Butternut Squash Soup

Speaking of comfort food, I have been massively crushing on any and all kinds of soup as of late. It never fails, every time we go out to Panera, I get a large bowl of Chicken Noodle soup and a baguette. Even when it was 80+ degrees out in the middle of August.

Now that the weather is going full on chilly, it's time for everybody else to enjoy what I have been for months. For the past year or two, I keep telling myself I am going to try my hand at a butternut squash soup, and it never happens. Then squash is out of season and I'm forced to wait until the leaves starting turning colors again. Not this year.

I thought I had a recipe all picked out and ready to go when I got started, but one thought led to another, and all of a sudden it was totally and completely different. I just added a bit of this here, that there, and doesn't this sound like it would go in great with all the flavors? I have to admit, I'm not sure I've ever been happier with an original dish outcome.

Butternut Squash Soup

Original Recipe

1 medium to large butternut squash (about 4-5 pounds whole)
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 stalk celery, diced
1 cup onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup carrots, diced
4 cups fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 heaping teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground curry
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Top each half with 1 tablespoon butter (cut into pieces), and about 3-4 teaspoons of brown sugar. Place squash in oven and roast for 1 hour.

Once the squash is done roasting, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the celery, onion, garlic, and carrots. Saute for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the chicken broth to the pot. While the broth is coming to a simmer, scoop out the squash and add it to the pot, discarding the skin. Cover pot, reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for 40 minutes.

Transfer mixture in batches to a blender to puree until smooth, or use a hand blender. Add seasonings and spices to taste (add more ginger or cayenne pepper if you want the soup to have a little kick). Stir in the heavy cream and serve.

Serves: 6

This soup is thick and hearty, and I added close to (if not more than) a 1/2 teaspoon of ginger, so it definitely had a bit of a bite to it. The flavors all come together -- the sweet mixed with the savory, in such a perfect fall-ish way. Almost for a minute making me wish winter baking wasn't just around the corner. (But who am I kidding, cookies trump soup any day.)

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 444g
Amount per serving
Calories 202	Calories from fat 72
% Daily Value
Total Fat 8.0g	12%
Saturated Fat 4.9g	24%
Cholesterol 22mg	7%
Sodium 563mg	23%
Total Carbs 33.5g	11%
Fiber 5.7g	23%
Sugars 8.9g
Protein 3.7g
Vitamin A 549%	Vitamin C 85%
Calcium 13%	Iron 11%

3 Cheese Beer Soup

Halloween in Pittsburgh over the past 4 or so years has been very disappointing. We've had a whopping 3 trick or treaters over that time period between 3 different places we've lived. All tonight, the year Halloween gets moved due to inclement weather (thankyouverymuch Sandy).

One good thing about inclement weather, however, is all the wonderful "comfort" foods that just sound oh so very appealing. Those foods that keep you warm and full and don't make you want to run out to the store at 9 at night for ice cream. Not that we'd ever do that. No, but really, we wouldn't. We're far too lazy.

Although the sun is supposed to show it's face tomorrow, I have a feeling that the pre-Sandy week of 70+ degree temps are now long gone. But that's good news for comfort food. Especially when that category includes this soup. Creamy, cheesy, warm, and filling. And it has bacon. What else could you possibly want out of a soup? That's right. Nothing.

Three Cheese Beer Soup

Adapted from: Pass the Sushi

1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar
1 1/2 cups shredded white cheddar
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup onion, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
2 green onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon dry ground mustard
5 cups fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
12 ounces beer
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 cups frozen diced hash browns
1 1/2 cups small broccoli florets
10 slices bacon, cooked until crispy and drained, chopped
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Shred cheddar cheeses and grate the Parmesan. Set aside for at least 30 minutes before using.

Meanwhile, in a stockpot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions, carrot, green onions, and garlic. Stirring occasionally, cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until vegetables are just turning soft.

Whisk in flour and mustard until mixture has thickened. While continuing to whisk, slowly pour in the broth. Continue whisking until no lumps remain. Once mixture begins to bubble, add the beer, cream, hash browns, and broccoli. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.

Stir in cheeses, a little bit at a time until completely melted. Add the bacon, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix together and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Serves: 8

Yes, there is a little bit of prep-work that has to go into making this soup, but trust me, it is so worth it. Although for the most part, you could easily prep the chopped and shredded ingredients in advance to cut down on the prep time right before you start. Either way, we've made this soup multiple times and it has yet to get old.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 331g
Amount per serving
Calories 420	Calories from fat 268
% Daily Value
Total Fat 29.8g	46%
Saturated Fat 18.0g	90%
Cholesterol 93mg	31%
Sodium 952mg	40%
Total Carbs 16.4g	5%
Fiber 1.4g	5%
Sugars 2.2g
Protein 18.2g
Vitamin A 47%	Vitamin C 14%
Calcium 38%	Iron 4%

Slow Cooker Tomato Soup

If there was one meal I could feed to Adam every day that he would never complain about, it would be grilled cheese and tomato soup. So much so that I've started stockpiling those red and white cans of tomato soup in the pantry for when one of "those days" rolls around. Right next to the blue box blues.

Yes, even my pantry has it's own dirty little secrets.

Like most things, the homemade version is way better than store-bought. However, also like most homemade things -- this takes a bit longer than the open-can-dump-in-bowl-place-in-microwave store-bought variety. Even in the slow cooker form.

BUT, if you're actually craving tomato soup and not just pulling it out of thin air as a last minute dinner option, then making it yourself is really the way to go. Trust.

Campbell's doesn't give you the option to leave things slightly chunky or ridiculously smooth. It doesn't have the extra nuance from the bay leaves, cayenne pepper, and sherry. And it most certainly doesn't have that lovely extra bit of creaminess, even if you use milk instead of water. It.just.doesn't.

But this does. And it's fantastic. Which is why you should really hope for a rainy day soon. I mean, if you really need that excuse and all.

Slow Cooker Tomato Soup

Adapted from: Pass the Sushi

2 tablespoons butter
3 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, drained and juices reserved
2 cups onion, diced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 dried bay leaves
1/2 cup light cream
2 teaspoons cooking sherry
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Stir in tomatoes (without juice), onion, sugar, tomato paste, salt and pepper. Cook until tomatoes become lightly browned and dry, 8-10 minutes. Whisk in flour and cook for an additional minute. Slowly pour in 1 cup chicken broth, whisking constantly. Pour tomato mixture into a slow cooker (with no plastic liner).

Add the remaining chicken broth, reserved tomato juice, and bay leaves, stirring to combine. Cover and cook on low, 4-6 hours.

Remove bay leaves and lower heat to "warm". Puree soup in the slow cooker with an immersion blender until smooth (or transfer in batches to a regular blender, then return to slow cooker). Add the cream, sherry, and cayenne and still until fully combined. Add additional chicken broth if soup is too thick.

Serves: 6

The only thing I forgot to do when making this was to throw in the rind from some Parmesan cheese to add another layer of flavor in this soup. Dang it. Next time. And according to the hubby, there will most definitely be a next time. If you happen to make this (which why isn't it on your to-make list already?), try it out for me and let me know how that goes. Just make sure to pull out any remaining rind before pureeing away.

Oh, and happy day -- the homemade version is actually lower in calories and sodium than the Healthy Request canned version (1 cup vs. 1 cup). A little more saturated fat, but I think taste totally trumps that in this case.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 388g
Amount per serving
Calories 144	Calories from fat 67
% Daily Value
Total Fat 7.5g	12%
Saturated Fat 4.5g	22%
Cholesterol 21mg	7%
Sodium 275mg	11%
Total Carbs 17.0g	6%
Fiber 3.5g	14%
Sugars 8.9g
Protein 3.9g
Vitamin A 41%	Vitamin C 50%
Calcium 5%	Iron 8%

Spicy Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken Noodle Soup is the ultimate "feel better" soup. (Unless you're my husband and want vegetable soup in that scenario, but he's just weird.) I totally grew up on the Campbell's version of the soup, but you really can't beat it when it's homemade. (Um, of course, you can add three times as many noodles!)

Usually though, when I'm not sick, I tend to steer away from the comforts of the Chicken Noodle Soup. Not that I don't enjoy it, but, it has it's time and place -- when I'm sick. However, this version of Chicken Noodle Soup is one I definitely embrace sick OR healthy.

Sick version: up the amount of Sriracha and red curry paste and you will be guaranteed to clear out those sinuses. Even if you can't taste it.

Healthy version: keep "as is" and enjoy a nice spicy Asian flavored soup.

See, that's just a win-win for me.

Spicy Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

Adapted from: RavieNomNoms

3 cups fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water
8 ounces cooked shredded chicken
1/2 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup snow peas, thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons Sriracha
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste
1 2-inch piece fresh ginger
3 ounces uncooked rice flour noodles
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup green onions, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces

In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the first 9 ingredients (through ginger). Bring to a simmer for at least 5 minutes, then keep warm.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the rice noodles and cook according to package instructions; drain. Transfer 1/4 cup noodles into each soup bowl.

Remove ginger from broth mixture. Add lime juice and stir. Ladle about 1 1/2 cups soup into each bowl. Sprinkle with a tablespoon each of cilantro and green onions.

Serves: 4

Not only is this super tasty, but it's also a breeze to throw together. Simply heat the ingredients in a large pot and away you go. Kind of sounds like the canned Chicken Noodle Soup. But tastier.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 400g
Amount per serving
Calories 195	Calories from fat 22
% Daily Value
Total Fat 2.4g	4%
Saturated Fat 0.7g	4%
Cholesterol 44mg	15%
Sodium 648mg	27%
Total Carbs 22.6g	8%
Fiber 2.1g	8%
Sugars 1.8g
Protein 19.5g
Vitamin A 53%	Vitamin C 22%
Calcium 4%	Iron 10%

Creamy Potato & Leek Soup

Fact: It is 58 degrees in my house right now. And yes, my fingers and toes are super chilly. Everything else though, is buried beneath blankets, sweatpants, and a hoodie. It's one of the only times I'm glad my laptop runs on the hot side -- makes for a nice leg warmer.

The weather this past week and weekend has been absolutely dismal -- rainy with temps dropping down into the 40s, and it has insisted on carrying on in this fashion into this week. Need I say I'm not a fan? Especially when we thought we had our furnace fixed, only to find out that no, it is in fact, not. We may or may not have made a last minute space heater purchase late last night after discovering the bedroom was a mere 55 degrees.

Sometimes, there's only one way to combat such crap-tastic weather. Eating a nice warm rib-sticking meal. Which this soup totally is. Hot. Filling. Tasty. Sign me up. Then send over the contractor that was supposed to show up to fix the furnace at 8am and still hasn't arrived.

Creamy Potato and Leek Soup

Adapted from: Allrecipes.com

8 potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 cups fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 pound bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 large leeks, sliced
1 cup 1% milk
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

Add potatoes and chicken broth to a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, add bacon to a large skillet. Cook over medium high heat until cooked through, but not crispy. Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain, reserving 3 tablespoons of drippings in the pan. Add leeks to the same pan, and saute for 8-10 minutes.

When potatoes are done, reduce heat to low and stir in 3/4 of the leeks and the milk. Using an immersion blender (or transfer in batches to a regular blender), puree the mixture until soup reaches desired consistency. (Can leave as many or as few potato chunks as desired.) Stir in bacon, remaining leeks, and pepper. If soup becomes too thick, add more milk. Serve hot.

Serves: 8

My soup ended up a tad thicker than what I was originally aiming for, but it still hit the spot. Which is great, considering how few ingredients this soup has. Of course, you could always cut down on the amount of bacon this recipe calls for to help lighten things up a bit in the calorie department, but honestly, it carries a lot of the flavor in this dish, so don't go hog wild if that's what you decide to do.

Overall the soup was good, but I think I might prefer the cheesy goodness of my Potato Bacon Soup over this.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 443g
Amount per serving
Calories 483	Calories from fat 218
% Daily Value
Total Fat 24.3g	37%
Saturated Fat 8.0g	40%
Cholesterol 64mg	21%
Sodium 1565mg	65%
Total Carbs 39.0g	13%
Fiber 5.5g	22%
Sugars 4.9g
Protein 26.4g
Vitamin A 9%	Vitamin C 74%
Calcium 8%	Iron 14%

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Sometimes, there are just days I can't decide for the life of me what to make for dinner. These days typically involve a phone call to the hubby asking if he has any ideas. More often than not, he doesn't, but occasionally, he'll throw an idea or two out there that at least gives me a place to start.

Such was the case with this meal. He suggested soup (and something else I can't remember, I'm such a good listener). I had zero desire to go to the store to pick up a few odds and ends, which unfortunately left me little to work with. I had plenty of chicken broth, but hardly any veggies. I didn't have sufficient pasta, nor the desire to spend a ton of time on prep work. Gah. Maybe soup wasn't the greatest idea. Until I remembered I had a huge hunk of sharp American left over from my Cheesy Corn Bake. A little more rummaging scared up some Velveeta. So something cheesy.

I haven't had Broccoli Cheese soup in what seems like forever. It used to be my go-to soup every time I went to Panera, or any other type of deli-ish place and was craving soup. Then I burned out on the filling, cheesy soup. After years of a self-imposed hiatus from the soup, I decided it was time to give it another chance. At the very least, we'd have dinner without a trip to the store.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Adapted from: Allrecipes.com

6 tablespoons butter
1 cup onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 (16 ounce) packages frozen broccoli cuts
4 cups reduced-sodium fat-free chicken broth
8 ounces sharp American cheese, cubed
8 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed
2 cups milk
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
2/3 cup cornstarch

In a large stockpot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add onion, cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add broccoli and chicken broth, simmering until broccoli is tender, 10-15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, stir in cheeses. Continue stirring until all the cheese is fully melted. Using an immersion blender (or carefully transferring soup to a blender in batches), puree soup to desired consistency.

Meanwhile, fill a liquid measuring cup with milk. Whisk in cornstarch and garlic powder until no lumps remain. Heat milk mixture in microwave 30 seconds, or until lukewarm. Pour mixture into soup, stirring, until thick.

Serves: 12

This is definitely not your light and dainty soup -- no, this is your hearty, fill-you-up, keeps-you-full-for-hours soup. I'm not a huge fan of overly chunky Broccoli Cheese soup, so I opted to puree mine down (not complete smooth, but almost), although you certainly don't have to if broccoli chunks float your boat. This soup also comes out very thick, just the way I like. Once again, if you like yours more on the thin side, simply add less cornstarch.

While Broccoli Cheese soup still isn't something I'm going to be craving all the time, at least now I have a recipe for when I do!

Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories 248	Calories from fat 141
% Daily Value
Total Fat 15.7g	24%
Saturated Fat 9.7g	54%
Cholesterol 49mg	16%
Sodium 623mg	26%
Total Carbs 17.1g	6%
Dietary Fiber 1.7g	7%
Sugars 6.5g
Protein 10.4g
Vitamin A 19%	Vitamin C 86%
Calcium 28%	Iron 4%

Irish Beef & Beer Stew

This is what I get for letting Adam pick what's for dinner. I was struggling trying to come up dinner for the week, again, so I tossed my recipe binder to Adam and told him to pick something. Of course, he finds a recipe not marked but has both beer and beef in the title. Why am I not surprised?

If you haven't noticed by now, I don't really do a lot of beef. I very rarely, if ever, have steak-craving, and surprisingly, Adam never really asks for just a big chunk of red meat. If and when red meat shows up here, it's usually in the form of ground beef/round/sirloin. That I can handle. When I was still in high school, trimming meat, especially chicken, grossed me out. I literally could not do it. After having to actually feed myself, I finally got past my trimming chicken aversion, but not so much for other meat (i.e. beef).

So there I was last night. Standing in the kitchen looking at a huge slab of chuck roast wondering what in the heck I was supposed to trim, and what was I supposed to leave, and oh gross why is that hard? I'm sure my face was priceless at times. But I somehow managed to slice and dice my beef and get it in the pot. I had such reservations about it though. I just couldn't imagine that cut of beef becoming tender in just two hours. I was oh-so-wrong, and glad of it. Instead of being tough and chewy, the beef was tender -- almost to the falling apart stage. Win. Now go throw some Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes in the oven. Surely you'll want the beer-laced food festivities to continue after you finish this stew, right?

Irish Beef & Beer Stew
Adapted from: Cooking Light, December 2009

3 bacon slices
2 1/2 pounds boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
2 cups onion, diced
8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 (11.2-ounce) bottle Guinness beer
2 cups carrot, sliced in 1/2-inch thickness
1 3/4 cups parsnip, sliced in 1/2-inch thickness
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
2 tablespoons stone-ground Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 dried bay leaf

In a dutch oven over medium heat, cook bacon until done. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Add half of beef to drippings in pan, cook 5 minutes, or until brown on all sides. Remove beef from pan and set aside. Repeat with remaining beef.

Add onion to dutch oven; sauté 4 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic; sauté an additional 4 minutes or until starting to turn tender. Whisk in flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour in beer, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add bacon, beef, carrots, parsnips, broth, mustard and seasonings to pan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 2 hours or until beef is tender. Discard bay leaf before serving.

Serves: 8

Not being a huge beef stew lover, I have to admit this was pretty good. The caraway seeds are fairly potent, however, so if you're a typical eyeballer when it comes to measuring things out, I'd err on the side of caution with those. The only thing that I didn't really care for in this dish was the mushrooms. Wait, mushrooms? I though I had changed my mind on those. For the most part yes, but for some reason, the way they are treated in this recipe reminds me of why I didn't like them in the first place. Although Adam was more than happy to take them off my hands.

Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories 598	Calories from fat 335
% Daily Value
Total Fat 37.2g	57%
Saturated Fat 14.3g	72%
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 148mg	49%
Sodium 668mg	28%
Total Carbs 16.9g	6%
Dietary Fiber 3.2g	13%
Sugars 4.5g
Protein 44.1g
Vitamin A 92%	Vitamin C 15%
Calcium 6%	Iron 30%

Potato Bacon Soup

Even though the past week has been full of sun and slightly (oh-so-slightly) warmer temperatures, I still get that craving for soup. For some reason, there's nothing more satisfying after a semi-long run in chilly weather than a bowl full of warm soup. Especially when potatoes and bacon are involved.

I do have another recipe for potato soup on my site, but let's consider that a "light" version. As for this one? Yeah, not so much on the light side. This is the soul-satisfying, no-excuses, cheesy potato bacon soup goodness. I mean, let's face it, we're putting a POUND of cheese into this soup, then topping it with more. And adding bacon. As for veggies? They're in there, just hidden by the end (perfect for those fickle kids or hubbies who insist they will not eat them).

With all its richness, this may not be a soup to put on the menu every week, but every once in a while it is oh-so-nice to splurge and have "the real thing".

Potato Bacon Soup
Adapted from: Scott Nems Doots

10 strips bacon, divided
1 cup onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
5 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
6 cups reduced-sodium fat-free chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes
8 ounces Velveeta, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 cups potatoes, cubed (peeled or unpeeled)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons dried chives

In a large stock pot, cook the bacon over medium heat (may take multiple batches). Once bacon has finished cooking, remove from the pot and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate. Leave the drippings in the pot. Add in the onions, carrots, and celery and sauté until soft, about 10 minutes. Add 5 cups diced potatoes, broth, pepper, salt, and cayenne pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.

Using an immersion blender, puree the soup base until it is completely smooth. (If you don't have an immersion blender, you can transfer the soup in batches to a regular blender and puree, then return to the pot.) If the base is too thick, you can add more broth to thin it out.

Add the remaining 4 cups potatoes, cream cheese, and Velveeta. Let simmer, stirring frequently, for 25-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender and the cheeses have melted. Crumble 6 strips of bacon and stir in.

Serve topped with 2 tablespoons of shredded cheddar and 1/2 crumbled strip of bacon.

Serves: 8

I finally got an immersion blender for Christmas, after months of insisting and thinking that it really wasn't a necessary tool to have in the kitchen. Which, honestly, it isn't necessary -- but it most definitely is handy. I took my new and unused present to my sister's back in January to make this soup among other things for her to freeze while she was in the hospital. And then I promptly forgot it when we left. Of course.

Well, I am happy to report that it is back in my possession. Right off the bat Adam asks for spaghetti and meatballs. Now that I have my immersion blender back, wouldn't it be just so easy to make marinara (it is after all, his favorite meal)? Followed by puppy dog eyes... So I did. And didn't take pictures. Such is life.

But I wasn't done playing with my new toy yet, and decided to put this on the menu so I could. Ha, I love excuses to make things. :) Let me just say, I leave the kitchen about 50 times cleaner with about half as many dishes when I use the immersion blender versus the regular one. And that, my friends, is a feat all in itself.

Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories 511	Calories from fat 279
% Daily Value
Total Fat 31.0g	48%
Saturated Fat 16.6g	83%
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 95mg	32%
Sodium 1370mg	57%
Total Carbs 34.4g	11%
Dietary Fiber 4.9g	19%
Sugars 5.8g
Protein 23.8g
Vitamin A 70%	Vitamin C 60%
Calcium 29%	Iron 12%

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

This past Saturday, neither Adam or I felt in the mood to cook (yes, it really does happen -- quite frequently, in fact), so we decided to brave the crowds and find a non-fast-food place to eat. As both of us had just finished our long runs earlier, we were both starving. Having a long wait was not an option. Since we didn't really want to drive very far for dinner, our first choice ended up being Olive Garden for some pasta. After finding out the wait time was over an hour, we decided to hop across the street instead to a local Mexican place. Good choice, as I already had this Olive Garden spin-off Chicken Gnocchi soup lined up for Monday night's dinner.

When I was younger, we would always have soccer tournaments and games a considerable distance away from where I lived. It was always a special treat to go to Olive Garden after (or sometimes before) the game as the town where I lived didn't have one. I swore up and down I could live on their breadsticks. Fast forward several years, and I have fallen out of love with the place. To me, it falls into the "boring chain restaurant" category with Friday's, Chili's, and Applebee's. It rarely has any dishes that truly stand out, or go outside the box with bold flavors. Even their breadsticks seem overly garlicky and salty now, especially on the bottom.

While most of their pasta dishes come across very flat and bland, their chicken gnocchi soup is one thing I do enjoy. It's rich and hearty with little pillows of gnocchi and chicken floating around. And gnocchi makes me happy.

Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Adapted from: Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker

16 ounces gnocchi
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup onion, diced
1/2 cup celery (about 2 stalks), diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup flour
1 quart half and half*
1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
1 cup carrots, shredded
2 (4 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced and cooked
1 cup fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Bring a medium saucepan filled with water to a boil. Cook the gnocchi according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, celery and garlic and sauté until the onion becomes translucent, about 7 minutes. Whisk in the flour, forming a roux. Cook for 1 minute. Pour in the half and half, and add the carrots and chicken to the dutch oven. Simmer until the mixture begins to thicken, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, and allow the mixture to thicken again, stirring often, about 5 minutes or until the consistency desired is achieved. Stir in the gnocchi, spinach, and seasonings and simmer until soup is heated through.

Serves: 8 (4 as an entrée)

*I don't recommend using a low-fat or fat-free version of half and half, but if you choose to do so, make sure you do not let the soup come to a boil as this will cause the cream to break (making it grainy).

While this rendition of Chicken Gnocchi soup isn't exactly the same as Olive Garden's, it's very close and still very good. Definitely do not leave out the salt, pepper, or nutmeg, as they help finish off the savory side of the soup. Trust me on that one... I might have done that and had to add it in after the fact. Adam and I both really enjoyed this, and it's perfect for one of those nasty chilly days.

Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving - 8 servings
Calories 374	Calories from fat 231
% Daily Value
Total Fat 25.6g	39%
Saturated Fat 15.1g	75%
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 95mg	32%
Sodium 744mg	31%
Total Carbs 21.5g	7%
Dietary Fiber 1.6g	6%
Sugars 2.3g
Protein 14.4g
Vitamin A 66%	Vitamin C 10%
Calcium 17%	Iron 8%