Soup Swap 2018

We had a wonderful and heartwarming visit to Joanna’s lake house to swap soup and share some good times.  January 26-28, 2018

Friday night Joanna greeted us with a Southern dinner of ham and biscuits, green beans, mac and cheese and not banana pudding. (It would have been an amazing meal if we had just had some banana pudding.) (Our weekend joke – not that we would ever run anything into the ground.)

We talked around the table and caught up with each other. We have had a lot of fun around this table and of course, lots of fun at the game kitchen table but more on that to come.

Saturday Morning, we woke up to Terri’s  Southwestern Breakfast Casserole, cinnamon buns and fruit. Recipe posted soon…

After breakfast we went hiking, shopping, hanging out, and adventuring so we could work up an appetite for Saturday lunch which was  Lasagna Soup, Salad, and Bread made by Gina.

Cindy texted us from poolside.  She wasn’t at the swap but she was in our hearts.  We missed our other absent birdies, too!

We had an evening supper of Chicken Pot Pie from Nancy Perkins. You never go hungry on these weekends.

We played games late into the night and enjoyed snacks.  This Ranch Party Mix is really good with the Cheez-its in it.  I adapted this recipe but I am borrowing the photo from The Common Plate blog.

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Ranch Party Mix

3/4 cup Butter, melted

1 package dry ranch dressing mix

1  9- oz package oyster crackers

1 11.5 oz box  Cheez-its

8 oz (half of a normal bag) waffle pretzels (can use no salt)

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp dill weed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.  In large bowl combine oyster crackers, Cheez-its and pretzels. In a small bowl mix together the butter, ranch dressing mix,   onion powder, garlic powder and dill weed.   Spread snack mixture evenly among cookie sheets – sprinkle with more dill if desired.  Cook at 250 degrees for approximately 30 minutes (after 15 minutes give it a good stir and return to oven).  Store in an airtight container.  Will keep for about 2-3 weeks.

 

Kim made this very elaborate Cheese Dip Tray. Definitely a show-stopper at a party.

4 Dip Casserole 

Ingredients
  • 500g pizza dough
  • Olive oil
  • Philly cheeseteak:
  • 1 cup cooked beef,  minced
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
  • black pepper to taste
  • cooking spray
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 1 cup diced green pepper
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup light sour cream
  • 4 oz light cream cheese, softened
  • 4 oz shredded mozzarella “provolone”
  • Spinach and Artichoke Dip:
  • 1 (8 ounces) package cream cheese softened
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup chopped artichokes
  • 1/2 cup chopped spinach thawed
  • 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • Bacon and Cheese Dip:
  • 1 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup cream cheese, softened
  • 21/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, split
  • 1 cup cooked bacon bits
  • 1/4 cup chopped spring onions
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • Buffalo Chicken Dip:
  • 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
  • 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup hot sauce
  • ½ cup Sour Cream
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp chives
Finally, we played some games around the kitchen table.  We played Chameleon and LCR.  Terri brought lots of dollars and Gina won lots of dollars.

We ended with a late night Meatloaf rendition, exchanged a few Magic Bag items and headed to bed.

 

Sunday morning greeted us with a beautiful mist over the water. Cozy and serene.

And then we enjoyed some chewy coffee.  Better strain that again.

As we left, we exchanged quarts of soups.  The recipes are below.

What a wonderful weekend!  Thanks Joanna for hosting us in your amazing lake house. Hope you’re enjoying your goodie basket.

Soups

Chicken and Gnocchi Soup – Gina

CHICKEN AND GNOCCHI SOUP

INGREDIENTS

3 or 4 chicken breasts, cooked and diced (or 3-4 c chopped rotisserie chicken)

4 cups chicken stock

2 cups half and half

1 stalk celery, diced

1 garlic clove, chopped

½ carrot, diced

½ onion, diced

1 cup (or more) fresh spinach, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

16 ounces potato gnocchi (or 17.5 oz pkg from Costco)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Sauté the celery, garlic, carrot, and onion in olive oil over medium heat until onion is translucent.
  2. Add chicken, chicken stock, salt, pepper, and thyme. Heat to boiling, then add gnocchi.  Gently boil for 4 minutes.
  3. Turn down to a simmer for 10 minutes.
  4. Add spinach and half and half and cook 1-2 minutes until spinach is wilted.

 

 

Cheesy Bacon and Baked Potato – Nancy P.

1  32 oz. carton  Chicken broth

1   10.5 oz. can of cream of chicken soup

1 8 ounce block cream cheese

1 chicken bouillon cube

1 32 oz. bag of frozen diced hash browns

4 cups shredded cheddar chees

1 9- ounce bag of real bacon bits

salt and pepper to taste

Set crock pot to high and add chicken broth and cream of chicken soup.  Mix well.  Cut  the cream cheese and add; mix well.  Add chicken bouillon cube.  Next pour frozen hash browns in and stir.  Add 4 cups of shredded cheese.  Add bacon bits.  Add salt and pepper.  Cook on hight for 4 hours.  Put shredded cheese, bacon bits, and chopped green onions out for people to top their soup with if they want.

 

 

Broccoli Cheddar – Nancy S. 

1 large head broccoli (a little more than 1 pound), chopped into florets and stems

1/4 cup butter

1/2  medium onion, chopped

1 carrot, diced

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 quart vegetable stock

2 cups whole milk

8 ounces cheddar cheese, grated

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon fresh black pepper

 

Steam the broccoli until crisp-tender.  In a large stock pot soften the onions and carrot in the butter.  Add the flour and stir to make a paste.  Cook a minute or two and then slowly stir in the broth.  Add the milk and the broccoli.  Simmer for ten minutes until broccoli is tender.  Blend soup in a blender or with an immersion blender.  Add the cheese, salt and pepper.

 

 

Bush’s<sup>®</sup> Best 3-Bean Chili”></p>
<p>(Thank you Bush’s beans for your picture.  I didn’t take a photo of my own soup.  Ignore the green peppers or better yet, add some if you like green peppers.)</p>
<p><strong>Three Bean Chili – Julie </strong></p>
<p>3 pounds ground beef, browned, rinsed, and drained</p>
<p>3 cloves garlic</p>
<p>3 medium onions, diced</p>
<p>28 ounces diced tomatoes</p>
<p>29 ounces tomato sauce</p>
<p>3 tablespoons chili powder</p>
<p>1 tablespoon paprika</p>
<p>1 teaspoon salt</p>
<p>1/2 teaspoon pepper</p>
<p>red pepper to taste</p>
<p>2 15.5 ounce cans black beans</p>
<p>2 15.5 ounce cans cannellini beans</p>
<p>2 15.5 ounce cans kidney beans</p>
<p>1   15.5 ounce can water</p>
<p>Brown ground beef.  Place all ingredients in a large stock pot.  Simmer 1 hour or more till done.  Serve with sour cream, cheese, green onions and crackers.</p>
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 Photo credits to Taste of Home.

Zucchini Bisque – Kim

2 pounds zucchini, sliced (you can leave the skin on)

1 onion, chopped (large pieces are fine)

4 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon curry powder

2 cups chicken broth

1  1/2 cups milk (it tastes fine with skim milk)

Simmer onion and zucchini in butter until tender.  Add all other ingredients.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.  Cool slightly.  Puree in blender.  8 servings.

 

Vegetable Beef Soup – Joanna

In a large pot add the following:

1 package Lipton’s Beef Onion Soup

2 cups water (add more if needed)

1 can whole kernel corn

1 can green peas

1 can cut green beans

1 can black eyed peas

1 can dark red kidney beans

1 can diced tomatoes

2 – 3 potatoes peeled and diced

2 – 3 carrots peeled and diced

1 pound filet mignon cooked and diced

Simmer for about an hour or until potatoes and carrots are soft.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Makes about 4 quarts.  Note:  Do not drain the canned vegetables.

 

 

Creamy Seafood Chowder - Chunky seafood chowder with real cream, shrimp, scallops and crab. No potatoes or fillers, just good seafood, hearty perfect flavor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo credits to Gather for Bread.

Seafood Chowder – Terri…. RECIPE COMING

 

Miscellaneous:

Charm – Soup Pot

Magic Bag – Blankets – Gina’s talent with  Julie contributing raw materials,  Flying Bird – Julie,   Wine Glass Lanterns – Joanna,  Paperclips – Nancy P.

Lasagna Soup – Huller House Part 2

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Lasagna Soup

yield: 8 SERVINGS

ingredients:

for the soup:

  • 2 tsp. olive oil
  • 1-1/2 lbs. Italian sausage
  • 3 c. chopped onions
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 T. tomato paste
  • 1 28-oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 6 c. chicken stock
  • 8 oz. mafalda or fusilli pasta
  • 1/2 c. finely chopped fresh basil leaves
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

for the cheesy yum:

  • 8 oz. ricotta
  • 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 c shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • pinch of freshly ground pepper
additional cheesy yum for topping soup:
  • 2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

preparation:

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking up into bite sized pieces, and brown for about 5 minutes. Add onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.

Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add uncooked pasta and cook until al dente. Do not over cook or let soup simmer for a long period of time at this point, as the pasta will get mushy and absorb all the soup broth. You may even want to consider cooking the noodles separately, and then adding some to individual bowls before ladling the soup over them. This would be an especially smart move if you are anticipating any leftovers. Right before serving, stir in the basil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the cheesy yum. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella, salt, and pepper.

To serve, place a dollop of the cheesy yum in each soup bowl, sprinkle some of the mozzarella on top and ladle the hot soup over the cheese.

Served by  Gina at Huller House February 2015

 

For a fabulous soup supper Gina served lasagna soup and chicken and rice soup.  Both excellent fare.  We started off the Magic Bags with monogrammed aprons.

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Cream of Chicken and Wild Rice Soup – Huller House Part 3

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Cream of Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

6 cups chicken broth

2 chicken breast halves (cooked, boneless and cubed)

1   6-ounce package long grain and wild rice blend, quick cooking version (You will use the seasoning packet.  I used Uncle Ben’s roasted chicken flavor)

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup butter

1 cup diced carrots

1 cup diced celery

1 cup diced onion

3 cups light cream

Open rice, pull out seasoning packet and set aside.  In a small bowl combine pepper and flour, set aside.In a large pot bring broth and chicken to a boil.  Add rice, cover pot and remove from heat. In a medium sauce pan add butter, carrots, celery, and onions.  Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir in contents of seasoning packet and continue cooking until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes more.  Add seasoned flour mixture to butter mixture.  Stir to form a roux (paste). Saute roux for 3-5 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Whisk in cream a little a time until fully incorporated.  Cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir creamed mixture into broth and rice.  Cook until heated through and  rice is done, about 15-20 minutes.

Served by Gina at the Huller House on February 2015.

With our new Magic Bag aprons on, we tackled our first Teach a Cardinal activity.  Gina showed us how to make birdseed hearts.  Add warm water to unflavored gelatin.  Mix in birdseed and mold in silicon heart mold.  Add straws so you can pull a string through when dry..  Very easy and appreciated by our feathered namesake.

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Cheesy Potato Soup

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Cheesy Potato Soup

1 tablespoon butter

3/4 cup diced celery

3/4 cup grated carrots

3/4 cup chopped onion

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried parsley

4 cups vegetable broth

4 cups diced peeled potatoes (1 3/4 pounds)

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups Velveeta cheese, cut into cubes

1 1/2 cups milk

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1/4 cup sour cream for garnish (optional)

In a large saucepan, saute the celery, carrots, and onions in the 1 tablespoon of butter until tender. Stir in the basil and parsley. Pour in the vegetable broth and add the potatoes. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt the 3 tablespoons of butter and add the flour.  Cook and stir for 3 minutes or until bubbly.  Add a bit of the soup broth to the flour mixture and then stir the flour mixture into the broth.  Cook and stir for 3 minutes.  Reduce heat to low.  Add the cheese, milk, salt and pepper.  Cook and stir until cheese melts.

Served by Julie at Joanna’s Lake House 2014

1 3 14 16 17 18 30 31 32 33 35 (1)

Ground Beef Chili

black bean

Ground Beef Chili

 

1 onion, coarsely chopped

1 ½ pounds ground chuck beef

3 tablespoons chili powder

½ teaspoon seasoned salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1   14.5-oz can diced tomatoes with sweet onions (undrained)

1  10-oz can milder diced tomatoes with green chiles (undrained)

1 16-oz can chili beans in mild sauce (undrained)

1 15-oz can black beans (drained)

1 (10.75-oz) can condensed tomato soup

 

Preheat large saucepan on medium–high heat 2-3 minutes.  Place beef, chili powder, seasoned salt, pepper and ½ of the onions in  pan; cook 4-5 minutes, stirring to crumble meat, or until meat is brown and no pink remains.  Stir in remaining ingredients, including remaining ½ onions.  Bring to a boil, stirring often.    Reduce heat to low; cook and stir 10 minutes more to blend flavors.

 

Kim Deutschground3 ground4 ground6

 

 

 

Carol McGahee’s Cream of Broccoli Soup

 

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Carol McGahee’s Cream of Broccoli Soup

 

2 10-oz packages of frozen chopped broccoli

1 pound Velveeta cheese, cut into 1 inch cubes

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

1 quart half and half milk

Boil the broccoli in a large pot of water; about 10 minutes or until tender.  In another large pan, pur ½ and ½ in and then slowly add cheese. Keep heat low.  Add the mushroom soup.  Drain broccoli and add to the ½ and ½ pan.  Stir constantly until cheese melts.

Nancy Steadman and Carol McGahee

mcg

White Chicken Chili

 

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White Chicken Chili

 

2 c diced onions
2 c diced celery
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 c vegetable oil
2 pounds frozen chicken breast, cooked and diced
5 c water
1 bay leaf
2 4oz cans diced green chilies
2 4 oz cans diced jalapeños
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
1/4 tsp Cajun seasoning
1/2 7 oz can can chipotle in adobo, chopped
4 tbsp chicken base
2 pickled jalapeño, chopped
2 cans white (northern) beans, drained and mashed with immersion blender (I do this because I don’t like beans, but it also makes the chili thicker. Without mashing beans, it’s thinner like soup.)
1 additional can white beans, drained (optional) – I add a can of whole beans if I’m making this for others who like beans
1/2 c heavy cream
Sour cream

Sauté onion, celery, and garlic in oil until tender, about 5 minutes. In a large stockpot, add chicken, water, bay leaf, chilies, jalapeño, oregano, cumin, dry mustard, basil, Old Bay, Cajun seasoning, chipotle, chicken base, pickled jalapeño and beans and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Add the heavy cream and simmer for 1 hour.  Garnish with sour cream.

I usually double this and freeze half.  It’s good in a crock pot too.  It’s yummy with Kim’s Broccoli cornbread!

 

Gina Tiedemann

 

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Tortilla Soup

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Tortilla Soup

 

1 rotisserie chicken, chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion

2 – 3 garlic cloves chopped

1/8 cup chopped jalapeno peppers

2 oz. cilantro paste (used Gourmet Garden found in produce section)

3 teaspoons cumin

Dash of cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

8 – 9 cups chicken broth

16-oz jar of salsa (I used Chachies, medium spice)

1 small can of corn, drained

1 can black beans, drained

 

Cook onion in oil on medium heat approximately 5 minutes until soft.  Add garlic, jalapeno peppers, cilantro, cumin, peppers and salt.  Cook for 1 minute.  Add broth and salsa, increase heat to high until it boils.  Reduce heat to med-low and simmer 10 minutes.  Garnish with chopped avocado and shredded Monterey pepper jack cheese.

 

Janet Wachsler served at E-A-T (tortilla soup)-I-N-G C-A-R-D-I-N-A-L dinner)

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