SOUP!

 

I've professed my love of soup over the years - tonight I made Broccoli Cheese Soup and served them in these ADORABLE soup bowls. I mean - have you seen anything more perfect for fall?!! I got them at Target a couple months ago. 

I've been serving soups in them (they are 12 oz.) this fall - and I'm going to use them as table decor for my Thanksgiving dinner - CUUUUUTE!

Mexican Chicken Lime Soup

I wanted to make soup for dinner - but I also knew that tonights dinner had to include chicken - bc that is what I had and what was quick.

A little searching and I found this! It was really good! The chiles and the adobo sauce really add a smoky depth of flavor without being spicy. The zip of the lime juice and the freshness of cilantro also added unusual and delicious notes. This is a GOODIE!!! The original recipe doesn't include beans - but I added them and I'm glad I did!

Mexican Chicken Lime Soup via Rachael Ray Magazine
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
6 skinless, boneless chicken (rotisserie)
2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, finely chopped, plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
4 cans great northern beans, drained

8 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of 2 limes
Salt and pepper
1 haas avocado, thinly sliced lengthwise into 12 pieces
Crushed tortilla chips

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, lower the heat to medium and cook until the onion begins to brown, about 7 minutes. Increase the heat to high, push the vegetables to the side of the pan, add the chicken and cook, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chipotles and adobo sauce, then stir in the chicken broth. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and lime juice; season with salt and pepper.

*One of my BIGGEST beliefs about soup is that after you follow your recipe and you are ready to serve - if you have the time to put it on a low simmer - it just gets better and better. I made this really quickly about an hour before running out the door for carpool. We ate it 3 hours later - seriously. so. good.

Serve with any or all of the following: cilantro, lime wedge, sour cream, avocado slices, tortilla chips.

Haricot Vert with Hazelnuts and Dill

***UPDATE: I made these tonight - but used macadamia nuts instead of hazelnuts bc I couldn't find them. These were good. I didn't love them with dill - but otherwise they were good. 

I saw this on Instagram (Ina Garten aka Barefoot Contessa) and it was so beautiful and looked so amazing that I decided to put it on my Thanksgiving menu.

Because I've never made it before - and because this isn't a traditional side in my family - I'm not going to double or triple this recipe - and I may be the only person who eats it - but WHO CARES!! lol. 

Haricot Vert with Hazelnuts and Dill

1/2 cup whole hazelnuts
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds French string beans (haricots verts), stem ends removed
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoons good olive oil
4 tablespoons minced fresh dill

Place the hazelnuts in a medium (10-inch) sauté pan set over medium heat. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, rolling them around occasionally, until they are heated through. Transfer the nuts to a clean kitchen towel, fold the towel over, and roll them around until some of the skins fall off. (Don’t worry if they don’t all fall off.) Roughly chop the hazelnuts and set aside. Wipe out the pan with a kitchen towel.

Meanwhile, fill a large pot with 4 quarts water, add 1 tablespoon salt, and bring to a boil. Plunge the string beans into the water and cook for 5 minutes, until just tender. Drain immediately, plunge into a large bowl of ice water, and set aside.

When ready to serve, heat the butter and olive oil in the sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the string beans, 1 teaspoons salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook for 3 minutes, stirring with tongs, until heated through. Off the heat, stir in the dill and hazelnuts and taste for seasonings. Serve hot.