Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients:

3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1 (10 3/4-oz) can cream of chicken soup
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup whole milk
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
1 cup all-purpose baking mix
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1/3 cup whole milk

Directions:

In a large saucepan, combine chicken, soup, broth, 1 cup milk, thyme, add 1/4 tsp. pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat.

In a medium bowl, combine baking mix, 1/8 tsp. pepper and 1/3 cup milk, stirring just until moistened.

Drop dough, 1 spoon full at a time, into boiling chicken mixture. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes. Cover, and simmer 10 minutes longer, or until dumplings are done.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

1 (1 1/2 pound) butternut squash, peeled seeded and rough chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup Italian sausage, removed from the casing
1 cup small dice onion
1/2 cup small dice carrot
1/2 cup small dice celery
1/2 cup small dice leeks
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
11/2 quarts chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon fresh chopped sage leaves

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Place the chopped squash in a medium-size mixing bowl. Drizzle the squash with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil and place the squash on top of the sheet pan. Set the sheet pan into the oven and roast for 30 minutes, or until the squash is lightly caramelized and tender.

Remove the squash from the oven and set aside. Place a 1-gallon saucepan over medium high heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and render the Italian sausage. Cook, stirring often until the meat is caramelized and has released most of its fat, about 3 minutes. Add the onions, carrots, celery and leeks in the pan and sweat, stirring often for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and sweat for 1 minute stirring continuously.
Deglaze the pan with the vinegar and add the chicken stock to the pan. Place the squash in the pan with the maple syrup and sage.

Bring the pan to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Continue to cook the soup for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are all tender. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup to a smooth consistency and velvety texture. Alternately, you can puree the soup in batches using a blender.

Add in heavy cream and heat through. Taste the soup and re-season if necessary with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Keep warm until serving.

French Onion Soup

2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup butter
3 cups thinly sliced sweet onion
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
8 1-oz. slices French bread; cut into 1-inch cubes
8 1-oz. slices reduced fat Swiss cheese
8 1-oz. slices provolone cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil and butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions to pan; saute for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in sugar, pepper, and salt. Reduce heat to medium; cook for 60 minutes, stirring frequently until onions are carmalized. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, add minced garlic and cook until tender - do not overcook.

[I add about a tablespoon of flour here and stir for about a minute - it gives the soup a rich, velvety texture].

Increase heat to medium-high and stir in broth and thyme; bring to a boil. Cover; reduce heat and simmer for 20 minute.

Preheat broiler. Place bread on a baking sheet; broil 2 minutes or until toasted - turning after 1 minute.

Place 8 oven proof bowls on a jellyroll pan. Ladle 1 cup of soup into each bowl. Divide bread evenly among bowls. Top each serving with 1 slice of Swiss and 1 slice of provolone. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Broil 3 minutes or until cheese begins to brown.

Makes 8 servings.

Tuscan Bread Soup

4 slices crusy italian bread, 1½ inches thick
4 tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups chicken broth
½ cup heavy cream
1 tsp. minced fresh thyme
salt and pepper
¾ cup grated parmesan cheese

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 475 degrees.

Place bread slices on a baking sheet, brush with 1 tbsp. oil, and bake until golden brown and crusty, about 8 to 10 mintutes.

Meanwhile, heat 3 tbsp. oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat until simmering. Add onion and cook until lightly browned, 8 - 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragerant, about 30 seconds. Add broth, cream, and thyme and simmer until onions are softened, about 10 minutes. Seaston with salt and pepper to taste.

Cut bread into 1-inch chunks and place in soup bowls. Ladle soup over bread and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Yields: 4 to 6 servings

Light Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 box quick cooking long grain and wild rice mix (6.2 oz.) with seasoning
2 (14 oz.) cans chicken broth
4 cups fat free milk
¾ cup all purpose flour
1 tbsp. dry sherry

In a nonstick Dutch oven, mix chicken, rice with seasoning packet, and broth. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 5 to 10 minutes or until rice is tender.

In small jar with tight fitting lid, shake 1 cup of the milk and the flour until well blended. Add flour mixture, remaining 3 cups of milk, the bacon, and sherry to rice mixture; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until soup is bubbly and thickened and chicken is no longer pink in the center.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Yields: 6 Servings

Egg Flower Soup

Ingredients:
½ lb. chicken, diced
½ cup fresh or defrosted frozen peas
1 qt. chicken stock
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Seasonings:
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. sugar
1 tsp. thin soy sauce
1 tsp. cornstarch

Thickener:
1 tbsp. cornstarch, mixed well with 1 tbsp. cold water
2 tsp. dark soy sauce
1 tsp. sesame oil

Chop chicken with a cleaver until it has the consistency of ground beef; place in a bowl. Add seasoning ingredients to chicken; mix well Combine thickener ingredients and set aside. Bring chicken stock to a boil. Add chicken and stir to separate into small pieces. Add peas. Stir in thickener, cook for 30 seconds. Stir in beaten eggs in a circular motion, immediately remove from heat.

Dawg's Breath Chili

* This is my mom's recipe, it's awesome!!!

1 ½ medium onions, chopped
1 green bell pepper, including seeds, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
vegetable oil (to cover bottom of kettle)
3 lbs. lean ground beef
1 lb. top sirloin, cut into small cubes
1 6-oz. can tomato paste
1 15-oz. can tomato sauce
1 16-oz. can stewed tomatoes
3 small cloves garlic, chopped
3 oz. chili powder (¾ cup)
1 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. oregano
1 3-inch piece hot green chili pepper, chopped
1 8-oz. can chili salsa
salt and garlic salt to taste
1 cup beer
4 cups red kidney beans

Sauté onion, bell pepper, and celery in oil until onion is transparent. Add meats and stir until brown (15 –20 minutes).

Add remaining ingredients and simmer 2 ½ hours, stirring occasionally. Cook beans separately and add at serving time. Serve with any or all of the garnishes (Cheese, green onions, sour cream, crumbled chips, etc.).

Yields: 6-8 Servings

Creamy Butternut Squash with Cinnamon Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
1½ pounds peeled and seeded butternut squash , cut into 1-inch chunks
1 large onion, cut into large dice
1 tablespoon butter
1 pinch sugar
3 large garlic cloves, thickly sliced
1½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups chicken broth, homemade or from a carton or can
1½ cups half-and-half (or whole milk)
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large, deep sauté pan until shimmering. Add butternut squash, then onion; sauté, stirring very little at first, then more frequently, until squash start to turn golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes.

Reduce heat to low and add butter, sugar and garlic; continue cooking until all vegetables are a rich spotty caramel color, about 10 minutes longer.

Add cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and cayenne pepper; continue to sauté until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute longer. Add broth; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until squash is tender, about 10 minutes.

Using an immersion blender or traditional blender, puree until very smooth, 30 seconds to 1 minute. (If using a traditional blender, vent it either by removing the lid’s pop-out center or by lifting one edge of the lid. Drape the blender canister with a kitchen towel. To ’clean’ the canister, pour in a little half-and-half, blend briefly, then add to the soup.)

Return to pan (or a soup pot); add enough half-and-half so the mixture is souplike, yet thick enough to float garnish.

Taste, and add salt and pepper if needed.

Heat through, ladle into bowls, garnish and serve.