Baked Potato Soup

This may be the best potato soup I've ever tasted! Having the potatoes previously baked makes it taste so different in a good way. The recipe is from Our Best Bites.

3 Tblsp. butter

2-3 cloves garlic, minced (I think I used at least 4 garlic cloves)

1/2 Cup flour

4 1/2 Cups milk (low fat is fine)

1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth

4 medium baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 lbs.), baked

2 Cups grated cheddar (or sharp cheddar) cheese, divided

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 1/2 Cups sour cream, divided

1/2 Cup chopped green onions, divided

8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, divided

DIRECTIONS:

Melt butter in a stock pot over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 30-60 seconds until fragrant. Add flour to pan. Slowly add milk a little at a time while whisking constantly to eliminate lumps. Whisk until smooth and then add chicken broth. (If you get to this point and don't have a smooth liquid, stop, and put the mixture in the blender, then continue.) Bring soup just to a simmer and heat until thickened, stirring often, about 5 minutes.

Once soup is thickened, turn heat down to medium-low. Cut potatoes in half length-wise and use a spoon to scoop out potato flesh into the pot. Use a wooden spoon to smash potatoes, breaking up large clumps. Add 1 1/2 cups grated cheese and salt and pepper and stir until cheese is melted. Remove pan from heat and stir in 3/4 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup green onions, and 4 strips of the crumbled bacon. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and top each serving with the remaining sour cream, onions, cheese, and bacon.

Chicken With Wild Rice Soup

I got this recipe from Miriam, and we made it several times this past winter. I thought I should post it before it is scorching hot outside and I forget about it by next winter.

3 cups cooked Uncle Ben's Wild Rice (1 box)

2 carrots, diced small

1 cup diced chicken

1 cup flour

salt and pepper

1 medium onion, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

1/2 cup butter

8 cups chicken broth

1 cup half and half

Saute carrots, celery, and onion in butter until tender.

Mix flour with a little bit of the chicken broth so it won't get lumpy, then add flour to veggies. Add broth, rice, chicken, and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Add half and half and reheat, but don't boil again. Serve with rolls to dip, or in bread bowls.

Cauliflower Soup

I probably never would have tried this recipe except for the fact that I happened upon it and I had a whole head of cauliflower that needed to be used sitting in the refrigerator. I'm glad I did try it because it is seriously good! Jake wasn't home the night we had it, which was probably good because he would have wondered where the meat was :), but he did try it the next day and liked it. Little Jake pounded a big bowl of it, and Ruby thought it was ok. I found the recipe on The Pioneer Woman's website, and will be repeating it.

1 stick butter, divided

1/2 whole onion, finely diced

1 whole carrot, finely diced

1 stalk celery, finely diced

1 whole (to 2 whole) cauliflower heads, roughly chopped (I halved the recipe and used about 3/4 of a head of cauliflower)

2 Tblsp fresh or dried parsley

2 quarts low-sodium chicken broth or stock

6 Tblsp. all-purpose flour

2 cups whole milk (I used 2% to cut a little fat, and it was delicious...next time I may try 1%)

1 cup half-and-half

2 tsp. to 4 tsp. salt, to taste (I omitted this, and just added a little to our own bowls of soup)

1 cup (heaping) sour cream, room temperature

In a large soup pot or dutch oven, melt 4 Tblsp. butter. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes or until it starts to turn brown.

Add the carrots and celery and cook an additional couple of minutes. Add cauliflower and parsley and stir to combine.

Cover and cook over very low heat for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, pour in chicken stock and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer.

In a medium saucepan, melt 4 Tblsp. butter. Mix the flour with the milk and whisk to combine. Add flour-milk mixture slowly to the butter, whisking constantly. It should thicken up fairly quickly.

Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup half-and-half. Add mixture to the simmering soup. Allow to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Check seasoning and add more salt or pepper if necessary.

Before serving, place the sour cream in a serving bowl or soup tureen. Add two or three ladles of hot soup into the tureen and stir to combine with the sour cream. Pour in remaining soup and stir.

Serve immediately.

Panera's Cream Cheese Potato Soup

This is supposed to be a copycat recipe...I've never had Panera's soup, so I have no idea if it tastes the same, but it is good.

4 cups chicken broth

4 cups peeled and cubed potatoes

1/4 cup minced onion

1/2 tsp. seasoning salt

1/8 tsp. white pepper (original recipe calls for 1/4 tsp.)

1/8 tsp. ground red pepper (original recipe calls for 1/4 tsp.)

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, cut into small chunks

Combine broth, potatoes, onions, and spices.

Boil on medium heat until potatoes are tender.

Smash a few of the potatoes to release their starch for thickening.

Reduce to low heat and add cream cheese.

Heat, stirring frequently, until cheese melts. Serve.

Natalie's White Chicken Chili

This is a recipe from my sister-in-law...she has brought it to a few family functions, and it is always the first one gone!

3-4 chicken breasts, cubed

1 medium onion, chopped (or 1/2 cup dehydrated onion)

1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

3 cans Great Northern white beans, rinsed and drained

1 can white beans (these are smaller than the Great Northern's), rinsed and drained

1 1/2 cans chicken broth

2 cans chopped green chilies

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. oregano

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (I think I only did 1/8 tsp. because I don't like much spice)

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 1/2 cups sour cream

1 cup whipping cream

Put everything in the crock pot except the sour cream and whipping cream. Cook on low heat 8 hours or until chicken is cooked. The last half hour add the sour cream and whipping cream. Serve.

Copycat Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana

I got this from Favorite Family Recipes, it is a GREAT winter soup!

3 (14 oz) cans chicken broth

2 cups whipping cream (last time I made it, I didn't have quite enough whipping cream, so I used a little French Vanilla Creamer and we liked it just as much, maybe better!)

red pepper flakes (to taste)

Salt and Pepper (to taste)

1 small onion, diced and sauteed

1/2 pkg. bacon, cooked and crumbled (I just use the real bacon bits from Costco)

4-5 cups chopped Kale

3-4 potatoes, cleaned and chopped (do NOT remove skins)

1 lb. pork sausage (or mild Italian sausage) shaped into small rounds, browned, and put on paper towels to de-grease

Put everything except potatoes in crock pot on high 3-4 hours. Add potatoes the last 40-60 minutes(so they don't get soggy). Serve with rolls or breadsticks.

Ham and Beans

1 lb. navy beans (or red beans)

1 meaty ham hock

a couple of handfuls of baby carrots (or 2 large carrots peeled and cut)

2 Tblsp. dried minced onions

2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. coriander

Quick soak the beans by placing them in a pot covered with water, and bringing them to a boil for 4-5 minutes. Turn heat off, place tight fitting lid on the pot, and let them sit for one hour.

Drain the beans and add them to a large pot with the ham bone and all other ingredients. Add enough water to cover the beans by and inch or so (it doesn't need to cover the ham bone). Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer until ham is falling off the bone and carrots are tender, 3-4 hours. Remove lid to boil off any excess water, and remove the ham bone and any unwanted pieces.

Shrimp Bisque

3 Tblsp. butter
1 small rib celery stalk
1/4 small onion
1 small carrot - peeled and cut in half
scant 1/4 tsp. marjoram
scant 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 Tblsp. lemon juice
2 cups chicken stock

Place above ingredients into Blendtec blender jar in order as listed and secure the lid. Press the pulse button for 6 to 8 seconds.

1 cup (be generous) shrimp, cooked
1 cup milk

Pour soup from jar into pot and add shrimp. Cook for 15 minutes over medium heat. Add milk and serve.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1/4 cup onion, diced
3 cans chicken broth
3 cans cream of chicken soup
3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (or canned chicken)
1/2 cup salsa (be generous)
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. chili powder
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn

Saute onion in small amount of chicken broth until tender. Add broth, cream of chicken, and shredded chicken. Bring to a boil. Turn down heat and add remaining ingredients. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Serve over tortilla chips using any of the following as garnishes:

avocado, diced
tomato, diced
cheese, shredded
sour cream
green onion, diced

White Chicken Chili

3 cups cooked chicken (I usually use rotisserie chicken)
6 roasted garlic cloves
1 cup onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper (small), seeded and chopped
3 cans (15 oz. each) great northern beans, drained, rinsed, and divided
2 tsp. vegetable oil
3 cans (14.5 oz. each) chicken broth
2 Tblsp. southwestern seasoning mix (I use Mrs. Dash)
1/4 cup lime juice
1 Tblsp. cornstarch
1 Tblsp. cold water
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, snipped

Chop onion and jalapeno pepper.

Drain 1 can of beans and place in bowl. Gently squeeze garlic from papery skins into beans in bowl; mash. Drain remaining 2 cans of beans and set aside.

Heat oil in dutch oven (or large pan) over medium heat. Add onion and jalapeno peppers; cook 4-5 minutes or until onion is tender. Add chicken, mashed bean-garlic mixture, whole beans, chicken broth, seasoning mix, and lime juice. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 25 minutes.

Combine cornstarch and water, stirring until smooth. Add cornstarch mixture to chili and continue cooking 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Snip cilantro; stir into chili just before serving.

Minestrone Soup with Pasta, Beans, and Vegetables

3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 (15 oz.) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (15 oz.) can white beans, drained (I like Navy beans)
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
1 tsp. dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1 cup ditalini pasta, cooked
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1/2 tsp. dried sage
salt and pepper
small amount Italian seasoning
2 Tblsp. sugar
small amount fennel seed (optional)
1/2 lb. mild Italian sausage, browned
1-2 cups coarsely chopped fresh or frozen spinach, defrosted
grated parmesan or romano cheese

In a slow cooker, combine broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, carrots, celery, onion, thyme, sage, bay leaves, 1/2 tsp. salt and pepper, Italian seasoning, fennel seed (if desired), and sugar. Meanwhile, brown the Italian sausage and add it to everything else. Cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.

One hour before it is done, add the beans.

Thirty minutes before soup is done cooking, add ditalini, zucchini, and spinach. Cover and cook for 30 more minutes. Remove bay leaves and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle parmesan cheese over the top. Garnish with basil, if desired.