Broccoli Cheese Soup

In these recent cooler months, I have enjoyed preparing soup for our meals. Some of my favorites have been Tortilla Soup, Spicy Potato Soup and White Chicken Chili. Recently, while perusing Pinterest, I found a recipe for Broccoli Cheddar Soup. Thanks to The Little Girl's Guide to Sugar and Spice for a new favorite soup!

The first time I made this, I discovered that it did not make enough for our family. So, I made a few adjustments to make it stretch. I think it tastes just as good and feeds us each at least two full bowls of soup.

2T butter
1 small onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2c. broccoli (about 4 small heads) cut into very small pieces (you want them to fit on a spoon)
4c. chicken stock
3c. milk
1c. flour
1 1/2c. grated cheddar cheese
Salt 
White pepper


Melt butter in a pot over medium heat. Add onions plus a pinch of salt/pepper. Cook until soft. Add garlic, cook for another minute. Add broccoli, cook for a minute, then add the chicken stock and cover. Allow the broth to come to a boil, and cook until the broccoli is soft.


Whisk together flour and milk until combined. Add this mixture to the pot, stirring gently. The soup will thicken and once it's thick and creamy looking, add the grated cheddar. Salt and pepper to taste.

Thanks, again to The Little Girl's Guide to Sugar and Spice for this recipe.

Not Your Typical Potato Soup

My neighbor and friend, Nancy, recently brought me a pot of potato soup. This potato soup was not the typical recipe that you usually make. So, I got her to give me the recipe, and I promptly added it to my stash of recipes

butter or margarine
medium onion, chopped
10 medium potatoes, cubed and boiled until tender
8 oz. french onion dip or ranch dip
2 can cream of chicken soup
milk

Saute onion in butter or margarine. Add dip, soup and 2 soup cans of milk and stir. Add Potatoes. Cook until blended and warm.

White Chicken Chili

The weather in our neck of the woods has turned chilly today. It's a beautiful, breezy fall day that calls for hearty chilis and soups on the menu. In honor of the blustery day, I'm posting one of my favorite recipes.

2 T. oil
1 onion chopped
4 oz. chopped green chili
2 t. garlic
2 t. salt (or less)
2 t. ground cumin
2 t. ground oregano
2 t. ground coriander (optional)
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
3 (16 oz) cans great northern beans (drained)
2 (10.75 oz) cans chicken broth
2 (5 oz) cans chicken (drained)
2 c. cream of chicken soup

In small saucepan, saute onion in oil. Place onion and all other ingredients in crockpot. Cook until heated through and flavors blend.

This can also be cooked on the stovetop. Cook until heated through and flavors blended.

And of course, home stewed chicken is always a great substitute for the canned chicken.

The photos of the beautiful tree were taken last fall. For more pictures of it, click here.

Spicy Potato Soup

1 lb ground beef
4 c. cubed, peeled potatoes (1 1/2" cubes)
1 small onion, chopped
3 cans (8oz ea.) tomato sauce
4 c. water
2 t. salt
1 1/2 t. pepper
1/2 to 1 t. hot pepper sauce

In Dutch oven or large kettle, brown ground beef. Drain. Add potatoes, onion and tomato sauce. Stir in water, salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour or until potatoes are tender and soup has thickened.

Yield: 2 quarts (6-8 servings)

**VERY yummy soup; perfect for fall and winter evenings!**

Stuffed Green Pepper Soup

During our stay in Colorado, we ate at a restaurant named, The Mason Jar. It was a yummy family restaurant! We enjoyed blackened rainbow trout and chicken fried steak. We were pleasantly surprised to discover they even served sweet tea (a southern delight not often found outside the south)! This soup was the side to my hubby's meal and we loved it so much that we asked for the recipe.

2 lbs ground beef
2 quarts water
1 can (28 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes (undrained)
2 c. white rice
2 c. chopped green peppers
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
2 t. salt
1 t. pepper
2 t. beef bouillon

In a large pan, season beef with salt and pepper and cook until no longer pink. Drain beef and add remaining ingredients and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until peppers are tender. Enjoy!

Tortilla Soup

This is a favorite soup recipe in our home. I originally got the recipe from my friend, Heather Denny.

3 cans chicken broth
2 lg cans of chicken ( I prefer freshly cooked chicken, but use the canned when I am short on time)
1 can corn (whole kernel)
1 can white northern beans (more if you prefer)
1 can chopped green chilis
2 (8 oz) cans diced tomato
1 clove garlic, minced (or more to taste)
1/2 t. cumin (or more to taste)
1/8 t. pepper (or more to taste)

flour tortillas, sour cream and grated cheddar cheese
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Mix the first 9 ingredients in a crock pot, set on low and leave for several hours. Taste test occasionally to determine need for more cumin or pepper.

If short on time, all ingredients can be mixed in large pot on stove. Bring to a boil, then let simmer for a while. Taste test and add spices as needed.
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Cut flour tortillas into strips, layer on a baking sheet and broil until crispy and lightly browned. Turn and broil other side.

Serve soup with sour cream, shredded cheese and tortilla crispies.