Passing on my Cuban Black Bean Recipe to Sky (in another thread) made me think about passing on some more recipes to you.

Here are some soup recipes from two of my favorite food bloggers - Ree Drumond (aka The Pioneer Woman) and Joy The Baker.

First up - the Pioneer Woman's Chicken Soup recipe because she uses parsnips in hers. Who knew?


Chicken Soup

Added by Ree on December 14, 2011 in Brothy Soups, Soups

Prep Time 20 Minutes
Cook Time 2 Hours

Servings 12

Difficulty Easy

Ingredients
1 whole Chicken
1 whole Bay Leaf
64 ounces, fluid Unsalted (or Low Sodium) Chicken Broth (you May Use Half Broth And Half Water If Desired.)
1 whole Large Onion, Chopped
3 whole Ribs Of Celery, Sliced
3 whole Carrots, Peeled And Chopped
3 whole Parsnips, Peeled And Chopped
½ teaspoons Salt
Ground Black Pepper

Preparation Instructions

Place all ingredients but the pepper into a pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until chicken is done, vegetables are tender, and soup flavor is divine. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Serve in a bowl, then sprinkle black pepper over the top.

*Note: Adjust broth levels and/or vegetable amounts as needed.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/

And from Joy

Spicy Chicken Sausage and Lentil Soup

makes a big pot of soup. serves 8

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound spicy chicken sausage, uncased

1 medium yellow onion, finely diced

3 celery stalks, finely diced

2 carrots, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons dried ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes

2 cups uncooked French lentils, rinsed

8 cups chicken stock

salt and pepper to taste

parmesan cheese, olive oil, and bread to serve

in a large saucepan over medium heat, warm olive oil. Add the uncased chicken sausage and cook, breaking up with a spatula as it cooks. Sausage should finish cooking in small chunks. Remove from the pan.

Add a touch more olive oil if necessary. Add onions, celery, and carrots. Cook until the onions are transluscent, about 5 to seven minutes. Stir occasionally. Add the garlic, cumin, and chili flakes, and cook for one minute more.

Add the sausage back to the pan. Stir to incorporate. Add the lentils and chicken stock. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the soup, uncovered, until the lentils are tender, about 45 minutes.

Serve soup with a generous sprinkling of parmesan cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, and good crusty bread. Soup will last, in an airtight container in the fridge, for up to 5 days. Soup also freezes well.

http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2011/12/a-hot-bowl-of-spicy-lentil-soup-with-buttered-bread/#more-6919



Now, if it would only get cold again in Southeast Texas. We have highs forecast in the 70's today. Eat ya hearts out, Yanks!

OMG I love my soup....


THANK YOU BLUE I am gonna try both of these!

You are more than welcome, L!

It is 56 degrees here today and cloudy. Yes, dears, this is Texas and the weather changes about every 30 minutes. Supposed to be this way alllllll weekend.

Actually gloomy is more the word of the day.

Think foggy Hounds of the Baskervilles, if you will.

Maybe some soup tonight? I gotta hankering for Ree's chicken soup with parsnips.

See, parsnips aren't a vegetable I'm very familiar with so this intrigues me.

If I make it, I'll report back.

Made Pioneer Woman's Chicken Soup above last night. Gotta give Ree a plug!

It was AWESOME! Who knew parsnips taste so good? Almost like carrots.



East Texas had TWO bowls - but who's counting?

Just made a lovely gingerbread, if I do say so myself. From scratch no less.

East Texas bought a Sweet n Low package of gingerbread mix over my objections and made it yesterday.

Blech! Ucko! Tasted like sponge cake and was a really light brown.

Made the gingerbread today just to prove a point.

I've had to the slap da boy's hand TWICE already to keep him from cutting it hot. Patience is definitely not one of his virtues.

My house smells lovely - like cinnamon and ginger. Smells like Christmas!

HA HAAAA HAHAHAHA and I thought US citizens didn't have any taste-buds on their tongues

So you guys tried that one IMHO all it tastes like is THIN AIR or week old stale bread (with the same texture as week old stale bread) or maybe tasty rice cakes you can really taste eggs(sulphur)?!? in it even though you swear you never put any in.

Tastes like rice cakes - that's the one, Freak!

My dear husband is a suckah for pre-packaged foods. Not that some of them aren't convenient mind you but mixes like this rarely taste like the real thing, do they?

He bought the mix because it was "sugar free." Yeah - taste free was more like it.

I substituted Splenda for the sugar called for in my recipe but still added the molasses. It's molasses that makes gingerbread taste so good.

I'm eating a piece with my coffee right now.

YUM!