Taco Soup

1lb ground beef 1 can sweet corn
1 14 oz can black beans
1 14 oz can white or red beans
2 14 oz cans mexican stewed tomatoes
1 package dry ranch dressing mix
1 chopped onion
1 package dry taco seasoning

Saute onions and brown beef together.  Add all other ingredients and simmer.  Serve hot! Eat with tortilla chips and cheese--obviously!

Rebecca Wendel

Minestrone

Olive oil
1-3 clove garlic chopped (I usually use about 3 because I love garlic)
1 onion chopped
1-2 stalks celery sliced
2 cups (one 15 oz can) chicken stock
2 cups water
1 tsp. salt
2 cups cooked beans (use anything! Navy, Red, Black etc.)
1 28 oz can Italian style tomatoes (I usually blend it first because I don't like tomato chunks)
1/4 head of cabbage
1 zucchini
2-3 cups pasta (use anything again! Hooray!)
Parsley
Pepper


In a large pan sauté garlic and onion in oil about 5 min. Add celery and continue to saute vegetables about 10 minutes total. Add chicken stock, water, salt, cooked beans, tomatoes and cabbage. Bring to a boil, cover and let simmer about 30 minutes. Add zucchini, pasta, parsley and pepper and cook till pasta is done. It makes about 6-8 servings but Matt and I love it and eat a lot so that could be low. Haha.


I love this recipe because you could probably change it however you want and it will still be good!

Melissa Meng

Easy Baked Potato Soup

3-4 med. potatoes, baked
5 bacon strips, cooked & crumbled
2 cans cr. of mushroom soup
1 can cheddar cheese soup
3 ½ cups milk
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp pepper
Dash liquid smoke (optional)
Sour cream Grated cheddar cheese

Peel and dice baked potatoes, set aside. Cook the bacon, remove and drain, reserving 1 ½ tsp drippings. Add the soups, milk, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, pepper, liquid smoke and potatoes to the drippings. Cook until heated through. Garnish with sour cream, bacon and cheese. Yield: 2 ½ quarts.
* Liquid smoke makes a difference!

Creamy Chicken Soup

1 50 oz. can chicken broth
3 cups water
2 large Knorr chicken bouillon cubes
6 chicken tenders cubed, or 2 large breasts
1 white onion, chopped
3 large potatoes, cubed
5-6 large carrots, sliced
parsley

Bring broth, water and bullion to a boil. Add chicken and onion, cook 5 min. Add potatoes and carrots, turn heat down to low boil. When vegetables are tender, add parsley. Just before serving add roux:

3/4 cups butter
3/4 cups flour
1 cup milk

Melt butter, add flour. Add milk and stir constantly until thick. Pour in soup.

Chili

2 lbs hamburger
1 lg onion chopped
4 cloves garlic (minced)
16 oz. tomato sauce
1 c. water
3 T. Brown Sugar
1 tsp. oregano
3 T. Chili powder
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. Red pepper
2 16 oz. can of Kidney Beans

I also like to add one can of Italian Tomatoes, but only if you like
tomatoes in your chili.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

28-oz. can diced tomatoes
14-oz. can corn
14 1/2 oz. can black beans
4-oz. can diced green chiles
2 14 1/2 oz. cans chicken broth
1 3/4 cups water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 to 2 Tbsp. dried, minced onions
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. cumin
salt and pepper to taste
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed and cooked (I use
canned chicken.)
6 to 8 tortillas, cut into 1/4-inch strips
Garnish shredded Cheddar cheese

Add all the ingredients except chicken, tortillas and garnish to a
heavy stockpot. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
Add chicken; heat 10 minutes. Broil tortilla strips until toasted,
stirring often.
ladle soup into bowls; sprinkle with tortilla strips and shredded
cheese. Makes 8 servings.

Chicken Chili Verde Soup

8 oz cream cheese
29 oz can green chili Verde sauce
2 can corn, with juice
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
29 oz can chicken broth or 6 bouillon cubes with water
1 lime juiced
1 garlic clove minced
Pulled (shredded) chicken

Heat and Stir. Serve with chips and shredded cheese.

Easy Tortellini Soup

Cook:
1 lb Italian sausage and drain well. Remove from casing if you can’t find it ground. We like the hot stuff but it might be too much for kids.

Add:
(1) large onion, chopped
(1) garlic clove, finely chopped
(3) 14.5 cans beef broth
(2) 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes, undrained
(1) 8 oz can tomato sauce
(1) cup dry red wine — substitute cranberry juice, if you must : )
(2) carrots, sliced thin
(1) tbsp sugar
(2) tsp italian seasoning — if you don’t have that, just do mix of oregano, basil and thyme

Simmer above for 30 mins or, actually, as long as you want.

Add:
(2) small zucchini, sliced thin — not necessary if your kids would freak about green stuff in their soup
(1) 9 oz package of cheese-filled tortellini — get the good stuff — it’s worth it

Simmer all for 10 more mins.

Grate about a cup of parmesan cheese (or any cheese) and sprinkle on top. Great with sour dough bread on the side.

Gennifer Rawlings