Soups and Stews 9

Don't you just love soups, stews and chowders? I know I do. If you'd like to see all the soups, stews and chowders in this series please check out the soup index, here. 

Sausage and Potato Soup
1 lb sausage (Italian or smoked), sliced or crumbled
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons olive oil (if using lean sausage)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: 1 cup milk or cream (for richness)
Optional Garnish: chopped parsley

To make: in a large pot, cook sausage over medium heat until browned. Remove excess fat if needed. Add onion, carrots, and celery; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in potatoes, thyme, salt, and pepper. Pour in broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20–25 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Stir in milk or cream if desired, and heat gently (do not boil). Taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with parsley if desired.

Smoked Sausage and Cabbage Soup
1 lb smoked sausage, sliced
1 small head green cabbage, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes

To make: heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage and cook until lightly browned. Add onion, carrots, and celery; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in cabbage, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Add diced tomatoes if using. Pour in broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20–30 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Chicken and Dumplings

For the Soup:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste

For the Dumplings:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted
½ cup milk

To make: in a large pot, heat butter or oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add chicken, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Pour in broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken, shred it, and return to the pot.

To make the dumplings: in a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in melted butter and milk until just combined. Drop spoonfuls of dumpling dough into simmering soup. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, without lifting the lid. Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Vegetable Rice Soup
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 zucchini, diced
1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
6 cups vegetable broth
1 cup cooked rice (white or brown)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme or Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional Garnish: chopped parsley

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 and cook for 1 minute. Stir in zucchini, green beans, tomatoes, broth, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Stir in cooked rice and heat through. Taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with parsley if desired.
 

Loaded Potato Soup by Southern Frugal Momma
1/2 bag diced hash browns
2 cups heavy whipping cream
5-6oz bag of real bacon bits
1 cup frozen seasoning blend
2-3 carrots, diced
1-1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
2-3 garlic cloves, minced (or more if you enjoy garlic)
4 cups water
Chicken bouillon powder to make 4 cups of broth
Paprika
Salt and pepper
½ cup sour cream

To make: add your water and cream to a pot over medium heat. Add your bouillon, your seasoning blend, carrots, garlic and hashbrowns. Start bringing this to a boil and add your seasonings. When boiling reduce the heat to a simmer and add your sour cream and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Next add cheese and bacon bites. Cook this for a few more minutes and it’s ready to serve. Serve with biscuits, if desired.

💗 Jo