Light Turkey (or Chicken) & Corn Chowder

I teach 6th grade Earth science at an online school.  I was teaching about crystals and minerals this week, and one of the determining characteristics of minerals is cleavage... and streak... Man alive.  Imagine teaching 6th graders about that.  Well, my online classroom has a chatbox that I can turn off and on.  When it is off, only I see the chat.  When I introduced "cleavage," one of my students that is older than the other kids by a year or two wrote, "Cleavage. heh."  It was all I could do to not bust up in laughter.  Kids crack me up.  Luckily, streak went over their heads.

The last time I was going to make turkey dinner on Father's Day, my oven went kaput.  I finally got around to making it up.  We had a turkey dinner a few weeks ago, and it was fabulous.  We had a ton of left-over turkey.  I found this soup recipe to use for leftover turkey, and it was so good!  It's got a little kick to it from the green chilies, so don't add them all if you don't like much heat.


Recipe and photo source: http://www.cookincanuck.com/2013/11/light-turkey-or-chicken-corn-chowder-recipe/

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (4 oz.) can diced green chiles
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1¼ cups frozen corn kernels
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground pepper
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups skim milk
• 2½ cups shredded cooked turkey (or chicken)
• ¾ cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• ¼ tsp cayenne peppe
• Green onion, thinly sliced (for garnish)

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion, celery, red bell pepper, and garlic.  Saute for five minutes.

Add the green chilies (if using) and stir for one minute.

Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.  

Add the corn; simmer for three minutes.

In a medium bowl, add the flour.  Slowly whisk in the milk until it's smooth.  Slowly whisk this mixture into the soup.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Cook and stir for about fifteen minutes or until the mixture has thickened a bit.  Stir in the turkey (or chicken), cheddar, and cayenne.  Stir until the cheese melts completely.  

Ladle into soup bowl and top with green onions.  

The original website also had the nutrition facts on this recipe.  Nice!  Thanks Cookin' Canuck!

Notes

Calories 218.5 / Total Fat 6.6g / Saturated Fat 2.4g / Cholesterol 13.0mg / Sodium 844.3mg / Total Carbohydrates 25.2g / Fiber 1.7g / Sugars 9.0g / Protein 15.6g / WW (Old Points) 5 / WW (Points+) 6

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 1¼ cups Calories: 218 cal Fat: Total Fat 6.6g / Saturated Fat 2.4g

Lasagna Soup

It's still a blazing 110 degrees here in Las Vegas, but sometimes I just want some soup!  I stumbled upon this recipe a few days ago and gave it a whirl.  It was fantastic!  It seriously tasted just like lasagna in soup form.  It took only about ten minutes to prepare and about 20 to cook.  My family gobbled it down like they haven't eaten in two weeks.  Serve it with a salad and some fresh french bread, and you've got one easy, simple dinner!


Lasagna Soup
Photo and Recipe source: http://www.cookingclassy.com/2013/12/lasagna-soup/

Serves 6-8
Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 large yellow onion, diced (2 cups)
• 3 - 5 garlic cloves, to taste, minced
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes
• 1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 1/2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 3/4 tsp dried basil
• 3/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 8 lasagna noodles, broken into bite size pieces (6.5 oz)
• 1 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (5 oz)
• 1/2 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese (2 oz)
• 8 oz ricotta cheese

Heat 1 T of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Brown the hamburger until no longer pink.  Drain the fat and remove the hamburger onto a plate.

Heat up the remaining 1 T of oil.  Cook the onions for about five minutes.  Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.

Add the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and seasonings. Add the hamburger back in.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Break up the lasagna noodles into bite-size pieces.  

Bring to a boil. reduce heat, and cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

In a bowl, combine the mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, and ricotta cheese.

Ladle the soup into bowls and top with a scoop or two of the cheese mixture.  Sprinkle with fresh parsley.

Cafe Zupas' (copycat) Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup

Here is a short little anecdote that made me laugh out loud.  My friend's daughter was sitting in church and leaned over to her mom.  She whispered, "Mom, I'm thinking about chili dogs.... and Jesus."  

Ha!  Well, I guess as long as you're still thinking about Jesus at church, chili dogs are okay to think about.  Heck- why not think about Jesus eating a chili dog.  You know he does!  He's probably got a big gallon of bleach up there to get the stains out that will surely result from eating a chili dog. 

  

We recently got a Cafe Zupas down here in good ol' Las Vegas.  We went during the grand opening, and I was instantly hooked!  They have such amazing salads, sandwiches, and soups.  My daughter loves the Wisconsin Cauliflower soup more than life itself.  When I found this recipe and made it for her, she lit up!  She said that it tasted just like the restaurant, and she devoured her soup!  It tastes like baked potato soup but with more flavor.  The pepper jack cheese gives it a bit of a kick, so get ready!  This soup is good for any day of the year.

Cafe Zupas Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup
source: http://willyousignmyyearbook.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-tale-of-soupy-night.html

3 T butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 c flour
1/2 t salt
1 c half and half
1 c milk
1 1/2 c water
14.5 oz. can chicken broth
1 head of cauliflower, chopped
1 t dijon mustard
1 1/2 c sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 c pepper jack

Garnish:
chopped bacon
shredded cheddar cheese
chopped green onions

Melt butter in a large stock pot.  Add the onion and saute for about 8-10 minutes.  Add the flour and stir to make a roux.  Cook for another 1-2 minutes.  Slowly whisk in the milk and the 1/2 & 1/2.  Add the water and chicken broth and stir to combine.  Add the chopped cauliflower, bring to a boil, reduce heat to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.  Once the cauliflower is tender, put the soup in the blender (in two batches- unless you like boiling hot soup spewing out of the blender as soon as it's turned on).  Puree the soup until it is smooth.  Return it to the pot, turn on the heat to medium, and heat the soup.  Once it's warmed through, remove it from the heat and add the Dijon mustard and the cheeses.  Stir until smooth.

Serve in bowl topped with extra cheddar, bacon, and green onions.

White Chicken Chili

I love those silly little e-cards that people post of Facebook and Pinterest.  I can relate to many of them, and the ones that I personally can't relate to, I still laugh out loud.  I saw one that said, "Don't expet a 'Bless you' after the fifth sneeze.  Get it under control."  I laughed so hard at that.  I saw one just today that said, "Sorry kids.  Dinner is going to be a bit late tonight.  Mama has five lives and this candy isn't going to crush itself."  I have a slight addiction to Candy Crush Saga, and I'm sure that although I haven't said this to my kids- dinner, breakfast, or lunch may have been a bit late due to my need to play that silly game.  

Even if you have a crazy app addiction, you can still whip this soup up in 30 minutes flat.  I love that some of the beans are pureed with broth and added to the soup to make it more creamy.  It has a delightful texture, and the flavor is wonderful.  It was about 110 degrees outside when I made this soup, and I'd do it all over again.  Delicious!

 White Chicken Chili
source: http://www.cookingclassy.com/2013/05/white-chicken-chili/

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 small onion, diced
1 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 14.5 oz can chicken broth
4 oz diced chilies
1 1/2 t cumin
3/4 t paprika
1/2 t dried oregano
1/2 t ground coriander
1/4 t cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1 1/4  fresh or frozen corn
2 15 oz cans cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
1 T lime juice
chopped cilantro, for serving
shredded Monterey Jack cheese, for garnish

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Once it is hot, add the chicken and onion.  Saute until the chicken is no longer pink, about 6 minutes.  Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds longer.  Add the chicken broth, green chilies (I only added half to cut down on the heat for the kids), cumin, paprika, oregano, coriander, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper.  Heat it just to a boil then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.

Cut the cream cheese into cubes and add to the soup.  Stir until it is almost all melted.  There might be some small chunks left in the soup.  It'll all be okay in the end.  Add the corn, and 1 can of the drained and rinsed beans.

Put 3/4 of the other can of beans along with 1/4 c of broth from the soup in a food processor.  Pulse it until it is smooth.  Add this to the soup.  Add the remaining 1/4 can of beans to the soup.  Simmer for 15 minutes longer.

Mix in fresh lime juice.  Serve into bowls and top with Monterey Jack cheese and cilantro.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

After a crazy week at work and a super busy Saturday, I have no witty remarks- just a delicious soup recipe that is supposedly a copy cat of Cafe Rio's Chicken Tortilla soup.  If I could ever peel myself away from getting anything but the pork barbacoa salad, I might try this soup there to see how close this recipe is.  I really liked this recipe.  It was very flavorful, and I liked all the different textures.  The only downside of making this at home is that if I go next door, I won't be able to get any Neilsen's Frozen Custard like the Cafe Rio closest to my house.   

 Chicken Tortilla Soup
source: http://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/2012/06/our-version-of-cafe-rios-chicken-tortilla-soup.html

1 onion, diced
1 T vegetable oil
1/2 t cumin
dash of cayenne
1/2 t chili powder
5 c chicken broth
3 T cilantro, diced
juice of 1/2 lime
pepper, to taste
1 can black (or pinto) beand, rinsed and drained
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 T taco seasoning
1 T paprika
vegetable oil (to taste)
pico de gallo
2 avocados, diced
2 c pepper jack cheese (I used cheddar, but I think pepper jack would be amazing)
tortilla strips
cilantro and lime wedges for garnish

Heat the vegetable over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and cook for one minute.  Add the cumin, cayenne, and chili powder and cook for another minute.

 Transfer the onion to a large pot.  Add the chicken broth, cilantro, lime juice, pepper, and black beans.  Let it simmer for 2-3 hours.  You can put it all in a crockpot, if you'd like.

 While it's simmering, you can make your own tortilla strips. They are really easy and a great way to use up left-over tortillas.  Use a pizza cutter and slice the tortillas in about 1/2 inch strips.  Then, cut it down the center.

 Preheat oil to medium-high.  Once it's hot, add a handful of the tortilla strips.  The oil will go crazy and bubble all over the place.  You'll only need to keep them in there for about 1-2 minutes.  Once they turn golden brown, they're good to come out.  No need to flip them.

 Place them on a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt.  Try not to eat them all before the soup is ready.

 When the soup is almost done simmering, cook up the chicken breasts.  I just used a skillet.  Sprinkle the chicken breasts with the taco seasoning and paprika.  Cook in a skillet, grill, or broil until no longer pink.  Shred.

 Get out your soup bowls.  Put about 1/4 c chicken into the bottom of each bowls.

 Top with some pico de gallo.  (1 tomato, diced- 1/4 onion, diced- 2 T diced cilantro)

 Top that with some diced avocado.

 Top that with some cheese.  Cheddar, pepper jack, or Monterey Jack would work.

 Ladle some of the soup onto that.

 Top with a little more cheese, tortilla strips, pico de gallo, diced avocado, cilantro, and lime wedge for garnish.

This is supposedly a copy cat of Cafe Rio's Chicken Tortilla soup.  I've never had it from there, but this soup was delicious.  Even my six year old gobbled it up.

Zupa Toscana Soup

Please pardon my neglect of blogging.  My husband took my kids up to go camping for four nights recently, and I savored every moment of that solitude.  Granted, I did have plenty of time to blog, but my husband had my camera with all my pictures on it.  So, here I am.  Refreshed and ready to share some tasty recipes.

Let me say a quick word on this soup.  I didn't have plans for dinner, but after August rains in Las Vegas all day, there is nothing like a good bowl of soup.  I was browsing through a cookbook and stumbled upon this recipe.  Normally, anything that has some crazy ingredient like kale, I would skip right over it.  However, I had kale on hand from my most recent Bountiful Basket.  Boy, am I glad I tried this recipe!  The spiciness from the sausage, and the smoothness from the cream is amazing.  My husband said that it was the best soup he'd ever had!  The flavor is dynamite!

Zupa Toscano Soup

source: Worldwide Ward Cookbook by Deanna Buxton

1 lb mild Italian sausage

1/2 lb bacon, chopped

1 quart water

2 14.5 oz cans chicken broth

2 lg russet potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium onion, chopped

2 c kale or Swiss chard, chopped

1 c heavy whipping cream

salt and pepper to taste

Brown the Italian sausage in a skillet.  As it cooks, break it into small pieces.  Once it is fully cooked, rinse it and set aside.  (The original recipe said that if it isn't rinsed, the soup would have a red tint to it.)  Wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel. Over medium-high heat, cook the bacon.  Drain and set aside. 

Place the water, broth, potatoes, garlic, and onion in soup pot.  (One side note- I totally forgot to put in the water; however, I put in four c of chicken broth.  It turned out very smooth and creamy. I don't think I'd change a thing.)

Simmer this mixture over medium heat until the potatoes are tender, about ten minutes.  Add the sausage and bacon and simmer for another ten minutes.  Add the kale or Swiss chard and the cream.  Season it with the salt and pepper and warm through.  Serve.

Potato and Corn Chowder

And yet, here I am again, presenting a recipe that is smothered in cheese and bacon.  You can give me a hug next time you see me.  :)  We are going to Disneyland in exactly 9 days, and we are pinching pennies like crazy to save for the trip.  For dinner tonight, I didn't have any meat thawed, and I found this recipe for corn chowder.  It's basically just potato soup with corn mixed in, but it was a cheap and quick meal.  I think it would be safe to say that I'm not alone in the I-desperately-need-cheap-and-easy-meals-right-now category.  This fits the bill.  My oldest brother would refer to this as "clown puke," but I like it.  :)

 Creamy Corn Chowder
source: Our Best Bites Cookbook

6-8 ounces of bacon (1/2 package)
2 T butter
1/4 c flour
1 c water
2 1/2 c milk
2 t chicken boullion
2 red potatoes, diced into small cubes
3/4 c minced onion
2-3 cloves garlic
1 can corn or 1 1/2 c frozen corn
hot sauce
salt and pepper
toppings: cheddar cheese, green onions, crumbled bacon

Cook the bacon according to package directions.

Melt the butter in a saucepan.  Add the flour.  Stir it until it starts to stick together and form a ball(ish) shape.

 Add the water and whisk it until it's smooth.  I used a wooden spoon but a whisk would be much more effective.

 Ta-Da!  Whisk in the milk and chicken boullion.  Simmer it for about five minutes.  While it is simmering, prepare the potato and onion. 

 Add the potatoes and onion.

 Simmer the chowder with the onion and onion for twenty minutes.  Stir it frequently.  Add the corn and some of the bacon.  make sure you crumble it, so you don't have a giant stik of bacon chilling in the middle of your soup.  Although that might not be a bad idea. 

Heat it through and add a couple dashes of hot sauce, if you'd like.  Add some salt and pepper.

 Serve it in bowls and garnish with cheddar cheese and more crumbled bacon.  Chopped green onion would be a great addition here as well. 

This meal probably costs well under a dollar per serving.  It's only serves about 4 people- small portions- so you'll want to have bread, salad, or something else on the side.

Baked Potato Soup

My brother Erik is one of the funniest people I know.  I don't know where or how he pulls off his comments as quickly as he does, but I'd like to know what goes on in his head.  Growing up, my mom used to make this baked potato soup all the time, and my brother once said, "That soup tastes like something that you would get at an orphanage."  If that's the case, I know why Little Orphan Annie was always singing and happy.  She was looking forward to getting this soup!  I think the song should have gone, "Oh, the soup will come out, tomorrow.  Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow... there'll be soup."  *Enter a baton twirl and a cha-cha kick here.* 

 This is a quick, easy dinner that takes about 30 minutes to get ready.  I made some homemade rolls to go with it.  Can't go wrong with that.  I love it.  It's not fancy, but it's pretty darn tasty.

                                      

Baked Potato Soup:

2/3 c butter

2/3 c flour

3/4 t salt

1/4 t pepper

6 c milk

1 c sour cream

1 c cheddar cheese

4 potatoes, baked, peeled, and chopped

1/4 c green onions, sliced

10 slices bacon, crumbled

1 c cheddar cheese (for garnish)

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and add the flour.  Stir to combine.

Add the salt, pepper, and milk.  Bring it to a boil.  Continue cooking for two minutes, stirring constantly.

Add the first cup of cheddar cheese.  Honestly, I add about 1 1/2-2 c cheese here.  We all know that more cheese makes everything better.

Add the cooked potatoes.

Add the sour cream.

Stir to combine.  Serve right away.

Top with more cheese, crumbled bacon, and chopped green onion.

"When you're stuck with a day, that's grey, and lonely.... You just stick up your chin, and grin, and say... Oh, the soup will come out tomorrow."  :)  Go, Annie!

Tortilla Soup

I don't recall ever eating Tortilla Soup. I've heard of it, I've seen recipes for it, and I decided that I must try this. I gave it a shot, and it was really good! I don't have any other recipes to compare this one to, so this is the best you'll get from me now. I do have one and only one complaint... the soggy tortillas on the bottom of the bowl. I like soggy bread-type stuff as much as I like five minutes of uninterrupted eye contact. *shudder* Next time I make it, I'll skip the layer of tortilla chips on the bottom and add some more to the top so it's not like eating tortilla chips that have the texture of a folded wet paper towel.

Honestly though- other than that, the soup was great, and I'll make it again. :)

Tortilla Soup:

source: America's Test Kitchen Cookbook

1 T vegetable oil

1 onion, minced

1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded, and diced

1 T chili powder

2 garlic cloves, minced

8 c chicken both

1 lb cooked, shredded chicken breasts

2 T fresh lime juice

crushed tortilla chips

2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

2 ripe avocados, cut into 1/4 inch chunks

1/2 c cilantro, chopped

tortilla strips, optional

sour cream, optional

green onions, optional

Heat the oil in a large pot and add the onion, jalapeno, chili powder, and garlic. Saute it until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 25 minutes.

Turn off the heat, and add the lime juice.

In your bowl, place some tortilla chips- if you want to do it the way that book suggests. Me? This step shall henceforth be pushed aside in honor of crunchy tortilla strips atop the flavorful broth.

Add a layer of shredded chicken.
Add some diced avocado and tomato. Yes, those pathetic, light orange chunks are supposed to be tomatoes. They are the only ones I had on hand, and they were no bueno! Next time, I'm going to take the ten minute drive to go to the store to get some decent tomatoes.
Add some broth, a dollop of sour cream, chopped cilantro, and tortilla strips.
This way, by the end of the soup, the tortilla strips are still mostly crunchy, whereas they don't stand a chance for crunch from the get-go when you plop a bunch at the bottom of the bowl.

Three cheers for non-soggy tortilla chips!

Creamy White Chili

Before I start, I have a confession... Not only did I snag this recipe from one of my cookbooks, I took a picture of their picture. I took s picture of my own soup, but it didn't turn out very well. Just to give full credit, it is from "Gooseberry Patch: Keepsake Recipes" page 236. This is the first, and hopefully the last, time I will ever take someone else's picture for my blog. I feel like I need to repent for this one. Hopefully, I don't get struck by lightening next time I go out. AHH!

This recipe is great. I thought it had a good amount of zing to it, and it was creamy from the cheese and the monterey jack cheese. This is a great alternative to beef/tomato/kidney bean chili. Give it a whirl. :)
Creamy White Chili:
1 T oil
2 pounds chicken breasts, cubed
1 onion, chopped
14 oz chicken broth
2 can Great Northern beans
1 can chopped green chiles (I only used half so my kids might attempt to eat it)
1 1/2 t garlic powder
1 t salt
1 t cumin
1/2 t oregano
8 oz sour cream
1 c whipping cream
2 c shredded Monterey jack cheese
cilantro, chopped, optional

Cook the cubed chicken and onion in oil until browned on all sides and the chicken is no longer pink in the middle- about 10 minutes. Set aside.

In a large stockpot or dutch oven, add the chicken broth, beans, green chiles, and seasonings. Cook that over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Add the chicken. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, add the sour cream, whipping cream, and cheese. Stir well until heated through and melted.

Garnish with a dollop of sour cream, Monterey Jack cheese, and chopped cilantro.

Cheddar Broccoli Soup

When I found the Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits recipe the other day, I also found this soup recipe on the same blog. I didn't have plans for dinner, and I had everything on hand for this soup. Also, it was one of the gloomiest days I can remember in Las Vegas, and I just wouldn't feel right making tacos or some other non-gloomy thought provoking foods. Soup it was! I couldn't wait to see my husband's reaction because he is not a fan of broccoli. He came home, and I told him what I made. I think his upper lip twitched a little bit. We sat down and started to eat. He started moving the soup around in his bowl as if to look for chunks of steak or something down there at the bottom of the bowl. Considering the fact that I know husband probably better than he knows himself, I said. "You don't have to eat it. I know you're not a fan of broccoli." He was grateful that my feelings weren't hurt. He did say, "I'm sure if you like broccoli, this soup would be delicious." :) He's right! It was delicious. My daughter and I scarffed it up! I even had the left-overs for lunch the next two days. I'm so glad I found this recipe. It is an awesome recipe for Cheddar broccoli soup- if you like cheddar broccoli soup.Almost-Famous Broccoli-Cheddar Soup

adapted from Food Network (I found this reference on Amberskitchen.blogspot.com)

Ingredients
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups half-and-half
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 7-inch sourdough bread boules (round loaves)
4 cups broccoli florets (about 1 head)
1 large carrot, diced
2 1/2 cups (about 8 ounces) grated sharp white and yellow cheddar cheese, plus more for garnish

Get a stockpot on medium heat. Put the butter in there and melt it. Add the onion and cook for about five minutes. Add the flour and stir to make a paste. It will be the consistency of the paste you ate as a kid. Come on... you know you ate it! Cook the flour/onion paste for about 3 minutes. As tempting as it is, don't eat it yet!
Pour in the half and half and whisk until smooth. I didn't have half and half, so I used 1 c cream and 1 c vitamin D milk. Add the chicken broth, too. Whisk it all up.
Add the bay leaves and nutmeg. Sprinkle on some salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
Throw in the broccoli and carrot. Simmer 20 minutes longer so the vegetables can get tender.
Fish out the bay leaves. Pour the soup into the blender and puree. I did mine in two batches.
Put it back into the pot so you can add the cheese. The below picture is after the pureeing. I think next time I make this, I won't puree it. I think I would like the broccoli and carrot diced by hand in smaller pieces. When you puree it, it's like a karate kick in the face from broccoli with every bite. I do love broccoli, but I think I like cheese better. I'd like to have a more prominent cheese flavor instead of the broccoli flavor. There's my two cents.
Add the cheese to the soup and whisk over medium heat until melted. Save some of the cheese for garnish.

I loved this soup. It reheats well. Even my daughter wanted another bowl of it for lunch the next day. Now that winter is settling in, get your soup on! Although, Joel McHale will not appear while making or eating this soup. He would be nice to have around for comic relief though.

Again, thank you, Amber, for posting this on your blog. I loved it, and I would feel bad for not giving you the credit for finding it first. :)

Chicken Tomatillo Soup

There is this wonderful food co-op called the Bountiful Basket Food Co-op. I just got my first basket this past Saturday, and let me tell you- I was like a little kid at Christmas. I was up before the sun, and I couldn't wait to see what was in my basket. I was so happy when I went there and saw all of the amazing produce I got for 15.00! It's such an incredible deal. I also got the Mexican pack, of course, because I love to cook Mexican food. I was so happy to see about 10 tomatillos in the pack because just a day or two before I saw a recipe in Better Homes and Gardens that I really wanted to try. I looked at this recipe again, and every produce ingredient I needed was in that darn Mexican pack. It's like it was planned or something. I made the soup tonight, and it was so tasty. My little Sony Cybershot does not do this soup justice. You've got to try it. The flavor is so bold. It's got a little kick to it, but nothing that will floor someone with severe heartburn. I'll be getting the Mexican pack every time this soup is on my dinner list. Enjoy!
Tomatillo Chicken Soup:
Source: Better Homes and Gardens November 2010

6 tomatillos, husks removed and washed
1 1/2 lb chicken breast, cooked and shredded
1 medium green sweet pepper, chopped
1/2 c chopped onion
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 4 oz can diced green chilies
2 T snipped fresh cilantro
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
1 T cumin
1 T lime juice
2 t chili powder
2 garlic cloves, minced

Dice three of the washed tomatillos and place in a large saucepan. *This recipe is originally done in a crockpot, but I did it on the stove for 1 1/2 hours.

Place the remaining tomatillos in the blender. I quartered mine to ease of blending them up. Before:After:
Add the pureed tomatillos and the chicken broth.
I used a little red pepper instead of a green one. Dice it up.
Dice the onion.
Dice the jalapeno. I also cut the veins out of the jalapeno.
Dice the celery. Add all the diced vegetables into the soup.
Add the canned diced green chilies. I only used about half of the can, and there was still plenty of flavor and heat. You can add the whole can if you're feeling crazy.
Add the chopped cilantro. Wait! I wasn't too keen on the idea of soggy cilantro. Wait to add this right before serving. You'll be glad you did! I added it early, and it was kinda dark green and floppy. I like cilantro bright green and not floppy.

Add the cumin, lime juice, chili powder, and garlic. I cooked a chicken breast in a skillet with butter and shredded it. Once it's shredded, you can add that to the soup as well. Simmer for 90 minutes. If you're using the crockpot method, cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3 - 3 1/2 hours.
I didn't get another picture of the soup in the pan after it had simmered for 90 minutes. The first picture was the finished product though. You've really got to try this. It's such a good soup. Now that winter is coming, you'll need all kinds of good soup recipes on hand. This one won't disappoint you!