Chicken Gnocchi Soup

I found this recipe via Pinterest (no surprise there!) and I thought it looked like a great, almost Italian alternative to the traditional chicken noodle soup.  I am so glad we tried it because it was a big winner!  As soon as we sat down to eat, the talking completely ceased because we were too busy shoveling this soup into our mouths as quickly as possible.  Even sweet two year old Finley loved it and commented how "yummy" it was.  After dinner, Andrew suggested that we should bring the leftovers to friends who had a new baby last week.  I have to be honest though, I really don't want to give the leftovers to someone because I want to eat them all!

The broth has a great flavor from the veggies and simple herbs.  The soup is hearty enough (thanks to the gnocchi) without being heavy.  I felt like there were enough vegetables in the soup that I didn't need to make an additional vegetable side dish.  I love one dish meals!  I served the soup with a loaf of crusty garlic bread, and it was a wonderfully simple meal that I can't wait to have again soon.

Chicken Gnocchi Soup
as seen on Our Little Family, recipe adapted from All Recipes

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 small white onion, chopped
3 carrots, sliced
3 celery ribs, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 rotisserie chicken, meat removed and chopped (or 2 cooked and chopped chicken breasts)
5 cups chicken broth
1 16-oz package mini potato gnocchi (I used potato and spinach gnocchi)
1 6-oz bag baby spinach, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream, half and half or fat free half and half
kosher salt and pepper, to taste

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Cook onion, carrots and celery in the oil until onion is translucent, about 5-7 minutes.  Stir in garlic, parsley and basil, and cook until fragrant, stirring often, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.  Stir in chicken and broth; bring to a simmer.

Add gnocchi into the simmering soup and cook until they begin to float, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in spinach and cook until wilted, about 3 more minutes.

Stir cream into soup and lower heat to medium-low.  Taste soup and season with salt and pepper.  You can eat the soup immediately to let it cook awhile longer.  I let mine cook about 30 more minutes because Andrew was running late.

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Tomato Ravioli Soup

I know, I know, soup in the middle of August in Texas?!? I'm not sure why this recipe looked so good to me, especially with the oppressive 100+ degree weather we're having, but I decided to go ahead and make the soup. It was so good! I had two bowls last night at dinner! As I was eating my soup, I couldn't help but think of who I could tell about this great (and easy!) soup. The broth is lovely and I'd suggest serving the soup with a good crusty bread so you can sop up every last little bit of that broth. Delicious! This soup tastes like you've been slaving in the kitchen all day, but of course you haven't been, since it's ready in just about half an hour. Loved it!

Tomato Ravioli Soup

adapted from Taste of Home

9 oz refrigerated tortellini or ravioli

1 can (10 3/4-oz) condensed tomato soup (use low sodium if you can find it)

1 can (14-15 oz) diced tomatoes with basil and oregano, drained

1 cup vegetable broth

2 cups whole milk

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 zucchini, quartered and sliced

1/2 bunch of fresh spinach, leaves only

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated, plus more for garnish

fresh basil, julienned, for garnish

store bought seasoned croutons, for garnish

Cook ravioli or tortellini according to package directions. Set aside.

Spray a small skillet with nonstick spray. Cook zucchini over medium heat until just barely golden and softened slightly.

Meanwhile, in a large pot over medium heat, cook together, tomato soup, diced tomatoes, broth, milk, garlic powder, onion powder and Italian seasoning. Add zucchini when it has finished cooking. Stir together and add parmesan cheese. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add cooked ravioli/tortellini and simmer an additional 2 minutes. Take soup off heat and add spinach. Stir to cover spinach with soup to allow the spinach to wilt. Ladle into bowls and top with more parmesan cheese, basil and croutons.

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Sauteed Spinach and Zucchini

One of our favorite gourmet comfort food restaurants is Bartlett's and we always order their spinach as a side dish - that way we feel a little less guilty for indulging at the rest of the meal. This week I was going to make some spaghetti and meatballs and decided to make my version of Bartlett's sauteed spinach to accompany it and I was really happy with the results! It's a simple presentation that really lets the individual flavors shine.

Sauteed Spinach and Zucchini

a Baking and Eggs original

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 zucchini, sliced and quartered

1 clove garlic, grated

1 bunch fresh spinach, leaves only

1-2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese

salt, to taste

In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Cook zucchini, stirring often, until softened. Add grated garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Lower heat to medium-low and add spinach. Cook until spinach wilts, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt. Toss with parmesan cheese. Serve hot.

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Thai Chicken Soup with "Chimichurri"

I know, I know, chimichurri is Argentinian not Thai. But I made a pork tenderloin with chimichurri last week (which was very good - here's that recipe) and I was still thinking about it when I was planning the menu for this week. Inspiration hit! I decided to make a Thai chicken soup and instead of putting all the herbs and flavors into the soup - where they get diluted and fall into the background - I decided to make a Thai chimichurri-style sauce to spoon on top of the soup. Not only does it look beautiful, the flavors really shine!

To make this recipe more authentic, you could add lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce, red curry and replace the basil with Thai basil and the jalapeno with a red Thai chili. It would be really good with shrimp too. I was just using what I had on hand or in my garden. Just keeping it real!

Thai Chicken Soup with "Chimichurri"

for the soup

1 T olive oil or butter

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 8-oz package fresh mushrooms, sliced

1-inch piece of ginger, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 5-oz package of fresh spinach

8 c chicken broth

2 chicken breasts, cooked and thinly sliced or shredded

1 14-oz can coconut milk

salt and pepper, to taste

cooked rice, for serving

for the "chimichurri"

3/4 c fresh herbs - basil, cilantro, mint - minced (total quantity, not 3/4 c each)

2 green onions, minced

1 jalapeno, seeded and minced (optional)

1 lime, zest and juice

1 garlic clove, minced

2 t ginger, grated

1 T rice wine vinegar

1/4 c olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients for the sauce. Mix well. Refrigerate until ready to use.

In a large pot over medium heat, add olive oil. Add red bell pepper, mushrooms, ginger and garlic. Saute, stirring often, for a few minutes, or until the mushrooms start to brown slightly. Add the spinach and saute for a minute so that it just starts to wilt. Add the broth, chicken and season with salt and pepper. Let cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes. Lower the heat and stir in the coconut milk. To serve, place cooked rice in the bottom of a soup bowl, cover with soup and top with a generous spoonful of the chimichurri.

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