Soups Archives - Simply Sells Kitchen

Tomato Soup

Sandra Sells — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 13:48:15 +0000

So, we had our friends over this past weekend and decided to indulge in a childhood favorite. The inspiration for tomato soup came from our friend Josiah. He requested a grilled ham and cheese sandwich with tomato soup when a group of us went out to eat. His choice caught everyone’s attention and left us craving the comfort food that he had ordered! We are always looking for ways to please a crowd. Our home has always been an open door to amazing people that we do life with. Feeding them is our love language. I have learned in my tomato soup journey that it is very different from marinara sauce. The texture and levels of flavor are very different, and should be. For me, it’s ok to have some texture and a little spice in my tomato soup. To me it lets you know that it was made from the heart and from scratch. Although I love tomato soup, I had not really made it from scratch before. Campbells has been the tomato soup of most our childhood. However when expressing our art and love of food it had to be home made and a little more grown up. Recipe I started by dicing 2 large, sweet onions and about 6 medium peeled carrots. Next, I sautéed the onions and carrots in a fair amount of butter and olive oil. When it was browned, I added some garlic. At this point the aroma coming up from my pan was dreamy! I added some salt, pepper and spices to the pan, making sure I didn’t forget the secret ingredient—red pepper flakes. The red pepper flakes take the soup up a few notches. When everything looked lightly browned and caramelized, I added the diced tomatoes. This helps to deglaze the pan and mix all the flavors together. Once combined, I put the mixture in my Instant Pot and added the chicken stock. I set the cooker to slow cooker, the temperature to medium heat, and the cook time to about 5–6 hours. This soup is done at any point you would like it to be. However I do enjoy letting the soup cook and flavors deepen over time. This soup was a make ahead meal for us for an after church gathering. When we were ready to serve it, I placed the soup in my Vitamix blender. I made sure the center hole of the lid was open. This is to prevent a hot soup explosion. Due to its hot temperature make sure to cover the center hole with a towel. I then blended the soup to our desired smoothness. Another way to blend the soup is to use an immersion blender if you have one available. When the soup was blended, I put it back into the pan and added one cup of heavy whipping cream. Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese Party At this point it was looking like the most indulgent tomato soup I have ever had. Upon taste test I knew it was. A tip is to arrange a few different types of bakery style bread with an array of sliced cheeses. Maybe even some deli ham, turkey, or chicken. Our cheeses we used ranged from a mild mozzarella to a spicy pepper jack. The countertop griddle was heated up and the butter was ready to spread on the bread. Everyone that came over got to pick their cheese and bread. We then joined the line for the make-your-own grilled cheese sandwich buffet. This was a fun party and having the activity of making your own sandwich created a great memory. Our guests were able to be creative and custom make the grilled cheese sandwich of their dreams. Obviously, there were also a variety of mustards, pickles, jalapenos, and mayo condiments and even some hot sauces to add a special touch. This meal was familiar to everyone and, though simple, it caused some great smiles and full bellies. The cheese pulls and tomato soup dipping had begun. I am sure we will do this again!

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Turkey Farro Soup

Sandra Sells — Thu, 25 Nov 2021 18:55:13 +0000

There is nothing like all the preparation leading up to a holiday meal, or the memories created together with your loved ones that keep family traditions alive. Keeping traditions alive is very honoring to those who have gone before us. This turkey farro soup in our household is one of those traditions! Holiday Traditions One tradition that I love is making my mother’s millionaire shortbread (also known as caramel squares) during Christmas time. It’s a recipe that will make its debut on Simply Sells very soon, as Christmas approaches. The millionaire shortbread is so absolutely delicious you can’t stop eating them. Before Christmas though comes Thanksgiving! For Thanksgiving this year we want to share a recipe for what to do with your leftover turkey. I mean, there is nothing like loading up another plate of Thanksgiving food for round two, pouring on the gravy and buttering up those rolls that your grandmother made, but we figured let’s shake things up a little bit. We often enjoy this soup with our homemade Challah Bread that we make traditionally every Thanksgiving. Did I mention that I am definitely a soup person? I could have it multiple times a week. Not only can soup be delicious but it can also be a great way to make sure that you are eating your vegetables. It’s also a great way to feed the little ones a variety of foods that prioritize nutrition. Every year in November, when turkey goes on sale, Kodi and I have made it a tradition to buy a few small turkeys that we put in the deep freezer to cook throughout the year. This way we don’t have to wait another 12 months before we have a delicious roasted turkey meal. Every time we cook a turkey, we are always thinking of ways to extend the meal and creatively use all the leftovers. Sometimes we even cook extra turkey just for the leftovers. For quite a few years, we have turned our leftover turkey into a delicious turkey soup. This turkey farro soup became our ultimate after-Thanksgiving turkey meal! We are sticklers for making meals with as much homemade flavor and healthy ingredients as possible. This turkey farro soup recipe is very simple and carries a lot of the familiar flavors you may be used to. Simple is good after a big holiday of very hard work. Make your own stock We begin by making our own turkey stock. If you’re in a rush you can just purchase a good quality store bought stock. To make your own stock, put all the leftover turkey bones, organs, and neck in a large stock pot, and then add 12-14 cups of water. Bring the liquid and turkey parts to a boil. Add in four carrots, four celery stalks, and one onion. (All chopped in very large pieces as you will strain and discard the ingredients at the end.) Then add one tablespoon of Italian seasoning, one tablespoon of salt, and pepper to taste. Bring everything back to a rolling boil, and then turn the stock down to simmer for a minimum of 4-6 hours. For a deeper richer flavor, you can simmer it for up to 12 hours on low. When ready, strain the liquid through a sieve or cheese cloth and you will have the most delicious turkey stock. Recipe After preparing the turkey stock, warm some olive oil over medium heat. I like to use my favorite large coated Dutch oven. While the olive oil is heating, chop the fresh carrots, celery, and onions into small even pieces. Throw the vegetables into the olive oil, and then sauté them until they are soft and starting to caramelize. There is tons of flavor in the browning on the bottom of the pan. Beware of burning because you don’t want your veggies to disintegrate. Add the chopped garlic to the vegetables then sauté until the garlic is softened. Then add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle some turkey stock into the pan to deglaze it and keep as much of the pan flavors as possible. Add thinly chopped dill, shredded or cubed cooked leftover turkey, and the rest of your freshly made turkey stock. Simmer the soup for at least 30 minutes. Years back we discovered a grain called farro, which is like couscous or rice. It can be used in many ways. We find it gives this soup the perfect hearty “stay in” winter touch. Add the farro then cook the soup for an additional 10 minutes. Serve the soup with your favorite loaf of crusty, buttery, bread and enjoy!

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Lemon Curry Lentil Stew

Sandra Sells — Tue, 30 Jun 2020 05:45:40 +0000

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