A Simple Soup For Winter

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“Writing is a lot like making soup. My subconscious cooks the idea, but I have to sit down at the computer to pour it out.”
Robin Wells

I don’t have any profound lines for you about what this year will hold. I only know that I want more out of it than I received last year, and I have every intention of seeing it through. I have so much creativity compressed inside me, that there have been moments when it almost brought me to tears. I didn’t know how to harness it and where it should be unloaded. I felt an overwhelming sense of grief for all the words and images that I held inside, and it felt as though there wasn’t enough time to properly organize it all. Like possessing an armful of files but no file cabinet, and no one near to pull a drawer open for you, leaving you to drop the contents that you worked so hard to produce, on the cold hardwood floor. I hadn’t felt the desire to sit down and write in sometime, well that’s a lie, I have been writing. I’ve been writing in my journals on a regular basis. But I have not felt the desire to sit and write here in this space for some time. I made all the meals, and composed all the dishes. I even took the photos, but I wasn’t inspired to pour it into this space. But I’m back. And I pray you are inspired by all that I have to give you this year.

Winter is giving me ‘all the feels’ this year. If you don’t know – it is truly one of my favorite seasons alongside Autumn. There is something about stark blue light and sea of gloom in the sky that keeps the light at bay that gives me life. I can’t explain it and I probably shouldn’t try. But I feel a certain sense of revival, the deceased leaves have made their final descension and dance amongst the writhing grass. It’s the season of warm blankets, warm mugs full of tea, and bonfires surrounded by the laughter of friends. It’s also the season for soup-making, and if there is one thing my palate will never deny, it’s a bowl of soup. I like to consider soup the epitome of comfort foods.

There are so many variations that can be birthed from the ingredients in your fridge. A simple chicken noodle soup could be a hearty vegetable soup the next day and a creamy concoction the next. It is simply your perspective on the ingredients that you have to work with. I find it rather annoying when someone feels they have to run to the store to create something exactly the way they think it should be. I say, put radishes in, if you don’t have any celery. Add some bok choy if you don’t have cabbage. Soup is forgiving, it’s not demanding and it won’t ask you to be someone who you’re not, so don’t stress about the lack thereof.

I rarely buy the ingredients to prepare soup. I typically keep frozen broth in the freezer or containers in the pantry, and there’s also coubillion cubes, but steer clear of the ones with palm oil if you can. And I more often than not have vegetables lying around or partial leftovers from the previous nights dinner or that afternoons lunch, that can be added to the mix. This turkey soup was birthed from the turkey legs I had leftover from Thanksgiving. We don’t eat a lot of turkey throughout the year unless it is on a sandwich in the sliced format. Quite often the critics are giving turkey the thumbs down, saying that its bland nature is much worse than that of chicken but I still look forward to a small helping once…or twice a year.

This recipe is pretty similar to how I enjoy eating my chicken noodle soup. Which is with a copious handful of green onions if they are available. I simply enjoy the bright tangy bite that it adds to the rich chicken broth. So this whole bowl of soup is essentially less than five ingredients, because why complicate something simple like a good winter soup?

Simple Turkey Soup

1 quart chicken broth
1 cup pulled turkey meat
2 green onion stalks sliced
3 dashes of Texas Pete or Tabasco
fresh ground black pepper

Method
1. I simply heated my chicken broth up until it came to a rolling simmer. Then, I add some dashes of Texas Pete and taste it to see if its to my liking, and adjust. Pour yourself a bowl of the broth, add your pulled turkey meat. It’s up to you if you want to heat the meat prior to adding it to your broth. I put it in cold and let the broth warm it through for me.

I finished it with a copious palm of the green onions and that’s it. Enjoy.

NOTE: The next day you could add some frozen vegetables to this soup for a heartier version as well as some noodles, barley or rice. You could even add some heavy cream or crushed tomatoes to completely transform it into something different. Just adjust your salt and pepper accordingly.

White Chicken Chili

White Chicken Chili by The Local Forkful I’ve been putting off writing this post for quite some time. And while I would like to pretend as though I’m ashamed. I’m not. This season has been keeping me awfully busy and that’s both good and bad, but mostly good. The extra money in our bank account from working so many hours has been quite nice but my body is starting to feel the consequences of cooking thirteen hour days and sleeping six-hour nights. It might sound like complaining but it’s not. I’m merely stating the facts.White Chicken Chili by The Local Forkful

This weather has been confusing me something awful and my allergies are pouting like a toddler wanting a nap. I often find myself wanting produce that’s not in season due to mother nature’s trickery. It was a freezing temperature day several Thursdays ago when I first made this soup. I remember because Saturday came and I was tapping out of the match from sheer exhaustion after eating a bowl or two a day. I guess I need to work on my re-purposed leftover skills. Chicken Chili tacos, anyone?Fresh Ground Cumin

Jenna and I enjoy two different kinds of soup. I like hearty soup and she enjoys broth-y soup so when I make it, I try to find a happy medium. And I typically make enough to be frozen or eaten on for a couple of days. Feel free to make this and any other recipe your own by changing the procedures. I realized that I was out of ground cumin and so I ground my own fresh and I think it made a world of difference. I encourage you to leave the vein and seed in your jalapeno if you desire a spicier soup. Use a different bean that you enjoy such as garbanzos or Lima beans. If you don’t desire to purchase chicken stock, then grab chicken bouillon cubes, you’ll need six cubes for 4 quarts of water. But by all means taste it to see if its to your liking. I believe that the sky’s the limit when it comes to soup and I’m encouraging you to soar my friend.White Chicken Chili by The Local Forkful

White Chicken Chili

1 lb of pulled chicken meat
4 quarts of chicken stock
1 medium onion diced
2 jalapeno de-veined and seeded (diced)
2 15 ounce cans of Cannellini beans
1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
2 teaspoons fresh oregano minced or 1 teaspoon dried
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
3 tablespoons of EVOO
1 tablespoon of butter
1 tablespoon kosher salt (to taste)
2 sprigs fresh cilantro (rinsed and chopped)

Method

1. In a stock pot saute your onions in the olive oil and butter over medium heat stirring continuously until transparent but not browned for 8 minutes or so. Add jalapeno, oregano and cumin, saute for another 3 minutes.
2. Add your chicken stock and allow the soup to come up to a simmer but not boiling. Then add your beans and chicken. Turn your soup to medium low heat and allow all ingredients to heat through. And then add your rinsed and chopped cilantro in last. Stir with wooden spoon until all ingredients are combined. Enjoy.

Serving Suggestions: jalapeno cheddar cornbread, hot water cornbread or crackersWhite Chicken Chili by The Local Forkful

Quick & Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

Quick & Easy Chicken Noodle Recipe by The Local Forkful Dear Journal:                                                                                                            1.23.2014

It seems that this schizophrenic weather has clearly taken its toll on my immune system. breaking down my defenses and leaving me vulnerable and in a state of mere confusion. You know that if there is one thing I detest, it is being sick and yet, here we are. Despite the many hand washes and habitual usage of hand sanitizer, I was unable to escape the little germs from doing their sugarplum dance. And now, here we are hacking and coughing, watery-eyed and chilled to the bone, buried beneath the blankets and drowning in the Vernors ginger soda which I stumbled upon at the local Kroger. Score!

I think I’ll swing by the store later and grab some items to make soup. Chicken noodle perhaps? No need to go changing tradition. I mean, it’s the default, go-to soup of illness. I remember my mom breaking out a can of Campbell’s chicken broth and heating it to a temperature somewhere around “scolding” and pleading with me to drink (le sigh). But if there’s one thing anyone would long for during times like this, it’s the affection of a loved one whether it be a parental unit or spouse. I’m glad that Jenna was able to spend the day with me because if there’s one thing that stinks about being sick is ‘being sick alone’.

Quick and Easy Chicken Noodle Soup by The Local Forkful

Chicken Noodle Soup is one of my favorite things to indulge in. It doesn’t have to be prepared when you’re feeling ‘under the weather’ but maybe when you need a little piece of home or comfort. Its one of the many foods that evokes childhood memories for me and every now and again, we all need those warm moments to come by and stay for a spell.

This recipe is really ‘off the cuff’, no Googling, searching cook books or inquiring of anything or anyone for their favorite version. Because I feel like chicken noodle soup should be in our mental rolodex and somewhat instinctive. Your version might have celery, potatoes or maybe even a little curry but you have a chicken noodle soup recipe that will warm ‘the cockles of your heart’. So tell me, what’s your favorite ‘feel better’ soup?

Quick and Easy Chicken Noodle Soup by The Local Forkful

Quick & Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

4 quarts of water
5 chicken bouillon cubes
1 medium yellow onion diced
1 lb peeled and sliced carrots
1 lb pulled chicken meat
8 ounces wide egg noodles
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp kosher salt (to taste)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Method

1. Fill your stock pot with the water, bouillon cubes, onions, white pepper, butter and cook over medium high heat. Allow contents to come to a rolling simmer, stirring occasionally and then reduce heat to medium. After about 10 minutes, add your carrots.

2. Cook your noodles according to the recipe on the back of the package until al dente and then let them cool down. I like to cook them separately because they hold better for a couple of days without breaking down in your soup. And it will leave with some broth instead of your noodles continuing to soak it all up.

3. Add your pulled chicken meat and noodles, then allow the meat to heat through. Your soup is done at this point and ready to be consumed. Grab some saltines, a warm blanket and call it a day.

Side Note: I already had some chicken leftover from a roasted bird. So feel free to buy a roaster from the store or cook your own. I always prefer cooking my own because I’m picky about the seasoning on it and I like to prepare more than one meal out of it.

quick and easy chicken noodle soup by The Local Forkful