Soups And Stews | Recipes that Fit

Baked Potato Soup

Mar 262012

Although it may technically be spring, it’s not too late to make a big pot of soup for dinner. This Baked Potato Soup from Skinnytaste has been on my “must try” list for a while now. If you’re into things like bacon (and I know some of you are!) head on over to the original recipe.

I made a vegetarian version of the soup which I intended to be like a broccoli and cheese stuffed potato. The soup was good, but it was a little bland. I was much more generous with the salt and pepper than usual. I added some extra cheese too, which always helps. This was a filling soup, and very quick to make if you bake the potatoes in advance, so I may just have to try it again and make it better.

Baked Potato Soup

2 large potatoes, baked, peeled, and mashed with a fork
1 (16 oz.) package frozen cauliflower
2 c. vegetable broth
1 c. skim milk
Salt & Pepper
1/2 c. low fat sour cream
1 c. chopped broccoli, steamed
Shredded cheddar cheese (such as Cabot 75% reduced fat)

Steam cauliflower in a large pot. Drain, return to pot, and mash. Add potatoes, broth, milk, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low. If you have an immersion blender and would like a more consistent texture, give it a whirl.

On low heat, stir in the sour cream. Serve topped with broccoli and shredded cheese.

-Adapted from Skinnytaste

Vegetable Stew with Cornmeal Dumplings

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Feb 242012

Everyone’s working extra hours these days, and my crockpot is no exception. Last weekend, I made Lentil Soup overnight, poured it into containers, and then got the crockpot clean and ready for this recipe. The stew by itself is a hearty vegetable and bean stew which is good, but a little boring. It’s the cornmeal dumplings that make the difference! The texture of the dumplings is hard to describe; they are firmer than a matzoh ball, but moister than a biscuit. The steps at the end of the recipe take a few minutes, but the dumplings are well worth the time!

Vegetable Stew with Cornmeal Dumplings

1 (20 oz.) package peeled and diced butternut squash
1 (16 oz.) package sliced mushrooms
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes in juice
1 c. frozen shelled edamame
1 (16 oz.) bag Trader Joe’s frozen romano beans
1 c. water
2 t Italian seasoning
1/2 c. flour
1/3 c. cornmeal
2 T Parmesan cheese
1 t baking powder
1 egg, beaten
2 T milk
2 T canola oil

Place squash, mushrooms, tomatoes, edamame, beans, water, and Italian seasoning in crockpot. Stir and cook on High for 5 hours. Lift cover and smash butternut squash pieces against the side of the crockpot to thicken the stew.

Mix flour, cornmeal, cheese, and baking powder in a small bowl and set aside. Mix egg, milk, and oil in a small bowl. Add wet ingredients to dry and stir just until moistened. Drop the dough by spoonfuls into the stew. Replace the cover and cook on High for 45 minutes.

-Adapted from Better Homes & Gardens Crockpot Cookery

Crockpot Lentil Soup

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Feb 212012

When things get hectic, and they always do, I like to go back to the basics. The celery and carrots in my vegetable drawer looked pretty tired, but I hate throwing away produce. While I got a good night’s sleep, the soup simmered in the crockpot and the vegetables came back to life. I stirred in a little balsamic vinegar at the end for extra flavor. You’d never know this soup is just lentils, vegetables, and spices because it tastes much richer. Getting back to the basics can be really good.

Crockpot Lentil Soup

1/2 large Vidalia onion, chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 c. lentils
1 t minced garlic
1 t Italian seasoning
4 c. vegetable broth
1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes in juice
2 T balsamic vinegar

Combine all ingredients except vinegar in crockpot. Cook on Low for 12 hours. Stir in vinegar and serve.

-Lightly adapted from the Better Homes & Gardens Crockery Cookbook

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

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Feb 202012

Sorry to leave you hanging on the Mardi Gras recipes, it turned out to be a busy week and this post required more typing. I was pretty far out of my comfort zone in making this dish, and the Internet has about 1000 different gumbo recipes. There seems to be some squabbling among cooks as to what makes a gumbo authentic, and I am not even educated enough to have an opinion. So I took a step back from the computer, and turned to a classic Better Homes & Gardens cookbook.

The recipe starts with a roux, and thankfully BH&G said to cook the roux until it is the color of a penny. I am not sure I would have waited (and stirred!) that long if I hadn’t read that advice. I was also a little nervous about using okra. I’ve only had okra once, and it was tough and stringy. That’s not the way okra is supposed to be, so I was grateful that the recipe uses frozen okra and I didn’t need to pick it out myself.

In the end, this is the only gumbo I’ve ever had, so therefore it was automatically the best. I liked the smoky flavor and the okra was good, not stringy at all. We couldn’t take a trip to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, but I’d say our Mardi Gras dinner was a success.

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

1/2 c. flour
1/3 c. canola oil
2 onions, chopped
1/2 c. chopped celery
2 t minced garlic
1/4 t black pepper
1/8 t cayenne pepper
4 c. vegetable broth
10 oz. smoked turkey sausage
1 (16 oz.) package frozen okra, thawed
3 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, cut into 1″ pieces

Combine flour and oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir continuously for 20-25 minutes, until the roux turns reddish brown, similar to the color of a penny. Stir in onion, celery, garlic, black pepper, and red pepper. Cook for 5 minutes until vegetables are softened. Gradually stir in hot broth, sausage, okra, and chicken. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover; simmer for 30-40 minutes. Serve over rice.

-Adapted from Better Homes & Gardens

Pasta Fagioli

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Feb 092012

My grandmother used to make pasta fagioli all the time, and it’s still one of my favorite soups. I am always so busy trying to make new recipes that sometimes I neglect the classics. This pasta fagioli recipe from Skinnytaste is a vegetarian version of my grandmother’s, and perhaps a bit more like a soup than a stew, but the flavor was right on. After a weekend full of blondies and nachos and macaroons, this soup hit the spot!