Creamy Chicken Soup

Creamy Chicken Soup

I intentionally titled this post creamy chicken soup rather than cream of chicken soup, which was the original name. The first time I made it, I told the kids we were having Cream of Chicken soup for dinner. They kept waiting for me to break out the can of Campbell's. They were disappointed.

My quest for this soup started a few years ago, when Bob and I had dinner at a very well-known restaurant about 100 miles north of where we live. They served a creamy chicken soup that Bob has not forgotten. He kept wanting to drive back there, just for that soup, even though they only serve it one day a week (which turned out to not be an especially convenient day for us to go there). I figured it was far cheaper and easier just to figure out how to make it.

I started with a recipe from the Food network, and adapted it from there. It's not an especially healthy soup, but it's wonderful and comforting for special occasions. This was our Christmas Eve dinner this year (well, part of it) and it was hugely popular.

Creamy Chicken Soup
1/2 cup butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
4-5 mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour
7 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf
2-3 cups cooked, diced chicken
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 1/2 teaspoons sherry
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrots and mushrooms. Saute until the onions are translucent. Add the flour and cook, stirring for about two minutes until well mixed.

Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Add spices and mix well. Lower the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Stir in the chicken and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat. Whisk the cream, sherry, and salt into the soup and season with pepper to taste. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Serve immediately.

Notes:
I've used a variety of types of chicken in this recipe. I've made it with rotisserie chicken from Costco, a fresh chicken boiled at home, and various breast and thigh pieces that I had boiled.

Boiling the chicken takes a little more work, but it gives you a lovely broth that you can use in the soup. I usually start the process the day before, cleaning out the chicken and then boiling it for about an hour. Then I store it in the fridge over night, which makes it easy to skim off a fairly healthy layer of fat before you start cooking. When I used rotisserie chicken, I made broth using chicken base, which gave the soup a little bit of a synthetic taste. Another option would be to use rotisserie chicken with canned or boxed chicken broth.

Keep in mind that your chicken/broth choice will influence the amount of salt you use. If you use chicken base, add it a little bit at a time (tasting between additions) or you'll oversalt it. If you made your own chicken broth, a tablespoon will be about right.

Oh, and if you have fresh herbs, by all means use them.

Cheddar Biscuits

Cheddar Biscuits

What? Two posts in the same year?

This is one of my most-requested recipes. My husband loves the cheddar biscuits at Red Lobster. I've made several attempts at replicating them. I don't know how close this recipe comes to being an exact copy, but our family loves these biscuits.

This version is an adaptation of a Taste of Home recipe. I think that recipe is meant to be a lightened-up version of the original. I don't think it's all that light, but it's very, very tasty.

Cheddar Biscuits

2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder, divided
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
4 tablespoons cold butter, divided
1/3 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese (truth be told, I usually use closer to 1/2 cup)
1 cup buttermilk (I usually add a little more if it seems completely dry)
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

In a large bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, salt, 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic and baking soda. Cut in 3 tablespoons butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; add cheese. Stir in buttermilk just until moistened.

Drop by two tablespoonfuls two inches apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter; stir in parsley and remaining granulated garlic. Brush over biscuits. Serve warm. Makes about 15 biscuits.

Freezer Strawberry Jam

 

Strawberry Freezer Jam

Don't be shocked. I can't promise that I'm back for good. But even I am tired of looking at those refried beans (and I have a better recipe for them that I'll post later).

Yesterday I found a steal of a deal on strawberries. Never mind the cost of the sugar and the pectin. We made almost two cases (it equalled around 35 pints. We could have made more, but we were tired).

1 quart (4 cups) strawberries, cut in half
4 cups sugar
3/4 cup water
1 package (1.75 ounces) powdered fruit pectin

Mash strawberries with potato masher or in food processor until slightly chunky (not pureed) to make two cups of crushed strawberries. Mix the strawberries and the sugar in a large bowl. Let the mixture stand at room temperature for ten minutes, stirring occasionally.

Mix water and pectin in a 1-quart saucepan. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Pour hot pectin mixture over strawberry mixture. Stir constantly for three minutes.

Immediately spoon mixture into freezer containers, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Wipe rims of containers; seal. Let stand at room temperature about 24 hours or until set.

Freeze jam. Unless you want to eat it right away.