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French Onion Soup

I just made the most delicious French onion soup. It was very easy, so simple that I could be tempted to make a pot every week. There’s just everything to love about this scrumptious classic soup. I’m certain that it’s the divine combination of sweet caramelized onions, the rich aromatic broth, and the Swiss cheese. Oh, let’s talk about the cheese. Gruyère is the most delicious mild and smooth cheese, (a bit pricy, but well worth every penny!) Served-up all melted in the middle with crunchy bits around the bowl…

You’ll love this soup!

From Wikipedia; “Onion soups have been popular at least as far back as Roman times. They were, throughout history, seen as food for poor people, as onions were plentiful and easy to grow. The modern version of this soup originates in France in the 18 century,[1]made from beef broth, and caramelized onions. It is often finished by being placed under a broiler in a ramekin traditionally with croutons and gruyère melted on top. The crouton on top is reminiscent of ancient soups (see History of Soup).”

Bon Appétit!


Ingredients:

  • 10 medium yellow onions (about 4 1/2 pounds), thinly sliced.
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme (optional)
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced (optional)
  • 3 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken or beef broth.
  • 3/4 cup dry red wine cognac or sherry

  • For Cheese Toast (croutons)

    • 4-6 slices toasted GF, multi-grain or French bread
    • 4-6 ounces thickly sliced Swiss cheese or Gruyère

    Directions

    1. In a large soup pot, toss together onions, oil, butter, sugar, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook on medium to low heat, uncovered; stirring every 30 minutes or so, until onions are golden brown and caramelized, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
    2. Deglaze the pan with the booze, then stir in broth and 4-5 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until liquid has darkened, and simmer for about 30 minutes.
    3. To make the cheese toast: Heat broiler. Place sliced bread on a baking sheet; top with cheese. Broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. We sometimes skip this step and place the toasted cheese topped bread on top of the soup filled bowl and broil (see photos). Be sure to use oven-proof bowls.
    4. Or,  ladle into bowls; topping each with two slices of pre-broiled cheese toast.
    5. Enjoy!

    •  

    The NEW Cabbage Soup Diet Recipe!

    I don’t know about you but I’ve put on a few pounds. I love food. Eating it, cooking it, just smelling food makes me happy. Anyway, remember The Cabbage Soup Diet from years ago? Well, I brought it back from the “dark ages” put a fresh new spin on it, roasted it, seasoned it, and brought it back to life again. So, if you want to drop some weight fast, this soup (and the diet plan below) is a healthy, simple way to get started. I love it and I hope you love it too.

    *You’ll want to print several copies of  The NEW Cabbage Soup Diet to share with friends and family. Make extra, freeze some and remember, you may eat as much of this healthy soup as you want!

    I’ve made some nice new changes to the www.bakedinmaine.com home page for your shopping pleasure. Added links to some of my favorite things from the awesome Amazon: fabulous kitchen tools, the best cookbooks and brand new! Baked in Maine t-shirts, clothing and cool NEW gift items. So, shop away! Or at least look around a little..

    Love ya and let’s get healthy!

    The Cabbage Soup Diet

    Seven helpful tips:

    1. Follow the diet below (optional).
    2. Keep in mind that it’s only seven days.
    3. Drink 4 glasses of water and green tea per day.
    4. Complement the diet with a good multivitamin tablet.
    5. Print the information on this site so you can refer to it daily.
    6. Eat plenty of soup, as much as you want. Don’t starve yourself or you may cheat.
    7. Try different spices like curry or hot sauce to liven up the soup and add variety.

    Ingredients:

    • 1 cabbage sliced, cored and chopped
    • 2 cups carrots baby or chopped
    • 2 cups celery include the leaves, chopped
    • 2 cups mushrooms any kind, sliced
    • 2 cups tomatoes fresh or canned, chopped
    • 2 large red and/or green peppers, chopped
    • 2 onions chopped or sub. a bunch of scallions
    • 1 bunch broccoli or cauliflower chopped (optional)
    • 2-3 zucchini chopped
    • 4 clove garlic chopped
    • 1 box chicken stock 32 oz.
    • 1 bottle V8 Juice 64 oz.
    • sea salt & pepper to taste
    • 2-3 tbs. of parsley for cooking and garnish.
    • seasoning choices: turmeric, red pepper flakes, basil, oregano, thyme, bay leaf
    • fresh herbs (optional): sage, rosemary, thyme, cilantro, basil, dill, tarragon. Use your favorites.
    • 1/4 cup olive oil
    • 1 lemon

    Directions:

    Prep Time: 10 mins Total Time: 30 mins
    1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Chop all of your vegetables and place in a single layer in a large baking sheet. Add your fresh herbs, seasonings and olive oil. Roast for 15-20 minutes, stirring 2-3 times. This method gives fabulous flavor.
    2. Place your roasted veggies in a large soup pot and add chicken stock and V8 juice, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 min.
    3. Enjoy!

    The Diet: Day One: Fruit: Eat all of the fruit you want (except bananas). Eat only your soup and the fruit for the first day. For drinks - unsweetened coffee, green tea, cranberry juice and lots of water.

    Day Two: Vegetables: Eat until you are full, all fresh, raw or cooked vegetables of your choice. Try to eat salads with spinach and other green vegetables and if you can, stay away from starches like white potatoes, pasta, dry beans, peas and corn. Eat all the vegetables you want along with your soup. Don’t eat fruit today.

    Day Three: Mix Days One and Two: Eat all the soup, fruits and vegetables you want.

    Day Four: Bananas and Skim Milk: Eat as many as six-eight bananas and drink as many glasses of skim milk as you would like on this day, along with your soup. This day is supposed to lessen your desire for sweets. Eat your soup and drink plenty green tea.

    Day Five: Fish, chicken, beef and tomatoes: Ten to twenty ounces of baked or broiled protein from meat, fish or seafood and up to six fresh tomatoes. Drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water this day to wash the uric acid from your body. Drink lots of green tea. Eat plenty of cabbage soup.

    Day Six: Protein and Vegetables: Eat to your heart’s content of the protein and vegetables today, with leafy green vegetables. Drink green tea. Eat your soup!

    Day Seven: Brown or wild rice, unsweetened fruit juices, green tea and vegetables: Be sure to eat plenty of soup.

    PS. Interestingly enough, The cabbage soup diet is sometimes referred to as the “Mayo Clinic Diet”, and/or the “Sacred Heart Hospital Diet”. May be true, but I can’t say for sure.

     

    [amd-recipeseo-recipe:2]

    Turkey or Chicken Soup, The Fresh Stock Recipe.

     

    I love to make homemade soup from scratch. I enjoy everything from simmering the fresh stock to chopping the vegetables. If you’ve never made homemade stock before, you’ll find this recipe healthy, easy and fun to make. The beauty here is that you don’t waste anything, you can freeze the stock to use in tons of recipes and the aroma is divine. So, the next time you roast a chicken or a turkey instead of throwing out the carcass, just toss it in a big pot of water, season and start chopping. Simmer for a while, add some wild rice or pasta, any vegetables that you want, and Voilà!

    Bon Appétit!

    Ingredients:

    For making homemade stock and soup,

    • 1 picked over turkey carcass (or chicken)
    • Water, to fill pot
    • 4 celery stalks, and tops, chopped
    • 4 carrots, peeled and sliced
    • 1 large onion, peeled and diced
    • 3 garlic cloves
    • 3 bay leaves
    • 1 tablespoon parsley
    • 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning, like Bell’s (optional)
    • 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped (optional)
    • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped (optional)
    • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
    • 1/4 sea salt, or to taste
    • I like lemon juice
    • 1 cup pasta, of your choice (sub. for rice)
    • 1 cup (uncooked) regular long-grain white or wild rice
    • 1 cup green peas, snap peas or edamame (optional)
    • 1 cup of mixed veggies or any vegetable of your choice.
    • (*You can get all inspired and crazy here, and add some cilantro, basil, diced potatoes or tomatoes. I’ve heard of cooks adding all the leftovers; squash, mashed potatoes, even stuffing. Anything goes, so make it your own!

     

    * Cheater chicken soup: Use 2 cartons of low sodium chicken broth from the supermarket. Almost as good as homemade.


    Nutritional Information:

    Amount Per Serving: (1 Cup serving) Calories: 100    Total Fat: 2g    Carbs: 10

     


    Method:

    For making homemade stock and soup~

    1. Remove all of the usable meat that you can and save for the soup. Place the turkey carcass, (broken-up) in a large, deep pot, and 2 chopped celery stalks, (including leafy tops), 2 carrots, 1/2 of the onion, 2 bay leaves, poultry seasoning, sage, garlic and ginger. Pour in cold water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat and simmer for about 4-5 hours, skimming off any yucky foam (as needed). If you would like to have a clear stock, do not bring the stock to a raging boil, but keep the stock below a simmer, as the more you simmer, the more cloudy the stock will be. Otherwise, bring it to a low, slow simmer.)
    2. After your stock has reduced and when you’re ready, remove the carcass and strain the stock using a mesh strainer or a colander, if that’s all you have. Return to the pot and simmer. Now add the rest of the celery, carrots, vegetables, and more garlic and ginger (to taste.)
    3. Stir in the rice or pasta and return to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower heat to low, and simmer 15 minutes. Add the chicken and continue to simmer until the rice is tender, about 10 minutes more. Season to taste with plenty seasonings, salt & pepper, adjust seasonings to taste. Delicious!

    * Of course you may use this stock recipe to make chicken stock and be sure to freeze some to enjoy during the cold winter months or serve to a sick friend.

    Enjoy!

    Roasted Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

     

    Just in time for the holidays… a Roasted Butternut Squash Soup. Here’s my very own interpretation, with just a bit of influence from Mom and Martha (Stewart). You won’t be disappointed. This is such a rich, delicious healthy soup that you’ll be tempted to make it year ’round. Always a holiday hit at my house, even the kids enjoy its fragrant and festive holiday flavors (or maybe it’s just the sour cream). Anyway, my mother serves this awesome appetizer while we’re waiting for the turkey and it’s always different (she likes variety). Sometimes she stirs in some milk or cream at the end, try it if you like a rich creamy soup. She always adds toasted chopped pecans right before serving to keep them crunchy of course. Feel free to add some curry, cayenne, cream or whatever else floats your boat. There’s nothing like a warm, spicy seasonal soup. Martha would so proud.

    * Please feel free to ask any questions or add your comments, I do love to read them!

     

    Ingredients

    For the Soup:

    • 2 1/2-3 pounds butternut squash, peeled.
    • 1 Large onion.
    • 2 Celery stalks.
    • 2 Carrots.
    • 3 Tablespoon olive oil.
    • 2 Cloves of fresh garlic, chopped.
    • 2 Inches of fresh ginger chopped.
    • 2 Bay leaves.
    • a few pinches of nutmeg, to taste.
    • Sea salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper.
    • 2 to 4 cups chicken stock, low sodium.
    • 2 Tablespoons of butter. (optional)
    • 2 Tablespoons of brown sugar.
    • Sour Cream a (dollop for each)
    • Garnish with toasted pecans, chopped green onions, parsley or whatever.

    Directions

    Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cut the butternut squash, onions, celery and carrots into 1-inch cubes. Place them on a sheet pan and toss with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper and spread it all out in a single layer. Roast for  about 45 minutes, until very tender.

    Meanwhile, in a large soup pot, add more olive oil and the garlic, ginger (chopped) and bay leaves. Heat the chicken stock to a simmer. When the vegetables are done, place them in a food processor or blender (in two batches) Add some of the chicken stock and puree until smooth. Place the pureed vegetables back in the large pot and add the rest of the chicken stock (you can make this super soup as thick as you like!). Check your seasonings again to be sure everything is to your liking. Heat on low and serve with your garnishes: sour cream, herbs, toasted pecans etc. One word here: awesomeness!!!

    Bon Appétit!

     


    The Best Minestrone Soup

     

    Minestrone Soup

    Baby, it’s cold outside! Now, it’s time to share the best minestrone that I’ve ever tasted. This gorgeous, delicious soup, bursting with flavor, really sings to me. So, now I have a new obsession with soup, especially this amazing Italian classic loaded with healthy, roasted vegetables. You’ll see why after your first mouthful of this unforgettable minestrone soup. It’s crazy-good!!!

    Buon Appetito!


    Ingredients:

    If you can, use organic ingredients. You may add some of your own favorite vegetables, beans or cheese. It looks like a lot work but it’s not really, just a lot of dicing. Have fun and don’t forget the bread. You will need a nice, crusty loaf, served with olive oil. ENJOY!

    • 5-6 Mild Italian chicken sausages (optional)
    • 2 whole zucchini, diced in 1/4″ cubes.
    • 2 whole Summer Squash, diced in 1/4″ cubes.
    • 8 ounces, mushrooms cut in quarters.
    • 6 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • Sea salt to taste
    • 3 whole carrots, sliced in 1/4″ circles.
    • 1 whole onion, diced.
    • 3 stalks celery, sliced 1/4″ (leaves Included).
    • 1 cup or so of chopped spinach (optional).
    • 8-10 cups of organic or low sodium chicken broth (buy it or make it).
    • Vegans may substitute  8-10 cups of organic vegetable broth
    • 1 large (14.5 oz.) can cannelini (white) beans, or your choice (rinsed well).
    • 1 1/2 cups cut-up green beans, (fresh or frozen).
    • 1 ½ cup medium or small Shell pasta, uncooked.
    • 1 large (14.5) can diced tomatoes with juice.
    • 1/4 Teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes (optional).
    • ¼ teaspoons turmeric (optional)
    • 2-3 cloves of garlic (optional)
    • Salt And Pepper, to taste (don’t skimp!)
    • Parmesan Cheese, fresh, shaved or grated.

    * Optional seasonings:  Turmeric is a tasty, colorful seasoning that is also a natural antibiotic and anti-inflammatory. Like it hot & spicy? Add a bit of crushed red pepper. Spinach is loaded with iron (as you know), and I like to use it chopped fine, like an herb and sneak it into dishes wherever I can.

    Method

    Preheat oven to 500 degrees. In a large bowl, toss (cubed) zucchini, squash, mushrooms, garlic cloves and sausages (if you’re using them) with olive oil, add salt and pepper. Arrange the vegetables (in a single layer) using two sheet pans (to avoid crowding) and roast in the 500* oven for 10 minutes, or until the veggies darken and start to caramelize. YUM. Remove from the hot oven and set aside.

    In a large, heavy pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add carrots, onions, and celery, stir, cook for 4-5 minutes. Pour in the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for ten minutes.

    Add cannelini beans, green beans, and spinach. Simmer on low heat, for five minutes. Add the pasta and cook for an additional five minutes. Add canned tomatoes, stir, and cook for an additional five minutes on low heat. Check for seasonings, adding salt, pepper, and turmeric.

    Lastly, add the roasted vegetables. Stir and allow to simmer and heat for a few minutes before serving. Be sure to check seasonings. Add more chicken broth if necessary. Inspired by Ree @ www.pioneerwoman.com and the Olive Garden (just kidding)

    Serve with Parmesan cheese and crusty Italian bread with olive oil.

    Mangia Bene!

    Eat Well!

    Lisa xo