Chicken-and-Sweet Potato Stew

This is my version of this stew recipe from The New Southern Garden Cookbook. The flavor combination is unusual—it’s a little Southern, a little African, and a little Asian. Whatever you call, it’s delicious, and it tastes even better as leftovers.

4 bacon slices, chopped
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
Salt and pepper
1 Tbsp. peanut or canola oil
1 onion, chopped
4 celery ribs, chopped
1 red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. garam masala
2 cups chicken broth
1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in cubes
1/4 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup lite coconut milk (about half a can)
1 tsp. red curry paste
1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts
Hot cooked rice
Toppings: additional chopped peanuts; chopped fresh cilantro; cooked, crumbled bacon

1. Cut chicken into cubes, and season with salt and pepper.
2. Cook bacon in Dutch oven until browned and crispy; remove bacon from pot, and set aside to use as a garnish. Sauté chicken in bacon drippings for about 5 minutes or until pieces are lightly browned on all sides. Remove from pot, and set aside.
3. Heat peanut oil in Dutch oven. Sauté onion and next 3 ingredients in pot for 10 minutes or until tender. Stir in flour and garam masala, and cook 1 minute. Gradually add in chicken broth, scraping bottom of pot to remove browned bits and cooking until mixture begins to thicken. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Stir in chicken and sweet potatoes, and cook 15 to 20 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender. Stir in peanut butter and next 3 ingredients. Cook 5 more minutes or until thoroughly heated. Taste and add salt and pepper, if needed. Serve over hot cooked rice and with toppings.

Broccoli-Cheese Soup

This is my version of the original from The New Southern Garden Cookbook. Other than the cheese, which is the primary protein source, this is a pretty healthful soup. (Crumbled bacon would be a delicious addition.) It's different from other recipes I’ve had for this soup in that the veggies are pretty chunky and it includes potato, which contributes creaminess.
2 Tbsp. butter
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1 small potato, cut into chunks
2 broccoli crowns, cut into florets and then chop the stalks
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 tsp. dried or 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme
1 1/2 tsp. dried mustard
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cup grated white cheddar or cheddar cheese
2 tsp. cornstarch

1. Melt butter in Dutch oven; add in onions and next 4 ingredients. Sauté 10 minutes or until vegetables begin to soften. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in flour, and cook 1 minute. Gradually add in broth, and cook until thickened. Stir in thyme, dried mustard, and milk. Simmer for 25 minutes or until potatoes and broccoli are tender.
2. Toss cheese with cornstarch; stir into soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted and thoroughly heated. Serve immediately.

Recipe Rewind: Beer-Cheese Soup

This hearty soup hit the spot for dinner tonight, because it’s been dreary and cool and drizzly for days! I first posted the recipe more than two years ago and decided to revisit it. It is absolutely delicious, and the leftovers freeze well. The croutons take it over the top. Definitely make this soup!

Beer-Cheese Soup
4 bacon slices, cut into small pieces
2 Tbsp. butter
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, thinly sliced
2 celery ribs, thinkly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 (12-oz.) bottle beer (I used Blue Moon.)
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 cups milk
2 cups chicken broth
1 lb. Cheddar cheese, shredded
Salt and pepper to taste
Homemade Croutons

1. Cook bacon in a Dutch oven until done; drain on paper towels. Reserve 1 Tbsp. bacon drippings in Dutch oven, and add in butter. Once butter melts, sauté onion and next 2 ingredients for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add in garlic, and cook 1 more minute. Stir in flour, and cook, stirring often, 1 more minute. Gradually add in ale and next 3 ingredients; cook until mixture begins to thicken. Use an immersion blender to puree mixture until smooth. Stir in cheese, and cook until melted and combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with bacon and croutons just before serving.

Creamy Chicken-and-Rice Soup

The inspiration for this soup came from the chicken-and-veggie mixture that I make for chicken pot pie (this was originally what I had planned to make for dinner). After sautéing the veggies and making the velouté sauce (the flour-thickened broth mixture), I decided to add in more chicken broth and some rice to turn it into a soup. It seemed like just the thing for a cold winter night. Enjoy!

Creamy Chicken-and-Rice Soup

1/4 cup butter
1 sweet onion, chopped
2 carrots, sliced

2 celery ribs, sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

Salt and pepper

2 tsp. herbs de Provence

1/4 cup flour
2 1/2 (32-oz.) cartons chicken broth, divided
1 lb. chopped cooked chicken or turkey

1 (10-oz.) box frozen green peas

2 cups rice

1. Melt butter in Dutch oven. Add chopped onions and next 2 ingredients, and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 15 minutes. Add in garlic, and cook 1 minute. Stir in salt, pepper, and herbs de Provence. Stir in flour, and cook 2 minutes. Gradually whisk 4 cups chicken broth into flour mixture; cook, stirring often, until mixture is thickened. Stir in chicken, peas, rice, and remaining 6 cups chicken broth. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 25 to 30 minutes or until rice is cooked through. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Creamy Tomato Soup

The inspiration for this tasty soup came from vodka pasta sauce. It combines canned tomatoes, basil, and oregano with a splash of vodka and cream. (Fresh herbs would be delicious, but I only had dried ones on hand.) A little sherry rounds out the flavors and makes the soup decadent. We enjoyed ours with cheese toast—the perfect meal for a cold, rainy night!

Creamy Tomato Soup
1 onion, chopped
Olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp. dried basil

2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Salt and black pepper

1/4 cup vodka
2 (14.5-oz.) cans diced tomatoes

2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup whipping cream

2 Tbsp. dry sherry

1. Sauté onion in hot oil until onion is tender. Add in garlic, and cook 1 minute. Stir in basil and next 2 ingredients. Season with salt and black pepper. Stir in vodka, and cook 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and next 2 ingredients. Use immersion blender to puree soup until desired consistency. Stir in sherry, and cook until thoroughly heated.

Chili Verde

During our trip to the Big Island of Hawaii several years ago, we tried a restaurant called Huli Sue’s. The food was so terrific that we actually ate there twice in our 10-day trip. The first night, one of their specials was chili verde. Since that time, I have thought about making my own version and finally did it tonight. I knew that the “verde” refers to a tomatillo-based salsa (this is my favorite version). My technique was pretty simple: Sauté chunks of pork with onion and jalapeño; stir in the green salsa, broth, and cannellini beans. Then simmer until the pork is tender.  The result was absolutely delicious, and this is my new favorite cold-night comfort food. Enjoy!

Chili Verde
1 (3-lb.) pork butt, cut into chunks*
Olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper
4 cups Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
1 (32-oz.) box chicken broth
1 (15-oz.) can cannellini beans

1. Sauté pork in hot oil until browned on both sides. Add in onion and jalapeño, and cook, stirring often, 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir in garlic, and cook 1 minute. Stir in salsa, broth, and beans. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 1/2 hours or until pork is tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

* Pork tenderloin would also work well in this dish.

Potato-Poblano Chowder

This recipe combines a unique combination of flavors that pair deliciously! It has a lot of steps but is worth the effort. The original recipe appeared in the December 2000 of Southern Living. What follows includes my variations. Enjoy!

Potato-Poblano Chowder

1 large red bell pepper
4 poblano chile peppers
1/4 cup butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 large potato, peeled and cubed

4 cups chicken broth

4 cups milk

Salt and pepper

1. Broil bell pepper and chile peppers on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet 5 inches from heat about 5 minutes on each side or until peppers look blistered. Place peppers in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag; seal and let stand 10 minutes to loosen skins. Peel peppers; remove and discard seeds. Coarsely chop peppers.

2. Melt butter in a Dutch oven; sauté onion and jalapeño 10 minutes or until tender. Stir in flour, and cook 1 minute. Gradually stir in chicken broth and milk until mixture begins to thicken. Stir in roasted peppers and potato.
3. Bring chopped roasted peppers, chicken broth, and next 3 ingredients to a boil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until potato is tender.

Easy Chicken Fricassee

Don’t be intimidated by the name—this is simple to make and delicious. I saw a recipe for this traditional French stew in the October issue of Martha Stewart Living. The directions and the ingredients list were pretty extensive and not conducive to a weeknight meal. Following is my streamlined version. We enjoyed our stew with a buttered, toasted baguette and yummy brussels sprouts. Egg noodles or rice on the side would also be delicious. Enjoy!

Easy Chicken Fricassee
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
8 oz. baby portobello or white mushrooms, quartered
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. chicken breast, cut into chunks
2 tsp. herbs de provence
2 tsp. dried tarragon
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white wine
1 (32-oz.) carton chicken broth
1/4 cup heavy cream
Zest and juice from 1 lemon

1. Sauté onion and next 2 ingredients in hot oil for 10 minutes or until vegetables soften. Season with salt and pepper, and add in garlic. Cook 1 more minute. Add in chicken, and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until chicken is almost done. Stir in herbs de Provence and tarragon; sprinkle with flour. Cook, stirring often, 1 minute. Gradually add in white wine and chicken broth, stirring constantly. Cook for 10 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken. Stir in cream, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Cook for 5 more minutes. Serve immediately.

Sweet Potato Soup

I came up with this recipe a couple of weeks ago but forgot to take a photo. However it’s so tasty and perfect for fall that it’s time to share it. We love potato soup, and this seemed like a logical combination. For additional flavor boasters, I used onion, red bell pepper, and bacon (of course). Andy and I loved the results and we’ll definitely have this soup again. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Soup
2 bacon slices, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 (32-oz.) box chicken broth
2 cups water
1/2 cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook bacon in Dutch oven until crisp; drain on paper towels. Leave 1 tsp. bacon drippings in pan, and sauté onion and bell pepper until softened. Stir in garlic, and cook 1 more minute. Add in sweet potatoes and next 2 ingredients. Bring to a boil, and cook 15 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender. Use immersion blender to puree mixture until smooth. Stir in milk, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with crumbled bacon.

Roasted Tomato Soup

This is probably the easiest soup in the world. Andy and I are both a little under the weather, and soup was very appealing for dinner. I had four fresh tomatoes (the last ones from this year’s farmers market basket season) and decided to turn them into soup. To keep standing at the stove to a minimum, I roughly chopped the tomatoes and an onion and roasted them with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, basil, and oregano. Once the onion was soft, I puree the whole thing with one of my favorite tools, the immersion blender. Some homemade croutons and freshly grated Parmesan cheese were all this delicious soup needed. Enjoy!

Roasted Tomato Soup
4 tomatoes, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 to 3 garlic cloves, depending on size
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Basil
Oregano
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1. Place tomatoes and next 2 ingredients on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, basil, and oregano. Drizzle with vinegar. Toss mixture to coat.
2. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until onion is softened. Pour mixture into a heat-proof bowl, and puree with an immersion blender till smooth. Serve immediately.

Big-Batch Chili

Usually I make a several kinds of little food for our annual (almost) New Year’s Eve open house. This year I decided to make a big pot of chili to round out the selection of appetizers and desserts that our friends brought to share. Over the years, I have experimented with many different ways to make chili and this creation is no exception. It uses ground beef and a combo of black beans and garbanzo beans. The complexity of flavors from the spices works well. I pureed the veggies to add nutritional value while disguising their presence from picky vegetable-haters. Enjoy!

Big-Batch Chili
2 onions, cut into chunks
3 carrots, cut into chunks
3 celery ribs, cut into chunks
3 garlic cloves
Salt and pepper
3 lb. lean ground beef
2 tsp. allspice
2 tsp. cinnamon
3 Tbsp. chile powder
2 tsp. chipotle chile powder
3 Tbsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 (28-oz.) cans diced tomatoes
1 (14.5-oz.) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup water (optional)

1. Place onion and next 3 ingredients in bowl of food processor, and pulse until slightly chunky. Cook vegetable mixture in hot oil in a large Dutch oven for 5 minutes or until vegetables began to become aromatic. Season with salt and pepper. Add in ground beef, and cook, stirring often, until meat is browned and crumbly. Stir in allspice and next 5 ingredients; stir in salt and pepper. Add in tomatoes, beans, and, if needed, water. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 1 hour or until ready to serve.

Beef-and-Barley Soup

1 onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
1 (8-oz.) package baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1 1/2 lb. flank steak, cut into bite-size pieces (It’s easier to do this if the meat is slightly frozen.)
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
4 cups beef broth
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 cup barley
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Sauté onion, celery, carrots, and garlic in a Dutch oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and rosemary. Season steak with salt and pepper, and add to veggie mixture. Sauté steak for 15 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and next 3 ingredients. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Stir in barley, and cover and cook 20 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in parsley just before serving.

Roasted Butternut Squash-Cauliflower Soup

Butternut squash soup is creamy, rich, and pretty healthy. As I was thinking about making it for dinner tonight, I remembered that there was a head of cauliflower in the crisper that needed to be used. It seemed like the sweetness of the squash might be a great partner for the bitterness of the cauliflower. Roasting both would caramelize the flavors and give the cauliflower a nutty taste. Deciding it was worth a try, I came up with this recipe. Andy reserved judgment (with plan B dinner lined up) until after he tasted it. His opinion: “surprisingly good!” That’s high praise, for sure. Enjoy!

Roasted Butternut Squash-Cauliflower Soup

1 butternut squash, cut in half and seeds removed

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 celery rib, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp. herbs de Provence

6 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup half-and-half

1. Place squash and cauliflower on aluminum foil-lined baking sheets. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until squash is softened. Remove from oven, and allow to cool slightly.

3. Sauté onion and next 2 ingredients in hot oil 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, and sauté for 1 minute. Stir in herbs de Provence and chicken broth. Remove skin from squash, and cut into chunks. Add squash and cauliflower to broth mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree mixture. Stir in half-and-half, and cook 5 more minutes.

Sausage-and-White Bean Soup

A friend brought a soup like this to eat after church on Sunday, and it was delicious! As I made my grocery list for the week, it kept coming to mind, so I knew we had to try it. This is my version of what I remember my friend’s tasting like. Andy and his dad really liked it. It’s relatively healthy, except for the sausage, but you could substitute turkey sausage. Cannellini beans are a favorite ingredient right now because of their creaminess. Enjoy!

Sausage-and-White Bean Soup
1 onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
Olive oil
1 bacon slice, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 package smoked sausage, sliced (I used Conecuh brand.)
Salt and pepper
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
6 cups chicken broth
2 cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 (6-oz.) bag baby spinach

1. Sauté onions and next 2 ingredients in hot oil with bacon for 10 minutes or until vegetables begin to soften. Stir in garlic and sausage, and cook 10 more minutes or until sausage browns. Stir in salt and pepper and next 3 ingredients; cook 1 minute. Stir in broth, beans, and spinach. Cook, stirring occasionally, 10 more minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Menu 34: Black Bean-and-Beef Chili

Because it feels like fall outside, I decided chili was in order for dinner. The inspiration for the recipe came from on-hand ingredients—several cans of black beans in the pantry and a flank steak in the freezer. To make it more kid-friendly (e.g. hide the good-for-you veggies), I pureed the onion, celery, and carrots before sautéing them with the meat. This is certainly an untraditional recipe, but the combination worked well. We had jalapeño corn muffins on the side. Enjoy!

Black Bean-and-Beef Chili
1 onion, cut into chunks
2 celery stalks, cut into chunks
4 carrots, cut into chunks
Salt and black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 lb. flank steak, cut into chunks
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
1 (28-oz.) can diced or crushed tomatoes
1 (14.5-oz.) can diced or crushed tomatoes
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cup beef broth

1. Puree onion and next 2 ingredients in food processor. Cook in hot oil 5 minutes. Add in garlic and steak; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until steak is browned. Stir in chili powder and next 2 ingredients, and cook 1 more minute. Stir in tomatoes, beans, and broth; cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 more minutes. Season to taste.

Menu 31: French Onion-Potato Soup

Today was a cool, gray day that reminded us that fall is just around the corner—hooray! Andy and I decided soup sounded good for dinner. My challenge was to make something that would meet our craving while using on-hand ingredients. I'll bore you with my train of thought for developing this recipe: At first I thought about making potato soup but after finding a carton of beef broth in the pantry decided French onion soup was in order. Then it occurred to me that potatoes might be really tasty with the onions, so French onion-potato soup was born! We ate our soup with grilled cheese sandwiches—so satisfying! Enjoy!

French Onion-Potato Soup
2 tsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. butter
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup red wine (If you don't like wine, substitute an equal amount of beef broth.)

1 (32-oz.) carton beef broth

2 Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into cubes (no need to peel them)

1. Melt butter in hot oil in a Dutch oven. Sauté onion in hot oil mixture 10 minutes or until onion is soft. Add in garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in flour, and cook 1 minute. Add in red wine, and cook until liquid is absorbed. Stir in beef broth and potatoes, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until mixture is thickened and potatoes are cooked. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Vegetable-Beef Stew

Tonight we took dinner to a sick friend and her family. They have received a lot of chicken dishes, so I decided to make beef stew because it was different. This isn’t a very spring-like meal, but the weather was cool and dreary all day. I’m always trying new ways to make old favorites and think the one I came up with today is a keeper. (Shh—the secret is bacon.) Enjoy!

Vegetable-Beef Stew
3 to 4 slices bacon, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, thinly sliced
3 celery ribs, thinly sliced
Olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced

1.5 lb. trimmed stew meat

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper
Leaves from 3 fresh thyme sprigs
Leaves from 3 fresh rosemary sprigs, chopped
1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (32-oz.) carton beef broth
1 cup water (optional)
4 Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into cubes

1. Cook bacon in a Dutch oven for 10 minutes. Add in onion and next 2 ingredients; cook, stirring occasionally 10 more minutes or until vegetables begin to soften. Add in olive oil, if needed. Stir in garlic, and cook 1 minute.
2. Stir in stew meat, and cook until meat is browned on all sides. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and herbs; cook for 1 minute. Add in tomatoes, beef broth, and, if needed, water. Add in potatoes. Bring mixture to a boil, and reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until meat is done, potatoes are tender, and mixture is slightly thickened.

Pappa al Pomodoro

This fancy-sounding soup recipe is from Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics. Don’t be fooled—it’s basically tomato soup made thick and creamy with the addition of ciabatta bread; the mixture is pureed until smooth. Red wine, which I don’t use in my basic tomato soup recipe, adds a nice depth of flavor. Andy and I both really liked it, so this may be our new standby on a cold winter night. Enjoy!

Pappa al Pomodoro
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 fennel bulb, chopped

Olive oil

Salt and pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 (16-oz.) loaf ciabatta bread, cut into cubes
2 (28-oz.) cans crushed tomatoes
1 (32-oz.) carton chicken broth
1/2 cup red wine
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Parmesan cheese

Toasted ciabatta slices

1. Sauté onions and next 2 ingredients in hot oil for 10 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add in garlic, and cook for 5 more minutes. Add in ciabatta cubes, and cook for 5 more minutes. Stir in tomatoes and next 3 ingredients. Reduce heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes.

2. Use immersion blender to puree soup until smooth. Ladle into bowls, and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Serve with ciabatta slices.

Easy Beef Stew

Last week, I made this slow-cooker roast. After removing the roast from the pot, I pureed the vegetable-and-tomato mixture left in the pot and then froze it. This seemed like the perfect base for beef stew. It was so easy—I simply added chunks of potato, celery, and beef to the tomato mixture. Dinner was ready in about 30 minutes, but it tasted like it had cooked all day. The best thing: There is still one more bag of the tomato mixture in the freezer. Enjoy!

Easy Beef Stew
1 onion, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
Olive oil

1 lb. boneless stew meat

2 potatoes, cut into cubes
1 bag tomato mixture (about 6 cups), thawed
Salt and pepper

1. Sauté onion and carrots in hot oil for 10 minutes or until slightly tender. Add in beef, and cook until browned on all sides. Stir in potatoes and tomato mixture. Bring mixture to a boil; cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

French Onion Soup

This is the perfect cold-night supper! It uses basic ingredients and is very easy to make. How can you go wrong with a rich soup topped with toasted bread and cheese? This version makes enough for three main-dish servings; just multiply it to serve more. Enjoy!

French Onion Soup
1/4 cup butter
2 onions, cut in half and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 to 3/4 cup red wine
1 (32-oz.) box beef broth
Swiss cheese slices
Sourdough bread slices

1. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat; add in onions and garlic, and cook for 20 minutes or until onions are softened and begin to caramelize. Season with salt, pepper, and thyme. Stir in flour, and cook for 1 minute. Stir in 1/2 cup red wine and beef broth. Cook, stirring often, until mixture thickens. Add up to 1/4 cup red wine to taste.
2. Place 1 cheese slice on top of bread slice. Place on a baking sheet, and cook at 400° for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and bread is lightly toasted.
3. Ladle soup into bowls; top with bread slice.