Chili

We love some chili at our house.  It's quick and easy, filling and relatively inexpensive to make.

2 lbs. ground beef
1 onion, diced
2 jalapenos, diced
1 T. minced garlic
1T. chili powder
4 cans of chili beans
1 28-oz. can petite diced tomatoes
salt and pepper

In large pot, brown ground beef with onion, jalapenos and garlic.  Drain off any fat.  Add chili powder, chili beans and tomatoes.  Mix well.  Cook on low for 30-45 minutes to thicken.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve with chopped onions, sour cream, shredded cheese.

Tomato Soup with Parmesan Croutons

I had a bowl of tomato soup at a restaurant the other day and they served it with croutons.  Not ones for salad but homemade bread ones.  It was wonderful so I decided we had to recreate it at home for several reasons  1)We grow our own tomatoes, and we make our own tomato "juice".  It makes the best homemade tomato soup!  However, you can definitely use store bought and recreate this delicious soup at home.  2) I've gotten on the homemade bread train and have some extra loaves of sourdough bread in the freezer begging to be used and what better way than croutons for my soup...

Croutons
4 thick slices of  frozen bread cut into cubes
3 T. melted butter
1/2 t. italian seasoning
1/4 t. garlic powder
parmesan cheese

Melt butter into medium sized bowl.  Add seasonings and stir to combine.  Toss in frozen bread crumbs into bowl and stir to combine.  The butter freezes to the bread to get them coated.  Makes it easier to handle.  Pour onto baking sheet.  Sprinkle with grated parmesan.  Bake at 300 for 40-45 minutes stirring/tossing occasionally.  They are done when all sides are browned and they are dry but not hard like salad croutons.

Soup
1 small onion, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
1/4 red bell pepper, diced
1 T. olive oil
1 t. minced garlic
1 t. dried basil
salt and pepper
48 oz. tomato juice
1/2 c-1c. milk

In medium soup pan, heat olive oil over low-medium heat.   Add vegetables and saute until tender.  Add garlic, basil and salt and pepper.  Cook 1 more minute.  Pour in tomato juice.   Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes.  Blend soup with an immersion blender to make smooth.  Add milk for desired creaminess.  Cook until heated thoroughly.  Serve with croutons.

Loaded Potato Soup

This has always been one of my favorites. Eat it plain or top with shredded cheese, bacon and sliced green onions for a loaded potato soup.

This is a fabulous soup, makes enough for 8 servings


Potato Soup.
6 c. diced raw potatoes
3 c. water
1 small onion, finely diced
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/2 t. celery salt

Cook all covered pan 20 minutes or until done and tender.  While it is cooking, make the white sauce for the soup

White Sauce:
8 T. flour
1 stick of  butter
1/2 t. salt
4 c. milk

Melt butter. Add in flour and salt and mix to combine - cook for 30 sec. to a minute. Add in milk. Slowly bring to a boil. Once thickened. Remove from heat and add to cooked potatoes mix.   You can mash up the potatoes some if you wish depending on how "chunky" you like your soup.

Top with cooked crumbled bacon, sliced green onions and shredded cheddar cheese.  My young children also love this.

Beef Stew for the slow cooker

Now that October is here, I feel like it's actually fall and I can break out the soup and stew recipes.

2 T. flour
2 t. salt
1 t. pepper
3 5.5-oz. cans tomato juice
2 lb.beef stew meat
16-oz. sliced mushrooms
6 carrots, cut into thick slices
1/2 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
1 large onion, chopped
2t. minced garlic


Combine 2 T. flour, salt and pepper in bowl.  Gradually whisk in tomato soup.  Combine stew meat, mushrooms, carrots,green beans, onions and garlic to slow cooker.  Add tomato juice mixture.  Cook on high 6 hours until beef is tender.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Another one from our Soup Lunch.


6 T. butter
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 c. flour
2 c. half and half
3 c. chicken broth
salt and pepper
4 c. broccoli florets
1 large carrot diced
2 1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese

Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook about 5 minutes or until tender. Whisk in the flour and cook until golden, about 3-4 minutes. Gradually whisk in the half and half until smooth. Add the chicken broth and then season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, uncovered until thickened, about 20 minutes.

Add the broccoli and carrot to the broth mixture and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Puree the soup in batches in a blender until smooth. Return to the pot. Add the cheese to the soup and whisk over medium heat until melted. Add up to 3/4 c. water if the soup is too thick.
Garnish with additional shredded cheese if desired.

Soup

I copied this recipe down and have no idea the title or where it came from so we'll just call it what it is - Soup, ha!


3 c. chicken broth
2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
9 slices of bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 c. cooked wild rice
1 pint of half and half
2 c. milk
8 oz. shredded American Cheese

Cook potatoes in broth until tender. Puree in food processor. Put back in soup pot. Cook bacon in a skillet and remove from pan and crumble. Add onion to the drippings and cook until tender. Add bacon and onions to the potato mix. Add in the remaining ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with green onions if desired.

Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup

1 package of frozen cheese tortelli, cooked according to package directions.

2 cans of condensed tomato soup
2 cans of vegetable broth
2 c. of milk
2 c. of half and half
1/2 c. chopped oil-packed sundried tomatoes
1 t. onion powder
1 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. shredded parmesan cheese, plus some for garnish.

In large soup pot, combine, soups, broth, milk, 1/2 and 1/2, tomatoes and seasonings. Heat on medium heat until hot. Add drained tortellini to the soup and stir in parmesan cheese.

White Chili

It seems like I've posted lots of soups lately, but they are so good for all this cold weather we are having. I made this a few weeks ago and then again for tonight's Crock Pot Potluck at church.

Here is how I make mine, a conglomeration of a couple variations of the recipes I have seen.

1 package of chicken breasts, cooked and diced up.

1 onion, diced and sauteed in 3T. of butter for about 8 minutes with 1 1/2 t. minced garlic thrown in at the end.

Add in 4 cans of chicken broth, 3 cans of great northern beans (drained), 1 small can of diced green chiles (drained), 1 can of fire roasted tomatoes (drained) {I used Muir Glenn in the organic section} and 2 jalapenos, seeded and finely diced. I season with 1 tsp. of salt and 3/4tsp of oregano and some black pepper.

You can either make this in big pot on the stove - if I do it that way, I just start the onions in the pot I will use. You can also just put it all in the crock pot and heat on low for an hour or two before serving. if serving it for a group.

Beer Cheese Soup

Beer Cheese Soup

adapted from Penzey's Spice Catalog Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup onion, minced
• 1 cup celery, minced
• 1 cup carrot, diced
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 lb potatoes, peeled and diced
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 (12 ounce) bottle beer(We used Terrapin Rye Pale Ale)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ c. Frank’s Buffalo wing sauce
• 1/2 cup milk
• 8 oz. package sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• ½ package of kielbasa sausage, cooked and sliced

1. Heat olive oil in soup pot over medium heat.

2. Add onion, celery and carrots.

3. Cook about 15 minutes or until tender, stirring every so often to keep from sticking.

4. Stir in flour, cook about 1 minute.

5. Add potatoes, broth and beer.

6. Bring to a boil and cook 10- 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

7. Add mustard powder, granulated garlic, salt and pepper.

8. Combine milk and wing sauce in a small bowl and then Stir into soup.

9. Remove soup from heat; Add cheese, stirring until cheese is melted and smooth.

10. Remove 2 cups of vegetables with some liquid and add to a blender or food processor and puree. Pour back into soup.

11. Return to low heat and add sliced sausage and Cook until warm- about 5 minutes.

Potato Soup

This has always been one of my favorites. Eat it plain or top with shredded cheese, bacon and sliced green onions for a loaded potato soup.


White Sauce:
4 T. flour
4 T. butter
1/2 t. salt
2 c. milk

Melt butter. Add in flour and salt and mix to combine - cook for 30 sec. to a minute. Add in milk. Slowly bring to a boil. Once thickened. Remove from heat.


2 c. diced raw potatoes
1 c. water
1/2 small onion, finely diced
1/2 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
1/8 t. celery salt

Cook all covered pan 10 minutes or until done and tender. You can mash up the potatoes some if you wish depending on how "chunky" you like your soup. Add in the white sauce and heat until warm.

I usually double it up for us.

French Onion Soup

4 sweet yellow onions, sliced into thin rings
1 red onion, sliced into thin rings
6 T. butter
2 T. Flour
3 cans of beef broth
1/2 can of water
3 T. Dale's marinade sauce
1/3 c. white wine
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 t. dried thyme
black pepper


Add sliced onions and butter into a large soup pot, saute until onions are cooked down and soft. Add in 2 T. flour and stir up to thicken up liquid in the pot. Cook for 1 minute or so. Add in broth, water, wine and marinade sauce. Add in seasonings. Let cook for 20 minutes or so on low. Serve with toasted French Bread.

I don't like the whole piece of bread in my soup topped with cheese. I do like it on the side. Prepare your bowl of soup your favorite way.

Alphabet Soup

Great for the little ones!

1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1/4 onion, finely chopped
1 32 oz. chicken broth
4 c. Vegetable juice (V8)
1 pkg. frozen mixed vegetables
1/2 t. Italian seasoning
1/4 t. ground black pepper
1 c. Alphabet pasta

In a skillet, brown ground beef, adding onion towards the end of cooking. Drain.

In soup pot, combine chicken broth and vegetable juice. Add in vegetables and seasonings. Heat to a boil. Add in pasta. Simmer uncovered until vegetables and pasta are cooked. 8-10 minutes.

Hash Brown Soup

Hash Brown Soup
(This one reminds me of the hash brown casserole we used to have at the sorority house.)

1/2 c. butter (I used less)
1/2 c. chopped green onions (I just used 1 bunch)
1 can of cream of chicken soup (I did use a lofat version)
1 c. chicken broth
3 c. skim milk
2lb. frozen shredded hash browns, thawed
black pepper to taste
1 c. shredded cheese, plus some for sprinkling on top.

Saute onions in butter until softened. Add soup, broth, milk and potatoes and pepper. Stir and heat thoroughly. Add cheese and stir until melted.