Happy Sunday!
I’m happy to announce that Squirrel and I survived Frankenstorm. We didn’t float away, lose power, or suffer any damages to our house. I consider ourselves extremely lucky! The only damage is the few extra pounds I gained from eating my way through the storm. I’m embarrased to admit the consumption of cookies, pies, chips, bread, and, my favorite, Coca Cola. Desperate situations call for carbs…lots and lots of carbs. I’m feeling bloated and ashamed. We may have been lucky, but there are others that suffered severe damage in New York and New Jersey, and my thoughts and prayers go out to them.
This week Susan from Girl in the Little Red Kitchen is hosting a soul warming #SundaySupper. What is soul warming? Well, anything that makes you feel like you’re wrapped in a great big hug when you eat it. It’s the type of food that warms your soul on a cool, blustery night while cozying up with loved ones. The food that warms you up on the inside as it’s going down.
When I think about soul warming food, I think of soup. Nothing else warms you on the inside like a piping hot bowl or, if you’re weird like me, mug of soup. I find it easier to eat soup out of a big ol’ mug because the handle stays cool. I even have special soup mugs that I break out every winter for soup season. They’re perfect!
I was originally going to make chicken noodle soup; however, my husband had other plans.
Me: I’m making chicken noodle soup today. I have a whole chicken I’d like to use, so I decided to make soup. Excited?
Squirrel: Yeah, soup sounds great. Instead of noodles, can you make dumplings? Mmmm, dumplings!
Me: I’m making it with noodles!
Squirrel: Aw, but I like dumplings. Please!
Me: Too bad, you’re getting noodles. You’re lucky I’m making soup, and I wasn’t planning on making dumplings, too.
Squirrel: But it would be so much better with dumplings.
Me: Fine. If you’ll stop saying the word dumplings, I’ll whip up some dumplings.
Squirrel: Victory! I get what I want.
Needless to say, my spoiled husband got dumplings. He sure knows how to work the system…by begging and pushing my buttons, that’s how. I’ll admit, the dumplings took the soup up a notch and made it extra special.
I hate when he’s write.
I used homemade stock, but you can just as easily use some store bought stock. If I use store bought stock, I tie together a thyme and rosemary bundle to give the stock that homemade flavor. It’s a stock fake-out.
The great thing about this soup is that it tastes like it has been simmering for hours, but really only takes about 45 minutes. If you’re on a time crunch, you can buy a rotisserie chicken and shred it up.
Enjoy!
Make sure you check out the #SundaySupper members for some more soul warming recipes:
Main Entrees:
- Carrot, Parsnip and Lentil Casserole – Happy Baking Days
- Chicken with Herbed Dumplings – Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
- Chicken pot pie – Gotta Get Baked
- Cholula Chicken Enchiladas – Kwistin’s Favorites
- Eggplant Parmesan – The Hand That Rocks The Ladle
- Roasted Roots and Fruits with Sausage – Shockingly Delicious
Chili/Stews:
- Beer-Braised Beef – Sustainable Dad
- Bigos {Authentic Polish Hunter’s Stew} – From Fast Food to Fresh Food
- Brunswick Stew and Rice – Big Bear’s Wife
- Calico Beans – Home Cooking Memories
- Carbonnade Flamande – The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
- Chicken Cacciatore {Hunter Style Stew} with Easy Creamy Polenta –Webicurean
- Chicken & Mushroom Stew On Egg Noodles – Galactosemia in PDX
- Cowboy Beef Stew – Comfy Cuisine
- Ham and String Beans – Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Hearty Moose Meatball Stew – Mrs. Mama Hen
- Jalapeno Popper Chicken Chili – Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Lentil and Chorizo Stew – Vintage Kitchen Notes
- Seafood Gumbo and Soul Warming #SundaySupper Wine Pairings – ENOFYLZ Wine Blog
- Soul Warming Hearty Beef Stew – In The Kitchen With KP
Soups:
- 30 Minute Black Bean Soup – Supper for a Steal
- Black Bean Soup – Basic and Delicious
- Black Bean Soup with Hot Roast Pepper Cream – The Lovely Pantry
- Canadian Beer Cheese Soup – Juanita’s Cocina
- Chicken Soup with Dumplings – The Messy Baker
- Chicken Tortilla Soup – Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
- Coconut Curry Chicken Soup – Damn Delicious
- Easy Chicken and Dumplings – My Catholic Kitchen
- Easy Italian Wedding Soup – Family Foodie
- Easy Wonton Soup – Soni’s Food
- French Onion Soup – Momma’s Meals
- Homestyle Chicken and Dumplings – I Run For Wine
- Lasagna Soup – Cravings of a Lunatic
- Lemon Chicken Noodle Soup – Mangiamo
- Lentil and Bacon Soup – Small Wallet, Big Appetite
- Lentil Soup with Spinach – Mama’s Blissful Bites
- Peppery Mulligatawny Soup with Cherry Tomatoes & Cilantro – Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
- Pozolillo Verde {Green Chicken & Corn Pozole} – La Cocina de Leslie
- Red Lentil Soup with Crispy Aromatic Coriander – Chattering Kitchen
- Roasted Jalapeno Soup – Chocolate Moosey
- Rule of Thirds Soup – What Smells So Good?
- Seafood Chowder – Noshing with the Nolands
- Spanish Garlic Soup – Pippi’s In The Kitchen Again
- Spicy Gumbo Z’herbes – Pescetarian Journal
- Spicy Korean Brisket Soup {Yukgaejang} – Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
- Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup {Jjamppong} – Kimchi Mom
- Spicy Udon Noodle Soup – My Trials In The Kitchen
- Turkey Noodle Soup – Magnolia Days
- Tuscan Bean Soup – The Wimpy Vegetarian
- Twisted Chicken Noodle Soup – The Meltaways
- Warm You Up Spicy Bacon Cheeseburger Soup - Daily Dish Recipes
Desserts/Beverages:
- Hot Fudge Pudding Cake – That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- White Hot Chocolate with Orange – GirliChef
- Soup:
- 10 cups chicken stock
- 4 cups shredded chicken
- 2 tbs. olive oil
- 6 carrots, diced
- 4 celery stalks, diced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, diced
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 2 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¾ tsp. Bon Appetit Seasoning
- Salt & Pepper
- Dumplings:
- 1½ cups flour
- ½ cup cornmeal
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tbs. baking powder
- 1½ cups buttermilk
- Soup:
- Bundle the thyme and rosemary sprigs together and secure with some kitchen twine. Set aside.
- In a large pot, heat 2 tbs. olive oil over medium heat. Add diced carrots, celery, onion, and bay leaf. Sprinkle in a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, then add garlic. Cook for an additional 2 minutes. Pour in the stock and add the thyme/rosemary bundle. Stir to combine.
- Add the shredded chicken, chopped thyme, and bon appetit seasoning. Turn the heat down to medium low and cover. Simmer for 30-40 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
- While the soup is simmering, make up the dumplings.
- Dumplings: In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, salt, and baking powder. Whisk to combine. Slowly whisk in the buttermilk. Store in the refrigerator until you’re ready for them.
- When the soup is done simmering, remove the bay leaf and thyme bundle, then pour in the heavy cream and stir. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop the dumplings into the simmering soup. Cover the pot, leaving it cracked, and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
- Serve.
Hi and welcome to my flour-dusted kitchen! The name's Jennie. I'm a lover of cupcakes, an avid spatula licker, and a huge fan of sprinkles. Baking is my passion, but you'll find some savory dishes scattered amongst copious amounts of frosting and chocolate. I love hearing from ya, so feel free to leave me some love. Thanks for stopping by my little piece of the interweb.
