Fall is the time for cozy soups, chili, and chowders!

 I'm taking a break from bookish endeavors to post some hearty, fall soup ideas. All the leaves are tumbling down in the yard, the deck furniture stowed, the garden surrendered to the evening frost and it's time for some heartier dinner ideas to match the season. I love cooking up a big pot of soup on a chilly afternoon. It makes the house smell so good and keeps the cook warm in the kitchen. I've added my own touches to these basic soup/chili/chowder recipes. most of these recipes have been staples in our kitchen for years. This post includes 4 yummy recipes: New England Clam Chowder, Homemade Chili, Taco Soup, and Easy Chicken Soup.

 

 

New England Clam Chowder

6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled, for topper/garnish

1 medium onion, diced

2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

2-6 oz. cans of chopped clams (reserve the juice)

¼ flour (or for gluten free use cornstarch)

¼ melted butter

1 ½ cups milk

½ tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

Serves 4 to 6

1.      In skillet where bacon was cooked, cook diced onion on medium heat until onion is tender but not too brown. (If you are using precooked bacon, cook the onion in butter or olive oil, instead.)

2.      In the same skillet, cook the diced potatoes, with the reserved clam juice, add enough water to make 2 cups.

3.      Blend flour into the melted butter; until smooth. Add the mixture to the cooked potatoes in the skillet and stir well (or transfer all to a soup pot for the remainder of the cooking).

4.      Add the clams, milk, and the salt and pepper.

5.      Cook and stir on medium heat until the chowder is thickened and warmed through.

6.      Serve with a garnish of crumbled bacon, oyster crackers, or a nice piece of crusty bread.

     (Recipe inspired by chowder recipe in Family Harvest Cookbook by Marilyn Martell).

 

 

 

Homemade Chili

10 servings, we like to have it for dinner 2 days in a row, and take it for lunches to school or work because our family likes this so much. It also freezes well if you want to save some for later. If you are feeding a crowd for a large family gathering you can double the recipe (or half it if you need less).

You may use either canned beans or cook dry beans ahead of time for use in the recipe. If cooking dry beans, add copious amounts of water, with a pinch of salt, to the pot and do not let them boil dry. A good method is to rinse and wash all beans before using, add beans and water to the pot and bring to a boil. Drain the beans after this first boil and replace the water, then bring to a boil again and cook for 2-3 hours or until tender. Draining the first boiled water and replacing it with fresh water is supposed to make the beans less ‘beany’ or gaseous when you eat them.

1-pound ground beef

1 onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 can 28oz diced tomatoes

Precooked dry beans in the amount of at least 2 cans or 2 cans of already cooked beans: Use any of the following types of beans: chili beans, garbanzo (chickpea or ceci) beans, kidney beans, black beans, white or cannellini beans, or a bean mix made for making chili. Most of the time I use canned beans, but I have also precooked dry beans to use for this recipe. You can add variety by varying the kind of beans used to make the chili.

1 small can diced green chilies

1 cup of spicy hot V8 vegetable juice (add more, or less to suit your taste, if desired)

1 tablespoon white sugar

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tsp of freshly ground cumin seed

½ tsp of onion or garlic powder (or both)

½ Grated cheddar cheese to add to chili and more grated cheese for garnish when serving chili

1 can corn, drained, (but reserve the juice in case your chili is too thick and use for thinning it)

Salt and pepper to taste

Frito chips or tortilla chips,

Additional garnishes: diced cilantro or green onion, sour cream or avocado chunks

 

(If your chili comes out too runny, sprinkle a bit of flour or cornstarch in it and mix well, while simmering, to thicken it up.)

Brown meat in Dutch oven. Add onions and garlic and cook until meat is browned, and onion is soft. Add tomatoes, beans, green chilies, V-8 juice, sugar, and spices. Simmer until flavors blend and all is warmed through (30 min to an hour). Stir in drained corn and grated cheddar. Mix and warm through. Adjust thickness if needed as it simmers. Serve in bowls with a garnish of cheddar cheese and chips on top. May also be served with warmed tortillas or corn bread.

(Recipe inspired by chili recipe in The Gluten-Free Gourmet by Bette Hagman.)

 

 

Eight Can Taco Soup

Ingredients:

    1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

    1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

    1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes, drained

    1 (15.25 oz.) can sweet corn, drained

    1 (12.5 oz.) can white chicken breast, drained

    1 (10.75 oz.) can cream of chicken soup

    1 (10 oz.) can green enchilada sauce

    1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth

    1 packet taco seasoning

Directions:

    Mix all ingredients together in a large pot.

    Heat until warm, stirring occasionally.

    Serve with tortilla strips and a sprinkle of cheddar cheese on top.

 

 Easy Chicken Soup

Quick 20 min prep

3 ½ cups chicken broth (regular or low sodium)

Dash pepper

1 medium carrot (steamed and sliced)

1 stalk celery (steamed and sliced)

½ cup cooked egg noodles

1 cup or small can of cooked chicken

1 tsp chopped parsley

Mix all ingredients together in saucepan, heat through and serve.

For variety, vary the type of noodles used. For children you might use alphabet noodles etc. You can also put in canned corn, diced cooked potato pieces or rice, with or without the noodles.