor.

Wash one chicken and place in Dutch oven, crock pot or large stock pot with a few celery stalks, rough-cut onion, bouquets of your favorite fresh herbs and seasonings, cover with water and simmer until meat falls off bones.

While chicken is boiling (about 1 hour on stove), cut, peel, dice, chop your favorite vegetables and greens. In this recipe, Jack added collards, carrots, celery and onion to the chicken. If using Swiss Chard or Spinach, we suggest adding the greens about 5 minutes before serving soup. Add white beans if a little more texture is desired.

Skin and debone the chicken, cutting into bite size pieces.

Place back into soup pot, cover with stock from boiling, and add vegetables. If more stock is desired, add store-bought or previously-frozen broth.

Serve with homemade herb bread.

(click here for recipe)

Enjoy! Be sure to freeze your left overs for quick sides and meals on busy days!

Yellow Squash Soup

This delicious squash soup recipe was submitted by customer Jill Yelverton (April 2012).

Perfect for freezing, Jill's wonderful soup offers a flavorful and pleasant surprises.

(Many thanks to Jill for sending it)

Note: We enjoyed the flavor so much without the evaporated milk, that we left that ingredient out. So please use your imagination to visualize the extra creaminess the evaporated milk would have provided.

Ingredients:

•             1 1/2 pounds yellow summer squash

•             2 tablespoons butter

•             1 medium onion, sliced

•             1/4 lemon, sliced, seeds removed

•             1/4 cup flour

•             6 cups chicken broth

•             1 teaspoon salt

•             1/4 teaspoon white pepper

•             3 to 4 grinds of fresh nutmeg or dash of ground nutmeg

•             1 cup evaporated milk

Preparation:

Wash, slice and cut squash, onions, lemon.

In a large saucepan, melt butter; gently saute onion and lemon. 

Sprinkle with flour and cook slowly, stirring, until flour is absorbed. Add chicken broth gradually, then sliced squash, salt and pepper. Simmer for 1 hour. 

Puree soup in blender or food processor. Add nutmeg. 

NOTE: for safety reasons, pour until blender is 1/3 to 1/2 full, and keep your hand on the top of the lid, because hot liquid responds differently to blending than cooler foods.

To heat, stir in evaporated milk with a wire whisk and cook over low heat. Do not allow to boil. Garnish cream of squash soup with reserved squash slices.

Squash soup serves 8.

We found this soup extremely flavorful, and light. It's perfect alone, as a side, or in a cup. Thank you, Jill, for sharing your fantastic recipe!