We used to have a restaurant here called Chevy’s Fresh Mex and I loved their delicious brothy Mexican chicken tortilla soup recipe, which wasn’t like my go-to recipe which is hearty and thick, this one is a flavorful broth served with chicken, and charred corn and topped with crunchy tortilla strips, avocado, cotija, and cilantro. I’ve been craving the soup lately, so I slow-simmered a Mexican-style chicken stock using the bones from a leftover roasted chicken. I served this soup for dinner on a cold rainy day and my entire family loved it.

Mexican Chicken Tortilla Soup

Mexican Style Stock:

• 1 chicken carcass, plus the wing and leg bones!
• 1 small onion, cut into wedges
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
• 1 small carrot, roughly chopped
• 1 small tomato, chopped
• 1 poblano pepper, seeded & deveined, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded & deveined, chopped
• 5 cloves of garlic, skins removed, smashed
• Handful of cilantro, stems & all
• Handful of parsley, stems & all
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder, or more to taste
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• Juice from 1/2-1 lime, to taste

Tortilla Strips:

• 5 corn tortillas
• 2-3 tbsp vegetable oil, or more if needed
• Sea salt

Serving:

• 1 cup frozen corn, thawed and charred
• Leftover roasted chicken, chopped into bite-sized cubes (as much as you want)
• 1 avocado
• Fresh cilantro, chopped
• Cotija cheese, crumbled
• Lime wedges

Mexican Chicken Tortilla Soup

Make the Mexican-style stock by placing the chicken carcass, wing, and leg bones in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over low heat along with the onion, green onion, celery, carrot, tomato, poblano, jalapeno, garlic, cilantro, parsley, bay leaf, peppercorns, coriander seed, chicken bouillon powder, smoked paprika, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Cover with water, about 6-7 cups, and simmer with the lid on for 3-4 hours.

Strain the mixture through a fine sieve. Discard the bones and veggies. Pour the stock back into the wiped-out Dutch oven or stockpot and simmer on the stove for about 30 minutes, uncovered to reduce a bit and get a richer flavor, make sure to skim off any fat from the top of the stock.

Taste the stock then season with more chicken bouillon powder, sea salt, or freshly cracked black pepper, if needed.  Add fresh lime juice, to taste

Meanwhile, make the crispy tortilla strips by filling a small skillet with vegetable oil until it is 1/2 inch up the sides. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until hot, about 7-10 minutes. Test the oil by putting the tip of a corn tortilla in the oil, if it bubbles a lot, it’s ready.

Slice the corn tortillas into thin strips.

When the oil is HOT carefully place some of the tortilla strips into the hot oil, making sure not to overcrowd the skillet.  Using tongs, stir them around until crispy and lightly golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to remove the strips from the oil and place them on a paper towel lined plate. Immediately season with some sea salt. Repeat the process with the remaining strips; set aside until needed.

Char the corn by heating a small skillet over high heat. Place the thawed corn on a few paper towels to drain off excess liquid. Pour the corn into the hot skillet and cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly charred.

Serve the soup by ladling the Mexican-style broth into bowls. Add some charred corn, chopped chicken, and diced avocado. Top with the crispy tortilla strips, cilantro, and cotija cheese. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side. Enjoy.

Print

Mexican Chicken Tortilla Soup

Course Lunch, Main

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 4 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 hours hours

Servings 4

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• Large Dutch Oven or Stockpot
• Fine Sieve Strainer
• Small skillet

Ingredients

Mexican Style Stock:

• 1 chicken carcass plus the wing and leg bones!
• 1 small onion cut into wedges
• 3 green onions chopped
• 2 celery stalks roughly chopped
• 1 small carrot roughly chopped
• 1 small tomato chopped
• 1 poblano pepper seeded & deveined, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper seeded & deveined, chopped
• 5 cloves of garlic skins removed, smashed
• Handful of cilantro stems & all
• Handful of parsley stems & all
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder or more to taste
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• Juice from 1/2-1 lime to taste

Tortilla Strips:

• 5 corn tortillas
• 2-3 tbsp vegetable oil or more if needed
• Sea salt

Serving:

• 1 cup frozen corn thawed and charred
• Leftover roasted chicken chopped into bite-sized cubes (as much as you want)
• 1 avocado
• Fresh cilantro chopped
• Cotija cheese crumbled
• Lime wedges

Instructions

• Make the Mexican-style stock by placing the chicken carcass, wing, and leg bones in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over low heat along with the onion, green onion, celery, carrot, tomato, poblano, jalapeno, garlic, cilantro, parsley, bay leaf, peppercorns, coriander seed, chicken bouillon powder, smoked paprika, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Cover with water, about 6-7 cups, and simmer with the lid on, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 hours.
• Strain the mixture through a fine sieve. Discard the bones and veggies. Pour the stock back into the wiped-out Dutch oven or stockpot and simmer on the stove for about 30 minutes, uncovered to reduce a bit and get a richer flavor, make sure to skim off any fat from the top of the stock.
• Taste the stock then season with more chicken bouillon powder, sea salt, or freshly cracked black pepper, if needed.  Add fresh lime juice, to taste
• Meanwhile, make the crispy tortilla strips by filling a small skillet with vegetable oil until it is 1/2 inch up the sides. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until hot, about 7-10 minutes. Test the oil by putting the tip of a corn tortilla in the oil, if it bubbles a lot, it’s ready.
• Slice the corn tortillas into thin strips.
• When the oil is HOT carefully place some of the tortilla strips into the hot oil, making sure not to overcrowd the skillet.  Using tongs, stir them around until crispy and lightly golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to remove the strips from the oil and place them on a paper towel lined plate. Immediately season with some sea salt. Repeat the process with the remaining strips; set aside until needed.
• Char the corn by heating a small skillet over high heat. Place the thawed corn on a few paper towels to drain off excess liquid. Pour the corn into the hot skillet and cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly charred.
• Serve the soup by ladling the Mexican-style broth into bowls. Add some charred corn, chopped chicken, and diced avocado. Top with the crispy tortilla strips, cilantro, and cotija cheese. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side. Enjoy.

I’ve been craving a hearty and flavorful veggie-loaded soup, so when I stumbled upon this tasty Coriscian bean soup with greens recipe on Food and Wine, I knew I had to make it. I halved their recipe and adapted a few ingredients to use what I had in the refrigerator. The soup smelled amazing while it simmered, and we all thought it was hearty, comforting, and delicious.

Corsican Bean Soup with Greens

Ingredients:

• 8 oz dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight
• 1 bouquet garni (1 bay leaf, 2 thyme sprigs, and 2 parsley sprigs, tied together with kitchen twine)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ green cabbage, cored and chopped
• 2 medium (or 4 small) russet potatoes peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 cups green Swiss chard, stems removed & chopped
• 1 large (or 2 small leeks), white parts only, chopped
• 3 small carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly
• 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• 8 cups of chicken broth
• 1 (15 oz) can of whole tomatoes, drained, slightly crushed by hand
• 1 small ham hock and/or 8 slices of bacon, cooked & crumbled    *** You can also use a small ham bone and pork shoulder, cut into chunks

How to make Corsican Bean Soup with Greens

Place the beans in a large bowl; add cold water to cover. Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and let soak for 8 hours or overnight.

Drain the beans, place them in a large saucepan, and cover them with 2 inches of water. Add the bouquet garni and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes; drain, reserving the bouquet garni.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add the cabbage, potatoes, chard, leeks, carrots, onion, garlic, chicken bullion, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables are wilted, about 10 minutes.

Add 8 cups of chicken or vegetable broth along with the, drained beans, crushed whole tomatoes, cooked bacon crumbles (or ham hock or pork shoulder), and reserved bouquet garni.

Bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat to low; simmer, stirring occasionally, until beans and vegetables are very tender, about 2 hours.

Remove and discard the bouquet garni. Remove and chop the meat from the ham hock before discarding the bone. Taste the soup and re-season if needed.

Ladle the soup into bowls and serve. Enjoy.

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Corsican Bean Soup with Greens

Course Lunch, Main

Cuisine French

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Soaking Beans: 8 hours hours

Total Time 10 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking / Original by Food and Wine

Equipment

• Large saucepan
• Large Dutch oven

Ingredients

• 8 oz dried cannellini beans soaked overnight
• 1 bouquet garni 1 bay leaf, 2 thyme sprigs, and 2 parsley sprigs, tied together with kitchen twine
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ green cabbage cored and chopped
• 2 medium or 4 small russet potatoes peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 cups green Swiss chard stems removed & chopped
• 1 large or 2 small leeks, white parts only, chopped
• 3 small carrots peeled and chopped
• ¼ yellow onion diced
• 3 cloves of garlic sliced thinly
• 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• 8 cups of chicken broth
• 1 15 oz can of whole tomatoes, drained, slightly crushed by hand
• 8 slices 1 small ham hock and/or 8 slices of bacon, cooked & crumbled    ***You can also use a small ham bone and pork shoulder, cut into chunks

Instructions

• Place the beans in a large bowl; add cold water to cover. Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and let soak for 8 hours or overnight.
• Drain the beans, place them in a large saucepan, and cover them with 2 inches of water. Add the bouquet garni and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes; drain, reserving the bouquet garni.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add the cabbage, potatoes, chard, leeks, carrots, onion, garlic, chicken bullion, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables are wilted, about 10 minutes.
• Add 8 cups of chicken or vegetable broth along with the, drained beans, crushed whole tomatoes, cooked bacon crumbles (or ham hock or pork shoulder), and reserved bouquet garni.
• Bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat to low; simmer, stirring occasionally, until beans and vegetables are very tender, about 1½-2 hours.
• Remove and discard the bouquet garni. Remove and chop the meat from the ham hock before discarding the bone. Taste the soup and re-season if needed.
• Ladle the soup into bowls and serve. Enjoy.

This creamy coconut curried cauliflower soup recipe I found on Cookie & Kate is comforting, hearty, and flavorful! I adapted the recipe by adding garlic, fresh ginger, and lime juice but otherwise did as written. My kids both thought the soup was delicious and I thought the leftover soup was even more flavorful & tasty the following day.

Curried Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp melted coconut oil, divided
• 1 large head of cauliflower, broken into small florets, stems chopped
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tsp ginger paste
• 3 tbsp Thai red curry paste
• 1/2 cup dry white Pinot Grigio
• 1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 can (14 oz) coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• Zest from 1 lime
• Lime juice, to taste
• Fresh cilantro, chopped

How to Make Curried Cauliflower Soup

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Toss the cauliflower with 2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil and season with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste; toss to coat it evenly.

Spread the cauliflower in a single layer on a large baking sheet and place into the oven to roast until the tips of the cauliflower are golden brown for about 25 to 30 minutes, tossing it halfway through roasting.

Heat the remaining tablespoon of coconut oil in a large Dutch oven, once hot add the onion and season with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste, cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is turning translucent, about 3 minutes.

Add the garlic, ginger, and red curry paste and stir until well combined. Raise the heat to medium-high, add the wine, and cook, stirring frequently, until most of the wine has evaporated.

Add the roasted cauliflower (keeping a few small pieces aside for garnish if desired); stir to coat.

Add the broth, coconut milk, sugar, and lime zest and stir well; bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Blend well with an immersion blender or blender until creamy and smooth.

Add the juice of 1/2 a lime, or more to taste; stir well. Taste and re-season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.

Ladle into bowls and top with bits of roasted cauliflower, if desired, and lots of freshly chopped cilantro and lime wedges. Enjoy!

Print

Curried Cauliflower Soup

Course Soup

Cuisine Asian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Adapted by Pam - For the Love of Cooking / Original by Cookie & Kate

Equipment

• Large Baking Sheet
• Large Dutch oven
• Immersion Blender or Blender

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp melted coconut oil divided
• 1 large head of cauliflower broken into small florets, stems chopped
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 2 tsp ginger paste
• 3 tbsp Thai red curry paste
• ½ cup dry white Pinot Grigio
• 1 ½ cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 (14 oz) can coconut milk
• ½ tsp sugar
• Zest from 1 lime
• Lime juice to taste
• Fresh cilantro chopped

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Toss the cauliflower with 2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil and season with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste; toss to coat it evenly.
• Spread the cauliflower in a single layer on a large baking sheet and place into the oven to roast until the tips of the cauliflower are golden brown for about 25 to 30 minutes, tossing it halfway through roasting.
• Heat the remaining tablespoon of coconut oil in a large Dutch oven, once hot add the onion and season with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste, cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is turning translucent, about 3 minutes.
• Add the garlic, ginger, and red curry paste and stir until well combined. Raise the heat to medium-high, add the wine, and cook, stirring frequently, until most of the wine has evaporated.
• Add the roasted cauliflower (keeping a few small pieces aside for garnish if desired); stir to coat.
• Add the broth, coconut milk, sugar, and lime zest and stir well; bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Blend well with an immersion blender or blender until creamy and smooth.
• Add the juice of 1/2 a lime, or more to taste; stir well. Taste and re-season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.
• Ladle into bowls and top with bits of roasted cauliflower, if desired, and lots of freshly chopped cilantro and lime wedges. Enjoy!

I had a craving for a bowl of chili, so when I found an award-winning chili on Sugar Spun Run saying it was the best chili recipe ever, I had to give it a try. I love that this smoky beef and bacon chili recipe is easy to make, and uses a lot of ingredients that I normally have on hand. The bacon and spices gave the chili a nice smoky flavor and the cayenne and chili powders gave it a nice kick of spice! My husband, son, and I loved this chili and it was even tastier the following day when we devoured the leftovers for lunch.

Smoky Beef and Bacon Chili

Ingredients:

• 5 strips bacon
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb ground beef, (I used 85% but any will work)
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp ancho chili powder
• 1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp onion powder
• ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• 1 ¼ cups beef broth
• 1 (15 oz) can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes undrained
• 1 (7 oz) can fire roasted green chilis, chopped
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Toppings:

• Sour cream
• Cheddar cheese, shredded
• Green onion, sliced
• Fresh cilantro, chopped
• Jalapeno pepper, sliced
• Hot Sauce
• Saltine crackers or Tortilla Chips

How to Make Smoky Beef and Bacon Chili

Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat and cook, until browned, about 8 minutes. Set the bacon aside on paper towels to drain. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of bacon grease.

Add the onion and bell pepper to the Dutch oven over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up the beef with a spoon, until no longer pink and starting to brown, about 3-4 minutes.

Add the minced garlic, brown sugar, chili powder, ancho chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, onion powder, cayenne pepper, seas salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste, and cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes.

Add the beef broth, kidney beans, black beans, diced tomatoes, diced green chiles, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, and stirring occasionally, for 1-2 hours, depending on how much time you have.

Taste and re-season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, if needed.

Ladle into bowls and serve with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, green onions, cilantro, sliced jalapenos and serve with crackers or tortilla chips. Enjoy.

Print

Smoky Beef and Bacon Chili

Course Main

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Adapted by Pam - For the Love of Cooking / Original by Sugar Spun Run

Equipment

• Large Dutch oven

Ingredients

Chili:

• 5 strips bacon
• 1 large yellow onion diced
• 1 red pepper diced
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 lb ground beef (I used 85% but any will work)
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp ancho chili powder
• 1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp onion powder
• ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
• 1 ¼ cups beef broth
• 1 15 oz can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes undrained
• 1 7 oz can fire roasted green chilis, chopped
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Toppings:

• Sour cream
• Cheddar cheese shredded
• Green onion sliced
• Fresh cilantro chopped
• Jalapeno pepper sliced
• Hot Sauce
• Saltine crackers or Tortilla Chips

Instructions

• Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat and cook, until browned, about 8 minutes. Set the bacon aside on paper towels to drain. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of bacon grease.
• Add the onion and bell pepper to the Dutch oven over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
• Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up the beef with a spoon, until no longer pink and starting to brown, about 3-4 minutes.
• Add the minced garlic, brown sugar, chili powder, ancho chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, onion powder, cayenne pepper, seas salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste, and cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes.
• Add the beef broth, kidney beans, black beans, diced tomatoes, diced green chiles, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, and stirring occasionally, for 1-2 hours, depending on how much time you have.
• Taste and re-season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, if needed.
• Ladle into bowls and serve with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, green onions, cilantro, sliced jalapenos and serve with crackers or tortilla chips. Enjoy.

We’ve all been feeling under the weather recently, and nothing makes us feel better around here than homemade soup.  After looking through the fridge, I grabbed some leftover noodles, bok choy, and spinach to make a pot of this aromatic garlic ginger noodle soup with winter greens. Soups with lots of garlic, ginger, and greens seem to be extra healing, and we all love the Asian flavors. This simple and comforting soup disappeared quickly and we all thought it was delicious.

Garlic Ginger Noodle Soup with Winter Greens

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 bulb of baby bok choy, chopped and divided (stalk/leafy greens)
• 5 green onions, chopped and divided (green/white)
• 5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger paste, or finely minced
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 4 cups of good vegetable or chicken broth
• 4 oz noodles of choice (I used leftover spaghetti noodles), cooked
• 1 large handful of baby spinach
• Sriracha, to taste

Serving:

• Spicy chili crisp
• Lime wedges
• Soy sauce

How to Make Garlic Ginger Noodle Soup with Winter Greens

Heat the olive oil in a small Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, the white portion of the green onion, and the white stalk portion of the bok choy and cook stirring often, for 3-4 minutes, until softened.

Add the minced garlic and ginger paste and cook stirring constantly for 30 seconds. Add the soy sauce and toasted sesame oil and cook stirring constantly for 30 seconds. Add the broth and bring to a light boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add the cooked noodles, leafy bok choy greens, and spinach to the broth. Taste the soup and add some sriracha, to taste, if desired. Side Note: If you don’t have leftover cooked noodles, cook the noodles directly in the broth until al dente before adding the leafy greens. 

Serve immediately topped with the green portion of the green onions, and served with spicy chili crisp, lime wedges, and soy sauce on the side. Enjoy.

Print

Garlic Ginger Noodle Soup with Winter Greens

Course Soup

Cuisine Asian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 2 - 4

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• Small Dutch Oven or Soup Pot

Ingredients

Soup Ingredients:

• 2 tsp olive oil
• ¼ small yellow onion diced
• 1 bulb of baby bok choy chopped and divided (stalk/leafy greens)
• 5 green onions chopped and divided (green/white)
• 5 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger paste or finely minced
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 4 cups of good vegetable or chicken broth
• 4 oz noodles of choice I used leftover spaghetti noodles, cooked
• 1 large handful of baby spinach
• Sriracha to taste

For Serving:

• Spicy chili crisp
• Lime wedges
• Soy sauce

Instructions

• Heat the olive oil in a small Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, the white portion of the green onion, and the white stalk portion of the bok choy and cook stirring often, for 3-4 minutes, until softened.
• Add the minced garlic and ginger paste and cook stirring constantly for 30 seconds.
• Add the soy sauce and toasted sesame oil and cook stirring constantly for 30 seconds.
• Add the broth and bring to a light boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Add the cooked noodles, leafy bok choy greens, and spinach to the broth. Taste the soup and add some sriracha, to taste, if desired. Side Note: If you don't have leftover cooked noodles, cook the noodles directly in the broth until al dente before adding the leafy greens.
• Serve immediately topped with the green portion of the green onions, and served with spicy chili crisp, lime wedges, and soy sauce on the side. Enjoy.

I’ve made this homestyle chicken noodle soup a few times this winter season and we all love it. I stumbled upon this homemade chicken noodle soup recipe on Damn Delicious and loved the idea of using fresh dill and lemon juice. I adapted the recipe a little bit by using homemade chicken broth, an extra carrot, and more garlic. I took a big pot of this comforting soup to a lifelong friend a couple of weeks ago who was sick with covid, and she swears it made her feel so much better and helped heal her.

Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 2 bay leaves
• Sea salt freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
• 1 ½-2 lbs bone-in, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 ½ cups wide egg noodles
• 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, or more, to taste

Heat the butter in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat.

Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

Add the chicken broth, bay leaves, sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes, to taste; stir well.

Add the chicken breasts and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 40-45 minutes, or until cooked through.

Remove the chicken and set aside on a cutting board to cool. Once cool, remove the bones and cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.

Add the egg noodles and chicken to the soup and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-7 minutes or until the egg noodles are just cooked through.

Stir in the dill, parsley, and lemon juice. Taste and re-season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste, if needed. Serve immediately.  Side Note: Soup is best served immediately as the egg noodles will soak up the broth. Cook the noodles separately if you want to make this soup ahead of time to serve later.

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Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup

Course Main, Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6 - 8

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking / Original by Damn Delicious

Equipment

• Large Dutch Oven or Stockpot

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 onion diced
• 3 carrots peeled and diced
• 2 celery stalks diced
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 2 bay leaves
• Sea salt freshly cracked pepper to taste
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to taste
• 1 ½-2 lbs bone-in, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 ½ cups wide egg noodles
• 2 tbsp fresh dill chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley leaves chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice or more, to taste

Instructions

• Heat the butter in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat.
• Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
• Add the chicken broth, bay leaves, sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes, to taste; stir well.
• Add the chicken breasts and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 40-45 minutes, or until cooked through.
• Remove the chicken and set aside on a cutting board to cool. Once cool, remove the bones and cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
• Add the egg noodles and chicken to the soup and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-7 minutes or until the egg noodles are just cooked through.
• Stir in the dill, parsley, and lemon juice. Taste and re-season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste, if needed. Serve immediately. 

  Side Note: Soup is best served immediately as the egg noodles will soak up the broth. Cook the noodles separately if you want to make this soup ahead of time to serve later.

I’m always thinking about good and easy comfort food recipes this time of year, so when I stumbled upon this easy chili mac recipe on Recipe Tin, I decided to make it. I liked that she made her own version of chili powder with a combination of dried spices, since they don’t have it available in her country, and it was a tasty flavor combination. The chili mac recipe was fun to make and it was so darn comforting and tasty! I served the chili mac and cheese with green onions and sour cream on the side, along with a batch of cornbread and a simple salad.

Chili Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 lb of ground beef
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1½ tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½tsp cayenne pepper
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• 2½ cups of beef broth (chicken broth will also work)
• 1 (28 oz) can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 (14 oz) can of kidney beans, drained & rinsed
• 8 oz elbow macaroni
• 1 cup sharp cheddar, shredded
• 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• ¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped

Serving Options:

• Green onions
• Sour cream
• Shredded cheese
• Hot sauce

How to Make Chili Mac and Cheese

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes, until softened and translucent.

Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up the meat into crumbles, for 3-4 minutes, or until browned.

Add the minced garlic, paprika, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, cayenne pepper, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste; and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

Add the beef broth, crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, and elbow pasta and bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium. Cover with a lid and cook for 12 minutes, or until the macaroni is al dente. Side Note: The pasta will finish cooking and further absorb the sauce while it sits. 

Turn the stove off, but leave the pot on the burner. Stir through half of the cheese and half of the cilantro, a little at a time. Taste and adjust season if needed.

Top with the remaining half of the cheese, cover with the lid, and leave until the cheese melts, about 2-3 minutes, so the sauce can further absorb into the pasta and will become thickened.

Sprinkle the remaining half of the cilantro on top and serve with green onions, sour cream, shredded cheese, and hot sauce, if desired. Enjoy.

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Chili Mac and Cheese 

This easy one pot chili mac and cheese recipe is hearty, flavorful, and on the table within 45 minutes.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• Large Dutch Oven or Heavy Bottomed Pot

Ingredients

Chili Mac and Cheese:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 1 red bell pepper diced
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 lb of ground beef
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1½ tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
• 2½ cups of beef broth chicken broth will also work
• 1 (28 oz) can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 (14 oz) can of kidney beans, drained & rinsed
• 8 oz elbow macaroni
• 1 cup sharp cheddar shredded
• 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese shredded
• ¼ cup cilantro finely chopped

Serving Options:

• Green onions
• Sour cream
• Shredded cheese
• Hot sauce

Instructions

• Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes, until softened and translucent.
• Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up the meat into crumbles, for 3-4 minutes, or until browned.
• Add the minced garlic, paprika, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, cayenne pepper, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste; and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
• Add the beef broth, crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, and elbow pasta and bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium.
• Cover with a lid and cook for 12 minutes, or until the macaroni is al dente. Side Note: The pasta will finish cooking and further absorb the sauce while it sits.
• Turn the stove off, but leave the pot on the burner. Stir through half of the cheese and half of the cilantro, a little at a time. Taste and adjust season if needed.
• Top with the remaining half of the cheese, cover with the lid, and leave until the cheese melts, about 2-3 minutes, so the sauce can further absorb into the pasta and will become thickened.
• Sprinkle the remaining half of the cilantro on top and serve with green onions, sour cream, shredded cheese, and hot sauce, if desired. Enjoy.

It’s been raining for days here in Oregon which always makes me want to make a big pot of soup. I have made this easy creamy tomato soup recipe that I found on Natasha’s Kitchen a few times now and it’s always quick, easy, and tasty. One of the things I love most about this simple tomato soup recipe is that it uses pantry ingredients I always have on hand. I served this easy creamy tomato soup with crusty bread and a big salad for a delicious and comforting meal that my whole family enjoyed.

Easy Creamy Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 (28 oz) can of good quality whole tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
• 1 cup of broth (chicken or vegetable)
• 2 tbsp of fresh basil, chopped, plus more for serving
• 1 tsp of sugar, or more to taste
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 3 tbsp fresh parmesan, finely grated, plus more for serving

How to Make Easy Creamy Tomato Soup

Heat the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10-12 minutes.

Add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

Add the whole tomatoes, crushing them by hand, into the large Dutch oven along with the broth, fresh basil, sugar, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Stir together and bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover with a lid, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Blend the soup until creamy and smooth with an immersion blender, or in batches in a blender, then return the soup to the Large Dutch oven over medium heat. Side Note: You can skip the blending if you want a chunky & hearty soup.

Add the heavy cream and finely grated parmesan cheese and stir to combine; simmer for another 5-10 minutes. Taste and reason with sugar, sea salt, or freshly cracked pepper, if needed.

Ladle into bowls and serve with fresh basil and freshly grated parmesan on the side. Enjoy.

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Easy Creamy Tomato Soup

This easy creamy tomato soup recipe is on the table quickly and tastes so flavorful and delicious. 

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Adapted by Pam - For the Love of Cooking / Original by Natasha's Kitchen

Equipment

• Large Dutch oven
• Immersion Blender or Blender

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 3 cloves of garlic minced
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 (28 oz) can of good quality whole tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
• 1 cup of broth chicken or vegetable
• 2 tbsp of fresh basil chopped, plus more for serving
• 1 tsp of sugar or more to taste
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 3 tbsp fresh parmesan finely grated, plus more for serving

Instructions

• Heat the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10-12 minutes.
• Add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
• Add the whole tomatoes, crushing them by hand, into the large Dutch oven along with the broth, fresh basil, sugar, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Stir together and bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover with a lid, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Blend the soup until creamy and smooth with an immersion blender, or in batches in a blender, then return the soup to the Large Dutch oven over medium heat. Side Note: You can skip the blending if you want a chunky & hearty soup.
• Add the heavy cream and finely grated parmesan cheese and stir to combine; simmer for another 5-10 minutes. Taste and reason with sugar, sea salt, or freshly cracked pepper, if needed.
• Ladle into bowls and serve with fresh basil and freshly grated parmesan on the side. Enjoy.

We are finally having some much-needed cool and rainy weather so I made this delicious and simple vegan white bean and potato soup recipe that I found on The Clever Meal. I adapted the recipe by using homemade Italian seasoning instead of rosemary and used fresh spinach because it’s what I had on hand, but otherwise prepared as written. This tasty white bean soup was on the table within 30 minutes and paired nicely with freshly baked bread and a simple salad.

White Bean and Potato Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ yellow onion diced
• 2 carrots peeled and diced
• 1 celery stalk diced
• 2 large cloves of garlic minced
• 1/2-1 tsp Italian seasoning, to taste or 1/2 tsp dried rosemary or a sprig of rosemary, if preferred
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to taste
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• ⅓ cup dry white wine
• 1 russet potato peeled & cut into bite-sized cubes
• 2 (14 oz) cans of white cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup fresh baby spinach chopped

How to Make White Bean and Potato Soup

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.

Add the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, and tomato paste, then cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute.

Add the white wine and cook, stirring to pick up any browned bits on the bottom of the Dutch oven, for 1-2 minutes.

Add the potato, white beans, and vegetable broth and bring to a boil then cover with a lid and reduce heat to simmer gently for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

Use a potato masher to mash some of the beans and potatoes to make a thicker soup, if desired. Add the spinach and stir to combine. Taste and re-season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste, if needed.

Ladle into bowls and drizzle with a bit of olive oil and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste. Serve and enjoy.

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White Bean and Potato Soup

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking / Original by The Clever Meal

Equipment

• Large Dutch oven

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ yellow onion diced
• 2 carrots peeled and diced
• 1 celery stalk diced
• 2 large cloves of garlic minced
• 1/2-1 tsp Italian seasoning, to taste or 1/2 tsp dried rosemary or a sprig of rosemary, if preferred
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to taste
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• ⅓ cup dry white wine
• 1 russet potato peeled & cut into bite sized cubes
• 2 (14 oz) cans of white cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup fresh baby spinach chopped

Instructions

• Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.
• Add the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, and tomato paste, then cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
• Add the white wine and cook, stirring to pick up any browned bits on the bottom of the Dutch oven, for 1-2 minutes.
• Add the potato, white beans, and vegetable broth and bring to a boil then cover with a lid and reduce heat to simmer gently for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
• Use a potato masher to mash some of the beans and potatoes to make a thicker soup, if desired. Add the spinach and stir to combine. Taste and re-season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste, if needed.
• Ladle into bowls and drizzle with a bit of olive oil and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste. Serve and enjoy.

I’ve always wanted to make chicken pozole verde, so when I found a recipe on Food and Wine that had terrific reviews, I finally made it for a recent family lunch. I adapted the recipe a bit by using all chicken broth so it would be more flavorful, otherwise I kept to the recipe. This tangy & spicy chicken pozole is a comforting, hearty, and delicious soup and tastes extra special with all of the crunchy garnishes on top and we all thought it was really tasty.

Chicken Pozole Verde:

Soup:

• 4 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 2 chicken breast halves, bone in & skin on
• 1/2 lb tomatillos, husked and halved
• 1/2 small yellow onion, quartered
• 1 large poblano pepper, seeded & chopped
• 1 jalapeno, seeded & chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, smashed
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 tbsp fresh oregano leaves
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 (25 oz) can of hominy, drained & rinsed

Garnishes:

• Green cabbage, finely shredded
• Radishes, thinly sliced
• Onion, diced
• Avocado, sliced
• Sour cream
• Tortilla chips
• Cilantro
• Lime wedges

Prepare the chicken by heating the broth in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place the chicken breasts skin side down in the broth. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

Remove the chicken from the broth and set it aside to cool. Skim and discard any fat from the top of the broth. Once the chicken has cooled, discard skin & bones and shred the meat; set aside until needed.

Make the tomatillo salsa verde while the chicken is cooking by combining the tomatillos, onion, poblano, jalapeno, garlic, cilantro, oregano, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste, together in a food processor. Blend until coarsely chopped.

Cook the salsa verde by heating the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Carefully add the tomatillo mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce turns a deep green, about 10-12 minutes.

Finish the soup by adding the cooked tomatillo salsa verde to the chicken broth along with the hominy and shredded chicken and cook over medium heat until heated through. Taste and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.

Ladle into bowls and serve with shredded cabbage, radishes, onion, avocado, sour cream, tortilla chips, cilantro, and lime wedges.  Enjoy!

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Chicken Pozole Verde

Course Lunch, Main, Soup

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking / Original by Food & Wine

Equipment

• Large Dutch oven
• Food Processor
• Large skillet

Ingredients

Soup:

• 4 ½ cups chicken broth
• 2 chicken breast halves bone in & skin on
• ½ lb tomatillos husked and halved
• ½ small yellow onion quartered
• 1 large poblano pepper seeded & chopped
• 1 jalapeno seeded & chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic smashed
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
• ½ tbsp fresh oregano leaves
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 (25 oz) can of hominy, drained & rinsed

Garnishes:

• Green cabbage finely shredded
• Radishes thinly sliced
• Onion diced
• Avocado sliced
• Sour cream
• Tortilla chips
• Cilantro
• Lime wedges

Instructions

• Prepare the chicken by heating the broth in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place the chicken breasts skin side down in the broth. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
• Remove the chicken from the broth and set it aside to cool. Skim and discard any fat from the top of the broth. Once the chicken has cooled, discard skin & bones and shred the meat; set aside until needed.
• Make the tomatillo salsa verde while the chicken is cooking by combining the tomatillos, onion, poblano, jalapeno, garlic, cilantro, oregano, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste, together in a food processor. Blend until coarsely chopped.
• Cook the salsa verde by heating the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Carefully add the tomatillo mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce turns a deep green, about 10-12 minutes.
• Finish the soup by adding the cooked tomatillo salsa verde to the chicken broth along with the hominy and shredded chicken and cook over medium heat until heated through. Taste and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.
• Ladle into bowls and serve with shredded cabbage, radishes, onion, avocado, sour cream, tortilla chips, cilantro, and lime wedges.  Enjoy!