Soups, stews, chili, and other comfort foods needed!!!!

[Eve]

I am going to start cooking for my OH's grandmother and I am looking for some good comfort food recipes for her. I make a simple chicken soup (I will add recipe) but I feel it needs more ingredients. It tastes awesome though hehe

I would love some nice one pot meal recipes that can be frozen easily since she doesn't eat much at all at once. She is a little on the picky side though, so no odd ingredients please



Chicken Soup/Stew

1 small roasted chicken ( the kind you can buy pre-cooked) or 3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked and cut into cubes.

4 stalks of celery cut into small bits
2 large carrots cut into bits
1 med onion diced
3-4 large potatoes cut into cubes

3-4 containers of chicken stock (boxes)

throw all into a pot and simmer unti veggies are cooked It's great for a weeknight as you can pre-cut the veggies and chicken before hand, I am sure it would also work well in a slow cooker but its so fast and easy on the stove. Also it makes for a lot of chicken in the soup, which I love... I usually go by looking at the soup to see if I want to add more of less of something

 

[Momma2Violet]

Well, I'm not much of a recipe girl, usually just go by taste--

I typically make a nice big pot of beans (16 bean dry mixes are usually available at the grocer), use a ham hock or cottage ham, onions, garlice, a little cayenne, diced carrot, diced celery, bay leaf and paprika. I use a vege broth that I make from kitchen scraps, usually. It's so much for flavorful than water. And this freezes like a dream!

Also: beef stew with carrots, russets, green beans or peas. Toss stew meat in flour, brown in oil (or bacon grease), remove. Add onions, garlic and saute until fragrant. Add stew meat back to pot, and beef stock, (red wine optional), potatoes, carrots, green beans or whatever other vegetable you prefer (parsnips are a nice addition, too), and let simmer until beef is easily shredded with fork, stirring occasionally. I often add a little flour to the simmer to thicken, though the potatoes should do that nicely. S & P as needed

I also make my favorite, Fall River Vegetable Stew which is raved about by even meat lovers. It's from the Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca, NY, a well known vegetarian establishment. This stew is soooo flavorful!

In stew pot place:
1 large Spanish Onion, chopped
4 garlic gloves, pressed
3 tablespoons olive oil

When onion softens, stir in:
5 small potatoes, cut into chunks
2 large carrots, cut into 1/2" rounds
2 tablespoons sweet hungarian paprika

Saute for 3 or 4 minutes. Make sure the paprika does not burn.

Pour in:
1 cup water of vegetable stock
28-ounce can whole tomatoes, crushed
2 bay leaves
1 cup dry red wine

Cover now and let the whole thing simmer for about 10 minutes.

Add:
1 generous handfull green beans, trimmed and halved
3 cups sliced mushrooms

Continue to simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Mix in:
1 cup corn, fresh or frozen

Simmer until the potatoes and the
carrots are tender.
Salt and black pepper to taste



Hope some of these help!!! What a lovely thing you're doing!

 

[lauren-kate]

Potato and leek soup;

Chop; 1 onion, 2 potatoes, 3 leeks into small pieces.

Melt some butter in a pan; add the chopped veg. Stir for about 10 mins.

Add enough chicken stock to cover. Simmer for 20 mins.

Allow to cool. Blend. Add seasoning, and about 250ml single cream when serving.

That would probably do a fair few portions - about 4-5 depending on how much you eat.

 

[lauren-kate]

Beef casserole;

Cut stewing beef into small pieces. Roll into flour seasoned with salt and pepper.

Brown the floured meat with olive oil and a couple of whole garlic cloves.

Add chopped vegetables - carrots, parsnips, onion are good, but others can be used. Cook for about 10 mins until softened slightly.

Pour everything into a casserole dish (any dish with a lid that will go into the oven). Pour in enough beef stock to cover.

Cook at about 170-180 degrees Celsius for about 3 hours.