Cold Weather Comfort Foods
It seems that winter has decided to get an early start this year. The colder weather brings about a hunger for foods that give us warmth and comfort, such as soups and stews. This week we have a variety of soups and stews for you to try. We also included a bread recipe, because who doesn’t like a good bread to go with that soup or stew.
The holiday season is almost upon us. If you have a favorite dish that you make for the holidays, that you would like to share, we would love to hear from you! Recipes, with photo (and a short story/history), if available, can be submitted to ads@thedrummer.com.
Classic French Onion Soup
5 T. olive oil, divided
1 T. butter
8 cu. thinly-sliced onions (about 3 lbs.)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 c. port wine
2 cartons (32 oz. ea.) beef broth
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
24 slices French bread baguette (1/2 inch thick)
2 lg. garlic cloves, peeled & halved
3/4 c. shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese
In a Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons oil and butter over medium heat. Add onions; cook and stir until softened, 10-13 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown, 30-40 minutes. Add minced garlic; cook 2 minutes longer.
Stir in wine. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced by half. Add broth, pepper and salt; return to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F. Place baguette slices on a baking sheet; brush both sides with remaining oil. Bake until toasted, 3-5 minutes on each side. Rub toasts with halved garlic.
To serve, place twelve 8-oz. broiler-safe bowls or ramekins on baking sheets; place 2 toasts in each. Ladle with soup; top with cheese. Broil 4 in. from heat until cheese is melted. Yields 2-1/4 quarts
Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup
1/2 T. olive oil
1 sm. yellow onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1 T. chili powder
1 tsp. sweet paprika
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 can (19 oz.) red enchilada sauce
1 can (15 oz.) corn, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 oz.) black beans or red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans (14 oz. each) diced tomatoes
4 c. low sodium chicken broth
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 bay leaf
1/3 c. low fat white or yellow shredded cheddar cheese, plus more for serving
1/4 c. heavy cream
Sour cream, for serving
Fresh chopped cilantro or parsley, for serving
Sliced lime, for serving
Other toppings may include sliced avocados and crushed tortilla chips
Heat olive oil in a skillet; add onions and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and season with salt, pepper, chili powder, paprika, cumin, and garlic powder. Pour in 1/3 cup of the enchilada sauce; scrape up all the bits at the bottom of the skillet and pour it all into the bowl of your Slow Cooker/Crock Pot.
Combine the remaining enchilada sauce, corn, beans, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, and bay leaf in the crock pot; stir.
Arrange the chicken breasts on top. Cover and set on LOW for 6 hours, or until chicken is cooked through. OR set it on HIGH for 3 hours, or until chicken is done.
Remove chicken from the crock pot and shred it. Stir it back into the slow cooker. Stir in cheese and heavy cream
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
1/4 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. butter, cubed
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1-1/2 c. 2% milk
3/4 c. chicken broth
1 c. cooked chopped fresh or frozen broccoli
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
In a small saucepan, sauté onion in butter until tender. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper until blended; gradually add milk and broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes.
Add broccoli. Cook and stir until heated through. Remove from the heat; stir in cheese until melted. 2 servings
Creamy Sausage Stew
8 to 10 med. Red potatoes, cut into 1-1/2” pcs.
2 lg. onions, lg. chop
1 lg. green pepper, cut into 1” pcs.
1 lg. sweet red pepper, cut into 1” pcs.
2 lbs. smoked Polish sausage, cut into 1” pcs.
1/3 c. veg. oil
1 T. dried basil
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 pt. whipping cream
3 T. cornstarch
3 T. water
Place potatoes in a 5-qt. roasting pan. Add onions, peppers and sausage; toss gently. Combine oil, basil, salt and pepper. Pour over the meat and vegetables; toss well. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes; stir. Add the cream; cover and bake 30-40 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender. Combine cornstarch and water; stir into stew. Place on stovetop and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until thickened. Yield: 10-12 servings.
Autumn Stew
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper, divided
2 lbs. beef stew meat, cut into 1” cubes
2 T. vegetable/olive oil
2 T. butter
1 lg. onion, chopped
2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
3 med. carrots, thinly sliced
2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
4 c. water
1 to 2 bay leaves
1 to 2 tsp. beef bouillon granules
1 to 1-1/2 tsp. dried thyme
3 c. cubed peeled pumpkin
In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add meat, a few pieces at a time, and shake to coat. In a Dutch oven, brown meat in oil and butter. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the carrots, celery, water, bay leaves, bouillon, thyme and remaining pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-1/4 hours.
Stir in pumpkin. Return to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until meat and pumpkin are tender. Discard bay leaves. 9 servings
Cheddar, Bacon, and Chive Quick Bread
Cooking spray
1-1/2 c. all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more for top
2 large eggs
1/2 c. buttermilk
4 oz. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
4 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, grated (about 1 c.), plus more for top
2 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/2 c.)
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
3 tbsp. chopped fresh chives
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Whisk together eggs, buttermilk, and butter in a measuring cup. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Fold in Cheddar, Parmesan, bacon, and chives. Transfer to prepared pan. Sprinkle top with a little extra pepper and Cheddar.
Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack, 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. 8 servings
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