Last year I participated in the The 12 Soups of Christmas which for me is really about so much more than soup. It is about inspiration. It is about motivation. It is about confidence. Be it in your job, your everyday life,  or in the kitchen. This year I participated again and I hope to do it for many more years to come.

My goal was to make soups that only served two (as it is just me and my fishing guide) and to make all different soups this year. I succeeded (although I did make 2 lentil soups this year and one last year, but technically they are all different types of lentil). Some were OK and some were fantastic. My favorites include Cordon Bleu and Wonton, but I also really liked the white bean as wells as the parsnip & potato. I will definitely be making these again throughout the winter months.

Soup 1: Beer Cheese (serves 2)

• 1/2 stick butter
• 1/2 onion, chopped (~1/2 cup)
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3/4 cup half & half
• 3/4 cup beer
• 1 cup cheddar cheese
• dash each salt, nutmeg, celery seed
• 1/2 tsp hot sauce
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp dijon mustard

Melt butter in a medium pot. Add chopped onion & carrot and saute for 5-10 minutes until veggies are softened. Add flour and cook for 3-5 minutes until flour is well incorporated and appears cooked through. Whisk in broth, half & half, & beer. Simmer and stir for 10-15 minutes until thickened. Puree soup with an immersion blender or in a blender or food processor until smooth. Whisk in cheese until blended. Add the rest of the ingredients. Add more chicken stock if necessary to thin soup to desired consistency. Ladle into bowls and enjoy plain or with popcorn garnish.

Soup 2: Lentil Ham (serves 2)

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 carrot, sliced into thin rounds
• 1/2 cup dry lentils
• 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup diced ham
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• black pepper and salt to taste

Saute onion and carrot in olive oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan for 8-10 minutes until slightly tender & onion is translucent. Add lentils, stock, ham, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer covered, stirring occasionally, for 60-90minutes.

Soup 3: Wonton (serves 2)

• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp minced garlic, divided
• 2 green onions. chopped
• ginger
• soy sauce
• 1 tsp hoisin sauce
• 1 tsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1-2 tsp spicy chili sauce
• 14 wonton wrappers
• water

Broth: In a medium pot heat the oil over medium heat. Add 1/2 the garlic, a few dashes ginger, 1 chopped green onion, few dashes soy sauce, 1/2 to 1tsp spicy chili sauce. Heat over medium heat for 2-3minutes. Add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil and therm reduce to a simmer.

Filling: Meanwhile, brown the ground pork. Drain off any excess grease. Add the rest of the garlic, 1 chopped green onion, a few dashes each ginger & soy sauce. Add the rest of the sauces & the mustard. Stir to combine.

Wonton & Soup Assembly: Take a wonton wrapper and place 1 tsp of the filling in the center. Place water on edges & fold over so that wonton is closed. Press down firmly & roll over sides slightly to guarantee wonton is sealed. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Gently drop the wontons in the water and cook for about 3 minutes. Scoop the wontons out and place in the broth. Serve is large soup bowls.

Soup 4: Cordon Bleu (serves 2)

• 1/2 stick butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 cup garlic & herb chicken stock
• 1 cup half & half
• salt & pepper to taste
• 3/4 cup chopped cooked chicken
• 3/4 cup diced ham
• 2 tbsp cheddar cheese
• 2 tbsp mozzarella cheese

Melt butter in a medium pot. Add flour and cook for 3-5 minutes until flour is well incorporated and appears cooked through. Whisk in broth and half & half. Simmer and stir for 10-15 minutes until thickened. Add salt & pepper taste. Add chicken & ham. Whisk in cheese until blended.

Soup 5: Chicken Enchilada (Serves 2)

• 1/2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1/2 cup enchilada sauce (store bought or homemade, see below)
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup black beans
• 1/2 cup corn
• 1 cup chicken, cooked & shredded
• 1/4 cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2-3 tbsp chipotle salsa
• hot salsa to taste
• 2-4 oz diced green chiles

Homemade Enchilada Sauce

•  1 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp each garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, paprika, & oregano
• pinch each salt, pepper, & cayenne

Heat oil over medium heat. Stir in flour until well incorporated & cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken stock while whisking to avoid lumps. Add the seasonings. Bring to a boil & reduce heat to simmer for 10-15 minutes until thickened. Makes approx. 1 cup. Keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Soup Preparation

Melt butter in a medium pot. Stir in flour until well incorporated (mixture will be chunky). Cook for 1-2 minutes. Whisk in chicken stock & milk slowly to avoid lumps. Stir in half of enchilada sauce. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer for 10-15 minutes until thickened slightly. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook for 10-15 minutes. Serve with sour cream, additional cheese, green onions, &/or avocado.

Soup 6: White Bean & Sausage (serves 2)

• small amount of olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
•  1 1/2 cups beef broth
• 1 can white beans, drained & rinsed
• 1/4 lb crumbled & cooked mild italian sausage
• 1/4-1/2 tsp dried sage
• black pepper to taste
• 1-2tbsp potato flakes (optional)

Heat a small amount of oil in a small pot. Saute the onion over medium heat for 5-10 minutes until translucent. Add the beef broth and beans. Bring to a boil & reduce heat to simmer for 10 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender or in a blender or food processor. Return to pot if needed. Add in the sausage and seasonings. Simmer for 5-10 minutes at a minimum (this can be simmered for 30-60 minutes if desired) . Add potato flakes if needed to thicken to desired consistency.

Soup 7: Curried Lentil with ground turkey (serves 2)

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 carrot, sliced into thin rounds
• 1/2 cup dry lentils
• 2 cups beef stock
• 1/2 cup ground turkey
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp tumeric
• 1 tsp curry powder
• black pepper & salt to taste

Saute onion and carrot in olive oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan for 8-10 minutes until slightly tender & onion is translucent. Add lentils, stock, ham, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer covered, stirring occasionally, for 60-90minutes.

Soup 8: Rachel Sandwich (serves 2)

• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2-3 tbsp flour
• 1 cup beef stock
• 1 cup milk
• pinch each garlic & onion powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• few dashes celery seed
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp each horseradish sauce & catsup/ketchup 🙂
• 1 tsp chili sauce
• 1/2 cup cooked, shredded chicken thigh
• 1/4 cup sauerkraut
• 1 tbsp cream cheese
• 2 tbsp cheddar cheese

Saute onion in butter until soft & translucent. Stir in flour for 2-3 minutes until cooked through. Add the stock & milk and store over medium heat until slightly thickened. Add the rest of the ingredients through the kraut. Cook & stir for 10-15 minutes. Stir in the cheese until melted & combined. Serve with rye bread or croutons.

Soup 9: Cheesy Hashbrown (serves 2)

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2-3 tbsp flour
• 1 cup beef stock
• 1 cup milk
• 1 1/3 cup diced or shredded hashbrowns (thaw if frozen)
• dash each pepper, paprika, nutmeg, celery seed, onion & garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp hot sauce
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp dijon mustard or 1/4 tsp ground mustard
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Melt butter in a medium pot. Add flour and cook for 2-3 minutes until flour is well incorporated and appears cooked through. Whisk in broth & milk. Add hashbrowns & seasonings. Simmer and stir for 15-20 minutes until thickened & hashbrowns are cooked through. Whisk in sour cream & cheese until blended.

Soup 10: Sweet Potato (serves 2)

• 1 cooked sweet potato cut into chunks
• 2 tsp concentrated vegetable stock
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Mash sweet potato and stock together. Whisk in milk. Heat over medium heat until cooked through. Whisk in sour cream. Serve.

Soup 11: Egg Drop Soup (serves 2)

• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 tbsp corn starch
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8-1/4 tsp ginger (I am not found of ginger so I used around an 1/8 tsp)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce + more to taste
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• salt & white pepper to taste
• 2 eggs
• green onions

Pour 1/2 cup crock into a cup that contains 1 tbsp corn starch. Make a slurry. Pour the rest of the stock, the seasonings, soy sauce, & oil into a medium pot. Bring to a boil. Stir in the chicken stock-corn starch slurry. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened. Beat the eggs into a measuring container with a spout. Slowly drizzle the eggs into the stock with circular motion stirring so that they can feather out. Pour into 2 bowls and garnish with green onions.

Note: This recipe can be made thicker if desired and just double the cornstarch. I might do that next time. Also, I’d consider adding an extra egg or two as I like mine to be super eggy.

Soup 12: Parsnip & Potato (serves 2)

• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 3/4 cup peeled, chopped parsnips
• 1 potato, peeled & chopped
• pepper, garlic & onion powder, thyme

In a medium saucepan bring parsnips, potato, stock, & seasonings to a boil. Cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes until vegetables are tender. Puree with an immersion blender or in a food processor or blender. Enjoy!