Easy Mediterranean Soup

 

• This is a very versatile soup base. On the first day, we put chunks of cod in it for 2-3 people - and there was plenty of soup left over. We had garlic flavored couscous as a side and there was plenty left over.
• The next day - we added shrimp - and it was delicious - broth was better the second day. There was just soup and a little couscous left after the second meal so I combined it and figured it would make a good lunch on the third day. 
• I microwaved it an added some leftover rotisserie chicken, sour cream, more cheese - and it was delicious.
• It could be turned Mexican with chili powder, black beans, corn, garbanzos, and cojita cheese. Tortilla chips, crumbled - for topping.
• It could be turned greek with artichoke hearts, garbanzos, and greek olives (and chicken or gyro meat) and feta cheese
• 
  
• Yellow highlight is what I used
• While it is *easy* - there are still a lot of ingredients. I group them to assist in my organization. Sometimes it's easier to do all the prep - and then take a break before I do the actual cooking - which was really easy.
• 
  
• A-spices
• 1 ½ teaspoon coriander
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cumin
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes or ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon turmeric
• ▢ ½ teaspoon paprika
• 
  
• ▢ B-protien
• 1 ½ pounds moderately firm fish fillet, original recipe suggested a combination of sea bass and red snapper, cut into chunks (1 ½ -inch pieces)
• 
  
• ▢ C- season each *layer* - to taste
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 
  
• ▢ D-veggies
• Extra virgin olive oil - 3 T
• 1 red onion, chopped
• ▢ 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• ▢ 2 celery ribs, chopped
• ▢ 4 garlic cloves minced

• ▢ E-add and simmer 20 min
• 1 28- ounce can whole tomatoes (or diced to save time)
• ▢ ½ cup white wine
• ▢ 4 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock, preferably low-sodium -that's the original recipe opinion- it depends on which brand you use
• 
  
• ▢ F-stir in at end
• 1 cup packed chopped fresh parsley
• ▢ 1 cup packed chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 lemon, juice of

• ▢ G-toppings
• 3 green onions chopped (both white and green parts)
• ▢
• grated parmesan - not in original recipe - but almost every soup tastes better with some parmesan cheese.
• sour cream - not in original recipe - and not with fish - but with all the other variations

At the very end - I'll include the original instructions.

Mix the spices together - use a tsp or more to season the fish - (optional in my opinion - use your own judgement if you like to season fish prior to cooking.

Saute the vegetables in olive oil - until soft.

Push them aside and toast the spice mixture for a minute or two

Add E-ingredients

Simmer 20 minutes

Add fish - if that's the protein you are starting with.

If you start with chicken thighs - plan to cook them longer - they could be added with the tomatoes - you do not need to brown chicken thighs that are going into soup.

Fish - timing will depend on the fish

Stir in the parsley, cilantro, and lemon juice. Top with green onions and parmesan cheese - although - if that does not sound good - just be sure to salt the dish enough.

Here are original directions:

• In a small bowl, mix the spices together.
• Season the fish with a good pinch of kosher salt and black pepper and 2 to 3 teaspoons of the spice mixture; toss to coat.
• In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, celery, and garlic. Cook, tossing regularly, for 5 minutes or until the vegetables soften. Season with a good pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Add the remainder of the spice mixture.
  
• Add the tomatoes, white wine, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot part-way and let simmer for 20 minutes.
  
• Add the fish and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes or until the fish is cooked through (do not over-cook the fish, remember it will continue to cook in the hot broth even after you remove it from the heat).
  
• Stir in the parsley, cilantro, green onions. Finish with lemon juice. Serve immediate

Wilma's Chicken Soup - short version

Note: I tried something different and I think it was even better.

I did not have any chicken broth - so I used 32 oz of water - a packet of ramen noodle seasoning and a tablespoon of the chicken stock paste that comes in a jar (Better Than Bouillon). I also added 2T of tamari - soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce would be fine in place of tamari.

If you don't have packets of ramen seasoning - use a heaping tablespoon of the Better Than Bouillon with the 32-oz of water

Wilma's Chicken Soup (EASY)

Wilma found this recipe and it is so easy and so good.
Long directions - details for people who have not done a lot of cooking may be found at this link:

http://jeanmariesrecipes.blogspot.com/2017/02/wilmas-chicken-soup-easy.html
This soup tastes even better the second day.

Chicken Soup

3 Tbsp butter or olive oil

1 onion - (white, yellow or red) chopped up

3-4 carrots sliced into 1/4-inch pieces - or chunkier if you are in a hurry

1-2 stalks of celery - sliced same as carrots 

2 Tbsp flour

Garlic to taste - fresh if you have it

1/2 tsp dried thyme (fresh if you have it - 1 Tbsp)

2 cans (15 oz) chicken broth or one (32 oz) carton - Swanson’s

1 1/2 lbs (or more) boneless, skinless chicken thighs - cut into 1 1/2-in pieces.

1 lemon

Pasta of your choice - Reame’s frozen noodles are good if you like the really thick homemade noodles. Any other kind of pasta is fine. 

Salt and pepper to taste.

Add a bay leaf during the simmering time if you like.

Heat butter or oil in heavy bottomed pan or soup pot.

Saute onion, for a couple minutes, while you cut up the carrot and celery.

Add the carrot and celery. Let them sweat while you get the chicken and broth ready.

Do not let anything brown. 

Add the flour, stir, cook for a minute - don’t let it brown.

Add garlic if you have it. Garlic powder is fine.

Add the chicken and 1 can broth (or half the carton) all at once. (or just add all the liquid at once - I can't see how it makes a difference.

Add the thyme.

Cover, turn down and let it simmer for 30 minutes.

Just simmer - not a boil.

If you do not want to watch it, put it in a 350 degree oven for an hour.

You may add the rest of the broth (if you only added 1/2 when you added the chicken) and cook the noodles in the broth, but I prefer to cook the pasta separately and add to the soup. Noodles that sit in the broth until the next day will get too soggy - so I always keep pasta and soup separately.

Right before serving - add the juice of one lemon (half if it is large)

And the zest too, if you have a zester or micro-plane

I only add the lemon juice to the amount that I am serving.

It seems to lose it's potency if it is put in the fridge overnight.

Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.

If you like - a sprinkle of parmesan or romano cheese is good, too.

To make it a little different - if you are tired of it by the third day - and you have sour cream - stir some in -

and that will make it creamy - or add cream if you have it on hand.

20-minute Pumpkin Soup

Sorry - I lost the link to this one - but I tried it and it is good.
Second time I made it I had a half pound cottage bacon to use up - browned it first, then put in the onion and some leftover celery. It was really good with bacon and celery.

Saute in
2 T olive oil (or butter or any oil)
1 med onion (yellow recommended, I used red)
3 cloves garlic, grated (I minced)
Cook 3-4 minutes until fragrant

Add

2 T fresh thyme (I used 3 tsp dried)
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp ground ginger (I used more and fresh would be good)
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
cook for a minute to bloom the spices

Add

1 15-oz can pumpkin
cook for another 4-5 minutes - low heat

Add
2 c low sodium veg or chicken broth
cook for another 4-5 min


Add to pot - or drizzle into serving dishes
2 T maple syrup
2 T cream

If you add those two to the pot - and want a creamier soup - you can use an immersion blender

Garnish with
pumpkin seed, flakey salt, fresh thyme, black pepper, sour cream, bacon

Soups

UNSTUFFED CABBAGE ROLL SOUP

 all the great flavors of traditional cabbage rolls, without all the fuss.  

MY CHANGES ARE IN ALL CAPS - WHICH I MADE ON THE FIRST TRY AND LIKE IT JUST FINE WITH MY CHANGES.

PROBABLY WON'T EVEN TRY THE ORIGINAL RECIPE - I WAS MISSING A LOT OF THE INGREDIENTS - BUT WANTED TO TRY A SLIGHTLY EASIER VERSION

Ingredients

• 1 lb. extra lean ground beef I used 96% lean - OR NOT LEAN AND ADD 1/3 LB GROUND PORK

• 1 medium yellow onion chopped

• 3 garlic cloves minced

• 5 cups chopped green cabbage about half of a medium sized head

• 4 cups 32 oz. low-sodium beef broth - OPTIONAL - I DIDN'T HAVE ANY SO JUST USED WATER AND IT WAS FINE

I ONLY USED ENOUGH WATER TO NEARLY COVER THE CABBAGE

• 3 cups tomato sauce (24 oz.) LARGE CAN FIRE ROASTED TOMATOES

• 1 cup shredded carrots - OPTIONAL - I DID NOT USE THEM

• 1/2 cup uncooked white or brown long grain rice - OPTIONAL - BUT IT WOULD BE GOOD - IF YOU LIKE RICE

• 2 dried bay leaves

• 3 tbsp. packed brown sugar --ONLY 1 TBSP

• 1 tsp. salt

• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves

• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

• 1 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice  - ESSENTIAL

I ADDED A FEW SHAKES OF WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE

Instructions

1. In a large soup pot, add the beef and place over medium-high heat. Break it apart with a wooden spoon. Add the onion. Cook about 8 minutes until the beef is brown, stirring occasionally.

2. Add the garlic. Stir and cook 1 minute.

3. Add the cabbage, beef broth, tomato sauce, carrots, rice, bay leaves, brown sugar, salt, oregano, and pepper.

4. Bring to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to simmer and cover the pot. Cook until rice is tender (25 minutes for white rice and 45 minutes for brown rice).

5. Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice. Let the soup rest uncovered for 10 minutes to thicken up before serving. Remove the bay leaves before serving.

Greek Turkey Chili (EASY)

Super easy. Just open a lot of cans.

Greek Chili

1 medium onion diced – yellow or red

2 Tbsp olive oil

4  garlic cloves chopped

1 Lb ground turkey

1 14 oz can stewed tomatoes diced

1 15 oz can tomato sauce

-or- any combination of sauce and diced tomatoes that you have on hand. If you only had jarred spaghetti sauce, that would work - shoot for close to 30 ounces of something red

1 15 oz can garbanzo beans-drained and rinsed

1 14 oz can artichoke hearts drained and cut into pieces lengthwise ( plain canned, not marinated, although marinated work if that is what you have on hand)

Black GREEK olives, sliced or quartered, as many as you like – ½ cup or more

2 Tsp oregano (or Italian seasoning may be substituted if you don’t have oregano)

1 Tsp thyme, dried

1 1/2 Tsp cayenne pepper (or more if you like)

4  bay leaves

Chicken stock may be added – 1 cup

Salt to taste - keeping in mind that the feta os salty.

SECRET INGREDIENT: LEMON JUICE: add juice of one lemon at the last minute.

– if you have a micro plane, add a little zest.

or put a lemon wedge with each serving - which I prefer - when I know I will be reheating it.

Topping:

Feta cheese

Sour cream

DIRECTIONS:

Saute onion in olive oil until soft.

It will be done after you open all the cans.

Add the garlic at the end, then add the turkey and cook until it is white.

Turkey does not brown – just break it into chunks.

Alternative: buy turkey pieces and cut it up - the chili seems fancier with small pieces of turkey, rather than ground - but it takes more time to cut up turkey. Chicken is probably just fine, too.

Add everything else and let it simmer on low, stirring every 15 minutes.

-or-

Put it in a 350 oven for an hour or two if you don’t want to stir it.

-or-

Some recipes call for a crock pot 4-6 hours. But I think it is better in the LeCreuset.

You can eat it after about an hour. It’ll be fine. I think I’ve eaten it after 15 minutes because I was hungry.

2 hours might be better than 1 hour.

It generally tastes better the next day.

It’s impossible to screw it up.

If you want to make the batch larger – you can put in an extra can of tomatoes.

Or add kidney beans and chili powder if you want it to be more like chili.

Do NOT omit the LEMON. Although, if you forget to buy a lemon, it will still be edible.

Top with feta cheese – or sour cream or both – whatever you like.

Serve with pita bread or pita chips

Wilma's Chicken Soup (EASY)

Wilma found this recipe and it is so easy and so good.
Long directions - details for people who have not done a lot of cooking.
Tastes even better the second day.

Chicken Soup

3 Tbsp butter or olive oil

1 onion - (white, yellow or red) chopped up

3-4 carrots sliced into 1/4-inch pieces - or chunkier if you are in a hurry

1-2 stalks of celery - sliced same as carrots ( I tend to cut up the vegetables in fairly small pieces - choose a size you like)

2 Tbsp flour

Garlic to taste - fresh if you have it

1/2 tsp dried thyme

2 cans (15 oz) chicken broth or one (32 oz) cartons - Swanson’s

1 1/2 lbs (or more) boneless, skinless chicken thighs - cut into 1 1/2-in pieces.

(OK to use part white meat - if someone in the house only likes white meat - but dark meat has more flavor)

1 lemon

Pasta of your choice - Reame’s frozen noodles are good if you like the really thick homemade noodles. Any other kind of pasta is fine. 

Heat the heavy bottom pot, dutch oven or LeCreuset

Add butter or oil.

Butter will foam up a bit. You want the onion to sizzle when it first hits the pot. But then turn down a bit.

Saute onion, for a couple minutes, while you cut up the carrot and celery.

Add the carrot and celery. Let them sweat while you get the chicken and broth ready.

Do not let anything brown. 

Add the flour, stir, cook for a minute - don’t let it brown.

Add garlic if you have it. Garlic powder is fine.

Add the chicken and 1 can broth (or half the carton) all at once.

Add the thyme.

Cover, turn down and let it simmer for 30 minutes.

Just simmer - not a boil.

If you do not want to watch it, put it in a 350 degree oven for an hour.

Add the other can of broth unless you want less broth.

You can add the pasta to the soup, but I like to cook it separately and then add it.

I love the PASTA-FASTA cooker.

Uses less water, you just put it in microwave.

Available at Bed-Batb&Beyond

Right before serving - add the juice of one lemon (half if it is large)

And the zest of a small lemon.

Hopefully you have a micro-plane

Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.

There is usually enough salt in the broth.

Don’t buy low-salt broth.

It usually needs salt at the end and I like to add it right before eating.