Recipes with croutons

Creamy corn-potato soup pureed thick with skim milk, dry milk powder, mustard, garlic, and a touch of honey. Low-fat vegetarian chowder that tastes richer than its calorie count suggests.

Basic red gazpacho is the classic Andalusian chilled tomato soup: ripe tomatoes, red bell pepper, cucumber, garlic, and stale bread blended with sherry vinegar and olive oil. No cooking required.

Cold avocado gazpacho soup with cucumber, cilantro, lime, and a splash of hot sauce. Mexican-style chilled summer soup, no cooking required.

Caesar salad is delicious and can successfully be combined with such accompaniments as grilled chicken, steak, and shrimp. Here's the recipe I use.

A light and tasty salad takes no time to prepare. All the flavors are just nicely balanced.

Gazpacho done right: ripe tomatoes, cucumber, and peppers blended smooth, then topped with the same vegetables finely diced for crunch. A no-cook chilled soup with lime, Tabasco heat, and an optional vodka kick.

Herbed tomato soup microwaves a tomato sauce base with sauteed onion, basil, and thyme into a 15-minute single-serve soup. Low fat, low calorie, served with Parmesan croutons.

Not only delicious, but it also helps you keep a good diet.

Mom's Jersey fresh tomato soup with ripe tomatoes, crispy bacon, and a hint of lemon zest. A summer classic from the Garden State that turns peak-season tomatoes into a silky bowl.

A delicious, filling and well balanced chicken caesar salad satisfies everyone at the dinner table.

I created this super comfort food soup after discovering celery root (celeriac) thanks to my European husband. I combine typical American green celery stalks and leaves with celeriac, which extra enhances the soup's flavor and makes it even creamier with just milk. No real cream needed. I top mine with croutons and extra celery leaves. Can easily be made vegetarian.

This quick and easy caesar salad is surprisingly refreshing and delicious. There is no reason to buy store-bought dressing, when you can make your own fresh dressing at home within a few minutes, and it tastes just delicious!

Leek potato soup with nutmeg simmers tender leeks and starchy potatoes in chicken broth, then purees to a velvety silk. A whisper of nutmeg lifts the cream-free soup into something elegant. Bistro classic, weeknight effort.

A quick easy and refreshing salad is ready in ten minutes or so. Sweet and juicy cherry tomatoes, lettuce, fresh mozzarella, mushrooms and crunchy croutons are tossed with a light and tasty lemon-olive oil dressing.

Tuna (chicken of the sea) Caesar wraps. A crunchy healthy version of a Caesar salad wrapped up in a flour tortilla.

Hot gazpacho built on tomato juice, beef bouillon, peppers, onion, and a hit of Tabasco, heated fast in the microwave and topped with chopped fresh vegetables and croutons.

Easy and tasty! I make this casserole a few times every year when I have spaghetti squash in my kitchen. It's a well-balanced meal with just enough protein and loads of vegetables.

A clean tasting soup that is packed with protein rich beans.

Creamy German potato soup with leeks, ham bone, and pureed potatoes finished with cream. Rich, comforting soup ready in 45 minutes with croutons.

Broccoli and Swiss cheese soup blends sautéed leeks, garlic, and a splash of half-and-half into a creamy puréed bowl with whole florets reserved on top.

Hubbard squash soup blends roasted squash puree with garlic, vegetable stock, heavy cream, and warm hints of cinnamon and mace. A creamy, vegetarian fall soup ready in an hour.

Creamy Cajun stew loaded with shucked oysters and bay scallops in a spiced half-and-half broth with sherry, Worcestershire, and fresh herbs. Topped with croutons for a rich, warming bowl.

Angel hair pasta in a fresh carrot juice and basil sauce with pine nuts, lemon, and white beans. A creative, nearly fat-free vegetarian pasta with vibrant color.

A quick, low-calorie salad with diced ham, fresh corn, tomato and crunchy croutons tossed in a creamy smoked paprika and sour cream dressing. Ready in 15 minutes, no cooking required.

Velvety Greek cream of green bean soup pureed with carrots and onion, thickened with a buttery roux, and finished with a swirl of butter. Serve with crunchy croutons for a comforting Mediterranean bowl.

Enjoy the wonderful flavors of a Monte Cristo Sandwich in this wonderful, low fat, salad.

Build-your-own summer salad with fresh veggies, marinated artichokes, avocado, sprouts, shrimp, bacon bits, and cheese. A flexible no-cook recipe you can customize with whatever is in season.

Grilled steak strips meet a tangy homemade Caesar dressing with Parmesan, blue cheese, and crunchy croutons. This steak Caesar salad is a quick 40-minute main dish that turns a classic side into a full meal.

Kakavia is the Greek fisherman's soup: tomato, fennel, and herb broth simmered with mixed fish, lobster, shrimp, and scallops, ladled over thick toast. Rustic Mediterranean seafood stew at its most generous.

Onion soup Provencal with 8 pounds of slowly caramelized onions, fresh tomatoes, red wine, herbs, and barley miso for umami depth. Topped with croutons and Emmentaler cheese.

Make your own kind of caesar salad with this simple recipe that's easy to follow and understand.

Bruce's favorite French onion soup simmers Spanish onions in a beef and chicken bouillon broth with garlic, brandy, and Worcestershire, then bakes under a blanket of croutons and melted cheese. A bistro classic.

Grilled chicken romaine vinaigrette, a Caesar-style main course salad with herb-marinated grilled chicken, romaine, Parmesan, water chestnuts, and croutons.

Bacon Caesar salad with a creamy homemade dressing emulsified from scratch with garlic, anchovy, lemon and mustard, then tossed with crisp romaine, crumbled bacon, croutons and parmesan. Restaurant-style at home.

Prepare a salad like the top chefs do with this recipe that will have you wanting seconds!

Classic Caesar salad for two with raw egg yolk dressing, anchovies, capers, bacon bits, and Parmesan. Made from scratch tableside in under 15 minutes.

Baked eggs and ham with seasoned croutons and melted cheddar in a single dish. A quick, hands-off breakfast for two that's ready in under 25 minutes.

Ham and cheddar casserole over French-cut green beans with a homemade white sauce, hard-cooked eggs, and crushed herb crouton topping. A weeknight one-dish dinner in 40 minutes.

Warm Caesar potato salad with red-skinned potatoes tossed in Caesar dressing and Parmesan, served over romaine with bacon and croutons. Ready in 30 minutes.

Classic leek and potato soup that pulls double duty: hot with croutons or chilled with milk, chives, and Tabasco for homemade vichyssoise. French bistro basics, two ways.

Quick, easy and delicious caesar salad is always popular. It goes well with almost all the main course.

Spinach and cashew salad with watercress, green onions, and croutons tossed in your favorite dressing. A peppery, crunchy vegetarian salad ready in 5 minutes.

Rainbow-bright chilled gazpacho with red, yellow, and green peppers finely diced in tangy buttermilk and sour cream. Fresh lime juice, cucumbers, and tomatoes.

Buttery onion soup made with sweet sauteed onions, chicken broth, and melted mozzarella for a creamy, cheesy alternative to classic French onion. A weeknight comfort soup ready in under an hour.

Mushroom and spinach casserole sautees fresh mushrooms in butter, then bakes with creamed spinach, cream of chicken soup, and a buttery crouton crust. Crowd-pleasing party side or potluck bake.

Gravy soup is an old-fashioned roux-based broth with chicken fat, flour, and stock, topped with croutons and grated Gruyere. A frugal European-style starter that turns pantry staples into comfort.

Parmesan garlic soup simmers a whole half-head of garlic into a mellow, sweet broth, then thickens it silky with a tempered egg, parmesan, and olive oil liaison. Ladled over a crouton, it's rustic comfort in a bowl.

Creamy cauliflower leek soup gets its silky body from pureed cauliflower, not heavy cream, with slowly cooked sweet leeks, a touch of Dijon, and lemon thyme. A velvety, light soup finished with chives and crisp garlic croutons.