Soup - need a name

I have no room in my freezers ... none whatsoever. 3 freezers, jammed pack of stuff. To the point where I can't find what I know I have in one of them somewhere. So late this afternoon, I pulled out the bottom drawer of the main freezer and took out the following:

1 lb polish kielbasi
10 oz bag of broccoli florets
ziploc of chopped carrots
small ziploc of chopped red/purple onion
small ziploc of roasted turkey breast (something I've been looking for!)

I have NO chicken broth left in this house. Well, I take that back, I have the white wine stuff and the thai coconut stuff (which has almost 100% of your daily sodium level in ONE serving). So had to root around and find the chicken bouillon cubes. Thankfully I found them.

Poured 8 cups of water in large pot. Sliced sausage. Dumped everything else and 4 cubes of chicken bouillon in the pot. Season with black pepper and whatever else makes you happy. I just left it with the pepper. Cover, turn on medium low & let it sit & simmer for however long you feel is good. I did 1 1/2 hours.

Then I added one cup of white rice. Came back to check on it in 30 minutes and WHOA ... the rice soaked most of the liquid up. Turn off, let cool for a little (I didn't' and burned the heck out of my tongue!) Top with Parmesan cheese and chopped green onions if desired. Either way was yummy.

Not bad as a spur of the moment, totally irrational moment of make some room QUICK in the freezer.

I think as the leftovers, it will be a little more thicker than I'd like so maybe add some more broth if needed. I don't think I would use water.

Garden Bean Soup (SouthBeach)

Over the weekend, I went to the 'beach reading room' to pick up sonny boys required summer reading book that finally came in. Of course, I had to browse and came across the The Taste of Summer South Beach cook book.

Here's what I made on Sunday night (while I waited for my hair to color) for lunch on Monday.

Garden White Bean Soup

1 tbs plus 2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced or diced (I diced)
4 garlic cloves, diced
1 celery stalk, sliced thin
pinch of red pepper flakes (should have added more)
2 cans northern or cannellini beans, rinsed & drained
3 cups chicken broth, low sodium
1 1/2 cups chopped arugula
1/4 cup basil leaves, roughly chopped
1/4 tsp grated lemon zest (I used a whole lemon)
1/4 tsp salt
4 tbs fresh grate parmesean

Heat 1 tbs oil & saute onion, garlic, celery & pepper flakes til soft (10 minutes or so). Add beans and broth, simmer 10 minutes.

In blender/food processor, add remaining ingredients except the cheese. Strain soup to large bowl and add bean mixture to blender. Add 1 cup of liquid to blender/food processor. Process til smooth. Add back to reserve liquid.

Divide among 4 bowls and top each with fresh parmesean. (serve warm)

Broccoli, cheese & ham soup

Ok, I'll be honest. I am not a big veggie person. I actually hate broccoli and that stuff. Trees, I tell you, they are trees and shrubby things.

Regardless, at the ripe ole age of 45, I am trying to expand my food horizons, eat healthier & such. Ha. It's been fun.

5 cups broccoli bits & pieces, florets, whatever you have. More or less
6 cups reduced sodium chix broth, or you can do that boullion stuff
1 1/2 cups milk. Or 1/2 and 1/2. OR I suppose you could use the powdered milk & water
1/2 cup plus 2 tbs flour
2 to 3 cups cheese
cooked ham, diced

Steam the heck out of the broccoli. Once super tender (or, as I say, totally cooked), chop, dice as small as you like it to be in your soup.

In a large saucepan, add broth & milk. Turn heat on med to med high & slowly whisk in flour. OR take the easy way out like me: add all flour to a jar with a tight fitting lid. Add a bit of the liquid and shake that bad boy til combined and all flour is disolved. Add to pan and stir. Continue on:
Cook til starts to thicken, but not to thick. Stir frequently (or if doing the old fashion way, keep whisking, for say, the next hour).
Add broccoli & ham. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in cheese til melted. Serve it up.

*I made this and a green salad & did a whack a can italian bread loaf at 8pm on Friday. Not so bad for a last minute dinner idea.