Soup with a Little Spice

 

I made a smaller batch of this soup without the jalapenos and cumin for my boys. Without the jalapenos, this is a great and classic potato soup. With the jalapenos, it becomes something fun and different.

Jalapeno-Potato Soup

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons margarine or butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapeno peppers, with pickling liquid (see notes)
1 pinch baking soda
2 cups evaporated milk
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Favorite toppings (additional jalapeno slices, crumbled bacon, shredded cheese)

Directions:

Melt margarine or butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Saute onion in melted margarine/butter until tender, about 5 minutes.

Stir potatoes with the onion; season with cumin. Pour chicken broth over the potato mixture; bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, place cover on the pot, and cook until the potatoes are tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

Remove pot from heat. Stir jalapeno peppers and baking soda into the broth. Stream evaporated milk into the broth while stirring.

Mash potatoes in the pot with a potato masher until coarsely smashed; stir. Season the soup with salt and pepper. Return pot to medium-high heat and bring soup to a simmer; reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently, until the soup is warmed through, about 15 minutes.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by Tina Waldher. You can find it here.

Notes: We really liked this. The leftovers were great too. We used tamed bottled sliced jalapenos, but if you want it spicier, use untamed jalapeno slices. As mentioned above, if you want just a classic potato soup, skip the cumin and jalapenos. We served ours in bread bowls topped with additional jalapeno slices, crumbled bacon, and shredded Cheddar cheese.

It's a Good Night for Soup!

Half-Hour Chicken Gumbo

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 red bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Coarse sald and ground pepper
1 package (10 ounces) frozen, cut okra
8 ounces smoked (precooked) andouille sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced 1 inch thick
1 rotisserie chicken (about 2 1/2 pounds), skin and bones removed, meat shredded (about 4 cups)
Store-bought or homemade cornbread, for serving (optional)
Rice, for serving (optional)

Directions:

In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat oil over medium. Add flour, and cook, whisking constantly, until pale golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in bell peppers, onion, garlic, and oregano; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

Add 4 cups water; stir in okra and sausage. Bring to a boil. Stir in shredded chicken, and warm through, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. If desired, serve with cornbread and/or poured on top of rice.

Recipe Note: Rotisserie chicken shaves many minutes from the total cooking time, and its slow-roasted goodness bring just as much to the mix as if you'd cooked your own.

Source: Martha Stewart. You can find it here.

Notes: We couldn't find the frozen okra, so we just skipped it. We also opted to serve it over rice (kind of like a soup mix-in). This was really good and it definitely hits the spot during this cold weather!

Mystery Ingredient: Beef Jerky

 

I love recipes with mystery ingredients. We call it a "guess the ingredient" kind of recipe. As you saw from the title, I already gave away the mystery ingredient for this recipe, but serve it for dinner and see if everyone can guess what the mystery ingredient is!

Original Jerky Chili

Ingredients:

2 medium yellow onions, diced and divided
2-4 jalapeno peppers, chopped
1 pound Oberto Original beef jerky, chopped
2 pounds chopped sirloin
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons biscuit mix or flour
Worcestershire sauce, to taste
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons coriander
1 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
3 teaspoons cinnamon sugar
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (28-ounce) can tomato puree
2 (14-ounce) cans red kidney beans
1 (14-ounce) can pinto beans with jalapeno
1 (14-ounce) can black beans
1 (10-ounce) package frozen corn
Shredded smoked gouda
Shredded smoked white cheddar
Chopped cilantro
Lime wedges
Tortilla chips

Directions:

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse 1/2 cup onion and jalapeno peppers 2 to 5 times. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Using the feed tube, gradually add small amounts of jerky and pulse to process. Set aside.

Preheat a slow cooker on low. In a cast-iron Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium heat, heat olive oil. In a medium bowl, combine chopped sirloin with biscuit mix or flour. Add to pot. As meat browns, add remaining onions. When softened, stir in onion-jalapeno mixture. Season to taste with Worcestershire. Reduce heat to simmer. Add spices and stir in tomatoes and puree. Add processed jerky.

Transfer mixture to slow cooker. Add beans and corn. Cook 6 to 8 hours, stirring occasionally. To serve, garnish with cheeses, cilantrol, lime, and tortilla chips, as desired.

Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Source: Oberto. I can't seem to find this online. I think my mom said she got the recipe out of a Costco recipe booklet or something like that. I really loved this chili recipe. I think you will too.

Here's Something To Put in Your Bread Bowl

 

We had a family gathering last year where we had some fantastic potato bacon soup in a bread bowl and ever since then, I have been hunting for good potato soup recipes. I altered this recipe slightly (by adding more potatoes), but this is a great recipe and I think you will like it. My family did.

Potato Bacon Chowder Recipe

Ingredients:

1 pound potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 2 medium) (I used 6 small)
1 cup water (I increased the water to 3 cups since I increased the potatoes)
8 bacon strips
1 medium onion, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 3/4 cups whole milk
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

Directions:

Place potatoes in a small saucepan and cover with the water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until tender.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp; remove to paper towels to drain and set aside.

In the same skillet, saute onion and celery in drippings until tender; drain. Add to undrained potatoes. Stir in the soup, milk, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes or until heated through (do not boil).

Crumble bacon; set aside 1/4 cup. Add remaining bacon to soup along with parsley. Sprinkle with reserved bacon.

Yield: 6 servings.

Source: Taste of Home. You can find it here.

Notes: I also used a whole package of bacon because I knew that my kids would eat the bacon more than anything else. I put half of the bacon in the soup and saved the other half for sprinkling on top. We also sprinkled some Cheddar cheese on top. This was really good.

When I made this, I was a little worried about my kids' reaction to this. They don't always take too kindly to soup for dinner. However, when I made this, my oldest son exclaimed, "What!? This is for dinner? I LOVE this dinner! You haven't made this in, like, three years!" (Not true, by the way, I make this at least once a year). So, it was a hit with my oldest son. My younger son ate the bacon and cheese, but left the soup and the bread bowl. You can't please 'em all!

Easy Soup

In the mood for Chinese food, but not in the mood to go out to eat, get take-out, or spend a ton of time in the kitchen? If that's the case, this recipe might be your best bet.

Restaurant Style Egg Drop Soup

Ingredients:

4 cups chicken broth, divided
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger (or to taste)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, optional
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 whole eggs
1 egg yolk

Directions:

Reserve 3/4 cup of chicken broth, and pour the rest into a large saucepan. Stir the salt, ginger, and chives into the saucepan, and bring to a rolling boil. In a cup or small bowl, stir together the remaining broth and cornstarch until smooth. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolk together using a fork. Drizzle egg a little at a time from the fork into the boiling broth mixture. Egg should cook immediately. Once the eggs have been dropped, stir in the cornstarch mixture gradually until the soup is the desired consistency.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by W.J. Cory. You can find it here.

Notes: I added a little more ginger to suit my tastes and I skipped the chives since I didn't have any on hand. This is such an easy soup. It is so similar to the egg drop soup you can get in a restaurant.

Remember This When Soup Weather Rolls Around

 

This is a great and satisfying soup. It is easy to throw together and oh so flavorful. It is a great recipe to have up your sleeve when the cold weather sets in. I originally shared it on our blog here.

 

Southwestern Chicken Soup

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 (12 ounce jar salsa verde)
3 cups cooked chicken pieces (1 small deli-counter rotisserie chicken or leftovers)
1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained
3 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup sour cream
Tortilla chips, optional

Directions:

Empty the salsa into a large saucepan. Cook 2 minutes over medium-high heat, then add the chicken,beans, broth, and cumin (if desired). Bring to a boil, lower heat to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Top each bowl with a sprinkling of onions, a dollop of sour cream, and some tortilla chips (if desired). Four a soupier dish, use 4 cups of broth.

Nutrition information: 381 calories, 124 mg calcium, 27 g carbohydrate, 91 mg cholesterol, 13 g fat, 5 g fiber, 4 mg iron, 35 mg protein, 6 g saturated fat, 668 mg sodium.

Source: Real Simple, October 2004, found on MyRecipes.com. You can find it here.

Notes: The recipe suggests using a rotisserie chicken or leftovers. This time, I cooked my chicken in a slow cooker and shredded it prior to adding it to the soup. But you could poach it and dice it as well.

One of the Best Soups Ever

 

This is an old favorite. Every time I have it, I think to myself, "This is soooo good! Why don't I have it more often?" We originally posted it here, but it just needed to be posted again.

 

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp. fresh, chopped garlic
2 tbsp. butter or olive oil
2 cans chicken broth
1 small can tomato sauce
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
1 pkg. frozen corn
1 small bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions:

Saute chicken breasts in butter until done. Add onion and garlic and saute a bit longer. Add chicken broth, tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, taco seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Simmer for 1 hour. Add cilantro and corn and cook a bit longer (just until corn is warmed). Serve with toppings of choice.

Suggested toppings:

Shredded cheddar and/or Monterey Jack cheese
Tortilla chips or baked corn tortilla strips (see notes below)
Sour cream
Additional cilantro
Cubed avocado

Source: I got this from my Mom, but I'm not sure where she got it from. I believe it was from a church activity.

Notes: I usually double this because it makes great leftovers. Tortilla chips are nice because they taste great and they are very easy. However, I think with this particular tortilla soup, I like the taste of baked corn tortilla strips. To do this, use kitchen shears to cut corn tortillas into strips. Toss tortilla strips in a plastic zip top bag with enough vegetable oil to lightly coat the tortilla strips. Or, you can spray the tortilla strips with cooking spray for a lighter version. Then, place tortilla strips on a foil lined baking sheet in a single layer. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 10-20 minutes, until lightly browned and crispy.

Also, I like to use kitchen shears to roughly chop the stewed tomatoes (I usually chop them with the shears right in the can before pouring them into the soup). I chop the tomato slices into quarters. Otherwise, you get some really large tomato pieces in your soup. But if you like your soup really chunky, keep the tomatoes whole.

Thanks, Neighbor!

 

One of the fun things about recipes is sharing them with others and having others share them with you. My son had a play date with one of the children from his preschool, and we were invited over for lunch. My neighbor shared this wonderful sweet potato soup with me. I made it shortly afterward myself and it really makes such a nice, comforting lunch. I think you will like it too.

Curried Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients:

1 red onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, mimnced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped (7-8 cups, or about 2 medium-sized sweet potatoes)
1 lb. butternut squash, peeled and chopped (7-8 cups, or one medium-sized butternut squash)
6 cups chicken stock
2 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1-2 tsp. salt, to taste
1 tsp. lemon juice
Plain yogurt or sour cream
Chopped cilantro for garnish

Directions:

In a large pot over medium high heat, saute onion, garlic, and celery in olive oil until soft, about 5 minutes. Add sweet potatoes, squash, broth, curry powder, turmeric, and salt and bring to a boil. Simmer until sweet potatoes and squash are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, cool slightly, and in batches, transfer to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Stir in lemon juice and serve topped with yogurt or sour cream and cilantro.

Source: This came from my wonderful neighbor, Janis Gilbert.

Notes: This is such a good soup. A nice healthy option to have around for lunch. It freezes well too. Oh, and the more cilantro, the better! Don't skip the cilantro! It enhances the flavor so nicely.

Another Winter, Another Chili Night

 

 

Well, we love our chili...and we love to have chili nights. Also, as is tradition for my mom, one kind of chili is never enough! Below are our newest chili additions!

 

Creamy White Chili

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 (15.5 ounce) cans Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
2 (4 ounce) cans chopped green chiles
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir chicken, onion, and garlic into the hot oil until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 10 to 15 minutes.

Mix Great Northern beans, chicken broth, green chiles, salt, cumin, oregano, black pepper, and cayenne papper into chicken mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until flavors have blended, about 30 minutes.

Remove chili from heat; stir in sour cream and whipping cream until incorporated.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by JELZA. You can find it here.

Notes: This was really good. Everything a white chicken chili should be.

Slow Cooker Spicy Pork Chili

Ingredients:

2 pounds boneless pork, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
2 cups frozen corn
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup beef broth
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
Shredded cheddar cheese and other favorite toppings, optional

Directions:

In a large skillet, cook pork in oil over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes or until browned. Transfer pork and drippings to a 5-1t. slow cooker. Stir in the tomatoes, corn, beans, onion, broth, chiles, chili powder, garlic, salt, cayenne, and pepper.

Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until pork is tender. Stir in cilantro. Serve with cheese and other favorite toppings, if desired.

Yield: 6 servings.

Source: Taste of Home. You can find it here.

Notes: Oh, this was so, so good. One of the best--if not the best--of the night.

Sandy's Slow-Cooked Chili

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (16 ounces each) dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans (16 ounces each) light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) stewed tomatoes, cut up, undrained
1 can (15 ounces) Ragu Homemade Style Pizza Sauce
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles
4 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

In a Dutch oven, cook the beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker; stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

Yield: 14 servings.

Source: Taste of Home. You can find it here.

Notes: This was really good too. We didn't feel that it was a chili that was out of the ordinary...just great homey comfort food.

Enjoying a Hot Bowl of Soup

Every soup season brings in new soup discoveries. Here is a soup recipe that will warm you up and hit the spot.

Santa Fe Chicken Enchilada Stew

Ingredients:

4 corn tortillas (6 inch), cut into strips (I used more than 4 tortillas, see notes)
1 tsp. oil (see notes)
1 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese (see notes)
1 cup, plus 2 tbsp. milk, divided
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed
1 can (11 oz) corn with red and green bell peppers, drained
2 cans (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for serving
Splash of lime juice

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Toss tortilla strips with oil; spread into single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until crisp, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, mix cream cheese, 2 tbsp. milk, and taco seasoning until blended. Cook chicken in large saucepan sprayed with cooking spray on medium-high heat 8 to 10 minutes, or until done, stirring frequently. Stir in cream cheese mixture, remaining milk, beans, corn, tomatoes, and cilantro; simmer on medium-low heat 6 to 8 minutes or until heated through, stirring frequently. Add a splash of lime juice, to your taste.

Serve topped with tortilla strips and additional cilantro.

Source: Kraft website. You can find it here.

Notes: I used more corn tortillas (I didn't keep track of how many though) because we like to add a lot of corn tortilla strips to our soup. Besides, this was a lot of soup and that way, we had enough tortilla strips for our leftover soup as well. Also, rather than tossing them with a teaspoon of oil, I simply sprayed them with cooking spray.

I added salt and pepper, to taste, and I added an extra can of diced tomatoes. I increased the cilantro and stirred some of it into the soup. I also added a little lime juice. This was really good soup.

My Husband's Kind of Chili

My husband prefers his chili to have huge chunks of meat in it--not ground meat--cubed. So, if you or someone you love feels the same way, this chili recipe is for you!

Tex-Mex Chili Recipe

Ingredients:

3 pounds beef stew meat
1 tablespoon canola oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cans (16 ounces each) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
2 cups salsa verde
1 envelope chili seasoning
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Shredded cheese, minced fresh cilantro, and other favorite chili toppings

Directions:

In a large skillet, brown beef in oil in batches. Add garlic, cook 1 minute longer. Transfer to a 6-qt. slow cooker.

Stir in the beans, tomato sauce, tomatoes, tomato paste, salsa verde, and seasonings. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until meat is tender. Garnish each serving with cheese, cilantro, and other favorite chili toppings.

Yield: 12 servings (1 1/3 cups each)

Source: This has been modified from a recipe I found on Taste of Home. You can find the original recipe here.

Notes: So, let me explain the changes I made. The original recipe called for 3 (15 oz) cans of tomato sauce and a cup of water. I felt like this made the chili far too soupy and way too tomato saucey for my tastes. The recipe also only called for one can of diced tomatoes. I increased it to two cans of diced tomatoes (to keep the tomato flavor, but also to make it chunkier). It also only called for 3/4 cup of salsa verde and 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin.

In order to get this chili just the way I wanted it, I used only 1 can of tomato sauce, increased the diced tomatoes, omitted the water, and in its place, I increased the salsa verde (still enough liquid, but much more flavor). I also increased the cumin because I really like cumin and felt that 1/2 teaspoon wasn't enough.

You can tailor the heat to your own tastes by choosing mild, medium, or hot chili seasoning. The first time, I made it with hot chili seasoning (without the other changes I incorporated later). The second time, I used medium. Personally, I preferred the medium. I felt like there was just the right amount of heat and I preferred the flavor when I used the medium chili seasoning.

With the changes I made, I felt like this chili turned out perfect for our tastes. In fact, I might even add an extra can of kidney beans in the future just to make it a little chunkier and help it stretch a little farther. This also made fantastic leftovers. Yummy!

Dee-licious!

 

This has to be one of my most favorite white chicken chili recipes I have ever found. This is really flavorful. Use tamed bottled jalapeno slices if you want less heat.

Green Chile Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

4 bone-in chicken breast halves (14 ounces each)
2 medium onions, chopped
2 medium green peppers, chopped
1 cup pickled jalapeno slices
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies
2 jars (16 ounces each0 salsa verde
2 cans (15 1/2 ounces each) navy beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
Optional toppings: shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese, sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips

Directions:

Place the chicken, onions, peppers, jalapenos and chilies in a 5- or 6- qt. slow cooker. Pour salsa over top. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until chicken is tender.

Remove chicken; cool slightly. Shred chicken with two forks, discarding skin and bones; return meat to slow cooker. stir in the beans, sour cream, and cilatnro; heat through. Serve with toppings of your choice.

Yield: 10 servings (3 1/2 quarts).

Nutrition facts: 1 1/3 cups equals 320 calories.

Source: Taste of Home. You can find it here.

Notes: I wouldn't change a thing. If you want it spicy, use untamed bottled jalapenos. If you want it a little more mellow, use tamed bottled jalapenos. Yummy! Good stuff!

Warm Up With a Bowl of Soup

This was such an easy soup to throw together. It makes a great dinner, and the leftovers make a wonderful lunch.

Weight Watchers Spicy Black Bean Soup

Ingredients:

Cooking spray
1 medium uncooked onion, finely chopped
4 medium cloves of garlice, minced
45 oz. canned black beans, undrained, divided (three 15 oz cans)
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 tsp ground cumin
14 1/2 oz. fat free chicken broth or vegetable broth
10 oz. canned tomatoes with green chilis
11 oz. canned yellow corn, drained

Directions:

Coat bottom of a large stockpot with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are soft but not brown, about 5 minutes.

Place one can of beans in blender; add sauteed onion mixture, red pepper flakes, and cumin. Cover and blend on high until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour mixture back into stockpot.

Place second can of beans and broth in blender and puree until smooth; add to stockpot.

Stir third can of beans (do not puree first), tomatoes and green chilies, and corn into stockpot. Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Yields about 1 1/2 cups of soup per serving.

Source: Weight Watchers. You can find it here.

Notes: I didn't blend the sauteed onion mixture with the can of beans. I figured I would just have a slightly chunkier soup and save myself a step. This was really flavorful and satisfying. Also, as mentioned above, it was beyond easy, which is always a good thing.

Soup Season is Approaching!

Is there anything better than chicken tortilla soup in the fall? There might be a few things, but not many.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

1 pound shredded cooked chicken
1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
7 corn tortillas
vegetable oil

Directions:

Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into strips, ,and then spread on a baking sheet.

Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. To serve, sprinkle tortilla strips over soup.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by Bena. You can find it here.

Notes: I didn't use shredded chicken. I used frozen chicken, cooked it, removed it, and then shredded it and returned it to the soup. I also used a lot more than 1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro. You can also use crushed tortilla chips in place of the baked corn tortilla strips, if you like.

I also topped it with shredded cheese, sour cream, and additional cilantro.

Chowda? Tortellini? Together? Yep.

This soup was so, so good.  I loved the flavors and it was quite easy.  A few unusual ingredients give it a flavor pop.

Tortellini Chowder

Ingredients:

2/3 c chopped onion
1/2 c chopped red bell pepper
1/3 c chopped green chili pepper (not bell)
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon margarine or butter (I always use butter)
3 cups vegetable broth
2 cups peeled and cubed potatoes
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
2 cups cheese tortellini
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 (15 oz) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 pint half and half cream

Directions:

In a large pot over medium heat, cook onion, bell pepper, chile pepper, garlic and jalapeno in margarine until tender but not brown, 5 minutes.

Stir in broth, potatoes, cumin, salt, pepper and red pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes, until potatoes are just tender.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and set aside.

In a small bowl, stir together flour and vegetable oil. Pour into soup, increase heat to medium, and cook until thickened and bubbly. Stir in corn, half and half and tortellini and heat through. Serve.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by SILVERWOLF. You can find it here.

Notes: This was such a good soup and I loved eating the leftovers. Loved this soup.

Quick and Easy Soup

 

You can't make slow cooker dinners every night. Nor can you make a time consuming three hour prep dinner every night either. Here is something that is fast and easy to throw together in the evening. The leftovers are also great for lunch.

Easy Pasta E Fagioli

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained, rinsed
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 carton (32 oz) chicken broth
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves, crushed
1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni (4 oz)
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

In 3-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients except macaroni and cheese. Heat to boiling. reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove cover; increase heat to high. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium. Add macaroni; cook 10 to 15 minutes or until tender. Sprinkle each serving with cheese.

Source: Pillsbury website. You can find it here.

Notes: I really liked this. The only thing I would say is that this soup doesn't have a lot of broth to it. If you like more broth, I would suggest adding additional chicken broth or some water.

Thanks Again, Grandma

Well, I thought I had all of my Grandma Salazar's recipes, but thanks to my aunt, I now have another one. Once again, it has been proven to me that my grandma definitely knew her way around the kitchen. This is a recipe worth keeping.

Grandma Salazar's Pork Chili

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3-5 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium red onion, diced
3-5 pounds cubed pork
1 tablespoon oregano
2 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons chili powder
2-3 cans diced green chiles
2 cans (14.5 oz) stewed tomatoes
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and diced red onion. Saute until fragrant. Remove garlic/onion mixture and set aside.

Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to pan and add cubed pork to brown. When the pork is browned, add the garlic-onion mixture back into the pan and add the oregano, cumin, and chili powder. Stir to combine.

After stirring the mixture, add diced green chiles and stewed tomatoes. Simmer for a minimum of two hours, or until you can't resist it any longer!

Source: One of my grandma's recipes received thanks to my aunt Jana.

We Do This a Lot

  

What would a fall/winter Sunday evening be like without a chili night? We have to have at least one every season...sometimes up to three or four! Oh, and always new chili recipes. Very few repeats in our family! Here are our most recent chili findings.

Killer Chili

Ingredients:

1 (1 pound) package bacon

3 pounds ground beef

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups red wine (or beef broth, which is what we used)

3 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes

2 (14 ounce) cans tomato sauce

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

3 green bell peppers, chopped

4 stalks celery, chopped

2 onions, chopped

2 (19 ounce) cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2 (19 ounce) cans white beans, rinsed and drained

1 (19 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

6 tablespoons chili powder

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup ground cumin

3 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

2 tablespoons dried basil

2 tablespoons dried minced onion

3 tablespoons dried parsley

2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes

4 teaspoons dried oregano

12 dashed hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste 

Favorite chili toppings, such as cilantro, shredded cheese, diced avocado etc.

Directions:

Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate. Crumble and set aside.

Heat a large stock popt over medium-high heat and cook and stir the ground beef until the beef is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink. Drain and discard any excess grease. Stir in the bacon and minced garlic. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the red wine (or beef broth), diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce.

Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the green bell peppers, celery, and chopped onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir onion mixture into the stock pot. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a near bowl. Mix in the kidney beans, white beans, and black beans. Season with chili powder, brown sugar, cumin, paprika, Italian seasoning, vinegar, basil, dried minced onion, parsley, red pepper flakes, oregano, hot pepper sauce, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring often.

Serves 25.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by hoeguy. You can find it here.

Chiliville Chili

Ingredients:

1 pound Johnsonville Italian ground mild, sweet, or hot Italian sausage

1 pound ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

3 celery ribs, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green peppers and onions

2 (16 ounce) cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 (14.5 ounce) can beef broth

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Shredded Cheddar cheese, optional

Directions:

In a large saucepan, cook sausage and ground beef over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the onion, celery, and garlic. Cook and stir for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in the tomatoes, beans, broth, tomato paste, brown sugar, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Sprinkle with cheese, if you like, and serve immediately.

Serves 10.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by The Kitchen at Johnsonville Sausage. You can find it here.

Notes: This was great. Spicier than the other chili, in my opinion. Feel free to top it with and of your favorite chili toppings.

Oh, and don't forget to serve your favorite chili with some cornbread muffins (mini ones for the kiddies too!).

A Variation on a Theme of Soup

As I have mentioned before, my husband loves soup.  And it's been soup weather for a long time here in Utah.  We've had snow on the ground for one of the longest stretches that I remember.  My husband says it feels more like Chicago.  Who knows?  Maybe living there for a number of years gave him that craving for that warm, comforted feeling deep in your tummy that only hot soup can give.

I wish I'd gotten a better picture of this because this is one of the best soups I think I've ever eaten. It was almost even better the next day as leftovers. Valerie Phillips was a former food editor for The Deseret News. You will really enjoy browsing her blog. She has a cookbook that is just soup and I intend to buy it as soon as I'm done posting. Her soups are THAT GOOD!

Presto Zuppa Toscana

Ingredients:

1 pound bulk Italian Sausage
1 (28 oz) bag hash brown potatoes O'Brien
3 (14 oz) cans chicken broth
1 cup water
2 teaspoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons dried minced onion
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or more, to your taste)
1/2 cup packed real bacon pieces
4 cups chopped kale or Swiss chard, loosely packed
1 cup whipping cream

Directions:

Brown the sausage in a 4-to-6 quart stock pot over medium-high heat, breaking into small pieces as it cooks.

Drain the fat from the sausage.

Add potatoes, broth, water, garlic powder, dried minced onion, red pepper flakes, and bacon pieces. Cook at a gentle boil for about 5 minutes.

While soup is cooking, chop kale or Swiss chard. Add to soup and cook an additional 10 minutes, or until kale and potatoes are tender.

Turn off heat. Stir in cream and mix until well-blended.

Makes six 1 1/2 cup servings.

Recipe notes: Inspired by Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana.

Source: Chew and Chat website. You can find the recipe here. If you would like information on how to purchase Valerie Phillips' book, click here.

 

Above: 3/22/2014 Update: I had to try this after my mom told me how good it was. This was definitely a very tasty and easy soup. This is a keeper!

This next one was a good solid soup. I'm not sure I can say it tasted like it's name, but my husband liked it and he's the ultimate judge of all things soup.


Cheeseburger Soup I

Ingredients:

1/2 pound ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
4 tablespoons butter
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups cubed potatoes
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 cups cubed cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup sour cream

Directions:

In a large pot, melt 1 tablespoon butter or margarine over medium heat; cook and stir vegetables and beef until beef is brown.

Stir in basil and parsley.  Add broth and potatoes.  Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 - 12 minutes.

Melt the remaining butter and stir in flour.  Add the milk, stirring until smooth.

Gradually add milk mixture to the soup, stirring constantly.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Stir in cheese.  When cheese is melted, add sour cream and heat through.  Do not boil.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by AUNTYLENE. You can find the recipe here.

Cook's notes:  I really don't think this soup needed the carrots.  I've noticed that a lot of cooks throw carrots into every soup and they don't always fit.  They always take longer to cook than celery or onions and perhaps people like a little of the bite.  But I will leave them out next time, just my preference.

Facebook says this the best ever.  My husband didn't think so, perhaps because it's a really buttery flavored soup versus cheesy.  But perhaps that's what you want in a baked potato soup.  I'll let you make it and be the judge.  It was pretty labor intensive (reminds me of a cheese soup I've been meaning to post), but a good basic soup.

The Best Potato Soup Recipe Ever aka Machine Shed's Potato Soup

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds baby red potatoes, sliced into small bite sized pieces
1/2 regular package uncooked bacon, finely diced
1 medium onion, diced
1/4 bunch celery, diced
8 cups milk
4 cups water
4 chicken bullion cubes (use a cup of the hot potato water to dissolve, then use the cup of hot water in place of one of the above cups of water)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup salted butter
3/4 cup flour
1/4 bunch freshly chopped parsley
1 cup whipping cream

Garnishes:  shredded cheese, fried bacon bits, chopped green onion

Directions:

In large pot, boil potatoes in water 10 minutes.  Drain and set aside.

In saute pan, cook bacon until crisp.  Drain bacon fat and place on paper towel to drain some more. Add onion and celery to bacon pan over medium high heat until celery is tender, about 5 minutes.

To the large potato pan, add milk, water, bullion, salt and pepper.  Cook over medium high heat until mixture is very hot, about 8 minutes, stirring often.  Do not let the mixture boil.

In small, heavy saucepan melt butter.  Add flour and mix well.  Cook over medium-low heat until mixture bubbles, stirring 2 to 3 minutes to make a roux.  While constantly stirring soup, add roux slowly until soup is thick and creamy, about 4 minutes.  Stir in parsley, reserved potatoes, and cream. Garnish with cheese, bacon bits, onions or all three.  Serve hot!

Cook's notes:  This was a very, very rich soup.  I guess anytime you add whipping cream, it's going to make it more than hearty.  Also, this made a lot of soup.  A lot.

Source: We found this originally on Facebook (someone re-posted it). After doing a little searching, I discovered that it originally came from a site called Tip From a Typical Mom. You can find the original post here.