K Sarah Designs

Tasty Eats // White Chicken + Green Chili Soup

Happy Happy New Year!

I have to admit, usually I'm totally energized and excited for a fresh start this time of year, but have been feeling decidely not energized this week, battling one heck of a cold that will. not. quit... Ugh. Not exactly the way one wants to start out the new year, but the good thing is I've been making all kinds of delicious soups and comfort foods!

This white chicken + green chili soup was one of the recipes I made this past week, and it was a hit! It was just what the doctor ordered - a warm, spicy, comforting bowl of deliciousness. Perfect for when you're feeling under the weather... or just anytime, for that matter!

 

White Chicken Chili

- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 jalapeno, seeds removed & diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4-5 cups chicken broth
- 3-4 cups cooked, shredded chicken
- 2 (4 oz.) cans chopped green chiles
- 2 cans white beans (Great Northern or Cannelini)
- 1 Tbsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper, or more if you like spicy
- 1 cup whole milk or half & half
- salt and pepper, to taste

Optional Garnishes:
- shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- sour cream
- chopped cilantro
- sliced avocado

 

Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and jalapeno, and saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic, and saute for an additional 2 minutes, until fragrant.

Add the chicken broth, cooked chicken, green chiles, white beans, cumin, oregano, bay leaf, and cayenne pepper, and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Let simmer for at least 20 minutes, preferably 30-40.

10 minutes before serving, stir in the whole milk, and increase the heat to medium high. Let simmer until it's thickened slightly, then serve with desired garnishes. Enjoy!

*Recipe adapted from Gimme Some Oven

 

Tasty Eats // Beef Enchilada Dip

In addition to the cooler weather, cute layering clothes, and Fall baking that comes with this time of year, football weekends are without a doubt one of my favorite parts of Fall. I LOVE football, especially when it involves cheering on my Cal Golden Bears and Green Bay Packers. Anyway, football viewing just isn't complete without delicious game day food, and this enchilada dip really fits the bill. If you like enchiladas, you will love this one - it's so easy + yummy!

 

Beef Enchilada Dip

- 1 lb. ground beef (or turkey)
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups enchilada sauce (I love the Trader Joe's brand)
- 2 cups shredded cheese (Cheddar or Monterey Jack, or combo)
- 1 (4.5 oz.) can chopped green chiles
- 1/2 can refried black beans, optional
- sour cream, optional
- chopped cilantro and green onions, optional
- tortilla chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and lightly grease a large ramekin.

Brown the ground beef in a large skillet, adding the diced yellow onion and minced garlic halfway through the cooking time. Make sure to crumble the ground beef as it cooks. When the meat is cooked through, drain any excess fat. Season with salt and pepper, and stir in the green chiles, enchilada sauce, and refried beans, if using. Stir in most of the grated cheese, and mix well.

Add the mixture to the ramekin, and top with the remaining shredded cheese. Place the dip in the oven, and bake until completely warmed though, and slightly bubbly around the edges, about 10 minutes. Top the dip with sour cream, cilantro and green onion, if desired. Serve with tortilla chips, and enjoy!!

 

Tasty Eats // Lasagna Soup

You guys, I'm pretty excited about this soup - it's hands down one of the best I've ever had! It tastes exactly like lasagna, except, you know, in soup form. This means it's way faster (and easier!) to make than traditional lasagna AND it's much lighter, since it has way less cheese. Thankfully, this soup is so good you really don't miss the extra cheese - and that's coming from a cheese-obsessed girl who generally follows the mantra "the more cheese the better" :) Anyway, this soup manages to be filling, delicious, and comforting, without being overly creamy and cheesy, which is definitely a win. I know I'll be making it lots over the next few months, and hope you give it a try!

 

Lasagna Soup

- 8 oz. curly pasta (I used Tortiglioni, but elbows or rotini would be good, too)
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 lb. Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1/2-1 lb. ground beef or ground turkey, optional
- 3 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 tsp. oregano
- 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 28 oz. diced tomatoes (I love the Italian style, with garlic, oregano & basil added)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/3 cup fresh basil, chiffonade
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 8 oz. ricotta
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, optional

 

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain pasta well, and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium high heat. Add the Italian sausage to the skillet and cook until browned, making sure to crumble the sausage as it cooks. If also using ground beef, add the beef to the pot at the same time, and brown until cooked through, making sure to crumble it as well. *Note: I was wanting to make a heartier, more protein-packed soup, which is why I added the ground beef, but it's not necessary, flavor-wise.

When the sausage is cooked through, drain excess fat from the pan. Add the minced garlic, onion, oregano, red pepper flakes, and half of the fresh basil to the pot. Cook, stirring frequently until the onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste until it's well combined, and equally distributed in the mixture.

Stir in the chicken stock, diced tomatoes and bay leaves. Season generously with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 30-45 minutes.

Meanwhile, while the soup is simmering, combine the ricotta and grated parmesan in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and stir to combine.

Once the soup has thickened slightly, it's ready to serve. Add some of the cooked pasta to the bottom of soup bowls, top with some of the ricotta mixture, then spoon the soup over the pasta. If desired, top with more ricotta mixture, shredded mozzarella, the remaining fresh basil, and enjoy! *Note: To eliminate one of those plating steps, you can also just add the cooked pasta directly to the pot of soup at the very end, and serve immediately. I chose not to do that because I'm admittedly neurotic about over-cooked pasta - it genuinely pisses me off if it gets overly soft/mushy. So if you're neurotic about pasta like me, I did find that spooning the soup over the pasta kept it al dente, warmed it up, and coated it well. However, if you're not a total weirdo about pasta done-ness, feel free to add it directly to the soup :)

*Recipe adapted from Damn Delicious