Stuffed Pepper Soup

Ingredients:
1 lb Extra Lean Ground Beef
1 Cup Onion, diced
14 1/2 oz can Rotel (diced tomatoes with green chiles)
2 cups Green and/or Red Bell Peppers
15 oz can Tomato Sauce
3 cups Beef Broth
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup cooked rice

Directions:
Brown the beef with your onion in a skillet over medium heat.  Drain the beef and onions and place in your slow cooker.    Add the Rotel (juice and all) and the rest of the ingredients.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Egg Drop Soup

Ingredients:
3 eggs lightly beaten
4 cups of chicken stock
1 Tbsp of cornstarch
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1 Tbsp soy sauce
3 green onions, chopped
1/4 tsp white pepper
3/4 cup of mushrooms, chopped

Directions:

Reserve 1/2 cup of chicken stock and mix with cornstarch until dissolved.

Place the chicken stock, ginger, soy sauce, green onions, mushrooms, and white pepper in a pot and bring to a boil.  Ad the cornstarch and stock mixture and stir.  Reduce heat to a simmer.

Slowly pour in the beaten eggs while stirring the soup.  The egg will spread out into ribbons.  Turn off the heat and garnish with a few more chopped green onions.  Serve immediately. 

Ben's Super Secret Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:
6 Tbsp  chopped onion
4 Tbsp butter
6 cups of pumpkin or squash
3 cups water
4 cubes of chicken bullion
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1/8 tsp cayenne
2 pkgs of cream cheese
Optional: Super Secret (gives soup a sweet and spicy flavor)Add:
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 cup agave syrup

Directions:

Saute onions and butter.  Add all other ingredients except cream cheese.  Remove from heat and add cream cheese (do not cook the cream cheese).  Blend everything in a food processor or blender.  Serve.

Potato Cheese Soup

Ingredients:
5 cups diced potatoes
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cups water
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup flour
3 cubes chicken bouillon
4 cups milk
2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Directions:
In large pot boil potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, and water. Boil about 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are soft. DO NOT DRAIN.
In a separate large pot, melt butter, flour, chicken bouillon, milk, and cheese. Stir this mixture with a whisk the whole time it is cooking to keep it from getting lumpy or burned. Cook at medium heat to thicken. Add to other pot with potatoes and vegetables. Cook 10 more minutes.

Black Bean Soup

Ingredients:
1 cup salsa
2 cans black beans
1 can black refried beans (optional)
1 can vegetable broth
2 tsp lime juice
2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
sour cream--as topping
Optional:
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 tsp garlic, minced
2 tsp cumin
1/2 jalapeno, chopped

Directions:
Saute onion and garlic. Add in salsa, beans, broth, lime juice, cilantro, onion, garlic, and cumin. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve in bowls and top with sour cream, cheese, and/or green onions.

Zuppa Tuscana

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup ground Italian sausage

2 medium potatoes cut in half lengthwise and cut into 1/4 inch slices

3/4 cup diced onions

6 slices bacon

1 1/2 tsp minced garlic

2 cups Kale leaf, cut into half and then sliced

2 T chicken base

1 qt water

1/3 cup heavy cream

Directions:
Cook ground sausage in skillet until done. In separate saucepan, cook bacon and onions. When bacon is crisp remove bacon. Leaving onion. Add garlic to onion and cook for 1 minute. Add chicken base, water, and potatoes and simmer for 15 minutes. Add crumbled bacon, sausage, kale, and cream. Simmer for 4 minutes.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:
1/2 cup diced carrot
1/4 cup celery
1/4 cup onion
1 tsp butter
6 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken (I used 1 can chicken)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp marjorum
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp parsley
1/8 tsp pepper
1 1/4 cups egg noodles
1/2 cup frozen peas

Directions:
In a large saucepan saute carrot, celery and onion in butter until tender. Add broth, chicken and seasonings; bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Add noodles and frozen peas; cook for 10 minutes or until tender.

Easy Taco Soup

Ingredients:
1lb hamburger (or shredded chicken)
1 small onion, chopped
1 pkg taco seasoning mix
4 cups water
4 cups spaghetti sauce
1/2 tsp pepper
3/4 tsp salt
shredded cheese
sour cream
tortilla chips

Directions:
Brown the hamburger. Place hamburger in crock pot. Add onion, water, spaghetti sauce, taco seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir. Cook on ow 3-4 hours. Serve in individual bowls, top with tortilla chips, cheese, and sour cream. This could also easily just be made on the stovetop and let it simmer for a little while with all the ingredients.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Ingredients:

1 pkg frozen chopped broccoli

42 oz chicken broth (I just used water to make it vegetarian friendly)

6 Tbsp butter

1 onion, chopped

1/2 cup flour

2 cups milk

1 1/2 lbs Velveeta, cubed

1 pinch ground white pepper

Directions:

In a large pot over medium heat, simmer the broccoli in the broth for 15 minutes. In a separate skillet over medium heat, melt the butter or margarine, add the onions and saute for 5 minutes, or to desired tenderness. Add the flour to the onions and stir well, forming a pasty substance. Gradually add the milk and stir until thick. Add this mixture to the broccoli mixture in the pot and stir well. Then add the cheese, stirring until melted. Finally add the pepper. Be careful not to let the soup boil, or the cheese will break down.

Big Time Gumbo

My husband used to frequent a restaurant with his friend, Charles, to get gumbo. They loved their gumbo. Well the restaurant went out of business and so Charles asked them if he could get their gumbo recipe so he could still enjoy their gumbo. They were nice and gave him the recipe. And Charles gave the recipe to Shane. I never make this recipe. Way too much work and too complicated for me. Luckily for us, Shane loves to make gumbo. It is especially good.

Ingredients:
2 tsp Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 chicken (fryer)
1 lb andouille (Cajun Hollar at HEB or smoked sausage) cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 rib celery chopped
2-3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup flour
1-2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
2-3 green onions, tops only, chopped for garnish
File powder to taste--about 1 Tbsp
2 quarts stock (or chicken broth)

Directions:
Skin and de-bone chicken, cutting meat into 1-2 inch pieces. Use bones and trimmings to make 2 quarts stock. Season chicken with Creole seasoning and pepper. Brown quickly, remove and reserve for later. Brown the sausage, pour off fat and reserve for later.
In a large heavy pot, heat the oil and cook the flour in the oil over medium to high heat (depending on your roux making skill) stirring constantly, until the roux reaches a dark reddish-brown color, almost the color of coffee or milk chocolate for a cajun style roux.
Add the vegetables and stir quickly. This cooks the vegetables and also stops the roux from cooking further. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for about 4 minutes.
Add the stock, seasonings, chicken and sausage. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for about 1 hour, skimming fat off the top as needed.
Serve over rice in large shallow bowls, garnished with the chopped scallion tops. Accompany with a good root beer and lot of hot crispy french bread.

Clam Chowder

Ingredients:
8 slices of bacon fried
2 1/2 cups potatoes, cubed
1 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
4 cups milk
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
1 (8oz) can of clams
salt and pepper

Directions:
Cook potatoes, drain water. Add crumbled bacon, onion, celery, milk, salt, and pepper. Melt butter and mix with flour, add to mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Boil until onion and celery is cooked and mixture thickens. Add clams.

Posole

Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 small pork roast
1 large can of hominy
1 large can of enchilada sauce
1 pkg of taco seasoning
1 head of iceberg lettuce
a bunch of radishes
green onions, sliced
a bunch of cilantro, chopped
several small limes

Directions:
In a crock pot put the chicken and pork, hominy (with it's juices), enchilada sauce, and taco seasoning. (Note: if the meat is not covered then add another can of enchilada sauce).
Cook on low until the meat can be easily shredded. Skim all liquid fat off the top of soup. Remove meat and shred. Put shredded meat back into the soup. Chop all the vegetables and serve as soup toppings.

Beef Stew

Served with rolls.

Ingredients:

1 lb stew meat

2 cups diced potatoes

1 cup diced carrots

1 pkg Lipton onion soup mix

water to cover

optional: celery, mushrooms, onions, tony chacheres

Directions:

Put all ingredients in the crock pot. Cook on low for 7-8 hours.

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
2 medium potatoes, cubed
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
32 oz chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Melt the butter in a large pot, and cook the onion, celery, carrot, potatoes, and squash 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Pour in enough of the chicken stock to cover vegetables. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer 40 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender. Transfer the soup to a blender, and blend until smooth. Return to pot, and mix in any remaining stock to attain desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

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Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 T olive oil

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp dried oregano

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

1 10.5oz can chicken broth

1 1/4 cup water

1 can (or 1 cup frozen) corn kernals

1 can white hominy

1 4oz can chopped green chile peppers

1 15oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and cut into bite sized pieces

Optional toppings: tortilla chips, avocado slices, cheese, green onions, sour cream.

Directions:

In medium stockpot heat oil over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic in oil until soft. Stir in chili powder, oregano, tomatoes, broth and water. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Stir in corn, hominy, chilies, beans, cilantro and chicken. Simmer for 10 minutes. Ladle soup into individual serving bowls and top with crushed tortilla chips, avocado slices, monterey jack cheese and chopped green onions.