Soup Showdown Recipe: Terri's Brunswick Stew

Say what you will about Facebook... it's a time eater, it's too intrusive, etc. But I love that it has put me back in touch with some dear friends that I somehow lost along the way... My sweet friend Terri Merren is quite a cook and she has produced a very good,  superb quaility cookbook for her son's school in the Cayman Islands. Here's Terri's recipe for Brunswick Stew. Try it and let us know what you think! Thanks, Terri!!

Terri's Brunswick StewServes 4

 TERRI'S BRUNSWICK STEW

1 4-lb. chicken

2 carrots, peeled

2 ribs celery

1 large white onion, loosely chopped

1 scotch bonnet pepper (optional)

Salt

15- oz. can diced tomatoes

15-oz. can Lima or Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed

16-oz. can whole kernel corn, with juice

1 cup celery, cut into 1" pieces

1 cup carrots, cut into 1" pieces

1 medium white onion, chopped

1/4 tsp. Cayenne pepper

1 tsp. salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup heavy cream

Cut up and bone the chicken. Place bones, whole carrots, celery ribs and one of the chopped onions in a pot filled with 6 cups of water seasoned with about a teaspoon of salt. Add the scotch bonnet pepper (if desired). Cover and bring to a slow boil. Simmer for 2 hours. Strain and cool.

Meanwhile, boil the chopped celery, carrots and onion in a separate pot. Strain and cool. Pull the skin off the chicken pieces; discard the skin. Remove any gristle or fat. Place the chicken pieces and chopped vegetables in the bottom of a deep pot. Pour the strained broth over them and bring slowly to a simmer.

Add the tomatoes, lima beans, corn with its juice, and the celery pieces. Season with salt, Cayenne pepper and freshly ground black pepper. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Add heavy cream; heat through. Serve hot, and enjoy.

Soup Showdown Recipe: Bacon, Leek and Potato Soup

Another idea for a cold day when you need something comforting... this one is smooth and creamy you can load it up or keep it simple. Either way, this recipe is delicious. A spin on a classic Julia Child recipe, I thought bacon sounded good so I started with that and layered on the flavor. Try it and let me know what you think! 

Bacon, Potato, and Leek Soup in Villeroy & Boch Audun PatternBACON, LEEK AND POTATO SOUP

INGREDIENTS

3 leeks, about 1 ½ pounds     

2 bay leaves

3 sprigs fresh thyme (1/3 teaspoon of dry thyme if you don’t have fresh)

2 tablespoons butter

2 strips bacon, chopped

5 cups chicken stock

1 to 1 1/4 pounds russet potatoes, diced

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

3/4 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons green onions, chopped (optional)

Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Leeks can hide lots of grit so you have to clean them thoroughly. Take off the heavy outer leaves and cut off the green top. Next, cut the white part of the leek in half lengthwise. Rinse well under running water then slice it very thin. Place in a colander and rinse again. Drain well.

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat, add the bacon. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chopped leeks and cook until they are wilted, about 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the remaining ingredients except the heavy cream and bring the mixture back to a boil. Reduce the heat. Simmer on low heat for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are falling apart

Remove the bay leaves and fresh thyme. Check the seasoning. You may need to add some salt or pepper. Add the heavy cream.

At this point, you can either serve the soup as it is, or you can puree some or all of it. I prefer to puree about half of it, leaving some texture in the soup. You can puree the soup using a blender or food processor by working in batches. Carefully add the hot soup to the appliance, leave some room at the top. Secure the lid and place a clean dish towel over the top before you start the appliance. Since I like kitchen gadgets, I have an immersion blender. It’s so easy to puree directly in the pot and less to clean up!

Serve the soup immediately. Garnish with chopped green onions, chives, cheddar cheese, or even a little hot sauce.

Jean's Favorite Reuben Chowder Recipe

I have the best friends. And they always have the best food!! One of my favorite friends from back in the day, Jean, commented on our MARTIE KNOWS PARTIES page on FACEBOOK that Reuben Chowder was her favorite soup. We asked for the recipe and she posted it for us! Better than that, another one of our other BFF's, Terri, made the soup and took photos for us! (Terri and Jean were cheerleaders back in high school; see their adorable photo below) This soup looks totally delicious and I cannot wait to try it for myself.  Thank you Terri and Jean for the effort... you two still make a great team... even with your kitchens in different countries!

Jean's Favorite Reuben Chowder photo by Terri MerrenJEAN'S FAVORITE REUBEN CHOWDER

Recipe courtesy McGuire’s Irish Pub in Destin, FL

To make the roux:

1 lb butter

2 cups flour

1 cup celery- finely diced

1 cup green onion- finely diced

------------------------------ 

2 gallons milk

4 quarts heavy cream

½ cup chicken base (find these in the same aisle you find boullion cubes; McCormick or Superior Touch brands are both good)

Jean and Terri½ cup ham base

1/3 cup caraway seeds

1 cup sauerkraut

2 lbs corned beef brisket

Salt and pepper to taste

2 lbs potatoes

Melt butter. Sweat onions and celery until tender. Stir in flour. Cook the roux for three to five minutes and then add the rest of the ingredients except the potatoes. Stir frequently to keep from sticking. Meanwhile, steam the potatoes separately. Add to chowder after it thickens. Jean and Terri from back in the day! Jean is front row, first one on the left. Terri is front row, second from right.

Martie Knows Parties: Host a Souper Bowl Showdown

We are getting ready for Super Bowl Sunday; February 6th will be here before you know it! Who are you pulling for? Packers or Steelers? Who's going to win it all ?

Host a SOUPer Bowl Showdown!Take the competition to your party, too! One of my favorite party themes is where everyone brings their favorite dish for a SHOWDOWN! Who doesn't think their BBQ, or gumbo, soup, or ribs are the best?? When it is chilly outside, a soup buffet is really the perfect foundation for a party. Warm, comforting, affordable, easy to serve, easy to prepare in advance….. What’s not to like about soup?

We're going to be featuring great soup recipes all month for our big SOUPER BOWL SHOWDOWN! 

You can host your own SOUPER BOWL SHOWDOWN for Super Bowl Sunday, it's simple!

Invite your friends over to watch the big game and issue the SOUP SHOWDOWN CHALLENGE. Ask everyone to make a big pot of their favorite soup for the competition and bring printed copies of the recipe to share. (or you can email all of the recipes after the fact)

Number all of the entries as they arrive if you want to keep them anonymous. I usually ask guests to bring their soup in a crock pot so it stays warm; it's easier to transport that way, also.

Vickie's Golden Cheese ChowderYou supply the beverages, crusty bread, crackers, and a condiment bar of mix-ins and toppings: croutons, bacon, different cheeses, sour cream, green onions, chives, Tabasco and other hot sauces, etc. 

Provide ballots and ask guests to vote for their favorite soup and award prizes for the winners! Kitchen gadgets are always a fun prize. Or a huge ladle "trophy" that changes hands each year.

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE SOUP? JOIN IN ON THE SOUPER FUN! FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK!

TRY ONE OF THESE SOUP RECIPES!

MARTIE'S ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

JEAN'S FAVORITE REUBEN CHOWDER

BLP= BACON, LEEK & POTATO SOUP

DON'S BLACK BEAN SOUP

TERRI'S BRUNSWICK STEW

VICKIE'S GOLDEN CHEESE CHOWDER

MARTIE'S SECRET CHICKEN & SAUSAGE GUMBO

Martie's Roasted Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

My Butternut Squash Soup recipe is perfect for the classic soup and sandwich menu.  It’s hearty enough for a casual lunch, yet smooth and rich enough for a special occasion. With a hint of cayenne pepper and a drizzle of maple syrup, this will be your go-to recipe for fall entertaining. A little bit of sweet, a little bit of heat, and a lot of flavor... it is wonderful. Add some crisp apples, a bottle of wine, and you’re all set!  Enjoy!  

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Makes enough for about 5-6 servings, depending on the size. I usually double this recipe.

1 (2 to 2 1/2 pound) butternut squash, halved and seeded
2 Tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 Tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
4-5 cups low-sodium chicken broth- depending on how thick you want the soup
¼ cup organic maple syrup
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Dash cayenne pepper (I use a couple of dashes)
½ cup heavy cream (more if you like)

Preheat oven to 425 F. Brush insides and outsides of squash halves with 1 T of oil and place, cut sides up, on cookie sheet or in roasting pan. Bake for one hour or until the squash is tender. Remove from oven and cool.

Heat remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot. Cook the onion until softened. Scoop out the squash from the peel and add to onion, stirring. Add the parsley. Stir in chicken broth and simmer, about 20 minutes. Add the syrup, salt and both peppers. Whisk in the cream. If you like your soup with some texture, stop here.  I like this soup really smooth so I use an immersion blender to make it velvety before I add the heavy cream. I add a tablespoon of butter at the end to create a smooth texture and feel. I top it with