Beef, Mushroom, Tomato, Rice Soup

This soup turned out to be so flavorful.  Sometimes they don't even when I've added so many good nourishing ingredients so I was delighted at the rich full flavor.

1 Onion diced and sauteed in
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 lb. hamburger fried in the onions
5 cups beef broth
1 quart tomato juice
3 cups dried mushrooms
2 cups precooked brown rice.
1 1/2 t. sea salt

Simmer gently.

I make beef broth by cooking bones slowly in my crock pot for 48 hours.  The broth I used for this was very jelled and rich.  I found commercial  tomato juice in bottles which I'm pleased about.  Sometimes I can my own but not this year. Sometimes I tire of my own cooking but this recipe will be a repeater. I also liked the hamburger in this and didn't mind the texture which is similar to the rice. 

Brian's Old Smokey Chili

My nephew Brian is know for this special chili recipe

Ingredients

¼ Cup Olive oil

½ onion, chopped (chunky)

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 T chili powder

1t paprika

1T cumin

1 can garbanzo beans, drained
1 can chopped tomatoes with mild green chilies
1 can black beans
1 can red beans, drained
 ¼ cup corn meal
2 cans green chilies
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 pound ground turkey
1½ t liquid smoke

4 or 5 rings jalapenos rings

¼ cup vinegar
1 large chunk roasted red pepper

Instructions
Start by drizzling one “ring” of oil around the bottom of the pot.
Add the garlic (fresh from the press) and onions. Let them sauté while you drain the garbanzo beans. Stir occasionally. After draining the garbanzos, add in the ground turkey with the onions and garlic. Let it cook and absorb the flavor.

As they sauté, mash the garbanzo the beans on a plate or cutting board until they are a thick paste. Finely chop the jalapeños and carefully mix into the garbanzo paste with the masher. Pour just a smidgen of the jalapeño pickle juice into the meat and onion mix.

Dump in the garbanzo/jalapeno paste and mix thoroughly until the mix is uniform. Turn down the heat, because the chili is very thick. Stir in the chili powder, the cumin, and the paprika. Next, dump in the tomatoes. This will add more liquid to the chili, so you can turn the heat back up. Let the chili simmer for a minute or two. Then mix in the black beans, juice and all. Once they are mixed in, drain the kidney beans and add them in.
Let it simmer for another minute, and then add both cans of green chilies.

Let it simmer some more. Once the juice comes to the top, plop in the brown sugar (lightly packed) next add a little less than ¼ cup cornmeal.

Next, add the vinegar, ¼ cup. Add the remaining oil. After that, add in the 1 and ½ teaspoon of liquid smoke. Let it simmer for a minute again, and then add the finishing touch, the roasted red pepper. Chop it up into small squares.

You are done with the ingredients. Now let it cook until it begins to smell really good (It should already smell good, but after it cooks for a little, A delicious smell almost like barbeque will become more prominent.) This is when you know it is ready to eat.

Extra tips:
- using a rimmed plate is best for mashing the garbanzos, as they won’t spill.
- make sure to mix the jalapenos really well, you don’t want any clumps.
- be sure to get all the green chilies, they really make the chili

-Do not be afraid of the jalapeños, there are so many other ingredients that the chili does not get too spicy.

-Same thing for the chili powder (It looks like a lot.)

-Use a large pot, the last time I made the chili was a double recipe, and I cannot remember if the normal recipe will fit in a small pot.

-Feel free to modify (improve) the chili. I am always happy to have better chili. In fact, I think the next time I make it I will try adding some Texas Pete. I would suggest trying the chili normally before you make many changes, so you can tell me what you think about it. (Please do)
Happy chili making!

Pumpkin Soup with Coconut Milk

I've been enjoying using my new "stick" blender to puree soups right in the cooking pot. I have a Cuisinart Smart Stick and it does a great job. You are supposed to blend for only 55 seconds but that's enough time to get the job done.

Saute diced onions in butter or coconut oil.

Peel and cube pumpkin and add to pan.

Add one can of regular coconut milk and cook until soft. If you need more liquid, add chicken broth.

Add salt and pepper and then blend.

This is delicious and fast and most of all very fun to make. I served with croutons made from stale (not rancid) bread that I had tossed in Extra Virgin Olive Oil and salt, then toasted in the oven. I like to drop the croutons on the soup while they're hot because they sizzle.

Tentacle Chowder

I found squid tentacles in the frozen section of our Asian store. I used them to make a tomato based chowder which we found to be extra delicious.

Butter and coconut oil to saute:
Onions

Add and simmer until tender:
Chicken broth
Potatoes diced
Carrots diced
Bay leaf
Garlic cloves, cut up

Add:
Tomato paste
Tentacles, cut up

Simmer for a few minutes after you add the seafood. It doesn't take much to cook it.

Serve with Old Bay Seasoning on top. We loved this soup.

Curried Coconut Fish Chowder

Onions sauteed in Coconut Oil
Celery
Carrots
Potatoes, diced

Curry powder
Ginger, fresh grated
Garlic
Salt

Chicken broth
Coconut milk-not low fat
Fish cut into cubes and added at the end of cooking.

This chowder has lots of superfood ingredients. Coconut Oil, Turmeric (in the curry), Garlic, Chicken broth, and Coconut milk. All in one dish!

I served it with croutons made from sourdough "brick" bread tossed with butter and salt and then toasted. I save my bread flops to use for croutons or croistini. They really taste very good and the texture is no drawback.

Clam Chicken Corn Chowder

1 Onion, chopped
1/2 Red Pepper diced
1/2 C. celery diced
1/4 lb. Bacon, no nitrates, cut up

3 Carrots, cubed
2 Potatoes, cubed

4 Small cans of chopped clams
2 Chicken breast halves, raw, and cubed
Frozen corn
Chicken broth
Milk
Sea Salt
Roux from butter and white flour or sprouted wheat flour or what you like.

Serve with Angostura bitters sprinkled on top.

This is a creamy, thickened, milk based soup that reminds me a bit of New England Clam Chowder but shouldn't be called that of course.