bay leaves Archives - Cooking Classy with a sprinkle of fancy Wed, 01 Nov 2023 04:53:45 +0000 en-US hourly 1 44235149 Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup https://www.cookingclassy.com/creamy-chicken-noodle-soup/ https://www.cookingclassy.com/creamy-chicken-noodle-soup/#comments Tue, 31 Oct 2023 16:15:09 +0000 https://www.cookingclassy.com/?p=14059 Homemade Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup - It's a tasty upgrade on classic chicken noodle soup with a creamy base, browned chicken, lots of veggies and tender curly noodles. Such a cozy favorite! 

Pot full of homemade creamy chicken noodle soup served with a side of bread.

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

Aren't most things better when they have the addition of cream? This chicken noodle soup is no exception.

It's very similar to the traditional homestyle chicken noodle soup just richer and creamier. And it's perfectly soul warming and satisfying.

This soup is so over-the-top delicious that it's easily worthy of the dinner rotation.

You'll find it's also a versatile soup. You can switch up the pasta, try different vegetables, or use a rotisserie chicken if that's what you've got on hand.

We love it served with beautifully browned, artisanal style fresh bread for dipping and a seasonal side salad.

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Chicken Corn Soup https://www.cookingclassy.com/chicken-corn-soup/ https://www.cookingclassy.com/chicken-corn-soup/#comments Fri, 15 Sep 2023 02:32:27 +0000 https://www.cookingclassy.com/?p=68648 Homestyle Chicken Corn Soup! A super cozy soup made with noodles (or homemade rivels), tender browned chicken, sweet corn, salty bacon, plenty of veggies and a lightly creamy broth. Such a satisfying soup to make year round!

Chicken corn soup in a large grey pot.

Chicken Noodle Soup with Corn and Bacon!

Can you add corn to chicken noodle soup? Absolutely and it makes such a delicious soup!

That's just what you get in this soup recipe. It's like chicken noodle soup upgraded with fresh juicy corn, plus we dot it in some bacon and blend in some cream for good measure.

It's also similar to a chowder, and it's adaptable to what you have on hand (as usual see ideas below). For instance you can replace bacon with ham or make this Pennsylvania Dutch style with homemade mini dumplings called rivels in place of noodles (making the soup completely from scratch!).

Pair it with a slice of buttered homemade bread and a simple garden fresh salad with a homemade herby ranch for the most comforting homestyle dinner!

Overheat chicken corn soup.

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Creamy Chicken and Corn Chowder https://www.cookingclassy.com/creamy-chicken-corn-chowder/ https://www.cookingclassy.com/creamy-chicken-corn-chowder/#comments Sat, 01 Oct 2022 16:06:12 +0000 https://www.cookingclassy.com/?p=13881 Creamy Chicken and Corn Chowder - A rich and creamy soup made with tender rotisserie chicken, hearty potatoes, flavorful peppers, sweet corn and crisp bacon finish. It’s a fall staple!

Chicken corn chowder in a serving bowl with oyster crackers to the side.

Creamy Chicken and Corn Chowder

This is the coziest of soups! It’s loaded to the max with delicious, fresh ingredients and it’s that creamy broth and salty bacon that will keep you craving more.

It has a handy shortcut of pre-cooked chicken, which can be from a rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken.

From there it’s just a bit of chopping, sautéing and allowing enough time on the stovetop to simmer to perfection.

Serve it with cornbread or 1-hour dinner rolls for an ideally comforting meal.

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Potato Leek Soup https://www.cookingclassy.com/potato-leek-soup/ https://www.cookingclassy.com/potato-leek-soup/#comments Mon, 21 Feb 2022 04:38:05 +0000 https://www.cookingclassy.com/?p=63722 Simple Potato Leek Soup - it's a smooth and creamy pureed soup made with a handful of basic ingredients including an abundance of flavorful leeks and hearty potatoes. You'll love that it's a perfectly sip-able, deliciously tasty, and just a completely cozy and comforting soup!

Close up photo of potato leek soup in a wooden bowl garnished with chives and olive oil.

Best Potato Leek Soup

Potato leek soup is a popular soup in Welsh and French cuisine. It's made up of mainly fresh potatoes and leeks.

And even though it's smooth and almost sauce-like in consistency, it's still hearty and filling since it is potatoes that build up the base of the soup (and they have a moderate amount of carbs, starchy fiber, and protein - specifically proteinase inhibitor 2).

It is similar to the typical potato soups found in the U.S. and elsewhere but rather it's pureed instead of chunky, and doesn't included meat. Plus it has a chicken broth base and not milk. Then another main difference is of course the use of leeks versus commonly found yellow onions.

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French Onion Soup https://www.cookingclassy.com/french-onion-soup/ https://www.cookingclassy.com/french-onion-soup/#comments Fri, 18 Feb 2022 04:00:54 +0000 https://www.cookingclassy.com/?p=63612 The BEST French Onion Soup recipe! Made with slowly caramelized yellow onions, a savory lightly herby broth, and each serving is finished with golden brown, rich cheese toasts. Talk about delicious!

French onion soup shown in a white bowl with handles. Soup is topped with baguette slices, broiled cheese and herbs.

What is French Onion Soup?

Traditional French onion soup began as a humble peasant soup made with basic ingredients, and dates as far back as Roman times. It's an onion and stock based soup served gratiné style with toasted bread or croutons and cheese atop.

It is one of those soups that you maybe didn't appreciate as a child but have grown to really love an enjoy in all it's cheesy flavorful glory as an adult.

While yes it is a rather easy soup to make and it doesn't need very many ingredients, it does require a bit of time and tending to.

In other words patience is key. Have a little something to do nearby. Monitor the onions closely and you'll have an excellent, deeply flavored bowl of soup to serve.

To ensure success be careful that you don't burn and over-brown those onions or the frond (browned bits) on the surface of the pot (I've done this and it ruins the soup). Just monitor them as directed and deglaze the pot as directed.

And also don't stop short of beautiful caramelized, this will take about 45 minutes, no shortcuts.

It's all about slowly and gently caramelizing here. It's a game changer.

As for the shade of the onions to watch for it's all about a deep, richly golden brown color here (or even more so an auburn color) for the perfect soup.

Four servings of french onion soup in white bowls with handles, shown from overhead on a dark baking sheet.

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Cabbage Roll Soup https://www.cookingclassy.com/cabbage-roll-soup/ https://www.cookingclassy.com/cabbage-roll-soup/#comments Sun, 26 Sep 2021 22:13:48 +0000 https://www.cookingclassy.com/?p=21012 The best Cabbage Roll Soup recipe! You get all the flavors of cabbage rolls with out all the hassle, it's easy to make and deliciously flavorful. A tasty new recipe to add to the dinner rotation!

Cabbage Roll Soup shown in a large white pot on a blue cloth.

A Comforting Cabbage Roll Soup Recipe

This Cabbage Roll Soup is so much faster than making traditional cabbage rolls yet it tastes just as good! It's a hassle-free, cooked in one pot recipe!

You have a quick prep of ingredients, veggies are sauteed, then everything is just simmered until the cabbage and rice are tender. And during that time all those delicious herby, beefy, tomato-y flavors meld together perfectly.

It's a soup that is made with basic ingredients, it's incredibly hearty, and I think you'll agree it's just super satisfying comfort food. It's made up of an abundance of veggies, the rice will help fill you up, and you get a fair amount of protein from the beef so it's an all around win!

This is so delicious that you'll likely find yourself converting from the traditional, more labor intensive cabbage rolls to this easier soup method from here on out instead!

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Garam Masala https://www.cookingclassy.com/garam-masala/ https://www.cookingclassy.com/garam-masala/#comments Sun, 24 Jan 2021 07:41:02 +0000 https://www.cookingclassy.com/?p=58981 A delicious homemade Garam Masala recipe! It's a well balanced, richly flavorful spice blend that's truly a queen of spices. It's one of the easiest ways to build up and infuse an abundance of flavor into a dish, and when you make it from scratch you'll never want to use store-bought again!

Garam masala spice blend in a glass jar set over a plate with whole spices next to it.

What is Garam Masala

Garam masala is an aromatic blend of ground spices used in Indian, Pakistani, Afghan, Bangladeshi, Nepalese, and Sri Lankan cuisines. The most common type originated from Northern India.

It is used to season and bring complex flavor to curries, meat and fish dishes, lentil and vegetarian dishes, soups and more.

While you can usually find garam masala in a pre-mixed spice blend by the other spices in the baking isle at your local grocery store I highly recommend making it yourself at home. Why? It has a lot more flavor, you can control the amount of each spice that goes into it (store-bought blends vary widely in spices used and amounts), and you can also control heat.

Some store-bought blends in my opinion have way too much of one spice and lack another. Some are so peppery they don't leave a whole lot of room to taste much else.

Homemade spice blends, such as this, may take a little bit of extra effort but I promise you they are worth it!

When you are short on time, or if you are having a hard time finding whole spices I've also included measurements for a fast and easy recipe using using pre-ground spices.

If possible though I highly recommend trying the whole and freshly ground, they create that practically irreplaceable flavor.

Garam masala spice blend shown up close in a bowl with a small spoon.

What does Garam Masala taste like?

Garam masala tastes warm and earthy, lightly sweet, peppery and somewhat spicy, with hints of floral notes.

The taste can vary from blend to blend depending on various spices and ratios of each added. For or instance, here I like to add fennel seeds which adds faint hints of black licorice and bay leaves that add an ever so light herbal taste. They aren't always typical but I like that extra something.

Spice Drawer

Recommended Spice Storage

  • Garam masala should be stored in a well sealed airtight container, in a cool dry place away from sunlight.
  • For optimal flavor it should be used within 6 months.
  • You can up-cycle and use an old empty spice jars, or if you don't have any you can buy the same spice jar set I have HERE (as pictured above). It includes tons of pre-printed labels (and plenty of blank labels too).
  • I recently organized my spice drawer and bought this expandable spice drawer rack too HERE, if you're interested (just be sure to measure to ensure it will fit). It's been a game changer in quickly finding the spices I need for cooking.
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Split Pea Soup https://www.cookingclassy.com/split-pea-soup/ https://www.cookingclassy.com/split-pea-soup/#comments Thu, 31 Oct 2019 05:59:40 +0000 https://www.cookingclassy.com/?p=48402 Homemade Split Pea Soup, just like mom made growing up! This hearty, protein packed, comforting soup is made with tender split peas, flavorful ham and fresh vegetables. It's easy to make and perfect for the cold weather.

Split pea soup in a serving bowl.

Split Pea Soup Recipe

So what makes the best split pea soup? Well first off making it from scratch of course. Let's ditch the can of condensed split pea soup shall we? Because this low and slow simmered version is a hundred times better!

How to Video Split Pea Soup

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Second a leftover meaty ham bone is that special ingredient that really flavors this soup. The bone of the ham and the meat adds so much flavor, plus it puts it to good use. Much better than just tossing it.

And beginning with a whole bag of dry split peas yields a full bodied soup with the perfect consistency and texture.

This recipe is all about going back to the old fashioned basics and that's what really makes it so good. There's just something about the classic staple recipes like this that is just so satisfying.

It's the food that reminds us of being back home that will follow us through life, those foods almost as if wishing us well through good memories. When I was younger and getting over a bad cold or something it was often split pea soup I asked mom to make for me. It's just a true comfort food staple.

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Chicken Adobo https://www.cookingclassy.com/chicken-adobo/ https://www.cookingclassy.com/chicken-adobo/#comments Fri, 06 Sep 2019 02:31:54 +0000 https://www.cookingclassy.com/?p=47181 Flavorful Chicken Adobo made with incredibly tender chicken thighs and a tangy vinegar and rich soy based sauce. The chicken is browned then cooks right in the sauce for plenty of time to absorb all those delicious flavors. It's the perfect easy chicken dinner recipe!

Chicken adobo chicken thigh on a plate over rice garnished with green onions.

What is Chicken Adobo?

Chicken adobo is one of the most popular Filipino dishes, and it seems as though everyone has their own way of making it. Bone-in skin-on chicken pieces are braised in a super simple sauce made up of minimal ingredients yet it packs a flavorful punch.

You'll always find soy sauce and vinegar in the dish. Then in authentic adobo there's usually garlic, bay leaves and black peppercorns. Then not always standard is sugar. I personally think the sugar is a must to balance the salt and acidity of the sauce. I've made it without and it's not near as good.

What About Marinating or Browning?

Sometimes chicken is marinated in the sauce, other times that step is skipped. I skip it because I think it has enough time to soak up flavor while cooking. Frequently you'll find chicken is browned first in adobo, other recipes just add raw thighs right to the sauce mixture and simmer. But why not brown it to add more flavor?

Then you'll find variations on the ingredients used for example the type of vinegar can vary from cane vinegar, to coconut vinegar or palm vinegar. And some people like to add a vegetable right to the dish while simmering such as potatoes and onions.

And as far as the soy sauce goes, for me I find full strength soy sauce to be overwhelmingly salty so I like to use half regular and half low-sodium.

The great thing about this dish is that it's pretty forgiving so ingredients can be adjusted to taste. I the idea is to stick to the staple ingredients and to have plenty of sauce so the chicken ends up nicely seasoned and then there's extra sauce to serve over rice.

I highly recommend this recipe, not only will the whole family enjoy it but it's a breeze to prepare! Then just serve it with white or brown rice and a steamed vegetable to complete the easy meal.

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Corn Chowder https://www.cookingclassy.com/summer-corn-chowder/ https://www.cookingclassy.com/summer-corn-chowder/#comments Mon, 22 Jul 2019 17:00:14 +0000 https://www.cookingclassy.com/?p=19343 This summer Corn Chowder is creamy, comforting and full of flavor! Made with an abundance of fresh sweet corn, tender potatoes, flavorful hearty bacon, and finished with chives and cheese. Truly this soup is too hard to resist and can be enjoyed all summer long!

Corn Chowder in two serving bowls. Chowder has fresh pieces of corn, chunks of ham and is garnished with chives.

Corn Chowder Recipe

Don't we all crave this time of year? Not only do we get those relaxing beach days, backyard cookouts, and weekend hikes to soak up that summer sun but it also means getting some of the best food of the year while all the fresh produce is in season.

It's that time of year where you'll find fresh corn on the cob galore, especially if you're in the U.S. near the plethora of local growers. If you're like us you're likely eating it multiple times throughout the week and looking for more ways to use it and this corn chowder is one of the best ways to put it to good use!

It has everything you'd want in a corn chowder and then some. Nothing fancy, just tasty homestyle comfort food at its best!

You'll love the rich and creamy texture paired with the tender crispness of corn in every bite.

Bowl full of fresh corn kernels.

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