Soups and Stews 10

 If you'd like to see all the soups, stews and chowders in this series please check out the soup index, here. 

Vegetable Barley Soup
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 zucchini, diced
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
6 cups vegetable broth
¾ cup pearl barley, rinsed
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil or Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
Optional: 2 cups spinach or kale, chopped
Optional: Juice of 1 lemon (for brightness)

To make: heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, and bell pepper; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, zucchini, and mushrooms; cook for another 2–3 minutes. Stir in diced tomatoes, broth, barley, thyme, basil, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 40–50 minutes, or until the barley is tender. Stir in spinach or kale if using, and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add lemon juice if desired. Taste and adjust seasoning.
 

Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi Soup by Dollar Tree Dinners
Make broth from a chicken carcass (and remove the meat) or purchase 4 cups of chicken broth and 1-1 ½ cups chicken breast or thigh meat (you can also use canned chicken if desired)
½ onion, diced
Flour
Butter or margarine
1 can evaporated milk
To taste: salt and pepper
     Italian seasoning
     Red pepper flakes
1 package gnocchi
Optional: handful frozen spinach
Optional for Serving: Breadsticks

To make: make a broth from your chicken carcass, if using and remove the meat, otherwise start with the next step. Saute your onion in butter or margarine. Once the onion is cooked remove it from the pan and make a roux with equal parts butter or margarine and flour (I’d say start with two tablespoons of each as you can as you can make more if needed.) Cook your roux for a few minutes to remove the raw flour taste then add 4 cups of your stock or chicken broth. Add a can of evaporated milk and all your seasonings. Let that get warm before stirring in a package of gnocchi. Let this simmer until the gnocchi floats. Add in your shredded chicken (or can of chicken if using) and a handful of frozen spinach (if using.) Cook for a few minutes until everything is hot. Serve with breadsticks.


Hamburger Soup
1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
6 cups beef broth
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces (fresh or frozen)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup corn kernels (fresh, canned, or frozen)

To make: in a large pot, brown ground beef over medium heat. Drain excess fat if needed. Add onion, carrots, celery, and bell pepper; sauté until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, potatoes, green beans, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20–25 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Add corn and cook for another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Tuscany White Bean Soup
2 cans (15 oz each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (or 3 cups cooked white beans)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups chopped kale or spinach
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional for Serving: grated Parmesan cheese

To make: heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, rosemary, and thyme; cook for 1 minute. Stir in beans, diced tomatoes, and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add kale or spinach and cook until wilted, about 2–3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Top with Parmesan if desired.

Beef Barley Soup
1 lb beef stew meat, cut into small cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups beef broth
1-14.5oz can of diced tomatoes
⅔ cup pearl barley, rinsed
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste
Garnish: Chopped parsley

To make: in a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the beef on all sides in the hot oil, before removing it and setting it aside. Add the onion, carrots, and celery; saute until softened or about 5 minutes. Next add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Return the beef back to the pot and add the broth, tomatoes, barley, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring all this to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 45–60 minutes or until the beef and barley are tender. Remove the bay leaf and adjust the seasonings if need be. Garnish with parsley and serve.

💗 Jo