Many of us get a little tired of turkey sandwiches and casseroles this time of year. If your stomach is ready for a change from the holiday meals, try some of these yummy warm soups to tantalize your taste buds!
4 skinned, boned chicken breast halves 5 cup water 1 large onion, chopped and divided 2 Tablespoons butter or margarine 2 celery ribs, chopped (about 1/3 cup) 3 (16 ounce) cans great Northern beans, rinsed, drained, and divided 3 (4.5 ounce) cans chopped green chiles 1 cup canned chicken broth 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 bay leaf 1 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
Toppings: tortilla chips, shredded Colby Jack cheese, salsa, sour cream
Place chicken, 5 cups water, and half of onion in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, and cook 15 to 18 minutes or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken, reserving broth in Dutch oven. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces; set aside. Melt butter in a skillet; add celery and remaining onion, and sauté until tender.
Stir chicken, celery mixture, 2 cans beans, and next 6 ingredients into broth in Dutch oven, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 1 hour, stirring frequently, until thickened. Process remaining 1 can beans in a blender until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides. Stir bean pureé into chili.
Remove and discard bay leaf; stir in cilantro just before serving with desired toppings.
Source || Back to top
9 large acorn squash, divided 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 2 medium leeks 1/4 cup butter, divided 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 Tablespoons fresh thyme leaves 5 cups chicken broth 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
Garnish: 8 fresh thyme sprigs
Cut a 1-inch slice from bottom of 8 squash, allowing squash to sit flat. Remove stems from tops. Scoop out and discard seeds. Sprinkle squash with salt and pepper, and place, cut side up, in a lightly greased 15 x 10 inch jellyroll pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until tender. Cool slightly. Scoop out squash pulp, leaving 1/4-inch-thick shells. Reserve pulp; place shells in plastic bags. Seal and chill 8 hours. Peel remaining acorn squash; remove seeds, and chop pulp. Remove and discard green tops from leeks, and discard. Cut white portions in half lengthwise, and cut into 1/2-inch slices. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large Dutch oven over medium or medium-high heat; add chopped squash, leeks, garlic, and 2 tablespoons thyme.
Sauté 10 minutes. Add broth, and cook 30 minutes or until squash is tender. Stir in reserved baked squash pulp. Cool slightly. Process mixture, in batches, in a food processor or blender until smooth. Return to Dutch oven; cover and chill 8 hours. Stir half-and-half into soup; cook until heated. (Do not boil) Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet.
Add squash shells, cut sides down, and cook 2 minutes or until edges are browned. Serve soup in shells, and garnish, if desired.
Baked tortilla chips and a garden salad are excellent accompaniments for this soup.
1 (7 ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 cup chopped green bell pepper 1/2 cup chopped green onions 1 Tablespoon bottled minced garlic 1 teaspoon ground cumin 2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast strips 2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans chicken broth 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained 1 (11 ounce) can whole-kernel corn with sweet peppers, drained
Remove 1 chile from can; reserve the remaining chiles and sauce for another use. Mince chile. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper, onions, garlic, and cumin; saute 4 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Stir in minced chile, chicken, broth, tomatoes, and corn. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 3 minutes.
Photo credit — Squash soup, ©iStockphoto.com/bluestocking
