Shanda's Clam Chowder

INGREDIENTS
2 cans minced clams             (save the juice to pour into the pot over veggies) 2 cans chopped clams           (save the juice to pour into the pot over veggies) 1 (8oz) bottle clam juice
1 cup onion chopped fine
6 ribs celery chopped fine 4 cups red potatoes chopped fine
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup flour
1 pint half and half cream 1 pint skim milk
1/2 tsp salt
dash pepper
1/2 tsp sugar
3 1/2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

DIRECTIONS
Pour juice from cans and jar over vegetables. Add enough water to barely cover veggies, and simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.  In another pan, melt butter; add flour and cook for 1 minute.  Add cream and milk, then cook and stir until quite thick using a whisk to blend. (This is what I call a roux, although it's not technically that)  Add clams to undrained, cooked veggies, then add "roux" to clams/veggies. Heat through. Season with salt, sugar, pepper and RW vinegar. Serve. ENJOY!!!

This is how I like clam chowder. It's a little tangy, but really good! To measure the skim milk I empty the half&half into the pot, then fill the half&half container with milk, then add the milk to the pot. If you want to measure out that pint of skim milk, go ahead. Either way works.

Sherry's Quick Chilly Day Chili

INGREDIENTS
2 med onions, chopped
1 med green pepper, chopped
2 T vegetable oil
2 lbs ground beef
1 16 oz can tomatoes
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
½ cup ketchup
2 T chili powder
¼ t pepper
2 15.5 oz cans kidney beans

DIRECTIONS
Saute’ onions, gr pepper in oil. Add ground beef. Cook until browned. Drain fat. Set aside. Partially drain kidney beans. Stir in tomatoes, sauce, ketchup, chili powder, salt & pepper to meat mixture. Simmer, uncovered for 30 minutes. Stir in kidney beans, simmer 15 minutes longer. Serve with hot cornbread & honey butter.

- Sherry Jennings

Sherry's Taco Soup

INGREDIENTS
1 ½ LB ground beef
1 onion chopped
 1 garlic, minced
2 cans tomato soup
3 cans kidney beans, drained
 1 pint mild salsa
2-3 t chili powder
1 t taco seasoning
1 can chopped green chili’s
1 qt water
tortilla chips, sour cream, & grated cheese

DIRECTIONS
Brown ground beef, onion, & garlic. Drain—add next 8 ingredients. Heat. Serve on top of tortilla chips & top with sour cream and cheese. - Sherry Jennings

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

INGREDIENTS
6 T chopped onion
2 T butter
6 c peeled and cubed butternut squash (i LOVE the pre-cubed packages at Walmart)
3 c water
4 cubes chicken bouillon, or 3 to 4 cups of chicken broth in place of water+bouillon
1/2 t dried marjoram
1/4 t ground black pepper
1/8 t ground cayenne pepper
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

DIRECTIONS
In a large saucepan, saute onions in margarine until tender. Add squash, water, bouillon, marjoram, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Bring to boil; cook 20 minutes, or until squash is tender. Puree squash and cream cheese in a blender or food processor in batches until smooth, or with an immersion blender in the pot. Return to saucepan (if removed to a blender) and heat through. Do not allow to boil.

notes: I've found that even 4ounce of cream cheese is plenty. 8 ounces makes it really rich. Or you could use plain yogurt to cream this up. And this recipe makes about 6 servings. This takes about half an hour of cooking time. So, if you have your butternut squash precut, it really doesn't take long at all to get this on the table.

-Shanda Lyman

Kathryn's Zucchini Tomato Soup

INGREDIENTS
1 pound zucchini, sliced
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken broth
1 large tomato, chopped
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
In a large colander, sprinkle salt over zucchini slices. Let stand 30 minutes to drain then pat dry. In a stockpot, heat vegetable oil over medium high heat. Sautee zucchini onion and garlic in the hot oil for about 10 minutes or until onions are translucent. Stir in the chicken broth and tomato; simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the broth using a slotted spoon and puree them in a blender or food processor. Return the pureed vegetables to the stockpot and stir in the lemon juice, sugar, oregano, basil, parsley and nutmeg. Season with Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

notes: double the zucchini, and its perfect for getting rid of that garden surplus

-Kathryn Blackburn

Merilee's Broke Bean Stew

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 lg. onion - chopped

1 Tbsp chopped garlic

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 28 ox. can diced tomatoes

3  (15.5 oz) cans chickpeas (or kidney beans, black beans, white beans) rinsed and drained

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

3 cups chopped fresh spinach leaves

 

DIRECTIONS

Cook onion in olive oil until clear.  Add garlic.  Add spices and tomatoes and simmer 5 minutes.  Add 2 cans beans and 2 cups broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer.  Place remaining beans and broth in blender.  Add cilantro and blend until smooth.  Add mixture to stew.  Add spinach, stir well.

 

-Merilee Prettyman

Merilee's Zucchini Bisque

INGREDIENTS

1 onion - chopped

2 Tbsp. butter

3 cups chicken broth

4 cups zucchini-peeled if tough-sliced

1/8 tsp. pepper

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 cup half & half

pinch cayenne

grated cheese

 

DIRECTIONS

Cook onion in butter until clear.  Add zucchini and chicken broth.  Bring to a boil and simmer until tender.  

Add seasoning.  Take out approx. 4-6 cups at a time and process in blender until smooth.  Add half and half.  Top with grated cheese.

 

-Merilee Prettyman

Mona's Chicken Soup

INGREDIENTS
8c water
3-4 chicken breasts (or two cans Costco chicken)
3c sliced carrots
1/2c dehydrated onions
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 stalks sliced celery
5c diced potatoes
3 chicken bouillon cubes
1 can evaporated milk

-Mona Williams

Samantha's Cheesy Soup

INGREDIENTS
2 cans cream of potato soup
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cans mexicorn
2c milk
2 cans shredded chicken
2 cans chicken broth
1 can black beans (drained)
16oz velveeta
1 can enchilada sauce (whichever spice)

Top w/cheese, sour cream and tortilla strips (I bought the brand Texas Toast, Chilli Lime Tortilla Strips - way good)

Note: careful, the cheese and milk burn easily if on the stove. Great in a crock pot.

-Mona Williams

Lynette's Minestrone Soup

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small white onion, minced
1/2 cup sliced zucchini
1 cup frozen cut Italian green beans
1/2 stalk celery, minced
4 cloves minced garlic
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cans(15 ounce) red kidney beans, drained
2 cans(15 ounce) great northern or small white beans, drained
1 can(14 ounce) diced tomatoes
1/2 cup shredded carrot
2 tablespoons minced parsley
1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
3 cups hot water
 4 cups fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup small shell pasta

DIRECTIONS
Measure olive oil into a large stock pot and heat on medium. Put the onion, celery, garlic, green beans, and zucchini into the pot and saute for about 5 minutes or until the onions become see-through. Add the vegetable broth, drained tomatoes, beans, carrots, hot water and spices to the pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes. Add the spinach leaves and the pasta and cook for an additional 20 minutes.

 -Lynette Marsing

Lynette's Chicken Gnocchi Soup

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoons extra virgin oil 
4 tablespoons butter 
4 tablespoons flour 
1 quart half and half 
1/2 cup celery, finely diced 
1 cup onion, finely diced 
2 minced garlic cloves 
1 14 ounce can of chicken broth 
1 cup carrots, finely shredded 
1 cup chicken breasts, cooked and diced (you can use a rotisserie chicken) 
1 package gnocchi, cooked  (you can find these in gourmet/pasta section of the grocery store) 
1 cup of fresh spinach coarsely chopped 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1/2 teaspoon thyme 
1/2 teaspoon parsley 
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Saute the onion, celery, and garlic in the butter and olive oil over medium heat until the onion becomes translucent. Add the flour and make a roux. Let the butter and flour mixture cook for about a minute before adding 1 quart of half and half.
Cook gnocchi according to package directions.
Into the roux, add in the carrots and chicken. Once the mixture becomes thick, add the chicken broth. Once the mixture thickens again, add the cooked gnocchi, spinach, and seasoning; simmer until soup is heated through. 

-Lynette Marsing

Starla's Minestrone with Turkey

INGREDIENTS  
1 medium onion, chopped 
1 medium carrot, sliced 
1 celery rib, sliced 
1 tablespoon olive oil 
1 garlic clove, minced 
4 cups chicken broth or homemade turkey stock 
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained 
2/3 cup each frozen peas, corn and cut green beans, thawed 
1/2 cup uncooked elbow macaroni 
1 teaspoon salt 
1/4 teaspoon dried basil 
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano 
1/4 teaspoon pepper 
1 bay leaf

1 cup cubed cooked turkey 
1 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch slices 
 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, optional

DIRECTIONS 
 In a Dutch oven, saute the onion, carrot, celery and garlic in oil until tender. Add the broth, vegetables, macaroni and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Add turkey and zucchini; cook until zucchini is crisp-tender. Discard bay leaf. Serve with Parmesan cheese if desired. Yield: 6 servings (2 quarts).

-Starla Davis

Starla's Raspberry-Cranberry Soup

INGREDIENTS
 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries 
2 cups unsweetened apple juice 
1 cup fresh or frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed 
1/2 to 1 cup sugar 
1 tablespoon lemon juice 
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon cornstarch 
2 cups half-and-half cream 
Whipped cream, additional raspberries and mint, optional   

DIRECTIONS
In a large saucepan, bring cranberries and apple juice to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Press through a sieve; return to the pan. Also press the raspberries through the sieve; discard skins and seeds. Add to cranberry mixture; bring to a boil. Add the sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon; remove from the heat.
Cool 4 minutes. Combine cornstarch and cream until smooth; gradually stir into the pan. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve hot or chilled. Serve with whipped cream, raspberries and mint if desired. Yield: 4 servings.

-Starla Davis 

Chicken Cordon Bleu Soup

Photo from Krista Loertscher

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons butter
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 chopped onion
1/4 cup flour
2 1/2 cups milk (I used skim and it was fine!)
14 oz chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste 
4 medium baking potatoes, baked
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 cup shredded chicken, cooked (I think a rotisserie would be fabulous)
1 cup diced cooked ham

DIRECTIONS
Wash and dry your potatoes. Pierce the skin with a fork and microwave for 5 minutes. Rotate them and cook for another 5 minutes or until done.
In the meantime: In a large stock pot, melt the butter. Add the garlic and onion and let cook until browned, stirring frequently. Do not let the garlic burn, or it will get bitter!
Add the flour to the pan and whisk together. Let the mixture cook for 1 minute.  Slowly add milk a little at a time while whisking constantly. The only lumps you want are the onions. Add the chicken broth and whisk well.  Bring soup to a simmer and heat until thickened, about 5 minutes.
While your soup is thickening, cut the potatoes in half length-wise and either scoop the flesh out or peel the skin off. Cut or mash into small pieces. Get your chicken and ham ready and shred your cheese.
Turn the heat to medium-low and add the potatoes. Sprinkle the soup with salt and pepper. Remember that potatoes absorb salt, so you might want to add a little more than you think you need. Taste as you go.
Add the Swiss cheese, chicken, and ham. Warm through and serve hot.

To eat leftovers, you might have to add some more milk or chicken broth to reheat.

Danette's minestrone soup

INGREDIENTS

3/4 lb. country pork sausage (i might use ground italian sausage next time)
4 cups water with a squirt of lemon juice
2 beef bouillon cubes
2 medium carrots - chopped
2 celery stalks - chopped
1 lg onion-chopped
2 (8ozs) cans tomato sauce
1 lb (16 oz) tomatoes
2 tsp crushed dry parsley
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
salt, pepper and garlic to taste
1 can garbanzo beans drained
1-8oz can cut green beans - undrained
2/3 cup uncooked wide noodles


DIRECTIONS
Brown pork sausage. Drain. Put bouillon cubes in water; add onion, celery, tomatoes, carrots and tomato sauce and seasonings. Simmer covered 4-6 hours. 30 minutes before serving, add beans and noodles. Cook until noodles are tender.

*That is the recipe my mother-in-law sent me. I ended up browning the sausage and then putting everything (except the noodles and beans) in my crockpot and cooked on high for 4 hours. then added the beans and noodles half an hour before we wanted to eat. it was great.

April's Spinach Tortellini Soup

INGREDIENTS
1/2 c. chopped carrots
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 tsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves pressed
1 tsp. of Italian seasoning
4 cans of chicken broth
9 oz. of cheese tortellini
1 can great northern beans drained
1/4 tsp. black pepper
3 cups of fresh spinach

DIRECTIONS
Cook onion, garlic, carrots and Italian seasoning in oil for 2-3 minutes. Add broth and bring to boil. Stir in everything else (except spinach) and boil gently 7-9 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in spinach. Cover for 3 minutes and then serve immediately.

-Shanda

Butternut-White Bean Soup

INGREDIENTS

3 bacon slices (if I'm in a good mood I add more than this :)
1 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup chopped celery
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups (3/4-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds) (i just found out you can buy bags of cubed b-nut squash at walmart)
1/4 cup dry white wine
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (1/2 T if dried)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (15-ounce) cans Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained

DIRECTIONS
Cook bacon in a Dutch oven or pan over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon from pan, reserving 2 teaspoons of drippings in pan; crumble the bacon, and set aside. (i did not do this this once. i forgot the bacon all together, and the soup was still delicious)

Add onion, celery, and garlic to pan; cook 3 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add squash; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add wine; cook until liquid almost evaporates. Stir in broth, cumin, red pepper, cinnamon, and cloves; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes or until squash is tender. Stir in cream, oregano, salt, black pepper, and beans; bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Eat.

-Shanda

Danette's clam chowder

INGREDIENTS

3/4 lb minced clams or 2 cans minced clams
1 cup onion chopped fine
1 cup celery chopped fine
2 cps potatoes chopped fine
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup flour
1 quart half and half cream
1 1/2 tsp salt
dash pepper
1/2 tsp sugar
optional: 2 T red wine vinegar

DIRECTIONS
Place chopped veggies in a pot. Drain clams and their juice over vegetables.  Add enough water to barely cover and simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender about 20 minutes.  In a smaller pot, melt butter; add flour and cook for 1 minute.  Add cream and cook and stir until thick using a whisk to blend.  Add to vegetables.  Cook and heat through.   Season.

 WOW! this was my first time making clam chowder, and i wanted to lick the pot clean. not bragging. this was just the best clam chowder i remembered eating. i served it to a friend right after i made it and she kept saying, "wow! if i hadn't watched you make this, i wouldn't believe you had."
 so, it's obviously not the cook who makes a recipe good. it's what's in it.

update - 11/13/11 - tonight i made this recipe with double the veggies and clams, a pint of f.f. half and half and a pint of skim milk, and 3 and a half T of r.w. vinegar. it was still REALLY GOOD.  maybe better... but maybe that is just the part of my brain thinking it tastes better because it isn't as bad for me... then again, maybe not.

-Shanda

Erika's Cabbage and Meatball Stew

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. of meatballs (I used thawed frozen ones or you could make your own)
1/2 head of cabbage (diced up)
46 oz. can tomato juice
2 cans petite diced tomatoes
1 qt. beef broth
1 c. shredded carrots
1 c. cauliflower
1 c. rice
3 to 4 green onions (diced)--I didn't use these
1 T. basil
3 dashes of Worcestershire
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Make your meatballs or add your thawed frozen ones (chopped into quarters if they are large) to a large stockpot. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 1 hour. Easy Peasy.

-Shanda

Erika's taco soup

INGREDIENTS
1 lb ground meat
1 med onion, chopped
1 pack taco seasoning
1 can broth
1 can cream of chicken
1 can diced tomatoes
2 small cans pork and beans
1 can corn, drained
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can black beans, drained
1 (or two) small cans diced green chiles

DIRECTIONS
brown meat and onion together. add seasoning. add remaining ingredients, simmer and serve with chips and cheese or cornbread and sour cream. even some diced avocados on top...mmm.

-Shanda