Creamy Asparagus and Potato Soup with Homemade Croutons

The weather is finally looking towards Spring here in Upstate NY! It's the time of year were you break out the grill, sleep with the windows open and it's still warm enough to go out without all the winter gear to soak up the lovely sunshine! With that said, I had to hit the grocery stores this weekend... I have been able to do my regular shopping at 1 store a week and then during the week hit up what I need to for a couple other things. After realizing that my store didn't have the milk that I drink, I headed across to the other store. At the checkout line there was a recipe for Asparagus soup. I thought, WOW, one more idea for the use of Asparagus!! So, since I couldn't make it quite like the recipe says due to limitations, here is my take on it! It turned out very well and can be made to your tastes!! Share & Enjoy!!

Creamy Asparagus and Potato Soup

1 tbsp olive oil
3 stalks of celery, cleaned and diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, diced
1 Italian Cubanelle pepper, diced
4 medium yellow potatoes, washed, peeled and diced
1/2 lb petite red potatoes, washed and halved
1 bunch asparagus, washed, ends trimmed and sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
32 oz stock (chicken or veggie)
1 can cannelinni beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 tbsp paprika
1/2 tbsp parsley flakes
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
S&P to taste

Add everything oil, veggies, potatoes and asparagus to a large stock pot. Saute for about 10 minutes. Then add stock and seasonings. Bring to a boil and turn down to medium high heat and cook for 10 minutes. Add beans and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add to a blender and puree or use an immersion blender to puree the mixture. Return to the pot on low heat to heat. Serve with homemade croutons!

Homemade Croutons

3 slices of GF bread, about 3 days old, diced in 1 inch pieces
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp parsley flakes

Preheat the oven to broil. Add bread, olive oil, garlic powder and parsley to an oven safe baking dish. Toss together and lay in a single layer. Broil for about 5 minutes on one side then flip. Broil a couple more minutes. Serve on top of the soup!

GFCFSF Cornbread Dressing

1/2 loaf of GFCFSF Bread cubed
1/2 pan of GFCFSF Cornbread, crumbled
3 stalks of celery, pured
1 medium onion, peeled and pured
4 hardboiled eggs, shredded
1/4 to 1/2 box of Organic GFCFSF Vegetable Stock
S&P

Add bread, cornbread, celery, onion and egg to a bowl. Mix together with your hands. Add Vegetable stock and S&P until moist and seasoned to taste. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes covered and about 30 to 45 minutes uncovered until browned.

Heather's Jambalaya

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 T parsley
1 tsp dried cilantro
1 tsp paparika
2 T garlic
2 bay leaves
S&P
1 large chicken bullion
5 cups water

Add the above ingredients to a oven safe stock pot. Bring to a boil and then turn down and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes with a lid on. Turn off and remove from heat. Drain the chicken into a bowl and strain the stock. Set aside for later.

1 green bell pepper - chopped
3-4 stalks of celery - cleaned and chopped
1 onion - chopped
1 T garlic
1 tsp liquid Swamp Fire
1 T parsley
1 T dried cilantro
S&P
1 tsp Tony Chachere's (cajun seasoning)
1 pkg Turkey Keilbasa - sliced
Chicken
1 1/2 c white rice
3 -4 c Stock

Saute: green peppers, celery, onion, garlic and all spices for about 5 minutes. Add the keilbasa and brown - about another 5 to 10 minutes. Then add the chicken and stir. Add the rice and 3 cups of stock. Bring to a boil and then bake at 350 for 1 hour. Check at 30 minutes and stir so it doesn't stick.

** You can use any type of sausage and leftover chicken is good **

Mom's Dressing with Apples

1 box of Jiffy Cornbread Mix
1 loaf of Wheat Bread (from the bakery at the grocery store)
2 cups of diced chicken
1 medium onion
3-4 stalks of celery
4 hard boiled eggs - chopped
2 medium apples - chopped
2 cups of chicken stock
S&P

Follow the directions on the cornbread mix. Bake the night before and leave out to dry. Take the bread out and leave it out to dry also.

The morning of add the diced chicken, onion and celery to the food processor. Add the cornbread, wheat bread, chicken, onion, celery and chopped hard boiled eggs and apples. Combine and add enough stock to wet the mixture. Add S&P to taste.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes to an hour.

** To make individual portions spray a muffin tin with Pam and bake as listed above. Let them sit for about 30 minutes or more before trying to remove them from the pan - or they fall apart **

Chicken Noodle Soup

1 whole chicken - cleaned and remove insides

3 bay leaves

1 large or 2 small chicken bullion cubes

1 c chopped carrots

1 c chopped celery

1/4 c chopped onion

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 whole bag of whole wheat noodles

water

Place the whole chicken, bay leaves, bullion, 1/4 c carrots, 1/4 c celery, onion and garlic in the stock pot and fill with water within an inch of the rim. Bring to a boil and then turn down to low or medium low until the chicken is cooked - about 2 hours or so. Remove the chicken to cool and then debone. Add the chicken meat the remaining carrots and celery and noodles to the pot and return to a boil. Turn down to medium and cook until the noodles are done (about 6-8 minutes).

Serve and enjoy. If using a standard stock pot you will have about 8 servings.