Winter Yummies

I LOVE the idea of sharing soup recipes. Thanks for taking the time to put yours out there for us, Merritt. I make your Pasta Fagioli regularly in the winter and I also make Anna's Black Bean and Corn Relish Tostadas often. I'm so grateful to glean recipes from you ladies - you all are wonderful inspirations!

Here are also three from our kitchen. Well, they are ALL from Real Simple Magazine, actually. I love their recipes, as you know. So I just copied everything from their website and pasted it here for convenience.

Creamy Barley with Tomatoes and Greens

(vegetarian)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 2 cups quick-cooking barley
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 8 cups torn mustard green leaves (from 1 small bunch) or spinach
• 2 ounces Taleggio or Brie (rind removed), cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan (2 ounces)

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
2. Add the barley, tomatoes, wine, and 2 ½ cups water and bring to a boil. (I don't drain the tomatoes and add 2 cups instead)
3. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the barley is tender, 12 to 15 minutes.
4. Add the mustard greens, Taleggio, and ¼ cup of the Parmesan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the greens are tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Divide among bowls and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup of Parmesan.

Spicy Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

• 1 9-ounce package soft corn tortillas
• 2 32-ounce boxes or cans low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
• 1 large red onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 large tomatoes, diced
• 2 medium jalapenos, sliced
• juice of 1 lime
• 2 ears grilled corn
• 1 1/2 cups fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 ripe avocado, peeled and cubed
• 8 ounces crumbled Feta cheese, queso blanco, or other fresh white cheese

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350° F. Cut the tortillas into 1/2-inch strips. Arrange on a baking sheet and bake 8 to 10 minutes or until crispy.
2. In a large saucepan, simmer the chicken broth and meat for 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the red onion, tomatoes, jalapeños, and lime juice. Heat about 5 minutes. Cut the corn from the cobs and add it to the soup.
4. Divide the tortilla strips among 4 bowls. Ladle in the soup and top with cilantro, avocado, and cheese.

I super simplify this recipe and use tortilla chips, frozen corn, canned tomatoes, pickled jalapenos, etc... I usually make this on an evening immediately after I make my chicken broth for the week which is super easy to just use the extra chicken pieces and 64 oz chicken broth. This isn't usually spicy enough for us so sometimes we add salsa or tobasco. 

White Bean Chili with Jalapeno Bulgur

(vegetarian)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup bulgur wheat
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, rinsed

Directions

1. Bring 1 cup water to a boil. Add the bulgur and simmer, covered, until all the water is absorbed and the bulgur is tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice, scallions, jalapeño, 1 tablespoon of the oil, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.
2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes and their liquid and 1½ cups water to the onion mixture; bring to a boil. Add the beans and simmer until slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Divide the chili among bowls and top with the bulgur.
   
   To freeze: Omit the bulgur. Make the chili as directed. Cool to room temperature and divide among freezer containers or bags. Freeze for up to 3 months.
   
   To cook: Thaw the chili in a bowl of cold water or overnight in the refrigerator. Transfer to a pot and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until heated through, 10 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the bulgur. Top the chili as directed.

By the way, check out Real Simple's article this month on "30 Speedy, Savory Soups and Stews"