Chicken Gnocchi Soup

I was at Olive Garden a few weeks ago and tried their Chicken Gnocchi Soup and was inspired to make my own version that was much chunkier with more veggies and chicken in a delicious creamy broth. This made a huge pot that I can't wait to dig into! Very filling, and a different take on a traditional chicken soup / chowder.



Chicken Gnocchi Soup: Serves 12-16

6-8 Chicken Thighs - Skinless
1 Large Onion - Diced
4-5 Celery Stalks - Diced
4-5 Carrots - Diced
2 Bay Leaves
1TB Chicken Bouillon (I use Better then Bouillon)
1C Heavy Cream
1.5C Milk (I used Fat Free)
2TB Corn Starch
~10-12C Water
15oz Can Creamed Corn
1lbs Gnocchi - I bought Fresh Prepackaged from Wegmans
Salt & Pepper

In a large - and I mean large, soup pot add the chicken, onion, celery, bay leaves, generous salt and pepper (about 1TB salt / 1-2tsp pepper) and water (note I did not measure my water, I was using a huge dutch oven and had about 4-5" of water in the pan - enough to cover the chicken by an inch or two). Bring this up to a boil and let the chicken cook through. Once the chicken is completely cooked remove it from the pot, remove and discard any excess fat and bones then take the chicken and shred it either by hand, with two forks, or toss it into your stand mixer and beat on low for about 30 seconds.

While you are shredding the chicken turn the the pot down to a low simmer and remove and discard the bay leaves. You'll notice that excess grease will be gathering on top, with a large spoon carefully remove this grease from your pan and discard. Add the chicken back to the pot with the carrots, creamed corn and bouillon and give it a taste test - is it flavorful? is it bland? adjust as necessary - I like mine peppery so I always use fresh ground pepper in high quantities.

Next mix the milk with the cornstarch until completely incorporated then add to the soup pot, bring up to a boil and stir for a few minutes, add the cream and continue to stir another 3-4 minutes letting all the flavors mesh together. Lastly add the Gnocchi and cook for 2-3 minutes per the package instructions, remove soup from the heat and let the soup sit. Ideally you would make this the day before eating as the cream sauce will really absorb the soup flavors overnight but you can eat it now if you can't resist! (I may of had a bowl!)

Serve & Enjoy!

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WW: 7 Points Plus / serving @ 12 servings
5 Points Plus / serving @ 16 servings

Happy November - Recipe Flashback

Hello Everyone! I realize I haven't posted in over a month, lots has been going on in what I refer to as "Jill World" including a move which has resulted in my now having a kitchen that is bigger than a shoe box! It's weird not having kitchen supplies in odd places like the bathroom closet, the dishwasher which I used for baking storage, etc. I am in the process of unpacking and getting settled but I am still cooking, I am doing something I often do, making my own recipes! I thought we would do a throw back month where I share with you some recipes I am revisiting and if I change anything up I'll let you know.

It was a whopping 32 degrees when I woke up yesterday and I knew I needed to make something that would warm me right on up. I looked through my recipes and knew that Chicken Corn Chowder would make me quite happy! We ate this after it had been fully cooked and simmering on the stove for a good 1.5-2 hours with the cream added so the flavors had time to start marrying together but I know it will be even better today.



In the original recipe I made it in the slow cooker and only used 2C of stock. This time I added a third cup of stock and cooked it on the stove top. I added everything but the milk, heavy cream and corn starch to a large stock pot, brought up to a boil, reduced to a simmer for about an hour until the potatoes were fully cooked through, then added the milk, cream and corn starch (which had been mixed into the milk), brought back up to a boil and reduced to a simmer one more time for about 20 minutes. Then I turned it down to low and let it sit on the stove for another hour - now keep in mind you could easily eat it after the first 20 minutes of simmering with the cream, but really? the longer it sits the better it is. So I finally gave in and had a bowl and mmmmm mmmmm was I happy :)

Give it a shot when you have a nice cold day coming up or just want to taste the deliciousness! I promise I'll keep on posting, I am cooking, I haven't disappeared! I will also post some of my favorite Thanksgiving Recipes for all of you making the meal or bringing something to a family gathering!

Cream of Roasted Asparagus Soup

This is a soup that I have been meaning to make for years. When I was an intern in college my bosses took me out to a great little restaurant near our office that had a fantastic cream of asparagus soup, it was my first taste of asparagus actually. I finally saw it on sale at the grocery store and decided to just wing it. The result was nice and light with a slight thickness to the soup. I decided to roast my asparagus instead of only boiling in an attempt to really bring the flavor out and I believe it was a complete success. The whole soup was made in about 30 minutes and ready to eat in another 30 minutes and like any good recipe it only got better the longer it sat!

On a side note.... How are you all liking the mobile app? My sister has been working diligently to make it even better and easier to navigate and I really appreciate her efforts! If you don't have it and want to give it a try just go to Jillian's Kitchen on your phone and it should prompt you to try the mobile app, if not there is a link in the upper right hand corner of the navigation bar over >>>>>> there that will help you download it.



Cream of Roasted Asparagus Soup: Serves 4

2 Pounds Fresh Asparagus
1TB Olive Oil
2TB Butter
2C Milk (I used Fat Free)
2TB Flour
4C Chicken Stock (I used Fat Free) ** for vegetarians feel free to use Veggie Stock
1 Onion - Chopped (approx 1/2-3/4C)
Salt & Pepper

First you need to roast the asparagus, so turn your oven to 400°, rinse your asparagus and trim the rough ends off while the oven heats up. Toss the asparagus with the olive oil and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Spread out in a single layer on a sheet pan or two and place in the oven for about 15-20 minutes - you want the asparagus to actually get a little soft as in the end we blend it all together. While the asparagus is cooking you can get the rest of the soup going.

In a large pot bring your chicken stock to a low boil / simmer. In a skillet add 1TB of butter with the onions and some salt and pepper, cook over medium heat until the onions are very soft and translucent, add the remaining tablespoon of butter and once it has melted add the flour and stir constantly to make a paste, continue stirring so the flour doesn't burn and let it cook for a minute. Once the flour has had a minute to cook add the milk and with a whisk incorporate the flour into the milk, bring up to a low simmer while constantly stirring and let the milk and flour mixture thicken. Once it has gotten to a thin gravy consistency add it to the chicken stock and stir to mix it all together.

Okay your asparagus should be done cooking by now, take about 1/3 of the asparagus and chop it into 1" segments and set to the side, toss the remaining asparagus into the stock pot and let it cook for a minute or two. Now for the fun part....get your blender out! Pour the soup and asparagus into the blender (make sure to leave some air space and keep your hand on top of the lid, I typically fill the blender up halfway! the steam will try to push the lid off - I learned this the hard way when I exploded hot berry compote all over my fridge, ceiling and cabinets years ago!). Now blend, puree, beat the heck out of it until nice and smooth, put in a new stock pot or a big bowl and repeat until all of the soup and asparagus that was in the pot is blended. Return all of the blended soup to the stock pot and let it simmer for 15-30 minutes just so all the flavors can merry together, give it a stir occasionally and once you have finished cooking it add those reserved asparagus segments to the soup, ladle up, serve and enjoy!

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WW: 4 Points Plus / serving

Cheesy Veggie Soup

As I was searching Pinterest I came across this recipe for Cheesy Vegetable Chowder by Lulu the Baker and decided to give it a shot. I pretty much kept all the ingredients the same but changed up the proportions for my tastes. This is a great hearty soup that calls for a nice crusty bread to dunk into it (that I was sadly missing tonight!)



Cheesy Vegetable Soup: Serves 6-12

2C Carrots - Thinly Sliced
1/2C Celery - Finely chopped
1/2C Onion - Finely Chopped
1TB Minced Garlic
1lbs Potato - Peeled & Cubed
3-4C Broccoli Florets
2C Cauliflower Florets
1TB Butter
6C Chicken or Vegetable Stock
1/2C Water
2TB Cornstarch
1C Milk
8oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese - Shredded
Salt & Pepper

First I suggest you chop up all of your vegetables before getting started, it will help you be able to just toss everything in as the soup cooks.

Alright, lets get started. In a large soup pot melt the butter over medium heat and add the carrots, celery and onion with some salt and pepper and cook for 8-10 minutes until the vegetables are cooked through. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or two, add the potatoes and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Continue to boil until the potatoes are cooked through. While the potatoes are cooking mix together the water and cornstarch and let it sit on the side. Once the potatoes are cooked add the broccoli, cauliflower and cornstarch mix to the pot and bring back to a boil. Stir every few minutes as the soup will slightly thicken. Once the broccoli and cauliflower have cooked through add the milk and cook for another minute or two. Remove from the heat and add the cheese to the soup, stirring to melt it.

Serve & Enjoy.

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WW: 7 Points Plus / serving @ 6 servings (approx 2C each)
5 Points Plus / serving @ 8 servings (approx 1.5C each)
3 Points Plus / serving @ 12 servings (approx 1C each)

Jambalya

As much as I love spicy food I had never had Jambalaya. After seeing some pinterest recipes I finally found one for the slow cooker and decided to give it a try. I thought it was really great and have only made a few changes to the original recipe from All Recipes.



Jambalaya: Serves 8

2C Rice
1TB Butter
1lbs Shrimp - Peeled & Deveined
1C Fat Free Chicken Broth
1lbs Chicken Breast (boneless/skinless)
6oz Tomato Paste
14oz Smoked Turkey Sausage
28oz Can Diced Tomatoes (do not drain!)
1 Onion - Chopped
1 Bell Pepper - Chopped
1C Celery - Chopped
2tsp Dried Oregano
2tsp Dried Parsley
2tsp Cajun Seasoning
1tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/2tsp Thyme

Put everything but the following ingredients in the crock pot on low for 2 hours: rice, butter, shrimp, chicken & sausage. After 2 hours add the chicken and sausage to the crock pot - I cut the chicken into 2" cubes, and sausage into thick slices. Continue to cook another 4-5 hours until the chicken is cooked through. Add the shrimp and cook another 30-40 minutes until they are cooked through as well. When you add the shrimp you can cook the rice by placing 4C of water and the butter with a pinch of salt in a sauce pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling add the rice, stir once, reduce to a simmer, cover with a lid and let it cook until the water has all been absorbed into the rice. Remove from the heat, fluff with a fork and get ready to eat.

Place a scoop of rice into a bowl then ladle the jambalaya goodness right over top of it and enjoy!

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WW: 10 Points Plus / serving

Chicken & Corn Chowder

One of my favorite soups is from my friend Patrick. He makes a killer Corn Chowder with heavy cream and a pound of bacon, yes I said it, a pound of bacon. It is so delicious and creamy and wonderful but these days I am more mindful of how to have what I love in a healthier way and I had a soup at the beach that gave me a few ideas. I was at Dog Fish restaurant and had their wonderfully awesome Crab & Corn Chowder and while I am certain they weren't too concerned about my waist line I was happy to see that they had chunks of carrots, onions and celery around the bacon, cream and corn! I decided to lighten this up my way. This soup is delicious and creamy without using tons of heavy cream. A word of advice....make this the day before you want to have it, it is 10x better the second day when the cream has had a chance to absorb all the deliciousness.



Chicken & Corn Chowder: Serves 8-12

1 Can Creamed Corn (approx 14-15 oz)
1 Can Summer Crisp Corn
4 Slices Canadian Bacon - Diced
1lbs Red Potatoes - Diced
2 Carrots - Chopped
1 Celery Stalk - Diced
1/2 Onion - Diced
2C Chicken Stock
1lbs Chicken Breast - Boneless / Skinless
1C Heavy Cream
1C Milk (I use Fat Free)
3TB Corn Starch
Black Pepper (Fresh Ground Preferred!)

Get your crock pot ready! Now toss in the creamed corn, summer crisp corn, Canadian bacon, red potatoes, carrots, celery, onion and chicken stock with lots of black pepper. Your potatoes and carrots should be approximately 1/4" chunks so they cook at the same rate. Set over low heat for 3-4 hours until the potatoes and carrots are cooked through.

While the crock pot is doing its thing you can bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the chicken breast until cooked through. remove from the pot and shred with two forks or by tossing in a stand mixer and mixing on low speed. Once the potatoes have cooked through add the chicken to the crock pot. Add the cream to the pot and 1/2C of the milk. Mix the other 1/2C of milk and corn starch together until no lumps exist and mix it into the soup. Remove the lid and let the soup thicken for another 30-60 minutes. Check the taste and if necessary add some more pepper, I really feel that any type of corn chowder requires lots of pepper and this soup is no exception. Serve & Enjoy, and if you have the time make this the day before as the flavors develop even more over night!

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WW: 8 Points Plus / serving @ 8 servings
5 Points Plus / serving @ 12 servings

Chicken Stew with Dumplings

I grew up having my Mom's Chicken & Dumplings, traditionally made with chicken, celery & onions in a thick creamy broth over delicate fluffy dumplings cooked in the soup. I'll admit as a little kid I demanded to have my chicken without the gravy and would only eat the inside of the dumplings because I didn't like the parts that touched the soup! Weird I know, luckily I grew out of that! A few years ago I started adding carrots to my moms recipe and then it occurred to me this time...Hey Jill...Why don't you use Mom's Chicken Noodle Soup as the base and modify it...more veggies, more color, more YUM. I was right. I love when that happens! This does take a good 2-3 hours so make sure to not try this when you are pressed for time.



Chicken Stew with Dumplings: Serves 8-12

5 Chicken Thighs or 2 Large Chicken Breasts (skin removed, bone it)
1 Large Onion – Chopped
3-4 Celery Stalks – Chopped
3-4 Large Carrots – Thickly Sliced
11oz Can Del Monte Summer Crisp Corn
1C Frozen Peas
Salt & Pepper
Chicken Bouillon
Water
1-1/2C Milk (Split 1C & 1/2C)
3C Bisquick
1/4C Corn Starch

Pull the skin off of the chicken and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper and place in a large soup pot. Pour in water to 3-4″ above the chicken. Add the celery and onion to the pot and bring to a boil. Boil gently for 45-60 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Reduce the heat to a simmer and remove the chicken from the soup. Take the chicken off of the bone and cut into small bite size pieces and return to the pot with the carrots and summer crisp corn. Add chicken bouillon 1 heaping tsp at a time until the broth has reached your desired level of chicken broth flavor. Bring back to a boil and cook for 10 minutes.

While the soup is coming back to a boil mix 1C of milk with the Bisquick then grab a spoon, dip it into the soup then cut into the dough to grab a spoonful, and drop it into the soup (reduce heat so the soup is just simmering but not a raging boil), repeat this process until the dumplings are all in the pot (note if you are not using a wide soup pot you may need to do this in 2 stages...the dumplings need room to grow). Once all dumplings are in the pot let it cook uncovered for 10 minutes, then covered for 10 minutes (DO NOT PEEK AT THEM!). Once the time is up the dumplings should be nice and cooked through. With a slotted spoon carefully remove to a large bowl.

Almost done I promise. Bring the soup back to a boil. Mix the remaining 1/2C milk with the corn starch and pour into the soup with the peas. Keep stirring while it boils and thickens. I let mine get to a stew consistency - thicker than soup, but thinner than gravy. Remove from the heat, let it cool for a few minutes then serve up with your dumplings!

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WW: ~8 Points Plus / serving @ 8 servings, and ~7 Points Plus / serving @ 10 servings, ~6 Points Plus / serving @ 12 servings (will change with the size and type of your chicken, I weighed mine – chicken thighs – after cooking and removing from the bone)

French Onion Soup

I love French Onion Soup, caramelized onions, super melty cheese. Really anything with super melty cheese is going to have my heart but I have to think this is healthy just because it has lots of onions, oh yea and I made it healthy! I think you will love this recipe, it does take a lot of baby sitting at the stove while the onions caramelize but it is worth it. This also gave me a great reason to use my dutch oven from Christmas.



French Onion Soup: 6 servings

5-6 Vidalia Onions (Softball Sized) - Thinly Sliced
2TB Butter
2tsp Ground Thyme
6C Beef Stock
6oz Grueyre or Swiss Cheese - Sliced
1/2tsp Salt
1/2tsp Sugar

In a large dutch oven over medium heat add the butter and let it melt, add the onions and stir to coat. Cover with a lid and let it cook for 10 minutes, remove the lid, add the sugar, salt and thyme and toss it all together. Continue to cook stirring every 5 minutes for another 20 minutes, now you will need to start stirring every 2-3 minutes as the liquid evaporates out and the onions caramelize. It will take up to an hour to get a deep golden brown but it is worth it! Once the onions are nicely caramelized and significantly reduced in size add the beef stock to the pot and bring up to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and let it cook for 30 minutes. Remove from the stove, scoop into a small individual oven safe bowl, top with 1oz of cheese per bowl and place in a 400° oven for 10-15 minutes to allow the cheese to melt. Traditionally French Onion Soup has a piece of bread floated on top of the soup for the cheese to rest on, personally I don't like the soggy bread so I do not include it!

Carefully remove the soup from the oven, let it cool slightly, then serve and enjoy.

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WW: 4 Points Plus / serving

Chicken Noodle Soup

I know you will find this hard to believe...but today I made my first ever Chicken Noodle Soup (that didn't come out of a can), so many thanks to my Mom for sharing her recipe with me! This is pretty simple to make and we are most definitely heading into the "soup season". Now I added noodles to mine, but you could also make with dumplings or rice (or left over thanksgiving stuffing sliced into it!) to meet your tastes. Please take note, in my family we like corn, lots of corn, so if you aren't a huge fan of corn I suggest leaving out the can of creamed corn, personally I really enjoy it as it helps to thicken the soup slightly and provides a lovely flavor base.

Chicken Noodle Soup: Serves 8-10

5 Chicken Thighs or 2 Large Chicken Breasts (skin removed, bone it)
1 Large Onion - Chopped
3 Celery Stalks - Chopped
3 Large Carrots - Thickly Sliced
11oz Can Del Monte Summer Crisp Corn
14.75oz Can Creamed Corn
6oz No Yolk Egg Noodles
Salt & Pepper
Chicken Bouillon
Water

Pull the skin off of the chicken and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper and place in a large soup pot. Pour in water to 3-4" above the chicken. Add the celery and onion to the pot and bring to a boil. Boil gently for 45-60 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Reduce the heat to a simmer and remove the chicken from the soup. Take the chicken off of the bone and cut into small bite size pieces and return to the pot with the carrots, drained summer crisp corn, and creamed corn. Add chicken bouillon 1 heaping tsp at a time until the broth has reached your desired level of chicken broth flavor. Bring back to a boil and cook for 15 minutes, then add the noodles and cook another 6-8 minutes until they are cooked through. Remove from the heat, let it cool for a few minutes then serve up!

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WW: ~5 Points Plus / serving @ 8 servings, and ~4 Points Plus / serving @ 10 servings (will change with the size and type of your chicken, I weighed mine - chicken thighs - after cooking and removing from the bone)

Chilled Creamy Tomato & Shrimp Soup

Growing up in Maryland I am no stranger to seafood, specifically shrimp and crab showing up in many dishes. A year or so ago though I was at a nice club for lunch and had the pleasure of experiencing my first ever Frosted Crab Soup. This was a chilled tomato soup with jumbo lump crab meat and fresh cream on top, so simple, so tasty, yet something new to me. I started looking for recipes but as I have only ever seen it on 2 menus and both were private social clubs I wasn't surprised when I had a hard time locating it. I was shocked however when I found an article which said the chef shared that the "secret" ingredient as Campbells Tomato Soup. Today I decided to make an attempt at this myself, but with crab prices being high I decided to use shrimp instead.

Chilled Creamy Tomato & Shrimp Soup: Serves 2

1 Can Cambells Condensed Tomato Soup
1/2 Can Water
1/2C Milk
3-4 Basil Leaves
1/4lbs Shrimp - Peeled & De-veined
1/4C Heavy Cream

In a small sauce pot mix the soup, water, milk and basil together and bring up to a light simmer. Turn off the heat, pour the soup into a bowl and refrigerate (if you are planning on serving soon toss it in the freezer to cool off quickly).

Bring a small pot of salted water up to a boil. Once boiling add in the shrimp and cook for a few minutes until firm and no longer translucent. Remove from the water and place in the fridge or freezer to cool off.

Once everything is cool mix the shrimp with the tomato soup and add the cream. Serve and enjoy.

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WW: 8 Points Plus / serving

Roasted Buttercup Squash Soup

This recipe is a wonderful fall soup that will fill and warm you up all at once.  My friends mom taught me how to make this on one of our days together in Maine and we brought it to our Girls Night where I also learned about the Asparagus Soup.  This hearty recipe goes fantastically with the rye bread or a hearty multi grain.  Yet another reason for me to get that blender so I can make this for myself!

Roasted Buttercup Squash Soup: Serves 8

4 Buttercup Squash (or Acorn Squash)
60-90oz Chicken or Vegetable Stock
1/2tsp Ground Ginger
1/2tsp Ground Sage
1/2tsp Dried Thyme
Salt & Pepper

Wash your squash, and place on a sheet of tin foil in a 400° oven for approximately an hour, until the squash can easily be pierced with a knife. Remove the squash from the oven and carefully peel the skin off of the squash, slice in half and discard the seeds. Chop the squash into chunks and place it in a pot with the spices and 60oz of stock and bring up to a boil. Cook for 10-15 minutes then puree the soup, in small batches, in your blender being careful to not overfill the blender (too much hot liquid in a blender can result in the lid being blown off, so do not fill more than 1/3 of the way). Return the pureed soup to the pot over medium heat and add the remaining stock 1C at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.

Serve and enjoy!

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WW: 0 Points Plus / serving @ 8 servings (the whole pot is only 4 Points Plus)

Asparagus Soup

For a few years I have been hearing about my friends Aunt's Asparagus Soup. I was over joyed to get to try it when all the woman in her family got together for a soup night! This recipe actually comes out of a P90X cookbook with some slight modifications. It is extremely healthy and more importantly extremely tasty! I can't wait to make this... I really need to invest in a blender!

Asparagus Soup: serves 8-10

1 Large Vidalia Onion - Chopped
3 Garlic Cloves - Minced
96 oz Chicken Stock
2 Bunches of Asparagus - Trimmed & Chopped into 3" Pieces
1 Russet Potato - Diced
1/2tsp Yellow Mustard Seed
1 Dash 17-Spice Mix (or a seasoned salt)
1/2tsp Dry Mustard
Salt & Pepper

Saute the onions and garlic with 1/2C of the stock in a large stock pot for a few minutes, add the remainder of the stock, the asparagus and potato and bring up to a boil. Reduce the soup to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes.

Remove the soup to a blender in small batches (or use an immersion blender in the pot if you have one) and blend - be careful to only do a little of the soup at a time, you do not want to fill the blender as the pressure from the heat could blow the top off. I highly suggest only filling 1/3 of the way and venting the lid to allow the steam a place to escape... I once had hot berry compote on cabinets, walls, ceilings and a dog due to over filling a blender with hot liquid.

Once the soup has been blended add the remaining spices (I recommend a heavy hand on the pepper) and serve.

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WW: 1 Points Plus / serving @ 8-10 servings (the whole pot is only 10 points)

Chicken and Dumplings

What a great feel good meal to have on a cold windy weekend. As spring and summer are right around the corner I figure this is one of the last times to make this meal before the Baltimore heat kicks into gear. This recipe is almost the exact same as my mothers except I add carrots for a splash of color and some additional nutrition.

Chicken & Dumplings: Serves 6-8

3 Chicken Breasts, Skinless on Bone
3-4 Celery Stalks - Chopped
1 Large Onion - Chopped
4-5 Carrots - Sliced
Water
2-3TB Chicken Bouillon
Salt & Pepper
3C Bisquick
1C Milk
1/2C Milk
5TB Corn Starch

In a large stock pot place chicken breasts and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. Add chopped onion and celery on top of the chicken. Pour water on top of the chicken and vegetables until it is 2" above the food level. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Continue boiling for approximately 45-60 minutes. Remove the chicken from the stock and with two forks pull the chicken off the bones and discard the bones. Return the chicken to the stock and add carrots and 2-3TB of chicken bouillon to taste, boil for an additional 10 minutes.

At this point I like to remove the chicken and veggies from the pot, keep the stock boiling on a low simmer. Mix Bisquick and 1C of milk together, dip a large spoon into the broth, then cut it into the batter, and lightly drop the batter into the broth - dipping the spoon in the broth helps to stop the batter from sticking to the spoon. Repeat this step making equal size dumplings. Once all batter has been used keep the stock at a light simmer - you do not want the stock boiling over the dumplings - for 10 minutes, then cover with a lid and let cook for an additional 10 minutes. Do not be concerned that when you drop the batter into the broth that it sinks momentarily, it will float up in a moment or two. Remove finished dumplings to a bowl and cover.

Mix 1/2C Milk & Corn starch together until smooth, add to the stock and bring to a boil stirring constantly. Once boiling the stock should start to thicken. If after 2-3 minutes of boiling the stock is still not thickening add more milk and corn starch (1/4C milk 1.5TB of corn starch). Depending how much water you put in at the beginning will determine how much corn starch is needed to thicken the stock. Once the stock has thickened to just shy of a gravy consistency pour over the chicken and veggies.

Serve with 1-2 dumplings and enjoy!

This reheats very well and the flavors just intensify over time. I have not frozen it but have heard you can freeze it and thaw at a later time. I like to freeze soups in ziplock bags so I can get the majority of air out of the bag and also freeze flat so it takes up very little room in the freezer.

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WW: 14 Points Plus / serving @ 6 servings
11 Points Plus / serving @ 8 servings

Hearty Chili with Vegetables

This chili recipe is my fathers, he has passed it onto me and now I am passing it onto you – secrets and all!

Dad’s Chili - Serves 6-8

1lb Lean Ground Beef
1 16oz Jar Salsa
1 Onion - Chopped
1 Bell Pepper - Chopped
1 Can Diced Tomatoes
1 Can Kidney Beans
1 Small can Mushrooms
3 Cans Tomato Sauce
2TB Minced Cherry Peppers
1tsp Cayenne Pepper
1-2 TB Chili Powder
1TB Liquid Hickory Smoke

Brown the Beef (you can also use a pound of ground turkey) in a large sauce pot, drain the meat and return to the pot.  I like to add the seasonings to the meat first, and then add vegetables, tomatoes and beans ending with the tomato sauce after the veggies and meat have had a chance to get warm.  Bring the chili up to a boil and reduce down to a low simmer.  Let cook for at least 2-3 hours on a low simmer until the vegetables get soft, stirring occasionally.  This can also be made in a crock pot, you first need to brown and drain the meat, then place in the crock with the remainder of the ingredients and cook on low for 5 hours until soft, stirring occasionally.

This chili freezes very well and only gets better with time.  If you are not a very big fan of spicy I suggest leaving out the Minced Cherry Peppers, and only using 1TB of Chili Powder.  You can always add more later to meet your tastes.

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WW: 4 Points Plus / serving @ 6 servings
3 Points Plus / serving @ 8 servings