Better than Bread Co.’s* Cream Cheese Potato Soup (*Panera, if you must)

If you were paying attention while reading yesterday's post, then you doubled the amount of jalapeno cream cheese. The reason that I asked you to do that was because of this recipe right here, based upon a copycat for Panera's Cream Cheese Potato Soup. I like their potato soup, but I was looking for more zip and zing. So, when I made that grilled cheese sandwich, I just knew that I was going to use jalapeno cream cheese in making the potato soup. What a huge difference this made in taste! This really kicks potato soup up a big notch, and will make any that you serve memorable. Anybody can make potato soup, but only someone special can make it with a tasty kick like this.

Better than Bread Co.’s* Cream Cheese Potato Soup

 (*Panera, if you must)

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, cut into chunks

1 fresh jalapeno, minced and seeded

1 teaspoon garlic powder

4 cups homemade chicken stock

4 cups peeled and cubed potatoes

¹⁄₄ cup minced onion

¹⁄₂ teaspoon seasoning salt

¹⁄₄ teaspoon white pepper

¹⁄₄ teaspoon ground red pepper

In a large bowl, stir together cream cheese, jalapeño, and garlic powder; set aside.

Combine broth, potatoes, onion, and spices in a medium stockpot. Set over medium heat and bring to a boil. Cook until potatoes are tender, 10-12 minutes depending upon the size of your dice of the potatoes.

Smash a few of the potatoes to release their starch for thickening. Reduce to low heat. Stir in cream cheese/jalapeno mixture, and continue stirring until cheese melts.

Serve, garnished as you see fit. I used chopped scallions, grated smoked cheddar, and homemade croutons.

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This post is linked to: Homemaking Party Tuesday, Wow Us Wednesday, Wine’d Down Wednesday, Wake up Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday,  Thursday Favorite Things, Share Your Style, Coffee and Conversation, and Foodie Friday & Everything Else

St. Louis Bread Company’s Broccoli Cheese Soup

When those of us from the St. Louis area hear the word “Panera” we know that this is really the St. Louis Bread Company. After all, Panera began here in 1987 under that name, and because, surely, there would be outrage otherwise, it remains as St. Louis Bread Co. (Bread Co. to the locals) in each of its 100 plus locations in this area. My boys grew up eating their fresh bread and delicious soups, and many a bowl of their chicken noodle has nursed me through a cold.

Up until now, I never bothered with any of the copycat recipes of their food because I visit the stores often enough to pick up my own, but last night with the fridge bursting with broccoli, I gave this recipe a try. Wow. The creator of this version has the soup down pat. This was delicious, and even the broccoli-hating Mr. O-P gobbled it up. I used a sharp, white Vermont cheddar and the result was heavenly.

St. Louis Bread Company’s Broccoli Cheese Soup

As seen on Food.com

1 tablespoon melted butter

1⁄2 medium chopped onion

1⁄4 cup melted butter

1⁄4 cup flour

2 cups half-and-half

2 cups homemade chicken stock

1⁄2 lb. fresh broccoli (chopped into bite size pieces)

1 cup carrot, julienned

1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg

8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Salt and pepper

Saute onion in butter. Set aside.

Cook melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly and add the half & half.

Add the chicken stock. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat 20-25 minutes.

Add salt and pepper. Can be pureed in a blender but I don't. Return to heat and add cheese. Stir in nutmeg.

Serve with crusty bread.

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This post is linked to:

Simple Saturdays

Saturday Sparks

Bouquet of Talent Saturday

Panera Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

I got this recipe from my daughter-in-law.  It very closely replicates the delicious cookies sold at the St. Louis Bread Company (Panera to those of you not in the St. Louis metro area), and there is not a thing at BreadCo (as we locals fondly refer to it) that I do not like.  Truth be told, I would like the recipe for every single thing that they serve.  This is a good start.

If you like a cookie that is thick, chewy, studded with mini chocolate chips so that the chocolate flavor runs throughout, and doesn’t leave you hungry after eating one, then this is the recipe for you.  Each cookie is pretty much a meal in itself, and that is the way a good cookie should be.

Copycat Panera Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 cup shortening

1-1/2 cups dark brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 extra-large eggs

4 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 bag mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

In the work bowl of a stand mixture combine butter, shortening, and sugars.  Mix at high speed until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, followed by vanilla, and beat until well combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. With mixer on the lowest speed, gradually add dry mixture, scraping down sides as needed.  Continue to mix until all dry ingredients are well incorporated.

Pour in the bag of mini chips and beat for 30-45 seconds at medium speed until they have been fully distributed.

Using a large cookie scoop or ¼ cup measure, scoop out dough and form into a ball. Place balls on a cookie sheet.  Continue until all dough has been used.

Place cookie sheet of dough balls in the freezer for 2 hours (or up to 3 months).

To bake:  Preheat oven to 350°F.  Place frozen cookies onto parchment or Silpat®-lined baking sheets and bake for15 minutes.  Remove from oven, flatten slightly with fingertips, return to oven, and bake 5 minutes more.

Allow to cool 2 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 24 large cookies

This post is linked to:

Totally Tasty Tuesdays

Try a New Recipe Tuesday

Tasty Tuesdays

Wow Us Wednesday
What’s In The Kitchen 
Work It Wednesday

Hearty Steak Soup in a Bread Bowl

I am convinced that any type of food served in an edible container will always be a winner.  Case in point, anything at all in a chocolate cup, brandied mashed sweet potatoes in orange cups, and any type of soup in a bread bowl.  Am I right?  There is just something about knowing that you can eat both the food and the container that makes it so much fun.  The main dish at the luncheon I served a couple of days ago was a hearty steak soup -- most welcome since the weather took a rather surprising cold turn.  The soup on its own is delicious, but served in a bread bowl where you can scoop up both soup and bread to savor at once is comfort food heaven.

The bowls I picked up at St. Louis Bread Company (Panera to anyone who lives outside of the St. Louis metro area), the soup is my own recipe.  As is the case with any soup, it's really all about using what you have, experimenting with various tastes, and coming up with something that is pleasing to your palate.  So consider this recipe as more of a guideline than God's word.




Hearty Steak Soup

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
2 pounds ground chuck
1 large onion, diced
60 oz. beef stock*
1 cup diced carrots
4 ounces button mushrooms, quartered
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 cup diced potatoes
1 cup fresh green beans, cut in half
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 cups frozen corn
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 teaspoon crushed dried thyme
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Melt butter in large stock pot.  Add flour stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes.  Slowly add stock and continue stirring until the roux is fully incorporated.  Add vegetables.  Cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender.  Meanwhile, in large skillet or saute pan, brown ground chuck and onion.  Drain.  Add to vegetable mixture and simmer until you achieve desired thickness.  If need be, mix up a tablespoon of cornstarch and tablespoon of cold water and stir in.  Season to taste with freshly ground pepper, steak sauce, or your favorite steak seasoning mixture.

 If using a bread bowl to serve this soup, you might want it a bit thinner as a lot of the juice is absorbed by the bowl. 

*canned, homemade, or made from Better than Bouillon Soup Base

This post is linked to:
 On The Menu Monday-StoneGable

Truly English Savoy Scones

Breakfast served this morning on a plate from The Art of William Hogarth Collection by Williams-Sonoma.

Yesterday, late afternoon, we went to St. Louis Bread Co. (known in different parts of the country as Panera) because I wanted an orange scone and was going to get Jim an "Everything" bagel. I wanted the scone because I still had half a jar of very expensive English clotted cream in the fridge and, having lost an entire jar at one point (got stuck behind the garlic pickles and eggplant chutney), I never wanted that to happen again. When I got there, there was one woman ahead of me and the service counter guy was yakking to her endlessly, making quite a point of ignoring me, as I stood there glaring at him.  When I want an orange scone, I want an ORANGE SCONE, but I digress.



There was only ONE scone (Not an orange one, alas, but wild blueberry that I don't like as well, but will take in a pinch -- orange goes so much better with the clotted cream and strawberry jam, you see. The whole wild blueberry scone/strawberry jam thing just seems wrong, but, yet again, I digress...) and ONE everything bagel left. As I stood there waiting, glancing frantically from the scone to the yakker to the scone and back, a couple came in and they, too, stood there glaring at the pastries, lips trembling, waiting to place an order.


Finally the yakker ambled over to me as the fleet-of-foot barrista, seeing the other couple unattended, ran up to them. As you've probably guessed, the other couple got both my scone and the bagel. I was FURIOUS! I told the yakker that I was there first and it was MY food that they'd just gone off with. He just sort of stared at me then shrugged and wandered off.  Can you say livid?  We're talking scones here, people!  MY scone, in someone else's house!  And probably improperly consumed, i.e. NOT with clotted cream and strawberry jam but perhaps (gasp) with butter or, worse yet, grape jelly! (I  can't stand it!)


Anyway, long story short (or is it too  late?), when I got up this morning there were Savoy Scones (that, BTW, put Bread Co. to SHAME) on the counter under my favorite French linen tea towel. Jim had baked them for me after I went to sleep last night. How's that for an "Awwwwww..." moment?

Here is Anton Edelmann's, maitre chef des cuisines at The Savoy, recipe and our favorite.

SAVOY SCONES

Makes about 8

1-3/4 c flour

4 t baking powder

1/4 t salt

5 T unsalted butter cut in small pieces, cold

5 T sugar

1/2 c currants (optional)

2/3 cup milk

1 large egg yolk for glaze

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Work butter and sugar in by hand until it's crumbly.

Make a well in the center and add milk and currants and mix together quickly but don't over mix. Dough will be a bit sticky and rough looking.

On floured surface, roll dough out 3/4" thick and cut into 2-1/2" rounds. You can also just cut into 2-1/2" squares if you don't have a cookie cutter or make two rounds of dough and cut each into four wedges.

Brush tops with egg yolk.

Put on parchment or silpat-lined baking sheet and let rest for 15 minutes. Bake 15 min. until golden. Remove to rack to cool slightly.

(To be authentic you must serve them with clotted cream and strawberry jam.)