Chicken & Black Bean Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked chicken, chopped

1/2 yellow onion diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 jalepeno, seeded and diced

2 cans of black beans, drained and rinsed *

1 cup of frozen corn

2 cans of diced organic tomatoes, no salt *

1 pint of chicken stock, no salt *

1 tsp olive oil

1/4 cup (or 1 package) of taco seasoning

8 flour tortillas (or whole wheat but not corn)

shredded cheese & diced avocado for garnish

Directions:

Heat olive oil in the bottom of a stock pot, add onions and garlic and cook until translucent. Add chicken and diced pepper (if you have little kids use less jalepenos). Stir in stock and bring to a boil. Add beans, tomatoes, and taco seasoning. Simmer 15 - 20 minutes. While the soup is simmering, take tortillas and lay them on a cookie sheet. Place the sheet in the oven on broil. After 2 minutes flip the tortillas so they brown on both sides. Once they are done chop them into small squares. Add frozen corn to soup and stir until cooked through. Add in tortillas. Serve with cheese and avocado as garnish.

* I used Full Circle organic canned produce.

** I used a pre-diced jalepeno in a can. I also only made half a batch of this because I am the only one at my house that eats soup.

Wicked Quick Beans

My grandmother made awesome Okie beans. That recipe, which I cherish, I will probably never post here. This though is a bastard version using some "similar" ingredients which will make you a pot of yummy beans in less than an hour. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/2 lb ground beef

1 stick of linguica, sliced

1/2 white onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 can of Rotell tomatoes with chiles

1/2 c of Del Monte Ketchup

4 cups of chicken broth

2 cans of pinto beans, drained

1 Tbl oregano

salt & pepper to taste

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp chili powder

Directions:

Brown ground beef, linguica and onions in a soup pan. Drain oil. Add garlic and pinto beans, stir 3 to 4 minutes. Combine with all other ingredients and season to taste. Simmer 30 minutes.

Cheap, Cheater Baked Potato Soup

4 lg potatoes- baked and cubed (honestly I bake mine in the microwave)

3 cups of milk

2 Tbsp Butter

2 Tbsp Flour

Salt and Pepper

1/2 lb of cooked bacon (crumbled)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 bunch of green onions chopped

Melt the butter in the pan, mix in the flour and cook until slightly brown, add milk and mix thoroughly. Bring milk to a slow boil and add potatoes, cheese, and sour cream. Season to taste. Mix in green onions and bacon and serve.

Chicken & Cilantro (Cheater Soup)

Ingredients:

1 Roasted Chicken, shredded
1 Bunch of Cilantro (1/2 coup)
6 c Chicken Stock
1/2 Yellow Onion cut into thin slices
1 c Bean Sprouts
2 c Egg Noodles
3 Green Onions, chopped
Lime Juice
1 clove garlic, minced

Directions:

Bring chicken stock up to a simmer in a pot. Add yellow onion, garlic, and shredded chicken meat. Simmer 10-12 minutes. Stir in egg noodles, lime juice and simmer until noodles are soft. Add bean sprouts and green onions. Serve while green onions and sprouts are still crisp

Vampire Hunter Soup

Ingredients:

4 roma tomatoes (sliced)
1 package cherry tomatoes
1 yellow onion (sliced)
2 cloves garlic
fresh basil (to taste)
Olive Oil (2 T or so)
Salt and Pepper
Crushed Red Pepper
1/2 c heavy cream
4 c chicken broth

Directions:

Place tomatoes, onion and garlic on a baking sheet and coat with olive oil and salt/pepper. Broil until roasted tomatoes are tender. Combine all other ingredients in a stock pot and bring to a simmer. Blend with a hand blender.

I serve with grilled cheese sandwiches which I cut with a cookie cutter into bats or tombstones.

Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients:

2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup flour
7 cups milk
4 large baking potatoes, baked, cooled, peeled and cubed, about 4 cups
4 green onions, thinly sliced
10 to 12 strips bacon, cooked, drained, and crumbled
1 1/4 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

In a large potover low heat, melt butter. Stir in flour; stir until smooth and bubbly. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly, until sauce has thickened. Add potatoes and onions. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until soup begins to bubble. Reduce heat; simmer gently for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients; stir until cheese is melted.

Garnish with sour cream or cheese and green onions or bacon if serving formally.

Potato & Leek Soup

Ingredients:
4 slices bacon
2 large leeks, white part only, cleaned, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, diced
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons flour
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups diced potatoes
2 cups half-and-half or whole milk
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
salt and pepper, to taste
fresh chopped parsley or thinly sliced green onion tops

Directions:
Cook bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat until almost crisp; remove to paper towels and crumble. Set aside. Pour off all but 1 teaspoon of the drippings off. Add leeks and diced onion along with butter and oil. Cook the mixture, stirring, until leeks are tender, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the onion mixture and blend in. Stir in chicken broth and potatoes. Cook stirring, until thickened. Cover and simmer over low heat until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in half-and-half or cream and heat through. Add the chopped parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with the crumbled bacon and fresh chopped parsley or thinly sliced green onion tops.

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash, peeled
Nutmeg
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt and pepper
1 onion, chopped
6 cups chicken stock

Directions:
Cut squash into 1-inch chunks. In large pot melt butter. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add squash and stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until squash is tender. Remove squash chunks with slotted spoon and place in a blender and puree. Return blended squash to pot. Stir and season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Serve.

Just for Katie- Brocolli Cheese Soup

I used to make this for my friend Katie when she was pregnant with her first son Wesley. She loved Brocolli Cheese Soup!

Ingredients:

1 can family size Cream of Mushroon Soup

3 tablespoons grated onion

2 tablespoons butter

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

3 cups milk

1 package fresh or frozen broccoli florets, steamed until very tender

1/2 cup shredded carrot

In a large pot, sauté onion & carrot in the butter. Reduce pan to medium low heat and add can of soup (undiluted) to pot and stir. Add cheese and stir until thoroughly melted. Add milk and whisk until smooth. Add the broccoli and stir. Simmer until bubbly.