Chicken Cheese Chowder

1 cup shredded carrot1/4 cup chopped onion
2 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup cooked, chopped chicken
4 ounces of sliced mushrooms (I pulverize mine into unrecognizable bits)
3 Tablespoons dry white wine
1 teaspoon celery salt*
1/2 teaspon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups milk
salt and pepper, to taste

*If you don't have celery salt, grind 2 parts coarse salt and 2 parts celery seed in a coffee grinder.

1. Saute the carrots and onion in butter until tender.
2. Blend in the flour and then add the broth. Cook and stir until thickened.
3. Stir in the chicken, mushrooms, wine, celery salt, and Worcestershire sauce, and milk. Heat through.
4. Add the cheese and cook until melted. Do not boil. 
5. Add salt and pepper to taste.

This recipe is from the Once-A-Month Cooking-Family Favorites cookbook, by Mimi Wilson and Mary Beth Lagerborg. There are lots of great recipes in this book, all of which can be cooked ahead and frozen. (If you choose to freeze this soup, do not add the milk or cheese until ready to heat and serve.)

Butternut Squash Soup With Beans and Bacon

3 slices bacon1 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup chopped celery
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/4 cup dry white wine

4 cups cubed and peeled butternut squash*
4 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup half and half
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 15-ounce cans Northern beans, rinsed and drained
3 Tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds (optional)

*To make it easy to peel and cut the squash, boil a pan of water and remove from heat. Put whole squash in water and cover for 10 minutes. Carefully remove and dry off, and then use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin.

1. Cook the bacon until very crisp and then set the bacon aside, reserving 2 Tablespoons of drippings.
2. Saute onion and celery in bacon drippings on medium heat until tender, and then add minced garlic. Sautee one minute more.
3. Add squash and cook another 3 minutes. Add wine and cook until liquid almost evaporates.
4. Stir in chicken broth, cumin, red pepper, cinnamon, and cloves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until squash is tender (about 10 minutes or more).
5. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth.
6. Stir in half and half, oregano, salt, pepper, and beans. Bring to a boil again.
7. Allow soup to stand for as long as possible. Serve each bowl with pumpkin seeds and crumbled bacon on top.

White Chicken Chili

1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized strips *
1 cup dried Great Northern beans, sorted and rinsed
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 10.75-ounce can cream of chicken soup
5 cups water

Just Before Serving:
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
1 4.5-ounce can chopped green chiles

Toppings:
grated Monterey Jack cheese
sour cream
chopped avocado
additional hot pepper sauce

*Do not substitute chicken breast. The long cooking time will dry it out.

1. In a 3.5- or 4-quart slow cooker, combine all ingredients up to the water. Mix well.
2. Cover and cook on low for 9-10 hours.
3. Just before serving, stir in cumin, hot pepper sauce, and chiles.
4. Serve with desired toppings.

Tip: You can assemble this the night before, minus the water. In the morning, put in the slow cooker, add 5 cups warm water, and stir well. Note that it's usually not safe to refrigerate before slow cooking because it slows the cooking time too much, but in this case the warm water brings the temperature up.

Turkey Pumpkin Chili

This mild chili has a unique flavor. It's fun letting people guess the secret ingredients. Some people can pick out the beer, but no one I've served this to has suspected the pumpkin!


2 pounds ground turkey (or 1 pound turkey, 1 pound ground beef)
1 15.25-ounce can sweet whole kernel corn
1 4-ounce can green chiles
1 14.5-ounce can whole or diced tomatoes
1 29-ounce can tomato sauce
1 15-ounce can pureed pumpkin (or about 2 cups fresh)
1 15-ounce can hominy
1 cup chopped onion
1 12-ounce can beer
1 12-ounce can water
3 Tablespooons minced garlic (about 5 medium cloves, pressed)
2 Tablespoons cumin
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1-1/2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1. Brown the meat with the onions and garlic.
2. Mix all ingredients in a slow cooker.
3. Cook 4-6 hours on low. Serve with cheddar cheese.

MIL's Red Beans & Rice

My husband got this recipe from his mother and brought it along when we got married. It's on a stained index card that we just keep hanging on to. It takes several hours to make, but there's enough for a party...or to freeze for another day when you only have time to make rice and cornbread!

1 pound dried red beans, rinsed
1 large ham hock
2 quarts water
3 cups green onion, chopped
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
1 T salt
1 t red pepper
1 t black pepper
1/4 t dried oregano
1/4 t dried thyme
1 T Worcestershire
3 dashes tabasco (optional)
4 oz. tomato sauce
1 pound any smoked sausage, cut into 3/4" pieces

hot cooked rice

1. Place rinsed ham hock in soup pot with the beans and the water. Salt the water if desired and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer, cover, and cook about an hour.
2. Remove ham hock to cutting board. Set aside.
3. Add vegetables, seasonings and tomato sauce to pot. Cook slowly for another hour.
4. Add sausage and cook another 45 minutes. Remove bits of ham from the ham bone and return to pan; cook another 10 minutes and serve over hot rice with tabasco to taste.

Clair's Crockpot Chili

1 lb. ground beef or turkey, browned
1 can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 pkg. taco seasoning

Combine all in crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

White Chicken Chili

1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut in bite-size pieces
1 cup dried great northern beans, rinsed and sorted
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
10.75-ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup
5 cups water
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
4.5-ounce can chopped green chilies
sour cream, optional
chopped avocado, optional

1. In a 3.5 or 4-quart slow cooker, combine chicken, beans, onion, garlic, oregano, salt, soup, and water. Mix well.
2. Cover and cook on low for 9 to 10 hours.
3. Just before serving, stir in cumin, hot pepper sauce, and chilies.
   

Serve with additional hot pepper sauce, sour cream, and avocado.

Serves six.

Try crumbling cornbread into the chili and topping it with grated cheese. Delicious!

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

16-ounce package dried green split peas, rinsed
1 meaty ham bone, 2 ham hocks, or 2 cups diced ham
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 ribs of celery plus leaves, chopped
1 or 2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 chicken bouillon cubes, crushed
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped, or 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
1 tablespoon seasoned salt (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon fresh pepper
1-1/2 quarts hot water
1/2 cup light cream

1. Layer all ingredients except cream and water in slow cooker in the order given.
2. Pour in water. Do not stir.
   
3. Cover and cook on high 4-5 hours or on low 8-10 hours, until peas are very soft and ham falls off the bone.
   
4. Remove bones and bay leaf. Mash peas to thicken soup. Add cream just before serving.

Serve garnished with croutons. Freezes well.

Serves 8.

This is a great way to use leftover ham. It is so good and so easy!

"Olive Garden" Zuppa Toscana

1/2 pound mild Italian sausage, crumbled
1/2 pound smoked bacon, chopped (about 12 pieces)
14 ounces water
32-ounce can low sodium chicken broth
14-ounce can low sodium chicken broth
2 cups sliced small red potato*
2 tablespoons crushed garlic
1 onion, finely diced
2 cups fresh spinach or kale
16 ounces (1 pint) heavy whipping cream
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown sausage, breaking into small pieces. Drain and set aside.
2. Brown bacon. Drain and set aside. (Can bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.)
   
3. In a large pot, combine water, broth, potatoes, onion, and garlic. Simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender.
   
4. Add sausage and bacon to pot. Simmer for 10 minutes.
   
5. Add spinach and cream to pot.
   
6. Season with salt and pepper and heat through.

Serves 12.

*Can substitute cauliflower for potatoes for low-carb option.

This is a close copy of Olive Garden's delicious soup. It's quite easy to make!

Turkey Pumpkin Chili

2 pounds ground turkey

1 (15.25 oz) can sweet whole kernel corn

1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies

1 (14.5 oz) can whole or diced tomatoes

1 (29 oz) can tomato sauce

1 (15 oz) can of pumpkin
1 can hominy

large onion, chopped

1 can beer (12 oz)

1 can water (12 oz)

3 tablespoons minced garlic (about 5 medium cloves)

2 tablespoons cumin

chili powder to taste *
salt to taste
brown sugar to taste *

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1. Brown meat with onions and garlic.
   
2. Mix with all other ingredients in a slow cooker.
   
3. Cook 4-6 hours on low.

* I used about 1 tablespoon of chili powder and 1.5 tablespoons of brown sugar when I made this, and it was great -- Sarah

Serve with Michelle's sweet corn cornbread.

This is a fun recipe because the pumpkin gives the chili a unique yet familiar flavor, and no one can guess the secret ingredient.

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup – Sandra Lee

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 frozen diced onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup dry vermouth
3 (15 oz) cans roasted diced tomatoes
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
10 large fresh basil leaves, chopped, plus more for garnish
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup cream

1. In a medium pot over medium-high heat, sauté diced onions and garlic in olive oil for 1 minute.
   
2. Add remaining ingredients except for cream.
   
3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Remove soup from heat. Working in batches, puree soup in blender.
5. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
   
6. Return puree to saucepan, add cream, and heat through.
   
7. Serve hot, garnished with chopped fresh basil.
   

WARNING: When blending hot liquids, only fill blender bowl halfway and place kitchen towel over lid. Always start with lower blender settings before puree setting.

Kristi's Speedy Corn Egg-Drop Soup

1 can cream of corn soup
1 can water
3 eggs
salt (to taste)
white pepper (to taste)

1. Heat cream of corn soup and water over high heat until boiling
2. Mix eggs until slightly blended (I use a fork and the original soup can to save dishes)
3. When soup/water mixture begins to boil, slowly pour egg mixture into the soup/water mixture
4. Return to a boil, reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for a few minutes
5. Salt and pepper to taste

* more or less eggs may be added depending on desired consistency

* black pepper may be substituted for white

Kristen's Tortilla Soup

2-3 carrots, chopped
2-3 celery stalks, chopped
3 zucchini, sliced
1 can corn, drained
1 can tomato sauce
1 can tomato sauce with bits
2-3 Tbsp cumin
Cavender’s seasoning salt (quite a bit – maybe 2-3 Tbsp)
4 Chicken breasts
½ jar hot sauce
Monterrey Jack cheese
tortilla chips

1. Fill Dutch oven with water to cover chicken breasts and boil until done – approximately 25 minutes.
2. Remove chicken from water and add rest of ingredients except cheese and chips.
3. Once chicken has cooled, shred and add to mixture.
4. Cook over high heat until boiling, then turn down to simmer and cook for 45 minutes to an hour, or until vegetables are tender.
5. To serve, put crushed chips on bottom of bowl, add soup, and sprinkle with cheese.

Chicken Gumbo

1 clove garlic, chopped

2 cups onion, chopped

2 cups celery, chopped

2 cups green pepper, seeded and chopped

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 cup green onions (include tops), chopped

1 stick margarine

1/2 cup flour

6 cups chicken broth, heated

2 cups canned tomatoes

1 cup brown rice (uncooked)

1 (1 lb) bag frozen cut okra

4 cups cooked chicken, diced

salt and pepper

V-8 juice and additional chicken broth for thinning mixture if needed

1. Saute garlic, onion, celery, green pepper, parsley, and green onions in margarine.
   
2. Slowly add flour and cook for 3 minutes.
   
3. Gradually stir in heated broth.
   
4. Add okra, tomatoes, rice, and chicken. Add salt and pepper to taste.
   
5. Cook 20-30 minutes longer. Adjust seasonings.
   
6. If soup becomes too thick, thin with mixture of half V-8 juice and half chicken broth.
   

Serves 10.

Tip: Don't throw away your extra onions, celery, and peppers! Freeze them.