Italian Vegetable Soup

[COOK TIME: 30 MIN]

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 (16 ounce) can diced plum tomatoes
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 cubes beef bouillon
6 cups water
2 zucchinis, quartered and sliced
2 cups sliced cabbage
1 teaspoon garlic salt
salt and ground black pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions
Melt butter in a large stock pot over medium-high heat.
Saute onion, carrot, and celery until onion is translucent and vegetables are tender, 5 to 7 minutes.
Stir in tomatoes and Italian seasoning, and cook 5 minutes more, stirring frequently.
Dissolve bouillon cubes in water, and stir into vegetables.
Adjust heat to a medium simmer, and cook approximately 10 minutes.
Add zucchini and cabbage, sprinkle with garlic salt, and cook until tender, 5 minutes more.
Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, and serve.

*********************************************************************

Perfect for a cool evening,

very quick and easy to make

Zucchini Soup

[COOK TIME: 35 MIN]

Ingredients
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons butter
2-3 pounds zucchini, chopped
3 cups carrots, thinly sliced
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
2 cups half-and-half cream

Directions
In a large saucepan, saute onion, celery, garlic and carrots in butter until tender.
Add zucchini, tomatoes, broth, basil and thyme; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Stir in cream; heat through

*********************************************************************
Very easy to make
Creamy, Fresh taste

Mashed Potato Soup

[COOK TIME: 30 MIN]

Ingredients
3 tablespoons chopped onion
4 tablespoon butter
3 cups milk
2 cups mashed potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup chopped celery
2 cups peeled, chopped carrots
1 cup peeled, chopped red potatoes
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives

Directions
In a saucepan, saute the onion in butter until tender.
Add milk, mashed potatoes, salt, celery, carrots, potatoes, and pepper.
Simmer until veggies are tender and soup is thick and creamy
Garnish with chives.

*********************************************************************
Thich, creamy, and hearty
fantastic for leftover mashed potatoes

Cheeseburger Soup

[COOK TIME: 30 MIN]

Ingredients
1/2 pound ground beef or turkey
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
4 tablespoons butter
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups cubed potatoes
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups cubed Cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup sour cream

Directions
In a large pot, melt 1 tablespoon butter or margarine over medium heat: cook and stir vegetables and beef , until beef is brown.
Stir in basil and parsley. Add broth and potatoes.
Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10-12 minutes.
Melt the remainder of butter and stir in flour.
Add the milk, stirring until smooth.
Gradually add milk mixture to the soup, stirring constantly.
Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer.
Stir in cheese. When cheese is melted, add sour cream and heat through. Do not boil.

*********************************************************************
Serve with toasted hamburger buns :)
Has a good flavor that resembles a cheeseburger

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

[COOK TIME: 30 MIN]

Ingredients

5 Roasted Red Peppers, sliced

2 tablespoons Butter

1 Onion, chopped

3 Ribs of Celery, chopped

3 Carrots, peeled and chopped

4 Small Red Potatoes

1 teaspoon Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon Fresh Thyme, chopped

½ teaspoon Fresh Chives, chopped

2 tablespoons Sherry

4 cups chicken stock

Directions

For Roasted Peppers:

Preheat oven on low broil setting

Cut red peppers in half

Place on a greased baking sheet cut side down
Brush olive oil on skin to coat thoroughly

Broil in preheated oven and watch for charring of the skin, about 10-15 min

Remove sheet from the oven, with tongs, put peppers in a bowl

Set the bowl in a brown paper bag

Fold over the top of the bag to seal, allow peppers to rest for about 10 min

Remove skins and seeds from peppers and slice

For Soup:

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large pot, add the onion, celery, carrots, and potatoes.

Cover with chicken stock and simmer for 10-15 min.

Add peppers, herbs, and 2 tablespoons of cooking sherry and allow to simmer for 5-10 more min, until veggies are tender.

Place mixture in a blender a little at a time and blend until smooth.

*********************************************************************

I had looked through a number of different recipes for

roasted red pepper soup

Many of them had steps that seemed a bit excessive

I was looking for something simple and flavorful

So instead I developed my own version of this soup

and am very pleased with the results

The additional veggies only enhance the sweet, smoky pepper flavor

and the herbs bring a hint of something in the background

a well balanced taste and texture =]

Chicken Cheddar Chowder

[COOK TIME: 30 MIN]

Ingredients
4 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups diced potatoes
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced onion
1/3 cup margarine
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups chopped, cooked chicken meat

Directions
In a large stock pot combine chicken broth, potatoes, celery, carrots and onion. Cover and bring to a slow boil for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
In a medium sauce pan melt butter over low heat, add flour and stir until smooth. Let simmer for 1 minute and then increase temperature to medium.
Stir mixture constantly, while gradually adding milk. Continue to stir until thick and bubbly.
Add flour mixture to vegetables. Add soy sauce and then gently stir in cheese. Continue to stir until cheese is completely melted.
Add chicken, heat through and enjoy.

********************************************************************
For cooked chicken meat I like to season 2 chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and a mix of dried herbs and brown on each side, until cooked and juicy.
This soup is perfect for a chilly evening

Chunky Potato Soup

[COOK TIME: 25 MIN]

Ingredients
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 small carrot, chopped
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons butter, cubed
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions
In a large saucepan, combine the potatoes, onion, carrot, celery and broth.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender; lightly mash.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter; stir in flour until smooth.
Gradually stir in milk.
Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
Stir into potato mixture.
Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.
Add parsley, salt and pepper.
Remove from the heat; stir in cheese until melted.

*********************************************************************
If cheddar cheese isn't exactly your favorite, this soup will easily do well with any other well melting cheese, such as swiss, mozerella, etc...
A very creamy hearty soup

Creamy Carrot Soup

[COOK TIME: 1 HOUR]

Ingredients
1 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup butter, cubed
4 1/2 cups sliced carrots
1 large potato, peeled and cubed
2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions
In a Dutch oven, saute onion in butter until tender.

Add carrots, potato, broth and ginger.

Cover and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Cool for 15 minutes.
Transfer to a blender or food processor in small batches; cover and process until smooth.

Return all to the pan; stir in the cream, rosemary, salt and pepper.

Cook over low heat until heated through.

*********************************************************************

Thick, tasty and filling.

Great carrot flavor.

Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup

[COOK TIME: 40 MIN]

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
2 cups uncooked rice
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
2 (14 ounce) cans chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups chopped, cooked chicken meat
6 cups milk, divided
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
In a large pot over high heat, combine the celery, onions, rice, bouillon, broth and water and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid.

Remove from heat and set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter or margarine.

Slowly add the flour, stirring often, to make a roux.

Add 4 cups of milk, 1/2 cup at a time, while constantly stirring.

Add this and the chicken to the rice mixture and return the rice mixture to the stovetop over low heat.
If the soup seems too thick, add some or all of the remaining 2 cups of milk.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

*********************************************************************

Perfect for a cold evening.

Creamy Onion Soup

[COOK TIME: 30 MIN]

Ingredients
2 quarts water
8 cubes beef bouillon, crumbled
2 large onions, quartered and sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cold water
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese

Directions
In a large, heavy pot over medium heat, bring 2 quarts water to a boil.

Stir in bouillon cubes and let boil 10 minutes, until dissolved.

Place onions in boiling water, reduce heat and simmer til onions are tender.
Stir in salt and pepper and simmer 10 minutes.
Stir the flour into 1/2 cup cold water to make a paste.

Gently whisk this mixture into the simmering soup, being careful not to break the onions. Simmer 5 minutes.
Stir in cream and cheese until cheese is melted and mixture is thoroughly heated.

Serve hot, garnished with croutons, if desired.

*********************************************************************

A very tasty, warm you up kind of soup.

Broccoli Soup

[COOK TIME: 40 MIN]

Ingredients
2 cups water
4 cups chopped fresh broccoli
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped onion
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon onion salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions
In a large pot, bring water to boil.
Add broccoli, celery and carrots; boil 2-3 minutes.
Drain; set vegetables aside.
In the same pot, saute onion in butter until tender.
Stir in flour to form a smooth paste.
Gradually add the broth and milk, stirring constantly.
Bring to a boil; boil and stir for 1 minute.
Add vegetables and remaining ingredients.
Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

*********************************************************************

Absolutely a comforting soup.

Very creamy and full of flavor!

Tortilla Soup

[COOK TIME: 45 MIN]

Ingredients
6 (6-inch) corn tortillas, preferably a little old and dried out

1/4 cup canola oil

1 small onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 medium jalapeño chile, seeded, veins removed, chopped

4 cups chicken broth

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea salt)

1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 ripe medium avocado

1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (or other mild, melting cheese)

1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions

If you are starting with somewhat old, dried out tortillas, great. If not and you are starting with relatively fresh tortillas, put them on a baking sheet and put them in the oven at 200°F for 10-15 minutes to dry them out a bit. It is best to start with tortillas that don't have a lot of moisture in them. Cut tortillas in half; cut halves into 1/4-inch strips. In 3-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Fry strips in oil, 1/3 at a time, until light brown and crisp. Remove from pan; drain on paper towels. Reserve.

Heat oil remaining in saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook onion in oil 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic and chile; cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in broth, tomatoes, cumin, oregano, salt, and half of the cilantro. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15 minutes. Add chicken; heat until hot.

Divide half of tortilla strips among 4 individual serving bowls; ladle in soup. Peel and pit the avocado. Cut into 1-inch slices. Place avocado, cheese, remaining tortilla strips, cilantro, and lime wedges on a plate as optional toppings.
Serves 4.

*********************************************************************

A very tasty and easy soup.

Do NOT substitute flour tortillas for corn.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

[COOK TIME: 1 HOUR]

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 half of the soup 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.

*********************************************************************

Personally I think this soup is fantastic

However I add another 8 ounces or so of shredded cheddar cheese

and steam some broccoli tops and small slices of carrot with chicken stock and butter in a pan, drain when tender, and add that as well, it gives the soup another layer of flavor and texture.

Lasagna Soup

[COOK TIME: 40 MIN]

Ingredients
1 pound ground meat [beef, turkey, pork]
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon thyme
1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar
1 (32-ounce) box chicken broth
2 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups broken lasagna noodles
1 (5-ounce) package grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese


Directions
In a large pot, combine ground meat, onion, bell pepper and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until beef is browned and crumbles. Drain well.

Stir in thyme, brown sugar, broth, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Add noodles, and simmer until noodles are tender. Stir in Parmesan cheese.

Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese on top of soup, let simmer for 2 minutes. Stir roughly, then serve immediately.

OR

Preheat broiler. Ladle soup into 8 to 10 ovenproof bowls. Evenly sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Broil soups, 6-inches from heat, 3 to 4 minutes, until cheese is browned and bubbly. Serve immediately.

*********************************************************************

This soup is excellent!

I would recommend it to anyone who loves lasagna.

=]

One major perk is that the recipe is very flexible, if you don't like bell pepper, don't add it, still tastes just fine.

Even the cheese doesn't need to be added for it to be a great soup.

If you don't like tomatoes substitute for a second can of tomatoe sauce.

Its all good.