soup | Scrappy Little Cook

Makes 10 cups

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup chopped onion
4 Tbs. flour
4 cups chicken broth
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies
4 cups diced baked potatoes
2 (14.5 oz.) cans cream style corn
1 Tbs. dried parsley
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
3 Tbs. cooked bacon bits
1 1/2 cups half&half (or heavy cream to make it extra creamy)

Saute onion in butter until tender.
Stir in flour and chilies, cook about 1 minute.
Using an immersion blender, blend this mixture smooth.
Add chicken broth and whisk smooth.
Stir in green chilies, baked potatoes, cream style corn, parsley, cheddar cheese, salt, pepper, and bacon bits.
Heat to boiling, stirring constantly or it will stick.
Reduce heat and simmer 5-10 min.
Add half&half. Heat about 10 min.

How we got soupy

Customers began to demand more. We were changing our entrees daily, but still keeping the favorites because we knew we’d be drawn and quartered if we didn’t.
We had awesome loyal customers that shopped with us weekly, sometimes daily. They began asking so nicely if we might add some breads and salads to our refrigerators so the meal would be complete for them when they got off work. They truly appreciated not having to cook something from scratch after a long day at work, but still having a homemade meal, and for just a little more than the ingredients alone would’ve cost them.
We also had some demanding customers that only came in occasionally to tell us what we were doing wrong and to remind us that our prices were too high. Apparently, we were supposed to be selling a freshly-made meal for 4 at a price lower than just the pan we served it in cost. No … not possible. Yes … we actually had this said to us.
One such “demanding” customer, a brand new one, came in with a sour expression. After reading our prominent, brightly lit signage stating that we were a “ready-made meal company,” a “take and bake” establishment, a “prepackaged product” kinda place, she approached the counter, and lucky me was the one standing there. She asked if she could order lunch. I explained that we made meals and packaged them for customers to take with them. I showed her the salads in the case as a lunch option. She squinted her eyes and looked confused as she surveyed the open kitchen behind me.
“So I can’t just order some food to eat here?”
We had one beautiful little table with 4 chairs around it that my parents had bought me to put in the storefront. It was well covered with our products. It was obviously not a place to sit and eat. Or so I thought.
I responded, with forced smile, “No. We aren’t equipped to serve here. We don’t have the seating or the ability to cook for individuals as they come in.”
She cocked her head, “You have an oven right there and a stovetop. You can’t cook me something from the fridge?”
Now, it had been a long week/couple of months worth of demanding people asking seemingly impossible things. Can you make me a special meatloaf with no meat? Could you leave the onions out of the soup but make it taste like the onions are in there? (I actually liked this suggestion, as I hate biting into onions.) Could you package this chicken and rice in single-serve freeze-wrapped bags for me?
I blinked and took a deep breath, “We do have an oven and stovetop but they are full right now with baked goods and things simmering for the dinner meal packages. We stay pretty busy just trying to keep the refrigerators full for meals that can be taken home and baked fresh there. Someday, maybe we’ll add a fresh lunch.”
She looked over at the fridge and began to move toward it.
JoAnne, who was busy making a batch of chicken and dumplings, came forward and offered, “I just got a batch of chicken and dumplings ready for the case, if you’d like a bowl of that, I can package that for you.”
The customer brightened, “Yes, please.”
JoAnne grabbed a styrofoam bowl from the back shelf where we kept the things we used for ourselves, and Rebecca wrapped up a piece of cornbread fresh from the oven. She then cleared the lady a place to sit at the table and offered her some sweet tea.
I was aggravated that she’d gotten her way. But I soon realized Rebecca and JoAnne had a good read on her.
That lady left happy and became one of our best customers, telling others about us and generating quite a bit of business.
After she left, I thanked them for taking over and handling her.
Rebecca said, “She was a little difficult. But she’s not totally wrong. We could keep some bread and lunchmeat here for people who want that.”
JoAnne added, “And we could offer a soup of the day. We’d just have to get styrofoam packaging for it.”
Good ideas sometimes come to us, and sometimes good ideas are forced upon us.

This soup was developed as a way to offer a hearty twist on a potato soup and to incorporate the aforementioned request to leave pesky, chunky onions out, but make it taste like it has onions in it. Not impossible ….

For a crowd:

Makes 2.5 gallons

2 cups butter (8 sticks)
3 cups chopped onion
1 cup flour
16 cups chicken broth (1 gallon)
4 (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies
16 cups diced baked potatoes
8 (14.5 oz.) cans cream style corn
4 Tbs. dried parsley
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 tsp. salt
4 tsp. black pepper
3/4-1 cup cooked bacon bits
6 cups half&half (or heavy cream to make it extra creamy)

Chicken and Dumplins

2 cans (10.5 oz.) cream of chicken soup
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups chicken
5 oz. evaporated milk
1/4 Tbs. Cornstarch
1 (24 oz.) pkg. frozen dumplings (or see recipe below)

Directions
In large stock pot, mix cream of chicken soup and chicken broth with whisk.
Taste for salt and pepper and add accordingly.
Bring to rolling boil.
In small bowl, whisk together evaporated milk and cornstarch until smooth.
Slowly pour into pot and stir well.
(If using frozen dumplings, add now. Break in half and add a few at a time so they don’t stick together.)
Add chicken. Reduce heat to low and cover.
Simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
(If using fresh dumplings, add now.)
Cover and let simmer.

Dumplins:
1 cup AP flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup ice water

Directions:
In small bowl, mix flour with salt.
Drizzle half of water into bowl and mix with fork. (You can use your hands if you prefer)
Add water as needed until dough begins to form pea-size chunks and form ball.
Let sit 5 minutes.
Roll dough on floured surface (will be firm) until 1/4- 1/8” thick.
Cut into pieces and drop into simmering broth. Stir occasionally to keep dumplins from sticking.

Story behind the dumplins

Two days before opening day: Rebecca, Joanne and I had been working the few groceries I had purchased into a few offerings for the front cases. We’d been at is since 7 a.m. and it was approaching 3 p.m. In the home stretch leading up to our first day of business, I was super tired and super excited.

The phone rang and I answered all professional-like with our business name.
We had our first customer. Someone needed a lunch taken to a medical office-45 people! The former caterer often catered lunches and told us not to turn down a lunch catering job or we might not be called the next time. We had not changed the number of the business, so here we were getting our first catering gig! Yay!
I asked when he needs the meal. He said tomorrow.
Problem 1: We were just setting up the kitchen and getting it stocked with food. (You know, for the mad rush of people who would be demanding our food though we are unknown and just starting out. Do you see how clueless I am?)
Problem 2: Our state health department inspector had not cleared us to cook in the kitchen. The former caterer had kept a great reputation with the local health inspectors, but as a new company, we need to be assessed prior to opening. She was set to come the next morning, right when we should be cooking for this potential lunch.
I put my hand on the receiver and said in a perfectly panicked voice to Rebecca and Joanne, “Hey, we have a catering job!!!! (excited voice) He wants a luncheon tomorrow for 45!!!! (excited voice).”
They both stopped what they were doing and looked at me like I’d lost my mind. (They were just figuring that out?)
“We can do it, right?” (worried voice)
We went back and forth for a couple seconds about not being inspected yet and having to run get groceries and so forth. I got back on the line and the customer said, “I’ll call back another time if you can’t do this for me. I understand you aren’t really …. Open.” He’d heard the conversation! Turns out a hand on the receiver doesn’t mask all noise like it does in the movies. Good to know.
“No, no. We can do this for you,” I said.
He sounded a little worried. “Really, I’ll call with another lunch.”
See, you don’t want to get in the habit of turning business away.
I summoned some bravado and said, “Just tell me what you want and which office you need it taken to and I’ll have it there.” (Totally false confidence in my voice, but it worked.)
He said, “Okay, this office likes comfort food so I need chicken and dumplins, beans and cornbread, and a carrot cake for 45 delivered by 11:15 tomorrow morning.”
I read the order back to him and as my eyes bugged out, I replied, “No problem. I’ll take care of it.”
I hung up the phone and turned to see 2 mouths open in disbelief.
Rebecca: “ Did you just get us a catering job?”
I read the tone as disbelief and happiness.
Joanne: “Feeding 45 tomorrow morning? …. Not one but 2 main dishes, salad, drinks, paper goods, and a homemade carrot cake?”
I read the tone wrong. The feeling was more disbelief on the verge of “are you stupid?”
Yes, yes, I am.
I was also determined. “Yes. I’ll go to the store and get what we need and make the cake tonight and get here extra early and get it done!”
They both blinked several times and took deep breaths and went back to work.
Sheer will and utter stupidity are sometimes all you need to give a little comfort to others.

For a crowd: (feeding about 15-20 as main dish)
4 (10.5 oz.) cans or 1 (50 oz.) can cream of chicken soup
6 cups chicken broth
8 cups chicken, cubed or shredded
10 oz. (12 oz. can fine to use) evaporated milk
1/2 Tbs. cornstarch
2 (24 oz.) pkg. frozen dumplings (or see recipe below)
Directions
In large stock pot, mix cream of chicken soup and chicken broth with whisk.
Taste for salt and pepper and add accordingly.
Bring to rolling boil.
In small bowl, whisk together evaporated milk and cornstarch until smooth.
Slowly pour into pot and stir well.
(If using frozen dumplings, add now. Break in half and add a few at a time so they don’t stick together.)
Add chicken. Reduce heat to low and cover.
Simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
(If using fresh dumplings, add now.)
Cover and let simmer.
Dumplins:
2 cups AP flour
2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup ice water
Directions:
In bowl, mix flour with salt.
Drizzle half of water into bowl and mix with fork. (You can use your hands if you prefer)
Add water as needed until dough begins to form pea-size chunks and form ball.
Let sit 5 minutes.
Roll dough on floured surface (will be firm) until 1/4- 1/8” thick.
Cut into pieces and drop into simmering broth. Stir occasionally to keep dumplins from sticking.

Scrappy Little Cook

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This is an ongoing diary of my experience becoming a caterer/meal prep worker to the masses. I will include a recipe or two from each entry. Hope you enjoy!