Soup Recipes

I love, love soups and these are two of my favorite recipes. :)

Minestrone Soup
Brown and drain 1 lb. Italian Sausage and 1 chopped onion.

Add to a large pot:

1 quart water (4 C.)
2 cloves of garlic
2 chopped carrots
2 stalks chopped celery
1 – 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
2 – 8 oz. can tomato sauce
2 – 10 oz. beef broth
½ tsp. sweet basil
1 tsp. oregano
1 Tbsp. parsley flakes
½ tsp. sugar
1 can French cut green beans (drained)
1 can mushrooms with liquid
1 can kidney beans

Instructions:

-Mix all together in a big pot.
-Let simmer for a while.
-The longer it simmer the better it is.
-Just before you are ready to serve the soup add cooked macaroni.

Taco Soup

Brown together:
1 ½ lbs. hamburger
1 onion
1 clove garlic

Put in a large pot and add:

2 cans tomato soup
2 cans corn
3 cans beans (I prefer 2 black beans and 1 garbanzo)
1 C. salsa
1 quart water
1 can diced tomatoes
1-2 tsp. taco seasoning
1-2 tsp. chili powder

Simmer 45 minutes.  Or I like to put this in my crock pot on low for 4-6 hours.

Serve over corn chips or taco chips.  Add grated cheese and sour cream.

Both of these recipes make a lot and they freeze well.

Taco Soup

Taco Soup

1 lb. cooked hamburger
1/4 cup onion
1 can diced tomatoes with juice (14.5 oz)
1 can corn with juice (8.5 oz)
1 can black beans (15 oz)
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 can tomato paste (6 oz)
1 -3 cups water (depending on how thick you like it – I only do 1)

Cook hamburger and ¼ cup diced onion till hamburger is cooked, then add all ingredients. Simmer with lid for 15 minutes.

Serve with tortilla chips, cheese, sour cream, avocado

Creamy Corn Chowder

from Our Best Bites

I know it might defeat the purpose of copying all my recipes from these other blogs. My whole purpose in this blog, however, is not to make up my own recipes but share recipes that we may be hesitant to try. So there, that's my defense :).

Like I mentioned in a previous post, sometimes I think of an ingredient I have that I need to use (for example, this time it was potatoes) and work around that. This soup was sooo good and cheap and easy to make. In her blog post, the author mentioned that if you don't put bacon in it, you can put smoked paprika in. I did so anyways and I put a dash of liquid smoke in too because for some reason that night the creamed corn and onion taste was just overpowering for me and making me nauseated. All I had to buy was an onion for this because I had already had everything else stocked. Also, I put 2/3 of skim milk and 1/3 whole milk because that is what I had. Next time, though, I will use all skim because it is definitely thick enough without the whole milk. Enjoy!

Creamy Corn Chowder

2 Tbsp. butter
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. water
2 1/2 c. milk (skim or 1% work just fine and lighten it up considerably)
2 regular-sized chicken bouillon cubes, 1 Knorr chicken bouillon cube, or 2 tsp. chicken base
1/2 lb. bacon (optional)
1 onion, minced
2 red potatoes, diced into small cubes
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can corn, drained
Salt and pepper to taste (you'll need a considerable amount of salt--probably at least 1/4 tsp. More about this later)
A few dashes of hot sauce (like Tabasco or Cholula)

Fry bacon until crisp. In the meantime, melt butter over low heat in a soup pot. When melted, add flour to make a roux and whisk until it comes together in a little ball. Add water and whisk until completely combined and there are no lumps. Add milk and chicken base or bouillon and bring to a simmer. Add potatoes, onions, and garlic, and simmer (but don't boil!), stirring very frequently, for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add crumbled bacon and corn and heat through. Add a few drops of hot sauce and then salt to taste. The reason why I don't have an exact measurement is that while the soup REALLY needs salt, bacon also really differs in its saltiness, so it can be super easy to make this soup waaaaay too salty. Start with about 1/4 tsp., give it a few minutes, and then add more if you need it.

Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with extra bacon and/or cheese if you want. Because, you know, if there's anything a perfectly healthy bowl of soup (it's only 3 Weight Watchers points!) needs, it's some extra bacon and cheese!

Cream of Tomato and Artichoke Soup

I know what you are thinking, we should not be having soup in the summer, but it's been cold enough here to do so.

I found this recipe blog and tried this soup. It was yummy. I hope to be a little more on top of it in a few weeks and get some new recipes to ya!

Soup's On!

Three-Onion Soup with Cheese-Smothered Toast

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
  
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 large yellow or Spanish onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 2 leeks (white part only), rinsed well an chopped
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4-6 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
• 1 (2-inch) piece Parmesan rind
• Reserved bread from bread bowls or 4 slices sourdough baguette, French or Italian bread, about 1-inch thick and lightly toasted
• sliced Gruyere or Swiss cheese

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, leeks, sugar, and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft, about 10 minutes.

Add the broth, bay leaves, thyme, parmesan rind, salt, and pepper, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, partially cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove the bay leaves and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Preheat the broiler. Top each bread slice with a slice of cheese. Ladle the soup into individual ovenproof bowls and place a cheese-topped bread slice in the center of each bowl. Place the bowls on a baking sheet and broil until the cheese melts, 1-2 minutes. Serve immediately.

MY NOTES: So, I saw this on Robin Miller's Quick Fix on the Food Network, but it called for wine. Then I checked her book out of the library and found one without, but it only called for 4 cups broth and the other one had 6 cups. I thought it could have used more broth honestly, so 6 cups for me next time. (Make a double batch and freeze up to 3 months)

Also, I don't have "ovenproof bowls" so I just toasted my bread, same effect. The parmesan rind is optional - I didn't have one and it tasted fab. We LOVED this and we used swiss cheese, but I really want to try it with the Gruyer. And the cheese is the most expensive thing to buy - everything else is under $5! Same with this next recipe-

Italian Pork & Beans

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbs. EVOO
• 1/3 lb chunk of Pancetta, cut into 1/4 inch dice
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and grated
• 2 celery ribs with leafy tops finely chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cans white beans drained
• salt & pepper
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• crusty bread for mopping

Heat EVOO in skillet over medium heat. Cook pancetta (or ANY meat, I've used chicken, sausage, ground beef, bacon, turkey bacon, anything you like) for five minutes, until crisp. Add veggies, garlic, and bay leaf and cook for five more minutes. Add white bean, season with S&P, then stir in stock and tomato sauce and heat through. Remove bay leaf and serve. So easy, love it from Rachel Ray.

Flamin' Chicken Chili

No picture, but a favorite among EVERYONE who tries it. I love it because you can buy all the ingredients and put it in your pantry and it's fantastic to just throw together without having to go to the store.

• 1 lb. chicken breast, cooked and cubed.
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1-26 oz. cream of chicken soup
• 1-4 1/2 oz. can mild diced green chilies, drained
• 1-10 oz. can Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained
• 1-16 oz. can ranch style beans, drained.
• Cilantro and lime juice to taste. (fresh lime is worth it, 1-2 limes)

Combine and heat through.

Light Italian Wedding Soup

If you get everyday food you already have this recipe and you should try it, because it's SO good.

Light Italian Wedding Soup (serves 6)

1 pound ground turkey (93% lean)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cans (14 oz) chicken broth
2 cans (14 oz) diced tomatoes in juice
2 heads escarole (2 lbs), cored, trimmed, and coarsely chopped. I actually used spinach, because I didn't think anyone would like the escarole

1. In a bowl, combine turkey, garlic, egg, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, 1 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Using 1 Tbsp for each, roll mixture into balls.

2. In a large pot, heat oil over medium. Cook onion, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add broth and tomatoes with juice; bring to a boil and turn down to simmering. Add meatballs; cook, without stirring, until meatballs float to the surface, about 5 minutes.

3. Add as much escarole (or spinach) to pot as will fit. Cook, gradually adding remaining escarole, until wilted and meatballs are cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper if needed. Serve soup sprinkled with more Parmesan.

per serving: 250 cal, 9.8 g fat (3 g sat.), 23.6 g protein, 19.3 g carb, 4.8 g fiber

notes: I doubled this recipe and used it the next night as pasta sauce. I took out the meatballs and blended the soup. Then I cooked it in a pan until it was reduced by about half (cook on high heat, stirring so it doesn't burn on the bottom). I cooked some shell pasta and reheated the meatballs in the sauce (since it was very hot at that point) and gave everyone some sauce on their pasta with a few meatballs. The sauce was a little weird looking because of the spinach and tomato combination but it was fabulous!

ps - I was trying to include a picture, but it's not working right now. Sorry.

Tortellini Soup

Ok is it legal to go first? I got this from a friend and it was so easy and good I thought it'd be perfect to share. They have this great tortellini at Costco, two packs for like 8$ for fresh organic tortellini so I used that and it was great. Alright, sweet blog I am excited! Hopefully next time pictures will be added!

Tortellini Soup


1 Tbsp. butter
4 cloves of garlic
4 c. chicken broth (or 4 bouillon cubes & water)
1 -14. oz can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup parm cheese either powder or real stuff
10 oz. package cheese tortellini
1/2 bag fresh spinach
1 Tbsp dry basil
salt and pepper to taste

Heat butter or olive oil cook garlic 1 min. Stir in tomatoes, broth, basil and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to med add Tortellini. Cook until tortellini is tender (5- 10 min). Then add Parm, stir until mixed stir in Spinach and cook two more minutes.
Enjoy!