Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Superb. Delectable. Lovely. Heavenly. These are a few of the words that could be used (and have been, from guests) to describe this soup of my mom's. The recipe is more time-intensive than your typical soup recipe, but the result will honestly take you to a whole new dimension of soup heaven!

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

If you want to make your own gnocchi for the soup, here is the recipe. (If that's more time than you want to take, buy your gnocchi pre-made, in the pasta isle.)

Gnocchi:

1 lb. potatoes: boiled, cooled in fridge overnight, peeled, trimmed, and riced or mashed
¼ tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt
Pinch of nutmeg
1 c. whole wheat flour (plus additional as needed when mixing)
2 Tb. melted butter

Mix potatoes, pepper, salt, nutmeg, and flour. Slowly add butter. Add additional flour 1 Tb. at a time as needed. Roll out and cut into 1 inch square pieces.

Soup:

1/3 c. butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. chicken cut in largish chunks
1/3 c. whole wheat flour
½ carrot
1 celery rib
¼ c. onion
½ c. fresh spinach or swiss chard torn in smallish pieces
2 c. whipping cream
2 c. milk
2 cans chicken broth (or more)--or use homemade bone broth
Cracked pepper to taste

1 lb. of gnocchi (recipe above)

Melt butter on medium heat in soup pan. Saute garlic.

Add chicken and cook through.

Stir in flour and mix well until flour is cooked into chicken.

Put two cups milk in blender with carrots, onion, and celery cut in chunks. Blend just until vegetable pieces are small.

Add mixture, whipping cream, spinach, cracked pepper, and broth. Bring almost to boil, stirring constantly so doesn't stick to bottom of pot.

Add gnocchi and cook about 4 or 5 more minutes. Slowly savor.

Minestrone Soup

Here is a hearty soup perfect for cold winter evenings. 

Original post March 2010:
This is one of those tasty, wholesome soups that is a meal in itself. (Most of the time I omit the meat and it's still delicious.) This recipe also works in the crockpot as long as ingredients are added in stages: beans first for a couple hours, then vegetables, then pasta last (or added at end, fully cooked).

Minestrone Soup

1.5 lbs (or less) cooked beef stew meat, lean, chopped - optional
Heaping 1/2 c. dry white beans
Heaping 1/2 c. dry great northern beans (or navy)

Cook above ingredients (following bean cooking instructions-under #3), then add the following ingredients:

3 cans beef or chicken or vegetable broth (or homemade bone broth)
2 1/2 c. water
2 medium sweet or regular onions, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 c. carrots
2 c. small zucchini
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 can Italian style tomatoes (cut with juice)
1 c. dry seashell (or other) pasta

Toppings (not shown in picture):
fresh Parmesan cheese
16 oz. can olives

Dilly Bread

This is a definite favorite of every member of my family, so I'm posting it again with an updated picture. Yummy!

Original post 10/20/10:
Here's another recipe I didn't realize had neglected for so long. How I overlooked it, I don't know, because it's one of my absolute favorites. There's just something about dilly bread that is good for the soul (at least mine) :).

I've tasted several other people's dilly bread over the years and they're all yummy, but I prefer mine made with whole wheat flour instead of white. Of course, it's more healthful that way, but honestly I hate how white bread sticks to the roof of your mouth, gumming up the whole mastication process. This version doesn't create that annoyance, is more filling, and is just as delicious!

Whole Wheat Dilly Bread

1 Tb. yeast
1/4 c. warm water
1 c. cottage cheese
1 Tb. butter
1 Tb. honey
1 Tb. minced onion
1 tsp. dill weed
1 tsp. dill seed*
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 unbeaten egg
2 1/2 c. whole wheat flour (or more, as needed)

Soften yeast in warm water.
Heat cottage cheese and butter to lukewarm. Put in large bowl, add honey, minced onion, dill weed, dill seed, salt, baking soda, and unbeaten egg.
Add yeast mixture.
Mix in flour until not sticky. Knead all air out (or let your mixer do it). Let rise 30-40 min.
Knead down and put in well-greased bread pan. Let rise 30 min.
Bake at 350 for 30 min, or until well browned.

*I've always made it with both dill weed and seed, but this last time I started the recipe without realizing I had run out of dill seed. So, I found out that using 2 tsp. dill weed in place of the 1 tsp. of each still yields great results--just in case you don't have both, or have a difficult time finding the seed (which is sometimes the case).

Krissy Doodle's Noodles

This recipe has remained at the top of our Family Favorites list for several years and continues to also be loved by others we share it with. Every couple months we get to craving Krissy Doodle's Noodles and I have to make up another batch.

Original post (June 2010):
My aunt is a talented cook and she made up this recipe herself. Since she gave my mom the recipe several years ago, it has become a family favorite and has made a big hit with others as well. Even people who don't normally enjoy such things as green olives (like me) or feta cheese generally love this combination somehow. It has such a pretty presentation, too. It's one of my more expensive recipes, so I am not able to make it very often, but when I do we thoroughly enjoy it!

Krissy Doodle's Noodles

Cook 1 pkg. (12-16 oz) multi-colored spiral pasta (the colors make it fun, but it is just as tasty with non-colored) and allow to cool.

Mix all below ingredients with the cooled pasta:

1 pkg. cherry tomatoes, quartered (or I often just dice up regular tomatoes to taste)
1/2 onion, diced very thinly (sweet or bermuda, if possible)
7 oz. (or less) pimento stuffed green olives, sliced
6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled (with tomato and basil if available)

Dressing:

2 Tb. olive oil
2 Tb. canola oil
1 T. vinegar (my aunt prefers red wine with garlic)
1/2 tsp. mustard
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
2 Tb. quality Blue cheese dressing, like Litehouse or Marzetti's--or make your own from this recipe.
Fresh basil and parsley, if available

Unbaked Berry Cheesecake

My mom came up with this recipe when one of my sisters wanted an unbaked cheesecake for her birthday dessert last year. Since they don't eat refined sugar, Mom had to figure out how to make it without. The result was exquisite--in looks and taste--as we found out this Thanksgiving.

Unbaked Berry Cheesecake

Crust

1 c. soft butter
dash salt
1/2 c. sucanat (or raw sugar)
2 c. whole wheat flour

Combine all ingredients and mix well.
Press mixture into 9 x 13" pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until nicely browned.
Allow to cool completely before filling with recipe below.

Filling

2- 12 oz cans apple or raspberry apple juice concentrate
4 c. frozen berries
1/2 c. cold water
5 Tb. cornstarch

2 c. whipping cream
2- 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened
3 or 4 Tb. honey

Pour juice in large pan on stove top and bring to boil.
Add berries, bring back to boil.
Mix cold water with cornstarch in separate bowl.
Take juice mixture off heat, mix in cornstarch mixture, return to heat. Stir until boiling and thickened. Cool.
Whip whipping cream.
Blend in cream cheese.
Fold in honey.
Pour cream cheese mixture over crust and chill while making berry mixture. Then pour berries over all. Refrigerate.

Whole Wheat French Bread

This Family Favorite goes wonderfully with soup --and just about anything else. It's that good!

Original post (5/6/2010):
This bread is so delicious that I might make it as our regular bread if it took less time to make. But when I can take the time to make it, we sure enjoy it.

Whole Wheat French Bread
makes 1 medium loaf

2 1/4 c. hot water (but not scalding)
1 Tb. yeast
1/6 c. oil
1/4 c. honey
1/2 Tb. salt
4-5 c. whole wheat flour

Pour hot water into mixing bowl, add yeast and allow a few minutes to soften.
Add oil, honey, and salt.
Add flour gradually as you mix, until well kneaded and to proper consistency.
Cover with clean dishtowel and let rest 15 min.
Knead again for a few seconds.
Let rest 15 min.
Knead a few seconds, let rest 15 min.
Pour dough onto floured surface, knead until smooth.
With rolling pin, flatten into rectangle about 1/2 inch thick.
Roll up diagonally into very tight roll; taper ends.
Sprinkle cornmeal or sesame seeds (optional) onto greased baking sheet, and place dough on top.
Brush loaf with water or beaten egg (optional).
Sprinkle sesame seeds on top (optional).
With knife gently slash diagonally 6 times to make parallel and evenly spaced lines across top.
Let rise till double in size.
Bake at 450 degrees for 10 min., then lower temperature to 350 degrees for 35 min.
(Important note: You may need to place pan on lower oven shelf to avoid too-early browning--and/or cover with foil after first 10 min.)

Black Bean Soup

This is a newer Family Favorite that I'm re-posting from 2012. During the winter, especially, a warm, hearty soup really hits the spot on a cold evening. And I love how this one can be catered to each person, depending on which toppings he or she likes.

Original post:
The other night I made this black bean soup recipe posted on Word of Wisdom Living a little while ago. It's Skip's own recipe and I didn't modify it at all (except to omit the jalapenos and celery). You really should check out the original, with beautiful picture included. I don't remember ever having a black bean soup more delicious than this one! The spices are perfect (and I was so glad for the guidance in that area because often I am at a loss as to what other spices a recipe needs), and the result is a savory and satisfying soup that is hard to stop eating, it's so good. Plus, it's so healthful, what's not to love?!

Skip's Black Bean Soup
Yields 6 servings

1 lb. dried black beans, rinsed and drained
1 qt. homemade chicken stock
2 c. water (if beans aren’t soaked overnight)
1 bay leaf
1 carrot, finely sliced
2 Tb. olive oil
1 Jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ bell pepper
½ onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
½ tsp. cumin
½ tsp. ground oregano
½ tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt (or to taste, depending on salt in stock)
1 Tb. vinegar (optional)
1 lime (optional)

1. Black beans may be soaked overnight in 6 cups water and then drained, or alternately, begin with dry beans.   (See my bean cooking tip #3.) If beans weren’t soaked overnight, combine chicken stock, water, black beans, and bay leaf in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then simmer ½ hour.

2. While beans are simmering, wash and prepare vegetables. Saute jalapeno pepper in olive oil several minutes; add garlic and cook one minute more.

3. When step #1 is done, add carrots to simmering pot. After 30 minutes add sautéed jalapeno pepper and garlic, bell pepper, onion, and celery to pot. Add seasonings and stir well.

4. Simmer 1 to 1½ hours more until beans are tender but not mushy. Stir several times each hour. (If you want natural rice with the soup, this is a good time to cook the rice.)

5. Remove about half of soup from pot and puree with a blender, and then return to pot.

Adjust seasoning as needed. Add water if needed for desired consistency. 

Black bean soup may be served over rice and garnished with your choice of lime juice, sour cream, avocado, tortilla chips, chopped onions, grated cheese, parsley or cilantro. Black bean soup is pretty basic; the garnishments make it interesting. 

This recipe can be adapted to a slow cooker, or simplified by using canned black beans, canned chilies, and store-bought chicken broth if you’re running short on time.