Cheesy Broccoli chowder

Boil 7 cups of water and 4 chicken bullion cubes (or use 7 cups of chicken broth)

Add 2 cups of diced potatoes, 1 pound of broccoli cut into pieces, diced onions to taste, shredded carrots for color. Cook for 10 minutes.

Add 2 cans cream of chicken soup, turn heat down to low and cook 10 more minutes.

Transfer to a slow cooker, add 1 lb velveeta cheese and cook until cheese is melted and heated through. (I have done this on the stove in the same pot I cooked the other stuff in, but you have to stir a lot and keep it low or it will scorch, so it's a little easier in the slow cooker)

I loved this served with rolls. And I think it makes good leftovers too. 

Santa Fe Soup

Recipe and image from Joy's Hope

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef browned and drained

1 can kidney beans

2 cans Ro-tel
(Ro-tel can get spicy, even the mild version, so feel free to sub one or both cans with petite diced tomatoes. That's what my family did.)

1 can stewed Mexican style tomatoes

1 can corn (drained)

2 Tbs. taco seasoning

16 0z. Velveeta cubed

Dump everything in your crockpot, stir and just go for it. (Just make sure you have turned your crockpot on... and plugged it in. Am I the only one to forget this crucial step?...)
It takes 3 hours on high. Stir it once half way through.
We served it with sour cream, tortilla chips, and additional shredded cheese. Yum!

Also, if you want this desperately but dinner is supposed to be in 30 minutes not 3 hours never fail. The same concept will work in your soup pot. Just cook on Medium - Medium High and be sure to stir it more frequently. ;)

Hearty Beef Stew

Ingredients:
1 Chuck or Rump Roast
1 large onion chopped
Some minced garlic
Several large carrots, chopped
Lots of red potatoes cut into one inch cubes
2 cups of good red cooking wine
4 cups of beef broth
1 can of whole tomatoes (diced) plus the juice of the can.
Spice (I used some fresh thyme, marjoram, garlic salt,

1. Cut up a rump roast or chuck roast into one inch cubes.
2. In large dutch oven pot brown meat in about 1 Tbsp of olive oil, salt & pepper the meat generously as you go. The point of this browning is not to cook the meat through, but to sear in the juices so I did this on high and it only took a few minutes with me flipping the meat frequently.
3. As beef is browning chop the onion. Just as the beef is seared, drain excess fat from pan (I used homegrown meat so I didn't really have any) and through in the onion and minced garlic and let those cook together for a few minutes. Also at this stage you can create a roux by adding in some cornstarch or flour to the oil and meat before you stir in the beef broth, but I like my stew brothy so I didn't bother with the roux.
4. Add in beef broth & cooking wine, bring the heat down to low and simmer for two plus hours (I did three hours on the lowest setting on my burner and the meat was amazingly tender and flavorful).
5. Add in red potatoes, and large carrots and any other veggies that strike your fancy (if you are a celery fan that would be good) and cook until potatoes are tender.
6. Add spices and whole tomatoes with the juice. Bring back to boil than stir and serve.

Chicken Chowder

With all the snow today, it was definitely a soup day. So I went searching and found this one on my cousin Tearsa's blog. It was SO VERY GOOD! Check it out here.

Potato Corn Chowder

The weather has been getting a little chillier up here in Idaho. I don't know about you guys, but chilly fall weather makes me happy. (Even if it technically is still summer) I just informed my husband yesterday that today (yesterday, actually) marked the beginning of the soup rotation. That is, soup, once a week on the menu rotation. I couldn't be happier! I love soup!

We kicked off soup season with a new recipe. So glad we did because it was spectacular! We had to adjust it a little because my man won't eat soup with out potatoes. But I am glad we did because I loved it so the much more. Enjoy.

And, for my dump and pour friends, this one is right up your alley.

(My thoughts August 2008)

This has become one of our ALL TIME FAVORITE SOUPS!! You must try this, or come to my house so I can cook it for you... because I will.

(My thoughts today and every day... 2008-2011)

1 cube butter
1 bunch green onions, chopped
Chicken broth (or water and chicken bullion, which is what I do)
2 -3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup flour
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2-4 cups fresh or frozen sweet corn, just stay away from the canned stuff. Too sweet.
1 pint (2 cups) half and half
1 8 oz package cream cheese, cut in small cubes
3 tsps creole seasoning


Saute onions in butter in a medium heat pan. Add potatoes and enough chicken brothto just come half way up the potatoes, usually about 3 cups. Cook until potatoes are just about fork tender. (you want them a little under done because they will continue to cook) Add the flour and gently stir until you have a thick roue. Add soup and cream cheese. Cook until cream cheese has melted and is smooth. Add corn and half and half (or milk and heavy cream). I usually add 1 cup heavy cream and then enough milk to get it to the consistency we like. Add your creole seasoning and then gobble it up!

Crockpot Chicken Taco Soup

I made this tonight and it was really good!!!

Crockpot Chicken Taco Soup-Yummy!

4 frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 pkg. ranch dressing mix
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
1 medium onion, diced
1 can diced tomatoes undrained
1 can black beans, undrained
1 can cannelloni or any white beans, undrained
1 can kidney beans, undrained
1 can vegetarian baked beans, undrained
1 can corn, undrained

Layer items in crockpot in order listed above starting with chicken breasts. Do not stir. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Before serving, remove chicken & shred with a fork. Stir chicken back into soup.

You can top with sour cream, cheese and tortilla chips...I did and it was very, very tasty!

Tomato Basil Soup

This one tastes better than any restaurant!
3 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) canned plum tomatoes, with their juice
4 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 quart chicken stock or water

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss together the tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the tomatoes in 1 layer on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes.

In an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the butter, and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, and chicken stock. Add the oven-roasted tomatoes, including the liquid on the baking sheet. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Pass through a food mill fitted with the coarsest blade. Taste for seasonings. Serve hot or cold

This makes a huge batch -- good for big families or you can freeze & reheat batches or just half it!

Italian Sausage Soup

My friend Becky gave me this recipe and its easy, delicious, and Jordan's new favorite! Give it a try!

Ingredients:
1 lb. Italian pork sausage
1 large onion, chopped
½ c. chopped celery
Garlic clove
2 14-oz. cans chicken broth
1 14-oz. can Italian style diced tomatoes
1 c. water
1 package Betty Crocker Julienne Potatoes
1 c. milk
1 c. spinach leaves

Directions:
Remove the skin from the sausage, cut into small pieces, combine with the onion, celery, and garlic in a large pot, and cook until sausage is no longer pink.
Stir in the 2 cans of chicken broth, the can of tomatoes, the cup of water, and the Betty Crocker Potatoes (the noodles and the sauce both)
Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 min.
Add 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of spinach leaves
Enjoy!

Ham and Vegetable Chowder

4 tsp. chicken granual

3 cups water

3 cups potatoes, peeled and diced

2 1/2 cups broccoli (I use frozen)

1 onion, chopped

1 cup carrots, sliced

1 cup celery, sliced

Put above ingredients in crock pot and cook on high 4 hours or low for 6-7 hours. About 1/2 hour before serving add:

3 cups pre-cooked ham, diced

white sauce

For white sauce melt 1/2 cup butter in sauce pan on medium heat. Slowly stir in 1/2 cup flour. Stir till smooth (approx 2 min.) Slowly add 4 cups milk. Boil and stir until thickened (approx 2 min).

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I like to mix my cheese in with the white sauce when it's done, but you can add it to the soup separately too.

Tortilla Soup

I LOVE this tortilla soup recipe... I have not found a single soul that did not like it... but watch out - it's enough to feed an army. I make it... share it will all the sick families in the ward... eat it, eat it again, and again then freeze the rest... it freezes GREAT, then you can just thaw it out and love it again. We've made it for Bill's family huge gathering... it fed everyone... what's not to love about opening a number 10 can and tossing the whole thing in???

Warning: this is the hefty servings version. Scroll down lower for the family version

3 large onion, chopped
3 Tbs. minced garlic (I use the jarred stuff)
3 tablespoon butter or oil (to sauté the above items in)
6 teaspoons chili powder
3 teaspoon dried oregano
2 quart jars of crushed tomatoes (if you need to stretch amount add another)
3 (10.5 ounce) can chicken broth
6 cups water
1 #10 can of corn
1 #10 can hominy
4 to 6 (4 ounce) cans chopped green Chile peppers
1 #10 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Extras if you want:
chicken cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces (use leftovers – or go without!)
Directions:
1. In a medium stock pot, heat butter (or oil) over medium heat. Sauté onion and
garlic in until soft. Stir in chili powder, oregano, tomatoes,
broth, and water. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Stir in corn, hominy, chilies, beans, cilantro, and chicken. Simmer
for 10 minutes.
3. Serve with crushed tortilla chips, avocado slices, cheese, sour cream, and chopped green onion.

Tortilla Soup (family version)
INGREDIENTS:
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed chicken broth
1 1/4 cups water
1 cup whole corn kernels, cooked
1 cup white hominy
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
crushed tortilla chips
sliced avocado
shredded cheese
chopped green onions
Extras if you want:
chicken cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces (use leftovers – or go without!)
for toppers
crushed tortilla chips, fresh sliced avocado, shredded cheese, chopped green onions
Directions:
1. In a medium stock pot, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté onion and
garlic in oil until soft. Stir in chili powder, oregano, tomatoes,
broth, and water. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Stir in corn, hominy, chilies, beans, cilantro, and chicken. Simmer
for 10 minutes.
3. serve with crushed tortilla chips, avocado slices, cheese, and chopped green onion.

Recipe courtesy of Auntie Tam

Grandma's Zucchini Soup

5 or 6 medium zucchini
1 large onion thinly sliced
1-1/2 teaspoons curry powder
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
salt & pepper to taste

Wash and dry zucchini; trim off ends. Cut one zucchini in half and slice thinly one half. Stack the slices and cut them into very thin matchlike strips (about one cup). Place in saucepan. Add cold water to cover. Boil 3-5 minutes, drain and set aside. Cut the remaining half zucchini and the others into 1-inch slices. Cut each slice into quarters. Place in kettle and add onion slices. Sprinkle with curry and stir to coat pieces. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 45 minutes. Spoon the mixture into a blender and blend to a fine puree (about 4 cups). Add the cream, milk, salt and pepper. Add reserved zucchini strips. Chill thoroughly. Serve sprinkled with chopped chives. Serves 6 - 8.

Recipe courtesy Auntie Tam

Taco Soup

My mother gave this recipe to me many years ago. I think it is Jeron's favorite soup ever. I can always count on him putting this on his list to make when it is his turn to cook.

1 ½ pounds hamburger
1 onion, chopped
1 can Mexican tomatoes
1 can stewed tomatoes (1 quart canned)
1 can chili without beans
2 cans pinto beans (1 quart)
1 pound Velveeta cheese
16 ounces sour cream

In a saucepan brown hamburger and onion. Add tomatoes, chili, and pinto beans. Add Velveeta cheese and heat until melted. Stir in sour cream just before serving. Serve in bowls with crumbled tortilla chips on top.

Tomato-Basil Soup

Many years ago I had a soup similar to this on a cruise ship. This is the closest I could come to that soup. It is very easy, and very yummy. I have found that it is best with cream, and you cannot substitute dried basil for the fresh.

8 to 10 tomatoes, peeled, cored, and chopped
4 cups tomato juice
12 to 14 fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons butter
salt to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup heavy cream

Combine tomatoes and tomato juice in a saucepan; simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and puree, a little at a time, with basil leaves. Return to saucepan. Stirring constantly over low heat, add cream, butter, salt and pepper.

Cuball Soup

This soup is a childhood comfort food. My mother’s grandma Olsen used to make this soup for her, and now my mother makes it for my children.

Boil a beef soup bone and 1 shank of short ribs for several hours until you get a good broth (Grandma Faun says that the neck bone is the best, but I have never found a butcher that has neck bones in Utah). Strain away bones and place broth in fridge to let the fat settle to the top and set. Mom says that she usually does this the night before she is planning on making the soup. Remove from fridge and discard fat. Season the broth really well, until you like the flavor of it. Chop 1 bunch of celery and slice several onions and add to broth. Peel and slice a lot of carrots and add. While the vegetables cook, make the cuballs. Grandma Faun makes these just like you would meatloaf, except she doesn’t add ground pork, just ground beef. You still season it with salt and pepper and sage and bind it with egg and flour. Grandma tastes her meatball mixture raw to see if it tastes right. I make a sample meatball and cook it in the broth to test it. Usually you can rely on smell though. Using teaspoons you drop little meatballs into the broth, much the same way that you would drop cookies. Grandma says to make a lot of meatballs because that is what Grandpa always picks out of the soup first. She also says that it is really important to make sure your broth is well seasoned or the soup will taste bland. When the meatballs are done, the soup is ready to eat.

Clam Chowder

2 (6 ½ oz) cans minced clams
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 cup finely diced celery
2 cups diced potatoes
¾ cup flour
¾ cup real butter
1 quart ½ and ½
1 ½ teaspoon salt
dash pepper
1 tablespoon sugar

Drain clams and pour liquid over chopped vegetables in saucepan. Add enough water to barely cover. Simmer covered over medium heat until potatoes are tender. (About 20 minutes). Meanwhile melt butter in saucepan; add flour, blending with a wire whip cooking 1 to 2 minutes. Then add half and half; stir until thick and smooth. Remove vegetables from heat and drain off water according to how thick or thin you want the soup. Add vegetables with water to sauce and heat through. Add salt, pepper, sugar and clams. Blend and serve hot. I do use plain milk if I don't have half and half, however, I do prefer the half and half.

Minestrone

½ pound pork sausage
½ pound ground beef
4 cups water
2 beef bouillon cubes
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, sliced
2 medium celery ribs, diced
1 can (16 ounces) tomatoes, pureed
2 cans tomato sauce (8 oz.)
2 teaspoons crushed dried parsley
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 small bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
Garlic salt to taste
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
1 can green beans, un-drained
2/3 cup uncooked wide noodles, or other pasta (I use macaroni)

Brown meat in heavy kettle; drain. Dissolve bouillon cubes in water. Add onions, carrots, celery, tomatoes, tomato sauce, parsley, and seasonings. Simmer, covered 4-6 hours (I have also simmered it for only 1-2 hours, and it works fine). Thirty minutes before serving time, add beans and noodles. Simmer until noodles are tender. Makes 8 servings.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

This soup is comfort food for my older daughters. Whenever Alyssa or Brittany were sick, this is what they wanted. Go figure. It makes up very quickly. A lot of times I save the stalk from the broccoli and peel it, and use it for soup. A great way to have broccoli for dinner one night and use the stalks for soup another night.

1 head broccoli, broken into pieces
1 onion, coarsely chopped
2 ribs celery, roughly chopped
2 chicken bouillon cubes
2 cups cream or half & half
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
½ cube butter
4 tablespoons flour
Salt & pepper to taste

Place broccoli, onion and celery into a heavy saucepan. Add enough water to barely cover. Bring to boil and cook until crisp tender. Put this mixture into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Melt butter in saucepan, stir in flour and cook until thick and bubbly. Return vegetable mixture to saucepan with the butter and flour mixture. Add nutmeg, chicken bouillon and salt and pepper. Stir in the cream or half & half. Serve by placing grated cheese in the bottom of individual serving bowl and ladling the hot soup on top. (I never measure the cream, I just add until it looks right. If I don’t have cream, I use plain milk).

Turkey & Wild Rice Soup

Our family calls this bug soup because the wild rice looks like bugs floating. A family favorite, very hearty.

1 medium onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, diced
2 carrots, diced
½ cup butter or margarine
½ cup flour
4 cups chicken or turkey broth
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 cups cooked wild rice
2 cups half and half
2 cups diced, cooked turkey (or chicken)
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

Sauté onion, celery and carrots in butter until onion is transparent. Reduce heat. Blend in flour and cook until bubbly. Gradually add broth, stirring constantly. Bring to boil, boil for 1 minute. Reduce heat; add wild rice, cream, turkey, parsley, salt and pepper. Simmer 20 minutes. Yield 10-12 servings. About 3 quarts. When I make this I cook extra wild rice because it takes longer to cook than regular rice, then I freeze the extra in two cup portions so that the soup makes up really quick the next few times.

Cafe Rio's Tortilla Soup (sort of)

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
4 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded and sliced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried cumin
1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
3 cups shredded cooked chicken
Few dashes Worcestershire sauce
3 to 4 cups chicken stock
1 lime
1 cup cooked white rice
Kosher salt
Sour cream, for garnish
Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Add garlic and jalapeno and sweat until soft and translucent. Add spices and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant and aromatic. Add tomatoes, chicken, Worcestershire, and stock.
Bring to a simmer and cook 20 minutes.
Cut the lime in half, squeeze juice into the pot, and then add the juiced halves as well. (If you have some leftovers and want to reheat the soup for another day, take the limes out--they will get pretty bitter if you heat them up in the microwave.)
Add white rice and cook 5 minutes longer to warm rice through. Season, to taste, with salt.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with sour cream and cilantro. (Why stop there? Try adding tortilla chips or Fritos, shredded cheese, pico de gallo--whatever you would put in a taco!)

Olice Garden Toscana Soup

This is such a yummy soup! The best part of all is that it is super quick and easy.

3/4 cup Onion diced

1 slice of Bacon chopped

1 1/4 teaspoons minced Garlic

1 ounce Chicken Bouillon

1 quart of Water

2 medium Potatoes cut in 1/2 length wise and sliced 1/4 wedges

1 1/2 cups of Italian Sausage precooked, cut 1/2 length wise and then sliced on a diagonal

2 cups Cavallo greens (Kale) cut in half and then into 1/16 in strips

3/4 cup Whipping Cream

Pre-heat oven to 300* and place sausage on cookie sheet to cook for 15-20 or until it is done. In the mean time place bacon, onions in a stew pot and cook until onions are almost clear, at this point add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the water, chicken bullion, and potatoes, bringing it to a simmer for 15 minutes. While it is simmering cut the sausage and incorporate it into the soup. Lastly add the greens and cream. Serve and Eat!

I personally use more bacon because I love the added flavor that it gives as well as hot sausage. My mom prefers to use hot and mild italian sausage.