Potato Soup

Ingredients:
6 slices of bacon
6 med. potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 6 cups)
2 cups chopped onions
2/3 cup chopped celery
2 lg. carrots, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, chopped (optional)
1 cup water
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup flour
1/2 pint of whipping cream
snipped chives
4 cups milk

Directions:
In a large pan fry bacon until crisp. Remove bacon, drain, crumble and set aside. Stir potatoes, onions, celery, carrots, garlic, water, salt, sugar, salt, pepper into bacon drippings. Cook covered until veggies are tender (20-25 minutes). Combine flour and 2 cups milk until thoroughly blended in a pot. Add potato mixture along with remaining milk. Cover over medium heat, stirring occationally until mixture is thickened (10-15 min). Stir in cream and crumbled bacon, heat through. Garnish with chives.

Makes about 10 cups.

Notes
You can add velveeta cheese to this to make it cheezier. Add right before adding bacon.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Loaded Baked Potato Soup from Disney's Carnation Café

Serves 6
1 pound bacon, roughly chopped
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
3/4 cup diced celery
4 large Russet potatoes, peeled and diced
4 medium red potatoes, diced
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
Coarse salt, freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 cups heavy whipping cream
Optional garnishes: chopped chives, bacon bits, sour cream, shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese

1. In a 6- to 8-quart stockpot over medium heat, fry bacon until crisp.
2. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels, reserving half for garnish. In bacon fat, cook onions, carrots, and celery until the onions are translucent. Add potatoes and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Whisk in flour and stir constantly over low heat until the flour is cooked and the mixture has thickened slightly, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add chicken stock and half of the bacon. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Over medium-high heat, bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Mash some of the potatoes for thicker, creamier texture. Add whipping cream and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Adjust thickness by adding water or stock. Soup should have a creamy consistency.
6. Season to taste, and garnish with toppings.

Cooks’ notes: Soak diced potatoes in cold water until ready to use to keep them from turning brown. To make bacon easier to chop, lightly freeze.

Chicken Noodle Soup

3 cups diced cooked chicken or turkey (I use left over rotissere chicken)
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons margarine or butter
12 cups water
10 oz. frozen mixed vegetables, thawed (I used chopped carrots)
3 to 4 tablespoons chicken-flavor instant bouillon
1/2 tsp dried basil or marjoram leaves
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 package (8 oz) fine egg noodles, uncooked

In 6-quart Dutch oven or large pot, over medium heat, cook celery and onion in margarine until tender; add remaining ingredients except noodles.

Bring to a boil on medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook covered 15 minutes. Add noodles. Cover and cook 10 minutes longer or until noodles are tender.

Makes about 4 1/2 quarts.

Tim McGraw's Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients

* 1 small chicken
* Water
* Pinch of salt
* 1 cup chicken broth
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 3 tablespoons butter shortening (crisco)
* 1/2 cup buttermilk

Directions
Boil chicken in a pot, adding salt to taste. When tender, pull chicken from the bone and return to the pot, adding broth.

In a bowl, combine shortening and flour, mix together with a pastry cutter, then add buttermilk to form a doughy consistency (similar to how you would make biscuits). Sprinkle flour on cutting board. Pinch off part of the dough and roll into a thin sheet and cut into squares. Drop one square at a time into broth. Continue this until all of the dough is used. Add salt and pepper to taste and simmer until tender.

Allow the dumplings to thicken the broth for 2 hours until it is a creamy consistency.

Panera Broccoli & Cheese Soup

Serves/Makes: 4

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups half-and-half
2 cups chicken stock or bouillon
1/2 pound fresh broccoli
1 cup carrots, julienned
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
8 ounces grated sharp cheddar


Directions:

Saute onion in butter. Set aside. Cook melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly and slowly add the half-and-half (this is called making a roux). Add the chicken stock whisking all the time. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat until the veggies are tender for 20-25 minutes. Add salt and pepper. The soup should be thickened by now. Pour in batches into blender and puree. Return to pot over low heat and add the grated cheese; stir until well blended. Stir in the nutmeg and serve.

found at cdkitchen

Texas Chili

Texas Chili
Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds beef, lean chuck
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1/4 cup(s) chili powder
1 teaspoon pepper, red flakes
2 tablespoon tapioca, quick-cooking
1 tablespoon oregano
1 teaspoon cumin, ground
1 teaspoon pepper, black ground
14 1/2 ounce(s) broth, reduced-sodium beef
1/2 medium onion(s), finely chopped
Preparation

Add all ingredients to a slow cooker and mix well. Cover and cook on low 8 hours. Stir chili well before serving.
Sprinkle low-fat cheddar cheese on top if desired.

Nutrition Facts
Number of Servings: 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 354
Total Fat: 11 g
Saturated Fat: 4 g
Cholesterol: 86 mg
Sodium: 159 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 9 g
Dietary Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 53 g

Wild Rice Soup

This is a classic from the Byerlys restaurants.

Ingredients
6 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 tablespoon minced onion
1/2 cup flour
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups cooked wild rice
1/2 cup finely grated carrots
1/3 cup minced ham
3 tablespoons chopped slivered almonds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup half and half
2 tablespoons dry sherry, (optional)
snipped fresh parsley or chives

Directions

In large saucepan, melt margarine; saute onion until tender. Blend in flour; gradually add broth. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in rice, carrots, ham, almonds and salt; simmer about 5 minutes. Blend in half and half and sherry; heat to serving temperature. Garnish with snipped parsley or chives.

Amount: 6 cups.

Tip: One-half cup uncooked wild rice=1 1/2 to 2 cups, cooked.

Chicken and Vegetable Chowder

{serves 12}

Ingredients:

1 cup potatoes, diced ½ inch
1 cup celery, diced ½ inch
1 cup onion, diced ½ inch
1 cup green pepper, diced ½ inch
1 cup leeks, diced ½ inch
1 cup carrots, diced ½ inch
2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 14 oz can of corn, drained
¾ tablespoon coarse ground black pepper
1 ½ tablespoon salt
¾ tablespoon whole thyme, or ½ tablespoon dried
6 bay leaves
1 teaspoon Tabasco
¾ cup sherry wine (optional)
2 cups water
1 14 oz can chicken broth

¾ cup butter, melted
1 cup flour

1-1/2 to 2 quarts half-and-half milk (depending on how thick you like it)

Directions:
Combine melted butter and flour in oven-proof container and bake uncovered at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. In large saucepan, combine remaining ingredients except half-and-half. Simmer with lid on until potatoes and carrots are thoroughly cooked, about 25 minutes. Stir butter-flour mixture into chowder and stir until thick. Mixture will be slightly less thick than cookie dough. Remove chowder from heat. Stir in half-and-half until blended. Heat to serving temperature, stirring occasionally.

Serve immediately.

Winter Woods Chili

Makes: 6 servings
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 2 hours


4 slices bacon
3 lb. beef stew meat
1 large onion, sliced 1/2-inch thick
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 28-oz. cans whole tomatoes
1 15.5-oz can navy beans, rinsed and drained
1 15.5-oz. can red beans, rinsed and drained
2 to 3 Tbsp. chili powder
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
Shredded cheddar cheese
Snipped fresh oregano
Cooked bacon, crumbled

Directions
1. In 4- to 6-quart Dutch oven cook bacon and beef, half at a time, over medium heat until beef is browned. Drain fat. Return meat to pan. Reduce heat; add onions and half of garlic. Cook and stir until onion is tender.

2. Add undrained tomatoes, beans, and 1 tablespoon of the chili powder. Bring to
boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Stir in
remaining garlic, chili powder, and vinegar. Cook, covered, 1 hour. Add water to desired consistency. Season to taste. Top servings with cheese, oregano, and crumbled bacon. Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 6 servingsCalories 546, Total Fat (g) 23, Saturated Fat (g) 9, Monounsaturated Fat (g) 9, Polyunsaturated Fat (g) 2, Cholesterol (mg) 107, Sodium (mg) 1222, Carbohydrate (g) 31, Total Sugar (g) 7, Fiber (g) 8, Protein (g) 54, Vitamin A (DV%) 0, Vitamin C (DV%) 37, Calcium (DV%) 25, Iron (DV%) 41, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Wasatch Mountain Chili

Start to Finish: 15 minutes

1 medium onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. cooking oil
1 15- to 16-oz. can hominy, rinsed and drained
1 15- to 16-oz. can great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 14-oz. can reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 9-oz. pkg. frozen cooked chicken breast strips
1/4 cup lime juice
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 cup shredded colby and Monterey Jack cheese, Monterey Jack, or cheddar cheese (2 oz.)

Bottled green salsa
White corn tortilla chips
Fresh cilantro leaves

Directions
In a large saucepan cook onion in hot oil over medium heat for 3 minutes. Stir in hominy, beans, chicken broth, frozen chicken, lime juice, cilantro, cumin, and pepper. Cover and bring to boiling over high heat, stirring occasionally. Serve topped with cheese, salsa, tortilla chips, and fresh cilantro.

Nutrition Facts
Calories 434, Total Fat (g) 14, Saturated Fat (g) 5, Monounsaturated Fat (g) 4, Polyunsaturated Fat (g) 2, Cholesterol (mg) 58, Sodium (mg) 1001, Carbohydrate (g) 48, Total Sugar (g) 2, Fiber (g) 9, Protein (g) 31, Vitamin A (DV%) 0, Vitamin C (DV%) 17, Calcium (DV%) 20, Iron (DV%) 17, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup

4-6 chicken breasts (You can put them in the crock pot frozen)
2 cans black beans
1 can of corn
1 can chicken broth (water and chicken boullion cubes will work)
1 packet taco seasoning mix
1 cup salsa (sometimes I'll just add the whole jar)

Top with grated cheese, sour cream, and chips before eating. This recipe is great because you can throw it in the crock pot in the morning, cook it on low, and it's perfect by dinner time. The chicken usually shreds on it's own, but you may want to shred it yourself before serving it.

Black Bean Soup

Delicious.
Fast.
Easy.

cup salsa (fresca is best, but any type will do) plus more for garnish
2 15 oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups chicken broth
sour cream, for garnish
lime, for garnish

Heat salsa in large saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes. Stir in beans and broth; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Cool slightly and spoon half of soup into blender or food processor to puree.

Serve with sour cream and salsa. Also good with shredded chicken, tortilla strips, avocado, tomatoes, and cheese.