Minestrone Soup

1 Qt chicken broth
1/2 lb small tube pasta like ditalini 
1 lb smoked sausage, chopped into coins
2 celery stalks diced
1/2 onion diced
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 T italian seasoning

Directions:
brown onions in small frying pan until golden (optional)
put all ingredients in crock pot and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 7-8 hours

Curried Split Pea Soup

Curried Split Pea Soup

1 or 1.5 cups of dry yellow split peas
1 qt chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegetarian option)
1 cup water
1/2 cup salsa
2 tbsp curry powder
1/4 cup dried onion flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup white rice

Directions:
Cook split peas ahead of time by following directions on the package.  Pour off foamy liquid 1-2 times as you cook (helps digestability of peas)
Throw all ingredients in the crockpot and cook on low for 8-9 hours or until rice is tender
Optional: puree soup with an immersion blender if you want a smoother soup

Lasagna Soup

Photo from Elly Says Opa

This was super good.  I made it on a Saturday (except for the noodles) and then warmed it up after church when we had some friends over.  We really enjoyed it a lot, and the leftovers were even better the next few days.  The recipe was from a blog called Elly Says Opa.  (I read about it from another blog, but can't remember which.)


2 tsp. olive oil
1.5 lbs. Italian sausage, casings removed (I used turkey sausage, a combo of mild & hot)
2 medium onions, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 (28 oz.) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1 qt. chicken broth
2 cups beef broth

8 oz. dry mafalda, fusili, gemelli or other curly pasta

1/3 cup finely chopped basil

8 oz. ricotta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

freshly ground black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Add sausage, crumbling as you stir, and brown (about 3-5 minutes). Add onions and cook until softened. Stir in garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, and tomato paste. Cook for about 2-3 minutes or until fragrant and the tomato paste starts to turn a little brown.

Add the diced tomatoes, bay leaves, chicken broth and beef broth; stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. (Alternatively, you can reduce the amount of broth by a little, and cook the noodles separately, adding them to individual bowls before serving.) Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil.

While the pasta is cooking, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella, and pepper in a medium bowl.

To serve, place a large dollop of the cheese mixture in each soup bowl, and ladle the hot soup over the cheese mixture.

Yellow Split Pea Soup

 Zachary made this project for his 100th day of school.  Each of the 10 characters has 10 of a different type of dried bean or pea, so that when you count by 10's they add up to 100.  We went to the bulk bins at Winco to get a small sample of each type of bean.  Most of them I have eaten before, but I'd never tried yellow split peas, so we bought extra and I made some soup.  (The yellow peas are on the 2nd '0'.)  The resulting soup had such a mild and yummy flavor.  I've made it several times since.  I didn't take a picture, though, as it looks like a bowl of yellow sludgy soup, and I'd rather look at that cute little face any time!

2 Tbl butter
1 onion, sliced
3 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
salt and pepper
1/2 tsp turmeric
8 cups chicken stock (Make your own!)
2 cups dried yellow split peas
1 ham hock (Instead I bought a bone-in ham steak.  I cut off all the meat for another meal, and used the bone and the rough edge around the steak.).

Melt the butter over medium heat in a large pot.  Cook onion, celery, carrots, and S+P until onion is soft, about 7-10 minutes.  Add the turmeric, stock, peas, potatoes and pork.  Bring to a boil.  Simmer, covered, about 1 hour, or until peas are soft.  Remove the pork pieces.  Puree.  (I have an immersion blender that works perfectly, but you could also do it in batches in the blender.)  Adjust S+P to taste.

Crock Pot Clam Chowder

1/2 pound bacon, cooked and diced

1 (6.5-ounce) can minced clams, drained

5 small red potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

1 onion, peeled and diced

1 cup sliced celery

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups half-and-half (or you could use heavy cream)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (to add later)

 

Directions.

Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Brown the bacon on the stovetop, and drain the accumulated grease (I saved bacon from breakfast-- about 6 4 slices (I accidentally ate a few...)

Put the bacon into your crockpot, and add clams. Add all the vegetables and spices and pour in the broth. Cover, and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or until the onion is translucent and the potatoes squish easily with a fork.

Use a hand-held stick blender and pulse a few times to naturally thicken the soup. Stir in half and half and shredded cheese. Ladle into wide-mouthed bowls or bread bowls.

Veg-Head Three-Bean Chili

A Rachael Ray Recipe (foodnetwork.com), slightly modified.
No picture, because, well, it looks like chili.  REALLY yummy.

Ingredients.
2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
1 medium yellow skinned onion, chopped
1 large red pepper, seeded and chopped
1 large green pepper, seeded and chopped
1/3 of a small can of jalapenos
4 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
1 cup pale beer or vegetable stock/ broth
1 (32-oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (14-oz) can black beans
1 (14-oz) can dark red kidney beans
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 can spicy refried beans

Topping suggestions:  Cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips, fresh tomatoes, scallions

Directions:
Over moderate heat, add oil to a deep pot and combine onions, peppers, and garlic.  Saute for 3-5 minutes to soften vegetables.  Add beer or broth, add tomatoes, black beans, red kidney beans, stirring to combine.

Season chili with cumin, chili powder and salt.  Thicken chili by stirring in refried beans.  Simmer over low heat about 5-10 minutes longer.

As written, this is what I would call medium spicy.  If you prefer spicier, more jalapenos.  Also part of the original recipe was 1 tablespoon of cayenne hot pepper sauce.

It took me about 30 minutes from start to finish.

Chicken & Corn Chowder

You will need:
1-2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
1 heaping cup of frozen hash browns
1 can corn
1 can cream of mushroom soup (or other)
1 cube chicken bouillon
2 cups milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 dashes of pepper
1/2 onion, chopped
2 T butter

Brown the onion in a skillet until soft. Combine with all other ingredients in slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours or high for about 4.

Creamy white bean soup

This one was so delicious!!!!

Creamy White Chili

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon oil (I used olive oil)
2 cans (15 1/2 ounces each) Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth
1 can (4 ounces ) chopped green chilies
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream

In a large saucepan, saute chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and cream. Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired. Serve immediately. Melanie said this is especially good served with tortilla chips. Makes about 5 servings.

Potato Soup

Crock pot Potato Chowder
8 cups diced potatoes

1/3 cup onion, chopped

6 chicken bouillon cubes

6 cups water1

10 ¾ ounce can of condensed cream of chicken soup

8 ounce package of cream cheese

½ lb bacon, cooked and crumbled

Dried parsley or sliced green onions for garnish – optional

Combine potatoes, onion, water, bouillon, and chicken soup in the crock pot.Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until potatoes are tender. Add cream cheese to crock pot and blend.Top with bacon and parsley or onions before serving.

Chicken enchilada soup

Chicken Enchilada Soup
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained1
14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes (I used the kind with sweet onion in it)
1 10-ounce package frozen whole kernel corn
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped yellow, green, or red bell pepper (I used red, which is my favorite pepper)
1 10-ounce can enchilada sauce (I used mild)
1 10.75-ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup shredded Pepper jack cheese (4 ounces)
2 chicken breasts

In a 3 1/2 to 5 quart slow cooker, combine drained beans, tomatoes, corn, onion, and bell pepper. Place 2 chicken breasts on top of mixture. In a large bowl, whisk together enchilada sauce and soup. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Pour sauce mixture over ingredients in cooker.Cover; cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Remove chicken and cut or shred into bite sized pieces. Add chicken back into soup. Top with pepper jack cheese and serve. Can also be topped with avocado, sour cream, or crushed tortilla chips. Note: if the soup is too thick for you, just add a little more milk after it’s all cooked.

Creamy chicken tortilla soup

You will need:

1 cup salsa
2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups frozen whole kernel corn
1 can (about 15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 soup can water
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 corn tortillas (6-inch), cut into strips
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Stir the salsa, soup, chicken, corn, beans, water and cumin in a 4-quart slow cooker.
Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours or until the chicken is cooked through.
Stir the tortillas, cheese and cilantro into the cooker. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Serve with additional cheese, if desired.

Shrimp Noodle Soup

Boil 8 cups of water.

Add and boil the following for 5 min:

2 (only 2! not all 4) packets of chicken top ramen seasoning

2 T soy sauce

1 carrot, thinly chopped

3 green onions chopped

2T minced garlic

2T grated ginger

1T thai hot chili sauce (I omitted this and it was stil good)

After 5 min, add and boil the following for another 5 min:

4 packets ramen noodles

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 cup baby spinach

1 lb cooked shrimp

Add a spritz of lime juice, stir, and serve!

This one would be good with any variety of veggies: baby corns, sliced celery, red pepper etc.

Bacon Potato Chowder

In slow cooker, mix:

2 can cream of potato soup

2 cans of milk

1 potato diced

1/2 onion diced

4 slices of cooked, crumbled bacon

dash of black pepper

Cook on low for 4-5 hours.

30 min before serving, add 1/2 cup of grated cheddar.

Salmon Chowder

2 T melted butter
1 onion minced
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 clove garlic minced
1 cup diced potato
1 cup sliced carrots
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
1/2 t dill weed
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 cup frozen corn
1 14 oz can salmon, deskinned

Cook in slow cooker 7 hours. Use flour to thicken before serving.

Broccoli cheese soup

--1 qt chicken broth
--2 cups milk
--2 10 oz bags of frozen broccoli florets
--1/2 diced white onion
--1/2 t black pepper
--1/2 t salt
--1/2 t ground nutmeg
--1 cup each of three different cheeses, I used cheddar, jack, and mozarella. I don't think the mozarella worked very well and will try something else next time.
Mix everything except cheese in the slow cooker and cook on low for 7 hours. Mix in grated cheese 30 min before serving to melt.

Butternut Squash Soup

This was hearty and flavorful, and 5 out of 6 Ryersons enjoyed it!

2 butternut squash
6 Tbl chopped onion
4 Tbl butter
1 apple - peeled and cubed
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp chili powder
1 8oz package cream cheese

Half the squash and scoop out the seeds. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on a cookie sheet and roast until tender. (Mine were smaller, but took about 45 minutes at 400 degrees.) Let cool down a bit, then scoop out all the pulp.

When the squash is almost done, saute the onions in the butter in a big pot. Add the apple, water and spices. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook about 15 minutes, or until the apple is soft. Add the cooked squash and let simmer a few more minutes.

Puree the soup and cream cheese together in batches in a food processor or blender. Return to the pot and heat through, but do not boil.

White Chili

1 large onion, chopped
1 stick butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 cups half n' half
1 1/2 tsp chill powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
2 cans navy beans (or any other white bean, i.e. great northern beans)
two 4-oz cans chopped green chilies, drained
5 boneless skinless breast halves, cooked and chopped ~2lbs
1 1/2 cup pepper jack cheese (about 6 oz) (the original recipe calls for Monterrey Jack, but I think pepper jack gives it an extra kick)
1/2 cup sour cream

In a skillet cook onion in 2 tbsp butter over moderate heat until softened.
In a 6- to 8-quart heavy kettle melt remaining 6 tbsps butter over moderately low heat and whisk in flour. Cook roux, whisking constantly, 3 minutes. Stir in onion and gradually add broth and half-and-half, whisking constantly. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes, or until thickened. Stir in chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper. Add beans, chilies, chicken, and cheese and cook mixture over moderately low heat, stirring, 20 minutes. Stir in sour cream.
Serves 4 to 6
Can also cook in slow cooker on low 7-8 hours.

Lentil Soup

1 1/4 cups dried lentils (pick through for any rocks, and then rinse in a strainer)
1 cup water
1 box broth (I used beef)
2 carrots - chopped
1 celery stalk - chopped
1 onion - chopped
1/2 cup salsa

Put everything into a pot and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until lentils are done, stirring every 10 minutes or so. My cookbook said about 40 minutes, but mine took closer to an hour.

Serve with a scoop of green herb sauce on top.

Easy Mexican Chicken Soup

I've thrown this soup together a few times now, and it's quite tasty... and VERY easy. It takes about 10-15 minutes, and most of that is cutting up the chicken. Very versatile.

Ingredients:
Chicken (I use Costco roasted) cubed/shredded- use as much or as little as you want
Chicken stock- usually I use three cans, which I think is the same as one big box
Cilantro- handful coarsely chopped
Jalapeno- chopped. I use the whole thing, but I like it spicy!
Salsa- about a half cup (more or less for spiciness)
Tabasco- if you want it, a few dashes
Salt- to taste
Corn- optional, but it adds a nice sweetness.
Onion, chopped- I've used it, this time I didn't have one handy.

Since everything is already cooked, just throw everything into a pot. When I used the onion, I did saute it for a few minutes before adding the broth. Simmer for about 5-10 minutes. DONE!
I like to garnish with cheese and sour cream. Avocado if I have it. I like it really spicy... that's what the sour cream is for!

So, I suppose this isn't as much of an exact recipe, but an idea to grow from. It's yummy. Enjoy

Cheeseburger Chowder

I made this last night with some ground beef I had precooked and in the freezer. Then last night on the news I saw that it was recalled from Winco for possible E-coli contamination. Nice. At least the kids didn't want any soup. Besides the possible food poisoining threat, the soup was delicious and fast to throw together.

1/2 pound ground beef (without E-coli preferred)

1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup

1 3/4 cups milk

1 cup frozzed hash brown potatoes (I used the little chunky ones)

1 4oz can chopped green chilis

1 Tbl taco seasoning

1 Tbl dried minced onion

1/2 tsp chili powder

(I didn't use, but a can of corn would make a good addition, too.)

In a pot cook beef until no longer pink and drain. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for at least 5 minutes. Garnish with crushed tortilla chips, shredded cheese, and green onions. Makes 2 hearty bowls.