Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 3 1/2 hours-6 1/2 hours

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 cloved garlic, finely chopped
1 cup uncooked wild rice, rinsed and drained
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and black pepper, to taste
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
10 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1. In a 6 quart slow cooker, combine onion, carrots, celery, garlic, wild rice, bay leaves, thyme, salt, and pepper. Top with chicken breast halves. Add the chicken broth. 

2. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low heat setting for 6 to 6 1/2 hours or on high-heat setting about 3 1/2 hours. Carefully remove chicken and shred with two forks. Return to the slow cooker and stir. Remove the bay leaves. Add the parsley and season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.

Leek and Barley Soup

Garlic, Leeks and Carrots

Cutting Leeks:
1) Chop off both ends of the leek (one end has greens, one end doesn't) and use only white/pale green part (see above).
2) Cut two slices vertically 3/4 of the way down each leek so you can wash the inside of the leek. Dry.
3) Chop each leek like I did. 

This soup is thick, hearty and healthy. Perfect for a cold, rainy day! It's pretty versatile too- you can add in more veggies i.e. zucchini or mushrooms if you like.  I had never used barley but it's so cheap and it adds so much fiber and protein to a meal that I am going to look for more recipes that I can use it in!  

 I usually buy those mini whole wheat sourdough loves from Trader Joe's (only 99 cents!) and serve the soup in those. The presentation looks so cool! 

Serves: 8

Ready In: 1 Hr. 15 Min.

Wine Pairing: Chardonnay

What You Will Need:

• 1 T. EVOO
• Pinch each of S& P.
• 1 t. thyme
• 4 leeks, white and pale green parts, washed and chopped
• 6 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 T. tomato paste
• 1/4 c. dry white wine
• 2 c. pearl barley
• 8 c. low sodium chicken broth or stock (add more if you want to thin it out a little) 

Method:

1. In a large pot, heat EVOO on medium heat.
2. Add leeks and garlic, sauté until soft, about 5 min. Add spices. 
3. Add carrots and cook until soft, about 5 min.
4. Add tomato paste, wine and stir. Cook for 4 min.
5. Add barley and broth or stock. Bring to a boil.
6. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 45 min to let the barley cook.
7. If you would like, add more broth. 

Hello Leftovers!!

Recipe Adopted from William Sonoma's 'Soup of the Day' 

Marvelous Minestrone Soup

Serves: The Entire Family 

Ready To Eat In: 45 Min. 

Wine Pairing: Zinfandel

What You Will Need:

• 2 Tablespoons EVOO 
• 1 Large White Onion (chopped) 
• 4 Cloves Garlic (minced) 
• 2 Stalks Celery (chopped) 
• 4 Large Carrots (peeled and chopped) 
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 
• 1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano 
• 1 Teaspoon Dried Basil 
• 1 14-Oz Can Crushed Tomatoes 
• 1 28-Oz Can Diced Tomatoes (with no salt added) 
• 6 Cups of Chicken Broth (low sodium) 
• 1 Cup Whole Wheat Pasta (such as bow-tie or elbow) 
• 1 15-ounce can low-sodium Kidney Beans, (Drain and rinse them to get preservatives off) 
• Top it Off With: Parmesan Cheese and Fresh Basil

Method:

1. Heat the EVOO in a large pot on medium-high heat. 
2. Add the onion; cook about 4 minutes. 
3. Add the garlic; cook about 30 seconds. 
4. Add the celery and carrots and cook about 5 minutes (until they are soft). 
5. Sprinkle on dried oregano and dried basil, some salt and pepper; cook 3 more minutes. 
6. Add the diced and crushed tomatoes and the chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil. 
7. After it starts boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes. 
8. Stir in the kidney beans and pasta and cook until the pasta and vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. 
9. Season with salt. 
10. Ladle into bowls and top with the parmesan and chopped basil.

Recipe Adopted from Ellie Krieger

Feel free to add any other veggies you like to this recipe! 

Fabulous French Onion Soup

Who knew onions could taste like candy?! This  soup gets my senses going CRAZY! It is ABSOLUTELY mouth watering and will have your house smelling fabulous. The method is very simple but it does take some time to cook down all of the onions. You can just sip on your wine while this is going
down! Makes for a beautiful presentation for company too!


Along with other benefits, onions are full of sulfides which help lower blood pressure and they contain fructo-oligosaccharides which can reduce tumors groaning in the colon and stomach cancers. Early settlers even used them to treat colds, coughs and asthma! So, have a second helping :)

Serves: 6

Ready In: About 1 hour 30 min

Wine Pairing: Sauvignon Blanc

You Will Need:

• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 Tablespoon EVOO
• About 4 large yellow onions chopped. Don't know how to chop an onion? Click here:        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwGBt3V0yvc
• Pinch of salt and pepper
• 2 cups dry white wine
• 8 cups low sodium beef broth
• 1 bay leaf (you can find these with the spices)
• sliced  whole grain sourdough, or bread of choice
• about 3 cups of gruyere cheese (or any melty cheese you like)

Method:

• Preheat oven to 400.

• Melt the butter and the oil in large pot on the stove.

• Add onions and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and let cook, stirring often, until onions are like a translucent color. This will take 25-30 min.

• Add the wine and turn heat to high and let cook until the liquid is reduced to half. This will take about 10 min.

• Add the broth and bay leaf and reduce the heat to medium-low. Let cook (uncovered) for about 45 min.

• Put slices of bread on a baking sheet and bake for 3-5 on each side. Put them aside for now.

• Take the bay leaf out and throw it away.

• Fill soup into oven safe bowls (and place on baking sheet), put a slice of bread on each bowl and sprinkle with as much cheese as you want. Bake them in the oven for about 10 min. or until the cheese is nice and melty!

Bon Appetite!

Recipe Adopted from  William Sonoma's 'Soup of the Day'

Butternut Squash Soup

I WAS totally intimidated by butternut squash- they are hard to cut and I had no idea what to do with them. After I found an easy way to cut them (that didn't require my husband's tools in the kitchen!) and found some EASY, delicious recipes, I am hooked! This bright-colored "power food" is full of dietary fiber, folate, vitamin B6 and potassium! Filling, comforting and fabulous!

Serves: 8

Ready In: 1 hour

Wine Pairing: Chilled, crisp glass of Pinot Grigio

You Will Need:

• 2 large butternut squash (organic whenever possible) 
• EVOO 
• 1 tablespoon Kosher Salt, plus more to taste 
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper 
• 3 cups of low sodium chicken stock (vegetable stock works too) 
• 4 Tablespoons honey (or more if you like it sweet) 
• 1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger (and no more :) ) 
• 4 oz heavy cream 
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Method:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

• TRICK: Cutting the Squash: Place squash on large cutting board. Grab the largest knife you have and an additional small cutting board. Place the knife on the butternut squash hotdog style (or lengthwise) and pound the knife through with the small cutting board. After cutting the squash in half, cut each side in half again so you have 4 quarters. Scrape out seeds with a spoon (save, wash and bake with EVOO for a healthy snack!). Repeat with second squash. Easy and done. 

• Pour EVOO on flesh of squash with fingers; add S&P. Fit squash on baking sheet(s) flesh side up 35 min or until soft when you poke it with a fork. 

• After squash has cooled, scrape flesh out with a fork and put all of it in a large pot. Add stock, honey and ginger and bring to a simmer. 

• Blend using a stick blender (these are SO handy, but if you don't have one, you can transfer to a blender, blend, then back to pot). 

• Stir in heavy cream and simmer. Add a little, salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste.

Enjoy!!

Recipe Adopted from Alton Brown!