topic Re: What is the best kitchen gadget for soups and vegatables ? in Recipes

What is the best kitchen gadget for soups and vegatables ?

bigbro6 — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 19:02:22 GMT

I am not much of a cook but I would like start cooking homemade soups with lots of beans and veggies ...what the best gadget for this ?

Re: What is the best kitchen gadget for soups and vegatables ?

ECBG — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 19:11:11 GMT

I do a lot of cooking using fresh ingredients and taught Advanced Foods. My preference is the large oval Crock Pot with the turn knob. I use a lamp timer on it to have it go off and on when it's not convenient for me to do it. You can't do that with the touch control models. During the holidays I use two in addition to my range and oven to get everything done. I have never been a fan of pressure cookers of any variety because they have a certain flavor. Crock Pot has often been praised for flavor retention and improving flavor. Hope this helps.

Re: What is the best kitchen gadget for soups and vegatables ?

Nightowlz — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 19:27:22 GMT

I make vegetable beef soup in the pressure cooker so much faster then cooking on the stove in my 8 qt stockpot. I made chicken noodle soup in the pressure cooker yesterday. DH is in the kitchen making Chili today.

Re: What is the best kitchen gadget for soups and vegatables ?

forrestwolf — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 19:28:54 GMT

I vote pressure cooker for soups and stews, but not fresh veggies....No matter the amount of time on fresh veggies, they just come out to over cooked........Now, I do have to say, I am loving the new flavored broths that Swanson has come out with....

Re: What is the best kitchen gadget for soups and vegatables ?

Meowingkitty — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 20:08:33 GMT

I just bought my first pressure cooker yesterday. $69 at Cosco. Today I made a potato and corn chowder and if I do say so myself it turned out pretty good for my first attempt.

Re: What is the best kitchen gadget for soups and vegatables ?

AuntG — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 21:11:04 GMT

Speaking of gadgets, what is that thing called that is used to chop up hamburger while it is frying? I have been using just a pancake turner but when I see those other things on cooking shows, they look so practical.

Re: What is the best kitchen gadget for soups and vegatables ?

DiAnne — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 21:39:56 GMT

A stock pot with a lid and a good knife.

Re: What is the best kitchen gadget for soups and vegatables ?

bigbro6 — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 22:11:19 GMT

Can you post your recipe for the soup ?

Re: What is the best kitchen gadget for soups and vegatables ?

Honeybit — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 22:11:24 GMT

AuntG wrote:
Speaking of gadgets, what is that thing called that is used to chop up hamburger while it is frying? I have been using just a pancake turner but when I see those other things on cooking shows, they look so practical.

@AuntG, I don't know what you've seen, but I've got a gadget called a "ChopStir" that came from a Kitchen Outlet. I don't know whether it's any better than anything else, but it's fun to use (for me) and does the job I bought it for well and easily. It's white plastic with four plastic "blades" in a cross on the end. As the label says, "It Chops! It Stirs!"

Re: What is the best kitchen gadget for soups and vegatables ?

Honeybit — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 22:18:47 GMT

bigbro6 wrote:
Can you post your recipe for the soup ?

@bigbro6, Here's a link for the "Perfect (For Me) Vegetable Beef Soup" I posted a while back. It's kind of long or I would have copied it here. If you have trouble with the link, you can find it with the "Search Forums & Blogs" and "Board" boxes above.

http://community.qvc.com/t5/Recipes/Perfect-for-me-Vegetable-Beef-Soup/m-p/348191#M13563

Re: What is the best kitchen gadget for soups and vegatables ?

jaxs mom — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 22:21:03 GMT

I don't use any gadgets for soups, just a pot and a knife for chopping the veg.

Re: What is the best kitchen gadget for soups and vegatables ?

Meowingkitty — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 22:41:52 GMT

@bigbro6 wrote:
Can you post your recipe for the soup ?

2 tbsp butter
4 leeks
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
6 medium potatoes peeled and diced
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper
2 cups frozen corn
1/2 tsp thyme
pinch sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream

optional / 2 cans green chilies

saute leeks in butter
stir in broth, water and potatoes
lock into place and bring to high pressure for 4 minutes
quick release pressure
stir in remaining ingredients and bring to temperature.

Re: What is the best kitchen gadget for soups and vegatables ?

qualitygal — Mon, 05 Oct 2015 12:12:12 GMT

Crockpot and crockpot liners!

Re: What is the best kitchen gadget for soups and vegatables ?

novamc1 — Mon, 05 Oct 2015 12:43:27 GMT

Cooking long and slow, either in a slow cooker. a heavy-duty covered Dutch oven (such as an enameled cast iron Le Creuset) placed in the oven or on the stove on low temperature, or a heavy stainless steel pot simmering at low temp on your stove.

It's the cooking method, not gadgets, that makes good soups, as well as stews, pot roast, and many other dishes, in my opinion. Takes a while for flavors to mellow out and blend, and very slow cooking does that very well.

On top of that, today's "gadgets" seem to break either soon or not too much later. Pots and pans of good quality last a long time.

Re: What is the best kitchen gadget for soups and vegatables ?

vabreeze — Mon, 05 Oct 2015 16:25:37 GMT

Bigbro6, this forum itself is an excellent source of some delicious soup recipes. One that I have made and have made heartier than is posted here on the forum is the Quick Pot Sticker Soup.

One that I plan to prepare soon is the 5 Ingredient Pesto Chicken Soup. Can't get any easier than this! After making it as offered here, I think I will also try it using the Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto recipe-- another recipe I found here!!

5 Ingredient Pesto Chicken Soup

(recipe source: gimmesomeoven.com)

I love a 'simmer all day, twenty ingredient soup' sometimes. However, It really doesn't get quicker, easier or tastier than this. If you've got 10 minutes you've got a great 'chicken soup for the soul'. Enjoy!

4 cups good-quality chicken stock

3 handfuls (about 3 cups) fresh spinach

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

2 (14 ounce) cans Great Northern or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1/3 cup pesto (homemade or store bought)

(optional topping: grated Parmesan cheese)

Stir together chicken stock, spinach, chicken, beans in a medium saucepan. Cook over high heat until the soup reaches a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium, stir in the pesto, and let the soup continue to simmer for 2 minutes. Serve warm, topped with Parmesan cheese if desired.

Posted on QVC recipe forum by LoLa

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto …………………………………YIELD 2 cups

2 cups sun-dried tomatoes, drained (packed in oil)

1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1⁄4 cup packed fresh basil leaf

1⁄4 cup packed fresh fresh parsley leaves

2 garlic cloves, crushed under a knife and peeled

fresh ground pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Process all the ingredients in a food processor fitted with the metal blade until the mixture forms a coarse paste.

(The pesto can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 1 month).

Posted on QVC recipe forum by house_cat

BTW, I make a lot of soups in my slow cooker.