Category: Warm the Soul

Posted in Warm the Soul

Comfort Food: Chicken Meatball Soup

Posted on by Patty Schell

 

pattyschell.com

Everywhere I go, someone is talking about colds and flu that are going around. It seems every household has been invaded. Chicken soup may be just what’s called to add some good lean protein and vitamin packed vegetables into everyone’s diet. Here’s a recipe that sort of morphed when I started cooking. I had the veggies and the chicken all ready to throw in the pot when I decided to transform the chicken breast into meatballs. The result—Chicken Meatball Soup. It is very good and can be changed up to fit your taste by using seasonings you prefer. Enjoy experimenting and let me know what you came up with.

Chicken Meatball Soup

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 ribs celery, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced, I used jarred roasted red bell peppers
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 8 cups chicken broth
  • 1 15.5 ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
  • 3 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 cups shredded cabbage
  • 2 cups shredded kale
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper

Chicken Meatballs

  • 1 1/2 pounds ground chicken breast, I used my food processor to finely chop chicken breasts
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix all ingredients together gently. Form into 1-inch balls when ready to drop into broth.

Soup Directions

  1. Sauté onion, celery, red pepper, garlic until starting to soften.
  2. Add thyme, salt and pepper. Cook just a minute or two more.
  3. Add chicken broth, tomatoes and carrots. Bring to simmer.
  4. Simmer about 20 minutes for flavors to mingle a bit.
  5. Drop meatballs carefully into pot. Return to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, until meat balls are cooked through.
  6. Add cabbage and kale to pot. Cook until tender, 10 minutes.
  7. Enjoy with some crusty bread spread with butter. 

    Pure comfort.

Food, like a loving touch or a glimpse of divine power, has the ability to comfort.

Norman Kolpas

 

Weight Watchers on Freestyle can enjoy each cup of this soup for only 1 point.

Posted in Warm the Soul

Minestrone

Posted on by Patty Schell

Partys_Minestrone pic

More soup is on the menu at my house. This is recipe is one of the first soups I learned how to make. It’s simple and comforting. Serve with some crusty bread for dipping. I have omitted the pasta in this recipe, but it can certainly be added in if you like. Just add about ¼ to ½ cup broken spaghetti or small pasta in the last 10 minutes. You could also add Italian sausage or another meat of your choice. Just a half pound will do. Make it your own.

Minestrone

4 servings of about 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 32 ounces chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup thinly sliced cabbage or grated zucchini
• 1 15.5-ounce fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 15.5-ounce cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

Directions
1. Heat oil in soup pot over medium heat.
2. Add onions, carrots, and garlic. Sauté until onions are soft.
3. Add basil and salt. Cook 2 minutes more.
4. Stir in broth, cabbage or zucchini, beans, and tomatoes. Cook until vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes.
5. Enjoy!
Weight Watchers, this is a great addition to your Freestyle menu. Zero SmartPoints as is. With pasta, it becomes a 1sp about 1 ½ cups of soup.

 

“There is nothing like soup. It is by nature eccentric: no two are ever alike, unless of course you get your soup in a can.” — Laurie Colwin

 

 

 

Posted in soup, Warm the Soul, Yumminess

Soup’s On! Creamy White Chicken Chili

Posted on by Patty Schell

Creamy White Chicken Chili

The weather has turned on us here in my part of Southern California. The nighttime temperatures have dipped below freezing and in response I have been making soup. Tonight, it was a White Chicken Chili. Oh man, was it delish. Hope you enjoy it, too. And by the way, this will work very well in your crock pot, too.

Creamy White Chicken Chili

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 15.5-ounce cans white beans
• 1 15.5-ounce corn
• 24 ounces chicken broth
• 2 4-ounce cans green chilies (mild, medium, or hot)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 4 ounces cream cheese (I used reduced fat)
• ¼ cup half-and-half (I used fat-free)

Directions
1. Place all ingredients except cream cheese and half-and-half in soup pot.
2. Bring to boil, then reduce heat. Simmer for about 30 minutes, until flavors mingle and chicken in done.
3. Remove chicken from pot and shred. Return to pot.
4. Add the cream cheese and half-and-half.
5. Heat on low until cream cheese melt and incorporates into soup, about 15 minutes.
6. Serve with your favorite chili toppings.

Note: If using the crock pot just dump in all the ingredients except cream cheese and half-and-half. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Shred chicken, return to pot. Turn on high. Add cream cheese and half-and-half. Cook until cheese melts and is incorporated into soup, about 15 minutes. Enjoy!

If you’re doing Weight Watchers like I am, the new Freestyle program makes this recipe 3 SmartPoints for 1 1/2 cups of soup. It’s so delicious and satisfying. I have now lost 17.2 pounds eating well.

Good soup is one of the prime ingredients of good living.
Louis P. De Gouy

 

Posted in Warm the Soul

Take the Chill Off

Posted on by Patty Schell

20171031_162954

Soup weather is upon us. This delicious lentil dish is just the thing. The curry seasoning are sure to warm you up on a cold day. It is one of those fall into the comfort food category for me. I took it to a gathering recently and it was gobbled right up, but if you find yourselves with leftovers, it tastes even better the next day.

Curried Lentils with Butternut Squash

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 2 large onions, chopped,
  • 1 32-ounce carton chicken or vegetable broth or equal amount of water
  • 1 pound peeled, seeded, and diced butternut squash
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • pinch cayenne
  • 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk, I used light
  • 3 cups spinach leaves, roughly chopped

Directions

  1. Heat oil in Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat.
  2. Add onion and cook, stirring until softened, about 3 minutes.
  3. Stir in broth, squash, curry powder, cumin, salt, and cayenne.
  4. Bring broth to a boil, then adjust heat and simmer until squash begins to soften, about 10 minutes.
  5. Stir in lentils. cook until lentils begin to fall apart, and vegetables are tender, about 10-12 minutes.
  6. Stir in coconut milk and heat through.
  7. Add spinach just before serving and allow to wilt.
  8. Enjoy!

 

Soup is a lot like a family. Each ingredient enhances the others; each batch has its own characteristics; and needs time to simmer to reach full flavor.

Marge Kennedy

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Matters of the Heart, Warm the Soul

Warm and Comforting

Posted on by Patty Schell

20171004_132813

My kids that are local are coming for dinner tonight so I thought I would whip up a pot of Pumpkin Chili. Pumpkin may seem like an odd addition to you soup pot but in this recipe, it adds richness making it very hearty and comforting. For those eating less/no meat or avoiding gluten in their diet, it is a dish that satisfies. Enjoy

Pumpkin Chili

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • dash of nutmeg
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 15-ounce cans fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 15-ounce can 100% pure pumpkin puree
  • 2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained
  • 1 15-ounce can corn, drained
  • 12-ounce beer or 1 1/2 water (for gluten-free)
  • 1 teaspoon each, salt and pepper

Directions

  1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.
  2. Add onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
  3. Stir in spices and garlic. cook another minute or two until spices are fragrant, stirring often.
  4. Add tomatoes and pumpkin. whisk to combine.
  5. Stir in black beans, corn, beer or water, and salt and pepper.
  6. Reduce heat to low, simmer covered for at least 30 minutes, stirring often. The longer it cooks, the more flavor develops, so feel free to get started in the morning for a day full of the comforting smell of something yummy for dinner.

 

Food is not about impressing people. It’s about making them feel comfortable.

Ina Garten

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Warm the Soul

A Handful of Love: Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Posted on by Patty Schell

 

thepartysinthekitchen.me
Hero, my granddaughter, with a handful of yummy love.
When I was growing up my mom used to make the most delicious chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. One of my most vivid memories is an image of one of her cookies. It was big as my hand and I felt so blessed (my adult thought about my feelings then) to have it.

The thing is, cookies aren’t a need. We indulge simply because we want to. The is just something about them when they come from an oven in someone’s kitchen. Store bought never quite invoke the same feeling of warmth and specialness. Homemade cookies are like a hug making life just a little sweeter. Everybody needs a little love now and then.

Fact:

Life is better with fresh baked cookies.

Sadly, I don’t have my mom’s original recipe for her Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies, but I have found one that everybody loves. Recently, I was told by a friend that she was dreaming about these cookies. You can make them with straight chocolate chips but I like to mix it up with some raisins and nuts. There is really no limitations on the mix-ins. Use your favorites. Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, you can use unsalted but I prefer salted
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup oats
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups chocolate chips, or a combination of chips, nuts, and/or dried fruit

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
  2. Beat together butter and sugars until smooth.
  3. Add egg and egg yolk, and vanilla one at a time. Beat well after each addition.
  4. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until everything is completely incorporated.
  5. Stir in oats until uniform.
  6. Mix in chocolate chips or your own combination of yumminess.
  7. Form small, walnut-sized balls of dough with hands or scoop. You can make bigger if you want a hand sized cookie. These days, I want several smaller ones. Hehe.
  8. Drop balls/scoops of cookie dough onto a cookie sheet that has parchment paper or has been greased a bit with some butter.
  9. Bake for 12 to 17 minutes. I live at 4000 feet above sea level, so my cookies took about 14 minutes.

Yield: Depends on the size. Walnut-sized dough balls yield about 4 dozen.

 

 

 

 

Posted in Easy Recipes for Busy Days, Matters of the Heart, Warm the Soul

Dumping Dinner: Chicken and Rice Soup

Posted on by Patty Schell

thepartysinthekitchen.me

I received this text this morning from my daughter, Charity—

Hey, Mom, we all got sick last night and were wondering if you could go to the store for us.

When my daughter says all, she is talking about a lot of people. You see, she has six children, age 10 and under. The flu at her house is serious business especially when she has it, too. So, I did what any mama/grandma would do. I brought her requested items of chicken soup, saltine crackers, and ginger ale to her front door, peeked in, hugged the one non-sick child, and said a quick prayer for their recovery on my way back to my car. Oh, man, it’s gonna be a long day over there.

I wish I had been more prepared. It would have been much more comforting to have some homemade chicken soup to take, but I didn’t have what I needed so I bought the canned instead. Now that I’m back home, I have come up with a Chicken and Rice Soup that can quickly be cooked up on the stove-top or in the crockpot. I have included directions for freezing as well. That way, when you or someone you love comes down sick, in a very short time you can have some comfort simmering away.

Chicken and Rice Soup

Ingredients

  • 1 pound chicken breasts
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon dried sage
  • ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1-2 bay leaves
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 1 8.5 ounce pouch shelf-stable rice or rice-mixture of your choice or 1 ½ cooked rice.

Directions

  1. Add all ingredients except rice into a 6-quart crock pot then cook on low for 4 hours or until chicken breasts are cooked through. If using stove-top, simmer everything except rice until chicken is tender.
  2. Remove chicken and shred. Stir back into soup along with rice.
  3. Serve.

  4. Enjoy!

For freezing:

Dump all ingredients except chicken broth and rice into 1 gallon freezer bag, close, label and freeze. To cook follow directions above adding 2 hours to your cooking time.

Extra:

This soup can be easily transformed into what you crave or adjusted to what you have in your pantry. Experiment and let me know how it turns out.

 

 

 

Posted in eating well, soup, Warm the Soul

Ahhh. . . Soup’s On

Posted on by Patty Schell

“But since soup mainly involves tossing everything in a pot and waiting, it’s one of my better dishes.” ― Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games

The signal to begin the rush has sounded. With Halloween behind us, the holidays are in sight. Posts of things we are thankful for have started hitting individual’s Facebook pages, and winter wonderlands have sprung up where the garden centers used to be. Ready, set, go! Let the busyness begin.

Perfect time to get the crock pot out and have something simmering for those days when activities and the demands of the season overwhelm us.  A pot full of deliciousness wafting its aroma all the way to the front door will be the perfect Welcome Home after a hectic day. Couple it with some good bread and a sigh just might occur.

This recipe is from my daughter, Genevieve. You won’t need your crock pot for this one because you can have it on the table in thirty minutes if you like. But there is something to be said for a soup that has been allowed to mingle for a few hours. So, either way, it will be a warm finish to your day.

Italian White Bean Soupthepartysinthekitchen.me

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper. Seeded and diced
  • 2 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound Italian seasoned turkey sausage
  • 3 cans Cannoli beans, drained
  • 1 can diced tomatoes, drained
  • 6 cups chicken stock
  • 1 teaspoon oregano

In Dutch oven, sauté onion, red pepper, and carrot 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add in turkey sausage and cook until no longer pink. Add chicken stock, white beans, tomatoes, and oregano. Simmer for 15 minutes.

This delicious soup is one of those recipes you can alter to what’s in your pantry. Try one of the following ideas. If you come up with other ideas, please don’t keep them a secret. Be sure to share.

Additional ideas—

Substitute ham for sausage. Omit the tomatoes and oregano. Add 1 teaspoon thyme.

Substitute chicken breast for sausage. Add a spoonful of pesto to each bowl when serving.

Omit sausage. Replace chicken stock with vegetable stock. Add 1-2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning.

This recipe along with a couple of other soup recipes for Creamy Potato and Roasted Tomato plus my sister’s flatbread recipe can be found in the food column, Corner Bistro, of this month’s issue of Broken But Priceless: The Magazine. I have the privilege of being the food columnist for this beautiful online magazine that brings information and encouragement to those who live with chronic illness and their caregivers. Take a peek, and pass it along to others. I learn something new from each issue.

 

Posted in Baked Perfection, Coffee Time, Warm the Soul

Sunday Visiting

Posted on by Patty Schell

5811FEC469Over the past couple of weeks, I have found myself hosting impromptu gatherings on Sunday afternoon. Good thing the house was somewhat orderly. All that was needed was a quick swipe in the bathroom and a bit of vacuuming to make ready for company.  I’m so glad they came. What followed in the form of encouragement and blessing far outweighed the momentary inconvenience of its short notice.

We have long passed the days when people simply stopped by on a Sunday afternoon.  I can remember as a child it was a very pleasant happening when someone came to call.  There was no special fanfare needed. A pot of coffee was brewed and conversation was enjoyed. It was just simple and easy and extraordinary all at the same time. We found our lives elevated by the presence of guests.

Perhaps this is a custom that should return—this Sunday afternoon visiting. It’s not hard. There is no need to consult Pinterest to create perfect environment or food offering. A kitchen table with tea and cookies are quite enough for this event that pushes companionship to the forefront. The benefits of such a practice? They can be measured in ah factor of an afternoon made wonderful because friends stopped by.

Sunday is the golden clasp that binds together the volume of the week.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Here is a very quick and easy brownie recipe I used last time my grandkids and their parents came by. It is very good recipe. So good, we have to double it every time.

The Best Brownies

Ingredients

  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup flour

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Mix oil and sugar until well blended.
  3. Add eggs and vanilla; stir just until blended.
  4. Mix all dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
  5. Stir dry ingredients into the oil/sugar mixture.
  6. Pour into greased 9 x 9 square pan.
  7. Bake for 20 minutes or until sides just start to pull away from the pan.
  8. Cool completely before cutting.

Note: I usually double the recipe and bake in a 9 x 13 pan. If you double the recipe, you will need to cook longer than 20 minutes.

Posted in doing life with friends, Matters of the Heart, Warm the Soul

Blend Well

Posted on by Patty Schell

A loud ruckus could be heard  in Maria’s dining room. This was the first time the gals on the hospitality team that I am part of had met together outside of our regular Thursday mornings. Friendship was evident through the teasing and laughter that was happening around the table. We have gotten to know each other through working together every week. A friendship has grown while serving brunch and cleaning up after in the church kitchen.

Women's Small Group Hospitality Team

Today, however, was our turn to relax. Maria prepared a wonderful meal and the beautiful table settings made everyone feel special. Each of us took a turn to share a little bit of our stories with the others. This proved to create an even stronger bond between us. Our lives became richer through hearing personal challenges each could connect with. I came away from the morning thinking how lucky I was to know and serve with these women.  This group is a special blend of backgrounds, experiences and seasons that makes my life much more delicious.

The greatest sweetener of human life is friendship. ~Joseph Addison

One thing that Maria served our group was a luscious Lemon Poppy Seed Cake. It was a grain free recipe and was oh, so yummy.

Glazed Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake

prep: 20 minutes     Cooking: 40 minutes    Makes: 8 servings

Ingredients:

CAKE

  • 1/3 cup grass-fed butter (Kerrygold), plus more for greasing pan*
  • 3 tablespoons coconut flour, plus 1 teaspoon for dusting pan
  • 1/2 cup raw honey**
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3 cups blanched almond flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 5 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
  • 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

GLAZE

  • 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons finely ground raw cashews
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
  • 2 teaspoons honey, melted
  • 1 tablespoon coconut milk

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 325F.Make the cake.
  2. Grease a Bundt pan very well with butter, then dust with 1 teaspoon coconut flour, carefully checking that every crack and surface is covered.  This makes sure your cake will easily come out of the Bundt pan after baking.
  3. Place the first 9 ingredients in a food processor or high-speed blender and process for 15 seconds, until smooth.
  4. Add 1 egg at a time, blending in-between, until all the eggs have been incorporated.
  5. Gently stir in the poppy seeds and lemon zest by hand.
  6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, place in oven, and bake for 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  7. Let the cake cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack, then invert it onto the rack to cool completely.  If necessary, use a rubber spatula to gently release the cake from the pan.  A small chunk broke off on mine as I flipped it over, but it didn’t mess up the taste at all!
  8. Make the glaze.  Grind the cashews in a food processor until finely ground, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.  Add in the rest of the ingredients and pulse until combined and smooth.  Drizzle over cooled cake before serving.

Enjoy!

  •  If you like this post, perhaps you would reading another blog I write.  Girl on Adventure is a collection of lessons God is teaching me as I travel along life’s road.