Category: Soups


Mar
2015

Quick N’ Easy Cream of Broccoli Soup

categories: Soups, Vegetable Dishes
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Make 4 servings of this simple, delicious, quick n’ easy cream of broccoli soup (with cheddar cheese!) in under 30 minutes!Make 4 servings of this simple, delicious, quick n' easy cream of broccoli soup (with cheddar cheese!) in under 30 minutes!

A dear friend of mine named Sandy gave me this recipe for Cream of Broccoli Soup written on a little index card about 30 years ago.  I’ve made this soup many times over the years (and have a completely food-stained index card to prove it!).  This is a delicious, very easy, inexpensive soup to make (with simple ingredients), and serves 4.

I was privileged to be a bridesmaid in Sandy’s wedding to her wonderful hubby Jeff, and my husband was privileged to be the pastor to officiate the ceremony. It was his first wedding to preside over, and we have such funny memories of that wedding.

Scroll Down for A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

A Slight Tweak To the Original Recipe For Cream Of Broccoli Soup

My friend’s original instructions called for making this in the microwave oven, but I’ve adapted this cream of broccoli soup slightly over the years. Now I usually make it on my stove top in a soup pot, and add a bit of cheddar cheese, for extra flavor. The soup only takes about 25-30 minutes to prepare, so it’s easy to throw together after a long day.

I sure hope you will give this one a try. I really do think you will enjoy it! It’s EASY and DELICIOUS!

Looking For More SOUP Recipes?

You can find all of my soup recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have lots of soup recipes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe! 

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signatureRecipe Source: Sandy Whittaker

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Quick N' Easy Cream of Broccoli Soup
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 

Make 4 servings of this simple, delicious, quick n' easy cream of broccoli soup (with cheddar cheese!) in under 30 minutes!

Category: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cream of broccoli soup
Servings: 4 servings
Calories Per Serving: 320 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 pkg. (10 ounces) frozen broccoli, thawed
  • 6 Tablespoons butter (or margarine)
  • 1 Tablespoon finely minced brown onion
  • 5 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 2 cups milk
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • Dash of ground nutmeg (optional)
  • 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese (plus additional for garnish on top of soup, if desired)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. In a soup pot, melt the butter. Add the minced onion, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the flour; whisk to combine. Cook for an additional minute. Add the chicken broth, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir ingredients until smooth and thoroughly combined. Heat the soup for 5-7 minutes on medium-high until soup begins to thicken slightly. Stir occasionally.

  2. Add the thawed broccoli to soup. Carefully transfer the hot soup to a blender and puree OR puree the ingredients together in the soup pot using an immersion blender.

  3. Return soup to pan. Add 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese. Stir to combine. Heat soup until hot (about 3-4 minutes). Ladle soup into 4 serving bowls. Garnish soup with a sprinkle of grated cheddar cheese; Serve, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Quick N' Easy Cream of Broccoli Soup
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 320 Calories from Fat 207
% Daily Value*
Fat 23g35%
Saturated Fat 14g88%
Cholesterol 65mg22%
Sodium 964mg42%
Potassium 471mg13%
Carbohydrates 18g6%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 10g20%
Vitamin A 1340IU27%
Vitamin C 67.3mg82%
Calcium 291mg29%
Iron 1.2mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Quick n' Easy Cream of Broccoli Soup / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

 

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Feb
2015

Easy & Healthy Veggie Soup

categories: Soups, Vegetable Dishes
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You’re gonna love this yummy Weight Watchers recipe for easy to make Italian healthy veggie soup, with carrots, zucchini, onions, tomatoes, garlic and cabbage!You're gonna love this yummy Weight Watchers recipe for easy to make Italian healthy veggie soup, w/carrots, zucchini, onions, tomatoes, garlic and cabbage!
Years and years ago, both of my parents were members of Weight Watchers. My mom found a recipe in their membership book for an Easy & Healthy Veggie Soup that they loved, and she shared it with me. I quickly became a huge fan, because it is absolutely delicious!

My Mom loved to cook this healthy veggie soup and have it around for a quick lunch or dinner, because not only was it delicious, it was good for you. 

She tweaked the original recipe a bit, but loved that it was extremely low in calories and fat, but high in fiber, to keep them both feeling full while dieting.

We LOVE This Healthy Veggie Soup!

For years now I have been making this healthy veggie soup whether I’ve been dieting or not dieting, but simply because I LOVE IT! This is a very easy recipe to make, as well. It is simply a matter of cooking some veggies, and then adding the rest of the ingredients, and cooking until done.

The picture (below) is from a time I made this soup for her, when I was home visiting. I suppose it is kind of a “full-circle” kind of thing!

Sorry I don’t have any more photos… at the time, I didn’t even think of it! Honestly, though, this truly is a simple, delicious healthy veggie soup, that I’m confident you’ll enjoy, too.

Healthy Veggie Soup is very easy to make, ridiculously LOW in calories, and frankly, with the seasonings in it, tastes like a wonderful Italian-flavored soup.

It’s wonderful (whether you’re on a diet or not) and DELICIOUS! We even like to sprinkle it with a bit of Parmesan cheese right when it’s served hot. YUM!

Close up of easy healthy veggie soup in bowl.

Just like my Mom did, I have found it to be a hearty and healthy veggie soup (filled with carrots, onions, beans, cabbage, and zucchini), that I love to have extra of in my refrigerator, for a quick lunch or dinner meal.

Hope you enjoy making and eating this delicious healthy veggie soup, too! Thanks for stopping by, and I invite you to come back soon for more family-friendly recipes.

Looking For More SOUP Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have LOTS of great soup recipes, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

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Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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Author's signatureRecipe slightly adapted from: Weight Watcher membership booklet from years ago.

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Easy & Healthy Veggie Soup
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hr
 

You're gonna love this yummy Weight Watchers recipe for easy to make Italian healthy veggie soup, w/carrots, zucchini, onions, tomatoes, garlic and cabbage!

Category: Dinner, Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: healthy veggie soup
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 49 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • Non-stick cooking spray
  • 1 cup carrots , sliced thinly
  • 1/2 cup brown onion , chopped
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 12 oz. can diced tomatoes
  • 3 beef bouillon cubes (can also use beef or vegetable broth)
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 cup chopped frozen spinach (cooked according to pkg. directions, then drained)
  • 1 cup green cabbage , sliced, chopped
  • 1/2 cup canned green beans (or frozen)
  • 1/2 Tablespoon dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • black pepper (to taste)
  • 1 1/2 cups uncooked , thinly sliced zucchini (added during last 10 minutes of cooking)
  • Parmesan cheese (optional as garnish, but it really add to the flavor!)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Spray a soup pot with non-stick spray.
  2. Cook the carrots and onions in soup pot for 4 minutes on medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for additional 45 seconds, stirring constantly, to prevent garlic from burning.
  3. Add the rest of the ingredients (EXCEPT for the zucchini and Parmesan cheese).. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook on low for 30 minutes, or until carrots have become tender.
  4. Add the zucchini and cook an additional 10 minutes (adding the zucchini in toward the end of cooking time prevents the zucchini from getting soggy or falling apart).
  5. When heated through, ladle soup into serving bowls. Garnish with a few sprinkles of Parmesan cheese.
  6. Enjoy!
  7. Heat
Recipe Notes

NOTE: Caloric calculation does not include optional Parmesan cheese for garnish.
If using bouillon cubes instead of store bought broth, toss them in whole with the other ingredients. As soup cooks, they will dissolve and help flavor the soup.

Nutrition Facts
Easy & Healthy Veggie Soup
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 49 Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Fat 1g2%
Saturated Fat 0.1g1%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.1g
Cholesterol 0.1mg0%
Sodium 995mg43%
Potassium 431mg12%
Carbohydrates 10g3%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 6826IU137%
Vitamin C 20mg24%
Calcium 95mg10%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!You're gonna love this yummy Weight Watchers recipe for easy to make Italian healthy veggie soup, w/carrots, zucchini, onions, tomatoes, garlic and cabbage!

 

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Jan
2015

Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon

categories: Bacon, Soups, Vegetable Dishes
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Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon is creamy, thick, and absolutely DELICIOUS! Satisfy even the pickiest of eaters with a bowl of this soup on a cold day!Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon is creamy, thick, and absolutely DELICIOUS! Satisfy even the pickiest of eaters with a bowl of this soup on a cold day!

Well, let’s just start this post by saying that those two butternut squash I bought at the Farmer’s Market never knew what hit ’em. The Butternut Squash Soup With Bacon I made with them was truly outstanding! I knew I wanted to try making butternut squash soup, and found a recipe from Food & Wine that called for using pancetta, but I went for something we always seems to have around the house… BACON.

So, let me first start by telling you I have NEVER, EVER cooked butternut squash before, in the 37 years I have been married. Now that I got that off my chest, let me tell you something… this will not be the last time, either! This soup was amazing… my husband and I even had leftovers for lunch today, and it’s still tastes just as good as it did a couple of nights ago when I first made it.

The butternut squash soup is filling, incredibly delicious (especially with the bacon crumbles on top!), and the soup itself is thick and creamy. Seriously orange colored (ha ha) and seriously GOOD.  I hope you will give this soup a try… I think you’re gonna love it!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Butternut Squash

Behold… the humble butternut squash… not too lovely in appearance, but boy, oh boy…it sure makes a GREAT tasting soup!

Butternut squash before baking them, to make soup.

Split the squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, add butter and salt/pepper, and into the oven they go to bake until tender

Butternut squash are halved, seeded, and butter, salt and pepper added before baking.

Here are the squash right out of the oven… that melted butter will also go into the soup. Yes, please!

Buttermilk squash are baked, and ready to use for soup!

Preparing The Butternut Squash Soup

Cook chopped onion in a bit of bacon grease in a heavy bottomed pan, then add thyme sprigs and a bay leaf. Building flavor into butternut squash soup is a GOOD thing!

Onion, thyme, and bay leaf are cooked to season butternut squash soup.

Scoop the cooked squash out of the peel and and add it to a large stockpot or Dutch oven. 

Baked butternut squash is scooped out of skin and added to soup pot.

Now you will add chicken stock to the pan. Bring this mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook the butternut squash soup for 15 additional minutes.

Chicken stock is added to butternut squash soup in pot.

Time To Purée The Soup

Okay… now it’s time to blend the soup to make it nice, thick and creamy!  NOTE: My Mom gave me an immersion blender. You can use one of those OR blend the soup in batches (in blender or a food processor), till smooth and creamy. Don’t forget to remove the thyme and bay leaves before blending!

Butternut squash soup is blended with an immersion blender.

The butternut squash soup is all blended together. Stir in the whipping cream to the creamy soup. See how thick and smooth it is? Now it’s time to ladle it up into serving bowls.

Thick and creamy butternut squash soup.

Time To Serve The Butternut Squash Soup With Bacon

To serve, place bacon crumbles on top of each portion of soup. Drizzle with whipping cream, a bit of olive oil, and some extra thyme leaves (if desired). Grab a spoon, butter some warm bread, and enjoy this butternut squash soup with bacon! It is lip-smackin’ good!

Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon is served, with bread on the side!

I really hope you will try this delicious soup, and as always, my hope is you enjoy sharing this delicious meal with those you love!

Looking For More SOUP Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have LOTS of yummy soup recipes you’re gonna enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signatureRecipe Adapted From: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/butternut-squash-soup-with-crisp-pancetta

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Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon
Prep Time
1 hr 10 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
1 hr 25 mins
 

Creamy, thick, and delicious, this butternut squash soup with bacon will satisfy even the pickiest of taste buds on a cold day!

Category: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: butternut squash soup
Servings: 8 servings
Calories Per Serving: 269 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 medium butternut squash (about 3 pounds)
  • 3 Tablespoons butter , cut into 4 slices
  • Salt and Pepper (to season)
  • 4 slices bacon , cooked crisp, then crumbled (Reserve bacon drippings in pan)
  • 2 Tablespoons bacon drippings
  • 1/2 large brown onion , chopped finely
  • 6 fresh thyme sprigs , divided
  • 1 bay leaf (found in spice section, or Mexican food section in bags)
  • 5-6 cups chicken stock (or low-sodium broth)
  • 2 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream , divided
  • olive oil (for drizzling as garnish), optional
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Carefully slice squash in half, lengthwise; scoop out the seeds. Put 4 squash halves cut side up, on a large cookie sheet (with edges). Put one slice of butter into each hole (where the seeds were). Season with salt and pepper. Roast butternut squash for 50-60 minutes at 400 degrees (or until tender). When tender, remove from oven. Let squash cool until it is cool enough to scoop all the squash out of the skins into a large bowl.

  2. Cook bacon in a medium skillet until very crisp. Remove bacon from pan; drain off bacon grease with the exception of 2 Tablespoons (and any little brown bits remaining in the skillet), which you leave in the skillet. Crumble bacon pieces, and set aside for garnishing soup before serving.

  3. Add chopped onion to bacon grease in skillet; cook until softened (about 5 minutes). Transfer onions and any remaining bacon grease from the skillet into a large, heavy stockpot. Stir in cooked squash, chicken stock (add 5 cups of chicken stock at first), 3 thyme sprigs (whole), and the bay leaf. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat; stir frequently. Once mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  4. After 15 minutes, remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Discard. Using an immersion blender, blend soup until thick and creamy. If not using immersion blender, transfer soup in batches to a food processor or blender, and blend until smooth (about a minute per batch), then return soup to stockpot. If you want soup to be thinner, add an additional cup of chicken stock and stir to combine. Stir 1 Tablespoon whipping cream into soup; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

  5. Reheat soup, if necessary. Ladle soup into serving bowls. To serve, place some of the crumbled bacon onto the top middle of the soup. Drizzle a tiny bit of whipping cream onto top, then drizzle with a tiny bit of olive oil. Garnish with thyme leaves. Serve, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

The prep time includes the time for roasting the squash. Cook the bacon, onions, etc. while squash is in oven to reduce overall time.

Nutrition Facts
Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 269 Calories from Fat 135
% Daily Value*
Fat 15g23%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Cholesterol 31mg10%
Sodium 578mg25%
Potassium 853mg24%
Carbohydrates 28g9%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 6g7%
Protein 7g14%
Vitamin A 20155IU403%
Vitamin C 41.4mg50%
Calcium 103mg10%
Iron 1.8mg10%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon is creamy, thick, and absolutely DELICIOUS! Satisfy even the pickiest of eaters with a bowl of this soup on a cold day!

 

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Jan
2015

Pinto Beans And Ham

categories: Main Dishes, Pork, Soups
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Pinto Beans and Ham is an easy, economical way to make a big pot full of tasty, filling, pinto beans and leftover ham, flavored with onion and garlic!Pinto Beans and Ham is an easy, economical way to make a big pot full of tasty, filling, pinto beans and shredded leftover ham, flavored with onion and garlic!
Well, here’s my first post in 2015. Nothing fancy or glamorous, but this meal is sure inexpensive, FILLING, and delicious! If you’ve ever had extra ham or ham bones left over after a meal, then this recipe for Pinto Beans And Ham is perfect for you!

This dish (besides being quite economical) is also totally easy to prepare, so consider that a win-win! Only a few ingredients are necessary to make a big soup pot full of these tasty, filling, tender pinto beans and shredded pieces of ham, flavored with salt/pepper, cumin, onion and garlic!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Make A Pot Of Pinto Beans And Ham With Leftover Ham

I prepare this meal often, usually any time we have leftover ham (always after a holiday like Christmas or Easter, and in the cold winter months). The recipe makes about 8 servings, so there is always enough left over for other meals.

Leftover ham is perfect to use in this soup.

If you have a large ham bone from a ham hanging around (with pieces of meat still attached), that’s PERFECT! If not, then just use slices of ham, cut into small chunks. The long cooking time will help the meat to be pulled off the bone or shredded easily!

Pinto beans can be found in just about every single grocery store in the country, and are quite cheap. Buy dry pinto beans (in a bag). They will cook and soften during the cooking process.

Dried pinto beans are used to make this recipe.

Why The Beans Need To Cook for So Long

The long cooking time helps the beans to soften. Find another activity to do while they are cooking, and just check on them every hour or so to make sure there is enough liquid in the pan, and give them a good stir!

During the last part of the cooking time, the liquid will begin to thicken. This is a GOOD thing! The ham also becomes very tender, so it is easy (especially if you added big chunks), to pull it apart into smaller pieces or shreds.

Pinto beans and ham is served!

Your house will smell GREAT while these pinto beans and ham are cooking! We love to eat this thick bowl of “soup” with some Copycat Marie Callender’s Cornbread or warm, buttered flour tortillas on the side… yum!

Cornbread goes perfectly with pinto beans and ham

When all is said and done, you will end up with a nice sized pot of pinto beans and ham, and not have to sped a lot on it, especially if you start with leftover ham!

If you like pinto beans or need other ways to use dried pintos, be sure and check out my blog post on how to can dried beans or how to make refried beans in the crockpot. Both recipes start with dried pinto beans!

Hope you’ll give this humble recipe for pinto beans and ham a try. I think you’re gonna love them! Sometimes simple can be so good! Thanks for stopping by, and come back soon. Be sure to check out ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page.

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

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Pinto Beans And Ham
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
4 hrs
Total Time
4 hrs 5 mins
 
Pinto Beans and Ham is an easy, economical way to make a big pot full of tasty, filling, pinto beans and shredded leftover ham, flavored with onion and garlic!
Category: Entree
Cuisine: American
Keyword: pinto beans and ham
Servings: 8 servings
Calories Per Serving: 289 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 bag pinto beans (regular sized - about 2-3 cups)
  • 1 large leftover ham bone (with meat attached), OR 2 cups chopped cooked ham
  • 1 medium brown onion , chopped
  • 1 heaping Tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • Water
  • Additional Salt/Pepper , to taste (I usually have to add more before serving)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Rinse the pinto beans in a strainer. Place beans into a large stockpot. Cover completely with water.
  2. Add ham bone (or chopped ham). Add additional water, if necessary to more than cover the beans and ham.
  3. Add onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and cumin.
  4. Bring water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low heat. Let beans cook for approximately 4 hours. For first half of cooking time, keep a lid on the beans, but with lid vented. After about 2 hours, remove the lid and continue cooking, uncovered for remainder of time. As water level begins to reduce, add a bit more water back into the pot so that beans remain submerged during cooking time.
  5. Check beans to make sure they are fully softened. Remove ham bone from pot; remove any ham meat from bone and add the ham back into the pot.
  6. Taste test the beans when fully cooked. Mixture will thicken slightly as the amount of water reduces through the long cooking time. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.
  7. Serve hot with some cornbread or tortillas on the side, and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Pinto Beans And Ham
Amount Per Serving (1 serving (1/8th of total))
Calories 289 Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Fat 1g2%
Cholesterol 15mg5%
Sodium 671mg29%
Potassium 1028mg29%
Carbohydrates 47g16%
Fiber 11g46%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 20g40%
Vitamin C 5.9mg7%
Calcium 87mg9%
Iron 3.9mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Pinto Beans and Ham is an easy, economical way to make a big pot full of tasty, filling, pinto beans and shredded leftover ham, flavored with onion and garlic!

 

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Dec
2014

Classic Beef Stew

categories: Beef, Main Dishes, Soups
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Classic Beef Stew, a “comfort food” soup filled with meat, potatoes, carrots, beans, and tomatoes, is a hearty and filling meal on a cold day!Classic Beef Stew, a "comfort food" soup filled with meat, potatoes, carrots, beans, and tomatoes, is a hearty and filling meal on a cold day!

My husband and I just returned home after an 11 day road trip to San Diego for Thanksgiving.  It was freezing cold when we returned to our home in Oregon, so I decided to make some Classic Beef Stew for our first dinner home.

I found the recipe for this stew in one of my old copies of Taste of Home magazine years ago. I had cut out the recipe and saved it, but had never made this particular recipe before. I grew up in a home where my Mom made beef stew all the time, and that has been the recipe I have used for years, but decided to try this one, this time.

It turned out wonderful!  This classic beef stew is baked over a couple of hours time, so the entire house smelled so amazingly good! My husband and I enjoyed this beef stew; it was easy to make, and since it yields 6-8 servings, we have leftovers for another meal!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make Classic Beef Stew

Here is how you make this hearty stew.  Start by browning the stew meat in an ovenproof baking dish.

Beef stew meat is browned in ovenproof pan.

Pan seared, browned stew meat is used to make classic beef stew.

Time To Bake The Beef Stew

Add chopped onions, tomatoes, beef broth, garlic, and spices to the stew meat in the pan. Give it all a good stir, to mix it together.

Tomatoes, onions, garlic and spices are added to classic beef stew in pan.

You will need to transfer the mixture to an ovenproof baking dish, if not already using one, then bake the stew (covered) for 1½ hours. Pretty positive you are gonna love the smell in your kitchen as this classic beef stew bakes!

Classic Beef Stew is baked for one and a half hours in oven.

Remove Stew From Oven, Add Veggies And Bake Again

Remove the hot stew pan from the oven. Add potatoes, celery, carrots, and green beans to the classic beef stew. Mix well, to combine. Bake for an additional hour (covered).

Carrots, potatoes, celery and green beans are added to classic beef stew, then baked.

Classic beef stew goes back into oven after veggies are added.Time To Serve And Eat Classic Beef Stew

When done baking, carefully remove the baking dish from oven, because it will be HOT. Dish this classic beef stew up into individual bowls, to serve!  I’m pretty sure you will be surprised at how tender the meat is!

Classic Beef Stew comes out of the oven, and is now ready to eat.

I sure hope you will give this classic beef stew a try! We love it, served with some crusty sourdough bread on the side. Hope you enjoy this perfect winter meal!

Looking For More STEW Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have a couple delicious stew recipes you will enjoy, like West African Chicken and Peanut Stew, or a vegetarian friendly Lentil Stew. They’re both delicious and I highly recommend them!

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signatureRecipe slightly adapted from: Taste of Home Magazine (year unknown), pg. 55, by Alberta McKay, of Bartlesville, Oklahoma

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Classic Beef Stew
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs 30 mins
Total Time
2 hrs 45 mins
 
Classic Beef Stew, a "comfort food" soup filled with meat, potatoes, carrots, beans, and tomatoes, is a hearty and filling meal on a cold day!
Category: Entree
Cuisine: American
Keyword: classic beef stew
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 349 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 pounds beef stew meat (or chuck roast), cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1-1/2 cups chopped onion
  • 1 can (16 oz) diced tomatoes, with liquid
  • 1 can (10-1/2 oz) beef broth, undiluted
  • 3 Tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca (or whisk in 2 Tablespoons flour)
  • 1 1/2 garlic cloves , minced
  • 1 Tablespoon dried parsley flakes
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 6 medium carrots , cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 3 medium potatoes , peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 cup sliced celery , cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 can green beans , cut into 2-inch pieces
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a dutch oven or large pan, heat the oil until very hot. Add the beef cubes, and cook until all sides are browned. Drain the oil from pan.
  3. Add the onion, tomatoes, beef broth, tapioca (or flour), garlic, parsley, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Bring this mixture to a boil, then remove pan from the heat.
  4. Cover pan (or transfer to an ovenproof large baking dish). Bake mixture in covered dish at 350 degrees for 1-1/2 hours. Remove from oven.
  5. Stir in carrots, potatoes, celery and green beans. Bake, covered, 1 hour longer, or until the meat and vegetables are tender. (mine took about 15 minutes longer). Remove bay leaf before serving. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Classic Beef Stew
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 349 Calories from Fat 108
% Daily Value*
Fat 12g18%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Cholesterol 88mg29%
Sodium 527mg23%
Potassium 927mg26%
Carbohydrates 23g8%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 35g70%
Vitamin A 8090IU162%
Vitamin C 20.5mg25%
Calcium 79mg8%
Iron 6.2mg34%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Classic Beef Stew, a "comfort food" soup filled with meat, potatoes, carrots, beans, and tomatoes, is a hearty and filling meal on a cold day!

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Nov
2014

Fully Loaded Potato Soup

categories: Bacon, Main Dishes, Soups
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Fully Loaded Potato Soup is thick and creamy, filled with bacon, cheese, sour cream and green onions…tastes like a fully stuffed baked potato! Fully Loaded Potato Soup is thick and creamy, filled with bacon, cheese, sour cream and green onions...tastes like a fully stuffed baked potato in SOUP form.
Do you love to make soup when it is cold outside? I sure do! One of the things I love about the crisp and cool weather in Fall is making Potato Soup… Fully Loaded Potato Soup!

Fully LOADED Potato Soup is packed with all the good things you would stuff a baked potato with, given the chance. Bacon, cheese, chives, sour cream… well, you get the picture! A hot bowl of this flavor-packed potato soup on a cold day is just what you need to satisfy a growling stomach.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Trying Out This Soup Recipe On Friends

A couple of years ago I had about 9 ladies from a Bible Study group I was in, over for lunch. I made a big pot of fully loaded potato soup. No recipe was used, I just put it all together (had made it many times from scratch!) and it was wonderful! I received several compliments on the soup. My friend, Judy asked me where I got the recipe, and told her I just made it up as I went along. I couldn’t even give her the recipe because I didn’t write anything down as I cooked. Epic FAIL.

Sooo… it’s now two years later and I finally remembered to document with PHOTOS the making of this delicious and filling, fully loaded potato soup. I made a big batch recently on a rainy, cold, dismal day (aren’t those the BEST days for making a big pot of soup?)

It’s easier than you think to make fully loaded potato soup… and IT IS YUMMY! Perfect for a cool evening’s meal (very filling) and lunch leftovers the next day! Hope you will give this recipe a try… I am confident you will LOVE it!

Making Fully Loaded Potato Soup

Chop peeled Russet potatoes into planks, then cut into small cubes. Smaller potato cubes will cook a lot faster than large chunks!

Cubing potatoes for fully loaded soup

Cook the potatoes with green onions, salt, pepper, and part of the bacon pieces until the potatoes become tender. Let me tell you, it sure smells GOOD, because of those onions and bacon!

Potatoes are cooked with green onions, bacon, etc. for soup

Add a little bit of flour to the cooked potatoes. The ingredients will continue to cook and soften. This flour will act as a thickening agent for the fully loaded potato soup, making it thick and creamy!

Flour is added to potatoes to act as a thickening agent for soup.

Time To Turn The Ingredients Into Fully Loaded Potato Soup!

Pour milk and whipping cream into the pan with the fully loaded potato soup. Once the soup has thickened, add grated cheddar cheese. Continue to cook the fully loaded potato soup, and the cheese will melt into the thickened soup. This will add another layer of flavor and creaminess.

Milk, whipping cream and cheddar cheese are added to potato soup.

Here you can see the thickened fully loaded potato soup, with the bacon and potato chunks! It looks so good, but is not quite finished!

Fully loaded potato soup is thick and creamy.

Right before serving, stir sour cream into the hot, thick fully loaded potato soup! The sour cream will add yet another layer of flavor and creaminess to the soup.

Sour cream is added to fully loaded potato soup just before serving.

Serve The Fully Loaded Potato Soup

Ladle the hot, fully loaded potato soup into individual serving bowls. It looks good just like that, but the garnishes for the soup is what helps put it over the top! Garnish each bowl of soup with crispy bacon pieces, additional cheddar cheese, and chopped chives. That REALLY pretties this soup up, and adds even more flavor! ENJOY!

Fully Loaded Potato Soup is garnished with crisp bacon, cheddar and chives.

This fully loaded potato soup is one of our family’s all time favorite soups. I hope it will become one of your favorite soups, too! Have a great day!

Looking For More SOUP Recipes?

You can find all of my soup recipes in the Recipe Index, at the top of the page. A few of our favorites include:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

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Fully Loaded Potato Soup
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Total Time
55 mins
 
Fully Loaded Potato Soup is thick and creamy, filled with bacon, cheese, sour cream and green onions...tastes like a fully stuffed baked potato!
Category: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: fully loaded potato soup
Servings: 8 servings
Calories Per Serving: 478 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 5 large Russet potatoes , cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 3 Tablespoons butter
  • Salt and Pepper , to taste
  • 2 heaping Tablespoons flour
  • 5 pieces bacon
  • 5 green onion stalks , sliced (green stem and white bulb),
  • 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese (reserve a bit for garnish)
  • 5 cups milk
  • 3/4 cup whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2 Tablespoons chives , chopped (for garnish)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Cook bacon in skillet. When half way cooked, remove 2 slices. Chop into small pieces and place into a large soup pot. Continue cooking the 3 pieces of bacon remaining in the skillet until crispy. Drain, crumble, and set aside (2 slices will go into the soup later, one will be used for garnish),
  2. Melt 3 Tablespoons butter in the soup pot with the 2 slices of chopped, half-cooked bacon. Add cubed potatoes, and chopped green onions,, and stir to combine. Cook potatoes, stirring frequently for about 7-8 minutes, or until softened slightly.
  3. Generously salt and pepper the potatoes. Sprinkle potatoes with 2 heaping Tablespoons of flour. Stir well to combine..
  4. Add milk to soup pot and stir well. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
  5. Add whipping cream (do not boil), cheddar cheese, and 2 slices crispy, (chopped) bacon. Stir to combine.
  6. Simmer on low for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if needed.
  7. Right before you serve the soup, add the sour cream and mix well.
  8. Ladle the soup into serving bowls, and garnish with a bit of crumbled bacon, cheddar cheese, and the chopped chives. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes

**I usually add 2 slices of halfway cooked bacon to the soup pot to cook with the potatoes for extra flavor, BUT If you prefer, you can cook ALL the bacon until crispy. Add all but one piece to the soup at one time (saving one slice to crumble for garnish!)

Nutrition Facts
Fully Loaded Potato Soup
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 478 Calories from Fat 279
% Daily Value*
Fat 31g48%
Saturated Fat 17g106%
Cholesterol 93mg31%
Sodium 352mg15%
Potassium 872mg25%
Carbohydrates 34g11%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 8g9%
Protein 15g30%
Vitamin A 1075IU22%
Vitamin C 9.7mg12%
Calcium 384mg38%
Iron 1.5mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Fully Loaded Potato Soup is thick and creamy, filled with bacon, cheese, sour cream and green onions...tastes like a fully stuffed baked potato!

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Oct
2014

Tuscan Chicken & Vegetable Soup

categories: Italian, Main Dishes, Soups
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Tuscan Chicken Vegetable Soup is a delicious, Italian-inspired soup. This hearty soup (with 7 veggies) is perfect anytime, especially on a cold day!Tuscan Chicken Vegetable Soup is a delicious, Italian-inspired soup. This hearty soup (with 7 veggies) is perfect anytime, especially on a cold day!
Fall is here! I am ready for cool, crisp mornings… and soup! I made a pot of Tuscan Chicken & Vegetable Soup yesterday, and it was really good!

We’re had a gorgeous summer here in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, but I am really enjoying the cooling air, the trees beginning to turn into their Fall colors, etc. There’s just something about Fall that calls for a large pot of delicious smelling soup cooking away on the stove.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How I Came Up With This Recipe For Tuscan Chicken Vegetable Soup

Yesterday I was in the mood for a yummy, Italian-inspired Tuscan chicken vegetable soup. I’ve seen many recipes online for Tuscan Soup over the years (trust me, there’s a bazillion of them). Because of that, I had a basic idea of what items COULD go into this soup. I I ended up not using any ONE particular recipe, because I decided to simply create my own version. Guess what? We LOVED it!!!!

Seriously, people, we LOVED this Tuscan chicken vegetable soup! Success! Lots of “good-for you-veggies”, cannelini beans, chicken, and spices in a light Italian broth produces one great pot of soup!

Can You Make This Soup Vegetarian?

If you wish to make this a vegetarian friendly soup, it is easy! I typically use chicken broth and chicken in this soup when I make it. However, this soup tastes just as good using vegetable broth and NO chicken (if you’re vegetarian).

A bowl of the Tuscan chicken vegetable soup, ready to eat!

The Tuscan chicken vegetable soup was fun to make, because I was able to use some of the veggies I grew in our garden. These home-grown veggies included onion, garlic, oregano, thyme, basil, carrots, kale and spinach! Of course, all those ingredients can also be found at your local grocery store!

All that said, this Tuscan chicken vegetable soup is an easy recipe to prepare, and is absolutely delicious! I sure hope you’ll try it. Serious… you just gotta try this soup, because it is so yummy! Throw on a warm sweater, some sweatpants, turn on some great music, and make a pot of this soup. While you’re at it, enjoy the beauty of this glorious Fall season! Enjoy!

Looking For More SOUP Recipes?

You can find all of my soup recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. These recipes include:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signatureRecipe Source: My brain. In “Fall” mode.

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Tuscan Chicken & Vegetable Soup
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
50 mins
Total Time
1 hr 5 mins
 

Tuscan Chicken Vegetable Soup is a delicious, Italian-inspired soup. This hearty soup (with 7 veggies) is perfect anytime, especially on a cold day!

Category: Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Tuscan chicken vegetable soup
Servings: 6 servings
Calories Per Serving: 194 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 boneless chicken breasts , cooked and cubed
  • 7 cups chicken broth (may substitute vegetable broth, if desired)
  • 1/2 cup onion , chopped
  • 3 carrot stalks , sliced thinly
  • 3 celery stalks , sliced thinly
  • 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 1/2 small zucchini , sliced thinly
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup kale , chopped (stems removed) (if omitting, double the spinach quantity!)
  • 1 cup baby spinach , chopped
  • 1 can cannellini beans , drained
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt & pepper , to taste (may have to add more)
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/3 cup tomato paste
  • Parmesan cheese , grated (for garnish if desired)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. In a large soup pot, saute the onion, carrots, celery, mushrooms, and zucchini in olive oil for 3-4 minutes. Add the chicken broth and cooked, cubed chicken to soup pot. Now add the salt & pepper, basil, oregano, thyme, and garlic powder to season the soup. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat to low.

  2. Add tomato paste, Mix well to combine. Add cannellini beans, kale and spinach. Season again with salt & pepper to taste, if necessary. Cook on low for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  3. When ready, ladle hot soup into bowls, garnish with grated Parmesan cheese, and serve. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Tip: Use a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken for the fastest way to make this recipe.

*I boiled the chicken breasts in water for 45 minutes earlier in the day... then used them later in this recipe. Whatever works best for you is the bottom line.

Nutrition Facts
Tuscan Chicken & Vegetable Soup
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 194 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 24mg8%
Sodium 1556mg68%
Potassium 826mg24%
Carbohydrates 21g7%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 15g30%
Vitamin A 7035IU141%
Vitamin C 44.1mg53%
Calcium 116mg12%
Iron 3.4mg19%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Tuscan Chicken Vegetable Soup is a delicious, Italian-inspired soup. This hearty soup (with 7 veggies) is perfect anytime, especially on a cold day!

 

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Apr
2014

Watermelon and Cucumber Gazpacho

categories: Soups, Vegetable Dishes
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Watermelon and cucumber gazpacho is a healthy, sweet and spicy chilled soup… refreshing, flavorful, crunchy, low in calories… and delicious!Watermelon and cucumber gazpacho is a healthy, sweet and spicy chilled soup... refreshing, flavorful, crunchy, low in calories... and delicious!
Ooh… today’s recipe is for a delicious, cold, sweet, and a bit spicy Watermelon and Cucumber Gazpacho. I tried this chilled soup for the first time last year, and LOVED it! I truly enjoy the crunch of the vegetables and the sweetness of the watermelon. It’s FRESH & HEALTHY!!!!

I love this quote: “A true friend is like a good book – the inside is even better than the cover”. (author unknown)  I am so grateful for the friends God has given me the opportunity to know over the course of my life. I’ve learned many things from each of them, including making this wonderful watermelon gazpacho (with cucumbers, celery, bell peppers, jalapeno, lime juice and mint).  Isn’t it gorgeous?

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How I Found This Recipe

I have a beautiful, dearly loved friend named Shari who has taught me many things about cooking. She taught me great food presentation, creating recipes outside the “box”, and being fearless to try new cooking experiments in the kitchen. By far the most important thing she has modeled is how to be a loving, caring, encouraging friend.

I was first served this chilled soup in her home, at a themed dinner party (photo above shows how Shari served it to us that evening)!  Can you guess what the theme was?  Watermelon.

Picture of smiley face watermelon rind

We Had A “Watermelon-Themed” Dinner

Every single part of the meal had to include watermelon. That’s right…soup, salad, beverages, main courses, (including pasta, I might add), and even the desserts (my contribution) had to include watermelon. I’ve posted one of the desserts on my blog: Tropical Watermelon Sorbet with Lime Semifreddo. Yum.

The dinner was a bit of a challenge, to say the least, but it ended up being a FUN, phenomenal, absolutely DELICIOUS watermelon-themed meal to eat, sitting outside on the deck on a gorgeous, hot summer night! Here’s a peek at the menu and a collage picture of some of the dishes we had, including this watermelon and cucumber gazpacho!

Menu from watermelon themed dinner

Can you believe all the watermelon-themed food we ate that night?  There were 8 of us at the dinner, and we left, completely full of delicious food. I think I might have DREAMED about watermelons for weeks after this evening!

Collage of photos from watermelon-themed dinner
We all contributed dishes or beverages following the theme! One of the courses served and made by our hostess Shari was this Watermelon and Cucumber Gazpacho, originally created for Bon Appétit magazine (August 2005 issue) by chef Cat Cora.

What Is IN Watermelon Cucumber Gazpacho?

This chilled watermelon and cucumber gazpacho is full of yummy, healthy ingredients like watermelon, cucumbers, bell peppers, celery, onion, jalapeno, lime juice and fresh mint… and it is PACKED with flavor! The soup is served chilled, which adds to the deliciousness!

Oh my goodness…this soup was FANTASTIC! Completely HEALTHY, chock full of sweet and slightly spicy ingredients –  absolutely PERFECT!  My husband and I loved it so much that I got the recipe from my friend, and have made it several times since then! I’ve posted the photos I took, with her permission. Here is a picture with my friend Shari. She’s the “creative brain” behind our fun themed dinners!

Two women, holding flowers

This refreshing watermelon and cucumber gazpacho is amazingly simple to make! Honestly- chopping/prepping the veggies is the “hardest” thing about it. I think you will LOVE the results…absolutely refreshing, a bit sweet, crunchy, low in calories… and delicious!

The recipe can be doubled very easily!  With warm Spring and hot Summer days ahead, I’m looking forward to making this wonderful chilled soup many times!

Looking For More WATERMELON Recipes?

You can find ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. If you enjoy watermelon, you might also enjoy these recipes for Watermelon, Lime & Mint Agua Fresca, Watermelon, Feta and Mint Salad, or Watermelon, Feta and Balsamic Bites.  Have a great day!

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Recipe Source: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Watermelon-and-Cucumber-Gazpacho-232543

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Watermelon and Cucumber Gazpacho
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 
Watermelon and cucumber gazpacho is a healthy, sweet and spicy chilled soup... absolutely refreshing, flavorful, crunchy, low in calories... and delicious!
Category: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: watermelon and cucumber gazpacho
Servings: 6 servings
Calories Per Serving: 146 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1- 3 pound seedless watermelon (about 5 cups), finely diced
  • 1 small cucumber , peeled, seeded, finely diced (about 1 cup)
  • 1 medium-sized red bell pepper , seeded and finely diced (about 1 cup)
  • 1 medium-sized yellow bell pepper , seeded and finely diced (about 1 cup)
  • 1 small jalapeno chile , seeded and very finely minced
  • 3 pale green inner celery stalks , finely diced (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1/2 of a small red onion , finely diced (about 1 cup)
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint
  • 3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 cup creme fraiche , or sour cream (for garnish)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Place 4 cups of the watermelon in blender or food processor. Puree until it is completely smooth.
  2. Transfer watermelon puree to a large bowl.
  3. Add remaining 1 cup of diced watermelon and the next 10 ingredients to the puree; stir to combine.
  4. Cover the gazpacho and refrigerate for several hours (up to 4 hrs.).
  5. To Serve: Serve cold. Divide the gazpacho among bowls or margarita glasses and garnish each bowl with a dollop of creme fraiche or sour cream. ENJOY!
  6. *Note: The dice on all the veggies is fairly small.
Recipe Notes

Be sure and chill this gazpacho very well. It's the best when completely cold!

Nutrition Facts
Watermelon and Cucumber Gazpacho
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 146 Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Fat 2g3%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 6mg2%
Sodium 115mg5%
Potassium 616mg18%
Carbohydrates 30g10%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 21g23%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 2675IU54%
Vitamin C 94.9mg115%
Calcium 72mg7%
Iron 1.2mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Watermelon and cucumber gazpacho is a healthy, sweet and spicy chilled soup... absolutely refreshing, flavorful, crunchy, low in calories... and delicious!

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Feb
2014

Olive Garden Toscana Soup

categories: Copycat Recipes, Italian, Main Dishes, Soups
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Olive Garden Toscana Soup is a delicious copycat recipe for a beloved, hearty soup with potatoes, Italian sausage and kale, in a seasoned broth!Olive Garden Toscana Soup is a delicious copycat recipe for a beloved, hearty soup with potatoes, Italian sausage and kale, in a seasoned broth!
I’m sitting in my office at home looking out the window at freshly fallen snow in our backyard. We had a crazy snowstorm yesterday (it gets crazy in Portland when we have significant snow). Today another 3-5 inches of snow is expected. Whoa! 

This is a great day for Olive Garden Toscana Soup! My husband and I have both been fighting pesky head colds for several days now, and we decided a big pot of soup was what we needed.

This way we can have soup made for 1) the snowstorm, and 2) leftovers (so I don’t have to cook much while sick). It was a really good idea (we occasionally have good ideas!).

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Where I Found The Recipe For Olive Garden Toscana Soup

Once my hubby and I settled on what KIND of soup it was easy: A big pot of Toscana Soup, a copycat version of the popular soup found at Olive Garden restaurants nationwide. It is also known as Zuppa Toscana.

I dug out my trusty cookbook called “Top Secret Restaurant Recipes”, by author Todd Wilbur, and got busy in the kitchen. Honestly, I can’t count how many times I’ve made this recipe over the years.

We find this soup wonderfully tasty, filling, and it’s ridiculously easy to make. The blended flavors of Italian sausage, potatoes and kale are enhanced by a light, creamy broth.

Olive Garden Toscana Soup is a seriously good soup to cozy up with on a cold, snowy day, or any time you want a great bowl of soup!

How To Make Olive Garden Toscana Soup

Place four Italian sausage links into a large skillet. Pan-sear the sausage links on medium heat until they are browned, and cooked through.

Cooking the sausage links will take between 10 and 15 minutes to cook the sausages all the way through.

Italian sausage links are pan-seared in skillet.

Once they are finished cooking, transfer the sausages out of the skillet, and let them cool for about 10 minutes before attempting to slice them..

Use a sharp knife to slice the cooked Italian sausage links into thin rounds. Set the sausage slices aside to rest while you add other ingredients to the soup.

The cooked Italian sausage links are cut in thin slices.

Time To Slice Those Potatoes!

Slice the cleaned, unpeeled potatoes into thin slices, and then cut them into quarters. The potato slices will cook more evenly if they are all cut about the same size.

Unpeeled russet potatoes are cut into thin slices, then cut into quarters.

Add Potatoes And Kale To The Toscana Soup

Add the sliced potatoes (make them “walk the plank”) to the Toscana soup base that is simmering in a large soup pot.

Potatoes being added to the Olive Garden Toscana Soup in pan.

Next into the soup pot goes the kale. Yes… this recipe calls for lots of fresh chopped kale (the HEALTHY veggie)! Stir to incorporate the potatoes and kale into the soup.

The kale will wilt and reduce in volume as it heats in the hot broth. Now your big ol’ pot of Olive Garden Toscana Soup is almost ready to eat! Are you getting excited? I know I am!

Chopped kale is added to the soup in pan.

Final Step, Then It’s Time To EAT!

Add the cooked and sliced Italian sausage to the soup, and stir, to combine. Continue to heat the soup, until it is very hot, and then get ready to serve it!

Ladle the hot Toscana Soup into individual serving bowls. Serve Olive Garden Toscana Soup with some crusty Italian bread on the side, and enjoy!

The sliced, cooked Italian sausage pieces are added to the pot of Olive Garden Toscana Soup.

Hope you will give this Olive Garden Toscana Soup a try and will discover (if you haven’t already), how delicious it really is!

It’s pretty easy to make a big pot of this soup to enjoy! Sure hope you like it!  If you enjoy the soups at The Olive Garden, be sure to check out my recipe for Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup! It is fantastic, and is one of my all-time favorites!

Thanks for stopping by today. Please come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, and have a great day.

Looking For More SOUP Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have lots of delicious soups for you to enjoy, including:

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Author's signature
Recipe adapted from the cookbook: “Top Secret Restaurant Recipes”, by Todd Wilbur, (published 1977).
 

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Olive Garden Toscana Soup
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 20 mins
 

Olive Garden Toscana Soup is a delicious copycat recipe for a beloved, hearty soup with potatoes, Italian sausage and kale, in a seasoned broth!

Category: Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Toscana soup
Servings: 6 servings
Calories Per Serving: 396 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 4 Italian sausage links (mild or hot flavors are okay-I typically use mild)
  • 6 cups chicken stock
  • 3/4 cup milk (for an even creamier version, use heavy whipping cream, then omit the butter)
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 3 cups chopped kale
  • 3 small russet potatoes- unpeeled (or 1 1/2 large potatoes-unpeeled)
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Grill or sauté the sausages till done (approx. 15 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool. Once sausage has cooled, slice the sausages at an angle into slices about 1/2 inch thick.

  2. In a large saucepan, combine the chicken stock and the milk/butter (or heavy cream) over medium heat. Add the grilled Italian sausage slices and kale to the soup. Slice the unpeeled potatoes into 1/4 inch slices, and then quarter each slice. Add the quartered potato slices to the soup.

  3. Add the spices (salt, pepper, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes) to taste. Let the soup simmer on low, uncovered for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Serve, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Recipe adapted from the cookbook: "Top Secret Restaurant Recipes", by Todd Wilbur, (published 1977).

Nutrition Facts
Olive Garden Toscana Soup
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/6 of total))
Calories 396 Calories from Fat 279
% Daily Value*
Fat 31g48%
Saturated Fat 12g75%
Cholesterol 77mg26%
Sodium 1245mg54%
Potassium 1000mg29%
Carbohydrates 28g9%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 20g40%
Vitamin A 3560IU71%
Vitamin C 47mg57%
Calcium 116mg12%
Iron 2.6mg14%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Olive Garden Toscana Soup is a delicious copycat recipe for a beloved, hearty soup with potatoes, Italian sausage and kale, in a seasoned broth!

 

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Jan
2014

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

categories: Main Dishes, Soups, Vegetable Dishes
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Nothing is as comforting as a hot bowl of soup on a cool day. This delicious, creamy tomato basil soup will really hit the spot, and it’s simple to make!Nothing is as comforting as a hot bowl of soup on a cool day. This delicious, creamy tomato basil soup will really hit the spot, and it's simple to make!

Writing this post made me laugh…my entire life I have despised (I know, harsh words!) tomato soup. Really, really despised it. However, I am married to a guy who loves it. Go figure! But the truth is… I have come to love the taste of this Creamy Tomato Basil Soup!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Tomato Soup Was NOT On The List Of Foods I Enjoyed… Originally!

Years ago I worked at a school where occasionally they would serve the students and staff grilled cheese sandwiches with a small cup of tomato soup.  Word on the street was the soup was good with a grilled cheese sandwich on the side, but I could never even bring myself to try the soup.

I grew up watching that gelatinous blob of tomato soup come out of canned tomato soup when my Dad would have it for lunch. No Thanks! I had such an “ugh” factor going on.

Then I married a guy who LOVES tomato soup, so through the years I would occasionally buy him a can of the stuff to make him happy. He sometimes even buys a carton of freshly made tomato basil soup from the grocery store deli to “heat and eat”.

Why I Ended Up LIKING Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

Fast this story forward to this past summer –  our little garden was overflowing with fresh basil. I decided to combine my home-grown basil with my deep love of cooking and my love for that “tomato-soup-lovin’ husband of mine”. 

 I searched online to find a homemade tomato basil soup recipe he could enjoy.  This recipe for creamy tomato basil soup is the one I tried, and guess what? I had a tiny cup of it and it was absolutely delicious…who knew? Wait… now I like this soup? I was totally surprised!

Now I really enjoy this yummy tomato basil soup! That has to be some kind of miracle! Maybe my taste buds have changed as I’ve gotten older. Perhaps it is the fact that it didn’t come sliding (in one gelatinous blob) out of a little red and white labeled can?
 

How To Make Homemade Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

In a medium sized pan, sauté onions and garlic in butter over medium heat until they are fairly clear (about 4-5 minutes).  Don’t let the garlic burn!

Add the canned tomatoes (including juice) and the chicken stock to the saucepan. Bring the tomato mixture to a full boil.  Reduce the heat, and let it simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes.  Once the tomato mixture has cooked for 10 minutes, remove pan from heat.

 
Cooking the tomato soup before pureeing the tomatoes.
 
Use an immersion blender to puree. Be careful… the soup is HOT! NOTE: If you don’t have an immersion blender, no problem! Carefully transfer the “hot” tomato mixture to a blender or a food processor and puree. You may need to do this in batches.
 
 
Using an immersion blender to puree the tomato soup.
 
Creamy tomato basil soup, AFTER it has been pureed.
 

Add The Fresh Basil

Once the tomato mixture has been pureed, add in the fresh basil and pulse (or blend) a few more times to incorporate the basil into the soup.
 
Fresh, chopped basil is added to tomato soup, then blended in.
 
If you used a blender, return the hot soup carefully to the saucepan. Whisk in the heavy whipping cream, until blended.
 
Whipping cream is added to creamy tomato basil soup.
 
Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Heat on low until the creamy tomato basil soup is fully heated through. Do NOT let the soup boil!
 
Creamy tomato basil soup, after whipping cream has been whisked in.
 

Serve This Delicious Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

Ladle the hot soup into cups or bowls. Garnish each portion with croutons and fresh basil leaves, if desired. ENJOY!
 
Creamy tomato basil soup is served in white bowl, with croutons and basil leaves as garnish.
 
This creamy tomato basil soup is very EASY to make and it’s DELICIOUS. Hope you will give it a try!  Have a wonderful day!

Looking For More SOUP Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have LOTS of soup recipes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe! 

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

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Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signatureRecipe Source: http://unsophisticook.com/tomato-basil-soup/
0 from 0 votes
PRINT
Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
40 mins
 
Nothing is as comforting as a hot bowl of soup on a cool day. This delicious, creamy tomato basil soup will really hit the spot, and it's simple to make!
Category: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: creamy tomato basil soup
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 210 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 4 Tablespoons butter
  • 2 brown onions , chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves , minced
  • 2 (28 oz.) cans whole tomatoes
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil , chopped (plus additional leaves for garnish, if desired)
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • salt (to taste)
  • pepper (to taste)
  • Croutons and additional basil (for garnish, if desired)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. In a medium sized pan, saute onions and garlic in butter over medium heat till they are fairly clear (about 4-5 minutes). Don't let the garlic burn!

  2. Add the canned tomatoes (including the juice) and the chicken stock to saucepan. Bring the tomato mixture to a full boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. When the tomato mixture has cooked for 10 minutes, remove from heat.

  3. Use an immersion blender to puree. NOTE: If you don't have an immersion blender, no problem! Carefully transfer the "hot" tomato mixture to a blender or a food processor and puree. You may need to do this in batches.

  4. Once the tomato mixture has been pureed, add in the fresh basil and pulse (or blend) a few times to incorporate the basil into the soup.

  5. If you used a blender, return the hot soup to saucepan. Whisk in the heavy whipping cream, till blended. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Heat on low until the creamy tomato basil soup is fully heated through. Do NOT let the soup boil!

  6. To serve: Ladle soup into cups or bowls. Garnish with croutons and fresh basil leaves, if desired. ENJOY!

Nutrition Facts
Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/8th of total))
Calories 210 Calories from Fat 108
% Daily Value*
Fat 12g18%
Saturated Fat 7g44%
Cholesterol 38mg13%
Sodium 447mg19%
Potassium 737mg21%
Carbohydrates 21g7%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 11g12%
Protein 6g12%
Vitamin A 900IU18%
Vitamin C 21.2mg26%
Calcium 93mg9%
Iron 2.9mg16%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Nothing is as comforting as a hot bowl of soup on a cool day. This delicious, creamy tomato basil soup will really hit the spot, and it's simple to make!



 

 

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