Soup Weather

What is it about soup or a warm drink that is so comforting during cold weather?   I love how they warm me up from the inside out.   And after the weather we've this week, we're all about warming up.   It's been cold and wet and even SNOWED here in deep south Texas! 

Today we decided  we needed some Sweet Potato Corn Chowder.   Luckily, I made a fresh batch of bone broth a few days ago.  It adds tons of flavor to soups, stews or anything cooked in a liquid.    Just look at the deep color!     Here's how I make my bone broth . . . . 

 

This soup starts by sauteeing six slices of bacon until it's crisp.   Remove the bacon, crumble it up, and save it for later.    In the bacon grease, saute chopped onion, celery, and green bell pepper.   I usually add in red bell pepper or anything I have on hand that strikes my fancy.   

At this point, you will add a cubed sweet potato, salt, tyme, a bay leaf, and two cups of water or, even better, a rich broth.    I'll take this opportunity to encourage you to grow a few herbs.   Grow them in pots or in a garden, on a windsill or an apartment balcony; it doesn't matter where.   Herbs are easy to grow, take very little space, AND make everything taste better!  Today I used dry thyme but went to the patio for the bay leaf and parsley.    Now, let everything simmer for about 20 minutes or until the sweet potato is soft.   It'll look about like this and will fill your home with an amazing aroma!

Time to thicken things up a bit.   Mix 3 tablespoons of flour and 1/2 cup of cold milk together.    I put mine in a small jar and shake it, shake it, shake it!    Once the sweet potato is soft, add the flour & milk mixture to the pot.    Stir well and let it simmer for 10 minutes.    You will have a fairly thick mixture but the flour needs this time in the heat to do its thing.   

To finish it of, add 2 cups of frozen corn.   Feel free to use fresh corn, but then you'll need to cook it a bit longers.   Also add 1-1/2 cup of warm milk, 3 tablespoons (or more) of fresh chopped parsley, and a squeeze of honey.    Heat until everythings warm.   The frozen corn will cool things off a bit so expect this step to take 5 or 10 minutes.    

Now it's ready!   

Ladle into bowls, garnish with the cooked bacon and enjoy!  

If you want a printable copy of the recipe, click here!     

It's Bone Broth Season!

Nothing has improved my cooking more than using homemade bonebroth in my recipes.   I started making this a couple of winters ago because it was supposed to be good for me . . .  and because it was so warm and yummy to sip a cup of it on a cold winter evening!   I was a little slow to click in to what that rich flavor could add to my recipes.    I like to make mine in a crockpot and cook it for 24 hours or more.   The actual recipe varies from time to time, depending on what I happen to have in the refrigerator.   Here is my basic recipe:

Start with the bones from a roasted chicken - or if it's Thanksgiving week, the bones from your Thanksgiving turkey.   I try to buy chickens that are labeled hormone and antibiotic-free but I am not above buying a grilled or roasted chicken at the grocery store and then using those bones.   Add celery stalks (or the ends of celery stalks and use the celery in your dishes), 1/2 to 1 onion (quartered), two or three carrots, a bunch of parsley, and a couple of bay leaves.   Toss in some whole peppercorns and cover with water.   I use filtered water.   Now turn your crockpot on and set the timer for 24 hours.   I've read it takes this long for the marrow from the bones to leach into your broth.

The first winter that I made bonebroth, I did it on the stovetop.  I had to constantly add water to the pot and was afraid to keep the burner on over night.   I cook with gas and running the burners for 24 hours to make broth ran through LOTS of propane - and turned out to be very expensive broth!   That's when I switched to the crockpot and I love this process.   It cooks slowly enough (even on the high setting) that I don't have to add extra water.  This gives me a nice, richly colored broth.

This is what the chicken and veggies look like after a day of simmering.    Remove them from the crockpot with a big straining spoon.    You won't be able to get ALL of the solids - at least I am not patient enough to get all of the solids out during this step.   At this point, I may add some more spices.   It really depends on what my plan for the broth is.  If I'm cooking with it, I don't bother with more spices.  But if the broth is for sipping, it probably needs some salt and pepper - and a little tumeric or cumin can be tasty too. 

Let the broth cool for 30 minutes or so and then it's time to strain it.   My system is above.    Look at that color!   I made this with a couple of turkey necks and a part of a chicken carcass.    I only had part of a chicken carcass because still haven't trained all my family (i.e. my husband) not to through away chicken bones that are in the refrigerator . . . . 

I know you saw the broth in the last picture, but it was so pretty I thought I'd show you another picture of it!

The final step is to put it into jars.   It usually makes about four quarts.   I just drink what doesn't fit into the jars.   It will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 1 week or in the freezer for 3-6 months.    You can freeze it flat in plastic ziplock bags or in a jar.   For the freezing, I like the bags but for the defrosting and using, I like the jars.    If you freeze in a jar, freeze it first without the lid, leaving room for expansion.   After being frozen for a day, you can cap the jars.   Otherwise, you are risking some broken jars.

Here's a printable version of my recipe.

If you haven't tried bone broth, I hope  you will.   It's super easy, super tasty, and super good for you!