Fish Chowder

With fall here and the temperatures getting cooler, I am back to making soups and chowders. Fish chowder is always a hit. I buy chowder mix from the grocery store fish counter if they have it. It is usually a mixture of cod, haddock, sole and whatever else they have trimmings from. You can also just buy a pound of any fish you prefer. But the chowder mix is usually a dollar or two cheaper.

5 to 6 Potatoes, cubed

water to cover potatoes

One Small Onion, chopped.

Bring this to a boil and cook potatoes until they are tender. About 8 minutes. They will continue to cook while you are completing the chowder. You don’t want them too mushy.

When potatoes are close to done, add in the fish in pieces. This will flake to smaller pieces, but you don’t want it to be too big when you drop it in.

Add 2 teaspoons of salt and one teaspoon of pepper.

Let the fish cook for about 6 to 8 minutes.

Add in 2 cups of half and half or add one can (12) ounces of can milk and 1/2 cup of half and half.

Add in 1/2 stick (4 Tablespoons) of butter.

Do not let it boil. After you are satisfied with the potatoes and the doneness of the fish, taste. This is the time to add more seasonings if you want. Shut off the burner and let sit for an hour to meld the flavors together.

Hamburg Soup

This is a nice, hearty soup. By adjusting the water and bouillon powder, it can be made more like a stew if you prefer it that way.

3 cups water

1 package Beefy Onion Soup Mix

1 to 2 cups chopped vegetables. I use carrots, celery, onion and whole kernel corn

If you like a tomato base, you can add a can of diced tomatoes with their juice. I puree the tomatoes before adding to soup. Cover this and let simmer on medium for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.

Cook 3/4 pound of hamburger in a small sauce pan. Drain and add to the soup mixture. Add more water if needed. For every cup of water, add an envelope of beef bouillon.

When soup has simmered for about 30 minutes, I lower heat to low and add 1/2 cup of instant brown rice. Salt and pepper to taste. The thinner you want this mixture the more water and bouillon powder you need to add, If you prefer it thicker, don’t add any more water.

Another thing that is acceptable, if you like cabbage. Just before thickening soup, cut up some cabbage in shreds. Add this to the soup and let it cool about 15 minutes longer. Then thicken it to your liking.

Cream of Broccoli Soup

Even of you don’t like broccoli, this soup will hit the spot on a cold, rainy day. My husband is not a fan of broccoli. Like George H. W. Bush, he said he does not have to eat that “awful, green stuff”. But he likes this soup. I add a cup of sharp or Mexican shredded cheese, which helps to cut some of the broccoli flavor.

2 tablespoons butter

1 small onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

3 cups of chicken broth

8 cups of broccoli florets, chopped

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

2 cups milk

ground pepper to taste

1 cup sharp cheese or Mexican shredded cheese

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium sized stock pot. Sauté the onion and celery until tender. Add broccoli and chicken stock to pot. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until broccoli starts to soften. Using your immersion blender, puree the soup right in the stock pot.

In a small sauce pan, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and add the milk. Stir until slightly thickened and add to soup. Season with salt and pepper to your taste. If you use salted butter, you won’t need to add too much salt.

Quick Chicken and Corn Chowder

It is snowing again today. A great day to make soup. We always have soup in our refrigerator in the winter. We eat small dinners and have our large meal at lunch. Soup seems to fit the bill on a cold, snowy, winter night. This is a quickly made soup and doesn’t need a lot of ingredients that you have to make a special trip to the grocery store for. If you shop like I do, these ingredients are probably already in your pantry just waiting to get out and be made into a delicious meal.

** This recipe calls for canned chicken. The salt in canned chicken is high. You do not add salt because of that. But if you decide to cut the salt intake, use cooked chicken breast and add 1/4 cup of chicken broth to make up for the juice in the canned chicken. You can then add 1/8 tsp of salt if you think it is needed to enhance the other flavors.

I cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup onion

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 1/2 cup (12 oz. can) evaporated milk or half and half

1 16oz, can creamed corn

1 14 1/2 oz. can chicken broth

2- 5 oz cans or 1-12 1/2 oz. can of chunk chicken (or you can substitute cooked chicken)

1/8 teaspoon or less of ground pepper.

This recipe calls for 1 2-oz jar of pimentos drained, but since they will just be picked out of the soup, I leave them out.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the onions and carrots and cook a couple of minutes until they are tender. Add the flour and stir into a paste, allowing the flour to cook off a little. Slowly add the milk or half and half into the mixture and whisk until all lumps of flour are gone. Stir in the corn, broth, undrained chicken or cooked chicken breast and pepper. Remember, if using cooked chicken instead of canned, you need to add another 1/4 cup of chicken broth. Also the pimentos if you are adding them.

Bring mixture to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. You can serve immediately or let sit for a couple of hours. Serve warm with breadsticks or slices of French bread for a light dinner.

Cream of Potato Soup

I looked through countless recipe books to find the easiest, most tasteful Cream of Potato Soup. I either didn’t have all the ingredients (spices) they called for or it just didn’t taste right. So I decided to experiment and create my own. This is what I came up with.

4 medium potatoes (cubed) Cooked in chicken broth instead of water.

While potatoes are cooking: combine the following ingredients in a small pan.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in pan and add:

1/4 cup onion chopped fine

3 celery stalks chopped

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 cup chicken broth

Let this simmer at a low heat until all are tender.

You will need 1 cup of Light cream, 1/2 and 1/2 or a can of evaporated milk and 1 tablespoon of flour.

When potatoes are tender, add the vegetables to this. DO NOT DRAIN.

Using an immersion blender, cream all ingredients until smooth.

Add 1 TBS flour to 12 oz. of light cream, 1/2 and 1/2 or a can of evaporated milk Whisk well to remove any lumps. Add to potato/vegetable mix. Stir constantly until thickened.

You may add small cubes of ham, cut up shrimp if you like. I don’t add cheese as this will make the soup pretty thick.

Let simmer at low heat for about 10 to 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Easy Potato Soup

This is a great winter soup. Especially when it is warm inside and the snow is blowing outside. You can add a protein, like ham, or you can just leave it as a vegetable soup. We eat our larger meal at lunch time and try to eat lighter at night. A warm bowl of soup with crackers or a half grilled cheese sandwich fits the bill.

3 large potatoes

3/4 cup chopped celery with leaves

1/2 cup chopped carrots

3/4 cup chopped onion

3/4 cup half an half or milk

salt and pepper (to your taste)

Peel and cube potatoes into 1/4″ size

Put into a saucepan along with celery, carrots and onions

Add water, but do not totally cover the veggies

Bring to a boil and lower heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until vegetables ar tender, but not mushy. I do not drain the veggies as the watr they cooked in holds a lot of flavor.

If you want some chunks in your soup, lightly mash them. If you prefer a creamy soup, use an immersion blender until it is smooth. You can add 1/2 tsp of nutmeg and 1/2 tsp garlic powder if you want to enhance your flavors.

And your ham at this point, but be sure that the pieces are small.

Add your half and half or milk.

Put it back on the stove and bring to a low simmer. Taste. Does it need more salt and pepper? Then add it now.

Turn off burner aned let set for a couple of hours to meld all the flavors.

Warm and serve with a sprinkle of cheese or croutons on top.

Corn Chowder

6 Medium Potatoes

Small Onion

1 Can Whole Kernel Corn

1 Can Cream Corn

Salt & Pepper

1 Can Evaporated Milk or 1 Pint Half & Half

1 tablespoon butter.

Peel potatoes and chop into 1/2 ” cubes (or smaller). Chop onions. Cover potatoes and onion with water and boil for 10 to 12 minutes or until tender.* Add cream corn and whole kernel corn (undrained) to potatoes. Cook at a simmer for another 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper. Turn off heat and add Half & Half or the can of evaporated milk. Add butter. Put into a sealed container and let cool for 15 minutes. Serve Immediately or store in refrigerator for lunch the next day.

*If you want a creamier soup, remove 1/2 of the potatoes before adding the corn. Using an Immersion blender, cream the potatoes in the pan until smooth. Replace the cubed potatoes you had removed into the cream mixture and continue following the recipe.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

This is a very easy soup. Now that the weather is warming up, you may feel that soups should not be a regular menu item. But once you taste this soup, you will want to be sure that you have some on hand for those rainy, cool days or a day where you need that little extra hug. It is easy and fast. It is better if it sits for a day before you make it one of your meals, but I have been known to make it in the morning and have a bowl at lunch. I have decided to change the recipe a little when I make it. I do not put in the last tablespoon of flour. I find that makes it too thick when you are warming it up. Try it both ways and pick which version you like best. It is so good. This is also a great way to move away from the canned version of Cream of Mushroom soup. It has less fat and sodium to name a few reasons. And besides that, it just tastes better. You can make a double batch and freeze some to use in those casseroles that call for the canned version.

8 ounces of fresh white mushrooms

2 Tablespoons of chopped onions. or 2 teaspoons of onion powder

1 teaspoon of minced garlic*

2 Tablespoons of butter

2 Tablespoons of flour

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup of light cream or 12 oz. can of canned milk

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1 Tablespoon flour

Clean and slice the mushrooms. (to clean mushrooms, trim off the bottom of the stem, take a wet paper towel and wipe any dirt off the mushrooms. The remaining stem may be chopped and added to the soup along with the sliced mushrooms).

In a large pot, melt the butter. Add the mushrooms and stems, garlic and onion. Cook until mushrooms become soft and start to turn brown. They may seem to be a little dry, but that is okay. Sprinkle in the 2 TBS of flour and stir to mix. Add the chicken broth and heat over a medium heat, stirring often, until it starts to slightly thicken.

In a small bowl, whisk together the light cream or canned milk, salt, pepper, nutmeg and 1 Tablespoon of flour. Add this to the chicken broth and mushroom mixture. Heat to thicken, stirring frequently. If you don’t want chunks of mushroom in your soup, use an immersion blender to cream soup.

You can purchase minced garlic in the produce section of your grocer. This is kept in the refrigerator once it is opened and saves you from chopping and cutting garlic.
I often freeze soup in 2 cup plastic containers that allows me to have warm soup with out making a full pot. This works well if you are tired and just want a light dinner.