"Goulash" Soup

So I was in the mood for some Hungarian goulash the other night, but we were having a family "soup" night and so I needed to make a soup version of Goulash... I was just really craving that flavor. I adapted this from an existing goulash recipe and ended up loving it. Plus, it was super easy to throw together and even my kids ate it. It's a perfect fall stew.

1 lb. beef stew chunks (or ground beef)
8 oz. small pasta, such as macaroni, or shells
1 small onion
2 stalks of celery, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
16 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 can diced or stewed tomatoes
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
2 cans beef broth (or equivalent water with beef bouillon)
3/4 cup cream or half and half
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
salt to taste (I used about 3/4 tsp.)

1. In a large pot, cook noodles to al dente. Set aside.

2. While the noodles are cooking, in another large stockpot, on high heat, brown the beef and drain any excess fat.

3. Add the onions, garlic, celery, and mushrooms and saute until celery is tender crisp, about 5-6 minutes.

4. Add the tomatoes, beef broth, tomato paste, paprika, chili powder and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 30-60  minutes. (Or however long you'd like...)

5. Remove from heat and add noodles, cream and sour cream. Adjust spices as necessary.

Chilled Peach Yogurt Soup

I look forward to making this soup all year long. Anxiously, I wait for August, when peaches are finally ripe and in abundance and I can get a box of them while visiting family in Utah. Sure, they have peaches in Vegas... but they're teeerrible. In 9 year of living in Vegas, I have NEVER had a decent peach. It's really quite sad when you consider they're my favorite fruit.

This little soup is a snap to whip up... takes less than 10 minutes and makes a great appetizer, dessert, breakfast, or in my case today, a light lunch. I simply LOVE this stuff.

Recipe Source: Better Homes and Gardens "70 Favorite Soups and Stews"
Serves: Four 1/2 cup servings

2 cups peeled and sliced peaches (approximately 2 large peaches; you can use frozen, but defrost them first and drain the excess liquid)
3/4 cup peach or apricot nectar (I like to use the Kern's nectar, or I'll simply use leftover peach juice from a jar of canned peaches)
1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
8 oz. vanilla yogurt

1. Combine the peaches, nectar, lemon juice and cinnamon in a food processor or blender.

2. In a large bowl, stir about 1/4 cup of the peach mixture into the yogurt. (Reserve just a bit of the yogurt for later, as a garnish.) Combine well and then add the remaining peach mixture, stirring well to combine.

3. Refrigerate for 2-4 hours and garnish with an additional Tbsp. of yogurt.

Potato Leek Soup

This was our meat free meal for the week and it was a hit! My 5 year old finished his first bowl in 4 minutes flat, asked for another bowl, which he finished in 6 minutes, and then informed me that he wanted it for lunch the next day. My children NEVER ask for leftovers. I'm usually the only person in my family who will eat them and as such, they typically last at least a week or until they have to be thrown away.

This soup was inexpensive, hearty, and relatively quick to put together. Cleaning the leeks takes a little longer than cleaning, say a cucumber, but aside from that, it's pretty fast. The leek flavor is pretty subtle. If you didn't know there was leek in it, it mostly tastes like cream of potato soup. But if you know it's there, it lends a nice subtle flavor that I really love. The only complaint I had was from my husband who said he wished it weren't quite as creamy. I did blend it pretty well with my immersion blender. But that's easily remedied by not blending it as much, or setting some aside before you blend it up. Either way you like it, it's good soup.

Source: Adapted from Allrecipes
Feeds 6

3 leeks, cut in half, and thinly sliced (only use the white and light green parts of the leek; cleaning instructions here)
1 small to medium onion, finely chopped
3 Tbsp. butter (or olive oil)
4 cups diced potatoes
1 quart chicken stock (or vegetable broth)
1-2 cups cream (I only used 1 1/2 cups and I used milk to cut down on the calories. The more milk you use, the more potato and leek flavor you'll lose)
Salt
Pepper
Thyme (optional)

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan and add leeks and onion. Saute until tender and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add some salt and pepper.

2. Add the potatoes and continue to saute, for a couple minutes.

3. Add the chicken stock and season with more salt and pepper.

4. Bring to a boil, and simmer, until the potatoes are tender.

5. Remove from heat, and using an immersion blender, blend soup until it's creamy or has reached your desired consistency. Alternately, set aside 1-2 cups of soup and blend the rest. Then add the reserved chunky soup back in.

6. Return to heat, and with heat on low, stir in cream and thyme. Add any additional salt and pepper to taste.

Chicken and Cheese Enchilada Chowder

Crock Pot Goodness! Oooh, this was soooo good! I've tried a few new recipes lately, but none of them have been "blog" worthy (since we decided we could only post good recipes...I know...lame!) ;) I found this recipes on THIS site and thought it looked good and I thought I had all the ingredients on hand (thought, being the operative word here). I was so set on making this dish that I didn't care that I didn't have all the ingredients I thought I did have and therefore had to go to the store after her first nap and then before her 2 o'clock nap and before it would be too late to start a crock pot cooking (said all in one breath!). Anywho. It was worth it.

Emily insists that we made this at Dad's a few years ago and that it wasn't good...but I don't recollect this.... Oh well.

Mmmmm...it was so good. I made a few adjustments to make it taste more "enchilada-y."

Here ya go!

Chicken and Cheese Enchilada Chowder

Makes 6 servings

1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1 10-ounce package frozen whole kernel corn (I did 2 cups)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped yellow, green, or red bell pepper
1 10-ounce can enchilada sauce
1 10.75-ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded Pepperjack cheese (4 ounces)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
4 chicken breasts

4-5 T. taco seasoning ( I did this to taste...however much you want)

In a 3 1/2 to 5 quart slow cooker, combine drained beans, drained tomatoes, corn, onion, and bell pepper. In a large bowl, whisk together enchilada sauce and soup. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Pour sauce mixture over ingredients in cooker and mix.

Cover; cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.

I boiled my four frozen chicken breasts with about 3 T. taco seasoning for 15-20 minutes. Then I chopped it up and added it to the crock pot for the last 30 minutes of cooking. It was soooo good and tender and very flavorful. Mmmm.

I also added about 1/4 cup taco seasoning and some salt and pepper to the soup to give it a little more punch- it hit the spot perfectly!

Stir in shredded cheeses. Can be topped with avocado, sour cream, or crushed tortilla chips and more cheese! Yum!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I've been making this soup for several years now and it's one of our family favorites. Problem is, it changes a little bit everytime I make it. It's a soup that I stand over the stove a lot, adding a pinch of this and a pinch of that. It's no secret that I like it WELL seasoned so I typically add taco seasoning, cumin, and lime juice as I go, until I get the flavor that I like best. So, it's hard to really nail down exact amounts of spices. This recipe is really just a rough road map. There are a lot of ingredients listed with an "optional" behind them. Feel free to start with this and add to it as you make it, or scale it back a bit.

For instance, we like it soupy and not very "tomatoey" in our house, so I never add the tomato sauce/enchilada sauce. As you can tell from the pictures, it still has plenty of tomato. But my mom likes it very stew-like and always adds that extra tomato liquid, and usually a little less other liquid. Plus, I like a lot of lime and usually use the juice from 1 large lime... versus that of a small lime. Or, the ways you cook your chicken can really change the flavor of your soup. If you cook it in taco seasoning or marinate it beforehand, you won't need as many seasonings. If you're lazy like me and usually throw the chicken into the crockpot frozen... you need more. The seasonings listed are based on chicken being cooked completely naked... in fact I just boil it real quick when I'm not using the crock pot. The ways to personalize it are numerous.

Any way you make it though, it is delicious. It's the perfect comfort soup and relatively healthy. Plus, when you make it in the crockpot, it's a snap to put together.

1.25 lbs. chicken, cooked and shredded

1 can (15 oz.) diced tomatoes

1 small onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 small green pepper, diced (optional)

1 can (4 oz.) green chili peppers (optional)

oil for sauteing

2 cans chicken broth, plus enough water to make about 4 cups liquid

1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce or 1 can (10 oz.) enchilada sauce (optional)

2 tsp. cumin

1-2 Tbsp. Taco seasoning

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen corn

2 medium avocadoes, sliced or cut into large cubes

cilantro

2 limes

sour cream

1. Saute onion, garlic, green pepper in vegetable oil for 3-4 minutes.

2. Add shredded chicken, tomatoes, broth and water and any other liquid you choose to use.

3. Add cumin, salt, pepper, taco seasoning, and chili powder and bring everything to a boil. Allow to simmer for 2-25 minutes.

4. Add corn, chopped cilantro, and juice from 1 lime. Continue to simmer until corn is cooked through, about 10 more minutes. (At this point, I often add a bunch of cilantro to the soup and simmer it with the soup for the last 10 minutes, just to infuse a bit more cilantro flavor into the broth. I usually tie it in a bundle and then remove it right before serving. I have no idea if it actually does anything. But it makes my husband happy and makes me feel better.)

5. Serve over chopped avocadoes, and garnished with cilantro, sour cream, shredded cheese, lime wedges and tortilla chips.

Alternately, in your slow cooker:

1. Place chicken, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and peppers in your crock pot. Pour broth, water, and any other liquid over that. Add seasonings and cook on low for 6-8 hours or low 3-4 hours.

2. When using the slow cooker, feel free to add you chicken breast uncooked, and even frozen at the beginning. Then, with about an hour left, pull it out and shred it. Then add it back to the pot.

Black Bean Soup

I've had this recipe bookmarked as something I wanted to try for over a year now. Ever since a "stock-up" grocery trip last Spring, where I accidentally came home with about 20 cans of black beans. The hunt for black bean recipes began then. I finally got around to making this last night and I LOVED it. Seriously, loved it. I couldn't wait to eat the leftovers today. Now I want to eat it once a week, except that my boys were not fans. In the interest of full disclosure, you should know that they each turned up their noses at it, made some delightful faces accompanied by even more delightful noises to express their displeasure and choose to go hungry rather than eat it. Except for my oldest, who was willing to "down" it with his nose plugged, in order to earn dessert. But don't let my toddler boys dictate your menu, because this stuff is delicious. I have a black bean dip on here with similar flavors that I also love, so it seems that I am a fan of the black bean.

This soup is very simple, quick, and nutritious to boot (Only 125 calories for 1 cup of soup, without toppings)! It's vegetarian, but once you puree it, it has a delightful meaty texture that I simply loved. Also, my husband liked it a lot before I added the lime juice. I thought the lime juice was the best part, so try it before you add the lime juice and add as much as your taste dictates.

Source: Our Best Bites
Feeds: 4

1 T olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, minced
2 medium carrots, diced (about 3/4 c)
1 medium onion, diced
2 cans black beans, rinsed well, and drained
1 3.5 oz. can green chilies (I substituted 1/2 a diced jalapeno since I was out of the canned stuff)
2 cans low sodium beef broth
1 t Kosher salt
1 dash black pepper
1/2 t chili powder
1/4 t cumin
1/4 t ground oregano
1 bay leaf (I omitted this, as we were out)
1 lime
Cilantro (optional)

Desired toppings: sour cream, cheese, tortilla chips, cilantro

1. Saute carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in olive oil, about 4-5 minutes, or until onions are translucent.

2. Add beef broth, rinsed black beans, and canned chilies. Stir to combine and add salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and bay leaf. Simmer for about 20-25 minutes, until carrots are soft.

3. Remove from heat and pull out your bay leaf. Place soup in a blender and puree until smooth. Or, use your handy dandy immersion blender and just puree it right there in the pot. I LOVE my immersion blender. My soup didn't get quite as smooth, but I liked it a little chunkier and meatier. If you'd prefer some chunks in your soup, only puree half of your soup. You're the boss of your soup!

4. Return the soup to the pot and heat it through. Taste at this point and decide if you want to add lime. If you decide that the tangy lime is what makes the soup so perfect (*ahem), then squeeze in the juice from one big lime here. Of course, you could just do 1/2 a lime if you wanted a compromise with your husband... Add some chopped cilantro if you so desire (remember... you're the boss!) and combine.

Serve with desired toppings and Enjoy!

Chili

I'm not a huge chili fan, but sometimes you're just in a "hearty soup" mood and chili is cheap, easy, and no fuss. So, I searched a couple of my favorite sites and found two that sounded good, but couldn't decide between the two. So, I combined the two recipes and ended up with a truly delicious and easy chili tonight. The cocoa powder looks a little weird, but I wanted something dark and smoky to take off the vinegary edge of the ketchup and tomato juice. You'd be surprised what a difference that little bit of cocoa makes. The chili went from alright to great after the addition, so don't leave it out. But it is a taste issue... add the red vinegar and cocoa a little at a time, until you get the taste you want. This soup is easy to make, makes a really big pot, and paired with some cornbread and delicious honey butter, you've got the perfect meal.

2 medium onions, diced

1 green pepper, diced

2 to 2.5 lbs. ground beef

3 cans beans (I used a combination of pinto and red kidney)

46 oz. V8 Juice (I recommend the spicy blend, but you can also use plain tomato juice)

1 8 oz. can tomato sauce

1 cup ketchup (I like the flavor ketchup imparts to chili, however the taste is slightly strong. If you're not a huge ketchup fan, consider substituting half of the ketchup with plain tomato sauce.)

2 bay leaves

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup water

3/4 tsp. garlic salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

2 Tbsp. chili powder

1/4 tsp. cayenne

2 teaspoons cumin

1 1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 to 1.5 Tbsp. Cocoa powder (don't use Nesquik here... )

splash of red vinegar

1. Brown the hamburger, onion, and pepper in a large skillet. Drain the fat.

2. In a small bowl, combine the 1/2 cup water with the garlic salt, pepper, chili powder, cayenne pepper, cumin, and brown sugar.

3. In a large pot, combine the tomato juice or V8, beans, tomato sauce, and ketchup. Stir in hamburger mixture and seasoning/water mixture. Add a splash of red vinegar and cocoa powder. Mix well and add bay leaves.

4. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer over medium to low heat, stirring occasionally. In the alternative, at step 3, dump everything into a crockpot instead and cook on low.

5. Serve with green onions, cheese, and sour cream.

Cream Cheese Chicken Soup

I spaced dinner the other night and needed something quick and cheap at the last minute. This soup met all my criteria and even though I didn't have carrots (who doesn't have carrots?!), I still pulled it off and it was delish. (Don't let the horrific pictures fool you... food pictures with flash are awful! Eventhough I had this soup ready at 5:30, it was still pitch black outside...) Even Jared commented on how much he liked it... you KNOW that's a big deal. He even ate the leftovers the next day. The cream cheese gave it a fabulous tang and you could make it healthier by using Neuchtafel cheese instead of fatty regular cream cheese. I really liked that this didn't taste like your typical cream soup, but was still extremely creamy and rich. This is going into my "staples" file. I found the recipe here (quickly becoming one of my new favorite sites...)

A couple of notes: Like I said, I didn't have any carrots, so I used red peppers instead and thought they were great. I also think celery, mushrooms, and peas would be good in this soup. Feel free to add whatever veggies you have on hand.

I also didn't have a ton of chicken on hand, so I upped the potatoes and veggies to make my soup go farther. I just added a bit more broth to completely cover them.

I threw my chicken breasts into the oven right before I started my soup. They ended up being done at almost the exact same time the veggies were tender. It made meal prep easy and quick.

Finally, the recipe calls for softened cream cheese. I find that no matter how "soft" my cream cheese is, when I add it to a sauce or soup, it gets slightly lumpy and doesn't look very appetizing. I almost always put the cream cheese in the microwave for 30 or so seconds, and stir it until it's smooth before I add it to a sauce or soup. That way it doesn't go lumpy and looks more appetizing.

1 lb. chicken, cooked and diced (I used 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts)

3 cups chicken broth (either canned or use bouillon or chicken base--I used water with chicken base)

1 onion, finely diced

1-2 T butter

2 handfuls baby carrots (4-5 regular carrots) (think about 2 cups chopped vegetables)

4-5 potatoes, diced

1 cup milk

4 Tablespoons flour

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

Salt and Pepper to taste

Cayenne (I like my soup with a teensy kick... this is optional)

1. Saute onion in butter. Add 3 cups chicken broth, carrots or other vegetables, and potatoes. Add more broth to completely cover vegetables if necessary. Bring to a boil, then simmer until veggies are tender.

2. Mix the flour with the cold milk. Once veggies are tender (about 10 minutes), add milk mixture to pot of veggies, stirring well.

3. Add cream cheese to soup, little pieces at a time and stir until melted. Add cooked chicken and heat through. Season well with salt and pepper and cayenne, if desired.

White Chicken Chili

 Mmmm mmm mmm. That's all I can say about this recipe. I found it on All Recipes and it was delish! I had one just like this years ago when I was doing a temp job around Halloween and the company had a party and some lady brought this. OOOooh, it was good. But she was a punk and never brought the recipe, like I asked. Rude, I know. Anywho. I found this right in time for our Halloween get together at my dad's and tried it out. It was good. All the reviews I read said it was a little spicey, so I left out the jalapenos. But to make sure it still had a kick...I might've added a little much cayenne. So if you make it, and don't like your food to bite back, maybe go easy on the cayenne. :)

So here ya go. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (I didn't use this since I made it in the crock pot)
  
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 (4 ounce) can diced jalapeno peppers (didn't use this either)
  
• 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (used a little much of this...)
  
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 3 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
• 3 (15 ounce) cans white beans
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

I just plopped everything in the crock pot and let it cook for a good 4 to 5 hours. It was so good!
Photo courtesy of Allrecipes.com

Potato Ham Soup

This is the epitome of comfort food soup! MMmmmmmm, it was so good. Of course, I made a few modifications, but it was really good! I got this recipe off allrecipes.com and stole the photo from there too, so don't think that I took it- cause I would never stage mine so beautifully. :)

Ingredients:
3 1/2 c. peeled and diced potatoes (I did like 4 1/2, cause I like potatoes!)
1/3 c. diced celery
1/3 c. finely chopped onion
3/4 c. diced cooked ham (I did more cause Joey likes 'da meat')
1/2 c. chopped carrots (my addition)
3/1/4 c. water (I did a lot more, but it was a little too much- I'd probably just cover your veggies)
2 T. chicken bouillon granules
1/2 t. salt, or to taste
1 t. black pepper
Cayenne (mmmm...bad daysh...even though it still wasn't too spicy for Joe, so I'm not in trouble)
5 T. butter
5 T. flour
2 c. milk
2 c. corn (my addition)

Directions:
1. Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham, carrots and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt and pepper. *I put the boullion cubes in when I boiled everything, not afterwards*
2. 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. *I made more of this mixture because I added more liquid and more veggies*
3. Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through. *I also added the frozen corn here.* Serve immediately.

This was delish! I've never made a soup with ham in it and it turned out yummy!

Butternut Squash Soup

Meet the oh so delicious and healthy Butternut Squash. Mix it with a few things (it can't be too healthy, right?!) and you've got a perfect soup for fall that's elegant enough for a fancy dinner and yet soothing enough for a night by the fire....that is if I had a fireplace. Guess I'll have to huddle up next to the heater vent! Butternut Squash soup:

1-3 Butternut Squash (I used 3 and it filled my big pot. Freezes great and also yummy to pair with Easy Breadsticks and share with neighbors)
Chicken Broth (for 3 I used the big box type. May only need 1-2 cans)
Butter
Milk/Cream
Brown Sugar
Pepper
Nutmeg

Bake the de-seeded butternut squash upside-down in a pan (may add a little water if you prefer) at about 350 for about 45-60 minutes, or until fork tender. Scoop out all of the yummy pulp and combine it with some of the chicken broth in the blender until smooth and to just about the desired consistency (will add milk later). If you have a super-duper "scary" blender like mine with a stick thing to help mix it around, you can put quite a bit in at a time. Otherwise, you may want to blend it a portion at a time. Pour it into a pot on the stove and add to taste about 4-12 TBS butter, a bunch of Brown Sugar, and the pepper and nutmeg. Pour in milk or cream until desired consistency and taste. Heat through. Soothing, flavorful, beautiful, YUM!

Spinach Tortellini Soup

We had this at a ward dinner the other day, and we cooked it in three roaster ovens... it was amazing. thank goodness this recipe has been cut down to size... it feeds 6-8 not 60-80.

2cloves garlic, crushed
10 oz package frozen, chopped spinach, thawed
1T butter
16 oz can stewed, chopped tomatoes, undrained
8 oz pkg. tortellini
1/4 t pepper
1/8 t cayenne pepper
crispy chopped bacon
2 13 oz cans chicken broth
1 T chicken soup base
Parmesan cheese for garnish

In large saucepan, over medium heat, saute garlic in butter for 3-5 min. Add chicken broth, soup base, and tortellini, heat to boiling. Reduce heat, add peppers and simmer for 10 min. Stir in spinach and tomatoes; continue to simmer an additional 5 min. A few minutes before serving, stir in bacon. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese to taste. Serves 6-8. Is good with french bread.

Perfect Winter Beef Stew

From the Kraft Foods Calendar 2007--January

Prep: 15 minutes
Total: 2 hours 15 minutes (including marinating)

3/4 cup Italian dressing
2 lbs. beef for stew (such as chuck roast)--cut into 1 inch chunks
6 slices of bacon, chopped
1 cup chopped onion (about 1 large)
3 cups sliced mushrooms
3 cups sliced carrots
3 medium potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds)--peeled and cut into chunks
1 can (14 1/2 oz) stewed tomatoes, undreained
1 can (14 1/2 oz) beef broth

Place dressing and meat in Ziploc bag. REgrigerate 30 minutes to marinate. Meanwhile cook bacon is large saucepan on medium heat 5 minutes or until crisp. Remove from pan and drain.

Add onions and mushooms to pan; cook on medium high heat 10 minutes or until softened. Remove meat from marinade. Add meat, carrots, potatoes, tomoates iwth liquid, broth and bacon to saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally. REduce heat to low; cover and simmer 1 hour 15 minutes. Simmer uncovered an addtional 15 minutes or until meat is tender and sauce is thickened; stirring occasionally.

Makes 8 servings; 1 1/4 cup each.

Yummy Taco Soup

This was a recipe I got when we were up at the Brasher's cabin a while back. Kellie made this super yummy taco soup, so I got to get the recipe and tried it out tonight! It was yummy!

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion
1 28 oz. can of stewed tomatoes (I used one can of tomatoes and then peeled 4 or 5 others and put them in with a small can of tomatoe paste and water)
1 16 oz. can kidney beans, undrained
1 16 oz. can corn (I used a cup or so of frozen corn instead)
1 pkg. taco seasoning

Brown the beef and onion. Drain. Stir in tomatoes, beans, corn and taco seasoning. Simmer for 1/2 hr. uncovered. Serve with with chips, grated cheese and sour cream.

Since I added more tomatoes from the garden, I had to add the tomato paste and a lot of extra water to get the right consistency. I also added a bunch more taco seasoning, and salt and wooster sauce. It was really good and makes enough for plenty of leftovers. It's great for people who like really meaty soup!

Cold Cucumber Soup with Dill

I know...my pictures of food aren't nearly as good as Dacia's, but the soup did turn out well. Although, if your name is Joe you probably won't like it!

2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and finely chopped

2 t salt

2 cups plain yogurt

1 T fresh dill

1 clove garlic, minced

2 T olive oil

Sprinkle salt on cucumbers. Set aside for 15 minutes. Rinse salt off and combine cucumbers (reserving a little) with yogurt, dill, garlic, and olive oil. Puree but leave a little bit chunky. Add salt to taste and chill for at least 1 hour. Garnish with reserved chopped cucumber.

NOTE: Alan said it reminded him more of a dip than a soup, but he still liked it and it's pretty refreshing after a very hot day.

Cheddar Chowder

4 c. water
4 c. diced potatoes
1 c. diced carrots
1 c. diced celery
1/2 c. chopped onion
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. flour
4 c. milk (not skim)
4 c. grated cheddar cheese
2 c. cooked, diced ham
Combine water, vegetables, salt and pepper, and bring to boil. Cook until vegetables are tender. Do not drain water. In a separate medium saucepan, melt butter and add flour, forming a smooth paste. Slowly add milk. Then add cheese and stir until melted. Add milk and cheese mixture to vegetable mixture and stir until well combined. Add ham and stir until heated through, but do not bring to a boil.

Easy Vegetarian Corn Chowder

1 T olive oil
2 c diced white onions
11/2 c diced celery
1/2 c diced carrot
3/4 c diced bell pepper (red, green, or yellow)
4 c peeled, cubed potatoes
1/4 t sage
8 c water (or enough to cover veggies by 1/2 inch)
2 T miso or powdered broth
3 c corn
3 T minced green onion
Saute onion, celery, carrot, and pepper in oil until they begin to soften. Add potatoes and sage; Mix well and saute an additional 3 minutes.
Add water, bring to a boil and simmer over medium heat 10-15 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
Remove 1/2 c of broth and dissolve miso in it. Add to soup and mix well.
Remove 1/3 of sour with lots of veggies in it and set aside. Blend remaining soup until smooth in blender or food processor. Stir in reserved soup, corn, and green onion.
Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, and simmer 10 minutes on low heat.

Baked Potato Soup

2 large or 3 medium baking potatoes, baked or microwaved
Cooked and crumbled bacon (optional)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 can (14.5 fl. oz.) chicken broth
1 can (12 fl. oz.) evaporated milk
Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
Sliced green onions (optional)
I always add some dill, too...

MELT butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 to 2 minutes or until tender. Stir in flour.

Gradually stir in broth and evaporated milk.

Scoop potato pulp from 1 potato (reserve potato skin); mash. Add pulp to broth mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes just to a boil. Dice remaining potato skin and potato(es); add to soup.

Heat through. Season with salt and ground black pepper. A word of caution: The longer this soup sits on your stovetop, the thicker it gets and the saltier it gets. Watch your salt and if it gets too thick, just add a little milk to thin it out. Top each serving with bacon, cheese and green onions, if desired.

Mom's Clam Chowder

This is my very favorite clam chowder, the one mom made all the time. I like that it's not overly fishy and you can play with how "soupy" or chunky you want it. As it's written, it's thick enough for a bread bowl, but not overly chunky. If you want it "soupier,", just add a bit more half and half. If you want it thicker, increase the amount of vegetables. I made it last week for dinner group and was reminded of how much I love it and how easy it is to throw together. The boys also love this soup and request it often.

Note: I experimented a little last time I made this and used bottled clam juice in place of the water for my vegetables. I couldn't tell a huge difference, although it's been a while since I made this. I'm not sure if it's worth the extra money (that clam juice is expensive!). You may consider just adding another can of clams to get a bit more clam juice in the soup.

2-3 6 1/2 oz. cans minced clams (drained, rinsed, with clam juice reserved)

2 8 oz. bottles clam juice (optional)
1 c. finely chopped onions
1 c. finely chopped celery
2 c. finely chopped potatoes
3/4 c. butter
3/4 c. flour
1 qt. half & half
1 1/2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
pepper, to taste

1. In a large pot, place your chopped vegetables, reserved clam juice, bottled clam juice and clams. Add enough water to barely cover your vegetables. Bring to a boil, simmering until veggies are tender.

2. While vegetables are cooking, prepare your white sauce. Melt butter in medium saucepan. Add flour, making a roux with a whire whisk. Constantly stirring, slowly whisk in the half and half and sugar. Cook and stir constantly, until smooth and thick.

3. Once your roux is slightly thickened and your vegetables are tender, slowly whisk the cream mixture into your vegetables.

4. Add red wine vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm for up to hour, but don't allow it to boil.