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Teresa · Kate Spade

Soup?

needsfashionadvice · Kate Spade

I made this the other night, it's really good.

Bacon, Ham, and Lentil Soup

With a little bacon and some leftover ham, that bag of lentils in your pantry turns into a hearty, satisfying soup. Leftovers are great, as most legume soups benefit from being made a day ahead so their flavors meld. Substitute green split peas for the lentils, if you prefer; they take less time to cook, so monitor the soup accordingly.

Ingredients

5 slices thick-sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
1 1/2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed ham (about 8 ounces)
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped fennel bulb
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped leek
1/2 cup chopped carrot
3 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
1 teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup canned diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano
1 pound dried lentils
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Preparation

Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp. Remove from pan, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings in pan; set bacon aside. Add ham to drippings in pan; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the onion and the next 4 ingredients (onion through carrot); cover and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add broth and next 6 ingredients (broth through bay leaves). Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until lentils are tender. Discard bay leaves; sprinkle with bacon and chives just before serving.

Yield

8 servings (serving size: 1 3/4 cups)

Nutritional Information

CALORIES 359(28% from fat); FAT 11g (sat 4g,mono 4.8g,poly 1.4g); PROTEIN 25.2g; CHOLESTEROL 21mg; CALCIUM 72mg; SODIUM 956mg; FIBER 18.9g; IRON 6.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 40.6g

Bruce Aidells ,Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2003

relrel · Marc Jacobs

I don't have a recipe for most of the soups I make- I just throw stuff into a pot.

One of my favorites is leek and potato. The BF and I actually make leek stock and use that instead of chicken in my soups, but this can be easily made with regular stock. I steam a bunch of leek (like four or five bunches) in a big big pot while I'm boiling potatoes in another pot. Then when both are done I throw them together with the stock and some cream. Lots of black pepper, some oregano maybe and some bay leaves. I've also thrown in scallops and chicken too sometimes. Sorry it's not a great recipe but I'm sure you can find a great one somewhere on the internet.

Some other soups that I can think of that I love love are butternut squash and corn chowder with bacon, both are relatively easy as well.

Suasoria · Chanel

Here's a recent thread you may like:
http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?forumID=44784&p=3&topicID=9722874

Teresa · Kate Spade

thanks!

subwolley · Kate Spade

I also just throw stuff in a pot on the stove. Usually, I do a can of chicken broth, and a can or two of water. Then I add some celery, some chopped baby carrots, chopped green onions, chicken from one of those chicken packet things, and egg noodles. Sometimes I add a can of diced tomatoes. I just let it simmer on the stove for a bit. Makes a quick and yummy chicken noodle soup!

Elle · Hermes

I've been making a mole soup that's pretty yummy lately - just some onions, garlic, hominy, and a bell pepper sauteed together and simmered for a bit in chicken/veggie stock, and then you add a couple tablespoons of mole sauce and a dash of hot sauce, heat through, voila! The mole makes the broth thicker and slightly spicy/chocolatey - I usually serve it with a dollop of sour cream and a cheese quesadilla on the side.

Teresa · Kate Spade

Elle wrote:

I've been making a mole soup that's pretty yummy lately - just some onions, garlic, hominy, and a bell pepper sauteed together and simmered for a bit in chicken/veggie stock, and then you add a couple tablespoons of mole sauce and a dash of hot sauce, heat through, voila! The mole makes the broth thicker and slightly spicy/chocolatey - I usually serve it with a dollop of sour cream and a cheese quesadilla on the side.

what the heck is mole?

Suasoria · Chanel

collegegirl5858 wrote:
what the heck is mole?

LOL. Basically it's a spicy chile and chocolate sauce. Better than it sounds.

Elle · Hermes

Yup, mole is a mexican spice/seasoning/paste. You wouldn't taste is and say "Mmmm ... Chocolatey!", but it adds depth to the sauce, which is otherwise kind of smoky and spicy without being hot. Comes in small jars, usually found with the other mexican foods/sauces.

ETA: 'Mole' is pronounced 'moh-lay' in this instance, btw

.

-- Edited by Elle at 16:23, 2007-10-30

boobaby · Kate Spade

Elle wrote:

Yup, mole is a mexican spice/seasoning/paste. You wouldn't taste is and say "Mmmm ... Chocolatey!", but it adds depth to the sauce, which is otherwise kind of smoky and spicy without being hot. Comes in small jars, usually found with the other mexican foods/sauces.

ETA: 'Mole' is pronounced 'moh-lay' in this instance, btw .

-- Edited by Elle at 16:23, 2007-10-30

Mmmm-I love mole! I live by a Mexican market and they always have huge cans of hominy on sale. I didn't really know what it was used for...I'm not really a cook, just an eater.

Speaking of which, I do have a quick soup I make if I'm sick. It's basically vegetable stock, a clove of garlic (if you're not lazy like me, you can mince it or whatever), spinach, red pepper flakes and whatever pasta I have around. I think of it as homemade ramen noodles. No measurements required, no fuss and it clears the sinuses.