Sunday Soup #47: Christmas Soup

'Twas the soup before Christmas... Yule Tide through the land
As I pondered a recipe to delight my three fans
Should it be meaty or vegan, spicy or bland?
And what kinds of things did I have on hand?

When what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a soup actually called "Christmas," via Google, right here!
Alton Brown is a dependable, merry old cook
So something by him is at least worth a look

It seemed festive and hearty, with reds and some greens
To tempt my wife, mother-in-law, and even two teens
So, I decided it could be this soup I'd employ
In hopes to bring each Souper Trooper much Christmas joy!

This recipe came from: https://altonbrown.com/christmas-soup-recipe/

*Pic 1 - https://altonbrown.com/christmas-soup-recipe/

Variations from Recipe as Written: I made one-and-a-half times the recipe, but I still just used only one-times the amount of kale called for (for the math-y among you, I used 2/3 the amount that would normally be present in the recipe, as written). I also used 28oz of kielbasa sausage (instead of the 24oz that I would have used if I followed the recipe exactly).

General Thoughts: Merry Christmas, friends! I hope you are all enjoying family and friends this holiday season... I certainly am and, with my mother-in-law in town and plans to hang with our best friends on Christmas Eve, my mind naturally turned to the best part of the holidays... THE FOOD! And you know, when I think food, I think soup more often than not. I know it's a little on-the-nose, but I decided to search Google for "Christmas soup" and voilà: Alton Brown's Christmas Soup!

Alton's recipes are usually a winner, but I was a little hesitant when I saw that I'd be mixing kidney beans and potatoes in the same soup. Not that I object to either one, but having them together in one soup is a little unorthodox, and I was bothered by thoughts that this soup could be way too starchy.

*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when I made it

As is my preference, this recipe was easy to prepare and required a minimum number of ingredients.  There was a little chopping involved (sausage and potatoes), and I had to soak the kidney beans, but those tasks went quickly.

With so few spices (the garlic and black pepper were really it), I thought it might turn out too bland. But, I was pleasantly surprised... If you like your soups to be so salty that you crave a sip of water after each spoonful of broth, then you might want to kick it up a little bit; however, I thought that it was perfectly seasoned, gaining flavor (and saltiness) from the sausage and chicken broth, and the little bit of vinegar really provided some great contrast (and just enough bite) for the palate.

This soup was was super hearty and extremely filling, perfect for a cold Winter night... And it just plain looked good! All in all, this is a very solid choice, delivering in all the major categories, and would likely please your crowd!

Potential Improvements? Despite the fact that I used slightly more kielbasa than the recipe called for, I'd use even more next time... I am a carnivore at heart and felt like it needed to be even a little more meaty than it was. Other than that, for me, it was pretty right on!

Polling the Fam: I enjoyed it, and I think it will become a Christmas-time staple for me. Becky liked it, although she thought the kale was a little slimy (which is most likely because dinner was delayed about 30 minutes after the soup was ready, so it could easily be fixed). Debby said it was her kind of soup, so she liked it, enjoying the beans and potatoes and not minding the kale. Hunter said it was good, although he didn't love the beans and thought it could have used a little more spice. Fox also liked it and said he enjoyed the sausage, but he wasn't crazy about the kale.

Verdict: Liked it. (4 stars)

Sunday Soup #46: Easy Hash Brown Soup

Back in the saddle! Yeeeeee-haw!! Forgive the cowboy talk... But, I may have had a little too much kitchen juice (aka, wine) while cooking tonight. LOL It has been a few weeks since I posted the last soup, and I know some of you Souper Troopers out there were getting as little restless. This holiday season has been SO busy, but I was able to sneak one in this week. Enjoy!

This recipe came from: http://www.budgetsavvydiva.com/2012/03/easy-hash-brown-soup-recipe/

*Pic 1 - http://www.budgetsavvydiva.com/2012/03/easy-hash-brown-soup-recipe/

Variations from Recipe as Written: I double the recipe. That's it!

General Thoughts: For my first soup in three weeks or so, I was looking for a softball... Something easy to jump back in. I wanted something that seemed likely to be quick, tasty, and filling. Enter the "Easy Hash Brown Soup"... It certainly was easy! I got the pre-diced onions (because, I'm me), so there was no chopping, and after just a little time spent browning the onions, the rest was a cakewalk. If you are pressed for time, this is a soup for you!

*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when I made it

The texture was terrific, silky smooth and very hearty. It was perfect for a cold December night, watching "Elf" with the family!

As for the flavor... Here's the deal: without some accoutrement (such as some extra cheese and sour cream, as suggested by the recipe's author), it was a little bland. The black pepper and cayenne prescribed by the recipe were a little light, in my opinion, but it is sure to please those in your crowd that are spice lightweights. The red-colored liquid you can see in the pic above is a special carrot hot sauce that my Aunt Martha got me, and it kicked up the flavor superbly.

To go with the soup, I made some Pillsbury Biscuits, which were a terrific compliment. Their light, fluffy, flaky texture went perfectly with the heavier, chowder-y nature of the soup.

At its heart, this is a potato chowder, with which comes the pros (i.e., filling, inoffensive flavor) and cons (i.e., bland, without the proper garnishments) of any good potato soup. Bottom line: If you are looking for a quick, tasty, filling soup to please the family, and you've got some good garnishes at the ready, this would be a great choice for you!

Potential Improvements? Next time, I'd love to add some protein... some bacon, or some chicken, or maybe even some breakfast sausage. Other than that, it was pretty good. Next time, I might also add some pickled jalapeño peppers.

Polling the Fam: This soup definitely isn't going to knock anybody's socks off but, for me, it was extremely solid, and I would eat it again. Becky thought it was really good, although it needed Tabasco sauce, and she said that she'd request it again. Fox thought it was pretty good, agreed that it needed some additional spice, and said that, although he'd probably not request it, he'd certainly eat it again.

Verdict: Liked it. (4 stars)

Sunday Soup #45: One-Pot Creamy Sausage and Potato Soup

Another week, another seven days stuffed full of kids activities, work, booster club meetings, etc.... So, I was looking for a quick recipe this past week. It was helped by the fact that my friend and frequent kitchen sidekick, Lisa, did a lot of the chopping, so this one was a piece of cake... But, did it deliver on taste?

This recipe came from: https://www.galonamission.com/one-pot-creamy-sausage-and-potato-soup/

*Pic 1 - https://www.galonamission.com/one-pot-creamy-sausage-and-potato-soup/

Variations from Recipe as Written: I double the recipe. I used one pound of hot Italian and one pound of mild Italian sausage (to reach the two pounds required by a double batch). And, we decided to make shredded cheese available as another garnish. But, other than that, I followed it closely.

General Thoughts: As I already said, this one was super easy to prepare. The prep was very minimal, the ingredient list was short, and the cooking was not overly burdensome (even less so if you were to just throw all the ingredients in a slow cooker, as the recipe suggests you could), so it fit the bill perfectly this weekend.

*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when I made it

This soup had good texture: the right mix of firm and soft, thick and brothy, and a great combo of veggies, meat, and starch... In short, it was put together well.

However, the taste needs a bit more comment or, perhaps, explanation. It tasted fine... Let me just throw that out there. It was tasty enough that I looked forward to each next bite. But... It didn't have great depth of flavor. What do I mean? You know how sometimes when you take a bite of a soup and the flavors just "pop"? You can taste the subtle spices, the tanginess of the pickled vegetables, the smokiness of the meat, etc.... This soup was just kind of a single taste. The garlic, the oregano, and even the red pepper flakes were lost in the overwhelming sausage-ness of this soup. The cream seemed not to make much of a difference (maybe a little color?), which made me question why this was called a "Creamy" soup. And the potatoes and vegetables (as they sometimes do) just took on the overall character of the other dominant tastes; in this case, sausage.

Now, don't get me wrong... I love me some Italian sausage, as a quick review of this blog would show you. But, I like a little more out of my soups than just being able to taste a single overwhelming flavor. I want some complexity, some subtlety, something that rewards my tastebuds and keeps me coming back for the next bowlful. I think draining off some of the sausage fat would have helped with the mono-flavor problem, but still this isn't the type of soup that is going to surprise you. It is what it is: hearty, acceptably tasty, and solidly comfort food.

Potential Improvements? Next time, I'd add more heavy cream and maybe even give it a couple of spins with the immersion blender. I'd add some more pepper to give it a bit more bite. And, I'd likely drain off some of the sausage fat rather than leaving it all in or, at least, perhaps skim some of it off the top before adding the cream and serving. But, these are all just minor tweaks.

Polling the Fam: I felt like it was solid overall, had "good enough" flavor for what it was, and I think it would be a good choice for a quick, hearty dinner soup on a cold Fall day, so I'd make it again. Jayson thought it was good, gave it two thumbs up, and remarks that the cheese was a good garnish. Andrew thought it didn't stand out but was good overall, and he called it "solid." Hunter said it wasn't his favorite ever, but called it "solid, filling, and good." Fox said it was pretty good and seemed to be spiced properly, although he called the meat "interesting."

Verdict: It was okay. (3 stars)

Sunday Soup #44: 30-Minute Chicken Posole

This was a very busy week, just super hectic... Earlier in the weekend, I told my friends Debbie and Chris that I was going to make my family pork pozole recipe (comfort food!). Well... This one is not it! LOL  Instead, I let my son (Hunter) talk me into making a new recipe, although it was still a pozole (aka, posole). It is no secret that pozole is my favorite soup, I don't typically like chicken pozoles, and I am most definitely a pozole snob, so how did this one work out? Let's see...

This recipe came from: http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-30-minute-chicken-posole-weeknight-dinner-recipes-from-the-kitchn-58823

*Pic 1 - http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-30-minute-chicken-posole-weeknight-dinner-recipes-from-the-kitchn-58823

Variations from Recipe as Written: I made 1.5x the printed recipe. I also used my own pozole meat marinade (combining ½ TBSP garlic salt, 1 TBSP cumin, 7 TBSP water, 1 TBSP liquid smoke, and 1 TBSP lime juice), tossed the chicken breasts in it, and refrigerated for approximately 1 hour before cooking it up according to the recipe instructions. Other than that, I followed this one pretty closely.

General Thoughts: I firmly believe that the success or failure of any pozole can depend, in large part, on the garnishes you use to punch up each bowl. And, I certainly had plenty of tasty garnishes on hand (see pic below).  But, the base and the foundation (i.e., the protein, the hominy, and the broth) have to be super solid, else even the best garnishes won't be able to save it. That is why I am often not crazy about chicken pozoles, as they typically do not deliver the flavor punch you can get from a properly cooked pork shoulder.

(*A small aside about cooking the chicken... I am usually hell on chicken breasts. I overcook them, seemingly every time, leaving them tough and dry. So, I decided to view a link on the Kitchn site [where this pozole recipe resides], which promised perfectly cooked chicken breasts every time: http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-moist-tender-chicken-breasts-every-time-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-36891. I have to tell you, as a guy who is normally chicken-impaired, I was VERY happy with the results; tender, juicy, and tasty! If you often struggle with chicken breasts, give it a try...)

*Pics 2, 3, & 4 - Pictures from when I made it

Surprisingly, this one actually did a pretty good job... It turned out to be hearty (albeit, not quite as hearty as a hefty pork version) and filling, had some decent flavor (helped by the garnishes), and had a great texture profile in each bite. The cumin, coriander, and smoked paprika all came through, but were not overly strong; just enough to give me that "yum, pozole!" feeling. This soup imparted a distinct Mexican flavor and was far superior to any chicken tortilla soup I've ever made at home.

And, the garnishes... oh, the garnishes! SO good... Try some of the garnishes you see in my pic above, try some of the ones listed in the recipe, or choose your own. Get creative! You'll be happier for it...

Finally, this soup was very tasty right off the stove, but it was even better as leftovers the next day. I don't know if it was that the flavors blended better, if the chicken was more tender, or if the hominy was softer, but whatever the combo was, it was a hit.

Potential Improvements? I am not sure much more could have been done to this one, as it stands... Next time, I'd likely kick it up a bit with some additional crushed red pepper or cayenne, and Becky suggested that shredding the chicken could be an improvement, but it was pretty solid as-is.

Polling the Fam: Nothing beats the slow-cooked flavor of my traditional pork pozole recipe, and this one didn't quite measure up to the Crock Pot Pork Pozole that I tried earlier in this project (Sunday Soup #10; http://soupersleuth.blogspot.com/2016/05/sunday-soup-10-crock-pot-pork-pozole.html), but that is far from grounds to tell you to avoid it. If I was looking for a quick(-ish) pozole fix, and I was trying to stay a little healthier than pork, I would definitely give this one a go again! Becky liked it (she went for seconds), as did Hunter, but both agreed that it could have been a bit more flavorful on its own (the garnishes notwithstanding). And, like me, Hunter loved the leftovers, saying he thought the flavors melded much better overnight.

Verdict: Liked it. (4 stars)

Sunday Soup #43: Crock Pot White Bean French Onion Soup

A little different this week, as I thought I was making soup for just my family but ended up taking it over for an impromptu dinner with friends, so it turned into soup as a first course instead of the main meal. Friends are the spice of life, and they make everything taste that much better, but did they help this soup? Let's see...

This recipe came from: http://thebusybaker.ca/crock-pot-white-bean-french-onion-soup/

*Pic 1 - From http://thebusybaker.ca/crock-pot-white-bean-french-onion-soup/

Variations from Recipe as Written: I used 1 tbsp of dried thyme (because I already had it on hand) instead of the 2 tbsp of fresh thyme leaves called for by the recipe. And, because I am a carnosaur, I added a smoked meaty hambone to the mix after the onions were caramelized.

General Thoughts: I am not exactly sure what expected of this one... I love French Onion soups because they usually pack great flavor, but they are not usually filling. While most bean soups are hearty and filling, but sometimes they tend to be a bit bland. So this recipe intrigued me because it seemed to promise the best of both worlds. The prep was really, really easy, particularly since I bought pre-diced onions at the store (sorry, chopping the onions myself makes me cry so badly!). Total prep time only took me about 5 minutes, which was terrific, but then (of course) it was a slow cooker recipe, so total cook time was about 8 hours.

*Pic 2 - Picture from when I made it

I was really counting on the meaty ham bone, slow cooked for 3+ hours in the soup, to impart some solid flavor to the mix, and for the most part, it delivered. Although it did not add to the saltiness of the soup as much as I expected, it imparted a good smoked porky flavor (go figure), and there is just something about ham in a bean soup that is hard to beat!

The diced onions, while not strongly contributing to the taste on their own, definitely gave the soup the feeling of French Onion.  They were perfectly textured and provided a nice contrast to the firmer beans and pieces of meat. I thought the parmesan cheese and croutons were also good additions as garnishes and added to the textural variety (which I enjoy in my soups).

As for the spices, I thought the thyme taste overpowered the others (oregano, pepper, and salt), possibly owing to having used the dried rather than the fresh, but that was not necessarily a problem for me.

Potential Improvements? Not much, but I'd probably cut the thyme in half (if I used dried again), and maybe salt it a little more heavily.

Polling the Fam: Because of the way this one was presented, I didn't get the more in-depth reactions from my eaters that I normally ask for. For my part, I really enjoyed it... I found it warm and hearty, with good flavor overall and the ability to satisfy the craving for bean soup I've had lately.  This is a good Fall/Winter soup, in my opinion, and I would definitely make it again! Some of the other comments I heard were that people seemed to like it overall, although some were put off by the strong thyme flavor and thought it might have had a few too many onions.

Verdict: Liked it. (4 stars)

Sunday Soup #42: Hearty Poblano Beef Stew

This recipe called to me as soon as I saw it... Hearty, you say? Beefy, you say? With green chiles to boot?! Yes, please!! But, did it live up to my expectations...? Let's see...

This recipe came from: http://littlespicejar.com/hearty-poblano-beef-stew/

*Pic 1 - From http://littlespicejar.com/hearty-poblano-beef-stew/

Variations from Recipe as Written: I made 1.5x the recipe. And, not really a "change," since the recipe said it could be omitted, but I did include the chipotle pepper in adobo sauce.

General Thoughts: As you may know from reading my previous posts, I am not crazy about roasting my own chiles, generally... I can do it well enough, and it is generally necessary to bring forth proper flavors, but it does add a significant amount of prep time to most recipes, particularly if I am preparing them in volume. For this recipe, I roasted five peppers, so it wasn't a tremendous amount, but overall it put this recipe into the "medium prep work" category; not super easy, but not an overwhelming amount of work either. A soup's flavor can, of course, make almost any amount of prep work worth it, so I was hoping this one delivered...

*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when I made it

First, the good... It lived up to its name, as it was definitely hearty! It was filling and gave me that deep-down warm feeling that a good stew should. The meat was tender, the potatoes were perfectly done, and I didn't even mind the diced tomatoes (I often purée them). Finally, it is actually quite healthy... And, if you were to swap the Idaho potatoes for sweet potatoes (more on this later), it'd be even better for you.

But, unfortunately, there were some glaring issues with this one, as well, which kept it from being a great recipe, in my opinion.  Most importantly, I felt like this one suffered from the plight of many stews: it was just plain bland. It didn't have enough salt, the beef lacked the proper savor, it didn't have enough varied spices (really, just cumin and oregano, but neither in sufficient quantity to be very strong), and it lacked enough spiciness (even with the chipotle in adobo) and "bite" in the broth to make it interesting for me.

I sometimes steer clear of stews and taco/tortilla soups, in general, because I feel like the different recipes (in each of those categories) taste too similar to each other (i.e., "if you've had one, you've had them all"). There are certainly exceptions (definitely see the post for my Sunday Soup #18: Okertoberfest Stew - https://soupersleuth.blogspot.com/2016/10/sunday-soup-18.html), but this stew was, unfortunately, not one of them. It was definitely a standard "stew" with meat and potatoes and nothing much remarkable... Bottom line: It was definitely okay, and I'd definitely eat it again if somebody served it to me, but it was just kinda "meh" overall.

Potential Improvements? My bowl was greatly helped when I added two things: more salt and some vinegar from a jar of pickled jalapeños. So, you could try adding things like that to the whole pot, anything to give it a more distinct flavor. I think I definitely would have marinated the meat for a couple of hours prior to cooking; something like my pre-pozole pork marinade (https://soupersleuth.blogspot.com/2016/05/sunday-soup-10-crock-pot-pork-pozole.html) would have worked well. Finally, although I am not a fan of sweet potatoes generally, I actually think that swapping out the Idaho potatoes for sweet potatoes would have done quite a bit to give this stew a unique character and improve its flavor.

Polling the Fam: I made it clear above, but I wasn't super crazy about this one. Becky said she'd have preferred the tomatoes to be puréed, but she actually thought the beef was fine and that it had decent flavor overall, though she wasn't knocked off her feet by it.  Hunter's reaction was similar to mine, and he simply shrugged and said it was "okay." Fox said he did not care for it really at all, although he could not explain why he didn't like it (hey, sometimes you just like what you like, ya know?).

Verdict: Not a fan. (2 stars)

Sunday Soup #41: Creamy Reuben Soup

It was just Hunter and me this week, so we went with a soup that appealed to our adventurous tastes! Enjoy!

This recipe came from: https://theblondcook.com/creamy-reuben-soup/

*Pic 1 - https://theblondcook.com/creamy-reuben-soup/

Variations from Recipe as Written: I made 1.5x the recipe. I used about 1/8-cup more sour cream and about 1/4-pound more corned beef than called for. Then, the biggest change that I was forced to make was because I could not find any pre-cooked deli-corned beef. So, instead I bought a raw corned beef roast, dropped it into the Instant Pot with its spice packet and a spoonful of diced garlic, and cooked it for an hour... *presto* cooked corned beef, ready for slicing and use in this soup recipe!

General Thoughts: I always try to be up front with my loyal readers (all three of you - LOL) about when I have doubts or questions about a recipe, particularly as I am preparing it. In this case, I had misgivings about the fact that there did not seem to be any starch (like potatoes) in the recipe, which could mean no bulk (which means it may not be hardy or filling). But, I am happy to report, it was hearty enough without any kind of bulk starch added. You can certainly add potatoes if you want, but it didn't need them, and who ever heard of potatoes on a reuben sandwich?! This soup turned out to be the perfect thickness, maintaining a brothy feel but chock full yummy sauerkraut, onions, and (to a lesser extent) corned beef.

*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when I made it

This soup was quite easy to make. Minimal chopping and slicing, and little bit of sautéeing, and voilá! Admittedly, having to cook my own corned beef roast was a little more work, but even that was a piece of cake... Two thumbs way, way up for ease of preparation!

The flavor of this soup was excellent! That is, the flavor was excellent IF YOU LIKE SAUERKRAUT. Granted, it wasn't the same as digging a fork right into a can of raw sauerkraut, because being cooked in the soup softened the bite a little, but there was still a strong vinegar tang (which Hunter and I love, so it was great for us). With the addition of the corned beef, the swiss cheese, and some cracked pepper, the soup really did remind me of the flavors you get from a good reuben sandwich. And, while I did not have a loaf of rye bread handy - which would have been terrific, adding some Triscuits (Original Flavor) as a garnish provided just enough of a caraway-rye taste to compliment it quite nicely.

Hunter and I also ate this one leftover... It was just as good (if not better) as leftovers, so feel free to make it in bulk!

Potential Improvements? Only one, but it was a big one for me... It definitely needed more corned beef.  The next time I make it, I think I will use (at least) double the amount of corned beef called for by the recipe. If it were more meaty, it would have been darn near perfect! Also, I noted that this recipe could be made 100% paleo and gluten-free with only small changes that would probably never even be noticed, if you were so inclined.

Polling the Fam: As I said, just two of us ate this one, so short and sweet... For me, I felt this soup was very good and would be perfect for a cool fall day. It was hearty, (very) flavorful, and just plain yummy! Hunter said he thought it was really good, surprisingly filling (agreed!), and he wouldn't change a thing about it. We'd both definitely eat it again!

Verdict: Liked it. (4 stars)