Soups on!

Soups and gumbo are the perfect winter comfort foods

Catherine's Spicy Chicken Soup

Ingredients

2 quarts water

8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons dried parsley

2 tablespoons dried parsley

1 tablespoon onion powder

5 cubes chicken bouillon

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 (16 ounce) jar chunky salsa

2 (14.5 ounce) cans peeled and diced tomatoes

1 (14.5 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained

2 (16 ounce) cans chili beans, undrained

1 (8 ounce) container sour cream

Directions

1. In a large pot over medium heat, combine water, chicken, salt, pepper, garlic powder, parsley, onion powder and bouillon cubes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 1 hour, or until chicken juices run clear. Remove chicken, reserve broth. Shred chicken.

2. In a large pot over medium heat, cook onion and garlic in olive oil until slightly browned. Stir in salsa, diced tomatoes, whole tomatoes, tomato soup, chili powder, corn, chili beans, sour cream, shredded chicken and 5 cups broth. Simmer 30 minutes.

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups water

2 cooked, boneless chicken breast halves, shredded

1 (4.5 ounce) package quick cooking long grain and wild rice with seasoning packet

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup butter

2 cups heavy cream

Directions

1. In a large pot over medium heat, combine broth, water and chicken. Bring just to boiling, then stir in rice, reserving seasoning packet. Cover and remove from heat.

2. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper and flour. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in contents of seasoning packet until mixture is bubbly. Reduce heat to low, then stir in flour mixture by tablespoons, to form a roux. Whisk in cream, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth. Cook until thickened, 5 minutes.

3. Stir cream mixture into broth and rice. Cook over medium heat until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes.

Good New Orleans Creole Gumbo

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup bacon drippings

1 cup coarsely chopped celery

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

1 large green bell pepper, coarsely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound Andouille sausage, sliced

3 quarts water

6 cubes beef bouillon

1 tablespoon white sugar

salt to taste

2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco®), or to taste

1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning blend (such as Tony Chachere's), or to taste

4 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes

1 (6 ounce) can tomato sauce

2 teaspoons gumbo file powder

2 tablespoons bacon drippings

2 (10 ounce) packages frozen cut okra, thawed

2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

1 pound lump crabmeat

3 pounds uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons gumbo file powder

Directions

1. Make a roux by whisking the flour and 3/4 cup bacon drippings together in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat to form a smooth mixture. Cook the roux, whisking constantly, until it turns a rich mahogany brown color. This can take 20 to 30 minutes; watch heat carefully and whisk constantly or roux will burn. Remove from heat; continue whisking until mixture stops cooking.

2. Place the celery, onion, green bell pepper, and garlic into the work bowl of a food processor, and pulse until the vegetables are very finely chopped. Stir the vegetables into the roux, and mix in the sausage. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat, and cook until vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside.

3. Bring the water and beef bouillon cubes to a boil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Stir until the bouillon cubes dissolve, and whisk the roux mixture into the boiling water. Reduce heat to a simmer, and mix in the sugar, salt, hot pepper sauce, Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, thyme, stewed tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Simmer the soup over low heat for 1 hour; mix in 2 teaspoons of file gumbo powder at the 45-minute mark.

4. Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings in a skillet, and cook the okra with vinegar over medium heat for 15 minutes; remove okra with slotted spoon, and stir into the simmering gumbo. Mix in crabmeat, shrimp, and Worcestershire sauce, and simmer until flavors have blended, 45 more minutes. Just before serving, stir in 2 more teaspoons of file gumbo powder.

Source: allrecipes.com

NAN Dining Guide Spotlight on 12/31/2017

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