Greek Minestrone Soup with Cheesy Garlic Drop Biscuits

 

GREEK MINESTRONE SOUP
When you need a savory, tangy soup in less than an hour, this is the one for you.  My sons love this so much they will eat it for lunch and dinner on the same day.

INGREDIENTS

3 Tbsp. olive oil

1 red onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 carrots, diced

3 stalks celery, diced

1 tsp. Greek Seasoning 

1 bay leaf

48 oz. vegetable stock

28 oz. crushed tomatoes

1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

3/4 cup whole wheat elbow noodles

kosher salt 

pepper

Grated Parmesan cheese for topping

PROCESS

In a large saucepan, heat oil on medium and add onion.  Cook for three minutes.

Lower heat to medium-low and add garlic, carrots and celery.

Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add Greek seasoning, bay leaf, stock and crushed tomatoes and bring to a boil.  

Lower heat and add beans and noodles.

Simmer 20 minutes.  

Season with salt and pepper.

Remove bay leaf and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese when serving.

CHEESY GARLIC DROP BISCUITS

These biscuits are the easiest thing to throw together when you need a cozy side for your cozy soup. The melted garlic butter coats them with finger-licking saltiness.

INGREDIENTS

Makes six large biscuits.

2 cups Bisquick

2/3 cups milk

1 cup grated cheese (I like cheddar-jack)

4 Tbsp. butter

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

PROCESS

Preheat oven to 450.

In a medium bowl stir together Bisquick, milk and cheese.

Drop onto greased cookie sheet by large spoonfuls.

Bake for 10 minutes.

While baking, melt butter in small bowl in microwave.

Stir in garlic powder and set aside.

When biscuits come out of the oven brush melted butter generously over each to coat.

Serve immediately.

Linking with The Tattered Tag for K.I.S.S

Creamy Brocco-flower Soup

My boys love broccoli-cheese soup at restaurants so I found a way to incorporate more veggies into an already delicious cream soup.

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp. butter

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup flour

2 cups half and half

1 bay leaf

dash ground nutmeg

2 cups water

32 oz. vegetable stock

1/4 cup onion, minced

1 head broccoli, chopped, no stems

1/2 head cauliflower, chopped, no stems

3 stalks celery, diced

3 cups grated cheddar cheese

dash hot sauce

salt and pepper to taste

croutons for garnish

PROCESS

In a large soup pot bring vegetable broth and water to a boil.  Add onion, broccoli, cauliflower and celery and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan melt butter over medium heat.  Add garlic, stir for about one minute.  Add flour and stir for three minutes until rue forms and darkens slightly.   Whisk in half and half.  Add bay leaf and nutmeg.  Cook on low five minutes.  Remove bay leaf.  Pour milk  mixture into broth and vegetable pot.

Using an immersion blender,  puree until smooth. If using an upright blender, puree in batches and be careful when blending hot ingredients!  Always cover lid with a towel to protect from spills. 

Add cheese and stir until completely melted.  Stir in hot sauce and salt and pepper to taste.  

Top bowls with croutons when serving.

Salsa Chicken Soup

This soup is so fast you can have it on the table in less than 30 minutes.  We like to serve ours with tortilla chips and chives with a side of guacamole to cool things down!

INGREDIENTS

32 oz. low sodium chicken broth

1/2 red onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

4 Tbsp. brown rice

1 Tbsp. chicken base

1/2 cup prepared salsa of choice

1 cup cooked chicken breast, cubed

OPTIONAL GARNISHES

sliced avocado

tortilla chips

sour cream

Monterrey jack cheese

chives

cilantro

PROCESS

Bring broth to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Add rice.  Simmer 10 minutes.  Add onion, garlic, salsa and chicken base and simmer for 10 minutes more.  Add cubed chicken and bring to warm.   Serve with desired garnishes.

White Cheddar Chili

I adapted this recipe from one in a magazine ad for Kerrygold cheese.  It is the perfect thing to make with leftover turkey after Thanksgiving.  When I make it at other times, I simply use a rotisserie turkey breast from the grocery store. It is thick without being too cheesy and the creaminess cools off the spicy heat.  When I serve it to guests, someone always wants the recipe.  

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp. butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 shallots, chopped

1/2  or 1 small serrano  chili pepper, diced 

1 yellow pepper, seeded and chopped

3 Tbsp. cumin

freshly ground pepper

1 14 oz. can low-sodium chicken broth

3 cups whole milk

1 can chopped green chilies

2 cans creamed corn

2 cans Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained

4 c. cooked turkey breast, cubed

3 c. aged white cheddar cheese, grated

salt if needed (wait to add salt until after adding the cheese which can be quite salty)

scallion, diced (for garnish only)

PROCESS

Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium-low heat.  Add garlic, peppers, shallots, cumin and ground pepper.  Saute for 5 minutes stirring often.  Add chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Add milk and bring to a boil again.  Reduce heat to simmer and add diced chilies, beans and creamed corn.  Simmer 20 minutes.  Add turkey.  Bring to warm and just before serving stir in cheddar cheese until melted.  Garnish with chopped scallions if desired.

Lentil Tomato Soup

This was one of my sons' first favorite soups.  I've even served it at casual fall dinner parties.  It is light, healthy and the finishing touch of vinegar adds so much taste.

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp. olive oil

3 carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp. dried thyme

1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

4 cups water

1 cup dried lentils, rinsed and picked over

1 T. red wine vinegar

PROCESS

Place a large soup pot over medium heat and add oil, carrots, celery, onion, salt and pepper and saute about 5 minutes stirring often.  Add garlic, bay leaf and thyme.  Continue cooking for 3 more minutes.  Add crushed tomatoes, water and lentils.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer partially covered for 30 minutes or until lentils are tender.  

Before serving, stir in vinegar. May need to add additional salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe adapted from Lentil Soup in Everyday Food Magazine.

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Those of us from the upper Midwest are very familiar with Minnesota wild rice and probably have had several versions of chicken and wild rice soup.  My son loves this particular version so much he requested it for his birthday lunch this week.  I like to make it because I use store-bought rotisserie chicken which makes the cooking time even easier.  




Ingredients
1 rotisserie chicken, cooked meat removed and cubed
3 stalks celery, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
1 cup wild rice, rinsed and drained
3 14. oz cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken and herb soup
freshly ground pepper


In a large soup pot combine celery, onion and wild rice and 2 cans of broth.  Season with freshly ground pepper.   Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat.  Simmer for 45 minutes.  Add cubed cooked chicken, another can of broth and cream soup.  Stir and warm for another 15 minutes.  This recipe has been adapted from Chicken and Wild Rice Soup recipe published in Midwest Living Magazine.

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Tomato Rice Soup

This soup is surprisingly addictive despite its humble ingredients. The recipe comes from Grandma Ann who often made it for her four children years ago.  My whole family loves it and it makes enough for leftovers to go to school in lunch-boxes the next day.

Ingredients
3/4 cups brown rice
1/2 to 1 pound ground beef
4 stalks celery, diced
1/2 large red onion, diced
3 14. oz cans tomato sauce
2 T. beef base
salt and pepper to taste

In a large soup pot boil rice in 4 cups of water for 20 minutes.  Meanwhile, season ground beef with salt and pepper and brown in a skillet.  Set aside.
After rice has boiled for 20 minutes add 6 more cups of water, tomato sauce, celery, onion and beef base.  Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and add browned beef.  Simmer for 30 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper if necessary.
*May need to add more water the second day as soup thickens.