New England Clam Chowder

This recipe is a family favorite. It's perfect for cold wintery days.
I love it because it is something I can whip up quickly using basic items from my pantry.

INGREDIENTS
3 tbsp Best Life Margarine Spread
1 tbsp Olive Oil
5 cloves fresh pressed Garlic
2 small Yellow Onions Chopped
5 Carrots sliced
4 Celery stalks (hearts) sliced
3 Russet Potatoes quartered and sliced
1 16 oz poly bag of thawed frozen corn
1 box of Chicken Stock
1 jar of Clam Juice
2 cans of Chopped Clams with juice
2 tsp Garlic Powder
Sea Salt to taste
Fresh Cracked Black Pepper to taste
1/2 pint Light Cream or 1 can of Evaporated Milk
1 tsp dried Thyme

Optional...
If you desire to thicken your chowder you may add cornstarch dissolved in cold water.

If you do not eat seafood, you may replace the clam juice with additional Chicken Stock.
You may add chopped Chicken Breasts to make this Chicken Corn Chowder

If you do not eat meat, you may substitute vegetable stock and mushrooms for the dairy/meat.

DIRECTIONS
1. Wash Veggies (minus potatoes). Peel Carrots, Onions and Garlic. Dice, slice and press as desired.
Set Aside.
2. In a large heavy bottomed stock pan, melt/heat the fat.
3. Sautee veggies until soft.
4. Add chopped Clams with juice.
5. Add Clam Juice.
6. Add Chicken Stock
7. Add Potaotes.
8. Bring to a boil.
9. Add Sea Salt, Garlic Powder, Crushed Black Pepper.
10. Add thawed Corn.
11. Reduce heat to a simmer.
12. Add Cream.
13. Reduce until desired thickness is achieved.
14. Add Thyme.
15. Serve with warm Italian Bread or Oyster Crackers.
Enjoy!

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Mushroom Barley Soup

Barley is a long chain carbohydrate. It has a low gycemic index. I have a love for mushrooms. These are what piqued my interest in this recipe. There's nothing like a hearty hot soup to warm your insides on a cold day. We enjoyed this soup! The hubby said it was missing just one thing, "MEAT". Maybe I will try preparing it with a few beef stew cubes in the future. I felt like this had too much barley. The next time I prepare this I will probably reduce the amount of barley in half.

INGREDIENTS

3 tbsp olive oil
1 rounded tsp chopped garlic
1 yellow onion chopped
2 carrots diced
2 ribs celery diced
1/2 pound white button mushrooms diced or sliced, whichever you prefer

64 ounces of hot broth (divided)
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp celery seed
1/4 tsp black pepper
3/4 tsp sea salt (optional)
1 cup of pearlized barley
1 tsp White Wine Vinegar

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oil in heavy bottomed stock pan.
2. Add garlic, carrots, celery and garlic. Cook until tender.
3. Add mushrooms.
4. Add herbs and seasonings and White Wine Vinegar.
5. In a separate pot heat half of the broth until boiling. Once it has boiled, pour over softened veggies.
6. Rinse sort and rinse barley. Add to stock pan.
7. Simmer on low for 2 hours.
8. The barley will have swollen and softened. As a result you may not have very much stock left.
9. Add remaining half of hot broth to the stockpot and stir.
10. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired.

Enjoy

Roasted Tomato Soup (Tyler Florence)

Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds fresh tomatoes (mix of fresh heirlooms, cherry, vine and plum tomatoes)
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 small yellow onions, sliced
Vine cherry tomatoes for garnish, optional
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 quart chicken stock
2 bay leaves
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, optional
3/4 cup heavy cream, optional
Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Wash, core and cut the tomatoes into halves. Spread the tomatoes, garlic cloves and onions onto a baking tray. If using vine cherry tomatoes for garnish, add them as well, leaving them whole and on the vine. Drizzle with 1/2 cup of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, or until caramelized.

Remove roasted tomatoes, garlic and onion from the oven and transfer to a large stock pot (set aside the roasted vine tomatoes for later). Add 3/4 of the chicken stock, bay leaves, and butter. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until liquid has reduced by a third.

Wash and dry basil leaves, if using, and add to the pot. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. Return soup to low heat, add cream and adjust consistency with remaining chicken stock, if necessary. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish in bowl with 3 or 4 roasted vine cherry tomatoes and a splash of heavy cream.

Veggies



Wash & Core Tomatoes



Oven Ready Veggies



Finished Roasting!



Remove Roasted Veggies & Add to Heavy Stock Pan




Add Chicken Stock



Add 2 Bay Leaves (Remember to Take These Out Before Blending)



MMMM Looking Good!



Add Fresh Chopped Basil



Soup Before Blending




I Do Not Have An Immersion Blender Yet



A Regular Blender Works Just Fine






How did Tyler get his tomato to float?



I omitted the heavy cream & the butter from this dish. I garnished my personal serving with a little feta cheese.



It set the soup off perfectly!