A hot bowl of soup doesn’t have to take all day
When the weather is cold and rainy, I often start craving a big
bowl of soup. But my all-time favorite, my family’s homemade
chicken soup recipe (which can be found at
www.pinnaclenews.com/life) takes hours to make. It is always
reserved for the weekends, and even then, it needs to be a quiet,
lazy day at home since it takes so long to cook.
A hot bowl of soup doesn’t have to take all day
When the weather is cold and rainy, I often start craving a big bowl of soup. But my all-time favorite, my family’s homemade chicken soup recipe (which can be found at www.pinnaclenews.com/life) takes hours to make. It is always reserved for the weekends, and even then, it needs to be a quiet, lazy day at home since it takes so long to cook.
I’ve never been a big fan of soup from a can, either. Something about the texture of the meat, the veggies and noodles just doesn’t do it for me. So when the latest edition of Raley’s “Something Extra” came out a few weeks ago I knew I had to try the old-fashioned chicken noodle soup recipe.
It promised me the soup would be ready in under an hour. The key to speeding up this soup is using already cooked chicken, such as a rotisserie chicken and store-bought chicken stock. I’ve never made my own chicken stock, and I am quite happy to use the fat-free, low-sodium one I can get at the store. As for the chicken, I poached a few chicken breasts in chicken broth and then allowed them to cool slightly before shredding them and adding them back into the broth with the veggies. To make the soup a bit healthier, I also used no yolk egg noodles, which taste great and have a good texture.
The pot made enough for four dinners and lunches the next day. As always it was filling and warmed me from the inside out.
The quick chicken noodle soup inspired me to find a few other fast-cooking soups and stews. The Kraft recipes below sometimes use canned soups as a base, but adding in chunky vegetables and other items makes for a more filling meal. Enjoy these on cold, winter days.
Old-fashioned chicken noodle soup
Recipe Courtesy of ‘Raley’s Something Extra’
1 fully cooked rotisserie chicken
10 c. chicken stock
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 c. frozen corn, thawed
2 tsp. dried thyme or herbes de Provence
1 bay leaf
2 heaping cups of wide egg noodles
Salt and pepper
Remove and discard the skin and bones from the chicken and tear the meat into bite-sized pieces.
Combine all ingredients except noodles, salt and pepper in a large stockpot. Cover and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Add noodles and cook for 10 to 15 minutes more or until pasta and vegetables are tender. Remove the bay leaf and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Easy Italian stew
Recipe courtesy of Kraft
2 tbsp. KRAFT Zesty Italian Dressing
1 lb. bulk Italian sausage
2 cans (14-1/2 oz. each) fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 pkg. (16 oz.) frozen stir-fry vegetables (white onions; sliced green, red and yellow peppers)
1 can (15 oz.) cannellini beans, rinsed
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
1 c. elbow macaroni, uncooked
1 c. Kraft Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
Heat the dressing in a large saucepan on medium heat. Add sausage; cook 8 to 10 min. or until done, stirring occasionally to break into small pieces.
Add broth, stir-fry vegetables, beans and tomatoes; bring to boil. Stir in macaroni; simmer on medium heat 8 to 10 min. or until macaroni is tender, stirring occasionally.
Top with cheese. Serve with Ritz Crackers.
Ground beef can be substituted for the sausage and fresh basil can be added into the soup. For a spicier taste, add in ½ tsp. of crushed red pepper flakes.
No cream creamy broccoli soup
Recipe courtesy of Kraft
1 c. chopped carrots (about 2 medium)
1 c. chopped celery (about 2 stalks)
3/4 c. chopped onions (about 1 medium)
3 tbsp. oil
2 cans (14-1/2 oz. each) fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 tsp. pepper
4-1/2 c. broccoli florets (about 2 small bunches)
1/2 c. instant white rice, uncooked
2 c. milk
1/4 c. KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese
Cook and stir carrots, celery and onions in hot oil in large saucepan on medium-high heat 5 min. Add broth and pepper; stir. Bring to boil.
Stir in broccoli and rice. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 10 to 15 min. or until vegetables are tender, stirring frequently.
Add soup, in batches, to blender or food processor; cover. Blend until pureed. Return soup puree to saucepan. Add milk and cheese; cook until heated through, stirring occasionally.
Substitute 4 cups frozen or drained canned peas, chopped asparagus or chopped leeks for the broccoli.
