Category Archives: Soups & Stews

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Posted on February 15, 2012 by Veronica

I don’t think there is anything else to say. Although this is the first chicken tortilla soup I’ve ever made, I’ve had many versions in restaurants and deli’s, and this is so much better than any of them. If you couldn’t tell from the above exchange, I kinda get excited about food, and I’m pretty sure I moaned and squealed simultaneously when I took my first bite of this soup. It is so bangin’ with flavor. I just love it.

Now, I know my pictures aren’t portraying a creamy-type soup. The day I made it, it looked super creamy like I had poured real cream into the soup, but then the leftovers betrayed me when I reheated them the next day for lunch and a photo, and it just looked like regular chicken tortilla soup. Well, my pictures may be misleading, but I promise you this is one soup worth trying.

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

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1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 (16 oz) carton chicken broth
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes (I used roasted)
1 (7 oz) can green chiles, or 2 (4 oz) cans
1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
6 corn tortilla, cut into thin strips
1 (15.25 oz ) can corn, drained
½ cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Optional toppings: Tortilla strips*, sour cream or Greek yogurt, cheddar cheese or avocado

Add chicken breasts, broth, tomatoes, green chiles, onion, green pepper, garlic, bay leaf, and spices to a large stock pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1 ½-2 hours, or until the chicken is very tender. Add the tortillas during the last fifteen minutes of cooking. Remove chicken to a cutting board and let rest ten minutes, or until it is cool enough to touch without burning your fingers. If your tortillas haven’t completely broken down yet, continue simmering the soup while the chicken rests. Shred or chop the chicken and return to the pot, along with the corn, Greek yogurt, and cilantro. Heat through and serve with optional toppings.

Crockpot directions: Add everything but the Greek yogurt and cilantro to the crockpot and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 – 8 hours, until chicken is tender. Shred chicken, return to crock. Add yogurt and cilantro. Cook an additional half hour. Garnish as desired.

*Tortilla Strips: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and pour 1-2 teaspoons of vegetable oil on it. Cut 3 corn tortillas into strips, then put on the baking sheet and use your hands to toss them with the oil until coated. Spread out, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake until crispy, about 10 minutes.I made my tortilla strips super thin and burnt most of them, so if yours are thin, keep an eye on them–they may only need five minutes.

Recipe source: Debbi Does Dinner Healthy

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Posted in Slow-Cooker/Crockpot, Soups & Stews and tagged Chicken-Tortilla Soup, creamy, diet-friendly, healthy. Bookmark the permalink.

Classic Chili

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Veronica

First of all, I apologize to those of you who have me in a reader. I’ve started updated my posts from 2009 because the photos went missing from most of them, and I’m afraid I’ll be junking up your readers with all these old “new” posts for the next week or so. Thank you for bearing with me.

Second, remember that snow I mentioned last week? Well, it didn’t stick but it’s snowing like cuh-razy as I type this on Sunday night. And it’s sticking! We took a long walk in the middle of it and Jessie was in HEAVEN. Snow walks are her absolute favorite. She’s definitely got some husky in her blood. Thank goodness she’s past her “pulling” phase where she’d pretend Dennis was her sled and try to drag him by the leash! lol

Anyway, I’m hoping it’s arctic where you live too, not because I wish you ill, but if there is one good thing about cold weather days, it’s the hot and delicious foods you can fill them with. Like this classic chili. I grew up eating plain beans and cornbread every winter and now I don’t feel right unless I make chili or beans and cornbread at least once every winter. I’ve made many recipes, and never the same one twice, but I wanted to track down a recipe that had a classic flavor that would please kids and adults alike (for family gatherings) and that I could rely on as my go-to recipe. I knew that Mel would probably have one for me (she has a whole collection of best recipes and she’s never let me down), and I was right! I knew when I found her momma’s chili recipe this would probably be the one I was looking for.

We all have our different preferences when it comes to chili. I love a lot of veggies–bring on the celery, tomatoes, onion, green pepper (and red, yellow, and orange pepper, for that matter) and lots of beans. I do like some ground beef and spiciness, but it’s not essential. But I think this is a chili that anyone would like, which is exactly what I was looking for. I do believe this is my favorite chili now, even without an over-abundance of veg! So delicious.

The original recipe doesn’t have any veggies save the onions in it, but I’m a big Wendy’s chili fan, so I went ahead and added some celery and green pepper to mine to give it a similar feel. Though I thought the taste was excellent with them in, I’m sure it’s just as excellent without so leave them out if veggies in chili isn’t your thing. I also adapted the recipe for the crockpot (less liquid so it doesn’t get too runny), but if you want the stovetop directions you can get them from Mel’s site here.

Oh, and by the way, guess what I did with the leftovers? I added some more cans of stuff to bulk up the amount (canned chili, salsa-style roasted tomatoes) and stirred in some chopped all-beef hot dogs, then sent it with Dennis to the family Christmas party along with shredded cheddar cheese to garnish it. I didn’t get to attend due to my work schedule, but Dennis brought home an empty crock so I guess the “chili dog chili” went over well! :)

Classic Chili

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2 medium onions, diced
2 teaspoons salt
2 to 2 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
3 large cans (29 ounces each) pinto beans, drained
46 oz. (one large can) tomato juice
1 cup ketchup
2 bay leaves
3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons cumin
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar

Brown the hamburger and onion in a large skillet with the salt. Drain grease. Add to a large 6-quart crockpot, then stir in the remaining ingredients until well combined. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4.

Recipe source: adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

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Posted in Main Dishes, Soups & Stews and tagged best chili, classic chili, crock pot, crockpot, delicious, easy. Bookmark the permalink.

Chunky Chicken Soup

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Veronica

It was snowing here in Kansas yesterday, and what better way to chase away the chill than with a big bowl of soup? This is from The Pioneer Woman‘s recipe collection, and it is fantastic. Although I adore noodles in my chicken soup, the chicken and vegetables are the stars here and I found that I didn’t even miss the noodles. This soup is so delicious and flavorful, the health factor was an afterthought, but realizing how healthy it is makes it a win-win in my book. Happy mouth, happy body.

Chunky Chicken Soup

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1 whole chicken
2 (32 oz) cartons chicken broth
1 whole bay leaf
2 large onions, chopped
8 ribs of celery, trimmed & chopped
8 carrots, peeled and chopped
5 parsnips, peeled and chopped
Freshly ground black pepper, for serving

Place chicken in large stock pot and pour broth over it. Add the bay leaf and chopped vegetables. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1 ½ to 2 hours, or until meat is cooked through. Remove chicken to a cutting board and allow to cool until you can touch it without burning your fingers, about ten minutes. Pull the chicken from the bone, discarding the skin, and shred or chop the meat before returning it to the pot. Taste and add salt if desired. Serve hot with freshly ground black pepper over the top.

Recipe source: adapted from The Pioneer Woman

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Posted in Soups & Stews and tagged chunky chicken soup, diet-friendly, healthy, low carb, Pioneer Woman's. Bookmark the permalink.

Suzie’s Next Day Chili

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Veronica

Thank you guys for sticking with me through my “no recipes” week! I had a lot of fun with it, especially reading all your comments about the pigs you’d like to make fly on Danielle’s Flying Pig. If you didn’t catch that post, you might want to check it out–there is a giveaway for one of Danielle’s kumquat bath & body sets on it, and the deadline for entry is this Thursday. (Update: this giveaway is now closed. Congrats to Ken!)

Now, let’s get back to the recipes, shall we? I’ve got enough saved up that I’m going to be sharing all OLD recipes that I’ve been saving especially for December, which means, you guessed it, LOTS of sweets. Which is why I’m starting off with a savory recipe, to stabilize your blood sugar in preparation for all the sweetness that is soon to come your way from my blog. :)

“You know I luvs you…I have never, ever shared this recipe with anyone!! I’ve been making it for about 10 years now. :)”

This was the note at the end of the recipe my friend, Suzie, emailed me for her Next Day Chili. She’s been holding an annual chili cook-off in her neighborhood for the last five years and her chili has won four years out of those five. She doesn’t allow herself to win the prize since it’s her contest, but hers is almost always voted number one! She has kept the recipe secret, telling everyone that if they could guess some of the secret ingredients she used, she would share it, but no one ever has. Knowing all this, I still had the audacity to ask for the recipe. And I was pleasantly surprised when she obliged me! (I guess I’m just irresistible, right? LOL!)

I was so excited to get my hands on such a precious recipe, and promised I wouldn’t share it on my blog, thinking she’d want me to keep the secret recipe a secret. But she surprised me again by granting me permission to share it here. WOW! Thank you, Suzie! Don’t we feel special?! :)

Usually, I like my chili with lots of beans and veggies, so I was actually pretty nervous to make this since it only has one can of beans and a scant 1/2 cup of onion for veggies. When a friend shares a recipe with you that you’ve never tried, do you get nervous that you won’t like it? I’m probably ridiculous, but I feel almost obligated to like a recipe that comes highly recommended from a friend, and sometimes put off making it just for the fear that I won’t like it and will have to disappoint the friend when I tell them. But not this time! I was nervous, but I wasn’t going to wait–this recipe is special.

Well, I needn’t have worried. This chili is spectacular! Spicy, hearty, meaty, with a wonderful & unique flavor. Once you scan the ingredients, you’ll see why it doesn’t taste like any other chili. I bet you’ve never seen a chili recipe with bacon, chorizo, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire, sage, or maple syrup in it! My husband loved it and ate most of the batch by himself. In fact, he told me this was his favorite of any chili I’ve ever made! This is also the only chili that Suzie’s husband will eat so I’d say this is some real man-pleasin’ chili.

Thank you, Suzie, for sharing your wonderful recipe with us! Rock on, Chili Queen. :)

Suzie’s Next Day Chili

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3 lbs. good ground beef
1 lb. chorizo
1/2 lb. bacon
1 tablespoon bacon grease
1 can Bush’s mild chili beans, undrained
1/2 cup diced white onion
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons paprika
3 tablespoons ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt (or 2 1/4 teaspoons table salt)
1 teaspoon dried sage
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3-5 tablespoons hot sauce (depending on your taste)
1/2 cup chili powder (more if desired)
1 teaspoon dried cilantro (or 1 tablespoon fresh, chopped)
2 tablespoons real maple syrup
1-2 cups chicken or beef broth (or mix 1/2 and 1/2), depending on desired thickness
1 (6 oz.) can of tomato paste
1 (46 oz) can tomato juice
Red pepper flakes, to taste

Brown beef and chorizo. Drain grease, cover and set aside. Slice 1/2 lb. bacon into 1 inch pieces. Cook bacon until crisp, set aside on paper towels to drain off excess fat. Take 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease and add to the burger/chorizo mixture. Add all remaining ingredients, except bacon, to a large pot. Simmer for 3 hours, stirring occasionally and tasting to adjust salt, pepper, chili powder and red pepper flakes to taste. Let cool for an hour or so and then refrigerate overnight. Refrigerate the bacon separately. Simmer again the next day for 2-3 hours, adding bacon the last hour. It’s now ready to serve.

Suzie recommends serving with homemade cornbread, so I served mine with Lighter Northern Cornbread. I also have a southern-style Homestead Cornbread recipe if you like yours without sugar and flour.

Recipe source: Suzie S.

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Posted in Main Dishes, Soups & Stews and tagged beefy, blue ribbon, chili, hearty, meaty, prize winning, recipe, rich, spicy, winter. Bookmark the permalink.

Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

Posted on February 9, 2011 by Veronica

Grilled cheese sandwiches paired with tomato soup seem to be childhood staples in America, but I never had a grilled cheese sandwich until I was a teen, and never with tomato soup until much later. I remember when I went to babysit my neighbor’s little boy she asked me to make him a grilled cheese sandwich and I meekly asked her how to do it. She was dumbfounded, needless to say. That was my first grilled cheese experience, at sixteen, but after that I started making them at home.

No one gave me the memo that tomato soup pairs perfectly with them until a few years later, but I ignored it since I’ve never liked condensed tomato soup. That is until I discovered Pacific Natural Foods’ Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup. That’s when I started serving the classic combo of grilled cheese and tomato soup. I loved that stuff!

This homemade version is thicker and a little tangier, perhaps because I used jarred red peppers and yogurt rather than roasting them myself and adding heavy cream or milk, but it is just as delicious with the benefit of a homemade taste. Add more or less sugar to your tastes, and if you decide to use peppers you roasted yourself, please let me know how that turns out–that’s how I’m going to try it next!

Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

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1 jar (12 oz) roasted red peppers in brine, drained
1 can (14.5 oz) fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 can (28 oz) tomato puree/crushed tomatoes
1 cup low-sodium and fat-free chicken broth
3 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
Croutons, for serving

Combine drained peppers and diced tomatoes in a blender. Puree until smooth. Alternatively, you can place them in your pot and use an immersion blender to puree until as smooth as you like. I left some little chunks in mine because I like a little texture. Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat, or just add it to the pot if your puree is already in it. Add pepper-tomato mixture, tomato puree, chicken broth, sugar, salt and pepper. Heat just to simmering, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in yogurt. Return to stove and heat through. Ladle soup into bowls; top each with a few croutons.

Makes 6 servings. Per serving: 139 calories; 2.5 g fat; 24 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 3.5 g protein. (Calories calculated with 4 croutons per serving)

Recipe source: adapted from Family Circle, February 2011.

15 Comments

Posted in Lighter Fare, Soups & Stews and tagged carton, childhood favorites, children, comfort food, diet, grilled cheese, healthy, light, low-fat, pacific natural foods, pacific naturals, roasted red pepper and tomato soup recipe, tomato soup, winter. Bookmark the permalink.

White Chili (Crockpot recipe)

Posted on January 13, 2011 by Veronica

My friend, Ashley, shared this recipe with me recently and I had to make it ASAP because although I’ve saved countless recipes for it, I’ve never actually made it or even tried it! I have to say it’s very tasty, especially made her way with corn chips on the bottom and cheese on top (usually around here this is called a Frito pie). You just can’t go wrong with salty corn chips and cheese in your chili! Sooo good! Unless of course you’re watching your calories, then you’d be better off sprinkling a bit of cheese on top with just a few corn chips for garnish, as I did above. However, the chili is so good it can totally stand on it’s own. Any way you serve it would be great!

So here’s the recipe Ashley’s sister gave her when she got married (awww, those recipes are the best!) and that she has graciously permitted me to share with you! Enjoy!

White Chili (crockpot recipe)

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2 large white onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil

4 cups cubed (raw) chicken
2 cans white kidney (great northern) beans, drained & rinsed
1 can garbanzo (chick peas) beans, drained & rinsed
2 cups chicken broth
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilis (I used 7 ounces)
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
corn chips
shredded cheese

Saute onions and garlic in olive oil until tender. Transfer to slow cooker. Add all other ingredients; except cilantro, corn chips and cheese. Cook on low 6-7 hours (high for 4 hrs). Stir in cilantro and serve over corn chips with cheese on top!

Recipe source: slightly tweaked from Ashley Allen

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Posted in Lighter Fare, Slow-Cooker/Crockpot, Soups & Stews and tagged crock pot, crockpot, easy, frito pie, slow cooker, white chili recipe. Bookmark the permalink.

Jimmy Fallon’s Crock-Pot Chili

Posted on January 11, 2011 by Veronica

Funny man Jimmy Fallon can cook? Apparently so! This is his recipe for chili in the crockpot (OK, slightly, very slightly tweaked by me) and honestly it’s the best chili to ever come out of my kitchen! I bought a 12-pack of beer two years ago (does beer ever go bad??) so I’d have it on hand whenever I felt like making my favorite buttery beer bread (seriously the best bread evar!), so I was super excited to finally get rid of the last two cans of it when I made this chili, one for the chili and one for the bread to go with it. Win-win!

Jimmy Fallon’s Crock-Pot Chili

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3 1/2 pounds ground beef
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large white onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 habanero chile, seeded and very finely chopped
1/4 cup chile powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes, coarsely chopped with their juices
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for serving
1 (12-ounce) bottle amber beer
2 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Tortilla chips, for serving
Shredded cheddar cheese, for serving
Chopped tomatoes, for serving
Sour cream, for serving
Lime wedges, for serving

In a large skillet, working in batches if necessary, brown beef over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper; drain in a colander, discarding fat, and set aside. Add olive oil, onions, garlic, and habanero to skillet; season with salt. Cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. In a 6-quart Crock-Pot, combine beef, onion mixture, chile powder, oregano, cumin, and cayenne pepper; stir to combine. Add tomatoes, cilantro, and beer; cover and cook on high, stirring occasionally, for 5 hours, or on low for 8 hours. Add kidney beans and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook, uncovered, until thickened, about 30 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve with desired toppings.

16 Comments

Posted in Slow-Cooker/Crockpot, Soups & Stews and tagged baking, buttery beer bread, chili recipe, cooking, crock pot, crockpot, jimmy fallon, winter. Bookmark the permalink.

Green Chili Chicken and Lime Soup

Posted on March 31, 2010 by Veronica

Much like the cinnamon roll sugar cookies, this was another recipe from Picky Palate that I had to make as soon as I read it. Jenny based it off of the Chicken Green Chili soup that she recently enjoyed at Chili’s and says it tastes almost exactly the same. I’ve never had it, but I can attest that her version is so fabulous that it officially took the number 1 spot on my “favorite soups” list.

I know it seems odd to post a soup recipe when the weather is finally warming up, but this is such a healthy and light recipe that it actually seems more spring-appropriate than fall or winter, when soups tend to get heartier, so I thought I’d better put it up now before it gets any warmer!

Read over the ingredients and imagine them combined and in your mouth–and then imagine it’s even better than what you imagined. Because it is.

Green Chili Chicken and Lime Soup
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2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves fresh or roasted garlic, minced
80 oz chicken broth (2 1/2 cartons of the 32 oz)
10 oz can Rotel tomatoes, mild
7 oz can diced green chilies
4 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts; cooked, shredded and lightly seasoned with salt and pepper
2 1/2 Cups cooked rice of choice
1/4 Cup fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
Pinches of Kosher salt, fresh cracked black pepper and Lawry’s Garlic Salt with Parsley to taste
1 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped
Fresh diced avocados, drizzled with lime juice
1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese
Tortilla chips

1. Place oil into a large dutch oven over medium heat. Saute onion for 5 minutes then add in garlic; cook for 1 minute. Stir in chicken broth, tomatoes, green chilies, chicken breast, rice, lime juice and seasonings. Cook for 5 minutes; taste and season according to your liking. Right before serving add chopped cilantro.

2. Serve soup with fresh diced avocado, shredded cheese and crushed chips if desired (I used whole chips to scoop the soup into my mouth–yum!). If you can handle the heat, Jenny recommends squeezing some Siracha over top.

10-12 servings (for us it was only 6, but we ate big bowls!)

Veronica’s Notes: OK, I’m never prepared in advance. I had no rice already cooked and by the time I realized I needed cooked rice, my soup was all mixed and hot. So I just stirred in 1/3 cup of uncooked long grain white rice and brought the soup to a boil, reduced it to a simmer and cooked like 15 minutes (whatever it says on your rice package–that’s how long you’d cook it). This worked perfectly. I also only used 2 cartons of chicken broth and it was still more than plenty, even with the rice absorbing some of it. Lastly, this soup isn’t spicy if eaten right after making it, but does have a nice kick the next day.

Recipe Source: Picky Palate

Thanks to Mel from My Kitchen Cafe for telling me how to include printable versions of my recipes on my blog!

20 Comments

Posted in Lighter Fare, Mexican, Soups & Stews and tagged chicken, green chili, lime, soup. Bookmark the permalink.

Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Chili

Posted on January 16, 2010 by Veronica

This chili is so easy and the results blew me away! I could not believe how delicious it was, especially for how little energy it required. I will definitely be making this over and over again throughout the remaining winter months.

Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Chili
Recipe from Betty Crocker
Prep time: 10 minutes Start to finish: 7 hours, 10 minutes Servings: 6 (1 2/3 cups each)

1 1/4 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 medium yellow or green bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)
2 cans (14.5 oz each) Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
2 cans (15-16 oz each) chili beans in sauce, undrained
1 can (10 oz) Old El Paso enchilada sauce
1/3 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. Mix all ingredients exept sour cream and cilantro in a 4-5 quart slow cooker.
2. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 7-8 hours.
3. Stir mixture to break up chicken. (I had to pull it up and cut it against the side of the crockpot with a fork a little bit and did the same with the stewed tomatoes). Top each serving with sour cream and cilantro.

Nutrition Information Per Serving:
1 Serving: Calories 370; Total Fat 11g; Cholesterol 65mg; Sodium 1690mg; Total Carbohydrate 38g (Dietary Fiber 8g); Protein 30g

Notes: I used 1 large breast and 1 thigh for the meat and that equaled 1 1/4 lb. I accidentally only purchased 1 can of Mexican stewed tomatoes, so I substituted a can of chili-ready tomatoes for the other with great results. I will probably use the chili-ready tomatoes instead of the stewed next time b/c they are already diced and I wouldn’t have to cut up any big chunks.

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Posted in Lighter Fare, Mexican, Soups & Stews and tagged chicken, chili, crockpot, easy, enchilada, slow cooker. Bookmark the permalink.

Emerald Soup

Posted on December 2, 2009 by Veronica

*Updated 1/16/13: since I’m no longer in touch with the lady that gave me this recipe, I can be totally honest and tell you this was awful and please don’t make it! LOL! I blogged this on MySpace before I cared about the quality of recipes I shared (for the record, I only blog the best ones now) and transferred it here when I started my blog. I can’t bear to delete it so I just want to warn you that you shouldn’t make it!*

With both Thanksgiving dinners (we have one for each side of our family) and all the leftovers out of the way, I’m a little tired of heavy foods and was craving something light and healthy. Since Dennis is out of town for the week, I can cook whatever I want (“whee” for that but “boo” to him being gone) and I immediately thought of this soup, whose title and ingredients had caught my attention when my friend, Rhonda, first posted it on her MySpace blog.

It is creamy & flavorful and I love the delightful color. And the best part is that it’s so healthy that I felt totally justified in pairing it with a light & airy sweet dinner roll (or three)….slathered with butter. :)

Emerald Soup

1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 TBSP. butter
1 TBSP. olive oil
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth*
2 cups packed fresh spinach leaves or half of a 10 oz pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed
2 medium potatoes. peeled and chopped (2 cups)
2 cups broccoli florets or one 10 oz. pkg. frozen cut broccoli, thawed and well-drained
1 tsp. dried oregano, crushed
1 tsp. dry mustard
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
Dash of bottled hot pepper sauce (optional)
1 & 1/2 cups milk (I used 3/4 cup)

*Chicken broth will work but I stuck with vegetable to keep this dish vegetarian.

In a saucepan, cook onion and garlic in hot butter and olive oil over medium-high heat 4 to 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in broth, spinach, potatoes, broccoli, oregano, mustard, salt, nutmeg and hot pepper sauce. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover; simmer 15 minutes or until vegetables are very tender. Cool slightly.

Use an immersion blender to blend the soup, or transfer it to a blender or food-processor bowl. Cover; blend or process until smooth. (Warning: leave the middle part out of the blender so steam can escape, otherwise the lid will explode off once you start blending and boiling hot soup will go everywhere!) Return to pan. Stir in milk. Heat through. Serve with croutons, if desired.

Makes 4 side dish servings (or you could double up to make it a meal in itself).

Recipe courtesy of Rhonda C.