Tag Archives: soup

Mix It Up Monday – It’s Mix Week!

30 Tuesday Apr 2019

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Frontier Soups Illinois Prairie Corn Chowder

I’ve had this soup in my mix stash for a while. Other mixes seemed to come along that I’d want to make, so this one kept getting put on the proverbial “back burner”. This week being kind of crazy with deadlines, I decided a nice easy soup mix that could take care of itself was the mix of choice. As I did have a couple of soup mixes to choose from, I decided this one was getting its chance!

I will admit I was a bit fuzzy on the ingredients needed – so, I made a few substitutions. were emergency ones and one that I’d planned on.

The first sub I made was in the use of a couple fresh cubes potatoes. I didn’t have any, so I searched the cupboard and found a can of cubed potatoes – perfect! I just waited until near the end of cooking before I added them so they wouldn’t turn to mush with the long cooking time.

Next, grabbed the 32 ounce carton of low-sodium chicken broth and dumped it into my saucepan. Then, I re-read the ingredients-I-supply list and I needed TWO 32 ounce cartons. Oopsies. I didn’t have two, just the one. So, I used 4 cups of water instead and hoped it would work out and not be too bland etc. It worked out wonderfully! I did not miss the extra broth at all!

The final substitute I made was using 1 1/2 cups half & half instead of the 2 cups of heavy/whipping cream it called for. It worked really well and I’d even be brave enough to try using milk next time to lighten it a bit!

As an optional ingredient, you can add corn cut from a couple of cobs, if it’s available. I didn’t do this but it would add another layer of yum to it!

It’s easy to make, if you use fresh, diced potatoes you cook them in the broth first. So, you add your 8 cups (64 ounces) of broth (or half water like I did, lol) and bring it yo boil, add your potatoes, and you let them cook a bit. Next your mix goes in and it simmers covered, for about 45 minutes. At this point you add your cream (or half & half as I used) and let it cook on low about 30 minutes. And then you have yourself a super tasty soup that you have to do very little in making it!

I will definitely be stocking this soup mix in my pantry, I’ve yet to be disappointed by one of these soup mixes, and this one is no exception! Give it a try!

Frontier Soups Illinois Prairie Corn Chowder

 

from Kris B.

Essential Goodness Super Grain Pancake Mix

I have this rule in the kitchen that I don’t buy one-purpose gadgets or appliances.  The reason?  I love such things; if I bought all of the “one-hit wonders” out there, I would need a kitchen ten times larger than the one I have.  Since, when I cook, we almost always have leftovers since it is just the two of us, I am developing similar feelings about food.  Food should work for at least two meals – breakfast and lunch or lunch and dinner.  If something will work for all three, like pizza and cake, all the better! 🙂   Pancakes are that perfect food.  In our house, they may show up on the table for breakfast, lunch, dinner, a snack , or even dessert!

I almost always have some kind of pancake or waffle mix in the pantry “for an emergency” when I don’t have a meal plan or the day doesn’t go as planned.  At some point, I ordered a box of King Arthur Flour’s Essential Goodness Super Grain Pancake Mix.    The super grains are: sorghum, oats, teff, buckwheat, spelt, as well as chia seeds.  They are definitely packed with grainy goodness!

To the boxed mix, you add vegetable oil, milk, and eggs.  The recipe does not specify what kind of milk to use.  I ended up using a mixture of whole milk, because I had some that needed to be used, and almond milk.  Since I have never made these pancakes before, I’m not sure if this mixture had any affect on the outcome.  The ingredients are stirred together and poured by 1/4 cup measure onto a preheated griddle.

At first, I was  disappointed that these pancakes didn’t “fluff up” like typical buttermilk pancakes.  This may have been caused by my milk substitution???  However, because they are so packed with grains that once I tasted them, I didn’t feel cheated.  Just a couple of pancakes with the traditional butter and maple syrup topping or with syrup and the fruit of your choice were filling and satisfying.

The box made 20 pancakes.  This is 4-5 meals for Weber and me so I packaged and froze the extras, a bonus for busy days.  All I have to do is pop them in the toaster oven!  With a little fruit and whipped topping, one pancake will also make a filling and healthy snack or dessert.

As a bonus to a the healthy meal that these pancakes provide for us, the purchase of King Arthur’s Essential Goodness products help to fight domestic hunger.  Through their partnership with Feeding America, King Arthur has provided over 2.5 million meals.

Give this mix a try!  Feed your family a healthy meal and help someone who might otherwise go hungry!

 

 

 

 

Mix It Up Monday – Soups On!

12 Tuesday Feb 2019

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Fast and Easy Chicken Stew with Dumplings

Even when the calendar and the weather don’t agree on winter, my head tells me that soups and stews are perfect winter month meals.  I had some frozen oven roasted chicken that needed to be used so I figured a hearty chicken noodle soup might be a good use for it.  I then stumbled onto this recipe for Fast and Easy Chicken Stew with Dumplings on the King Arthur website.  It sounded warm and heart; that’s what I was looking for so I gave it a try.

I must say, that when it comes to dumplings, I normally prefer slippery to fluffy, but I decided to keep an open mind and follow the recipe exactly for these fluffy dumplings.

I liked the way that the recipe was written because it presented the instructions in a way that the pacing for preparing the various components worked well – no wasted time.  The first step was to make the stew.

STEW

  •  butter
  • King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
  • chicken broth
  • thyme
  • bay leaf
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • diced cooked chicken
  •  frozen mixed vegetables, thawed and/or cooked; or a mixture of cooked peas and carrots

You begin by making a roux, to which you then add the broth and seasoning.  This simmers for 15 minutes and then the bay leaf is removed and the chicken and vegetables are added.  The mixture then simmers while you mix the ingredients for the dumplings.

DUMPLINGS

I don’t normally keep Self-rising Flour.  I purchased some specifically for this recipe.  (Watch for it as an ingredient in an upcoming post. :-))  You can make your own self-rising flour by adding 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt for every cup of flour.

The dough for the dumplings comes together easily.  It neither too sticky or too dry.  Once mixed, it is dropped by 1/4 scoop on top of the simmering stew.  The pot of is then covered and placed into a  350 degree oven to bake for 25-30 minutes.

That’s it!  Serve the stew and dumplings hot for a warm and cozy winter meal!

  • I did use a cup more broth in my stew than the recipe called for.
  • For me, the thyme was a little overpowering.  Next time I will probably use poultry seasoning for a more varied flavor.  I might also use a bit more Worcestershire sauce.  With almost any recipe, we have to play with the seasonings to get them “just right.”  That is part of what makes cooking fun!
  • The dumplings were delicious!  I don’t know if it is because they were baked or what, but these were the best fluffy dumplings I’ve had.  This dumpling recipe can be used with any of your favorite stew recipes, though you may have increase the liquid in your recipe a bit.

I will definitely make this recipe again.  It is good as it is, but tweaking the flavors just a bit will make it even better.  I’m always thrilled when I can find an easy and delicious one pot meal!

 

from Tracey G.

Vermont Cheddar Cheese Soup from King Arthur Flour

I’m going to be honest here, I love cheese soups – but usually they are restaurant fare because I can never seem to get the right flavor at home that I’m looking for. I’ve tried numerous times to make them at home, and the only one I’d liked up this point was the mix by Frontier Soups, sold by KAF for Broccoli Cheddar Soup. (Post for this can be found here). Well, this soup is a game changer for me – I can have my homemade cheese soup whenever I want, and I usually have everything on hand to make it!! This recipe surpassed my expectations, I am so glad I tried it!

Ingredients are simple, the only thing that is “special” for it is the KAF Vermont Cheese Powder – that is one thing this recipe would fall flat without! I will say, I discovered that this is another fabulous reason to have the King Arthur Flour Vermont Cheddar Cheese Powder on hand – I’d only originally bought the stuff for purely using on my popcorn! (I am confident though that you could use any cheddar cheese powder!)

Ingredients:

  • butter
  • celery, diced
  • onion, diced
  • carrots, diced
  • garlic, minced
  • dried thyme
  • chicken or vegetable broth
  • cornstarch dissolved in cool water
  • cheddar cheese powder (optional, for extra cheese zip)
  • extra-sharp or sharp Vermont cheddar cheese, grated
  • cream or half & half
  • salt and freshly ground pepper
  • cayenne pepper, or hot pepper sauce, optional

I did veer from the recipe slightly:

  • I didn’t have shredded/grated Vermont sharp cheddar, so I just used the regular shredded sharp cheddar I always have on hand.
  • Because it sounded good, the other thing I did was add a can of drained, diced potatoes. But let me also say that broccoli (or cauliflower!) would be a fantastic addition as well!
  • It called for heavy cream or half and half (I used half and half), but I think it would be ok with milk too, as, part of what thickens it a slurry of cornstarch and water. I will try it with milk, because I usually have that around, but not half and half.
  • Lastly, I didn’t use thyme because Jeremy doesn’t care for the taste, I love it, but I wasn’t interested in eating all the soup by myself!

Anyway, the base it simple. It’s a vegetable combination of carrots, onions, celery and minced garlic, sautéed in butter. To that you add your chicken broth (or vegetable broth), and simmer until your carrots are tender. At that point you add the cornstarch/water mixture, half and half (or cream), Vermont Cheese Powder and shredded cheddar and thyme. At this point you can adjust your seasoning of salt and pepper, as that’s the last thing to do, or you can season in your own bowl if you prefer! I really like that control.

I am seriously excited to add this to my recipe book – I can say it’s one that I will be making when I get the craving for cheddar cheese soup, or cheesy potato soup or even broccoli cheddar soup – maybe all of the above! Do give it a try – it’s easy and delicious!

 

 

Mix It Up Monday – Warm Meals for Cold Temps

28 Monday Jan 2019

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from Kris B.

Cider Baked Beans

I am a big fan of beans…almost any kind of beans.  Unfortunately, my husband is not.  If you know anything about homemade bean recipes, they almost always make A LOT of beans.  I ask a believer in black-eyed peas on New Years  day.  My preferred way to eat them is in Hoppin’ John.  Rather than try to cut down the recipe, I made the full version, which called for a pound of black-eyed peas…and I ate Hoppin’ John every day for the first week of the year!  Based on this, I should be quite prosperous in 2019!

Three weeks later, I am now ready for more beans.  I was intrigued by Bountiful Pantry’s Cider Baked Beans, which are sold by King Arthur Flour.  Half of the liquid used to cook the beans is apple cider.  In addition, one to two pounds of diced green apples are also added.

The mix comes with the beans and a seasoning packet.  To this, you add apple cider, broth of your choice, (I used vegetable.), and ketchup.  The mix offers stove top, oven, and slow cooker instructions.  Because I am now back at work and don’t have as much time to cook, I took the lazy way out…I threw the mix and all the other required ingredients into the Crock-Pot in the morning before I left for work, set it to cook on low for 10 hours, and didn’t think anymore about them until I got home that evening and smelled their deliciousness.

The “sauce” is not as thick as that of canned baked beans, but don’t let that disappoint you.  The flavor is amazing.  I’ll admit that I was a little worried about the beans being too sweet because of the apples and the cider, but they are not.  They are perfect blend of sweet and savory!

The package instructions suggest adding either bacon or sausage to the pot while the beans are cooking, which I did not do.  I did, however, slice a little bit of uncured turkey kielbasa into my bowl of beans once they were cooked, making them a meal rather than just a side of beans.  Since the kielbasa is fully cooked, this makes it easy to adapt the mix to both vegetarians and carnivores.

As tasty as these beans are, I was not keen on another whole week of bean eating, so I froze several small containers of leftovers.  Hopefully they will be just as good when defrosted and reheated!

If you make the Cider Baked Beans in a slow cooker, they take time, but no real energy on your part.  If you need them to be done a bit quicker, I have no doubt that the stove top and oven method will yield equally delicious beans.  

This mix is really good as is, but those of you who like to be creative in the kitchen can probably add a few secret ingredients to make them your own.

from Tracey G.

Frontier Soups Montana Classic Chili Mix from King Arthur Flour

I love trying the soup mixes from King Arthur Flour, because I’ve not been disappointed yet! Around this household, they wouldn’t be enough for a dinner for 3, but for us, they make a perfect lunch!

I was really anxious to try this particular mix, because chili is a popular dish around here, and it would be fun to have one that would make something a little different than I could, and easily. This soup mix fit the bill – it was easy and none of it went to waste! Plus I served it with some cornbread muffins and it was a perfect meal!

The items you add are simple: 1 tbsp vegetable oil, ground beef (although that is optional!), can of petite diced tomatoes, 2 tbsp of red wine vinegar, 2 tsp of sugar and 12 oz of beef broth. I even deviated away from the petite diced tomatoes because I’m the only on around here who likes them, so I just used a can of tomato sauce – and it worked just fine.

It comes together easily, brown the ground beef if you’re using it, in the tablespoon of oil. Next you add the mix, combine it with the meat and cook for about 30 seconds. At this point you add in the rest of the ingredients, and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Now all that’s left to do it eat it – dish it out and dig in! And it tastes even better the next day, as I can personally attest to!

If you’re looking for a chili mix for a little something different in your routine – this is a great one. I will admit,  spicy, but in my opinion it’s just enough!

 

Leave us a comment and let us know how you are keeping warm during these cold winter days and you’ll have a chance to win our $50 gift card to be given away on Friday February 1st!

Mix It Up Monday: Big Tastes in Little Time

26 Monday Nov 2018

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from Tracey G.

Frontier Soups Virginia Blue Ridge Broccoli Cheddar Soup

This time of year, and all through the months, I love a good cup or bowl of soup. Sometimes though, like during the week, I don’t want all the work that can go into making it from scratch. The chopping & prepping the vegetables, which I normally love doing, I don’t love during the time crunched school/work week.

So with that in mind, I’ve turned to mixes a few times and probably been disappointed the majority of those times. They’re either too “mix-like” tasting or way to salty/high in sodium. This is the 2nd mix I’ve purchased on KAF’s website by Frontier Soups that I adore! The first one I tested a couple of years ago, the South Of The Border Tortilla Soup. That mix is wonderful as well, and it’s a favorite around here.

But, back to the Virginia Blue Ridge Broccoli Cheddar Soup Mix…

I was impressed to find no added salt – the amount in the mix they list at 20mg. Of course more would come from the other ingredients you add, but it’s fairly easy to control it. I used a no-salt added chicken broth, so that helped the salt content stay low and allow us to salt our own portions to taste. And I guarantee that I add much less than some mixes have in their total! Oh! I almost forgot to add that it is gluten-free, too!

All you need to provide is:

    Chicken Broth
    Heavy Cream or Half & Half
    Shredded Cheddar Cheese

So, to get it started you bring 4 cups (32 oz) chicken broth to boil and add your mix. Reduce heat, cover and simmer about 30 min. (They also give you some ideas for adding in some extra broccoli, cauliflower or spinach) Then, you stir in 1 cup heavy cream or half & half, which is what I used, plus I cup 4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese. Re-cover and keep on low heat for about 10 more minutes. That’s it! It’s ready to eat or for a thicker soup, you can use an immersion blender to purée it or use a fork to mash some of the veg. I liked it just fine as it was, I was happy with the thickness and texture.

It made a great lunch and would it would be a heartier meal if you add in some bread/rolls and a salad! And, I’d say we got exactly the servings the package stayed, about 4-5, which also makes me happy!

I will be ordering more of this soup mix to keep on hand, I highly recommend you give this one a try!

from Kris B.Gingerbread Mix

I am chuckling because last year, I bought this mix and the box said, “Gingerbread Cake,” but it gave an alternative for cookies.  I made the cookies.  This year, King Arthur has changed the packaging and is says “Gingerbread Cookies ” in big letters and offers an alternative for cake.  I made the cake.  I guess I really do have trouble with being mainstream. 🙂

For me,  pumpkin and it’s requisite spices say autumn and Thanksgiving while gingerbread says winter and Christmas.  Thinking about it, this gingerbread association is a little strange because growing up my mom never made gingerbread men cookies and I never made a gingerbread house until I was a mom and my girls wanted to try it.  Now, I love spicy flavor of gingerbread in almost any way, shape, or form…cookies, cake, waffles, pancakes…even gingerbread latte!  You’d think gingerbread was something I have been enjoying my entire life.  But, it’s not.

Because the cookies I made from the King Arthur Gingerbread Cake and Cookie mix last year were so good, I decided to buy the mix again and try the cake this year.  Not that I am surprised, it is equally as good!  To the mix, you simply add an egg, water, and vegetable oil.  The batter can be mixed easily by hand.  The cake then bakes in a lightly greased 9×9 pan for 35-45 minutes.  I baked mine in a 7×11 pan, which made for slightly thicker pieces.  It took the full 45 minutes to bake.  And boy does it smell good while it is baking!  Those 45 minutes were a treat for my senses!

The cake is nice and moist; really, it needs no kind of topping, though a little whipped cream or a sprinkle of powdered sugar certainly won’t hurt!  I’m a plain and simple kind of person when it comes to cake, so this is probably all I would ever add to this delicious gingerbread cake.  But, if you are more adventurous than I am, you might try topping your gingerbread with a bit of berry compote as well.

Whether you make cake or cookies, this mix does not disappoint.  In an hour, from start to finish, you will fill your home with the smells and your belly with the tastes of the season.  This is a great mix to have on hand “just in case” you have unexpected guests or need a last-minute gift.

A side not for you photographers reading…

I styled the gingerbread and took the shots like I normally do.  I was not thrilled with what I had gotten, but most of the shots would have been acceptable.  As is often the case, it is the final shot, the one that I hadn’t taken intentionally, that ended up being my favorite.  I hope I’m not alone in over thinking the process sometimes.

May joy find you during this holiday season!

Mix It Up Friday – May 2017

26 Friday May 2017

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from Tracey G

This is the first time I’ve tried a non-baked good mix from King Arthur Flour – a soup mix is my mix of choice this week. When I was shopping for mixes to try out, I remembered Kris had tried a soup mix back in December, it was the Sausage and Lentil Soup Mix, so that’s what I decided to look for – a soup to try. I actually found two, and the one I tried this time is the South Of The Border Tortilla Soup Mix. It’s from Frontier Soups (as is the Sausage and Lentil Soup Mix) and I am very glad King Arthur Flour carries it! I can see why the description states: “Named a finalist in the National Association for the Specialty Food Trades’ Outstanding Product competition”, it’s one of the best soups I’ve had, regardless of being a mix or totally homemade-from-scratch! I fell completely in love with it – it’s as good as I’ve had in any restaurant.

The mix is a combination of freeze-dried corn, dehydrated black beans, red bell pepper, green bell pepper and onion. All this with a combination seasonings that pulls it all together wonderfully – you can customize spicy heat if you wanted by what kind of salsa you use. I used mild this time and loved it, and likely wouldn’t do it any different the next time I make it.

It’s super simple, and I made it even simpler by purchasing an already-prepared rotisserie chicken from the grocery store – all I had to do was get the meat off and shred it. The other ingredients you provide aside from the cooked & shredded chicken are: 12-16 ounces of salsa, 6 cup chicken broth and 1 cup of water. That’s it. And since they’re ready-to-go items, it makes this soup a snap to put together.

You start by combining the chicken broth and water, which you bring to a boil. Then you add the soup mix, salsa and chicken. You then cover the pan simmer for about 25 minutes. And that it’s it.

For serving they suggest tortilla chips, crumbled, or tortilla strips in the bottom of the bowl, then ladle soup on top – I used tortilla chips, but I crumbled them on top of the soup already in the bowl, and they really added to the whole soup experience, so I highly recommend serving them with it either way. I also served extra salsa and chips on the table as a “side dish” that was rather fun, more like being out a restaurant. While we were eating it, we discussed the different ways you could change it up – you could try using a yellow corn tortilla chips in it, garnishing with sour cream and/or cheese. It would be good with cheddar cheese, queso fresco – or if you’re feeling adventurous, both! For supper I served it in bowls, for my photo, I opted for a cup – it’s a lovely large teacup that Kris got me from her trip to the U.K. last year, unfortunately the saucer didn’t survive, but the cup was totally unscathed! It’s absolutely gorgeous, and was so excited to use it for my photo!

Bottom line, this is definitely a soup mix I will purchase again, it was so easy and so tasty, a serious win-win!!!

South Of The Border Tortilla Soup Mix

 

 

from Kris B.

Soft pretzels have always been a “go to” snack for me, especially when I am away from home.  When I need a quick pick-me-up while shopping at the mall, I’ll usually search out one of the chain soft pretzel shops and have a cinnamon sugar coated pretzel.  This may not be the healthiest snack choice, but in my opinion, it is definitely a delicious one.  Lol!

Soft pretzels are also a favorite airport “meal.”  When my dad was sick and we were making so many trips between Dallas and Delaware, soft pretzels became my treat in the Philadelphia airport.  They were what I looked forward to after our early morning flights out of Dallas.  We had to change terminals in Philly.  In the terminal where the small commuter planes flew in and out, there was a food court with some of the best soft pretzels I’ve ever had!  They were an easy grab and go between flights.  My monthly airport pretzels are one of the few things I miss about making those all too frequent trips back to the east coast.

This summer, we are not traveling at all.  It seems like we have not had much time in the past few years to just be at home.  It’s like home has just been a springboard launching us toward our next trip.  I enjoy going and doing, but I’m looking forward to the entire summer at home!  Maybe I will actually take the opportunity to clean out all the closets and drawers that have neglected for way too long.

The downside to this year’s summer plan???  No airport pretzels!

Yes, I can and have made soft pretzels myself, but when I want them, I usually want them “right now.”  Enter King Arthur Flour’s boxed mix for Soft Buttery Pretzels.  They do require a little work in that, as with all soft pretzels, they have to be blanched before baking; the mixing, however, is a piece of cake.  Bad analogy there…sorry!  🙂

The Soft Buttery Pretzel Mix comes with a package of dry ingredients, yeast, and coarse salt for topping.  To that you add 2 TBS of soft butter and a cup plus 2 TBS of water.  Knead that all together and then let the dough rest for 30 minutes.  After this resting period, the dough is divided into eight equal parts.  Mine were approximately 3 oz. each.  The pieces are rolled into 20-24 inch ropes and shaped into pretzels.  The mix instructions give easy to follow instructions for how to shape traditional pretzels.  The formed pretzels rest for fifteen minutes and are then blanched in a bath of simmering water and baking soda.  They are placed on a parchment lined baking sheet  and baked for 20-24 minutes in a 400 degree oven.

After completing my pretzels, I read the comments and reviews on the King Arthur website.  Several people complained that the pretzels stuck to the parchment…to such a degree that they were inedible.  I will say that unexpected sticking is something with which I am plagued in my baking, but I had absolutely no issues with my pretzels sticking.  The only suggestion that I have to avoid potential sticking is to use a slotted spoon to remove your pretzels from the water bath, making sure to get rid of all excess water.

Serve the pretzels with your favorite mustard, cheese sauce, or other dipping sauce.  The King Arthur Soft Buttery Pretzel mix comes with coarse salt for topping the pretzels.  For a sweet treat, omit the salt.  After the pretzels come out of the oven, let them cool slightly, brush them with butter, and then dredge them in cinnamon sugar.  Yum!

You can also vary the shape of the pretzels, making everything from pretzel bites to hamburger buns.

This is a versatile mix to have on hand.  Appetizers, snacks, treats, sandwich rolls – all covered in this one little box!

Soft Buttery Pretzel Mix from King Arthur Flour

 

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