Rotisserie Chicken Coconut Curry Soup

Serves 6 to 8

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger (about a 1-inch piece of ginger)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
6 cups (48 ounces) low-sodium chicken broth
1 (13- to 14-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
6 cups thinly sliced lacinato or Tuscan kale leaves (from 1 large bunch)
Kosher salt
1 (8-ounce) package vermicelli rice noodles
1 (2-pound) plain rotisserie chicken, meat shredded (about 4 1/2 cups)
Chopped fresh cilantro, thinly sliced red onion, and lime wedges, for serving

In a 5-quart or larger Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the curry paste and sauté for 2 minutes.

Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, and kale. Stir to combine, bring to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, until the kale is wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

Add the noodles and continue to simmer until the noodles are al dente, about 3 minutes or according to package instructions.

Divide the soup among bowls and top each bowl with about 1/2 cup shredded chicken. Garnish with the cilantro, onion slices, and a big squeeze of lime juice.

recipe from thekitchn.com

Cream of Carrot Soup

1 cup finely chopped onion
2 tbsps butter
4 1/2 cups carrots (peeled thinly sliced)
1 potato (peeled and cubed)
29 ozs chicken broth
1 tsp powdered ginger
2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp dried rosemary (crushed)
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper or to taste


1) In a large stockpot, melt butter and saute onion until soft and tender, about 5 minutes or so.

2) Add carrots, potatoes, chicken broth, and ginger.

3) Cover and cook on medium heat 30 minutes or until veggies are very tender.

4) Remove from heat and let cool 15 minutes.

5) Using a stick blender, puree the soup right in the pot (or pour some into a blender and puree- you'll have to do this in batches though).

6) Return to heat and add milk, rosemary, salt, and pepper.

7) Cook over low heat until heated through, maybe 5 minutes or so.

Black Bean Soup

1 tsp vegetable oil
1 diced onion
3 cloves garlic, sliced thin
1 Tbs ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes with green chili, with juice
1 15-oz. can black beans, drained
water or broth to thin

Saute onion and garlic for 5 minutes. Add cumin and cayenne, stir for 1-2 minutes. Add tomato and beans; bring to a strong simmer. Partially puree with a stick blender and season with salt and pepper. Add hot water or broth to thin to desired consistency.

Incredibly simple and very good!

Adapted from the Soup Peddler

Carrot Soup with Rosemary

I used to work at a store with a cafe. On Thursdays, this cafe had the BEST carrot soup, with little pieces of rosemary in it. This recipe, from allrecipes.com, looks like a good place to start in recreating it.

1 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup butter, cubed
4 1/2 cups sliced carrots
1 large potato, peeled and cubed
2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

1.In a Dutch oven, saute onion in butter until tender. Add carrots, potato, broth and ginger. Cover and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Cool for 15 minutes.

2.Transfer to a blender or food processor in small batches; cover and process until smooth. Return all to the pan; stir in the cream, rosemary, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat until heated through.

Tom Kha Gai

2 cups (16 fl oz/500 ml) coconut milk
6 thin slices young galangal (kha orn)
2 stalks lemon grass/citronella (ta-krai), lower 1/3 portion only, cut into 1-in (2.5-cm) lengths and crushed
5 fresh kaffir lime leaves, torn in half
8 oz (250 g) boned chicken breast, sliced
5 tablespoons (2 1/2 fl oz/75 ml) fish sauce (nam pla)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) lime juice
1 teaspoon black chili paste (nam prik pow)
1/4 cup cilantro/coriander leaves (bai pak chee), torn
5 green Thai chili peppers (prik khee noo), crushed

How to cook:

1. Combine half the coconut milk with the galangal, lemon grass and lime leaves in a large saucepan and heat to boiling. Add the chicken, fish sauce and sugar.

2. Simmer for about 4 minutes, or until the chlicken is cooked. Add the remaining coconut milk to the saucepan and heat just to boiling.

3. Place the lime juice and chili paste in a serving bowl then pour the soup into the serving bowl.

4. Garnish with the torn cilantro leaves and crushed chili pepper, and serve.

Corn Chowder

Amazingly good! All dices should be 1/4" unless otherwise specified.

1/2 cup diced slab bacon
2 cups diced sweet onion
2 large carrots, diced
1 celery rib, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 lb yellow-fleshed potatoes, such as Yukon Gold, diced
1/2 lb sweet potato, diced
5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (40 oz)
2 fresh thyme sprigs
3 cups corn, from about 6 ears
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp black pepper

Cook bacon in a wide 6-8 quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, then add onion, carrots, celery and bell pepper to bacon fat and cook, stirring, until onion is softened, 8-10 minutes.

Add all potatoes, broth and thyme and simmer, covered, until potatoes are just tender, about 15 minutes. Add corn and cream and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Add sea salt and pepper, then stir in bacon.

Ruby's Pea Soup

6-8 cups of water
1 bag dried peas
ham bone
1 onion, chopped
1 packet of Sazon Goya (without annatto)
salt and pepper to taste
Chopped/Diced carrots and potatoes, optional

Add peas to water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add ham bone, onion, and seasonings, as well as potato and carrot if desired. Cook until peas are tender and start to break down, and if you're using potato and/or carrot, make sure these are cooked through as well.

Sharon's Yankee Chili (with beef AND beans!)

1 pkg Carroll Shelby Chili Mix
1.5 lbs ground beef
1 lb steak, cubed to 1/2"
1 large onion
1 large can chopped tomatoes
1 16-oz can tomato sauce
2 cans kidney beans
1 can black beans
1 large can green chilis
1 or more jalapenos, to taste
Extra Chili Powder and red pepper flakes to taste

Brown meats and put in stockpot. Saute onion, add to pot. Stir in all canned items. Add chili mix, saving masa flour for thickening at the end. Simmer for 1+ hours.

Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese and finely diced onions for sprinkling on top, and cornbread to soak it up with!

Freezes beautifully.