Go-To Winter Soup - Warms you from the Inside Out

Fresh  Garden Vegs & Nice Spice

Chicken Sausage Soup

By Alison Rolen

This soup was created to be a low-carb soup for myself.  Everyone in the family liked it, so it has become a family favorite.  All ingredients are fresh, has a nice spice to it, and makes a beautiful presentation, especially when garnished with fresh, shredded Parmesan. Just as good the following day(s). To make gluten-free, check sausage and broth labels.

1 lb bulk sausage – Jimmy Dean has good flavor and acceptable fat

4 cloves garlic – minced

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp smoked paprika

¼+ tsp cayenne red pepper

1 large Vidalia or sweet onion – diced

1 c. diced sweet red/orange pepper**

3 stalks celery – diced

1 c. sliced carrots

2 c. shredded and chopped cabbage

2 – 14.5oz cans diced tomatoes (or 1 quart home-canned tomatoes)

1 - 32oz box chicken broth (or 1 quart home-made stock)

If you have any reserved juice/stock from cooking chicken, add that as well

4 c. pre-cooked, cubed chicken – I use mostly, or exclusively, dark meat*

1 bunch green onions – sliced, including greens

¼ c. chopped fresh Italian parsley

Additional salt and pepper to taste

In large stockpot:

1. Add minced garlic to pot.  Add and Brown the sausage, breaking up into small pieces as it cooks.
2. Drain off only excessive grease (some is needed to cook veggies).  Add spices to top of sausage: cumin, paprika, red pepper.  Stir, coating sausage well.
3. Add in: onion, celery, carrots, cabbage – stir to incorporate seasonings over all, cover and cook about 10 minutes to begin to soften the vegetables. 
4. Add in: all chicken broth, tomatoes including juice, any/all reserved juice from cooking chicken, add some water if more liquid is needed.
5. Cover and bring to a simmer.  Cook until raw vegetables are desired softness – about 1 hr. total.
6. Add in cubed chicken and green onions.  Simmer (do not boil) about 10 minutes to heat chicken through. 
7. Taste broth and adjust red pepper, salt, and pepper to taste.
8. Add in chopped parsley, simmer for 5 minutes more, serve.

 Garnish: fresh shredded Parmesan cheese to top bowl

Variation:  I have also added in greens (kale, chard, or spinach) - raw with vegetables, or with chicken if pre-cooked (unseasoned)

*I bake 2 chickens, serve for dinner 1^st night, then remaining white meat goes to chicken salad, dark meat here.  

**Sweet garden peppers are chopped and frozen in 1c portions ready to drop in this soup

Refrigerator Pickles - Spicy Dill Spears

After an especially bountiful cucumber harvest, I set out to find a dill variety refrigerator pickle.  I had tried my hand at canning dills, but they always turned out too soft for our liking.  Furthermore, we are not a "sweet pickle" family so the standard refrigerator pickle with vinegar and sugar was not for us.

Refrigerator Pickles in re-used jars

This is the final recipe I use, adapted from one I found online* (see bottom).  My family likes things a little on the spicy side, so these were perfect.  Now a requested item.  

Brine: 
2 cups water
1 3/4 c. white vinegar
1 1/2 c fresh dill "fronds" (leaves)
scant 1/4 c white sugar (or less)
8 cloves garlic, halved
1 1/2 Tbsp. coarse salt
1 Tbsp. pickling spice
1 1/2 tsp dill seed
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (plus)
fresh dill flowers (to place 1-2 in each jar)
1/2 tsp alum (for crunchiness)

(12) long pickling cucumbers cut in spears
Either use canning jars, or I reuse jars from dressing, salsa, other pickles, etc.  

Note: I just use the cucumbers that I have and make more brine if I need to.  I also like "dilly beans" so if I have some, I make a jar or two with string beans.

1.  In a large pot: combine ingredients for the brine, heat just to dissolve the sugar & salt.
2.  Cut cucumbers into spears.  Remove ends from beans - leave them whole.
3.  Place "dill flower" into bottom of each jar along with 1-2 pieces of garlic.
4.  Pack the spears into the jars fairly tightly.
5.  Ladle brine to cover pickles, include spices.  
6.  Divide dill evenly through all jars topping and stuffing it throughout.  
7.  (To taste) Add another "sprinkle" of red pepper flakes to top of jar.
8.  Seal with lids.  Refrigerate for 10 days before eating for best flavor.  Use within 1 month.
I also invert/shake the jars several times within the 10 days to ensure even distribution of flavors.

*Adapted from "Spicy Refrigerator Dill Pickles" at allrecipes.com

Hot Pepper Jam

Our all-time favorite appetizer is Homemade Hot Pepper Jam over softened cream cheese. Serve with thin pretzels or other cracker of choice.  It is a wonderful blend of heat and sweet. 

Personally, I use a mix of jalapenos and hot cherry peppers for a beautiful mix of colors.  If it is early in the season and the peppers aren't as hot as I like, I have also added in several cayenne peppers for a little added heat.  

My jar of choice is the 1/2 size (4oz) jelly jar.  It is the perfect ratio:  one full jar to one block of cream cheese.  These jars are also given out on Christmas or other occasions as our take-home gift to guests. 

Hot Pepper Jam

Adapted from the Ball Pectin recipe:     yield: 12-4oz, or 6-8oz jelly jars

Use Gloves!
Another caution: rinse/wash all peppers before you cut them.  Do not rinse after cut.
4c. Fresh-picked, Prepared (finely chopped) hot peppers, seeds discarded*
    *I use a mix of Jalapeno and Hot Cherry, I keep in a few seeds from each pepper, and chop using a small food processor - to finally measure a full 4c. prepared peppers 
1c. cider vinegar
5c. sugar (do not substitute)
Pectin - 6 Tb. from bulk jar (or 1 box) Original/Classic

1.  PREPARE boiling water canner, jars and lids.  Measure out all ingredients.

2.  COMBINE prepared peppers with vinegar in a 6-8qt saucepan (you need the large surface area).  Gradually stir in Ball Original/Classic Fruit Pectin.  Optional: Add up to 1/2 tsp butter to reduce foaming.  Bring mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, over hight heat, stirring constantly.

3.  ADD entire measure of sugar, stirring to dissolve.  Return mixture to a full rolling boil.  Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.  Skim foam if necessary.

4.  LADLE hot jam into hot jars, one at a time, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.  Clean rim and threads of jars using a clean, damp cloth to remove any residue.

5.  CENTER hot lids on jars, allowing sealing compound to come in contact with the jar rim.  Apply bands and adjust until fit is fingertip tight.

6.  PLACE filled jars in canner.  Be sure water covers tops of jars by 1-2 inches.  Add hot water if necessary.  Place lid on canner. Bring water to a gentle, steady boil.

7.  PROCESS jars for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude (refer to chart in pectin).  After processing is complete, turn off heat and remove lid.  Let jars stand for 5 minutes.

8.  REMOVE jars from canner and set upright on a towel to cool, undisturbed, for 12-24 hours.  Bands should not be retightened as this may interfere with the sealing process.  After cooling, test seals by pressing the center of each lid.  If a lid does not flex up and down, it is sealed!  If it is not sealed within 24 hours, refrigerate immediatedly for up to 3 weeks or reprocess for the full length of time using a new lid.  

9.  CLEAN sealed jars.  Remove the bands.  Wipe jars and lids with a clean, damp cloth.  Label and store in a cool, dry, dark place up to 1 year.

I make several batches of this jam every year so in addition to labeling with the year, I indicate the batch number as well using inconspicuous "dots", abc, 123, or the like.  Each batch will turn out with a slightly different "hotness" level.  I keep track and use accordingly (eg: the hottest batch is noted and saved for "special" occasions). 

Do you have a favorite variation of hot pepper jam?