Spring Pea Soup

I got this recipe from my sister, who got it from.... I'm not sure. Maybe Food For Thought? Who knows. It doesn't matter. I love it and make it all the time, our whole family eats it up. I don't have a picture of the final, pureed product because I ended up rushing it over to a friend in need. But it's still green. GREAT for St. Patrick's Day..

Spring Pea Soup

2 Cans of chicken broth

1/2 white onion, chopped

1 package frozen peas

1 cup spinach leaves (I usually do two handfuls.)

1/2 cup heavy cream

White Pepper

Salt

Curry powder

In a pot, bring onions, broth and peas to a boil. Add spinach and cook till the spinach has wilted. Let cool for a minute then puree in a blender. Return to pot over medium heat and add cream, and seasonings to taste. If you want it thicker, you can add a small combination of water and flour- but it may slightly reduce flavor.

Aunt Linda's Mushroom Soup

I'm well aware that my aunt found this recipe somewhere and didn't invent it herself, but it will forever remind me of our cozy, Christmas party at her house where I fell in love with this soup.

I don't have an actual picture- it doesn't matter. It's not what it looks like that makes it appetizing. But here are some cutie mushrooms that will soon be soup:

Mushroom Soup

5 TB butter, divided
2 leeks, rinsed and chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
6 C chicken broth
2 tsp dill (dried is perfect)
2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 bay leaf
2 lbs of potatoes, peeled, rinsed and cubed
1 lb fresh mushrooms rinsed and sliced
1/2 C heavy cream
1/4 C flour

Melt 3 TB of the butter in a large sauce pan over med heat. Mix in leeks and carrots, cook for 5 minutes or until softened. 
Pour in the broth and season with dill, salt and pepper. Add bay leaf and potatoes and cover, cook for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are soft. 
While that is cooking, saute the mushrooms in the rest of the butter and season with a bit of salt. Add the mushrooms to the soup and cook for another 5 minutes. In a small bowl mix the cream and the flour till smooth, stir it into the soup and serve very warm. 
Garnish with dill.

Beef it Up.

So this is the traditional beef stew... it is a husband pleaser. I'm not a stew fanatic, but it is a hearty meal. Not to mention- super easy (if you have a crock pot.)

I don't have a "result" photo, but I bet you guys can use your I M A G I N A T I ON to picture what it looks like.

Beef Stew

2 lbs Beef Round cut into 1" cubes (salt and pepper)

1 lb small round potatoes (the itty bitty ones, so you only have to halve them)

16 oz baby carrots

16 oz chopped celery

1 can of Condensed French Onion Soup (Campbell's)

1/2 cup water

1 1/2 T. Worcestershire sauce

2 T. of corn starch whisked in with 4 T. water (for LATER)

Mix all the meats and vegetables with the soup, 1/2 C. of water, and worcestershire sauce. Cook in crock pot on LOW for 5 hours, then add the cornstarch mixture and cook on high for another half hour.

Season with salt and pepper, as desired. Tasty, tasty.

Char's Garden Chowder

A friend of mine's Aunt entered this recipe into a contest at Zupas and won. They served this soup at Zupas for a little while so if you have had it there you'll know how delicious it is. It's pretty easy to make and is vegetarian if you want it to be.

Char's Garden Chowder

2 Medium Zucchinis
1 Medium Onion, Chopped
2 T Fresh Parsley, Minced
1 tsp Dried Basil
1/3 c Butter
1/3 c Flour
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
3 c Vegetable Broth
1 tsp lemon juice
2-3 Tomatoes, Diced
1 12oz can Evaporated Milk
1 can Corn
1/3 c Parmesan Cheese, grated
2 c Cheddar Cheese
1/2 lb cooked diced Chicken (optional, I originally added this thinking the soup would need more substance but I was wrong. It holds it's own without meat)

Over medium heat saute the onion, zucchini, parsley, and basil in butter until vegetables are tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Gradually stir in vegetable broth. Add lemon juice; mix well. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for two minutes. Add tomatoes, milk, and corn; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for five minutes or until corn is tender. Just before serving, stir in cheese just until melted. Serve.

Eric's Soup

Eric's Soup

2 quarts of chicken stock

1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced

13 oz diced tomatoes & juice

2 jars of marinated artichoke hearts and SOME of their juice

1 bunch of green onions, chopped

1 large can sliced olives

1 T. minced garlic

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 half lemon, squeezed

4 bay leaves

Saute the green onions and garlic in butter, add the sliced mushrooms then put everything in the stock and let it simmer for 30-60 minutes and serve. I like mine with a little monterey jack cheese on top....

SO good.
Who is Eric? I don't know. But his soup sure is tasty.

Perfect Cold Day Soup

Jaime Oliver's Leek and Potato Soup

It is SO simple, and SO delicious, I almost need to double the recipe so I have leftovers. I like to leave it chunky and not puree it, the flavors stand out more.

ingredients

• 2 carrots
• 2 celery stalks
• 2 medium onions
• 1 pound leeks
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 ¾ quarts chicken or vegetable broth, preferably organic
• 1 pound potatoes
• olive oil
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make your soup
Peel and roughly slice the carrots. Slice the celery. Peel and roughly chop the onions. Cut the ends off the leeks, quarter them lengthways, wash them under running water, and cut them into ¼-inch slices. Peel and slice the garlic. Put the broth in a saucepan and heat until boiling. Place a large saucepan on a high heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add all your chopped and sliced ingredients and mix together with a wooden spoon. Cook for around 10 minutes with the lid askew, until the carrots have softened, but are still holding their shape, and the onion and leeks are lightly golden. Peel the potatoes and cut them into ¼-inch dice. Add the boiling broth to the vegetables . Add your potatoes. Give the soup a good stir and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes with the lid on

To serve your soup
Remove the pan from the heat. Season with salt and pepper. Serve like this or pulse until smooth using an immersion blender or liquidizer. Divide between your servings.

Creamy Mushroom Soup

This is not your Campbell's out-of-the-can soup. This is SO good, and comforting. My sister made this soup when we were younger and finally found the recipe for me. It did not disappoint. I don't care if you don't like mushrooms- this soup is fantastic.

Creamy Mushroom Soup

6 T butter
half of one onion
2 cloves garlic
6 T flour
2 cans chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1/8 t thyme
salt and pepper

4 cups mushrooms (sauteed)
carrots
potatoes
parsley
chives
1/2 cup cream

Saute onion and garlic in 6 T butter until limp.
Add flour and cook 3 minutes
Stir in broth
Add seasonings and mushrooms
Add vegetables and cook 20 min
Remove bay leaf and add cream
Simmer 5 min

Garnish with parsley and chives.

Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup

Ok Lisa, you are an all star when it comes to posting lots of recipes. After we made this meal on New Year's Eve, I have had some recipe requests, so here is my first contribution to the food blog!

When I go to Olive Garden, I can never decide what to get and I inevitably end up ordering the delicious soup/salad/bread option. Yum! Once I tried the Zuppa Toscana soup (a spicy potato flavor), I could never go back. I have searched for a similar recipe and this one takes the cake. We often have Olive Garden flavor at home now with this recipe, though I make changes to the recipe in effort to be healthy. I added my variations in the recipe.

Makes: 6-8 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb ground Italian sausage
• 1½ tsp crushed red peppers
• 1 large diced white onion
• 4 Tbsp bacon pieces
• 2 tsp garlic puree
• 10 cups water
• 5 cubes of chicken bouillon
• 1 cup heavy cream (I use half and half)
  
• 1 lb sliced Russet potatoes, or about 3 large potatoes
• ¼ of a bunch of kale

1. Sauté Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients. (Or do it the night before)
   
2. In the same pan, sauté bacon, onions and garlic over low-medium heat for approximately 15 mins. or until the onions are soft.
3. Add chicken bouillon and water to the pot and heat until it starts to boil.
4. Add the sliced potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.
5. Add the heavy cream and just cook until thoroughly heated.
6. Stir in the sausage and the kale, let all heat through and serve. Delicious! (I stir in the sausage, wait for the grease to rise to the top, and then skim it all off before adding in the kale)

Yum! We also make a copycat Olive Garden salad. You need:

Lettuce
Red Onion sliced into rings
black olives
sliced tomatoes
croutons
banana peppers
Kraft Fat Free Zesty Italian salad dressing

Toss together and enjoy!

And, if you want to add some tasty breadsticks to the meal, I have enjoyed this recipe from the fabulous Real Mom Kitchen for delicious breadsticks, though I did add more salt in the dough then the recipe called for which enhanced the flavor.

Divine Breadstick Recipe found here:
Yum. Now I am hungry!

Chicken Tortilla Soup (easy and kid friendly)

Now, Im no photographer like our talented Lisa, but it wouldn't be a food blog without a picture, right? At least this gives you an idea of what it looks like!


I hesitated to even post this recipe because it is SO simple. But if you are like me, quick and easy, yet tasty meals are just what you need! So here goes:

Chicken Tortilla Soup
2 cans chicken broth
1 cup water
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can red enchilada sauce (I use mild, but if you like spicy use medium or hot)
2 large chicken breasts boiled and shredded
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 limes, freshly squeezed

Combine everything except chicken and lime juice in a crockpot. Cook on low for 3 1/2 hours then add chicken and lime juice and cook for another 30 minutes. Serve with your favorite toppings.

Toppings
shredded cheese
sour cream
avacado
cilantro
Frito corn chips (you can make your own tortilla strips for a more authentic taste; just cut up corn tortillas into thin strips and deep fry them; let dry on paper towel to soak up extra oil)

I usually add a side of cornbread. Hope you enjoy it's yummy simplicity!