Soups – The Pajama Chef

Roasted parsnips make a great soup... with white chocolate as an accent flavor! This soup is surprising and delicious, thanks to the rich, quality chocolates from Forte Artisan Chocolates, a sponsor for this year's #Choctoberfest.

#Choctoberfest: White Chocolate Parsnip Soup

October 20, 2018October 20, 2018 Sarah

Roasted parsnips make a great soup… with white chocolate as an amazing accent flavor! This soup is surprising and delicious, thanks to the rich, quality chocolates from Forte Artisan Chocolates, a sponsor for this year’s #Choctoberfest.

Announcement, announcement, announcement! Guess what!? Today is the last day of #Choctoberfest 2018… but you can still enter the giveaway (over $400 of prizes!) so get to it! 🙂 And then get back here for a yummy SAVORY chocolate recipe! Today’s recipe was inspired by the amazing and versatile chocolates made by Forte Artisan Chocolates, another one of our generous #Choctoberfest sponsors. I was fortunate enough to receive some samples of their chocolates–two varieties of white chocolate that I used in this recipe, one classic White Chocolate Cloud and the other an interesting Balsamic Vinegar in White Chocolate, as well as some amazingly rich 71% Dark Chocolate Brute. While all of them were incredible on their own, it was so fun using both varieties of white chocolate in a savory dish.

Truth be told, on my own I probably wouldn’t take the initiative to make something savory with chocolate. But Forte challenged us to at least try it… so try it I did! And this soup is the amazing result. It’s hard to describe this savory White Chocolate Parsnip Soup without having you over for a bowl, but it is very similar to a good butternut squash bisque or pumpkin soup. A little sweet, but not too overpowering. The white chocolate is a perfect compliment to the veggie goodness of this soup.

One of the most surprising things about making this soup was the fact that it definitely did not need any herbs or spices for flavor. The parsnips, when roasted, almost have a spiced flavor profile. I swear I smelled cinnamon! But alas, I just roasted them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. It was crazytown, but turned out to be the perfect compliment to sweet, rich white chocolate when they were blended with chicken broth, cream, garlic, and onion. This is a must try soup, especially if you can get your hands on some Forte Artisan Chocolate. This is the best white chocolate I have ever had, and lucky for you, you can use the code “CHOCTOBERFEST2018” on their website now to get a special buy 3 get 1 free sale. They have so many unique flavors… and a whole line of savory chocolate bars in their Gusto line. I can’t wait to try them all!

All in all, I love this White Chocolate Parsnip Soup, even though it was a total experiment. My family enjoyed it too. It’s great with crusty bread and a side salad, but I can also envision it being a great first or second course for a fancy meal with some filet mignon. Or maybe at Thanksgiving! Yesss! How fun would it be to surprise your guests with soup, that includes white chocolate? Yes, please! Enjoy, friends!

one year ago: Double Chocolate Pumpkin Energy Bites
two years ago: Pumpkin & Sausage Pizza
four years ago: Banana Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins
five years ago: Funfetti Cookies
six years ago: Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chili Sour Cream Sauce
seven years ago: Roasted Vegetable Soup
eight years ago: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

Please check out more chocolate recipes here!!

White Chocolate Parsnip Soup

Servings: 8
Time: 90 minutes
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adapted from Chocolate for Dinner, An Italian Tradition by Francine Segan

Ingredients:

2 pounds parsnips (about 4-5 large parsnips)
2 tablespoons extra virgin oil
freshly ground black pepper and salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large Vidalia onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 quarts chicken stock
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
freshly ground black pepper and salt
45 gram White Chocolate Cloud bar by Forte Artisan Chocolates, chopped
45 gram Balsamic Vinegar in White Chocolate bar by Forte Artisan Chocolates, chopped
1 cup heavy cream or half and half
Juice of 1 lemon or lime
minced fresh rosemary or dill

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Peel and cut parsnips into one inch slices, then toss with olive oil. Season with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Roast for 40 minutes, tossing halfway through, until softened.

When parsnips are almost done, melt butter in a large dutch oven or stockpot. Add onion and cook over medium heat until softened, about 6-7 minutes. Add garlic and saute another 30 seconds until fragrant.

Pour in chicken stock, vanilla, and roasted parsnips. Season with pepper and a little salt, then bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, then cover and cook for 20 minutes. Add chopped white chocolate, then stir until melted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add in heavy cream and lemon juice, then use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. Serve with a touch of fresh herbs. Enjoy!

Disclosure: I received free product from Forte Artisan Chocolates to use in this recipe for #Choctoberfest. I was not required to review them or provide positive feedback. All opinions are my own. You can learn more about Forte Artisan Chocolates and get great recipe ideas from them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Chicken, Main Dishes, Recipes, Soups

Homemade Chicken Stock

January 15, 2018January 13, 2018 Sarah

Homemade Chicken Stock. Easy, frugal, and utterly delicious!

There’s something magical about making homemade chicken stock. Or broth. Turns out they are actually different things. For better or for worse, I use broth and stock interchangeably. At the end of the day, it probably doesn’t matter. It might just look like some liquid in a jar, but guys…? It’s much, much, more than that. You’re making SOMETHING out of (practically) nothing. Or nothing edible anymore, anyways.

In my opinion, homemade chicken stock is one of the easiest things you can make. All it takes is chicken bones and/or a carcass, vegetables and/or vegetable scraps, water, and a crock pot. And time! Let this simmer for as long as you can. Everything used for this homemade chicken stock is something I would otherwise be throwing away so this recipe is also crazy frugal. That’s all well and good, but the deliciousness of this homemade stock is something that cannot be understated. It’s wayyy better than anything you could buy at the store. It’s absolutely delicious. Whether you use it as the base for soup, for adding flavor to rice, in sauces, or even just sipping by itself (yup!), this homemade chicken stock is the BEST.

Please start saving your veggie scraps (I just save mine in a gallon size ziptop bag in the freezer) so you can try this recipe asap! Then, when your bag is full, just roast a chicken or buy a rotisserie chicken so you can make your own homemade chicken stock. It’s one of my freezer essentials and I use it alllll the time. Enjoy!!

one year ago: Simple Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
two years ago: Apple Cranberry Relish Salad
three years ago: Chewy Ginger Cookies
four years ago: Sweet Potato Chorizo Chile Mac
five years ago: Chicken Tinga Tacos
six years ago: Crock Pot Cran-Apple Sauce
seven years ago: Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Easy Homemade Chicken Stock

Servings: 12-13 cups stock
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Ingredients:

bones and carcass from 1 roasted chicken (homemade or store-bought rotisserie)
- note: for food safety reasons, carve the chicken before serving… do not use bones that have been on a plate in your stock
1 gallon-sized bag full of vegetable scraps, saved over time in the freezer… basically the stuff you would otherwise throw away such as:
- carrot ends and peels
- onion ends and skins
- garlic skin
- celery ends and leaves
- bell pepper pieces
- stems or ends of herbs, green onions, or mushrooms
- apple cores
- citrus rinds
- don’t include: lettuces/greens, cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts) or anything dirty or moldy… but veggies past their prime are totally fine!
water
splash of vinegar
freshly ground pepper and salt
dried herbs as desired: parsley, thyme, basil, oregano, bay leaves, etc.

Directions:

Place chicken bones and carcass at the bottom of a large crockpot. Cover with veggie scraps. Add a splash of vinegar, a generous amount of freshly ground pepper and salt, and some dried herbs if desired. Fill crockpot nearly to the top with water, then cover and cook on low for at least 8 hours, preferably 12 or more.

At the end of the cooking time, unplug and remove lid. Allow to cool briefly, then skim off any film or foam. Use a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl or liquid measuring cup to strain out solids to discard. You can strain again with cheesecloth for clearer stock, if desired.

At this point, you have two options:

Divide into desired portion-sized containers – I like using half pint and pint mason jars – allow to cool completely, then refrigerate or freeze. If freezing stock, be sure to leave head space so the jars don’t break. With this method, each jar will have a layer of thickened chicken fat on top that you can use or discard when you use the stock. The jars may also have some residue or grittiness at the bottom of them, as well.
Cover and refrigerate bowl(s) of stock overnight. Scrape the thickened chicken fat off the stock and discard/save as desired, then divide into desired portion-sized containers and freeze. This method eliminates most of the excess fat and residue or grittiness, as most of it rises or falls and can be discarded before freezing.

Notes:

Stock can be frozen indefinitely, but should be used within a week if refrigerated.

There are lots of ideas online for alternate freezing methods based on your cooking needs, freezer space, etc. such as: in plastic ziptop bags, ice cube trays, or muffin tins (maybe even try the silicone ones!).

To defrost half pint or pint sized glass jars of stock, it is easiest to defrost in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours before use. If you need it sooner, submerge in a bowl of cold water (hot can make frozen containers crack!) until you can defrost it enough to transfer to your pot to melt all the way. Or remove lid and microwave jar on 50% power until you can pour it out.

This stock is not concentrated per se, but I do find it to be more flavorful than store-bought broth or stock. So I often will use a little less in recipes and make up the difference with water. Experiment to find what works for you!

Main Dishes, Recipes, Soups

Apple Cheddar Bacon Soup with Cheesy Croutons

March 6, 2017February 25, 2017 Sarah

Cheesy soup gets dressed up with sweet apples, salty bacon, and ooey gooey cheesy croutons!

Cheesy soup gets dressed up with sweet apples, salty bacon, and ooey gooey cheesy croutons!

At first glance, this is an unlikely soup. Apples, cheddar, and bacon? “Pass!” you might be thinking. But hold up just a minute… cheddar and bacon is a classic combo, right? And you’ve heard of the whole cheddar cheese with apple pie thing, right? And applewood smoked bacon is totally a thing. So let’s put it all together–apples, cheddar, bacon. Not so unlikely after all! (And pssttt… I made a fabulous Maple Apple Pie Crisp with Cheddar Crust and Bacon Crumb Topping a couple years back!) And if you need further convincing, just think of it this way: this soup has the sweet and salty thing down pat.

Cheesy soup gets dressed up with sweet apples, salty bacon, and ooey gooey cheesy croutons!

And it’s utterly delicious. Next time you’re in the mood for an interesting new soup recipe, check out this one! I’m sure you’ll love it. 🙂

one year ago: Spicy Ranch Chicken Rice Skillet
two years ago: Chocolate Coffee Bundt Cake
three years ago: Strawberry Yogurt
four years ago: Cumin-Scented Cabbage Salad
five years ago: Extraordinary Grilled Cheese
six years ago: Best Egg Salad

Apple Cheddar Bacon Soup with Cheesy Croutons

Servings: 4
Time: 30 minutes
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from What Megan’s Making

Ingredients:

3 slices bacon
1 1/2 cup diced onion
2 cups apples, peeled and chopped (about 2 medium)
1 large potato, peeled and diced
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups no-sugar-added apple juice
freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 slices sourdough or rye bread, toasted
1 teaspoon whole grain dijon mustard

Directions:

Cook bacon in a large stockpot set over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towel to drain. Meanwhile, remove most of grease from pot, leaving about 2 tablespoons.

When bacon is cool, chop into small pieces and set aside.

Combine the onion, apples, and potato in the stockpot and saute over medium high heat until onion and apples are soft, about 8-10 minutes. Pour in chicken broth and apple juice, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until potato is soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and season with pepper, then stir in almost all the cheese, reserving 3 tablespoons. When cheese is melted, use an immersion blender to puree soup until smooth.

Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Spread the toasted bread with dijon and evenly divide reserved cheese between slices. Broil–watching carefully!–until cheese is bubbly and melted. Remove from oven, cool for a couple minutes, then slice into bite-sized squares. Serve soup with bacon, cheese croutons, and lots of black pepper. Enjoy!

Easy and flavorful red lentil soup...this curried red lentil soup is simply the best!

Main Dishes, Recipes, Soups

Curried Lentil Soup

September 21, 2016September 19, 2016 Sarah

Easy and flavorful red lentil soup…this curried red lentil soup is simply the best!

I already showed you the soup along with this fabulous hearty Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread… and now here’s the recipe! This Curried Lentil Soup is also fabulous. Why would I share anything less than fabulous? Ha! Lentil soup is always a go-to vegetarian soup because it’s filling and flavorful without meat. This time, we’ve taken a regular ‘ole lentil soup and added red lentils and a south Asian flavor profile to make something extra special.

If you’re a fan of dal, you’ll like the soup. The flavors are incredible–garlic, ginger, onion…and of course, curry! There’s nothing better on a cold night, especially when served with some hearty bread. Mmm! The fact that this soup is made in about 30 minutes, thanks to the magic of the microwave [Iiiiiiii know–I never use the microwave in cooking, but it’s magic here], is an added bonus. Perfect for busy weeknights! Hope you guys enjoy!

two years ago: Honey Cornbread
three years ago: Sweet ‘n Spicy Apple BBQ Chicken & Slaw
four years ago: Peach Raspberry Clafouti
five years ago: Peach Shortbread
six years ago: Tropical Granola

Curried Lentil Soup

Servings: 4-6
Time: 30 minutes
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from Jenna’s Everything Blog

Ingredients:

2 cups red lentils, rinsed
8 cups low sodium vegetable or chicken broth
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 – 15 ounce cans petite diced tomatoes
freshly ground black pepper
cilantro, chopped
plain yogurt

Directions:

In a large bowl, microwave lentils and half of the broth for 10-12 minutes, until liquid is mostly absorbed

In a stockpot or dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Saute onion for 5-7 minutes, until soft and translucent. Season with pepper to taste, then add garlic, ginger, and curry powder. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add the microwaved lentil mixture to the pot, then add the remaining broth and tomatoes. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, seasoning with pepper as desired.

Serve with cilantro and plain yogurt.

Main Dishes, Recipes, Soups

Italian Wedding Soup

February 22, 2016February 19, 2016 Sarah

Italian Wedding Soup reminds me of chicken noodle soup, hold the chicken and add the meatballs. This version has tiny turkey meatballs and is SO tasty!

Italian Wedding Soup | thepajamachef.com

I feel like every other recipe I’m making and sharing this winter has been soup! But it’s just so good this time of year so I can’t resist. 🙂 Before making this Italian Wedding Soup, I’m not sure I had ever really had it before. I just saw the recipe in a magazine and thought it would be good! Guess what? It was! Ha. Big surprise there, right?

Italian Wedding Soup | thepajamachef.com

Since I don’t have a family version or favorite restaurant version to compare this to, I can’t really say that this is the best Italian Wedding Soup of all time or anything like that. But I can say it’s incredible! And why wouldn’t it be? It really does remind me of a twist on chicken noodle soup. You have the same basic base: chicken broth, carrots, onion, celery, garlic, pasta… and then you add in some cute ‘n tiny meatballs [with a twist of lemon for some extra tasty oomp!] and some spinach. Then BOOM! You’ve got a tasty and interesting soup, hearty enough to eat alone, with some crusty bread and a side salad or a tasty sandwich. Enjoy! 🙂

one year ago: Falafel, Tzatziki, and Greek Lemon Rice
two years ago: Strawberry Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
three years ago: Red Velvet Marshmallow Bites
four years ago: Sunrise Muffins
five years ago: Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes

Italian Wedding Soup

Servings: 10-12
Time: 45 minutes
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from September/October 2014 Taste of Home

Ingredients:

for meatballs

2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
2 tablespoons milk
5 cloves garlic, minced
freshly ground black pepper
zest of 1/2 a lemon
1 pound ground chicken or turkey

for soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 carrots, chopped
2 small or 1 large yellow onion, diced
4 ribs of celery, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 quarts low-sodium chicken broth
freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups small pasta [like acini di pepe, orzo, or ditalini]
2 – 10 ounce packages fresh spinach, roughly chopped
additional Parmesan, for serving

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients for the meatballs. Mix well–your hands are going to work best! Roll into small, 1 inch meatballs and place on a baking sheet and pop in the fridge to chill for a few minutes.

Next, begin on the soup. Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add carrots and onion and cook until almost tender, about 6 minutes. Add celery and cook another 2 minutes, then add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Pour in chicken broth and season with pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Gently drop in meatballs. Allow to cook, uncovered, for about 10 minutes. Add pasta and allow to cook for another 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook until meatballs and pasta are fully cooked. Stir in spinach, then serve, topped with more Parmesan. Enjoy!