Soups & Stews

Lasagna Soup

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Have I told you how much I absolutely love Thrive?  I mean, seriously.  It’s amazing.  I have saved so much time in the kitchen just by using Thrive foods–they are ready to use right out of the packaging–no more chopping onions, no more greasy meat prep, etc.  And the taste is unmatched!  Not to mention the nutrition bonus of eating freeze dried foods of the highest quality.  You are really missing out if you haven’t tried Thrive for yourself.

I love “throw and go” cooking with Thrive foods.  The other day I made some spaghetti sauce using that method; and for me, that means just tossing in what I like and adding enough water along the way to rehydrate the foods to perfection.  This is all without any measuring!!!  Love it.  And my spaghetti meat sauce, which I began making AFTER I started the pasta, was done before the pasta was!

But sometimes I do like to try recipes and measure.  Lasagna Soup intrigued me when I saw it and, lemme tell you, it did NOT disappoint my taste buds.  Several in the family went back up for seconds of this tasty dish.  This one is definitely going to be made many times in our house!  And, bonus, you can also vacuum seal this (layered in the order listed) in a quart mason jar and keep it on the shelf for emergency quick meals (although going directly into the pot was fast to begin with).  Just dump and go.  (Email me at gimmethrive@gmail.com for more info on jar meals!)

Ingredients:

¼ cup Thrive Tomato Powder
1 tsp Thrive Chef’s Choice Seasoning
 ¼ cup Thrive Tomato Sauce 
3 TBSP Thrive Mixed Bell Peppers
 1 TBSP Thrive Chicken Bouillon
¼ cup Thrive Freeze Dried Onions
 1 tsp  Garlic powder
¾ cup Thrive Freeze Dried Sausage Crumbles 
¼ tsp Crushed Red Pepper
2 cups Thrive Farfalle (Bowtie) Noodles

1. Dump all the ingredients into a pot or Dutch oven.  Stir in 8 cups of water.
2.  Bring to a boil.  Turn the heat down to medium.  Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the noodles are al dente.

Top with shredded mozzarella cheese and serve with salad and breadsticks!  Easy peasy!

 

For more information on how you can save time and money while eating nutritious, convenient food from Thrive, 
email me at gimmethrive@gmail.com.  
You can also visit my website to learn more.

 

Mom’s Beef Stew

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I love simple, tasty food.  Especially when it’s comfort food.  And this Beef Stew hits all those attributes for me.  I just love it.

Ingredients:
2 pounds stew beef
2 Tbsp. bacon grease (or shortening)
1 large onion (sliced)
1 tsp. minced garlic (from the jar)
1 quart hot water
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 bay leaf

6 small potatoes, cut in chunks
6 small onions, cut in chunks
3 carrots cut into 1″ pieces
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup cold water

1.  In large pot, heat bacon grease over medium-high heat.  Brown stew beef.
2.  Add remaining ingredients up to and including the bay leaf.  Bring to a boil; then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
3.  Add veggies.  Cover and simmer 1 hour.
4.  Remove and discard bay leaf.  Combine flour and water in a small bowl to form a paste.  Stir this into the stew.  Cover and cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly.

Makes 2 1/2 quarts of stew.

Notes:

  • Though I always use the same type of ingredients, their form varies from time to time for me.  This time I didn’t have any fresh onions so I used my freeze-dried Thrive onions.  
  • To make this GLUTEN FREE, use an alternative flour like I did this time.  I used Krusteaz Gluten Free flour.
Source:  my mom

Chili Blanco

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This is my favorite time of year for so many reasons.  One is that we get to have stews and soups and all kinds of yummy, warm comfort foods.  This chili recipe is actually quite healthy and was really easy to put together.  You just need to allow time for the beans to cook, as you will note in the instructions.  I will probably be posting other recipes from this cookbook (see source below), so stay tuned for more deliciousness.

Ingredients:
1 pound dry white beans, rinsed and picked over *
4 (14-oz. each) cans of chicken broth *
1 t. chicken stock base (I didn’t have any so I just made my broth stronger)
2 onions, chopped *
1 T. oil
6-8 cloves of garlic, minced
1 (7-oz.) can diced green chilies *
4 t. ground cumin
2 t. dried oregano leaves
2 t. cayenne pepper
4 cups cooked, diced chicken
2 T. chopped fresh cilantro, if desired (I added this)
1 cup fat-free (yeah right!) sour cream *
3 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

1.  Place the beans, broth, chicken stock base, onions, oil, garlic, chilies, cumin, oregano, and cayenne pepper in a large pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook very slowly until the beans are done–test to see if they are done as they cook.  You don’t want them to be mushy, just tender.  Beans that are not soaked first take 2-3 hours to cook.  Make sure to add more broth or water if the liquid gets low so they won’t dry out.

2.  Remove beans from heat.  Stir in the cooked chicken and the cilantro.

3.  Top each serving with sour cream and shredded cheese.

* I have noted when I have used freeze-dried or other items from food storage products, just so you can get an idea of how to incorporate those items into your every day cooking.

SOURCE:   The Romney Family Table.

Chicken and Dumplings

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Chicken and dumplings. Super simple, super yummy, ultimate comfort food. My daughter LOVES chicken and dumplings. I often use leftover roast chicken or frozen chicken thighs. I boil the chicken and thighs in some water and then strain the liquid, remove the meat from the bones and use the liquid and the meat.

Chicken and Dumplings

6-8 Chicken thighs (can use frozen)
Olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3-4 carrots, diced
2-3 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic
8 C. chicken stock
1/2-1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
cracked pepper
salt to taste

Dumplings
1 1/2 C. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. shortening
3/4 C. milk

Place the chicken thighs in a large pot and cover with water. Simmer until chicken is done. Remove thighs to a cutting board. Drain liquid. Dry out the pot.

Pour a small amount of olive oil in the pot, heat over med. heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery. Cook and stir til veggies start to soften, about 5-8 mins. Add the garlic, stir til fragrant. Then pour in the chicken stock.

Pick the meat from the chicken thighs and add it back to the pot. Stir in the dried herbs and pepper. Taste for seasoning and add salt if needed. Note: if your soup looks thick, add more liquid. The dumplings really thicken up the soup, so err on the side of more liquid than you think you need.)

Bring the soup to a boil. While it is coming to a boil, make the dumpling mixture by placing the flour, baking powder and salt in a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add the shortening and pulse til blended. With the machine running, add the milk til is just comes together.

With the soup boiling, drop in the dumpling mixture by spoonfuls. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Reduce heat slightly. Cover and cook an additional 10 minutes.

Serve.

Hamburger Lentil Soup

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    This is a dish that is hearty, inexpensive, and delicious! It is one of my hubby’s favorites. It is also a good crockpot dish. You should try it while the weather is still wintery!

Hamburger Lentil Soup                                      
1 lb. ground beef
1 46 oz. can tomato juice (or puree about 3 cups of diced tomatoes, I use one jar of home-canned)
4 c. hot water
1 1/2 cups dried lentils (rinsed and sorted)
1 c carrots, chopped
1 c celery, chopped
1/2 c. onion, minced or use dried minced onion
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. minced green bell pepper (I’ve never added this)
1 tsp salt (don’t skimp, I think it needs the whole tsp)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 c brown sugar

Cook hamburger until browned.  Drain fat.  Add juice and water and bring to a boil.  Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil again.  Reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or cook in a Crockpot all day on low or half a day on high.  Serves  8.

Source: Julie Roberts

Sausage, Peppers, and Bean Stew

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As a side note, I used cranberry beans that needed to be rotated through my food storage.  They added a pretty color and sweetness.  I also added cubed potatoes because they go so well with sausage.

Ingredients:

2 medium onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 T olive oil, plus more for browning sausage if needed
5 links hot Italian sausage
2 (15.5 oz.) cans Cannellini beans, rinsed in cold water until no more foam appears
2(14.5) cans petite diced tomatoes
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried Greek Oregano
1 tsp. ground fennel
ground pepper to taste
2-3 bay leaves
4 cups homemade chicken stock (or use 2 cans chicken broth and add a little water to make 4 cups)
freshly grated parmesan cheese for serving

Directions:

1.  Chop onions, red bell pepper, and green bell pepper into pieces about 1/2 inch square. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan, then saute onions and peppers until they begin to soften, then add to slow cooker.

2.  Squeeze Italian sausage out of casings and add to frying pan, adding a bit more olive oil if needed. Brown sausage well, breaking apart with turner as it cooks, then add to slow cooker.

3.  Pour beans into a colander placed in the sink and rinse with cold water until no more foam appears, then add to slow cooker. Add tomatoes with juice, dried basil, dried oregano, ground fennel, black pepper and bay leaves to slow cooker. Pour chicken stock over other ingredients and stir to combine.

4.  Cook on high about 4 hours or on low for all day. Serve hot, with freshly grated parmesan cheese for sprinkling on the stew.

Source:  KalynsKitchen.com.

Hamburger Soup

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It is soup weather here in North Carolina!  This is a an easy, budget friendly soup that doesn’t call for bouillon (which I try to avoid).  Enjoy!

Sauté together:
2 cloves garlic
2 chopped onions
Add:
1 lb. Hamburger
Continue to cook until the Hamburger is well done then add:
1 qt. diced tomatoes
2 qt. water
5 chopped carrots
5 chopped celery sticks
6 peeled and chopped potatoes
1/4 t. thyme
1 t. parsley
2 bay leaves. 
Cook on low for 1 1/2 hours.  Remove from heat and add a little vinegar, a little honey, a little cayenne and salt to taste.

Source: Catherine Miller

Quick and Easy Beef Stew Soup

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There’s nothing more comforting on cold days that a warm bowl of delicious soup! This is a recipe I make all of the time because it is so fast and easy, especially of you are using canned food or dehydrated or freeze dried food. And you know me, I don’t measure anything when I am cooking, and I make abnormally large pots of soup, so this will be a different kind of recipe format…you can make as little or as much as you’d like. I think you will love this soup!!
Here are the ingredients that I throw in a big pot: (Use whatever amount you like. See my notes.)

Water
Beef bouillon cubes or granules
Salt, Pepper
Tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes (or any kind of tomato product you like to use. I like a quart of home canned plain tomato juice from the garden)
Onions (freshly diced, or dried)
Potatoes, diced
Carrots, cut (fresh or canned)
Barley (optional)
Beef (fresh, canned, or freeze dried)

Directions:
1. I fill the pot with almost as much water as I would like to have soup. Did that make sense? I also add the tomato juice, sauce or crushed tomatoes….whatever tomato product you like. You can also use tomato powder. Turn it on and start it boiling while you get everything else ready to add in.

2. Add some bouillon cubes or granules to taste. And some salt and pepper.

3. Throw in the onion. I always use dried onions. Use as many or as little as you’d like. 

4. Put in your carrots. I grew carrots and canned them, but I also have used store bought canned carrots, or fresh sliced. 

5. Cut up as many potatoes as you would like. I usually think of at least one good sized potato per person and I double it. (I feed teenage boys!)

6. Add the beef. Most of the time I use a few cans of the yummy canned beef from Aldi’s. It comes with a gravy, and I add all of it to the soup. You can cut up raw beef and throw it right into the soup. Or you can use freeze dried beef and throw it right into the soup. It turns out great either way.

7. I really love barley. so most of the time I add a little barley to this soup.For my very huge pot of soup, I only add about 1 1/2 cups, so you may want to add about 1/2 cup at the most. Barley absorbs a lot of water, so make sure you have enough water in the soup as the barley cooks. Add more water if needed.

8. Make sure the soup has enough salt while it is cooking. If it doesn’t, add more salt or bouillon.

9. Let the soup simmer on medium high until potatoes are done. Serve with crusty bread. YUM!



Chef Todd’s White Chili

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My post is a tad late today, but it will be worth the wait.  I promise!  I saw this recipe being demonstrated on the website for Thrive.  Check it out if you are interested in a good food storage product.  Anyway, this recipe looked really yummy and it uses quite a few items from my food storage pantry.  I hope you enjoy the end results as much as I just did.  That’s right.  I dared to post a recipe that I only just made this morning!  Livin’ on the edge!

Ingredients (I am noting the brand name if I actually used THRIVE products):
1 cup small white Navy beans, uncooked
4 T. butter
5 T. white flour
1 T. butter
1 T. garlic
1 cup THRIVE Green Chili Peppers
1/2 cup THRIVE Red Bell Peppers
1/2 cup THRIVE Sweet Corn
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup THRIVE Celery
1 cup THRIVE Seasoned Chicken Slices
3 cups water
1 T. THRIVE Chicken Bouillon
2 cups THRIVE Instant Milk, reconstituted
2 cups heavy cream
1 t. chili powder
1 t. cumin
1 t. season salt
1 T. Cholula Hot Sauce
1 T. fresh lime juice
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped

Here is what the freeze-dried foods look like before…


1.  Place the beans in a small saucepan with 4 cups of water and 1 tablespoon salt and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until just tender.  In a a small glass bowl, melt the 4 tablespoons of butter in the microwave.  Add the flour and mix well.  Reserve this roux mixture for later.

2.  In a 3-quart sauce or stock pot, melt the 1 tablespoon butter and add the garlic.  Sweat for a few minutes on low heat.  Add all the vegetables and the chicken to the pot; stir a few times and add the water and bouillon.  Bring to a simmer and add the milk and the cream.  Add all seasonings except cilantro and simmer for 10 minutes.  Add the roux to thicken the soup and cook at low simmer for another 5 minutes.  Drain the beans and add them to the soup.  Add the cilantro and stir well before serving. (You don’t see the cilantro in the picture because girlfriend thought she had some in the freezer and did not.  I will get some on the way home from work and have with my chili later.)

Source:  Chef Todd, ThriveLife.com.

Taco Soup

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    I know many of you may already have a recipe for this. There are many variations, but this one is our favorite. It is super easy, quick, delicious, healthy, and economical. What more could you ask for in a recipe? My kids love it and it is even better as a leftover. I love soup season!

Taco Soup

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef, browned and drained.
1 quart jar canned tomatoes or 48 oz. stewed tomatoes, blended
1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can great northern beans
1 can ranch style beans
1 can kidney beans
1-2 cups corn (canned or frozen)
1 packet taco seasoning

Sour cream, cheese, avocado, and chips for garnish.

Directions:

Brown beef in a large stock pot. Drain. To beef, add all other ingredients. Simmer 20 minutes or until ready to serve. Garnish as desired. (I told you it was easy!)

Source: Aubrey Adams