North Carolina Potato Soup

I am a proud North Carolinian. Sorry Georgia, but there is no better state in the union than North Carolina. I used to get into "friendly discussions" with fraternity brothers as to which was the best state. It always came down to Georgia, Texas and the Carolinas (there was only another guy from South Carolina - so we had to stick together). Eventually we agreed to disagree. 

What better way to celebrate your love for the Old North State than this North Carolina Potato Soup, adapted from "Our State". Even if you're not from NC, I know you'll enjoy this flavorful and creamy soup!

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30-40 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients:
2lbs potatoes
1 32oz Chicken Stock
1 can Cream of Onion Soup
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can Cheddar Cheese Soup
1/2 teaspoon red pepper
Bacon Bits
Salt and Pepper to taste

Peel and dice potatoes. Cook potatoes in chicken broth until tender. Combine all other ingredients in the stock pot mixing well. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with bacon bits.

'Till next time,
Matthew

Chipotle Chicken Soup

Photo Credit: Katrina Runs for Food

When it's cold outside all I want to do is wrap myself in a big cozy blanket, sit next to the fireplace, and eat a hearty bowl of soup. A bowl of soup that warms you from the inside out. You know the kind I am talking about! It has the right amount of heat, is hearty, and makes you want to take a nap after you finish eating. 

Searching for the perfect recipe was quite a challenge. You can't just type in "soup to eat by a fireplace that makes you want to nap" in Google and expect to get a good result. So I headed to my favorite websites when searching for recipes: FoodGawker, Tastespotting, Pinterest, and Foodnetwork. 

I am an extremely visual person when it comes to finding recipes. Food has so many visual components to it and you usually eat with your eyes first. I'll admit that if a recipe doesn't have a picture with it I am usually very hesitant to try it. While on FoodGawker, I found this recipe for Chipotle Chicken Soup. It has the perfect combination of chicken, vegetables, and heat from the chipotle peppers. Check out this fabulous recipe on the blog Katrina Runs for Food. Oh and did I mention it is gluten free! Definitely a plus! 

'Till next time,

Caroline 

Manhattan Style Clam Chowder

Whenever I think about clam chowder, the first thing that always comes to my mind is the traditional New England Clam Chowder. New England Clam Chowder is a thick, cream-based, white clam chowder. This Manhattan Clam Chowder is a completely different beast. It has a tomato base with tender baby clams, bacon, and vegetables. It is a really nice and lighter alternative to the traditional clam chowder. And if I must say, downright delicious!

Prep Time: 35 minutes

Cook Time: 1 & 1/2 hours

Servings: 8

Ingredients:
6 strips thick sliced bacon
2 - 3 russet potatoes
1 onion
3 celery stalks
1 red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped carrots
4 cloves of garlic
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (32 oz) can chicken broth
2 (10 oz) cans whole baby clams
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Wash and peel 2 to 3 russet potatoes. Cut the potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes and set aside.

Cut 6 strips of bacon into bite sized pieces and set aside.

Chop celery, carrots, red bell pepper, onion, and garlic into a small dice and set aside. 

In a large stock pot over medium heat, cook down the bacon until brown. 

Once the bacon has browned, add the celery, carrots, onion, bell pepper and garlic into the stock pot. Cook the vegetables and bacon for about 6 more minutes or until tender. 

Once the vegetables are tender, stir in crushed tomatoes and thyme and bring to a slight simmer. 

Once the tomatoes have simmered for about 2 minutes, stir in chicken broth, paprika, and worcheshire sauce.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low.

Stir in 2 bay leaves and cans of baby clams with juice. Simmer chowder for 30-45 minutes.

While chowder is simmering, bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook the potatoes until tender, about 7-10 minutes. Strain and set aside. 

Once the clam chowder has simmered for 30 minutes and the potatoes are tender, stir the potatoes into the pot and cook for about 5-10 more minutes.  

Remove the stock pot from heat and serve. Garnish with extra bacon and parsley.

Enjoy!

'Till next time,
Caroline

Loaded Baked Potato

Matthew and I were sitting around the office trying to decide on a soup to make.  I was in one of those moods where every recipe that Matthew suggested sounded completely unappealing. And everything I recommended had ingredients in it that he didn't like (specifically vegetables).  After much debate and recipes being shot down, we landed on Loaded Baked Potato Soup.  As we were going over the ingredients, it called for cheddar cheese. Matthew being the picky eater that he is, wanted to substitute the cheddar with Gouda - one of his favorites. I on the other hand wanted cheddar. So we threw down the gauntlet and the competition began.  Cheddar vs. Gouda.

Ingredients:

1/2 pound bacon
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 onion
6 large baked potatoes
2 cups whole milk
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups shredded Cheddar or Gouda cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Sour Cream (optional)

   

Preheat oven to 425°F. Bake potatoes in oven for 30 - 45 minutes, or until you can easily pierce it with a knife.

While the potatoes are baking in the oven, slice the strips of bacon into 1/2 inch pieces. Cook the bacon in a stock pot over medium to medium high heat until the fat has rendered out and it is brown and crispy. 

Remove the stock pot from the heat and scoop out bacon with a slotted spoon. Cool the bacon on a plate lined with paper towels to remove excess grease. (Once the bacon has cooled down feel free to munch on a few pieces. I know I did!) Reserve 3 tablespoons of bacon grease in pot. 

While the bacon is cooking, peel and dice 1/2 an onion. Cook the onion in the reserved bacon drippings and cook over medium heat until translucent. 

Once the onions are translucent, whisk in 3-4 tablespoons of all purpose flour. Cook the flour and onion mixture for about 1 minute. This crucial step is the difference between thick/creamy soup and thin/runny soup. The flour is the thickening agent; the more you use the thicker it is. It is also important to note that if you do not cook the flour down for that minute, your soup will taste like raw flour. And let's be honest, no one wants that!

Once the flour has cooked down for about a minute, slowly whisk in the 2 cups of milk. 

You will want to continually whisk the onion and milk mixture at this point for about 2 minutes or until it thickens enough to coat the end of a spoon. Once it coats the end of a wooden spoon, stir in the chicken broth and turn the heat down to medium/medium low and bring it to a slow simmer.

While soup is slowly warming and simmering, peel and quarter the baked potatoes and place them in a large bowl. 

Depending on whether you like your potato soup smooth, chunky, or somewhere in-between, mash the potatoes accordingly. If you are having trouble mashing them, add a little milk to help the process. Once you have mashed them to your desired consistency, add the potatoes to the soup. 

Now the fun part begins! If you can agree on the type of cheese you like in your loaded baked potato soup, you will stir it in at this point. Since Matthew and I were at odds between Cheddar vs Gouda, we each stirred our cheese into our soup in our individual bowls to taste.

Garnish the soup with bacon, sour cream, and extra cheese. 

'Till next time,
Caroline