Creamy Tortellini and Sausage Soup

There's little more comforting to me than curling up with a steamy bowl of soup on a brisk evening during the chillier months of the year. If you poke around a bit, you'll discover a hoard of soup recipes here on Joyously Domestic. I tend to rely a good deal on homemade soup for dinner in the colder months. Thankfully, my family is on board and for the most part, they share my soup obsession. We typically have soup on the menu two or three times a week this time of year. And, the soups are usually a mix of classic stand-bys {our favorite Potato Soup or BLT Soup} along with lots of experimenting with new recipes.

Recently, I tested this Creamy Tortellini and Sausage Soup. It was a big hit. I'm already planning to put it on the menu again in a couple of weeks.

It comes together in about 45 minutes. Besides your purchase of the sausage, tortellini and spinach, I'm betting you probably have the remaining ingredients on hand.

All that's missing once this pot of deliciousness simmers up is a crusty loaf of bread for dipping.

Yields 4 - 6 servings.

Fourteen Tantalizing and Comforting Soup Recipes

Fall is upon us. Winter will be here before we know it. In my household, this time of year means SOUP. I've complied some of my favorite and most-popular soup recipes from Joyously Domestic. Some are for the slow cooker. Some are vegetarian. A few are cream-based soups. A handful of them are more-healthful and good-for-you versions. Basically, there's something here for everyone.  

 

 

Just follow the links to check out the recipes for each soup. And, if you'd like to browse through all of my soup recipes, you can visit my RECIPES page here and look through the SOUPS, STEWS AND CHOWDERS section.

Simple Potato and Corn Soup

I have shared several potato soup recipes here on the blog since its start in 2012. Some were slow cooker ones. Some called for summer sweet corn off of the cob. A couple were spicy versions. Bacon and lots of cheese were the highlights of a couple. But, for this particular recipe, I've broken it down to the basics. A simple, straight-forward soup. Simple, no-fuss ingredients. Very simple, easy prep. On the table in around thirty minutes from start to finish.

The result is a creamy soup that is loaded with chunks of potato and pops of corn kernels. This is the type of soup that you want to hunker down with on the couch on a chilly evening - a blanket atop your lap and remote in hand - and just savor each comforting, homey bite.

It's an ideal soup to make for weeknight dinners due to the ease and simplicity of the recipe. And, if you'd like to make dinnertime even easier, you can have the potatoes prepped the night before or morning of, too. Just keep the chunks submerged in cold water in a lidded bowl in the fridge, then drain before utilizing them in this recipe.

Simple Thirty-Minute Stovetop Vegetable Soup

Let's face it - most of us indulge a little too much during the holidays. Whether it's Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter, temptation in the form of potatoes, gravy, butter, pies, rolls, cakes, candies and carbs galore hit us from every angle. So, it's often nice to have some recipes in our arsenal that are quick to whip up and ones that fall a little more into the "healthful" category to make in the days that follow (ya know, once we've devoured all of the leftovers). This soup is one such recipe.

It's adapted from a Trisha Yearwood recipe that she featured awhile back on her cooking show. I was immediately drawn to it because it seemed incredibly easy to make, used just a handful of ingredients, was totally uncomplicated and wasn't a heavy, cream-based soup. Basically, some chicken broth, tomatoes, diced potatoes, garlic, onions, frozen veggies and seasoning come together on the stovetop in like, twenty-five minutes.

This soup is a great one to experiment with since the flavor profile is pretty basic. The recipe as written is awesome. But, if you'd like to play around with different herbs or seasonings, the sky really is the limit. I encourage you to maybe try it as-written, then go from there the next go-round. (I've used a slight sprinkling of Mrs. Dash's Original Blend seasoning a couple of times in this soup ... and have really come to love it that way.)

What you will find is that this is light and refreshing. Yes, as odd as it sounds, this soup is refreshing (as much as a soup can be, I suppose). It isn't heavy at all and due to the quick cooking time, the vegetables don't become mushy as often happens with longer-cooked soups.

In my house, we love this soup served with saltine crackers and a little shaved Parmesan on top just prior to serving.

Yields 6 servings.

Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi Soup {Olive Garden Style}

This is a hearty, comforting soup laden with pillow-y potato gnocchi, tender chunks of chicken, fresh spinach and shredded carrots. The broth is rich, creamy and ultra decadent.  This recipe is based off of a popular soup at Olive Garden. Making it at home is simple and satisfying. {Plus, you'll probably end up with leftovers ... and that's always a good thing when it comes to soup.}

If you're not familiar with gnocchi, they are Italian-style mini dumplings made from cooked potatoes and flour. You can find a plethora of recipes online if you'd like to make you own, but pre-made gnocchi are easily found in most grocery stores these days. Buying them ready-to-use is a total timesaver and there are some pretty good quality ones out there from which to choose.

Typically, packages of gnocchi can be located in the dry pasta aisle. But, gnocchi can sometimes be found frozen and even fresh at specialty markets.

In my household, we prefer this soup pretty thick. If you find that you'd like it a bit thinner, just stir in some additional chicken broth {or even hot water} at the end of cooking.

Serves 6 - 8.

Chicken and Biscuits Casserole {No Canned Soups}

There's little more comforting than homemade Chicken and Dumplings. This recipe is a slight twist on the classic version. The recipe begins with a couple of chicken breasts simmered until tender in a rich, savory broth. Next, the broth is thickened with a cornstarch slurry and a splash of heavy cream. Then, instead of dropping biscuit dough into the thick, steamy broth to cook on the stove top, the chicken and "gravy" is loaded into a casserole dish, topped with half-moons of buttermilk biscuits and popped into the oven to bake to golden, bubbly bliss.

The result is the familiar flavors present in classic Chicken and Dumplings, of course, But, the biscuits are taken to new heights due to the browning on top of the casserole. The bottoms of the biscuits bake up - moist and soft - submerged in bubbling gravy while the tops of the biscuits puff up to golden, magical perfection.

Serves 4 - 6.

Ribollita {Tuscan Soup}

Ribollita is a hearty Tuscan soup. There are many variations, but most recipes include beans, vegetables and bread. I've, basically, declared it my new favorite comfort food recipe of 2016. I think you'll find that it's a great new soup recipe for you to try out this year ... and one that you'll come back to time and time again once you've tried it.

What makes this soup so amazing?

For starters, it's bitter cold here in Michigan right now and well, soup is warm. Pretty self-explanatory.

Secondly, I like that this is a vegetarian soup. My twenty-three year old daughter has been a vegetarian for years and I've come to follow a mostly vegetarian diet most days. This is a pretty healthy soup ... perfect for kicking off the new year.

Lastly, the ingredient list is a budget-friendly one. Grab some dried beans, water, a few veggies, a tiny bit of marinara sauce and some bread ... and you've got yourself the makings of a big pot of heavenly soup. (Splurge a little on some real-deal Parmigiano-Reggiano, though ... totally worth it and it really finishes the soup perfectly!)

Serves 4 - 6.

Chicken and Lighter-Than-Air Drop Dumplings

It's that time of the year when much of the country is wet, cold and dreary. We often look to the comfort foods of our childhood on these chilly days. For me, one special dish during winter that I crave is chicken and dumplings. And, even though I do make a few different versions, I always seem to revert back to the classic recipe that I grew up with when I crave the "real deal."

Made on the stove in a big pot.

Hoards of shredded, tender chicken.

Luxurious, but simple "gravy" made with homemade chicken stock.

And, from-scratch dumplings that almost melt in my mouth.

Those are the components of on-point chicken and dumplings in my book. A labor of love. Childhood comfort food at its finest. The ideal weekend dinner on a brisk winter's day. Served with buttery mashed potatoes ... best comfort food ever.

Serves 4 - 6.

My Top Twelve Cooler Weather Recipes

It's that time of year again - the time when most of us around the country are craving food that evokes feelings of warmth, sustenance and comfort. We're embracing life beyond refreshing salads, grilling out and sipping lemonade by the pool. We're seeking out new soup recipes to try, inspiration for incorporating pumpkin into our desserts, heartier breakfasts that'll really "stick to our ribs" and maybe some ideas for dinner that'll require us to get those ovens heated up.

Today I am sharing twelve of my personal favorite fall recipes from here on Joyously Domestic. There's a little something for everyone here - desserts, soups, pasta, slow cooker meals and a real favorite here on JD - Oven-Roasted Chicken and Potatoes.

Just click on the orange-colored title for each recipe and you'll be taken to the corresponding post.

Bacon Drippings Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

 

Bacon grease.

Not the healthiest of topics - especially during the time of year when many are focusing on resolutions of health and wellness.  I apologize.

I grew up with grandmothers who always saved the grease after frying up bacon.  It was like, liquid gold to them.  They used it to flavor green beans later in the week or as the base for country gravy.  My Kentucky-raised granny would buy bacon sometimes just for the purpose of using the leftover drippings that week for a specific dish.

My husband is a bacon fanatic.  Whenever he grocery shops with me, I know it's inevitable that he'll wind up browsing the bacon section and throwing some in the cart.  We have bacon with our weekend breakfasts - thanks to him - a couple of times a month.  I always save the leftover grease.  (Blame it on my upbringing.)

So, when I was working recently on a scalloped potatoes and ham recipe using leftover Christmas ham, I had this insanely crazy idea to toss in a few dollops of our solidified bacon grease.  The idea wasn't so crazy to me at the time - I always top my scalloped potatoes with some pats of real butter.  Butter is fat.  Bacon grease is fat.  But, bacon grease equals tons of flavor.  It all made perfect sense. 

The result was the tastiest scalloped potatoes I've ever had.  I've tested the recipe twice since then and I have simply come to adore it.  The bacon grease not only imparts flavor, but it creates almost a velvety texture when it comes to the "mouth-feel" of the sauce. 

Obviously, this isn't "diet food."  Besides testing for the blog's sake, this isn't something I'd make repeatedly in a short period of time.  But, the next time you're craving classic scalloped potatoes and ham or needing something to take to a potluck, I urge you to give this recipe a whirl.

This makes enough to feed an army.  If you're not serving an army, that's okay.  In my household of five, we make sure we have leftovers of this.  The leftovers may even be better actually.  Just spoon some into a large coffee mug or ceramic bowl the next day, splash in a little milk and heat until bubbly in the microwave.  There is nothing better.  I pinky swear!

Chicken & Vegetable Dumpling Soup

 

We are in the midst of Winter Storm Ion here in Southern Michigan.  The kids are home from school today (and we've received confirmation of the same for tomorrow) and Steve is home from work.  Our last twenty-four hours have consisted of an insane amount of snow shoveling, driveway plowing, stockpiling wood inside of the house for our wood stove, curling up under blankets watching t.v. in the living room and listening to the wind howl outside of our windows.  We did our grocery shopping three days ago - in preparation for possibly being home bound for several days.

I picked up everything needed to try out this Chicken & Vegetable Dumpling Soup recipe.  We love Chicken and Dumplings in our house.  I wanted to use those same flavors and ingredients, but turn the recipe into a soup. 

I adore this recipe because sour cream is used in the dumplings.  It brings such a wonderful tanginess to the biscuits.  Also, they cook up especially light and fluffy.  Know, however, that these are not your typical, traditional dumplings - they are definitely different in texture.  If you have a dumpling recipe that you prefer, I'm sure you could substitute it for these if you don't like or don't have sour cream on hand. 

This totally warmed our bellies (and souls) today as we endure wind chill temps hovering in the negative twenties.  I used homemade chicken stock, but a good-quality store-bought stock/broth would be fine.  And, this is a great recipe for taking advantage of leftover chicken or even a store-bought rotisserie chicken.

Potato & Mushroom Gratin

 

Be forewarned - this is comfort food at its best.  There's no claim here that this is "diet food."  And, although we don't usually eat such luxurious dishes on a daily basis in my house, it's a great recipe to indulge in when company is coming over or for a lovely Sunday family dinner.

A mixture of thinly-sliced potatoes, slivered mushrooms, heavy cream, real butter and Parmesan cheese come together in this recipe to create an amazing gratin that is a splendid side dish to roasted chicken or grilled meat.  You can go the "lighter" route, however, and serve alongside a beautiful, fresh side salad.

Years ago I read that soaking the potato slices in water prior to assembling a potato gratin makes a world of difference.  So, I've always done so for this recipe.  It removes a lot of the starch so that the potatoes aren't so "gummy" once baked.

Mushrooms contribute a fabulous earthy flavor to the dish.  The flavor of the mushrooms and minced garlic in this recipe combines with the cream to create a scrumptious sauce that permeates the potatoes oh, so delicately.

You'll, basically, be slicing the potatoes and soaking them in water first.  Then, after prepping the mushrooms and garlic, the cream will be gently heated (and infused with thyme and garlic).  Everything will get layered in a casserole dish and baked to golden-bliss perfection.

Serves 6.

Easy Peasy Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

I am usually one to make every aspect of chicken and dumplings from scratch.  And, I'm not sure that I had ever made them in the slow cooker before testing this recipe.  I, normally, like to start with a fresh, whole chicken.  I use the meat and stock from boiling the chicken for my traditional recipe.  And, I like to make my dumplings from scratch.

 

But, I have had a super-hectic schedule recently. I haven't had a lot of time to go the labor-intensive, from-scratch route, but we were all craving Chicken and Dumplings.  So, I utilized my slow cooker and a couple of ingredients that I try to use only in moderation in my everyday cooking - canned soup and refrigerated biscuits - to make this super simple version.  (I almost titled this post "Cheater's Chicken and Dumplings" because it's just so easy.)

Our family loved it. The slow cooker did all of the work. The result was still that comfort food that we know and love. I will say that chicken and dumplings is not a dish that photographs well, so the photos really don't do it justice, as they say. But, please trust me that this recipe is one to have in your back pocket when you may be short on time, but still are wanting something lovely and pleasing on a chilly day.

NOTE: I have found that using buttermilk biscuits yields a dumpling that is oddly too sweet for this recipe. Therefore, I highly recommend using an original-style flavor of biscuit.

Yields 4 - 6 servings.

Chipotle Chicken and Corn Chowder

I've been away from the blog for a few days.  We've had a chaotic week here in my house. My grandfather passed away this past week.  And, we've been battling yucky sickness in our household since last weekend. 

On a brighter note, my little nephew was born two days ago.  My sister went into sudden, quick labor in the middle of the night.  911 had to be called and she gave birth in a grocery store parking lot in the back of an ambulance just ninety minutes or so after her water broke.  Isn't that quite a story to tell her newborn son when he's older!  My sister is doing great and little baby Carter couldn't be cuter!

Not a lot of home cookin' has been happening in my kitchen in recent days.  So, I was happy to get back to work on a new recipe and blog post.

My dear friend, Carrie, shared this recipe with me and told me that I just had to try this chowder.  It is loaded with so many ingredients that I love (and usually keep on hand), so I was super thrilled to give it a whirl.  I completely trust her culinary opinion, so I had a feeling that I was in for a real treat!  I was not disappointed.  With temperatures hovering around zero (and below) here in Michigan all week, this soup was a welcome addition to my menu today.

The recipe comes from Brown Eyed Baker.  Yields 5 - 7 servings.