Wild Rice 'n Ham Soup

I originally shared this post for Wild Rice Soup back in 2012. I've wanted to get a better picture of this and update the post, but it seems I always make this on a weeknight, in the middle of the winter, and its just dark, dark, dark! This soup is still a favorite, and even my husband who insists soup is just an appetizer, not a meal, can eat this soup as a meal! 

This is not a "fussy" recipe. Just eyeball the ingredients. Do you have one sad little carrot left in the fridge after you grated your 1/2 cup?  Make that last carrot happy and throw him into the pot.  Just have a chunk of ham left over from the holiday dinner, skip the measuring and just add what you have.  A little extra, or a little less will be just fine.

It's hard to explain, to people that aren't from the St. Paul/Minneapolis area, how my favorite soup comes from a grocery store! Byerly's was always that higher end grocery store that had foods that were just a step above the rest.  Of course, they had all the normal foods as well, but they had the super yummy ones that you just craved. Waaaayyy back in the day, when my friend Stacey and I had our first apartment, we were in walking distance to Byerly's so we were fortunate enough to do a lot of shopping there.  In more recent years, I would love stopping there on my way home from work and picking up special meats for grilling.  Now, it is just a treat to stop at when I am in the cities, and get their pasta sauces, bakery treats, soups....  this list goes on, but you get the idea.  I guess they don't go by the same name anymore, I think they were bought out by the store from the other side of town. I believe their name is Lunds now.  Ahhhh....  the memories!

One of the best soups found at Byerlys', locally famous, is their Wild Rice Soup.  You could order it in their restaurant or purchase several different size containers in the store.  I would always try to have a container on stand by.  Feel a cold coming on?  Wild Rice Soup. Bad day at work?  Wild Rice Soup. Raining out? Wild Rice Soup.  See how I am?  I got even more spoiled the year that my mom bought the Byerly's cookbook.  Oh, life was good! Mom would always make a big batch so she had enough to share with me.  She still makes it often, and she usually serves it for Christmas Eve when we celebrate at their house.  

When making this, you can use Half and Half in place of the milk for the most indulgent version of this recipe. Just to lighten it up a bit, I use milk. 

Wild Rice Soup

1/2 c. finely diced onion

6 T. butter

1/2 c. flour

4 c. chicken broth

2 cups cooked wild rice

1/2 c. finely grated carrots

1 c. minced ham

3 T. chopped slivered almonds

1/2 t. salt

1 c. whole milk (Half and Half is the rich way to go)

In saucepan, melt butter; add onion and saute till tender.  Blend in flour; Cook for two minutes.  Gradually add broth.  Cook, stirring constantly until mixture comes to boil.  Boil while stirring, for 1 minute.  Stir in rice, carrots, ham, almonds, and salt.  Simmer 5 minutes.  Blend in milk.  Heat thoroughly.  

Serve with crust bread and enjoy :) 


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Rustic Turkey and Barley Soup

It's finally here! No, I am not talking about the snow, I am talking about soup season! I know we can eat it year round, and we do, but there is just something special about that favorite soup or chili, with some crusty bread or sandwich, on a cold, or snowy day.

I can't begin to tell you how much of this soup we have eaten in the last couple weeks. We are so in love with it. It's strange for Truckin' Man to be lovin' it so much, but I am not going to complain. It's packed with flavor, and so many good for you ingredients. 

You can change this up in so many ways based on what's in your pantry, too.
You can easily change this up to vegetarian, just skip the turkey and use a veggie stock.
No barley? Add rice.
Really love carrots? Add more.
Prefer kale? Add that instead of the spinach. 

Rustic Turkey and Barley Soup

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp oregano
40 oz chicken stock
1 cup carrots, sliced
1/3 cup barley
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup red split lentils
1 cup leftover turkey, chopped
1/2 cup fresh spinach, chopped


Heat oil in dutch oven, or large pot, over medium high heat.  Add onions, and saute until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, and oregano, cook for 2-3 minutes.  To the pot, add chicken stock, carrots, barley, salt and pepper. Bring to boil and simmer for about 45 minutes. Add lentils and turkey, cooking for another 15 minutes, or until barley and lentils are tender.  Stir in spinach.  Taste and add more salt as necessary.

Adapted from: The Iowa Housewife


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Brazilian Black Bean Soup

For Christmas, my sister and her family sent me several cookbooks.  The cookbooks were different from any I would have ever bought for myself.  Different cooking methods and foods that I typically seek out.  That made these cookbooks fun for me as they are all new recipes!  I sometimes need that little push to break out of my comfort zone and try something new.

One of the new cookbooks is  Moosewood Cookbook.  Very healthy recipes, but don't be scared by that, they are amazing recipes! For my first test, I settled on Brazilian Black Bean soup, it had so much flavor packed in it, I had to try it!! I googled some comments on this recipe, and it was everywhere online, and the reviews all convinced me to make this ASAP!

We loved this soup! I love my winter "warm you up" and "feel good" soups.  As much as this one filled that need, I can tell you that this would also be a delicious soup in the summer.  The orange juice gives it such a bright flavor.  And, the cilantro adds so much to this soup.  The day I went to the store to pick up the cilantro for this soup, I was just amazed at how wonderful the store smelled! Even when I was by the flour picking up my baking supplies, there was such an amazing smell in the store.  I thought maybe I was just REALLY hungry since it was after work. Nope, not the case. The  amazing scent that followed me everywhere, was the cilantro in my shopping cart! I think this is a sign that this snow needs to go away so I can get my garden planted!

So, go on. Get your shopping list made, and make a pot of this soup.  Wait, one more thing.... add a loaf of crusty bread to your shopping list. It will go perfectly with a bowl!

Brazilian Black Bean Soup (Source: The New Moosewood Cookbook)

2 cups dried black beans
4 cups water
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cups onion, chopped
10 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp. cumin
2 1/2 tsp. salt
1 carrot, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups orange juice
black pepper
cayenne pepper
Cilantro (optional)
Sour Cream (optional)

Pick through the dried beans and remove any stones or broken beans.  Rinse beans.  In large pot or bowl, cover beans with 3 inches of water.  Cover and let set overnight, or 10 hours.

Drain beans, and add them to dutch oven with four cups of water.  Over medium high heat, bring to a boil, and cover.  Reduce heat and simmer until beans are tender, about one and a half hours.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in skillet.  Add onion, 5 crushed garlic cloves, cumin, salt, and carrot.  Saute over medium heat until the carrot is tender.  Add remaining garlic, and the bell pepper.  Saute until all veggies are tender.  Add the veggies to the beans, after they are done cooking.

Stir in orange juice.  Add black pepper, and cayenne pepper, to taste.  Remove from heat, and puree soup with immersion blender.  Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.

Serve with cilantro and sour cream.

Enjoy!!

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Choo Choo Cabbage and Ham Soup

My bestie gave me this recipe a couple months ago when we met up for a fun day out by the Mississippi River. We were checking out the swan migrations, and having a fun girls day away. As always, she brought me lots of fun foodie gifts from the big city, but this time she also brought a recipe for me to try. One of her co-workers had brought some soup in for lunch, and everyone loved it so much the lady had to follow up by bringing the recipe in! This recipe is based on a very popular soup served at a restaurant in Minnesota. 

This is a great soup for a cold winter day.  It will warm your bellies, and we all need that with the weather that has been hitting most of the country!

Be sure to enter my drawing for the chance to try Almondina.  Click here for your chance!

Choo Choo Cabbage and Ham Soup

2 Tbsp butter
1 cup onion, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 lb cabbage, shredded ( I used red cabbage )
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 qt chicken stock
2 cup ham, diced
1/4 c butter
6 Tbsp flour
3 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
1 tsp salt
Tobasco to taste
1/3 cup shredded parmesan

Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a large pot.  Once melted, add onions and celery. Saute for several minutes. Add cabbage, red bell pepper; continue to saute.  When vegetables are tender, stir in ham.

In small pan, heat cream to hot, but not boiling. Meanwhile, in another small pan start the roux.  Melt 1/4 cup butter. Add flour, stirring continuously. Continue cooking for 3-4 minutes, continuing to stir.  Add cream to cabbage mixture, stirring constantly.  When soup is just below boiling point, and the roux one teaspoon at a time, while stirring. Add pepper, salt, tobasco, and parmesan cheese.

Garnish with additional shaved parmesan cheese if desired.

Enjoy!


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Lemon Thyme Chicken Stew

Finally! It's time to start enjoying foods that are better for warming you up. Who needs more warming up in the summer??  I hope this is a long and mild fall! It is truly my season. Winter is too cold, and summer is too hot. Spring... well, it's good, but we didn't get one this year. So... I hope fall is here for a long time!

This recipe is perfect for a cool fall day. Throw it in the crockpot and you are good to go about your day.  All you need to go along side of this is some crusty bread, and you will be lovin' what just happened in your crockpot!  I absolutely love all the flavor combinations in this dish. The combination of the thyme and lemon make for some of the best potatoes and chicken and I have ever made in the crockpot. 

Lemon Thyme Chicken Stew (Source: Taste of Home)

1 lb small red potatoes, halved or quartered (depending on size of potato)
1 large onion, diced
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp lemon peel, grated
2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 lbs chicken thighs, skin removed
2 cups chicken broth
2 bay leaves

Place potatoes, onion and carrots in 3 qt slow cooker.  Sprinkle with flour, garlic, lemon peel, thyme, salt and pepper.  Toss to coat.  Place chicken over top.  Add broth and bay leaves.

Cook, covered, on low for 7 to 9 hours, or until chicken and potatoes are tender. Remove bay leaves.

Enjoy!!

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Mexican Meatball Soup

I have been craving Mexican - Tex Mex - Southwest flavors so much the last couple of weeks.  I am sure it has something to do with the never ending winter, and tasting flavors from warmer places are a form of therapy.  What is better than enjoying these flavors?  Enjoying them in a soup!  I had pinned this Mexican soup a while ago.  Soup, plus the therapy of my favorite flavors.  Win, win!

It was a bit challenging getting a few of the ingredients in my local town, so I had to finish up my shopping when we went to the "big" town over the weekend.  Who knew it was so hard to find ground turkey in the middle of farm country. And, Queso Fresco, not an option either. 

This was a lovely soup with amazing flavor.  Truckin' Man was not able to enjoy this one with me, a little to much heat for him.  So, I took some into work to share, and my love of spice and flavor was appreciated!  These meatballs may make another appearance in other dishes, they were just so packed with flavor, and perfect texture.

Mexican Meatball Soup  (Slightly adapted from:  Bev Cooks)

1 1/4 lbs ground turkey
2 scallions, finely chopped
1 Tbsp ground cumin
2 Tbsp chili powder
1/3 c. finely crushed tortilla chips
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
2 chipotle peppers, in adobo sauce (adjust for less heat if needed!)
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 cups salsa  (fresh is best!)
32 ounces chicken stock
 
Optional For Garnish:
Avocado
Queso Fresco or Pepper Jack 
Cilantro


In medium bowl combine turkey, scallions, cumin, chili powder, tortilla chips, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix until combined, but do not over work the mixture.  Roll mixture into balls, about 1 inch diameter (I made 2 dozen).  Heat large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs to skillet and brown all over.  Set aside.

In blender, combine the salsa and the chipotle peppers. Pulse until liquified.

Heat large pot over medium heat.  Add the tomato paste, and stir for one minute.  Add salsa and chicken stock to pot. Bring to a boil, add the meatballs, lower heat and simmer for about 15 minutes.  

Garnish as desired and enjoy :)

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Roasted Tomato Soup

Tis the season for warm and comforting foods. During this past month, soup has frequently been our main course. There have been so many delicious bowls, but this new soup is running as my second favorite right now.  I was inspired by a soup I found on Pinterest that was from Elizabeth's Edible Experience. I couldn't find the tomatoes that her recipe called for, so I tweaked this based on tomatoes I had in the freezer. 

I have so many different forms of tomatoes in the freezer. Whole blanched, crushed, pureed, marinara sauce, and oven roasted. I LOVE oven roasted tomatoes. When they are fresh out of the oven, I can eat them just like potato chips :) The weird thing about tomatoes in our house - neither one of us like raw tomatoes. Unless, they are made into salsa. You will never ever find a slice of tomato on a sandwich. You will never find a chunk of tomato in a salad. But, if you make 'em up all yummy, we couldn't be happier! If you have never oven roasted tomatoes, My Sister's Kitchens' makes them very similar to how I make mine.

Roasted Tomato Soup (Based on Elizabeth's Edible Experience)

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 c. chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, chopped
3/4 c. chopped fresh basil ( 1/4 c. dried basil)
25 ounces crushed tomatoes (canned or frozen)
6 ounces oven roasted tomatoes (or sun dried )
4 ounces cream cheese (cubed)
2 cups milk (I use 1%)
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
Parmesan Cheese (optional)
Croutons or crackers (optional)

Heat oil in saucepan over medium high heat. Add onions, cook for about ten minutes, stirring frequently.  Stir in garlic, cook for one minute.

Add basil, crushed tomatoes and oven roasted tomatoes.  Bring to boil.  Add cream cheese, stirring until melted through.  Remove from heat and using immersion (stick) blender, blend until smooth. Return to heat and stir in milk, salt and pepper. Continue stirring gently until heated through. Taste for seasoning, and add more salt if needed.

Pour into serving bowls and top with cheese or crackers.

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Potato Chili Cheese Soup

My sister and I are complete opposites. Actually, opposites really doesn't seem to fully describe how different we are. I can't wait to get moved south to the Carolina's and be warm, while sis has her family settled in Canada, where they are as content as can be. I love Kevin Bacon, maybe cuz he has bacon in his name or he is just a great actor. My sis can not stand him, she will leave the room if he is in a movie we are watching. Finally, the biggest difference, she and her family are vegetarians. I require my daily intake of meat, be it beef, bacon, chicken, bacon, pork, venison or even... you guessed it bacon. Sis has always been a full believer in organic foods. I never was. Not saying I have changed my mind on all that, but I have stopped saying she is wrong, too. With what she has always been lecturing me on, and what my friend over at Real Food Girl:Unmodified is teaching us, you have to stop and listen.  If Sis is reading this, she might just take that as I am saying she was right about something!

Now that I have brought you up to speed on the lifestyle differences, on to the rest of the story. We were all skyping after Christmas, and I showed them the new immersion blender I got for Christmas. I was really so excited about receiving this gift, and the fact that I finally had one. It was just one of those gadgets I would never buy for myself, and it finally came as a Christmas gift, actually I got two! Guess everyone was listening!

When my brother-in-law saw the blender, he was telling me about his favorite soup to make with their blender. Oh yeah, there is another difference, I love to cook, Sis.. not so much. Brother-in-law does the cooking up there. I have never used one of their family recipes before due to our differences in food choices, but I just love a good soup, and had to trust them on this one. It took a couple days, but they finally got the recipe emailed to me.  Let me just tell you, this soup is O. M. G.  Amazeballs! It has such an amazing flavor from all the peppers and spices, but no heat (Truckin' Man was happy).  I am sure I could have made the soup a little smoother with some more practice with the blender, but I actually like the little bit of texture. I will no longer question their food choices, and look forward to the next recipe!!! 

Potato Chili Cheese Soup (Slightly adapted from The Enchanted Broccoli Forest via My Sis )

4- 5 medium potatoes 
3 cups water
1 T. butter
1 T. olive oil
1 1/2 c. chopped onion
1 3/4 t. salt
1 t. cumin
1 t. basil (I used dried)
2 medium cloves of garlic, crushed
Lots of freshly ground pepper (I used about 1/2 teaspoon)
1 1/2 c. diced green bell pepper
1 c. diced canned green chilies **
3/4 c. sour cream  (I used greek yogurt)
1 c. milk
3/4 c. (packed) grated jack cheese
2 scallions, finely minced (whites & greens) (optional)
Cilantro (optional)

Scrub the potatoes, cut them into small chunks and cook them in the water, partially covered, until tender (about 20 minutes). Cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, begin sauteing onions in combined butter and olive oil in large heavy skillet. After several minutes add salt, cumin, basil, garlic, and black pepper. Continue until onions are getting soft (about 8 minutes). Add chopped peppers and saute a few more minutes.  Set aside.

Puree the potatoes in their cooking water. Return puree to large sturdy sauce pan.  Add the saute, plus the green chilies, sour cream, and milk. Puree until well blended.  Heat very gently over low heat.

When soup is hot, stir in cheese and scallions and serve. Garnish with cilantro, if you like.

**Note from Sis:  (Be sure to go through the chili peppers thoroughly and pull our any stems and husks. You just want the peppers)

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Spicy Corn Chowder

I love soups, chili's and chowders! Sadly, it has been to warm this summer for us to enjoy any bowls of goodness. With the temperatures dropping back to reasonable, and the veggies rolling out of the garden, I have been ready to get back in the groove! 

We had a lot of corn to pick last weekend.Considering the drought and heat we had this summer, I was pretty shocked at how much corn we have had. Most of it was enjoyed right on the cob, and more was taken to the freezer.  Finally, it was time for me to do something fun with the corn! I remembered a recipe I was introduced to a couple years ago. A friend had made Spicy Corn Chowder following the Neely's recipe. I didn't have the chance to try what she made, but she raved about it so much I found the recipe and made it for myself.  It was definitely a keeper! It isn't to spicy to me, so if you want some real kick to it, add another jalapeno, or some more cayenne!

Spicy Corn Chowder (Source: Food Network)

4 pieces thick slice bacon, chopped

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 small jalapeno, chopped seeds and ribs removed

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/4 c. all-purpose flour 

4 c. chicken stock

2 large red potatoes, diced small

1 c. heavy cream 

16 ounces corn (frozen or fresh)

1/4 t. cayenne pepper 

1 bay leaf

In a small saucepan over medium heat, saute the bacon until crisp and browned and fat is rendered. Transfer to paper towel, and set aside. Leave about 4 tablespoons of bacon grease in pan.

Add onions and red pepper to pan. Saute until tender and translucent, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the jalapeno and garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the flour until thoroughly combined. Cook the flour until it reaches a slight blonde color, about 1 minute. Stir in chicken stock and potatoes; simmer for 10 minutes; potatoes will become soft. Add the cream, corn, cayenne and bay leaf. Simmer for 15 minutes. Pour into serving bowl and garnish with reserved bacon.

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Cheeseburger Soup

It seems as though we have survived winter.  We hit 60 degree's this week. For Wisconsin, in March, that is pretty amazing!  Other than bad road conditions from ice, I certainly didn't have as many complaints as normal this year.  

Sadly, my laptop is in for repair, so getting online has been a little challenging these last couple days. I hope it is back from the repair shop soon! Note for cat owners:  Do not leave your morning coffee sitting unattended next to the laptop. Learn from my mistake!!!

I did have one last winter soup I wanted to get made because I know I will never get it made during warmer weather.  This isn't a typical soup for me, as it has Velveeta cheese in it, which I am not a huge fan of.  But, this is one of my favorite soups!  Apparently, my trucker has never had Velveeta cheese before, so when I was buying cheese that wasn't refrigerated, he was a little worried what the heck I was making. In the end, he admitted he also really liked this soup (with the weird cheese)! 

Cheeseburger Soup 

2 C. water
2 1/2 C. cubed potatoes
2 carrots, grated
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 c. green pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 t. salt
2 cubes beef bullion
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
2 1/2 c. milk, divided
3 T. flour
1/2 lb. Velveeta, cubed
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
Freshly ground nutmeg

In large saucepan add water, potatoes, carrots, onion, bell pepper, jalapeno and garlic.  Sprinkle salt and bullion over mixture.  Over medium heat, bring to boil. Then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until your potatoes are tender.

While your veggie mix is cooking, in skillet cook beef until brown; drain. When the potatoes are tender, add beef and 2 cups of milk to the saucepan. Combine remaining 1/2 c. milk with flour, stirring until smooth; add to soup.  Bring to a low boil and cook, stirring until thickened, about 3 minutes.

Reduce heat to low, and stir in cheese until melted.  Add cayenne pepper and a couple grinds of nutmeg.

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Wild Rice Soup

It's hard to explain, to people that aren't from the St. Paul/Minneapolis area, how my favorite soup comes from a grocery store! Byerly's was always that higher end grocery store that had foods that were just a step above the rest.  Of course, they had all the normal foods as well, but they had the super yummy ones that you just craved. Waaaayyy back in the day, when my friend Stacey and I had our first apartment, we were in walking distance to Byerly's so we were fortunate enough to do a lot of shopping there.  In more recent years, I would love stopping there on my way home from work and picking up special meats for grilling.  Now, it is just a treat to stop at when I am in the cities, and get their pasta sauces, bakery treats, soups....  this list goes on, but you get the idea.  I guess they don't go by the same name anymore, I think they were bought out by the store from the other side of town. I believe their name is Lunds now.  Ahhhh....  the memories!

One of the best soups found at Byerlys', locally famous, is their Wild Rice Soup.  You could order it in their restaurant or purchase several different size containers in the store.  I would always try to have a container on stand by.  Feel a cold coming on?  Wild Rice Soup. Bad day at work?  Wild Rice Soup. Raining out? Wild Rice Soup.  See how I am?  I got even more spoiled the year that my mom bought the Byerly's cookbook.  Oh, life was good! Mom would always make a big batch so she had enough to share with me.  She still makes it often, and she usually serves it for Christmas Eve when we celebrate at their house.  

When making this, you can use Half and Half in place of the milk for the most indulgent version of this recipe. Just to lighten it up a bit, I use milk. 

Wild Rice Soup (Adapted from Byerly's)

1/2 c. finely diced onion

6 T. butter

1/2 c. flour

4 c. chicken broth

2 cups cooked wild rice

1/2 c. finely grated carrots

1 c. minced ham

3 T. chopped slivered almonds

1/2 t. salt

 1 c. whole milk (Half and Half is the rich way to go)

In saucepan, melt butter; add onion and saute till tender.  Blend in flour; Cook for two minutes.  Gradually add broth.  Cook, stirring constantly until mixture comes to boil.  Boil while stirring, for 1 minute.  Stir in rice, carrots, ham, almonds, and salt.  Simmer 5 minutes.  Blend in milk.  Heat thoroughly.  

Serve with crust bread and enjoy :) 

Split Pea Soup

We LOVE soups.  Soup works really well with our lifestyle.  With my boyfriend on the road so much, bowls of soup travel well and reheat awesome in his truck. Anything convenient that helps keep McDonald's and Subway out of his diet is a bonus.  And, it is simple for me to have a bowl when eating alone, rather than making a steak for one?  In wanting to try a new kind of soup, I finally decided to give the, always avoided, Split Pea Soup a chance.  I love pea's, so it has always been the appearance of the Split Pea Soup that scared me away.  

The other exciting part of trying this soup, was finally breaking in my Julia Child, "The Way to Cook", cookbook.  It was a Christmas gift from my mom a year ago, and I have read it and referenced it many times, but never actually followed one of Julia's recipes.  This was it!  I liked her recipe offering the idea of finishing the recipe as a "Rough peasanty texture", and just mashing the veggies and peas, rather than making a puree out of it and ending up with the soup that I have avoided for years.

This was a very tasty soup, I am so glad I took the time to make the ham stock, as I am sure that made a huge difference.  It was definitely a stick to your ribs soup, that was very filling.

Split Pea Soup  (adapted from Julia Child - "The Way to Cook")

For the Stock

2 ham hocks (rinsed) and any ham scraps you have on hand.

3 quarts of water

1 c. chopped carrot

1  c. chopped onion

1 large rib celery, chopped

Herb bouquet ( 3 bay leaves, 1 tsp thyme, and 5 cloves; tied in cheesecloth)

Salt

For the Soup

3 T. Butter

2/3 c. diced celery

2/3 c. diced onion

1/2 c. diced carrot

1/2 c. diced potato

3 T. Flour

2 quarts ham stock

1 1/2 c. green split peas (washed and drained)

Salt and freshly ground pepper

To make the stock:

Place ham hocks in pot.  Add enough water to cover by  two inches.  Add any extra ham scraps, the chopped vegetables and herb bouquet.  Simmer 3 to 4 hours with lid to one side, to allow for air circulation; salt lightly after an hour or so and skim occasionally.  Strain and degrease.  Cut away outer skin on ham hocks, remove meat from bones, and reserve for soup.

To make the soup:

Set saucepan over moderately high heat, add butter.  Once melted, add vegetables and saute, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.  Add in the flour; cook, stirring for 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool briefly.  Add in the ham stock, ham and the split peas.  Bring to a simmer, stirring often.  Cover loosely and simmer about one hour, or until peas are tender.  Taste after half hour of simmering and adjust salt and pepper to taste.

At this point, you can puree the soup if desired, for a smooth texture.  I used my potato masher, to just mash up the peas and vegetables a bit.   Adjust seasoning again, if needed.

Enjoy!

Tortilla Soup

Many many years ago....  When I was stilling working for the bank, in downtown St. Paul, I had my choice of so many places to lunch at.  We would take the skyway system to our choice of the day and get whatever flavor or food group it was we were craving.  One day when out on our daily lunch hunt, my friend Nancy and I, went to a sub joint in the Depot building.  This particular place always had homemade soups, and on this day they were serving Tortilla Soup.  I had never had this kind of soup, so of course I ordered it. It was just amazing, and I was in love.  The flavor was like no soup I had ever had.  It was just the perfect Mexican flavorings and veggies all pulled together in one little bowl. YUM!

And then ....this sub place closed. I really was just about devastated. From then on, any time I went to a restaurant, diner or deli that was serving Tortilla Soup, I had to order it. None of the soups I tried have ever compared.  I have tried cooking various recipes myself, but just couldn't find that flavor combination that rocked my taste buds like that first bowl.  Until now that is!! I was so excited when I read the recipe for Tortilla Soup that Sweet Pea's Kitchen had on her blog.  It sounded amazing just reading it!  

Like everything else this month, it was complicated getting ready to make it.  Can't keep the vehicle running to get to the store.  Can't go shopping with all the ice, you know... one thing after another.  Well, finally all ingredients in hand, I made the soup, and it was delicious. The right balance of spices, and I really think the cilantro is what pulled it together with that amazing flavor combination! Next time, I will save just a little bit of Cilantro for some garnish.

Tortilla Soup 

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

2 1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes

2 (10.5 ounce) cans chicken broth

1 cup whole corn kernels

1 cup white corn (I used Green Giant Chipotle White Corn)

1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

2-3 boneless chicken breast halves

Tortilla chips, crushed

Optional

1 avocado, sliced

Shredded Cheese (Cheddar or Colby)

Green onions, chopped

Cilantro, chopped

Sour Cream (I topped with Greek Yogurt)

Heat oil in a medium stock pot over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic in until soft, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, tomatoes, broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Stir in corn, hominy, chiles, beans, cilantro, and chicken. Simmer for 30 minutes. Remove chicken and shred. Return to pot and continue to simmer for an additional 30 minutes.

Ladle soup into individual bowls and top with crushed tortilla chips, avocado slices, cheese, green onion, cilantro and a dollop of sour cream.