Christmas Re-cap… and It’s Cold Outside So Let’s Eat Soup!

• Heat oil into a large dutch oven or heavy pot. Saute carrots, onion, celery, and onion until softened, about 5-8 minutes. Reduce heat to low stir in chicken and simmer.
• In a separate medium pot, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour, salt, and pepper until smooth. Slowly whisk in chicken broth and half-and-half until smooth. Increase heat to high while continually whisking until mixture thickens and almost starts to boil. Reduce heat to low and stir in sour cream and peas. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and a pinch of garlic salt (won’t need much). Simmer on low while croutons are cooking.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Gently roll out the puff pastry with a rolling pin to even thickness. With a pastry brush, brush pastry with egg wash and lightly sprinkle with Cajun seasoning. With a pizza cutter, cut into ½ inch squares. Place squares onto a large baking sheet lightly sprayed with cooking spray and bake until puffed and golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Remove and let cool.
• Serve in pot pie base in bowls and top with puffy croutons, Enjoy!

• Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Saute carrots, celery, bell pepper, onion, and jalapeno for 5-8 minutes stirring frequently. Stir in garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
• Stir in remaining ingredients, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve with fresh rolls. Enjoy!

For the Corn Chowder:

• Place olive oil into a large dutch oven over medium heat. When hot, add onion, celery, carrots, and fennel. Cook and stir for 10-12 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Stir in garlic and ham until combined. Place half of the corn into a food processor and mix until nearly smooth. Pour mixture into the pot with whole kernels. Stir in chicken broth, sour cream, and half-and-half. Reduce heat to low. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic seasoning according to taste. Simmer on low until ready to serve. Garnish with cilantro leaves and Roasted Poblano cream if desired.

For the Roasted Poblano Cream:

• Place poblano pepper under the oven’s broiler on a baking sheet or foil. Broil for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through or until blackened on all sides. Transfer to a brown lunch sack and fold the top down to trap steam inside. After about 10 minutes, remove peppers and peel the blackened skin away. Chop the roasted poblano and stir into sour cream. Place a dollop on top of the soup if desired.

• Heat a large dutch oven over medium heat. Cut bacon into pieces and cook until browned and crisp. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Discard bacon grease, reserving 2 Tablespoons to sauté veggies. Saute celery, carrots, jalapeno, onion, and bell pepper in bacon grease for 10 minutes, stirring often until softened. Stir in garlic and ham; cook for 3 more minutes. Stir in chicken broth and half-and-half.
• Place mashed potatoes in a stand or electric mixer. Mix on medium speed adding salt, pepper, and milk. Stir mashed potatoes into soup until combined. Heat for 10 minutes.
• Stir in sour cream and cheese until smooth. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Simmer on low until ready to serve. Top with sour cream, bacon, cheese, and green onion.

• Place bacon pieces in a large dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Cook until browned and crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate.
• Add onion, carrots, celery, and pepper to hot bacon grease. Cook until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic for 1 minute, then stir in flour for another minute.
• Slowly stir in chicken broth. Add tomatoes, basil leaves, salt, pepper, and half of the crumbled crisp bacon.
• Remove basil leaves from soup and carefully transfer soup, in batches, to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour back into the pot and stir in heavy cream. Simmer on low for 15 minutes. Top each bowl with remaining crumbled bacon pieces. Enjoy!