Rich and Creamy Potato Soup

 

I do love a good bowl of soup on a chilly day and potato soup holds a special place in my heart because my mom made it a lot when I was growing up. While this version is very different from the one she used to make it is a wonderful hug in a bowl. This recipe is designed to go in small (1 ½ quart) slow cooker. If you don’t have one of these small slow cookers I highly recommend grabbing one at your first opportunity. They are so handy especially when cooking just one or two people. That being said I had one when I still had 4 kids at home and I used it often then too. Now I use it exclusively back then I used it for side dishes and desserts.

This soup comes out very rich and very creamy with not too many ingredients and not a lot of prep before the slow cooker takes over. Then about 6 hours in the slow cooker and a few minutes to do the final details and dinner is ready.

To begin we need to cook part of the potatoes, the recipe calls for 2 ¾ cups of cubed potatoes. The first step is to cook 2 cups of them in water until tender then to mash them along with their cooking liquid before adding them (water and all) into the slow cooker. This gives us the both the broth and the thickening for our soup.

While the potatoes are cooking add the rest of the potatoes,  the ham, veggies, and the seasonings to the slow cooker.

 

 

Once the potatoes are cooked and mashed and the butter melted in their liquid they are stirred in.

Finally add the cubed cheese to the top, put the lid on and set the slow cooker to low and let it do all the work for about 6 hours.

Once the 6 hours is up put the sour cream into a small bowl add a ladle of the hot soup broth and whisk these together. Then stir this mixture into the slow cooker and allow it to heat back up.

That is really all there is to this one. So easy but so yummy and so comforting.

You can find a downloadable/printable version of this recipe here.

Rich and Creamy Potato Soup

2 ¾ cups peeled, cubed potatoes (divided)

1 1/3 cups water

2 Tablespoons butter, cubed

2/3 cup cubed fully cooked ham

1/3 cup chopped carrot

1/3 cup chopped celery

1/3 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic minced

¼ teaspoon paprika

dash of pepper

¼ pound Velveeta, cubed

1/3 cup sour cream

In a medium saucepan cook 2 cups of the diced potatoes in the water until tender, about 10-15 minutes. DO NOT DRAIN!!! Mash the potatoes and their cooking liquid together.

Add the butter and stir to melt the butter.

 

Meanwhile place the remaining diced potatoes, diced ham, carrots, celery, garlic and seasonings in a 1 ½ quart slow cooker.

 

 

 

Add the mashed potato mixture to the slow cooker and stir to combine.

 

 

 

 

Add the cubed cheese to the top, cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

 

 

 

After 6 hours put the sour cream into a small bowl, then whisk in a ladle of the liquid from the slow cooker. This will thin the sour cream making it much easier to incorporate it into the soup without breaking up the veggies too much.

 

Carefully stir the sour cream mixture into the slow cooker. Put the lid back on the slow cooker and give a couple of minutes to come up to temperature again. Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed.

 

 

Ladle into 2 soup bowls and enjoy.

Southwest Shrimp Bisque

 

Of course the first thing I know someone out there is going to ask is this really a bisque? And to be truthful I am not really sure. I think I know what a bisque is and I even looked online to double check. I am still not sure if this is a true bisque or not. The original recipe that I based this recipe on was titled as a bisque so I decided to stick with it.

What I can tell you is this a very rich, very smooth, very yummy bowl of soup. It is perfect on a cold day or for a special dinner to celebrate whatever needs to be celebrated. Note I did say rich and that is not an understatement this is a very rich soup and should be saved for a special dinner. Or a Monday, like I did when I made this. I am going say I chose to have it when I did not only so I could share it with all of you but to ring in the new year in style.

There is just the perfect amount of spice in here to give it some zing but that is balanced with the cream so mellow it. With all the flavor the shrimp is still the star of the bowl.

When you get your shrimp if you have the choice of ones with shells on that is my preference. Unfortunately when I picked up my shrimp from the store I got the absolute last bag of frozen small shrimp in the store and they were peeled. At least they had their tales on. I say this because the first (optional??) step I like to do is take all those tails and shells if I have them and simmer them in a covered saucepan for about 10 minutes before I start the soup in my soup pot. This allows the flavor from those shells/tails to infuse the chicken broth. A small step but I really think it adds to the overall taste of the soup. And after all you paid for the flavor in those parts that are normally thrown away.

While the broth is getting infused we can get everything ready to make the soup. I like to have all my prep done before I start cooking, all veggies peeled and chopped, all seasonings measured out, all that stuff done so once I start cooking I don’t have to dash around trying to find things.

 

The first step is to cook the onion in some olive oil. Do this on a medium heat and cook them until they turn translucent and are starting to soften. I have found that a lot people I have talked to that say they don’t like onions in things aren’t cooking them long enough.

 

 

Once the onion is cooked add the garlic stirring it into the onions. It will only need a couple of seconds, just until you smell it.

 

 

 

 

Now add the spices stirring them in cook until again you smell the spices starting to warm up. This gives them, especially the cumin a much better flavor in the finished dish.

 

 

 

 

Add the flour and cook for about a minute stirring constantly. The mixture in the pan is going to be very stiff.

 

 

 

 

Then pour the infused chicken broth through a fine mesh strainer into the pan and stir it in very well. Add the cream again stirring really well.

Bring the soup barely to a boil and then cover the pan and simmer it over low heat for about 5 minutes.

Taste the broth of your soup and add salt and pepper if needed. This will depend on how well seasoned your chicken broth was to begin with.

 

 

Now add the shrimp and again bring to a boil. Then turn down the heat and simmer until the shrimp are cooked almost through. Stirring from time to time. This should take between 5 and 10 minutes.

 

While the shrimp cook move the sour cream to a small bowl.

Once the shrimp are cooked whisk ½ cup of the hot broth into the sour cream. Then transfer this mixture into the soup pot.

 

Cook stirring until the soup is hot. Be careful not to let the soup boil once the sour cream is added.

 

 

Ladle into two bowls and top with diced avocado and some chopped cilantro.

You can find a downloadable/printable version of this recipe here.

Southwest Shrimp Bisque

1 small onion, chopped

1 Tablespoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tablespoon Chili powder

½ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon ground coriander

1 Tablespoon flour

1 (14.5 ounce) chicken broth

½ cup heavy cream

½ pound small shrimp, peeled and deveined

½ cup sour cream

salt and pepper to taste

Avocado and chopped cilantro to top bowls of soup

Optional first step: combine the can of chicken broth and any shells/tails from the shrimp. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes to infuse the chicken broth with a bit more flavor.

In a medium soup pot heat the olive oil over medium heat then add the chopped onions and cook until they are translucent and starting to soften.

Once the onion is cooked add the garlic stirring it into the onions, cook just until fragrant.

Sprinkle the spices over the vegetable mixture and cook until fragrant.

Add the flour and cook for about a minute stirring constantly. The mixture in the pan is going to be very stiff.

Add the (infused) chicken broth to the pan and stir it in very well. Strain it through a fine mesh strainer if you infused it with the shells/tails. Stir the cream in to combine.

Bring the soup barely to a boil and then cover the pan and simmer it over low heat for about 5 minutes.

Taste the broth of your soup and add salt and pepper if needed. .

Now add the shrimp and again bring to a boil. Then turn down the heat and simmer until the shrimp are cooked almost through. Stirring from time to time. This should take between 5 and 10 minutes.

While the shrimp cook move the sour cream to a small bowl.

Once the shrimp are cooked whisk ½ cup of the hot broth into the sour cream. Then transfer this mixture into the soup pot.

Cook stirring until the soup is hot. Be careful not to let the soup boil once the sour cream is added.

Ladle into two bowls and top with diced avocado and some chopped cilantro.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

 

A while back a friend asked me if I had a recipe for Broccoli Cheddar Soup and I promised to work on it. I did have several that I have made over the years but no one that I loved. There were points about each on that I loved/liked but not an overall favorite. So I did what I do in that case and pulled out all of them, read over my notes on each and took the things I liked the best and combined them to make one that I hope is superior.

I did use frozen cut broccoli for this because it is more convenient for me and almost always in my kitchen. You could use an equal amount of lightly cooked fresh broccoli if you wish.

I made this a very thick soup, I mean very thick because that is how I like most this soup the best. If you want it to not be so thick either cut both the butter and four down to 2 Tablespoons or add an extra cup of chicken broth. Either of those steps will give a thinner soup and still taste just as good.

This is a pretty basic soup and can be dressed up in many ways. If you love celery or peppers in your soup add them along with the onions and carrots.

So without any further chatting let’s make some soup.

You can find a downloadable/printable version of this recipe here.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

¼ cup butter, cubed*

½ cup chopped onion

½ cup matchstick cut (or coarsely grated) carrots

1 clove garlic, minced or grated

¼ cup flour*

salt and pepper to taste

1 ½ cups milk

1 cup chicken broth*

1 cup frozen chopped broccoli

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

 

 

In a medium saucepan melt the butter over medium heat and then add the onion and carrots. Cook stirring occasionally until the onion is tender and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant.

 

 

 

 

 

Add the flour, salt, and pepper cook stirring for about 1 minute being sure all the veggies are well coated with the flour.

 

 

 

 

Add the liquid ingredients and stir until the mixture bubbles. Turn the heat down to barely a simmer and cook for 5 to 10 minutes until the carrots are almost cooked.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add the broccoli cook and stir until heated through.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the shredded cheese until melted.

Taste for seasoning, adjust if needed and serve.

 

 

I got 2 large bowls of soup from this recipe.

*Note: this is written as a very thick soup, if you prefer a thinner soup you can do either/both of the following.

1- cut both the butter and flour amounts to 2 Tablespoons and proceed as directed.

2- add an additional cup of chicken stock

Poblano & Corn Chowder

 

I often refer to this time of year as Soup Season and the recipe I have for you today is another of my favorites. I’m not really sure where I found it originally since it was scribbled on a piece of notebook paper stuck into my recipe binder.

I love the rich creaminess of this and it is really filling and so comforting on a cold day. It also has just the right amount of spice not too much and certainly not bland.

This recipe is vegetarian but I think even my fellow meat eaters will enjoy it as much as I do.

Poblano peppers find their way into a lot of my recipes I love the flavor and they are easy to find in most grocery stores. They have a bit of heat but not too much, although like a lot of “hot” peppers they do vary from one to the next. If you really want the chowder mild you could use a green bell pepper and I am sure the chowder will still be good. But to really taste it as designed go for the poblano.

We start by sauteing the pepper and the white portion of the green onions in some butter. Add just a pinch of salt and pepper to this so that the flavor can cook into the veggies and also the salt helps the veggies to cook more evenly (at least in my opinion it does) The fact that the peppers cook for as long as they do is one of the reasons the spice level is not too high.

 

 

Once the pepper and onions are softened add the flour to coat the veggies and cook for about 1 minute. This allows the flour to loose the “raw” flour taste and also helps it to stick to the veggies so that you are less apt to get lumps when you add the liquid.

 

 

Now add the liquid ingredients slowly while stirring. Adding them slowly, constantly stirring as the liquids are added in addition to the last step of letting the flour adhere to the veggies is what is going help you to not get lumps in the liquid.

 

 

 

 

 

Add the cubed potatoes and the Old Bay seasoning, bring to a boil then simmer for about 1 hour. This not only gets everything cooked but allows the flavors to really come together. Be sure to stir from time to time as it simmers.

 

 

Once your chowder has simmered for the hour use a potato masher or a fork to mash the potatoes as much as you would like. I like to get mine about half mashed. The consistency of your final bowl of soup is up to you. I prefer to have a few lumps of potato and I definitely don’t want to loose the chinks of pepper.

Now add the corn, cheese and cream cheese and stir to combine. Allow to cook until the corn is heated and the cheeses melt. The combination of the cheeses really makes this a creamy, comforting soup.

Taste and season as needed with more salt and pepper. Depending on the veggie broth you used you may need more salt or not.

This makes two really nice sized bowls of chowder. Sprinkle the green parts of the green onions on top, add a dollop of sour cream, and give the bowls a final sprinkle of Old Bay Seasoning and serve.

You can find a downloadable/printable version of this recipe here.

Poblano & Corn Chowder

1 poblano pepper, seeded and diced

2 green onions, sliced (keep the white part and green part separate)

2 Tablespoons butter

Salt and pepper

1 Tablespoon flour

¾ cup milk

2 cups vegetable broth

2 ½ cups diced, peeled potatoes

1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

1 ½ cups frozen corn

¼ cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese (or Mexican blend)

2 Tablespoons cream cheese, softened

2 Tablespoons sour cream

In a medium saucepan melt butter then add the diced poblano pepper and the sliced white portion of the green onions season with salt and pepper. Cook stirring for about 5 minutes until softened.

Add the flour and stir for about 1 minute.

Slowly add the milk and stock stirring to avoid lumps.

Add the potatoes and the Old Bay seasoning. Bring to a boil and simmer partially covered for 20 minutes or until the potatoes cook through, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and use a potato masher or a fork and mash the potatoes to desired consistency.

Return pan to the stove and on low heat add corn, cheese and cream cheese. Stir to combine and melt the cheeses and heat through.

Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.

Divide between 2 bowls and garnish with the sour cream and the green parts of the green onions. (I like to sprinkle on a bit more of the Old Bay seasoning too)

Makes 2 generous sized bowls of soup.

Black Bean Soup

 

I like to refer to this time of year as soup season because I absolutely love a big bowl of hearty soup on a cold day. And this one is quickly becoming a favorite.

I was looking through a new to me cookbook a while back and ran into a couple of recipes for different black bean soups. I didn’t have all the ingredients for either of them on hand but as I started reading the recipes this combination kind of came together in my mind. I had to try it that night since I had all the ingredients on hand and it was wonderful. In the end this recipe takes elements from probably 4 or 5 different recipes I have either tried over the years or read through but didn’t get the chance to make them.

Lets talk about the process for this soup.

I do admit there is a lot of vegetable chopping involved in this one but I really love the combination that I came up with.

There is one jalapeno in the pot but don’t let that scare you away, by the time it is cooked with everything else the heat is really mild (at least in my opinion) just be sure to remove the ribs and seeds and cut it up pretty small.

The carrots along with the onion lend a bit of sweetness and make this seem very healthy. I added some sweet pepper also. I had part of a bag of the mini peppers in the fridge so that is what I used but part of a bell pepper would work also.

Do be sure to cook the dry spices a couple of minutes along with the garlic, this will make them so much better than just dumping them into the pot.

As for de-glazing the pan with the Tequila, it is totally optional and you can feel free to skip it. I like the flavor it gives the soup, and no it doesn't taste like tequila it is very subtle but yummy.

I used my black beans that I cook in the Instant Pot and keep in the freezer in place of canned beans. If you use as many black beans as I do I recommend cooking them from dry and keeping a stash in the freezer. It’s an easy process and you are in total control of what is in them and the quality of them. You can find my blog post on how I do them here.

Now let’s talk about Better than Bouillon, I love this stuff and almost always have several flavors in the fridge. They last a pretty long time even opened and they give so much flavor to your cooking. They can usually be found near the soups and bouillons in the grocery store.

 

 

So the process of making this soup. First we are going to sweat the veggies in a bit of oil. This starts the cooking process and allows the flavors of them to mix together and start to form the wonderfulness of this bowl of soup.

 

 

 

 

Once the onions are softened go ahead and add the garlic and the dry seasonings. Give them a couple of minutes to start to cook. You will know it is time to move to the next step when they release their aromas and become fragrant. This does help to open up the flavors so much so don’t skip this step.

Now the optional step of de-glazing the pan with Tequila. You can skip it but I love the subtle flavor it gives the finished soup.

Now add the beans, water and Better than Bouillon and bring everything to a full boil. Then immediately reduce the heat and cover the pan. Allow the soup to simmer with the lid on for 1 hour. This gives time for all the flavors to come together.

Once the hour is up divide between your soup bowls. I found I got 3 pretty perfect size portions of this soup to have as a the main part of the meal.

I like to top mine with some shredded cheese, cubed avocado and some fresh cilantro. If you have a lime on hand serve a wedge alongside the soup to squeezed over just before digging in. 

 

 

I served mine with a cheese quesadilla on the side and it was a perfect end to a very cold winter day.

You can download a printable PDF version of the recipe here.

 

 

 

Black Bean Soup

1 jalapeno, chopped

½ cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped carrot

¼ cup chopped sweet pepper

vegetable oil

salt and pepper to taste

1 clove garlic, minced (or grated)

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

2 Tablespoons tequila (optional)

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

3 cups water

1 Tablespoon Better than Bouillon- Seasoned Vegetable

Saute the jalapeno, onion, carrots, and pepper in a small stock pot in the oil until the onions turn translucent. Season with a salt and pepper to taste. Add the garlic, chili powder, and ground cumin and continue to cook until they become fragrant.

Optionally de-glaze the pan with the Tequila.

Add the black beans, water and the Better than Bouillon to the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally.

Taste and season if needed.

Serve in bowls topped with shredded cheese, cubed avocado and cilantro. Add a wedge of lime to squeeze over the bowl just before you eat it.

Makes 3 bowls of wonderful soup.