Chicken Taco Soup

This another recipe I can't believe hasn't been posted yet. This one is the EASIEST to make, not quite as good as the white chicken chili, but it's close! Use the recipe found here.

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 (16 ounce) can chili beans (I use kidney beans)
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans
• 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer (I obviously use chicken broth instead :)
• 2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
• 1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning
• 3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts (I use 1/2 can of Costco canned chicken)
• shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
• sour cream (optional)
• crushed tortilla chips (optional)

Directions

1. Place the onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, broth, and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for low heat, cover, and cook for 5 hours.
2. Remove chicken breasts from the soup, and allow to cool long enough to be handled. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup, and continue cooking for 2 hours. Serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips, if desired.

I chop my onion and saute it in a little oil in a big pot. Then I add the beans, corn, sauce, broth, tomatoes, taco seasoning, chicken until it heats through. The optional sour cream, cheese and chips are really not optional. :) It is YUMMY!

Vegetable Cheese Soup

We had this soup at a Relief Society activity awhile back and I've made it a few times since, it's good, but not the healthiest of soups. :)

I cut this recipe in half and it still makes a lot-

Cook till tender in 3 quarts water:

4 large sliced carrots

6 sticks celery with leaves chopped

1 large onion chopped

3 large potatoes diced

12 – 13 chicken bouillon cubes (I use McCormick’s chicken soup base – ½ tsp per cube)

Melt ¾ lb butter in different pan. Blend in well 1 ¼ cups flour and stir slowly into soup. Add 16 oz Cheese Whiz. May add some grated cheese also.

About 20 minutes before serving, add:

1pkg frozen broccoli or fresh broccoli

1 pkg frozen peas (I put in a can of corn instead)

Served great with bread bowls. This soup freezes well.

I never have cheese whiz. Sometimes I just use cheese and a little milk or sour cream, this time around I actually had some fake nacho cheese in a jar I put a little in. I top with shredded cheese, salt and pepper!

White Chicken Chili

I can't believe I haven't posted this recipe yet. It is by far my favorite 5 minute meal. Open a few cans, a dash of seasoning and you have a delicious meal.

Use variation of recipe found here - http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cha-chas-white-chicken-chili/detail.aspx

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 (4 ounce) cans diced green chiles
• dash of ground cayenne pepper
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 can of Costco canned chicken
• 1 can white beans
• 1 can black beans
• 1 can kidney beans
• 1 can corn
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Slowly cook and stir the onion until tender. Mix in the garlic, green chiles, cumin, oregano and cayenne. Continue to cook and stir the mixture until tender. Mix in the chicken broth, chicken and beans, and corn. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. *BUT if you don't feel like waiting, eat right away and enjoy!

I don't think this tastes nearly as good without sour cream, cheese, and a little salsa mixed in then served with chips. You won't be disappointed! ;)

Minestrone Soup

I know it's summer, but soups are always so easy and it's a cheap, meatless meal. I made some home baked bread to go along with it.

I used the recipe found here - http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/kens-minestrone-soup/detail.aspx

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 2 large carrots, diced
• 1 (29 ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes
• (I took a can of my garlic and onion diced tomatoes and pureed them in the blender since Jack doesn't like tomato chunks)
• 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans
• 1 (15 ounce) can green beans, drained
• tiny shell pasta
• 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 pinch dried basil
• 1 pinch dried oregano
• 1 pinch Italian seasoning
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons vegetarian chicken flavor seasoning
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper

Directions

1. In a large 4 to 5 quart saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Mix in garlic, onion and carrots. Saute the vegetables until just tender; approximately 5 minutes.
2. Add tomatoes with juice, cannellini beans, and kidney beans to the saucepan. Fill each can with water, and add the water to the saucepan. Mix in green beans and pasta. Sprinkle parsley, basil, oregano, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, chicken-style seasoning, and cayenne pepper into the soup; stir well. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Cover, and let simmer 30 minutes.

I go heavy on the seasonings (much more than a pinch) and add tiny shell pasta. I'm not sure how much (maybe 1/3 bag), but be aware it does expand quite a bit when it cooks. Also top with parmesan cheese-it makes this. This made A LOT, but it was good.

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

Found the recipe here - http://southernfood.about.com/od/chickensouprecipes/r/r80401c.htm

This is a good basic, simple soup

• tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/8 cup fresh chopped parsley or about 1/2 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
• 1 cup diced chicken (I used half a Costco can)
• 1 can (10 3/4 ounces) cream of chicken soup, undiluted
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1/8 teaspoon dried leaf thyme
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup carrots (you can use frozen or I diced some and cooked them in the microwave with water for a couple minutes)
• 3/4 cups heavy cream or half-and-half (see my substitute)
• 4 ounces medium noodles, cooked and drained
• Salt, to taste

Preparation:

In a large pot melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and celery and sauté until onion is tender. Add the parsley, chicken, chicken broth, soups, poultry seasoning, thyme, and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the frozen peas and carrots, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes longer. Stir in the cream or half-and-half, along with the cooked noodles; add salt to taste. Heat through.
Serves 8.

Ham Potato Soup

I found this recipe here - http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/delicious-ham-and-potato-soup/Detail.aspx

• 4 cups peeled and diced potatoes
• sliced carrots
• broccoli
• corn
• 1/3 cup diced celery (I used celery seed)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion, or more
• 1 cup diced cooked ham
• 4 cups water
• 2 1/2 Tbsp chicken bouillon granules
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1 1/4 tsp black pepper, or to taste
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• shredded cheddar cheese, optional

1. Saute onion in a little butter in large stockpot
2. Add the potatoes, celery, carrots, ham and water. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes and carrots are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt and pepper.
3. Add whatever else sounds good-broccoli and corn
4. In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.
5. Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through.
6. Serve with a little cheese sprinkled on top

Another solid soup recipe you can't go wrong with!

Sausage Stew

Used recipe found here - http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Italian-Sausage-Stew-3

• 1/2 chub of sausage, added italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 can Italian diced tomatoes
• 4 small red potatoes, quartered
• 1/4 cup sliced fresh carrots
• 1 tsp basil
• salt
• pepper
• -I put in some celery seed since I didn't have any celery
• -I also added frozen green beans and some leftover pasta
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, optional

Directions

• In a large saucepan, cook sausage over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Combine the cornstarch and broth until smooth; stir into sausage mixture. Add the tomatoes, potatoes, carrots and basil. Bring to a boil, boil 10 minutes or until tender. Reduce heat. Add beans and pasta

It was great. I don't think you can really mess up a stew like this. You add whatever you want or have and add onion powder, more italian seasoning, salt and pepper until you're happy with it. I'd like to try this one next time - http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Italian-Sausage-Stew-2