Tortellini Soup

 

• 1 lb. sausage
• 1 teaspoon sage
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
• 4 cups water
• 1 package 8 oz. cheese tortellini
• 1-24 ounce jar 4 cheese spaghetti sauce

1. Using medium heat, brown sausage, sage, and onion, breaking up the meat.
2. Add the chicken bouillon granules and 4 cups water, stirring until mixed well.
   
3. Add the cheese tortellini and bring it to boil. Cook for 10 minutes.
4. Add the spaghetti sauce and stir. Simmer 10 more minutes.

Serve and enjoy.

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

 

• 1 8 oz. packages baby bella or cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic (the kind in the refrigerated jar)
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons dried dill
• 2 teaspoons thyme
• 2 teaspoons Hungarian paprika
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 small bottle (187 ml) chardonnay (3/4 cup)
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup milk
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes
• 2 cups water
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons parsley

1. In large skillet, brown sliced mushrooms and chopped onions in olive oil. 
2. Add butter. 
3. Add the dill, thyme, Hungarian paprika, chardonnay, and soy sauce to the mixture.
4. Continue cooking on low heat, stirring frequently to allow the flavors to intensify.
5. Add the flour and stir.  
6. Add the bouillon cubes and water to the mixture, stirring until well blended. 
7. Add milk and stir. 
8. Cook mixture for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
9. Remove from heat.
10. Add sour cream, lemon juice and parsley.  Stir well. 
11. Return to low heat for about 1 minute stirring constantly.
12. Serve and enjoy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turkey Tortilla Soup

 

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced (red, yellow, orange, or green strips in combination if using leftovers)
• 1 cup turkey breast cooked and shredded (or however much you have leftover)
• 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon powder
• 4 cups water
• 1-15 ounce can corn, drained
• 1-15 ounce diced tomatoes (not drained)
• 1-15 ounce can black beans, drained
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• 1 ½ teaspoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic (from the jar in the refrigerator)
• 1 teaspoon died cilantro
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

 Toppings:

• ½ red onion, diced
• Monterey jack cheese, shredded
• Tortilla strips (purchased or make your own)
• Cubes of avocados (optional)
• Sour cream (optional)

 

1. Sweat ½ of diced red onion and diced bell pepper(s) until slightly translucent. 
2. Add the shredded turkey breast, water, chicken bouillon powder, corn, black beans, diced tomatoes, cumin, chili powder, minced garlic, cilantro and black pepper. 
3. Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently. 

 

Homemade Tortilla Strips (or just buy some)

•  8 flour tortillas
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Garlic salt and pepper mixture

1.  Meanwhile, if you need to make your own tortilla strips, take 8 tortillas and cut into strips no longer than 2 inches long. 
2. Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a ziplock.
3. Add ½ teaspoon garlic salt and pepper mixture.
4. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
5. Put parchment on a baking sheet.
6. Add the strips to the ziplock bag and close. 
7. Shake. 
8. Spread them on the baking parchment. 
9. Bake about 7 minutes. 
10. Turn the strips.
11. Bake about 3 more minutes, watching to see that they don’t over brown.

 Continue cooking the soup for about 45 minutes.

1. Ladle into soup bowls.
2. Top with Monterey cheese, rest of the raw crunchy diced red onion, and toasted tortilla strips. 
3. Top with Avocado, and sour cream if desired. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cream of Chicken Noodle Soup

Cream of Chicken Noodle Soup

• 2 cups of grilled chicken strips, chopped
• 3 ribs celery, diced
• 3 carrots, diced
• 2 T Knorr powdered chicken bouillon or 6 cubes
• 1 T Hidden Valley Ranch powder
• 6 cups water
• 8 oz. uncooked pasta
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup milk
• 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar
• 8 oz. sour cream
• 1 cup crumbled cooked bacon (1 lb.)

1. Grill or roast chicken strips until done and chop.
2. Bake bacon on racks in oven at 400 for 30 minutes or until done.
3. Dice carrots and celery and sweat in a Dutch oven.
4. Stir in chicken bouillon and Hidden Valley Ranch powder
5. Add water.
6. Break spaghetti into small bits about 2 inches long and add it to the mixture.  Stir often. 
7. Cook for 20 minutes.
8. In a separate mixing bowl, stir the milk gradually into the cream of chicken soup until well blended, then add to the pot. 
9. Add the cheese and stir well.
10. Add the sour cream and stir until well blended. As soon as blended, remove the soup from the burner to avoid curdling.
11. Crumble bacon and put on top of each bowl.
12. Enjoy.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

• 1 large butternut squash soup
• olive oil spray
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ cup chopped shallots
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ground pepper (optional)
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons butter

1. Wash and pierce with fork the butternut squash.
2. Put on a cookie sheet and bake it at 425 degrees for an hour.
3. Meanwhile, chop shallots and saute in olive oil in a skillet.
4. Add the garlic and saute a minute longer. (Don't add earlier or it will burn and be bitter.
5. Transfer mixture to the blender.
6. Add the salt, maple syrup, and ground nutmeg.
7. After an hour, remove the squash and cool until comfortable to touch.
8. Half, peel, and remove the seed portion. Chop into 1 inch pieces.
9. Spray the cookie sheet with olive oil.
10. Spread the pieces of squash over the pan.
11. Spray the squash with olive oil.
12. Roast for another 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
13. Add the pieces of squash to the blender.
14. Pour enough of the vegetable broth into the blender so that it can aid in the blending. Do not put too much in the blender or you will have a big mess.
15. When blended, pour the mixture into a pan.
16. Add the rest of the vegetable broth and the butter.
17. Heat, stirring occasionally.
18. Serve in bowls. Sprinkle with pepper if desired.
19. Serve and enjoy.

Hamburger Soup

• 1 lb. ground chuck
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (the refrigerated garlic in a jar)
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 can tomato soup + 1 soup can water
• 1 can whole kernel corn (undrained) + 2 corn cans of water
• 8 oz. Bowties, uncooked
• 6 cubes beef bouillon

1. Brown ground chuck in a Dutch oven, stirring until the beef is crumbled.
2. Blot the meat with a paper towel, or rinse in a colander to reduce the amount of fat in it.
3. Return the meat to the Dutch oven.
4. Brown the chopped onion with the meat for a few minutes.
5. Add the garlic.
6. Add the pepper.
7. Add the tomato soup and stir. Add the soup can of water and stir.
8. Add the corn and the 2 cans of water.
9. Add the pasta.
10. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.
11. Serve and enjoy.

Pasta Stoup (a little thicker than soup)

Stoup is thicker than soup. Here is my recipe:

1 lb. ground sausage, browned

1 teaspoon rubbed sage

1 onion, chopped

1 teaspoon refrigerated minced garlic

3 Tablespoons chicken bouillon powder

6 cups water

1-28 ounce can tomato sauce

1 small can of tomato paste

2 Tablespoons Italian seasoning

10 ounces macaroni type pasta, any shape

Parmesan cheese for topping

In a large Dutch oven, add the sage to the ground sausage, stirring to break into small pieces.

Add onion and cook until translucent.

Add the minced garlic, chicken bouillon powder and 6 cups of water. Stir.

Add the tomato sauce and tomato paste and stir well.

Add the Italian seasoning. Stir.

With medium heat, bring to a soft boil.

Add the pasta and cook 15 minutes.

Ladle into bowls and top with grated Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy.

Ham, Veggie and Rice Soup

I often use this soup to use leftovers from Easter dinner.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 cup ham, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon crystals (or 8 cubes)
• 8 cups water
• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 cup royal blend rice
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons flour, mixed with enough water to make a slurry
• 2 cups shredded cheddar

1. In a Dutch oven, saute chopped red onion in the olive oil.
2. Add the chopped ham and cook for a minute, stirring often.
3. Add chopped celery and chopped carrots.
4. Add the chicken bouillon crystals and water.
5. Add both kinds of rice and black pepper
6. Stir often and cook on medium heat for 1 hour.
7. Add the milk, the slurry, and heat 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
8. Add the shredded cheddar and stir until it melts and thickens the liquid.
9. Serve and enjoy.

Sausage, Green Beans, and Potatoes Slow Cooker Dinner

• 1 smoked sausage ring or 2 links of smoked sausage
• 2 15 ounce cans of cut green beans
• 8 potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters or smaller
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons of chicken bouillon powder or 2 cubes
• 2 cups water
• ¼ teaspoon pepper

1. Cut sausage in quarters long ways. Then cut it crosswise in smaller pieces across.
2. Put in crockpot.
3. Add green beans. Do not drain them.
4. Add potatoes.
5. Add onions.
6. Add bouillon powder.
7. Add water.
8. Add pepper.
9. Cover and cook in slow cooker for 6 hours on high.
10. Serve and enjoy.

Zuppa Toscana

• 1 lb. ground sausage
• ½ teaspoon ground sage
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• ½ bunch kale (at least 2 cups), chopped
• 2 tablespoons dry chicken bouillon
• 6 cups water
• 3 potatoes, peeled quartered and then sliced into ¼ inch pieces
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• Shredded Parmesan cheese for garnish

1. Brown sausage and crumble. Soak up any grease with paper towels and discard them.
2. Add sage and chopped onion. Sweat onions, but do not brown.
3. Add garlic, chopped kale, chicken bouillon, and water.
4. Stir and cook for one half hour.
5. Add potatoes and cook another 15 minutes.
6. Add cream and stir.
7. Continue heating approximately 5 minutes.
8. Serve and garnish with Parmesan cheese

Nancy's Navy Bean Soup

• 1/3 cup baking soda
• 1 pound dried navy beans
• 8 ounces sliced ham, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 ribs of celery, including the leaves, chopped
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 quarts water

1. Place the navy beans in a colander.
2. Pour the baking soda on top.
3. Rinse well with water, examining for defective beans and removing them.
4. Place the beans and all the rest of the ingredients in a crockpot.
5. Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 10 hours.
6. Serve and enjoy.

Canadian Vegetable Soup in Sourdough Bread Bowls

• 2 tbsp. Butter
• 1 onion (finely diced)
• ¾ pound of boiled ham, finely diced
• ½ pound carrots (finely diced)
• 3 ribs celery (finely diced)
• 6 cubes of chicken bouillon
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 4 cups water
• ¾ cup Bisquick
• 4 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces beer
• 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
• Olive oil spray

1. Sour dough bread bowls, purchased from the bakery (optional)
2. In a Dutch oven, saute the onions and celery in butter.
3. Add the ham and brown it a bit.
4. Add the carrots and, paprika, and pepper.
5. Add the chicken bouillon cubes and 4 cups of water.
6. Cook 15 minutes until the carrots are done on medium, stirring often to keep from burning.
7. Add the paprika and black pepper.
8. Stir a cold water into the Bisquick and make a paste of it.
9. Stir the Bisquick mixture into the vegetables.
10. Add the milk and stir in under low heat to prevent from burning.
11. Add 1 teaspoon salt.
12. Add 4 ounces of beer. (You know what to do with the rest of the bottle.)
13. Add 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese.
14. Stir frequently to keep from sticking.
15. Heat for 10 minutes.
16. While soup is cooking, hollow out the sourdough bread bowls. Spray with olive oil, and toast in the oven at 400 degrees.
17. Serve in bowls or bread bowls and enjoy.

Ellen Thompson's Chili Recipe from Aunt Sara

This is a good recipe if you want a chili with a little spice to it and no beans.  Thank you, Ellen, for sharing it with me.  Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of it and now it is all gone.  

• 1 ½ lbs. lean ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves crushed garlic (or ½ teaspoon garlic powder)
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds (not powder)
• ½ cup chili powder
• 1 – 4 ounce can chopped green chiles
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 – 8 ounce cans tomato sauce
• 16 ounces of water

1. Brown ground beef, while stirring.
2. Add onion and cook until clear.
3. Add garlic, cumin, chili powder, chiles, salt, pepper, tomato sauce , and water.
4. Simmer on low heat for one hour, stirring frequently.

Nancy's Chili with Brown Sugar and Beer

This is my chili cook-off recipe from 2006 for people who liked beans and a chili that was not too spicy.   It didn't win (a fiery hot one did), but it got a lot of votes.  

1 lb. ground beef

2 T. onion powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon chili powder

½ teaspoon crushed garlic

1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules dissolved in 1 cup warm water

3  15.5 oz. cans light red kidney beans, drained but not rinsed

1 ½ teaspoon salt

1  46 oz. can tomato juice

2 tablespoons regular chili powder

1 tablespoon white sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

6 oz. beer

Brown first group of ingredients.  Add second group of ingredients.  Bring to boil and simmer for 45 minutes. 

Add brown sugar and beer and cook 15 minutes more, stirring frequently.

Vegetable Beef Soup

The inspiration for this soup comes from my friend, Janine, who was generous enough to share her technique for making this soup.  I have searched for a great tasting vegetable soup for years, yet never was quite satisfied with any of the recipes that I had tried.  Janine never really had exact measurements, but I kept a record of amounts of ingredients that I used.  Her big secret for this soup was twofold.  Do not leave the cabbage out of the soup, even if you think that you do not like cabbage.  It is so fine, it just sort of disappears and the flavor of it is not overwhelming.  And although they are often a challenge to find, it is really important to use the beef short ribs.  Apparently, the marrow from the bones, adds a great flavor to the soup, and it will not be nearly as flavorful if you do not have this item in the soup.   Thanks Janine, for helping me cross one of my bucket list items off my list.                         

Part One: 

• 1 ½ lbs. beef stew meat
• 1 ½ lbs. beef short ribs
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

1.  In a plastic bag, put flour, salt, and pepper.  Shake to mix. 
2. Put the stew meat chunks in the bag and shake. 
3. Start heating the olive oil in a Dutch oven. 
4. Brown the stew meat in the oil. 
5. Add the beef short ribs.  It is not necessary to brown them.  In fact, the soup will be more flavorful, you don’t.
6. Add 10 cups of water to the meat mixture, and bring to a boil. 
7. Reduce and simmer with the lid on for 2 hours.
8. Remove the ribs only and let cool.

Part Two:

• ¼ head cabbage, finely grated or finely chopped with a food processor
• 3 carrots, coarsely chopped
• 2 stalks celery chopped
• 3 medium potatoes, diced into 1 inch cubes
• ½ cup pearly barley
• 3-8 oz. cans tomato sauce
• 8 beef bouillon cubes
• 1 tablespoon dried basil

1. Add the grated cabbage, chopped carrots and celery, cubed potatoes, pearl barley, and beef bouillon cubes.
2. Let cook for about 15 minutes with the lid on.
3. Pick the beef of the ribs and discard the fat and bones. 
4. Return the beef of the ribs to the soup mixture.
5. Add the tomato sauce and basil.
6. Cook for about 30 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
7. Serve and enjoy.

Nancy's Potato Leek Soup

This is a really quick soup for when you are in a hurry.  

• 2 leeks
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon crystals
• 6 cups water
• 4 potatoes, peeled and sliced
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 2 cups cold milk

1. Clean the leeks. Cut the root end off and also again about 4 inches from the root.  Use only this lighter colored portion of the leeks.  Slice lengthwise then crosswise to chop
2. Under low heat,melt the butter or margarine and saute the leeks in a pot big enough to make soup.
3. Add the chicken bouillon crystals, water, sliced potatoes, and pepper.
4. Bring mixture to a slow boil stirring frequently.  Cook until the potatoes are tender (about 12 minutes).
5. In a deep container for mixing,  place the flour.  Add 1 cup of cold milk a tiny bit at a time, stirring after each addition to make a paste without lumps. 
6. Add the milk/flour mixture to the potato leek mixture, stirring constantly. 
7. And another cup of milk.
8. Continue to heat approximately 5 minutes, stirring frequently, so the soup does not scorch.
9. Serve and enjoy.

Coddle

I know that I missed this for St. Patrick’s Day. I know the tradition is usually corned beef and cabbage, but I was hungry for coddle, another dish of Irish origins. If I remember correctly, I was too busy going to the WNIT to make it then, even though it is cooked in a crockpot. I was first introduced to it when my friend David, Cathy’s husband and Lori’s son, was kind enough to make it for our knitting group of friends. David’s Coddle was great, but I tweaked it a little bit to my own family’s likings. This traditional supper of sausages, bacon, and onions and potatoes is at least 2 centuries old and is more a city dish than a rural one. Its urban history surprises me. Coddle was a favorite of Jonathan Swift, the author of Gulliver’s Travels. It would be great served with soda bread. And thanks, David, for expanding my repertoire. :-)

1 lb. bacon, fried and crumbled

1 13 ounce Eckrich or similar brand beef sausage, sliced and browned

2 onions, cut into ½ pieces and browned in the bacon fat

Remove these three ingredients from the fat and place in a crockpot.

8 potatoes, cut in wedges

½ pound baby carrots

1 Tbsp. minced garlic (I used the kind that you keep in the refrigerator.)

1/3 teaspoon pepper

2 cubes beef bouillon

2 cubes chicken bouillon

2 cups water

¼ cup cider vinegar

1/3 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons, fresh parsley, chopped

Add these remaining ingredients and cook in the crockpot 10 hours on low.

Serve in bowls.

Baked Onion Soup

Baked Onion Soup

Serves 2.

2 large onions peeled and sliced
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 beef bouillon cubes
2 chicken bouillon cubes
4 cups water
homemade seasoned croutons (See previous recipe on blog).
2 slices provolone cheese

1. Slice onions and either separate the rings or chop into the size pieces that you like.

2. In a small crockpot, put the onions and teaspoon olive oil. Stir. Cook for 4 hours with lid on. Take lid off and cook for another hour to intensify the flavor.

3. Add the bouillon cubes and 4 cups water. Stir. Replace lid and cook for 2 more hours.

4. Layer the bottoms of soup baking bowls with croutons.

5. Pour soup over them.

6. Cover with round slices of provolone cheese.

7. Bake on aluminum foil in oven at 375 degrees until cheese is browned.

8. Remove and serve immediately.