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½ teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

1½ quarts (6 cups) low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup water

¾ cup frozen peas

2 carrots, cut into thin rounds

½ cup orzo pasta

2 celery stalks, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Juice of ½ lemon

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Place the mushrooms in a small bowl and fill with enough hot water to cover. Set aside.

Place the flour in a shallow bowl. Cut each chicken thigh in two. Dredge each piece of chicken through the flour to lightly coat on all sides. Set aside.

In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, combine the butter and olive oil. When the oil and butter begin to sizzle, add the chicken and cook, turning as needed, until lightly browned on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes.

Remove the meat from the pot and set aside. Reduce heat to medium and add the onion, garlic, thyme, basil, and rosemary. Sauté until the onions begin to brown, about 6 minutes.

Increase the heat to high and add the broth and water. Bring to a simmer.

Meanwhile, cut the meat into bite-size pieces. Drain the mushrooms, discarding the water, and squeeze any liquid from them.

When the broth is simmering, lower the heat to medium-high and add the chicken, mushrooms, peas, and carrots. Return the soup to a simmer and cook until the carrots are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the orzo and celery and cook until the pasta is just tender, about another 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley and lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper.

HOW LONG? 50 MINUTES

HOW MUCH? 6 TO 8 SERVINGS

Lemon Grass and White Bean Turkey Chili

Lemon grass, which has a pleasant sour-lemon flavor and aroma, is sold in the produce section. It resembles a long, yellow scallion and has a woody texture. Treat it like a bay leaf—add it to a soup, chili, or casserole, let it simmer to infuse the dish, then fish it out and discard it. Before adding lemon grass to a dish, cut it into 2- to 3-inch-long chunks and gently bruise them with a rolling pin to break up the fibers.

15-inch stalk lemon grass, cut into 4 segments and gently crushed

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon diced jarred jalapeño pepper slices

1 large yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

14-ounce can coconut milk

1 cup chicken broth

1¼ pounds ground turkey (chicken or lean beef could be substituted)

15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained

4 cups lightly packed baby spinach

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

In a large saucepan or medium Dutch oven over medium-high heat, combine the lemon grass, olive oil, jalapeños, onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, and smoked paprika. Sauté for 3 minutes.

Add the coconut milk, broth, turkey, and beans. Bring to a simmer, then cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 20 minutes. Discard the lemon grass. Add the spinach and stir for 1 minute, or until it wilts. Season with salt and pepper.

HOW LONG? 35 MINUTES (15 MINUTES ACTIVE)

HOW MUCH? 4 SERVINGS

Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato and Thyme Soup

This recipe is based on one I slurped almost daily when I lived in Germany as a child. It was so rich and creamy and utterly tomatoey, I insisted on having it as my afternoon snack anytime I wasn’t having my first choice, a giant mug of chocolate milk accompanied by liverwurst spread thick on crusty bread. Yeah, it’s a little messed up.

The baking soda in this soup keeps the dairy from curdling. Fresh oregano, basil, and marjoram are great herb additions.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large yellow onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

6 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 cup half-and-half (fat-free also works)

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

In a large saucepan over medium-high, heat the oil. Add the onion and sauté until just tender, about 4 minutes.