Avgolemono soup

Subtle lemon flavor with bright notes of fresh dill, silky egg thickened broth with hearty chicken and rice… this soup is the answer on a cold winter night when you’re dreaming of spring! This bright and cheerful, yet filling soup is a take on the Greek lemon sauce known as avgolemono. We ate ours with salad and toasted rye bread from the local bakery.

Ingredients

Serves 8

  • 1 whole rotisserie chicken, meat removed and shredded
  • 2 cups white rice
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 tsp coarse sea salt
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil
  • 2 tbsp + 2 tbsp salted butter
  • 1/2 yellow onion, diced
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 8 cups chicken broth or chicken bone broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 tsp Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base
  • 2 lemons, juiced, about 1/2 cup
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1 bunch fresh dill, chopped, 1/2 – 3/4 cup
  • salt & pepper to taste

Method

Bring the 4 cups of water and1 tsp of salt to a boil. Add the rice and cover, cooking on low for 20 minutes until the rice is done. In a large pot, combine the broth, 2 cups of water, and bouillon. Bring to a boil.

Heat 2 tbsp of neutral oil and 2 tbsp of butter in a cast iron skillet. Add the diced carrots and cook for three minutes. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Remove from the heat.

Combine 1 cup of the cooked rice, 2 cups of hot broth, and lemon juice in a blender. Blend until well combined. While the blender is still running, add the yolks one at a time.

Add the remaining rice, the carrot and onion mixture, and the shredded chicken to the hot broth. Add the mixture from the blender to the pot and stir to combine. Simmer until thickened. Stir in 2 tbsp of butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat and stir in the dill.

Recipe by Katie

Meatball White Bean & Kale Soup

This is a quick and easy weeknight family supper. It was pronounced delicious by even the pickiest eater in our house. Double the meatball recipe and freeze for an even easier future meal! Serve with garlic bread.

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp minced garlic
  • 2 tsp coarse sea salt
  • 2 tsp Italian herb seasoning
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk (plain yogurt works too)

For the soup:

  • 32 oz unsalted chicken stock
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 – 2 tsp sea salt to taste
  • 1 tbsp Italian herb seasoning
  • 1 tbsp Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 2 carrots cut into matchsticks
  • 2 15 oz cans reduced sodium cannellini beans, with juices
  • 1 bunch kale, stems removed, torn into pieces
  • Fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Method

Combine all the ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl and mix with your hands until evenly distributed. Add additional bread crumbs or buttermilk if needed. Form into balls.

In a large cast iron or heavy bottom frying pan, heat a few tablespoons of neutral oil. Cook the meatballs until browned on all sides and set aside. If cooking an extra batch of meatballs to freeze for future use, make sure the they are cooked through, or the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Place the meatballs in the bottom of a 4 quart or larger heavy bottom pot. Cover the meatballs with the chicken stock, reserving 1/2 cup. Bring the stock to a simmer. Add the cornstarch to the reserved stock (this should be cool or room temp) and beat with fork until incorporated and there are no lumps. Slowly stir the slurry into the simmering stock. Add the Better Than Bouillon and stir until completely dissolved. The stock will thicken as it returns to a simmer.

Add the salt, Italian herb seasoning, apple cider vinegar, and garlic. Add the carrots and cannellini beans with their juices. Simmer for about five minutes. When ready to serve, add the kale in batches. There will be alot of kale, and it will look as though it won’t fit. I promise it will! After each addition, wait for the kale to wilt before adding the next batch.

Serve topped with lots of fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano and black pepper.

Recipe by Katie

Baked Butternut Squash Soup

Soups and Stews really come into their own in the fall, and you frequently see displays of colorful pumpkins, gourds, and squash on display in front of markets and farms.  Butternut is one of the easiest to find and prepare. It turns into a beautiful, creamy bowl of warm comfort in no time at all.

3 ½ pound butternut squash

Olive oil

Canola or other neutral oil

2 Bartlett pears, peeled and diced

½ large onion, minced

4 cups of chicken stock

¼ cup half & half

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Salt and Pepper

Method

Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise using a long sharp knife.  Scoop out the seeds and pulp and discard.  Place the two halves in a 9”x13” casserole dish and drizzle the cut side with a teaspoon of olive oil and some fine sea salt.  Turn the halves over cut side down and bake at 375° for 45-55 minutes or until fork tender. Remove from the oven and let cool on the counter for at least 30 minutes.  Taking a large spoon, scoop out the flesh into a large bowl and use an electric mixer to puree the squash. Measure out 4 cups.

Pour 1 tablespoon of canola oil into a medium to large size pot and sauté the onions and pears over low heat, until the pears are fork tender.  Add the pureed butternut to the softened vegetables.  Pour in the chicken stock and stir to combine.  Cook over a low to medium heat until warm.  Taste to check for salt and pepper and add if needed.  Add the nutmeg and stir.

Using an emersion blender, emulsify the soup until completely smooth. Ladle into a serving bowl and drizzle some cold half & half over the soup.  Grate some fresh nutmeg on top.

Recipe by Mary