Crisp weather requires delicious soups

Fall is right around the corner and this means all the things we love about the season are too – the leaves changing colors, cool weather and hot soups and chili to warm the soul. At Olde Westport Spice we have a variety of easy-to-make soups perfect for a crisp fall day. With the hearty flavors of Chicken White Chili, Chipotle Black Bean and Kansas City Steak and Ale soups you’re sure to please any crowd. Just in time for fall, we’ve created an online promotion for our customers. Soups are $6 from September 15 through September 30 (4 or more soup purchase required).   Please enter the code: SHOW when checking out on the website at  www.oldewestportspice.com and remember to click on the green arrow apply button in the shopping cart next to the box where you type the word SHOW to redeem your discount! We also invite you to like us on Facebook where we post recipes, specials and all things Olde Westport Spice.   Here is one of our favorite soup recipes!   Bourbon Street Beef Stew Serves 6   1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 pounds well-trimmed boneless sirloin steak, cut into bite size pieces 1 large onion, chopped (2 cups) 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 2 1/4 teaspoons fresh minced rosemary (1 teaspoon dried) 2 large carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces 2 cans beef broth, divided 1/2 cup Olde Westport Cattlemen’s Choice Beef Sauce Blend 1 cup bourbon 2 medium tomatoes, chopped 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper 3 cups small, fresh, whole mushrooms Heat oil in a 6 quart dutch oven over medium high heat. Brown beef well on all sides. Add onion, garlic, rosemary and carrots, cook until tender. Add half of the beef broth, bring to a boil. Meanwhile, blend Olde Westport Cattlemen’s Choice Beef Sauce Blend with remaining beef broth in a small bowl, add mixture to beef and stir continuously until thickened. Stir in bourbon, tomatoes and pepper, bring back to a boil, lower heat, cover, simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms, simmer an additional 15 minutes.

Gluten Free Soups at Olde Westport Spice

Yep, that is right. Olde Westport Spice and Trading Company has seven soups that are all gluten free.

Gluten is a protein found in wheat (including kamut and spelt), barley, rye, malts and triticale. It is used as a food additive in the form of a flavoring, stabilizing or thickening agent. A gluten-free diet is the only medically accepted treatment for celiac disease, the related condition dermatitis herpetiformis, and wheat allergy. Many people have also gone “gluten free” for weight loss.

The seven soups which are gluten free are:

1. Savory Bean
2. Creamy Wild Rice
3. Mixed Bean Chili
4. Red Bean & Rice
5. Corn Tortilla
6. Black Bean
7. Creamy Garden Vegetable

 Order yours today here.

We’re famous! (sort of)

We like to tell people that Olde Westport Spice’s famous Championship Chili was featured on the Today Show. It’s mostly true.

What really happened is that one of our longtime loyal customers who uses our spices religiously was featured on the Today Show demonstrating how to make his award-winning Hog Call Chili. Of course, his chili is delicious AND it includes Olde Westport Spice’s ChampionChili seasoning. Thanks to Kyle Barton of Des Moines, Iowa for going all the way to New York and showing off his amazing cooking skills. We also love him for including our spice blend in his recipe.

You can try his recipe at home. Check out his full recipe on the Today Show’s web site. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/41423688/ns/today-foodwine/

You can also watch the segment from the news where Kyle not only explains why his chili recipe is so delicious, but he also demonstrates his State Fair-award-winning hog call. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTTrAdFPeZs

Want to read a little more about Kyle, check out this article from the Des Moines Register. http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2011/02/01/des-moines-man-is-a-chili-cook-off-finalist-on-the-today-show/

RECIPE: Hog Call Chili
Kyle Barton. Des Moines, Iowa

INGREDIENTS
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled
4 tablespoons Vermont maple syrup
3 pounds 93-percent lean ground beef
8 ounces of Graziano’s sausage
1 tablespoon bacon grease
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 14.5-ounce cans of Del Monte’s Petite Cut Diced Tomatoes with Zesty Jalapenos
2 15-ounce cans of Hunts Tomato Sauce
15.4-ounce can of Campbell’s Creamy Tomato Soup
1 tablespoon of Superior Touch’s Better Than Bouillon chili base
11 ounces of V8 Juice Hot ‘n Spicy
7.75 ounces of El Pato Mexican Salsa
2 16-ounce cans of Bush’s Chili Beans – Medium Sauce
2 16-ounce cans of Bush’s Dark Red Kidney Beans
4.5 ounces of green chilies, chopped
3 tablespoons of salted butter
2 onions
2 green peppers
2 jalapenos
6 cloves garlic
1/2 cup and 1 tablespoon of Olde Westport Chili Powder
1 tablespoon of ancho chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1 package of Sazon Goya seasoning

PREPARATION
Grease entire chili pot with bacon grease and turn heat on.

Put diced tomatoes, sauce, soup, chili base, salsa, V8 juice, beans, chilies, and chili powder in the chili pot.

In a separate pan, cook ground beef with chicken broth until brown. Add the sausage and cook for five more minutes. Then place into the chili pot with the tomato mixture

Start the timer, counting upward.

Next, cut the onions, green peppers and jalapenos into fine pieces and cook in sauce pan with butter. Then place into the chili mixture.

Take the peeled apples and cut into fine pieces. Mince the garlic and then add both the apples and garlic into the chili mixture.

Next, take all spices except the Sazon Goya seasoning package and 1 tablespoon of chili powder and mix into chili mixture. Cook on low boil until timer says 90 minutes.

Finally, add the Sazon Goya seasoning, the remaining chili powder and maple syrup into the pot. Cook for another 30 minutes and stir frequently. Serve.

Watch Old Bill make Green Chilli Stew

If you’re in the Kansas City area, tune in to KCTV-5 TOMORROW, Saturday February 27 at 9:50 a.m. to catch Old Bill teaching one of the anchors how to make his famous Green Chili Stew. If you’re not in the area, we’ll post the news video on our web site and here on the blog after it airs. The recipe is below – ENJOY!

Green Chili Stew
Serves 6

2 tablespoons all-purpose white flour
2 pounds boneless pork chops (or boneless skinless chicken breast), cut into 1 inch cubes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 (2.75 ounce package) Olde Westport Chili Verde Mix® (½ cup from 22 ounce package)
2 (14½ ounce) cans chicken broth
10¾ ounce can cream of chicken soup (98% fat-free or regular)
11 ounce can corn, drained
2 medium sized carrots, cut into ¼ inch slices
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced (2 cups)
4 (4 ounce) cans diced green chiles

In a large bowl, add all-purpose white flour and pork (chicken), toss to coat. Heat oil in a 4 quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add pork (chicken) in small batches, brown on all sides. Add onion, cook until tender. Sprinkle Olde Westport Chili Verde Mix® evenly over top of meat, stir. Add chicken broth, soup, corn, carrots, potatoes and green chiles, stir. Bring mixture to a gentle boil, stirring often until thickened. Lower heat, simmer 30 minutes or until potatoes are firm-tender, not mushy.

Mexican Chicken Soup

Check out the recipe below using Olde Westport’s Tumbleweed Taco Spice Blend.

For the month of November, we are offering a special  “Five Spice Southwestern Sampler Pack” as well as a free cookbook. Sign up to be an e-mail newsletter recipient by clicking here to receive this offer.

Mexican Chicken Soup is the perfect complement to a brisk fall day. Fire up the stove, invite the friends and let Olde Westport Spice show you how to get the Mexican Chicken Soup cooking tonight. It’s so easy!

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into large bite-size pieces
1 large onion, chopped (2 cups)
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 14 1/2 ounce cans fat-free chicken broth
3 tablespoons Olde Westport Tumbleweed Taco Spice Blend
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
11 ounce can Mexicorn, drained
14 1/2 ounce can peeled and diced tomatoes
1 zucchini squash, halved lengthwise and sliced (2 cups)

Heat oil in a 4 quart dutch oven or heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs and cook until lightly browned on all sides. Add onion, jalapeno peppers and garlic, cook until tender. Stir in chicken broth, Olde Westport Tumbleweed Taco Spice Blend, vinegar, cinnamon, oregano, corn and tomatoes, stir. Bring mixture to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally. Lower heat, cover, simmer for 15 minutes. Add squash, simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

Italian Sausage and Cabbage Soup

We can’t wait to try the recipe we received from Marsha Ferris in Michigan. It looks like it’s a perfect blend of flavors. Thanks for being a customer of Olde Westport Spice

Italian Sausage and Cabbage Soup
2 lbs. Italian Sausage           
2 cups Dry Red Wine            
1 clove Garlic..(minced)         
3 tablespoons Olde Westport Salsa Spice Blend 
1/2 cup chopped onion            
2 tablespoons bacon fat (fry enough bacon to get 2 T)
-chop bacon in small pieces
Salt & pepper to taste
1 16 oz can stewed tomatoes
1 cup water
1 medium head cabbage (coarsely chopped)

Prick sausage & cut in 3″ pieces. Place meat in large bowl add wine and garlic, spice blend and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.
Drain sausage, reserving marinade in sauce pan. In large kettle cook meat, chopped bacon and onions in bacon fat til meat is browned and onions tender. Add reserved marinade cover and simmer 20 minutes.
Stir in stewed tomatoes, water and cabbage..cover and simmer 20 minutes (or longer til cabbage is done). Stir occasionally.

Italian Sausage & Black Bean Soup

Yes, we think the Italians know romance, so on this Valentine’s Day we’re offering a great “stay-in and cook” Italian sausage soup recipe to make for your sweetie tonight. Also, if you sign up to receive our monthly e-newsletters, you’ll find you can benefit from promotions usually featuring a seasonal product… and for the month of Feburary we thought it was appropriate to feature the romantic foods of Italy. More Italian recipes to come this month.

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 large onion, chopped (2 cups)
• 1 medium carrot, shredded
• 1 large rib celery, finely chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 5 cups water
• 3 tablespoons Antonio’s Italian Spice Blend
• 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• salt to taste

Directions:

In a 6 quart soup pot, add Italian sausage and cook for two minutes, breaking up sausage into small pieces. Add onions, carrot, celery, bay leaves and garlic, cook until tender. Add 5 cups water, Antonio’s Italian Spice Blend, pepper and black beans, stir. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Lower heat, cover pot, simmer for 30 minutes, salt to taste.

Olde Bill’s Comments: Mash a few beans with the back of a spoon to thicken sauce if desired.

White Chicken Chile Verde

It’s chili season and with the Superbowl right around the corner, you can show off a slight variation on an old favorite without rocking the boat too much on this one. Fire up the stove, invite the friends and let Olde Westport Spice show you how to get the Chile Verde cooking tonight. It’s so easy!

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
• 1 (7 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers (or two 4 ounce cans)
• 1 (2.75 ounce package) Olde Westport Chile Verde Mix (½ cup from 22 ounce package)
• 3½ cups water
• 2 (13 ounce) cans chicken breast meat, drained
• 2 (16 ounce) cans white navy beans, drained
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Pepper Jack cheese (optional)

Heat oil in a three quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook the onion until tender. Add chile peppers, Olde Westport Chile Verde Mix, stir until smooth. Stir in the water, chicken and beans. Bring to a gentle boil, lower heat, cover, simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove saucepan from heat. Slowly add in the cheese (optional), stirring until melted. Serves six.

Easy Creamy Green Chile Chicken Soup

I love the flavor of green chiles in the fall. Most of our customers in the Midwest are not familiar with green chiles and think they are too hot. This recipe demonstrates the flavor of green chiles but without the heat.

 

The reason my family loves this recipe is because it cooks in 30 minutes and when served with a salad and garlic toast is a complete meal with no fuss. Try it on a rainy fall night.

 

Lastly, all of the added ingredients come from a can which surprises most people after tasting the classic flavors of the soup. It’s a recipe that tastes homemade, but it quickly gets you in and out of the kitchen with little mess. 

 

Easy Creamy Green Chile Chicken Soup

(Serves 6)

 

• 1 (26 ounce) can cream of chicken soup 
• 1 (11 ounce) can Mexicorn, drained 
• 2 (13 ounce) cans cooked chicken breast meat, drained 
• 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk (1½  cups 2 percent milk)
• 2 (4 ounce) cans diced green chili peppers
• 1 (2.75 ounce) package Olde Westport Chili Verde Mix (½ cup from 22 ounce package) 

 

Add all ingredients into a heavy 4 quart saucepan, stir until smooth.

Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, lower heat, simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.