Tortilla Soup

Since I came upon this recipe at AllRecipes a couple of months ago, I've made it probably a half dozen times. All of the ingredients are found in my food storage, and it comes together in about 5 minutes. Plus, it tastes pretty darn good. So, when it's dinnertime and I haven't planned anything (ya, like that ever happens!), this is my 'go to' meal. Besides that, without the chips and cheese, it is quite healthy!

Tortilla Soup

1 15 oz. can whole kernel corn, drained

2 14 oz. cans chicken broth (or 28 oz. water and 5 chicken bouillon cubes)

1 10 oz. can chunk chicken, drained

1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 10 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained

Chili Powder according to your own taste - I use about 1/8 tsp. (because we're weak!)

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 Tbs. minced onion

Tortilla Chips

Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Pour all the ingredients into a large pot. Simmer until chicken is heated through. Serve with tortilla chips and cheese.

Zuppa Toscana

This is my favorite soup at one of my favorite restaurants: Olive Garden.

(I am using a very small, very borrowed picture until I find the one I took, or make it again and take another!)

With the potatoes, bacon and sausage, it is real comfort food. It is also a cinch to make - BONUS! It does require a search for Kale in the produce section - but it is worth it! (The man who helped me at Harmon's said, "Oh, you want the kind to make that Olive Garden soup? We get people in here looking for that all the time!") I guess there are a couple of different kinds. The one you need is dark green with 'ruffled' edges. You can add it sooner to the soup if you want. As it simmers, it softens up a bit. I omit the red pepper flakes because my kids won't touch it with the extra spice. So, season according to your family's liking. This recipe will feed 6-8 people. I got it from Tuscan Recipes

Buon Appetito!

Zuppa Toscana

1 lb. ground Italian Sausage

1 1/2 tsp. crushed (dried) red peppers

1 large diced white onion

4 Tbs bacon pieces (or more - you can't go wrong with more bacon!)

2 tsp minced garlic

10 cups water

5 cubes chicken bouillon

1 cup heavy cream

1 lb. cubed Russet potatoes (about 3 large)

1/4 of a bunch of kale

Saute Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat. Put cooked sausage in a bowl.

In the same pan you cooked the sausage in, cook the bacon, onions and garlic over medium heat until the onions are soft.

Add water and chicken bouillon to pot and bring to a boil.

Add sliced potatoes and cook until soft - about 15 minutes. (Not too soft, they'll continue to cook as you finish up the soup.)

Add the heavy cream and cook until heated through.

Stir in sausage and kale. Let it all heat through and serve.

P.S. Sometimes I have to skim off fat from the sausage as the completed soup heats through. You'll know what I mean if you get orange liquid on the top!

Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup

This soup is To Die For. I got it from my sister in law, Carrie. It has become our favorite soup. It is really easy to prepare, and makes a lot! If you aren't serving a crowd, only cook the noodles you need, save the 'soup' and when you serve leftovers, cook the remaining noodles and add them. You can put them all in, but sometimes the noodles are mushy upon re-heating. It really doesn't alter the taste, though, so you decide! We served these last week with the Cheesy Garlic Biscuits. Yummy!

Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup

10 cups chicken broth

28 oz. diced tomatoes with juice

8 oz. can tomato paste

1/3 cup flour

1/3 cup butter

1 1/2 tsp. basil

1 1/2 tsp. oregano

1 pt. whipping cream (unwhipped)

1 1/2 lbs. cooked tortellini

Pour chicken broth into a large pot and heat.

Add basil and oregano.

Place diced tomatoes with juice, tomato paste, and 1/2 cup water into a blender and puree until smooth; add to broth.

In a separate pan, melt butter. Add flour and stir for 1-2 minutes. Whip this into the soup and simmer until thickened; stirring often.

Add cooked tortellini and heat through.

Last of all, add the whipping cream and serve.

Chicken and Corn Chowder with Sweet Potatoes

I love that this recipe has sweet potatoes in it! (Noelle hates that it does!) This was a great soup and was relatively easy to prepare; lots of chopping and dicing! It took me about 1 hour to make. It comes from one of my new favorite sites: My Kitchen Cafe. Just about everything on there that I have tried has been delicious! I made a couple of little changes to fit what I had on hand. I didn't have the corn muffin mix, so I used the dry ingredients from my favorite cornbread recipe and it worked great.

This recipe makes A LOT! I actually had to transfer it from my huge pan to my ginormous pan about halfway through. I would say it could feed 10 people easily.

Chicken and Corn Chowder with Sweet Potatoes

3 cups whole milk (I didn't have whole milk so I used 2 cups 1% and 1 cup cream)

2 Tbs. sugar

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup flour

1/4 tsp salt

(Or you can use 1 cup of a yellow corn muffin mix in place of the previous 5 dry ingredients)

2 T. butter

1/2 onion, chopped fine

3 garlic cloves, minced (or 1 1/2 tsp.)

1/2 tsp. ground cumin (I actually didn't have any of this, so I didn't add it)

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

2 quarts chicken broth

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 " cubes and cooked

2 sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

3 cups frozen corn (not thawed) (I used 3 14oz. cans of corn and it worked great)

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (I -of course- used dried parsley)

1/2 tsp. salt (add more or less to your liking)

3 shakes pepper

Mix milk and muffin mix in bowl until well combined.

Meanwhile, heat butter in large pot over medium heat until foaming.

Add onion and cook until softened, about 8 minutes.

Stir in garlic, cumin and oregano and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add broth, chicken and sweet potatoes.
Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer until sweet potatoes are just tender, about 8 minutes.
Stir in milk and muffin mixture and simmer until soup thickens, about 10 minutes.

Add cheese and corn and cook until cheese begins to melt, about 2 minutes.

Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper.

Serve.

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

This recipe comes from The Sisters' Cafe and here is my take on it. It is definately more noodles than soup - but that is the way Ian likes it! I made it twice in the last 2 weeks for sick friends. Just what the doctor ordered!

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

28 oz. chicken broth

1 cube (or 1 Tbs.) chicken bouillon

2-3 carrots, sliced

2-3 celery stalks, sliced

1/2 medium onion, chopped fine

8 oz. noodles (I used No Yolk wide egg noodles - lots of protein, no fat!)

1 pound chicken, cooked and diced

2 cans cream of chicken soup

12 oz. evaporated milk

Boil broth, bouillon, carrots, celery and onion for 20 minutes or until tender.

Cook noodles with another chicken bouillon cube and drain.

Add noodles, diced chicken, cream of chicken soup and evaporated milk. Heat, add a few shakes of pepper and serve!

(Goes awesome with my homemade bread recipe!)