Thai Coconut Chicken Soup Tom Kha Gai

I found this recipe on food network and adapted it a bit.  I halved it because I did not want leftovers.  The full recipe fed my family with just Maesyn Nate and I eating the soup and Jake the broth- and we had left overs.  

Ingredients
2 cups chicken stock,  

3 Tbs lemon grass paste
3 kaffir lime leaves, fresh or dried, hand torn
1 (3-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
2 small Thai chilies, halved lengthwise (I left these out for the kids sake)

1 garlic cloves, crushed
1 (13-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
1 tablespoons Thai fish sauce (nam pla) 

3/4 teaspoons sugar
1 (8-ounce) can straw mushrooms, rinsed (I did not use these because I did not have them and it was fine)

1 lime, juiced (more if you want it more citrus flavored
1 pint bottled chicken
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

Bring the stock to the boil over medium heat in a soup pot. Add the lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, ginger, chilies, and garlic. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and gently simmer for 10 minutes to let the spices infuse the broth.

Uncover and stir in the coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar, mushrooms, lime juice, and chicken. Simmer for 5 minutes to heat the chicken through; season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into a soup tureen or individual serving bowls. Garnish with cilantro. Be careful to avoid chewing the lemongrass, ginger, or lime leaves.

We like to serve this over jasmine rice and steamed broccoli and carrots.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/thai-coconut-chicken-soup-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

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Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash Soup

recipe and photo from here.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/health/nutrition/20recipehealth.html

I made this for my family-the kids were not fans. I don't have a scale, but it was apparent that I had more squash than a lb, so i thought i was doubling it and increased all the other ingredents and doubled the ginger. Maybe I put too much in. Very gingery. but I like ginger.

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1 pound butternut squash, peeled and diced

1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

1 medium-size Yukon gold or russet potato, peeled and diced

6 cups water, chicken stock, or vegetable stock

Salt to taste

1. Heat the oil in a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger and stir together until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the squash, sweet potatoes, regular potato, and water or stock, and bring to a simmer. Add salt to taste, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes, or until all of the ingredients are thoroughly tender.

2. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup (or you can put it through the fine blade of a food mill or use a regular blender, working in batches and placing a kitchen towel over the top to avoid splashing). Return to the pot and stir with a whisk to even out the texture. Heat through, adjust salt and add pepper to taste.

Yield: Serves 6

Advance preparation: You can make this a day ahead and refrigerate. Reheat gently. The soup freezes well. Once thawed, whisk well to smooth out the texture, and reheat.

Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories: 189; Calories from Fat: 29; Total Fat 3.2g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium,776mg; Total Carbohydrates,38.6g; Dietary Fiber, 5.7g; Sugars, 3.6g; Protein: 3.5g; Vitamin A 163%; Vitamin C 61%; Calcium 7%; Iron 8% (Approximate nutritional information provided by calorie-count.com)

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Taco Soup

1 - lb. lean ground beef (Or 3 chicken breasts cooked & Shredded)
1 - large onion, chopped
3 - 15 1/4 oz. cans Mexican -style chili beans undrained
1 - 15 1/4oz. can of whole kernel corn,undrained
1 - 14 1/2oz. can of diced tomatoes, undrained
1 -15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 - 4.5 oz. can chopped green chilies
1 - 1 oz. envelope Ranch-style dressing mix
1- 1 1/4oz. envelope taco seasoning mix
1 1/2 c. water (optional)

Cook beef and onions in a pot over med-high heat (or Saute onions and add chicken towards the end to head up and season)

Season with garlic powder and pepper (Don't use salt since seasoning mixes have enough usually)

When meat is done stir in the ranch and taco seasonings and remaining ingredients (it may look really thick at first but it gets soupier as it sits)

Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 min stirring occasionally

Toppings: Corn Chips, Shredded Lettuce, Chopped Tomato, Sour Cream, Shredded Cheese, Avocado

Makes about 3 1/2 qts.

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Steak Soup

1 Stick Butter
1 c. Flour
1/2 Gallon Water
2 c. Ground Beef - Sautéed
1 c. Onion - Chopped
1 c. Carrots - Chopped
1 c. Celery - Chopped
2 c. Frozen Mixed Vegetables
2 Lg. Cubes Beef Bullion
1 tsp. Salt
2 Potatoes - Cut Small
1 Can Crushed Tomatoes
1 tsp. Pepper

Make rue with flour and butter - add water

Sautee vegetables until wilted add to soup with beef

Bring to a boil then simmer until vegetables are done

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Sarah's Potato Soup

8 Potatoes {Preferably Red}
6 Celery Stalks
4 Carrots
1/2 Large Onion
6 Slices Bacon
2 T. Chicken Bullion
1 qt. Half & Half or Cream

Chop potatoes - place in pot and cover with water and chicken bullion
Bring to a boil then lower to medium heat

Sautee bacon, drain fat and chop
Chop vegetables and sautee in bacon fat until wilted

Add vegetables and bacon to potatoes and cook until potatoes are done.
Slightly mash with potato masher - add cream and salt and pepper to taste

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Corn Chowder

4 T. Butter or Margarine
6 T. Onion - Chopped
3/4 c. Celery - Diced
2 1/2 c. Hot Water
2 c. Raw Potato - Chopped into 1/2 in. Cubes
3 c. Frozen Corn - Thawed
2 T. Sugar
2 tsp. Salt
Pinch of White Pepper
3 T. Flour
1 qt. Half & Half

Melt butter in pan - simmer onion and celery on medium heat until soft but not brown.

Add water, potato, corn and seasonings - cover and simmer 30 minutes or until potatoes are barely tender

Whisk flour into 1 cup of half & half and stir into the soup - add remaining half & half.
Simmer 15 minutes until soup is creamy

Salt and pepper as needed

*Thin with milk or thicken by simmering longer

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