This keto-friendly Cream of Broccoli Soup Recipe is perfect if you’re looking for a rich and creamy low-carb broccoli soup that’s easy to make with just a few ingredients on hand. It incorporates frozen chopped broccoli, so no chopping necessary! Cream cheese and heavy cream make it the creamiest broccoli soup ever.

I sampled this soup for the first time when our son Jonathan was born over twenty years ago. A kind friend (also a great cook!) brought it over for dinner, and we’ve been in love with this soup ever since.

This Cream of Broccoli Soup Recipe also fits perfectly into a keto diet. If you’re unfamiliar with the keto diet, it relies heavily on good fats, minimal protein and low carbs daily.

(Good fats on the keto diet are considered to be saturated fats, monounsaturated fats, natural trans fats and natural polyunsaturated fats. More info. here!) So this broccoli soup is naturally a tasty, filling and nutritious option that fits the bill.

Use an immersion blender if you have one

So last week I finally jumped on the band wagon and picked up an immersion blender. Do you have one of these kitchen wonders yet? It’s so much fun, makes quick work of blending and emulsifying, and it wasn’t very expensive.

I found my heavy duty immersion blender on Amazon with excellent ratings and it’s lived up to my every expectation.

So far I’ve used it to make homemade mayonnaise (with avocado oil!), homemade ranch dressing, French toast, a creamy bacon cauliflower cheese soup and this Cream of Broccoli Soup. An immersion blender is a great invention and I only wish I hadn’t waited so long to get one.

(You can also easily make this soup with a regular countertop blender too.)

Directions to make this keto-friendly Cream of Broccoli Soup Recipe are so simple.

Chop up your green onions and sauté them in a bit of butter.

• Add cubed cream cheese and heavy cream (or half and half).
• Stir over low heat until cream cheese is completely melted.
• Stir in chicken broth and add half of chopped broccoli.
• Process soup until creamy, with an immersion blender or a countertop blender.
• Add remaining chopped broccoli.
• Stir in seasonings.
• Cook on low until broccoli is tender.

Serve hot and garnish with toasted almonds if desired. That’s all for now, folks!!!

Tips for Making Cream of Broccoli Soup:

• Start with your cream cheese at room temperature rather than straight from the refrigerator. It will melt easier at room temperature.
• Thaw the broccoli ahead of time.
• Use chopped frozen broccoli to save yourself a lot of chopping work!
• Use an immersion blender or process in a countertop blender.
• If you prefer a smoother soup, process soup with all broccoli added.
• Cook over low heat just until broccoli is tender.
• Absolutely do not boil! (The soup will separate and the texture will be ruined.) Always keep this soup on low or medium low heat just to be safe.

Other broccoli recipes you may enjoy: Broccoli Bacon Salad, Cheesy Broccoli Rice and Beef and Broccoli Recipe .

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Keto Cream of Broccoli Soup Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped green onion
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 32 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
• 4 cups half and half or heavy cream
• 4 cups organic sugar-free chicken broth
• 6 10 ounce boxes frozen, chopped broccoli, thawed
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• optional: toasted slivered almonds for garnish

Instructions

• Keep in mind that during this whole process you don't want the soup to boil. (This can cause it to separate and ruin the texture.)
• Saute onions in butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven.
• Cube cream cheese.
• Add cubed cream cheese and heavy cream or half and half to green onions.
• Stir over low heat until the cream cheese is melted.
• Stir in chicken broth.
• Add half of the chopped broccoli.
• Process soup with an immersion blender or in a countertop blender until smooth.
• Stir in lemon juice and seasonings.
• Add remaining chopped broccoli.
• Cook over low heat until frozen broccoli is tender.
• Garnish each bowl with toasted almonds and fresh herbs if desired.

You may also like this soup : Simon Pearce Vermont Cheddar Cheese Soup

The post Keto-Friendly Cream of Broccoli Soup Recipe appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

If you’ve ever tasted a hearty Homemade Turkey Soup, you know it’s chock full of fresh flavor and nutrition. The tantalizing aroma of turkey soup simmering on the stove the day after a big holiday meal is mouthwatering! Follow my simple step by step instructions (with a few surprise ingredients!) for the best turkey soup recipe on the planet.

Keep in mind you won’t need exact ingredient amounts, because turkeys come in all different sizes. (And don’t let that intimidate you either. Trust yourself on this. And trust me too!!! I’ll guide you through every step and share all the best tips I know.)

This soup boasts rich broth, tender turkey, brown rice and fresh vegetables. You can easily make this soup and you get to do some taste testing along the way!

Making turkey soup is a multi-step process. It takes me about a day from start to finish. Most of that time the turkey bones are simmering, but there will be some hands on time at the end. Simple to do once you know the steps and oh so worth it!!!

Homemade Turkey Soup is a delicious and inexpensive meal. It stretches the dollar and freezes beautifully – great for last minute meals or sharing with others. It also makes great use of the turkey carcass, which is often just tossed in the trash these days. (Perish the thought.)

I’ve always loved the idea of stone soup…making something out of nothing. That’s why making turkey soup is so appealing to me. It feeds a big crowd for very little, from something that many would consider trash. And everyone is happy, including my wallet.

To make this delicious turkey soup, you will need:

• A turkey carcass with some turkey meat left on the bones. (Sometimes I use the wings and drumsticks too.)
• A large stock pot – big enough for the turkey carcass to fit into. (It’s ok if it’s on end.)
• Two large mixing bowls and a frying pan
• Chopped vegetables – celery, carrots, onions
• Cooked brown rice or noodles
• Small amount of olive oil (for sautéeing the veggies)
• Water
• lemon juice (fresh is better, bottled is fine)
• white wine (cheap is fine)
• frozen peas
• salt & pepper
• optional: lemon pepper seasoning

Step #1: Cook a turkey (or use a frozen turkey carcass)

So first off you’ll need to cook a turkey or have a frozen turkey carcass on hand. Sometimes I cook a turkey for a big holiday, then freeze the carcass/bones for making soup later.

If you’re freezing it, keep in mind that if it’s a big turkey, you’ll need to have a very large freezer bag or container on hand. (And lots of room in your freezer!)

If you’ve never cooked a turkey before or need a refresher, here’s the simple version below. You can always google for more information or check out this post.

• Remove the neck and giblets from the cavity.
• Pat the turkey dry with paper towels.
• Salt and pepper the bird thoroughly, inside and out.
• Place in a large roasting pan and roast uncovered at 325° for approximately 15 minutes per pound. Or until an internal meat thermometer registers 165°. (Just be sure it isn’t touching a bone, I place it in the thigh.)
• Remove turkey from oven and let it rest for 30 minutes before carving. (This allows the juices to absorb back into the meat and keep it tender.)
• Leave a small amount of turkey on the bone for making the soup.

The larger the turkey, the more soup it will make, so keep that in mind when purchasing your turkey. Last Thanksgiving I cooked a 33 lb. turkey and made (and froze!) over ten quarts of Homemade Turkey Soup. It’s been wonderful having the soup on hand in the freezer whenever needed.

You can use the carcass/bones to make the soup immediately. Or refrigerate it for a few days before making the soup. Or freeze it for later use. I usually make the soup immediately or freeze it, since I never have lots of extra room in my refrigerator. If it’s the right season and below 40° outside, use your back deck as a refrigerator. (I do that often when making this soup.)

Step #2: Cover the the turkey carcass with water and simmer

• Place the turkey carcass (and wings and drumsticks if you like) in a large stock pot. (You may have to place it on its side.) That’s ok. It might stick up out of the pot. That’s ok too. As it simmers, the bones will begin collapsing and it will eventually fall down into the pot.
• Cover the carcass with water.
• Cook on high heat on the stovetop until it comes to a full boil. (Be sure to stay nearby!)
• Then turn the heat down to low, place the cover on the pot and simmer for 8-12 hours.
• I often cook it on low through the night. I start the soup simmering at night before going to bed and let it simmer, covered, all night. You may be uncomfortable with doing that, so think about the timing. You may want to start early in the morning and simmer it all day.

Step #3: Optional – Refrigerate/chill the soup and skim off fat

This step takes a little time, but it makes the soup healthier and less greasy. You’ll notice once the soup is chilled that the fat rises to the top and solidifies.

The soup itself will also become very thick and congealed. The soup is so thick because there is natural gelatin from the bones. That gelatin makes for a wonderfully thick and nutritious soup. (And don’t worry, it will thin out again when re-heated.)

• Skim off the top layer of fat with a large spoon and discard.

Step #4: Remove the skin and bones from the pot

This is probably the least pleasant part of the soup making process. (And note I did not provide pictures, lol.) You’ll need to remove the skin and bones from the pot. After decades of making this soup, I finally have the process down to a science.

First, get a helper if you can. Sometimes Jon helps me. For this last pot of soup my son Jacob helped me. Doing this job with two people makes it go so much faster and helps me not miss anything. (Big tip: play pleasant music, listen to a podcast, or listen to the Funky Chicken Song. That’s what I do. Makes the time fly by!)

Removing the bones is a very important process, because some of the bones are very tiny and others have may have disintegrated a bit while cooking. You’ll want to be very careful to remove every single bone to minimize the possibility of choking.

Warm your soup slightly at this point, just enough so you can easily get to the bones and aren’t fishing through cold, thick congealed soup. (Yuck.) Note: you may even want gloves for this process.

• Put a large mixing bowl on either side of your stock pot.
• Using a large slotted spoon or large pair of tongs, pick through the soup looking for meat and bones.
• You will need to separate the meat from the bones.
• Into one large bowl, put pieces of turkey.
• Into the other bowl put skin, bones, cartilage, connective tissue and anything else that looks inedible.
• Once all the meat, bones and skin have been removed from the broth, pour it through a fine mesh metal sieve into another large stock pot if you have one. (If you don’t, use a slotted spoon to carefully find all the bones.)
• Pick through what remains in the sieve to see if there is any good meat to add to the soup.
• Discard the skin and bones.
• Add the turkey meat back to the turkey soup in the stock pot.

Step #5: Add sautéed vegetables and cooked rice

• Now is the time to sautée the onions, carrots and celery in a bit of olive oil on the stove top in a frying pan over medium heat.
• Once vegetables are softening and onions are translucent, add them to the soup.
• I usually use a couple of large chopped carrots, two stalks of thinly sliced celery and a couple of medium onions diced. Add more vegetables for a larger soup, less for a smaller one.
• I keep ziploc bags of cooked rice in my freezer most of the time so I can easily add to soups when needed.
• If you don’t have leftover rice on hand, cook some according to the package directions and add to the soup.
• Be sure your rice is cooked before adding to the soup.
• I usually add 1-3 cups of cooked rice to my soup, depending on the size of the turkey and soup.
• Be aware that the rice will absorb some of the turkey broth, so don’t add too much rice or you’ll be short on broth later.
• You can easily use cooked noodles instead of rice. This is a delicious alternative! I suggest cooking the noodles separately, then adding some noodles to each bowl individually before ladling the soup on top. This keeps the noodles from getting mushy and also absorbing too much of the turkey broth in the soup pot.

Step #6: Add lemon juice and white wine

This is definitely what sets this soup apart to me. A combination of lemon juice and white wine really deepens the flavor of the turkey broth. I usually add twice as much white wine as lemon juice. The combination of lemon juice and white wine gives great flavor, and allows you to use less salt when seasoning.

• Try pinot grigio or any leftover white wine you may have on hand.
• It doesn’t need to be an expensive wine, a cheap one does the trick.
• Add twice as much white wine as lemon juice.
• Start with 1/2 cup of lemon juice and a 1 cup of white wine. Taste test and add more if needed.
• Fresh lemon juice is great, but bottled works fine too. I’ve used both with great results.
• The best way to know how much to add is by taste testing. Lucky you.(!)

Step #7: Season the soup and add frozen peas

Now it’s time to season the soup with salt, pepper and maybe even lemon pepper!

• Taste the soup to see if it needs seasoning.
• You’ll typically need less seasoning with this recipe because there will be great flavor with the lemon juice and wine.
• Start by adding a teaspoon of salt and a half teaspoon of pepper.
• Taste the soup, and add more seasoning incrementally in small amounts if needed.
• Just a few minutes before serving, add frozen green peas to the mix.
• I often add a 10 oz. frozen bag of peas to a large pot of soup and just half the bag for a smaller pot.
• Adding peas at the last minute keeps their bright green color, retains the nutrients and keeps them from getting mushy and overcooked.

Extra tips for making Homemade Turkey Soup:

• Freeze a turkey carcass for later if you can’t make the soup right away – it will keep fine in the freezer for a few months.
• If you make a big pot of soup and it doesn’t get eaten right way, the rice or noodles will absorb a lot of the broth. Refresh your soup with extra store bought chicken or turkey stock if needed.
• Add frozen sweet peas just before serving to preserve color and flavor.
• Season with salt and pepper according to taste, lemon pepper seasoning is a nice option.

Other recipe ideas using fresh turkey: Southwest Leftover Turkey Soup, Thai Turkey Soup and Turkey Noodle Vegetable Soup.

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How to make Homemade Turkey Soup

Ingredients

• Turkey carcass with some meat left on the bones
• water
• 2 carrots or more peeled and chopped
• 2 celery stalks or more chopped
• 2 medium onions or more diced
• a couple tablespoons of olive oil or more if desired
• 1/2 - 1 cup lemon juice fresh or bottled
• start with a 1/2 cup and add more to taste if desired
• 1-2 cups white wine pino grigio or whatever leftover white wine you have on hand
• Start with one cup and add more to taste if desired
• salt & pepper
• optional: lemon pepper

Instructions

• Place turkey carcass in large stock pot. (Fine if it's on end or sticking up out of the pot.)
• Cover carcass with water.
• Bring to a full boil, uncovered.
• Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer for 8-12 hours.
• Add more water to keep carcass covered if needed.
• Remove pot from heat and cool.
• Chill/refrigerate soup until fat rises to the top and congeals.
• Remove fat layer from the top of soup by skimming it off with a spoon and discarding.
• Warm soup slightly over low heat on the stovetop.
• Remove bones and skin from the soup and discard. See post above for tips to simplify this process.
• Be very careful to remove all the tiny bones, as they are a potential choking hazard.
• Once you think you've removed every bone, pour turkey broth through a woven metal strainer.
• (For best results, see my tips above about the process.)
• Heat soup on stovetop on medium high, stirring often.
• Meanwhile, in a frying pan on the stovetop, sauté chopped celery, carrots and onions in a few tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat, until vegetables are just softening and onions are translucent.
• Add sautéed vegetables to the soup and heat thoroughly.
• Add cooked rice.
• Add lemon juice and white wine.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• (I start with a teaspoon of salt and a 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper and taste test, then adjust if needed.)
• A few minutes before serving, add frozen sweet peas.
• Enjoy steaming hot with a slice of crusty fresh bread!

You may also like: Hearty Split Pea and Ham Soup

The post How to make Homemade Turkey Soup appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Hearty Split Pea and Ham Soup is the perfect steaming bowlful on a chilly winter day. Sautéed carrots, onions, cabbage and celery simmer with split peas, ham and flavorful spices for a hearty and nutritious soup that hits the spot.

Soup, soup, soup!!! I love savoring hot soup on a cold, snowy New England day. And why not? Soup is delicious and flavorful, economical to make and stretches beautifully to feed a crowd. It also freezes well for future meals.

This year I’ve been doubling and sometimes even tripling my soup recipes so I can freeze some for us and for bringing meals to others. If you have some great soups stashed in the freezer, it’s simple to pull together a meal when the need arises.

When bringing homemade soup as a meal, I typically add a fresh baguette and green salad. Occasionally I whip up a batch of brownies to add to the mix. Life is full, so I find that the simpler a meal is to prepare, the more likely I am to follow through with taking it.

My mom made pea soup for us often growing up, and that’s where I learned to like it so much. Thankfully my boys learned to love pea soup early on too. (Even if it is green, which seems to be an issue with some other of my culinary offerings….)

I recommend making this Hearty Split Pea and Ham Soup with a leftover ham bone that still has some ham on the bone. You can also make it without the ham bone and use bits of leftover ham or even a purchased ham steak.

(Or keep it vegetarian and skip the ham altogether, adding some vegetable bouillon for flavor.) I’ve made it all three ways and it’s always delicious.

Tips for making Hearty Split Pea and Ham Soup:

• Use a leftover ham bone with some ham still attached. (When we have bone-in ham for a holiday meal, I freeze the bone to have on hand to make this soup.)
• If you don’t have a leftover ham bone, use a small ham steak chopped or add bits of leftover chopped ham.
• You can still make this without ham or a ham bone and it will be delicious! Just add a vegetable bouillon cube for flavor.
• It’s ok if you don’t have every single spice listed. I’ve made this many times and missed a spice or two here or there and it still tastes great. (In fact, I’ve never made it with the summer savory listed because I can’t find it at my grocery store.)
• This recipe doubles well, just make sure you have a really big stock pot. If you double the recipe you’ll be adding a whopping twenty cups of water. (I used my canning pot to make a double batch of this last week.)
• This soup tastes best the day after you make it. It thickens up a bit overnight and the flavor develops more too.
• Pea soup freezes well and will safely keep in the freezer for several months. (It also keeps on a cold back deck for a few days if you’re short on refrigerator space. The voice of experience….)
• Pay close attention when sautéeing the root vegetables. Keep the heat on medium and stir often. (It’s easy to burn onions.)
• I originally discovered this recipe years ago in the Fit for Life cookbook by Harvey and Marilyn Diamond. They adapted it from the original Blue Ribbon Cookbook by Jennie Benedict (from Kentucky). I adapted it again, as the Fit For Life recipe is vegetarian and doesn’t include ham. Also the original recipe suggests cooking for 1 1/2 hours over medium heat. To me, the split peas taste nearly raw after cooking for only 1 1/2 hours. I prefer simmering this soup for 6-8 hours, covered, over medium or medium low heat.
• Soak split peas overnight in water first to reduce the cooking time by half.
• If you prefer a silkier soup, blend with your immersion blender before adding in the ham bits.

Other great soup recipes using split peas: Split Pea Minestrone Soup, Slow Cooker Apple and Split Pea Soup and Split Pea and Potato Soup without Ham

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Hearty Split Pea and Ham Soup

Cook Time 6 hours hours

Total Time 7 hours hours

Servings 12 cups soups

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil safflower, canola etc.
• 1 cup carrots coarsely chopped
• 1 cup celery coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped onions
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 2 cups finely shredded cabbage
• 10 cups water
• Large ham bone with some ham still attached or 1 vegetable bouillon cube or a small ham steak, chopped
• 2 cups dried green split peas
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried summer savory
• 1/8 teaspoon dried sage
• 1/8 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 tablespoons fresh minced parsley or 4 teaspoons dried parsley

Instructions

• Finely shred the cabbage with a sharp knife, mandoline or food processor.
• Dice the carrots, onions and celery.
• Heat butter and vegetable oil in a large soup or stock pot over medium heat.
• When butter is melted, add carrots, celery, onion, garlic and cabbage.
• Saute for about five minutes, stirring often.
• Add water, split peas, spices and ham bone ( or chopped ham or vegetable bouillon).
• Turn up the heat and bring to a rolling boil.
• Reduce heat to medium or medium low.
• Cover and simmer soup for 6-8 hours, stirring every few hours.
• Remove ham bone and cut remaining ham off the bone into bite size pieces (or shreds) and return ham to the soup.
• Stir in parsley.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve soup hot with fresh bread or cornbread.

Notes

Use a ham bone for great flavor.
If you don't have a ham bone, add a cube of vegetable boullion.
Can also use a ham steak and add chopped ham.

You may also like: Arroz Caldo (Filipino Chicken and Rice Soup)

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Maple Pumpkin Bisque is a creamy, flavorful pumpkin soup lightly sweetened with pure maple syrup. Use as an appetizer or main dish in fall and winter. You’ll love this easy seasonal bisque made with canned pumpkin.

I love fall. Just got back from leaf peeping in Vermont with my family this past weekend. What a feast for the eyes! Vibrant reds and striking golds and oranges everywhere you look. The vivid reflections in the streams and ponds were fantastic.

While we were up in VT, we dropped by King Arthur Flour in Norwich. It’s one of my favorite haunts and they have a lovely cafe for eats as well. After shopping in the store and spending too many pesos, I went next door to the cafe to spend a few more. A cup of their delicious homemade butternut squash soup and a chai tea latte hit the spot.

Maple Pumpkin Bisque

Their butternut squash soup got me thinking about making a pumpkin bisque. Pumpkin Bisque is the quintessential creamy fall soup. I’ve always wanted to try my hand at making some, but it’s the fresh pumpkin that always intimidated me.

Call me lazy, but I don’t want to spend the time peeling, chopping and gutting a fresh pumpkin if I’m not going to get a jack-o-lantern out of it. (Yep, lazy.) That’s why I’m so glad this recipe uses canned pumpkin.

I do love surprises. A few months ago a high school friend sent me a surprise package by snail mail: a cookbook with recipes from famous inns in Vermont. She found it at a local thrift shop in Indiana. Go figure.

This is just before adding the heavy cream, which lightens the color considerably.

I’m so glad she sent that cookbook! (Thank you Christy.) Leafing through it, I was inspired to use more maple syrup in my cooking. As you can imagine, many of the recipes incorporate pure maple syrup. There were a few pumpkin soup recipes that caught my eye too.

One recipe included maple syrup, another curry and a third incorporated fresh tomatoes. I used elements from these recipes (and a few of my own) to create this unique Maple Pumpkin Bisque.

Why I love this Maple Pumpkin Bisque recipe:

• It uses canned pumpkin, chicken broth and marsala wine, to name a few of the ingredients.
• Its delicate flavor is enhanced by the marsala wine.
• It is lightly sweetened with pure maple syrup, and a touch of heavy cream makes it the creamiest ever!
• It uses canned pumpkin puree so I don’t have to peel, chop and dice a fresh pumpkin.

I used a blender to process it ’til smooth. (An immersion blender would have been easier and faster, but seeing as I don’t have one… Hint hint to the jolly man in the red suit: I’ve been a very good girl.)

Then I added the heavy cream and seasoned with salt and pepper.

We had this bisque for dinner tonight and Jon says, “What’s with the bisque? And why do the French get all the fancy words like quiche and bisque and frites?” Dunno and no fair. But he did love this pumpkin soup.

Hope you enjoy this delicious pumpkin soup bisque as much as we do! Why not treat yourself.

Tips for making Maple Pumpkin Bisque:

• Don’t boil the bisque after you add the cream.
• Reheat the soup slowly on low heat to avoid separating.
• Use pure maple syrup.
• For best flavor and to allow ingredients to meld, refrigerate overnight before serving. Then slowly reheat.
• Be safe: cool soup before processing in the blender.

Other pumpkin recipes you may enjoy: Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake, Pumpkin Pie Smoothie, and Maple Pumpkin Spice Tea Latte.

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Maple Pumpkin Bisque

Servings 2 .5 quarts (10 cups)

Ingredients

Bisque

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 cup red onion finely diced (about 1 small red onion)
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 cup marsala wine
• 4 cups organic chicken stock
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 29 ounce can pureed pumpkin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup pure maple syrup

Optional Garnish

• sour cream
• fresh herbs

Instructions

• In a heavy stock pot, melt 2 tablespoons butter over low heat.
• Add 3/4 cup finely diced onion and minced garlic cloves.
• Stir in ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg,
• Stir and cook over low heat until onions are translucent, but do not brown.
• Add 1/2 cup marsala wine and 4 cups chicken stock.
• Turn up the heat and bring to a boil.
• Turn the heat down and simmer on low for 15 minutes.
• Stir in canned pumpkin and maple syrup.
• Cook for a few more minutes until thoroughly heated.
• Cool mixture.
• Process in a food processor or use an immersion blender until velvety smooth.
• For best flavor, refrigerate in a glass container for a few hours or overnight to allow flavors to meld.
• Return pumpkin soup to stock pot and add heavy cream, salt and pepper.
• Continue stirring and slowly heat until steaming. DO NOT BOIL or soup may separate.
• Serve steaming hot.
• Optional: garnish with a dollop of sour cream or fresh herb sprigs.

You may also like: Pumpkin Spice Sugared Pecans

The post Maple Pumpkin Bisque appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Tried and true family recipes are the best, and this Irish Potato Chowder Recipe doesn’t disappoint! Try a steaming bowl of rich, creamy potato chowder that uses real ingredients: potatoes, butter, milk, vegetables and herbs. Easy to make, comforting chowder for frigid winter days.

*Newsflash: my Charlie (11) made the soup crock you see above in his pottery class at the Currier Art Center. It was thrown on a wheel, glazed, fired and displayed at his art show. And finally it arrived home so we can fill it with delicious homemade soups and chowders!

So we’ve had a cold snap around here for the last few weeks or so. It’s been SO cold. The bone-chilling kind of cold that freezes your nose hairs when you peek out the door to see if the bird feeder needs refilling. Eek!

Separately on the stovetop, slowly cook a roux (butter and flour)… then set aside.

But the kind of cold we’re feeling now, with temps in the teens, is nothing like the Arctic frigid we experienced up in Quebec City over New Year’s weekend. Oh. My. Stars. Now that was cold.

Thankfully Jon checked the forecast ahead of time and got face masks for all of us before we headed north. It was serious business. And while there we saw more full length fur coats, face masks and fur boots than ever. (You may remember Jon and I went to Quebec a couple years ago in the winter time.)

It was such a great trip and we vowed we’d take the kids back the next time. Quebec City is like a little Europe. Just a days drive from NH and French is spoken in all the little cafes and creperies.

The exchange rate works in our favor and especially in the off-season, it’s a great deal for a genuine European experience.

So all that to say, baby it’s cold outside. And just a few weeks ago, New England experienced yet another big N’oreaster. Hurricane winds and significant snowfall contributed to what some forecasters called a bomb cyclone or a bombogenesis. (It has something to do with the rapid drop of the storm’s central air pressure. That’s all I know – I’m not a weather forecaster.)

Bomb cyclone and bombogenesis are terms I’d never even heard before. But no matter what you call it, when it gets blustery cold and blizzardy outside and the window panes rattle, all I want is cozy. And a steaming bowl of chowder like this Irish Potato Chowder Recipe is just that.

So this is the chowder I made the night we got back from Quebec City. So rich, creamy and comforting – steaming in the bowl. It tasted even better the next day.

Tips for making Irish Potato Chowder Recipe:

• Use your food processor to quickly dice the carrots, celery and onion. (A good husband (or wife) works great too!)
• I used 2% milk, but use the milk of your choice.
• This recipe calls for making a roux of butter and flour separately in a saucepan, then adding it to the soup later. The key to making a good roux is to keep the burner temperature low and stir often. A roux helps thicken the soup and makes it extra rich, creamy and flavorful. Here are more tips from Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond on making the perfect roux.

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Irish Potato Chowder Recipe

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

• 7 tablespoons butter divided
• 7 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2/3 cup diced carrots
• 2/3 cup diced celery
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon freeze-dried chives
• 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 5 cups peeled. diced potatoes
• 3 cups milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• salt and ground white pepper to taste
• Optional: fresh herbs for garnish I used copped chives

Instructions

• Make a roux by melting 5 1/2 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan.
• Stir in flour until well blended.
• Cook over low heat, stirring often, for 3-5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and set roux aside.
• Melt remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in a soup or stock pot..
• Add diced onions, carrots, celery, basil, parsley and chives.
• Cook diced vegetables and herbs about ten minutes.
• Add stock and potatoes.
• Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes.
• Stir in milk.
• Return to simmer and whisk in roux until liquid is thickened and smooth.
• Simmer ten more minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in sour cream and hot pepper sauce.
• Season to taste with salt and white ground pepper.
• Optional: garnish with fresh chopped herbs, like chives

You may also like: Arroz Caldo (Filipino Chicken Rice Soup w/Fresh Ginger)

The post Irish Potato Chowder Recipe appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

New England Bacon Corn Chowder: Best corn chowder recipe ever, adapted from Peter Christian’s Tavern in New London, NH. Thick and creamy chowder, chock full of potatoes, creamed corn, celery, onion and bacon! This is the most requested chowder at our house!

So I made this amazing New England Bacon Corn Chowder for the first time this week. It got two thumbs up and rave reviews from all the Taylor boys. Also the lone Taylor girl. (That would be me.)

There’s something magical about coming in from the cold on a blustery, wintry day to a steaming bowl of creamy corn chowder. Corn chowder with bacon, mind you.

This New England Bacon Corn Chowder is one of the easiest and most flavorful chowder recipes I’ve made. The thick, creamy texture comes from creamed corn, milk and cream. Onion salt and celery salt give great flavor. It tastes even better on the second day.

This recipe is adapted from a corn chowder recipe from Peter Christian’s Tavern in New London, NH. I love publishing great regional recipes, helping preserve our New England culinary heritage.

Says Peter Christian’s Tavern:

“Established in 1975, Peter Christian’s has been serving home made victuals & strong waters to thousands of satisfied customers for over three decades. Nestled in the heart of New London, New Hampshire, the tavern exudes the comfort, antiquity and charm that warms the heart of New Englanders, on even the coldest of days.

Offering guests some of the tastiest morsels around in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere provides not only nourishment for the body, but respite for the soul. With signature sandwiches and recipes that have served up for over 35 years, a single trip to the tavern invokes nostalgia, and the return trips are like a welcoming home. Peter Christian’s is a local favorite because of of its’ unmistakable old New England charm.”

This New England Bacon Corn Chowder recipe is a real treasure and I hope you’ll give it a whirl. Saute the onions, celery and potatoes for just a few minutes. Simmer with water for just a few minutes more. Stir in the creamed corn, spices, milk, cream and bacon. Simmer for twenty minutes.

You’re in for a real treat. I doubled this recipe and so glad I did. We’re enjoying soup and sandwiches for lunch this week. The flavors of this soup meld and taste even better the second day.

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New England Bacon Corn Chowder

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Author Allie Taylor

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• one medium onion diced
• one celery stalk diced
• 2 medium potatoes diced
• 1 cup water
• 2 - 16 ounce cans creamed corn
• 1 can whole corn
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 1 cup light cream
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 tablespoon parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon onion salt
• 1 teaspoon celery salt
• 4 slices cooked bacon crumbled
• Optional Garnish: extra crumbled bacon and chopped green onion

Instructions

• Saute onion, potato and celery in butter.
• Add 1 cup of water.
• Simmer until vegetable are tender. (about 10 minutes)
• Add creamed corn,whole corn, milk, cream and seasonings.
• Simmer about 20 minutes. (Do not boil.)
• Serve hot and garnish with extra crumbled bacon and chopped green onion if desired.
• This chowder tastes even better if it sits a little longer or even the next day.

You may also like: Simon Pearce Vermont Cheddar Soup

The post New England Bacon Corn Chowder appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Apple Cider Caramelized Onion Soup Recipe: a sweeter version of your favorite French onion soup. Apple cider, chicken and beef broths simmer together with sweet caramelized onions and fresh thyme. Top with French bread and sharp cheddar cheese for an easy and impressive main dish or appetizer soup.

As I sit here here writing, we’re under threat of our first big Nor’easter of the season. It’s making its way up the coast even now. There’s something exciting about even the anticipation of being “snowed in.” A few weeks ago we had snow and school was canceled for the boys. It’s always a big deal around here!

They love staying home, sleeping in late, reading, playing board games, watching movies and making popcorn. Oh yeah. And heading outside for old-fashioned snowball fights and snow fort building. That’s always high on the list.

So after that last snow storm, the roads were clear by late afternoon and Jon and I escaped to one of our favorite restaurants Cotton for dinner downtown. I’m always inspired by Cotton’s ambiance and eclectic menu, and that evening was no exception. On their ‘specials’ menu was a French onion-type soup made with apple cider, chicken and beef broth.

It sounded so tempting on a frigid, snowy day. So I ordered a bowl of the steaming soup along with a big spinach salad and it was excellent! I knew then that I’d try to recreate that soup in my own kitchen.

This sweet and savory Apple Cider Caramelized Onion Soup Recipe is the delicious result of my efforts! It’s rich and hearty, sweet from the onions and apple cider. The fresh thyme adds incredible flavor to the broth. Please note that this soup is also delicious minus the French bread and bubbly, melted cheddar. But even better with!

I was pleasantly surprised how easily and quickly this soup comes together. First, slice up the onions into thin rings. And truthfully, it’s easier said than done, because all onions are not created equal. Some make me tear up on the first cut.

While I’ve actually seen onion goggles in the Williams Sonoma catalog for $20, I’ve got my own little trick. Cheaper too. I wear my ski goggles. Seriously, they work great for cutting onions. Try it. (My kids don’t even seem to notice anymore when mom sports ski goggles in the kitchen. LOL.)

Once the onions are sliced, sauté them on the stovetop in a Dutch oven or large soup pot with the butter and olive oil. Don’t brown them, just cook ’til they’re translucent, about 5 or 10 minutes. Then add the apple cider, beef broth, chicken broth and fresh thyme sprigs. Simmer uncovered on low for thirty minutes. Remove the thyme sprigs and season with salt and pepper.

Ladle hot soup into oven-safe, individual serving bowls or cocottes. Float a slice of French bread in each bowl, and top with extra sharp cheddar cheese. Place bowls on a baking sheet under the oven broiler for a few minutes, until cheese is just melted and turning golden. Watch closely! Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs if desired.

Serve this soup piping hot with a green salad and a glass of of Pinot on a cold, snowy or rainy day. This Apple Cider Caramelized Onion Soup Recipe is our new favorite soup – hope you love it too!

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Apple Cider Caramelized Onion Soup Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 large sweet or vidalia or white onions, sliced thinly into rounds
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth
• 2 1/2 cups apple cider
• 10 - 12 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• Optional: additional fresh thyme for garnish
• 6 slices sharp cheddar cheese
• 6 slices French bread

Instructions

• Melt butter with olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot on the stovetop over low to medium heat.
• Add in onions and cook over heat 5- 10 minutes until onions are translucent (Do not brown onions.)
• Add beef and chicken broths, apple cider and thyme sprigs.
• Simmer soup uncovered on low for 30 minutes.
• Remove thyme sprigs.
• Season with salt and pepper
• Ladle soup into individual, oven-safe serving bowls.
• Float a slice of French bread on top of the soup in each bowl
• Top with a slice of sharp Cheddar cheese.
• Place bowls on a baking sheet and place in oven under broiler for a minute or two, or until cheese is bubbly and just turning golden. Watch carefully!
• Remove from oven and serve immediately!

You may also like: Arroz Caldo

The post Apple Cider Caramelized Onion Soup appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Rich and creamy Simon Pearce Vermont Cheddar Soup is a New England favorite. Following is the original recipe from Simon Pearce Restaurant in Quechee, VT. Read on to learn more about Simon Pearce Glass blowing and how to make this delicious cheese soup at home.

If you’ve never been to New England before and you’re thinking of a visit,  add Simon Pearce Glass in Quechee, Vermont to your bucket list. It’s a beautiful experience in every sense of the word.

Watch live glass blowing in the basement.

Shop sparkling treasures on the gorgeous showroom floor.

Dine in the five star restaurant overlooking the covered bridge and falls. (And be sure to order a creamy bowl of Simon Pearce Vermont Cheddar Soup!)

Simon Pearce Restaurant, located in this 1800’s mill, is where I first tasted Simon Pearce Vermont Cheddar Soup. Such a flavorful cheddar cheese soup, the recipe I’m sharing today is world famous.

Melt butter in a large stockpot. Sauté garlic and onion, then whisk in flour, making a roux. Stir in chicken stock and season with fresh thyme and spices. Add grated Cabot sharp cheddar cheese, cream and half and half.

While this isn’t a diet recipe, Simon Pearce Vermont Cheddar Soup is the ideal creamy main dish soup for a satisfying New England lunch or supper after coming in from the cold.

Read my post Simon Pearce Glass for more pictures and information about this fascinating destination.

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Simon Pearce Vermont Cheddar Cheese Soup

Cheddar cheese, thyme, carrots, onions, celery, butter, garlic. Creamy cheddar soup recipe from Simon Pearce Restaurant in Quechee, VT.

Course Soup

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 4

Author Allie Taylor

Ingredients

• 10 tablespoons butter
• 1 small onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 3 quarts chicken stock
• 1 pound Sharp Cheddar Cheese grated
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme finely chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 cup grated carrots
• 1 cup minced celery
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups half & half
• Optional: fresh thyme sprigs for garnish

Instructions

• Melt butter in heavy stockpot.
• Add onions & garlic and cook 'til soft.
• Add flour to butter and onion mixture, stirring to combine well.
• Turn heat very low.
• Stir occasionally, and cook 10-15 minutes.
• Add chicken stock incrementally, stirring with whisk until smooth after each addition.
• Add chopped thyme, bay leaves and salt and pepper to taste.
• Cook over medium heat 5-10 minutes more until smooth and creamy, watching closely.
• Stir in grated cheese.
• In separate saucepan, bring water to a boil.
• Add celery and carrots, cooking until just tender, about 1 minute.
• Rinse with cold water and drain well.
• Add celery and carrots to large stockpot.
• Stir in half & half and heavy cream.
• Stir soup well.
• Optional: garnish with fresh thyme sprigs
• Serve hot, but don't overheat or the soup will curdle.

Notes

If you want a thicker soup, use less chicken stock. (Start with 2 quarts instead of 3. You can always add more to thin if needed.)

You may also like: Cabot Creamery, Cabot, VT

The post Simon Pearce Vermont Cheddar Soup appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

This hearty Ham and Cheese Soup is a favorite around here. Perfect recipe for leftover dinner ham, or use a ham steak. This creamy soup is chock full of celery, carrots, potatoes, onions, ham and cheese.  You can have this main dish soup on the table in thirty minutes! Score.

On the menu today: soup. And a laugh.

Was delighted to have my extended family in from Rhode Island recently.

I made what I always make when the gang comes up: homemade soup and homemade bread. Soup’s easy, feeds a crowd, and holds well for latecomers. (Important!) We had this best ever creamy and cheesy Ham and Cheese Soup.

Everyone loves this soup and it’s easy to make. Even the littlest kids don’t realize it’s chock full of veggies: onions, celery, potatoes and carrots. (And we don’t mention it!) This soup tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld.

So we got chatting around the table about Jerry, George and the Soup Nazi. Then I had to go and watch this short clip. And now I’m laughing and maybe you are too.

I do serve bread with my soup, no extra charge or intimidation. (Sure hope Soup Nazis don’t live at your house or “No soup for you!”)

Nothing better than a steaming bowl of thick and hearty soup on a cold day. The temps have been dropping like a rock around here, so that means it’s time to start making this delicious soup again.

The rich, creamy flavor of this perfectly seasoned main dish soup is wonderful. Ham and cheese is a great combination and this is the best and easiest soup ever. Hope you’ll try this soup recipe and can’t wait to hear how you like it!

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Hearty Ham and Cheese Soup Recipe

Ham and Cheese Soup: a staple at our house in the fall and winter. Creamy and flavorful, this is a main dish soup everyone will love.

Course Main Dish Soup

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Allie Taylor

Ingredients

• 8 oz. chopped ham
• 3/4 cup chopped onions
• 3/4 cup shredded carrots approximately 2
• 3/4 cup diced celery
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups diced potatoes approximately 4
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 8 ounces American cheese or Velveeta cut in small pieces for easy melting
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup sour cream

Instructions

• Saute onion, carrots and celery in 1 tablespoon butter or 1 tablespoon olive oil.
• Stir in basil and parsley.
• Add chicken broth and diced potatoes.
• Cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, 10-15 minutes.
• Separately, mix melted butter and flour together with a fork and add to soup.
• Bring to a boil and mix well.
• Turn heat down, then add ham, cheese, milk, salt and pepper.
• DO NOT BOIL AFTER ADDING MILK AND CHEESE.
• Blend in 1/4 cup sour cream.

Notes

Very important! Absolutely do not boil the soup after the cheese and milk are added. (It will curdle and ruin the texture.)

I don't peel the potatoes in this recipe for two reasons: nutrition and laziness. The potatoes are just fine with the skin on.

Easy: use a ham steak for the chopped ham.

This soup doubles and triples great.

You may also like: Simon Pearce Vermont Cheddar Soup

The post Hearty Ham and Cheese Soup appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

How’s the weather behaving where you are? Hopefully better than the politics. I hope it’s warm and beautiful and the buds are out, maybe even blooming. It hasn’t quite gotten spring-like around here yet, which is why I’m sharing this post today for Five Best Homemade Soup Recipes.

So Jon and I were up in Quebec City this past weekend. It’s such a beautiful city, have you ever visited? This was our first time. The view above is from the top deck of the ferry looking back across the icy St. Lawrence River at Old Quebec City. You can see the imposing Chateau de Frontenac beyond the wall on the hill. (I’ll post more about our visit to Quebec City this coming weekend.) We stayed in the old walled part of the city. So much history. And they’d just gotten a big snowfall, maybe a foot the day before we arrived. The temperatures were low. Very low. In fact, one morning it was -15° when we woke up. Now that’s some serious soup weather and I had that on my mind as we traipsed all over the city, bundled to the max. I was thinking about soup, crepes, beignets and hot coffee!

So we arrived home in New Hampshire and it’s still cold here, but not nearly as frigid as it was five and a half hours north in Quebec City. So tonight I’m making soup and it got me thinking that we still have some soup weather left. So I’m sharing Five Best Homemade Soup Recipes today for those of you still experiencing the winter temps.

Simon Pearce Restaurant is located in an 1800’s mill in Quechee, VT, and where I first tasted Simon Pearce Vermont Cheddar Soup. Such a flavorful cheddar cheese soup, the recipe is world famous.

Melt butter in a large stockpot. Saute garlic and onion, then add flour to make a roux. Stir in chicken stock and season with fresh thyme and spices. Add grated Cabot sharp cheddar cheese, cream and half and half. While this isn’t a diet recipe, Simon Pearce Vermont Cheddar Soup is the ideal creamy main dish soup for a satisfying cold weather New England lunch or supper. Recipe here: Simon Pearce Vermont Cheddar Soup

Arroz Caldo is chicken rice soup, a staple in the Philippines. (And our house too.) The key to the excellent flavor of this Arroz Caldo is fresh ginger. The name Arroz Caldo literally means “rice porridge” or “rice soup.” This is a quick, nourishing meal if you’re sick or to boost your immunities. It’s so flavorful and my entire family prefers it to a traditional chicken and rice soup. Aromatic, pungent and spicy, ginger has many health benefits including anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Recipe here: Arroz Caldo

Chicken Enchilada Soup has to be one of the most satisfying and flavorful soup recipes in my recipe box. It’s also the one I’ve passed on most through the years. Chicken Enchilada Soup is a warm and comforting, mildly spicy soup perfect for cold days. It’s a knockoff recipe of the Chili’s Restaurant Chicken Enchilada Soup.

The base of this soup is made from Mexican corn flour (masa harina). It definitely has that Mexican flavor. It’s the cumin. And garlic. And onions. Mmmmmm. How ’bout that cheese? Ooooo! It just gets better and better. I’ve never met anyone who didn’t love this soup. This is a main dish soup, great with crusty bread and a salad. I often double this recipe for parties and group events. Recipe here: Chicken Enchilada Soup

Everyone loves Ham and Cheese Soup and it’s so easy to make. Even the littlest kids don’t realize it’s chock full of veggies: onions, celery, potatoes and carrots. (And we sure don’t tell ’em!) Recipe here: Ham & Cheese Soup

Bursting with flavor, Hearty Italian Sausage Soup makes a great meal all by itself. The Italian sausage flavors this soup beautifully. But the secret ingredient? Parmesan cheese. It ties the tomatoes and sausage together beautifully. This thick and chunky soup is perfect for frigid winter nights and will have your family coming back for seconds. It’s what’s for dinner! Recipe here: Hearty Italian Sausage Soup

So grab a spoon and enjoy these Five Best Homemade Soup Recipes . I hope that spring arrives wherever you are very soon. (My wish for me too!)

You may also like: New England Corn Chowder

The post Five Best Homemade Soup Recipes appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.