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.

A Trip To Stouffer’s Test Kitchen: ‘Kitchen Cupboard’ Commitment

Stouffer's Open Kitchen: Travel Blogger

Stouffers Open Kitchen, Travel Blogger, Black Bloggers, Food Photography, Personal Chef

What is it about the combination of sweet and savory tomato sauce dancing around with a blend of rich nutty cheeses intermingled with a joyous melody of herbs and spices that make you feel like you’re a kid again? Lasagna to me was like the Super Bowl of meals because my mom didn’t make it often. So when we saw that box of lasagna sheets setting on the counter, we knew it was happening and the anticipation began to build. But I won’t lie to you and pretend like there were always gourmet 3-course meal at my dinner table growing up – there wasn’t, but we ate pretty well if you consider the fact that both of my parents worked full-time jobs. And it seems that we often want to give frozen foods a bad wrap as though they haven’t made their way to our kitchen tables, t.v. trays, or even the comfort of our beds a few times.

I recently received an invitation to visit the Stouffer’s Test Kitchen in Solon, Ohio to get a behind the scenes look at how they create some of the best frozen meals on the market. We also learned that Stouffer’s would be launching a campaign called the ‘Kitchen Cupboard Commitment‘, which vows that they are using the same ingredients that you would find in your pantry at home. Did you hear that?…no preservatives or unnecessary additives folks! And they are starting the process with their beloved lasagna. So you can pick their product out of your frozen food section without batting an eyelash. How sweet is that? I mean, talk about having a piece of mind when purchasing groceries for yourself and loved ones.

Stouffer's Open Kitchen: Travel Blogger

It was an eye-opening experience into the passion and commitment that goes in to getting these meals onto your table. We were treated like royalty on this two-day trip and the food provided by the Test Kitchen Chefs was nothing short of fantastic. And I’m pretty critical when it comes to what I eat, well, if you exclude my penchant for gummy bears and chocolate (wink). We got the opportunity to work side-by-side with the chefs to see how they prepared the lasagna, and the best part is that we broke off in to groups to make the different types of lasagna and then we got to try them all – win!

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We also learned the history of the Stouffer’s family and did you know that it all started with a small coffee shop where they sold sandwiches and buttermilk? Not to mention, we accrued a handful of fun facts and stories about how the brand grew to what is today. After spending some time asking the staff questions and hearing the stories of how they came to love the product and brand; it was clear that Stouffer’s is more than a boxed meal on a frosty shelf. It is apart of people’s lives and every box is connected to a memory.

Stouffer's Open Kitchen

On day two, we had the honor of learning a some food photography skills from some of my favorite people in life, Will and Susan of House of Brinson. If you aren’t familiar with this uber-talented duo of food/life-style photographers then you should make some French press and head over to their website (Thank me later!).

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I know you might be thinking, “Yeah, yeah. You were paid to say these things.” And while yes, the entire trip was paid for by Nestle, this is indeed a product and company I don’t mind recommending to you, the reader. The marketing and branding were as transparent as they could be with answering our questions. And please believe we questioned everything from GMO to salt and fat content in the products. And I always encourage people when purchasing new or old products – to always flip it over and read the ingredient list, google the words you don’t understand, write letters to the companies of whose products you consume. The products that you have to choose from are direct result of what we as the public are asking for, so if we don’t demand higher quality then we won’t receive it. And I’m telling you that your fears of being fed unhealthy  products is being challenged by companies like Stouffer’s.

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If you are a part of the demographic whose never experienced a frozen Stouffer’s product, consider this a prompt to give their lasagna a try, or maybe some enchiladas. When you find a product that you enjoy – you too, will become a part of the family that Stouffer’s has created worldwide. Did I forget to mention that they sent me lasagna on my birthday? Yeah, talk about a happy guy! You can find more info about their products here and check out this video below of the Open Kitchen Event, you may see a familiar face.