Benninghofen House Recipes
Soups & Stews • Salads • Breakfasts & Baked Goods • Breads, Doughs & Sauces
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🍲 Soups & Stews
🍳 Breakfasts & Baked Goods
🍞 Breads, Doughs & Sauces
🍲 Soups & Stews
Comforting, crowd‑pleasing, and retreat‑friendly.
Hearty Vegan Potato Corn Chowder

Ingredients
- 8 large Yukon gold potatoes, cubed (~2 lb)
- 3 cups corn (frozen, canned, or fresh)
- 4–6 white carrots, diced
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, minced (or 1¼ tsp garlic powder)
- 8 cups vegetable broth • 2 cups non‑dairy milk
- 1 tsp dried thyme • 2 tsp dried parsley
- 2¼ tsp salt • 2 bay leaves • 2–4 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 6 tbsp flour (optional for thickening)
Directions
- Add everything except milk and flour to a large soup pot; simmer until tender (~15 min). Remove bay.
- Blend ¼–⅓ of the soup for creaminess.
- Optional: whisk flour into part of the milk, add; return to a low boil 5 minutes to thicken. Season.
Corn, Potato & Chicken Soup (Onion & Garlic‑Free)

Ingredients
- 2 lb chicken (breast or thigh), bite‑size • 2 tbsp oil
- 2 lb potatoes, diced • 4 cups corn
- 3 celery stalks • 2 carrots (opt.)
- 8 cups low‑sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup cream/half‑and‑half/oat milk (opt.)
- 1 tsp thyme • 2 bay leaves • Salt & pepper
- Parsley/chives for garnish • Peas/red pepper (opt.)
Directions
- Sauté chicken 5 minutes; remove. Sauté celery + carrots 2–3 minutes.
- Return chicken; add potatoes, corn, broth, thyme, bay; simmer 15–20 minutes.
- Stir in dairy (optional). Blend up to ⅓ for thickness. Season and garnish.
Vegetable Quinoa Stew

Ingredients
- Olive oil • Onion • Carrot • Celery • Seasonal veg
- 6 garlic cloves • ½ tsp thyme • 28 oz diced tomatoes
- Scant 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 4 cups veg broth + 2 cups water • Salt • 2 bay leaves
- Pinch red pepper flakes • Pepper
- 15 oz beans or chickpeas • 1+ cup chopped kale/collards
- 1–2 tsp lemon juice
Directions
- Sweat aromatics, add garlic/thyme, then tomatoes.
- Add quinoa, broth, water, seasonings; simmer 25 minutes.
- Add beans + greens 5 minutes; finish with lemon.
White Chicken Chili

Ingredients
- Oil • Onion • Jalapeños • Green chiles • Garlic
- 2 tsp cumin • 1 tsp oregano • 1 tsp cayenne
- 3 × 15 oz white beans, drained
- 2 × 14.5 oz chicken broth
- 3 cups chopped cooked chicken
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack
Directions
- Sweat onion; add peppers, garlic, spices 3 minutes.
- Add beans, broth, chicken; simmer 15 minutes.
- Off heat, stir in cheese to melt.
Italian Wedding Soup

Meatballs
- Egg • ½ lb beef • ½ lb pork • ½ cup breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup Parmesan • Parsley • Garlic • Oregano
- 1 tsp kosher salt • ½ tsp pepper • Oil for hands
Soup
- Olive oil • Onion • Carrots • Celery • Garlic
- Salt & pepper • 8 cups chicken broth
- ½ cup acini di pepe (or orzo) • 3 cups spinach
- Parmesan for serving
Directions
- Mix and form ~80 small meatballs; brown 3–4 minutes.
- Sauté veg; return meatballs; add broth; simmer.
- Stir in pasta 10 minutes; finish with spinach.
Lasagna

Ingredients
- Red Sauce (below) • 1 lb ground beef • ½ lb Italian sausage
- 28 oz ricotta • 2 eggs • ½ cup Parmesan • Pinch salt
- 1 box lasagna noodles • Mozzarella (top)
Directions
- Boil noodles to al dente; oil lightly and cool.
- Brown meats; mix into red sauce. Stir ricotta, eggs, Parmesan, salt.
- Layer: sauce → 4 noodles → ricotta → meat sauce; repeat. Top with sauce + mozzarella.
- Bake 400°F 40 min covered (greased foil), then 10–20 min uncovered to brown. Rest and slice.
🥗 Salads
Bright, fresh sides and mains.
Greek Salad

Ingredients
- 2 English cucumbers + salt • 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- ½ cup Kalamata • ½ cup green olives
- 2 tsp dried oregano/Italian seasoning
- Salt, pepper, cayenne • ¼ cup red wine vinegar • ⅓ cup olive oil
- 4 oz feta, diced (divided)
Directions
- Salt cucumbers 10–15 minutes; rinse and drain well.
- Toss with tomatoes, olives, seasoning, vinegar & oil.
- Fold in most feta; chill; top with remaining feta.
Sunshine Salad

Ingredients & Dressing
- Zest 1 lime + juice 2 limes • 1 tsp salt
- ¼ cup tahini • ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 can chickpeas • 2 cucumbers • 5 celery stalks • ½ cup cilantro
Directions
- Whisk dressing; toss with chickpeas, cucumber, celery, cilantro.
Kale Salad

Ingredients
- 7 cups destemmed kale • 1 roasted sweet potato
- ⅓ cup goat cheese • ½ cup cranberries • ½ cup pecans
- 1 honeycrisp apple • Oil spray • Salt & pepper
- Dressing: 2 tbsp Dijon • ¼ cup olive oil • 2 tbsp ACV • 1½ tbsp maple • ¼ tsp salt • 1 tbsp water
Directions
- Roast sweet potato 400°F ~30 min; flip once.
- Whisk dressing; massage into kale.
- Add nuts, cranberries, apple, goat cheese, sweet potato; toss.
Avocado Corn Salad

Ingredients
- 4 ears cooked corn (or 2 cans), 3 avocados, 1 lb tomatoes
- 1 small red onion • ⅓ cup cilantro • 1 jalapeño (opt.)
- 2 limes (juice + zest) • 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup oil • 1 tsp salt • ½ tsp pepper • ½ tsp red pepper flakes
Directions
- Combine veg; whisk dressing; toss and chill 1–4 hours.
Shortcut: toss with ½–¾ cup Italian dressing.
🍳 Breakfasts & Baked Goods
Make‑ahead breakfast hits and sweet treats.
Baked Scrambled Eggs

Ingredients
- ½ cup butter, melted • 24 eggs • 2¼ tsp salt • 2½ cups milk
Directions
- Butter 9×13 dish; whisk eggs, salt, milk; bake 350°F 10–15 min; stir; bake 10–15 min more.
Cheesy Basil Breakfast Potatoes

Ingredients
- 2 lb frozen shredded hash browns • 8 oz sour cream • 1 can cream soup
- 2 cups shredded cheddar • 1 tbsp minced onion
- 1 tbsp dried basil • 1 tsp salt • ½ tsp pepper
Directions
- Mix; spoon into greased 9×13; refrigerate overnight; bake 350°F 45 min uncovered.
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Squares

Ingredients
- 2 cans crescent dough • 2 × 8 oz cream cheese
- 1¼ cups sugar (divided) • 1 tsp vanilla • ½ cup butter
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Directions
- Layer dough + filling; top with dough; butter; sugar + cinnamon; bake 350°F 25–30 min; cool & cut.
Broccoli Cheddar Egg Bites

Ingredients
- 7 eggs • ¼ cup milk • ¼ tsp salt • Pepper
- 1 cup chopped broccoli • ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar
Directions
- Steam broccoli 1–2 min; whisk eggs; portion with cheese in silicone cups; bake 350°F 22–25 min.
Chia Seed Pudding

Ingredients
- 2 tbsp chia • ½ cup milk • ½ tsp sweetener • ⅛ tsp vanilla (opt.) • Pinch salt
- Toppings: fruit, granola, jam, nuts
Directions
- Mix; chill 2 hours to overnight; serve with toppings.
🍞 Breads, Doughs & Sauces
From pizza nights to crowd‑loving focaccia, plus essential sauces.
Pizza Dough

Poolish (Starter)
- 300 g water • 300 g flour • 5 g honey • 6 g yeast (4 g instant dry)
Rest 1 hour, then refrigerate overnight.
Dough
- Poolish • 700 g flour • 400 g water • 25 g salt • 10 g olive oil
Directions
- Whisk water into poolish; add salt, then flour. Knead 10–15 min; add oil once cohesive.
- Slap‑and‑fold; rest; repeat; refrigerate 16–24 hr. Ball 2 hr before bake.
Crushed Tomato Sauce

Ingredients
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes • Pepper
- Basil & oregano (dried or fresh)
- Garlic powder or fresh • Red wine vinegar/lemon
- Salt to taste
Directions
- Stir together, adjust salt. Refrigerate up to 1 week.
Sautéed Mushroom Sauce

Ingredients
- Olive oil • ½ onion • 16 oz mushrooms • Garlic (opt.)
- Salt & pepper • 1 tbsp fresh thyme • ¼ cup cream
Directions
- Sauté onion; add garlic; add mushrooms to brown; season.
- Stir in cream + thyme; simmer 2 minutes to thicken.
White Bread with Poolish

Poolish
- 500 g flour • 500 g water @ 80°F • scant ½ tsp IDY
Final Dough
- 500 g flour • 250 g water @ 105°F • 21 g salt • ¾ tsp IDY • 1000 g poolish
Directions
- Mix poolish (12–14 hr), then final dough; fold 2–3× in first hour; bulk to ~2.5×.
- Divide into 2, shape, proof ~1 hr; bake in preheated Dutch ovens 475°F (30 min covered + 20–30 uncovered).
Focaccia Bread (750 g)

Ingredients
- Warm water + sugar + yeast
- 750 g flour • 3 tsp sea salt • 9 tbsp olive oil
- Flaky salt & rosemary (opt.)
Directions
- Bloom yeast; mix dough to elastic; bulk double 1–1½ hr.
- Pan + oil; press to edges; proof 45 min; dimple + oil; bake 425°F 20–30 min.