Soups, Chowders, and Stews

Every year, as fall approaches, I start thinking about soups, chowders, and stews. I love all three and there are so many possibilities when it comes to making them at home. One of the things I like most about them is that all three freeze really well. And you know what that means...right? You guessed it...easy lunch and dinner solutions. All you have to do is take a carton of whatever out of the freezer, defrost and heat, pop some garlic bread in the oven, make a salad and you're home free.

Another thing about these dishes, you can really get creative. You can take a basic recipe, like Vegetable soup for example, and create something really unique and delicious, something  you and your whole family will really love. And it may be a solution to throwing away those tomatoes or green peppers that have been accumulating in the frig, wilted and not looking so appetizing anymore but still edible. Just throw them in a pot of hot water with some sliced onions, diced potatoes, and carrots and maybe the rest of that chicken from last night's dinner. Throw that in too. Add some thyme, a bay, leaf, salt, pepper, and a couple of swigs of red wine and Voila! You have a tempting Chicken Vegetable soup for dinner...healthy, delicious, and easy to fix. And don't forget to freeze whatever is left over, or save it in the frig for tomorrow's.

There are so many ways to make any of these three dishes your own by adding the ingredients that you and your family love. You can choose your own vegetables; add rice, pasta, or beans; and a variety of herbs, condiments, and/or spices. Boullion is a good idea; it'll heighten the flavor (but leave out the salt if you use it). And don't forget a little wine (any kind) but be careful about sweet wines...probably dry are better. If you feel more comfortable using a recipe, use a basic one and then add your favorites to it. You can float french bread and cheese on top or croutons, of cheese alone, almost any kind will do. Experiment....that's half the fun of it. Try it on Onion or fresh Tomato soup. Grated Cheddar will also work on many stews.

Chowders are really healthy choices but usually are a little more work intensive. One of my very favorite dishes is Corn Chowder. I have to stay away from seafood chowders because of allergies, but I know they are delicious. And Gumbo, which is similar to a chowder, with rice, okra, and tomatoes is wonderful. I'm not a big fan of okra by it's self but, in Gumbo, it's fine.

And then there are Chilis, both red and white. Here are a couple of recipes I posted at an earlier time: Timothy's White Chili and Chili Con Carne Authentique (from Doctor's Inn Bed and Breakfast, Berea KY). Both are fabulous!





Pureed Soups
Broccoli-Cheese Soup
Pumpkin Soup
Butternut Squash,Cheddar, and Apple Soup
Tomato Soup (and puree)

Healthy warming soups and Stews

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Great things to do with bread crumbs

Bread crumbs have been around our kitchens for a long long time. I remember my mom dredging just about everything in bread crumbs, after dipping it in an egg and milk or cream mixture. It always made the outside of every piece of meat crusty and delicious. Lots of Italian dishes call for breadcrumbs, like veal and eggplant Parmesan. I also remember my mom making Potatoes Au Gratin with bread crumbs all over the top. It was so good.

Recently, I found a great video which uses bread crumbs three different ways. I thought the one with Broccoli was really interesting. Chefs nowadays suggest making your own bread crumbs and, I have to admit, they are a lot better and more flavorful than the ones we used to shake out of those little boxes.

Here's an easy recipe for bread crumbs. You can add whatever else you would like to add to the flavor:

Ingredients: Italian bread (enough to make 2 cups of 1/2 in. cubes), 2 T butter, 1 T olive, 1 T minced garlic, 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
Directions: Cube the bread and process it until coarse bread crumbs form. Melt butter on med. heat in skillet. Add bread crumbs and cook 7-8 minutes, until golden brown. Remove frpm pan. Add olive oil, minced garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook 3 minutes. Add bread crumbs and mix thoroughly. Remove from heat and cool. Add salt, ground pepper and your choice of herbs (oregano, thyme, basil).

Click on picture to see the video:



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