Lasagna Soup

This wonderful soup is great with or without the

noodles so if you are watching your carb intake just

leave the noodles out.  It comes together so quickly and

easily.  It is great for a weeknight meal.

I remember getting this out of a women's magazine years ago

but now I don't remember which one.  It is a family favorite.

Lasagna Soup

1 1/2 lb. sweet Italian sausage

1 large onion, chopped finely

4 cloves garlic, minced

28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

4 T. tomato paste

2 tsp. oregano, dried

6 C. chicken broth

2 bay leaves

6-8 oz. radiatore or curly noodles

8 oz. ricotta cheese

1/4 C. parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/4 tsp. salt

In a large saucepan cook the meat with the onion and the garlic.

Drain excess oil if necessary.  Add the tomatoes and paste, the oregano,

broth and bay leaves.  Bring to a boil, then turn down and let simmer for

20-30 minutes.  Add 6-8 oz. radiatore noodles or whatever shape you

desire (these are radiatore) and cook until al dente.  

Meanwhile, mix the cheeses, the oregano and the salt in a bowl.

Set aside.

When the pasta is cooked, serve in bowls and top with a scoop

of cheese.  Garnish with fresh oregano or basil.  This is fresh

oregano that is already up in my garden so I used oregano.

I love the presentation with the cheese on top.  Some young

ones might prefer to skip the cheese.  The radiatore noodles are

really fun and everyone loves them but if you can't find those

just get some curly pasta.

The soup stands on its own

 with or without the noodles or the cheese.

I will be posting this with

Foodie Friday

Buffalo Chicken Soup

Some foods are really trendy and popular 

and Buffalo Chicken everything is "hot" right now.

With the snow falling (yes we finally started to get it just

when I am ready for Spring!) hot soup is perfect and oh so

comforting.

This recipe comes from How Sweet It Is

and she said it is her brother's recipe,

and she calls it 30 Minute Buffalo Chicken Soup.

Yes, it goes together that fast.

You can bet this is going to go into the permanent

Purple Chocolat Home files.

Buffalo Chicken Soup

2 T. olive oil (I only used one)

1 medium onion, chopped finely

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 T. flour (she called for 1, but I wanted it thicker)

32 oz. chicken stock or broth

1/3 C. Frank's buffalo sauce (be careful not to get "hot"

unless you can really take hot!)

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and chopped

1/3 C. grated cheddar cheese

1/4 C. grated parmesan cheese

Toasted slices of baguette

Chunks of blue cheese or gorgonzola

Fresh cilantro or parsley

In a large saucepan heat the olive oil.  Add the onion

and saute for about 3 minutes.  Add the garlic and saute

about 1-2 minutes more. 

Add the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.  Stir in the chicken

stock and the buffalo sauce.  Bring to a boil and cook until

thickened.

If you want a smooth soup - let's

say your kids would object to the onions - you can puree it

before you add the chicken and cheese.

Stir in the chicken and cheese and cook until the

cheese is melted.

Garnish with the bread croutons and blue or gorgonzola

cheese and the parsley or cilantro.

I have to say, I love Buffalo sauce!

(Ok, verdict - hubby and teenager loved it -

both whined a little about heat at 1/3 C. - WHIMPS!

I thought it was perfect, so adjust to taste.)

I will be posting this with 

Foodie Friday

Strawberry Soup - Appetizer or Dessert

While cold fruit soup is traditionally served as a first course,

it also makes for a wonderful dessert as it is

light and refreshing.

I first had this soup at a church luncheon years

ago and just had to have the recipe.  My neighbor

Sally willingly shared the recipe.  I love people who

share their recipes, obviously as bloggers, we are always

sharing ours.

Strawberry Soup Recipe

24 oz. sweetened frozen strawberries, thawed

2 C. sour cream

1 1/3 C. cold water

2 T. lemon juice

In a blender or food processor puree the thawed strawberries

until smooth.  Add the sour cream and blend it in.  Place

the mixture into a large bowl and stir in the water and lemon

juice.  Serve cold.  Garnish with whipped cream and

fresh strawberries if desired.

(Serve it with or without whipped cream as a garnish.)

(This is how I served it the other day for a luncheon.)

The first time I made Strawberry Soup was when I

was visiting my sister Jean in California and I made

it as an appetizer for her family.  I think I rose to favorite

aunt status that day (at least for a little while!)  It has been

a family favorite since then - so glad I asked for the recipe!

I will be posting this with

 Foodie Fridays

Sweets For A Saturday

Pink Saturday

Q. What Do You Do With The Tortilla Chips Left In The Bottom Of The Bag? A. Easy Enchilada Soup!

If you are like me, the tortilla chips that are at the end of

the bag are broken and crushed and no one wants to eat

them.  I developed this great soup to use those up.

Burger King calls the fries that are left in the bottom of

the bag,  "baggers".  I love that name.  This soup is for

your tortilla chip "baggers".

This soup is an easy out-of-the-pantry recipe that

you can put together in minutes and everyone will think

you slaved over the hot stove all day to make it for them.

Easy Enchilada Soup Recipe

(using tortilla chip "baggers")

4 C. chicken broth

2 C. crushed tortilla chips

1 can  mild Rotel tomatoes and chilis

Sour Cream

Limes

Tortilla Strips

Bring the chicken broth to a boil.  Add the crushed tortilla

chips and the Rotel.  Let the soup simmer a few minutes

until the chips are soft.  Using an immersion blender or food

processor, puree the soup.  If you would like it a little thicker

you can add more chips. 

Garnish with thinned sour cream, tortilla strips and fresh limes.

(This soup has a kick to it.  You could cut the kick by making

it with 6 C. broth and 3 C. crushed chips to the 1 can Rotel.)

Soup is always a favorite at Purple Chocolat Home.

Use up your "baggers" and try Easy Enchilada Soup.

I will be sharing this with

Tasty Tuesday

Foodie Fridays

December Birthday in Pink

December at Purple Chocolat Home is not just about

Christmas, it also includes 3 birthdays, one at the

beginning, one at the middle and one four days before

Christmas!  I used to think one kept me on my toes!

Miss Adele had her first birthday this year and it was

a vision in pink sugarplums, or sugar I should say!

What a vision in pink she is, all fluffy and pretty.

Mama made everything so beautiful with her cute

striped and sparkly banners.

The table was set up as a sweet shoppe.  Isn't that banner

wonderful with the matching striped tablecloth?

Yum, frozen bananas dripping in sprinkles and drizzled with

white chocolate.

Homemade pink and white cotton candy.  Do you have one of

those fun little cotton candy machines?  They are so much fun.

Pink marshmallows on a stick and dipped in chocolate and coconut.

More wonderful sugar cookies.  I adore the ice cream cone shaped

ones.  I admit I have a weakness for these great cookies.

Click here for a tutorial on these cookies.

The cookies were displayed on this fun tiered

tray.

Popcorn and more treats.  I love the little cherry suckers, two

connected cherries.  What an adorable server too.

Fabulous cinnamon rolls with a touch of almond flavoring.

I chose one of these, because they were the biggest!

This is the only place we departed from the pink, 

 Mango Chicken Chili.  It was wonderful.  I am

giving you this recipe.

Mango Chicken Chili

1 container Mango Salsa (from Costco)

2 - 14.5 oz. cans chicken broth

2 C. frozen white corn

1 tsp. cumin

the meat from 1 rotisserie chicken, cut small

Place in crock pot and simmer for 3 hours.

Place garnishes out and let guests

top their soup with:

sour cream

lime wedges

avocado cubes

grated pepper jack cheese

tortilla chips

Miss Dainty was not about to destroy her perfect

cake, also made by mama.

She was a little lady.

Already adoring new clothes.  That look is just precious.

She is cuddling her new coat she received.  Cute!

The party will continue at

Pink Saturday, Seasonal Sundays

Spiced Pumpkin Soup

These adorable turkey bowls were a splurge years

ago from Spiegel catalog.  They just needed to be

part of our Thanksgiving dinner so we had to

add soup or salad as a first course to our dinner.

The favorite soup course has been Spiced Pumpkin Soup.

If you follow Tablescapes Thursday, you saw me tease

with a promise of the recipe for this great soup.

Let's life the turkey's lid and take a peek.

I like my soup creamy and rich and thick.

This fun garnish adds crunch and texture to a silky smooth

soup with complex hints of herbs and spices.

For todays soup, I decided to lightly roast some small pumpkins

that I grew in my garden.  These will become the soup bowls

for tonights supper.

Cut the tops off and using a sharp spoon ( a serated grapefruit

spoon worked really well), clean out the seeds and pulp.  Lightly

salt and roast for 25-30 minutes at 400 degrees.

Spiced Pumpkin Soup Recipe

1/4 C. butter

1 C. onion

1 clove garlic

1 tsp. curry powder

1/4 tsp. ground coriander

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground white pepper

1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper

3 C. chicken stock

1 1/2 C. canned pumpkin puree or you

can puree your own (I used canned)

1 C. cream or half and half

2 T. cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 C. cold water

Melt butter in saucepan and saute onion and garlic until

translucent.  Don't let brown.  Add spices (next 6 ingredients)

and saute for 1 minute.  Add the chicken stock, pumpkin

and then the cream or half and half. 

Use a hand held blender to puree the soup.  Be careful as it

will be hot.  Or if you don't have a hand held blender, pour

it in batches into your blender and puree.  Pour through a

fine mesh sieve to remove any small pieces to create a super

smooth soup. 

Place back in the saucepan and bring to a simmer.  Add the

cornstarch dissolved in water.  Heat until thickened.

Garnish as desired.  I used toasted and salted pepitas (pumpkin

seeds), crumbled bacon and crumbled croutons.

Serves 4.

If you would like a little more heat, add 1/2 tsp. liquid hot sauce.

Hope you enjoy this yummy pumpkin soup.  It is great all winter.

I will be sharing this on

Foodie Fridays 

Don't forget to enter for my $100 gift certificate giveaway

to Macy's Department store to celebrate 100 posts and

500 followers!  Santa is giving this in honor of Miracle on 34th Street.

Click here to reach the giveaway post.

  Leave up to 3 comments for 3 chances to win.

Good luck!  Christmas will come early to one winner.

Giveaway ends Saturday at midnight.

Chicken Noodle Soup for the Soul with Homemade Herbed Noodles

Nothing warms the soul like homemade

chicken noodle soup with homemade noodles.

Colder weather begins and I start craving soups and breads.

With the change in weather a really nasty cold caught me.

All I could think of was chicken noodle soup. 

My husband had bought a rotisserie chicken at the store and

the leftovers looked like the perfect thing for soup.

First I have to tell you my gardening failure.

Our garden has been wonderful this year.  We

had tried a few new things.

The thing I was really excited about was a new way

that you can grow "LOTS" of potatoes.

You can either do this in a large garbage barrel or

in a large garbage sack.   My neighbors were trying

the barrels, so I decided to try the sack.

The idea is that you provide drainage at the bottom

and begin planting your potatoes and cover with 6 inches

 of dirt.  Then when the

potato plants come above the surface of the dirt

you continue to add dirt in 6 inch increments and

the plants continue to grow up through the dirt

and are supposed to send tubers out through all

the layers.

Well, here is my potato stash a couple of weeks ago.

You wait for the plants to die off before you harvest.

I love to bring the grandkids out to the garden so they

learn to love gardening.  So I brought them out and I

was so excited.  "You can expect to produce up

to 50 lbs. of potatoes." 

This was just too exciting!  I could hardly wait.  Harvesting

potatoes is like the ultimate treasure hunt.  So we sliced

the bag, camera ready!  I couldn't wait to weigh my harvest.

The grandkids were excited too!

We began sifting and sifting, they were helping!

THIS WAS IT! 

All the way to the very bottom of the bag, this was it!!

Mind you, the biggest one here was 2 1/2 inches

across.  Now I have grown potatoes many

times.  I have never had such a failure.  I called the

neighbors and they had the same problem.  We

don't have a clue what we did wrong as bloggers

everywhere are showing huge potatoes and huge

harvests. 

Anyway, we were not wasting those expensive potatoes

(just the price of the bags of dirt to fill that garbage sack!)

So they went into our soup for today.

Herb Noodles

1 1/2 C. flour

2 eggs

2 tsp. olive oil

(I used my Garlic Basil Olive Oil)

2 T. water (or more depending on humidity)

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. dried parsley

2 T. parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. salt

Place all ingredients in a food processor.  Mix

until the dough forms a ball.  Add more water if needed.

Cut dough in half and roll out as thin as desired.  Dust with

flour then roll up and slice into desired size noodles.  Remember

the noodles will swell quite a bit.

I like to cook my noodles in a separate pot of boiling water

so my broth doesn't get cloudy.  Cook about 2-3 minutes.

Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

2 chicken breasts or meaty bones of 1 chicken

8 C. water

1 onion, roughly chopped

1 large carrot, roughly chopped

1 stalk celery, roughly chopped

2 T. chicken bouillon

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. white pepper

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Additional vegetables as desired - my potatoes!

Place chicken or meaty bones in large pan and

cover with water.  Add remaining ingredients except

the additional vegetables which you will add at the

end.  Bring to a boil and then turn down the heat.

Let simmer about 1 hour.  Strain the soup.  Skim

off any foam.  Chop the meat into bite size pieces.

If using the meaty bones, pull pieces of meat off bones.

Bring the water back up to the original level.

Add any additional vegetables you

desire and cook them until tender. Chop and add the carrots

you cooked in the broth and the onions and celery if

desired.  I don't usually use the onions or celery.

Add the noodles you have already boiled.

Heat through.

Ladel into bowls and garnish with parmesan

cheese if desired.

My favorite ingredient in this soup is the thyme.  It gives it such

a wonderful flavor.

After eating this my teenage son informed me

 that I am to have a pot of soup

ready all winter for when he comes home from school.

Now there is a compliment.

In keeping with Red Couch Recipe's challenge

to include something we are grateful for in every post

this month, I want to say how grateful I am for a

wonderful husband, who doesn't complain about

my blogging, my tablescaping, my shopping for more

plates, etc., etc., etc.  I feel so blessed and am glad that

we want to be married for all eternity.

I will be posting this with

Seasonal Sundays.

and

Just Something I Whipped Up Monday