Creamed Vegetable Stew

This is perfect for a winter supper, comforting and delicious.  Try it with French Bread or if you are a fan: Sourdough French Bread.

Creamed Vegetable Stew
6 large carrots, peeled and diced
5 potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 c. diced green pepper
1/2 c. diced celery
1 c. diced onion
1 (16 oz.) can corn, drained
1 (16 oz.) can green beans, drained
1-2 c. diced ham (optional, but yummy)
1/4 c. butter or margarine
1/2 c. flour
4 c. milk (you can use cream as part of this-also super yummy)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. seasoning salt
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
salt and pepper to taste
Place carrots, potatoes, green pepper, celery and onion in large pot. Add just enough water to cover and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 15 min.  Add corn, green beans and ham. Cook another 5 minutes or until carrots are tender. Partially drain vegetables, leaving about half the water. While vegetables cook, in a microwave safe dish, place butter and flour. Microwave on high for 40 seconds, stir melted butter and flour together.  Stir in milk with a whisk.  Return to microwave and microwave on high for 1 min at a time, stirring each time until thick. Add seasonings to white sauce and stir.  Pour white sauce into vegetable mixture and stir to combine. Taste and add salt and pepper. Serve warm.

Notes: I made this using 2 c. milk and 2 c. heavy cream.

Jenny

Bacon Corn Chowder

A soup to warm your bones this fall. I make it for my husband who is a soup junkie and my oldest daughter who loves this particular soup.  You would enjoy it with bread sticks, yeast biscuits or a slice of fresh bread.
Bacon Corn Chowder
1/2 lb. bacon, chopped
1 med. onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Brown these together in a large pot, add
1/3 c. flour and stir to coat flour in drippings. Add
5-6  potatoes, peeled and cubed
6 c. water
bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 min.  Add
2 (15 oz.) cans corn, (drain liquid off one of the cans)
2 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. seasoning salt (like Lawry's)
Pepper to taste (I like a lot of ground pepper in this, or to use pepper bacon if I can)
2 c. cream (or half and half)
Heat for a few minutes, until potatoes are tender.  Taste for seasonings.  Serve with bread or crackers.

Notes: this would also be yummy with red potatoes-leave the peels on if you try this. You can replace one of the cans of corn with a can of creamed corn.

Jenny

Sausage Bean Soup

A new easy peasy week night meal! If you open the cans while the sausage browns, and slice some crusty bread while it simmers, this could be a 20 minute meal!  And though it has all the comfort of a soup, you can make it in the summer, because it won't overheat the kitchen.

Sausage Bean Soup
1 lb. bulk Italian sausage
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
3 (15 oz.) cans beans, partly drained, like black beans, butter beans, or kidney beans
3 c. water
2 tsp. beef bouillon granules
1 can corn, drained
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 tsp. dried basil
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

In a soup pot, brown sausage and chopped onion.  Spoon off extra fat.  Add cans of beans and vegetables, water, and seasonings and cheese.  Simmer for 10 min.  Taste and adjust seasonings.  Serve immediately, you can sprinkle with more Parmesan if you like.

Note: you could use hot Italian sausage if you like.  I plan to put the tomatoes in the blender next time, as I noticed my kids picking them out. Grrr. This would be good with French Bread or Baking Powder Biscuits.

Jenny

Whole Wheat Crackers

I have been experimenting with this recipe, and I have it to where I like it.  I made them first for my daughter who wouldn't eat her tomato soup without crackers, and of course, there were no crackers in the house.  They are quick to put on the table, the recipe is simple and I have enjoyed the results. The crackers are also cheap to make, and I think if you double the batch, it is equivalent to a normal box of wheat crackers.  See what you think.

Whole Wheat Crackers
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. seasoning salt
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. onion powder
1/3 c. water
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Mix dry ingredients in small mixing bowl.  Add water and oil and stir to combine.  Mixture should form a ball of dough.  Roll dough very thin, directly on a large cookie sheet and cut into strips, then cut across into squares (I use my pizza roller, and then just take a knife to the edges I can't get because of the sides of the pan).  Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 8-10 min. or until brown and crisp. (Nobody wants soft crackers!)  Serve warm or cool with soups or dips.

Notes: I have doubled the batch and baked two cookie sheets at once using this tip. You can use white flour with these, you can add pepper or herbs or use olive oil--you could even use a sea salt over the tops.  I'm just beginning to experiment, but I think there are lots of possibilities here.  I like the wheat flour flavor better than white. Do let me know how your experimenting goes!

Jenny

Herbed Tuna Chowder

I've been making this creamy soup for years.  The original recipe is from a magazine clipping, tucked in my big binder of good things.  Not sure which magazine.  I have tweaked it to feed my size family.

Herbed Tuna Chowder
1 cube butter or margarine
1 c. chopped celery
4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 medium onion, chopped
Melt butter, add chopped vegetables and cook for 7-8 minutes.  Add:
6 Tbsp. flour (stir this in first, then add liquid)
5 c. water
2 c. heavy cream
cook until potatoes are tender--about 10 min. then add:
2 cans (7 oz. each) tuna, drained
1 tsp. dried dill
1 tsp. dried thyme
2 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1 c. shredded Jack cheese

Heat through.  Serve with crackers or croutons.

Notes:  You can use a combination of milk and water for the liquid instead of using cream.  You can also use evaporated milk for part of the liquid.

Jenny

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Once in a while, I cook for two--me and my sweetie.  Because there are some things we like that our children don't appreciate.  This soup is one of those, we love it, and we especially love that we don't have to fight anybody for it.  But, if your household has a lot of mushroom fans, you will have to make this recipe bigger.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 med. onion, chopped

3 Tbsp. butter

In a sauce pan, melt butter and caramelize the onions in it over medium heat.  Add:

8 oz. sliced mushrooms

2 tsp. olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

Brown together, until the mushrooms are dark then add:

2 c. beef broth

2 c. cooked beef, cubed (I use leftover roast.)

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 c. heavy cream

1 c. milk

salt, pepper and smoked paprika to taste

Heat through and serve. Makes about 4 servings.  The picture shows this topped with skillet croutons.

Notes: This soup isn't thick.  If you want a thick soup, you could add a few tablespoons of flour to the browning ingredients just before the broth.  Make sure to stir it through to coat the flour particles in oil, so they will incorporate without lumping when you add the broth.  You could also eliminate the beef and double the mushrooms.

Jenny

White Corn Chili

Here is one to warm you up!  My mom created this soup, which she calls "Oh No Soup" because it came about when Dad inadvertently brought cream corn to the kitchen instead of whole kernel, and when Mom opened it without looking at it.  Then it became soup as Mom was assigned a soup for a church event the next day.  I call it chili as that is what the flavor most reminds me of, and because I added beans to mine.  It is a breeze and fast to make!  A great one to remember when the natives are restless and time is short.

White Corn Chili
2 cans creamed corn
2 cans cream of chicken soup
3 1/2 c. water
1 (4 oz.) can diced chilies
2 c. diced, cooked chicken
1 can white kidney beans (or other beans), with the liquid
2 Tbsp. dry minced onion
1 tsp. cumin

In a soup pot, combine ingredients and heat through.  Stir in:
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese or Velveeta cubes

Stir until cheese melts.  Serve with tortilla chips, if you like.

Notes:  My mom's soup uses only the first 5 ingredients.  You can stop here too, and have instant yummy soup.  I added the beans to stretch the servings.  I think it could take another can of white beans and still be good, I may try that next time.  We made this with leftover turkey and my kids ate it really well.

Jenny

Cream of Fresh Tomato Soup

We pulled the garden out yesterday, all the ripe tomatoes and the green ones we hope will ripen.  I made this soup to celebrate--I always feel relieved when the last of the produce is in.  A neighbor shared this recipe with me, it has a chunky texture as written, but if you want smooth, you can puree it in a blender or food processor.

Cream of Fresh Tomato Soup
Peel and chop fresh tomatoes to equal about 4 cups
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. sugar
dash of ground cloves

Simmer for 20 min. or more for a more concentrated flavor. 

In a large measuring cup, make a roux by mixing 2 Tbsp. melted butter and 2 Tbsp. flour.  Whisk until smooth, then add 2 c. milk slowly while whisking to incorporate.  Add roux to the simmering tomatoes while stirring.  Simmer until slightly thickened and remove from heat before it curdles.  Remove bay leaves.  Makes 4 servings.

Notes:  Don't be afraid of the spices in the soup, they are there, but they don't really announce themselves.  Next time I make this, I am going to saute the onion in a bit of olive oil before adding the tomatoes to soften the onions and increase their flavor.  You can use 1 c. evaporated milk and 1 c. water in place of the milk.  Evaporated milk reduces the chances of curdling the final product.  The soup is pictured with skillet croutons.

Jenny

Skillet Croutons

This is an inexpensive, simple way to dress up a soup. My kids love these, and it is a great trick to know when the crackers have been raided.  (I'm sure that never happens at your house...) 

Skillet Croutons
3 slices bread (I like to use the heel for this)
butter or margarine

Butter both sides of bread, then cut into cubes.  Heat a skillet over medium high heat.  Toss buttered bread cubes in hot skillet until toasted.  Serve hot in soup or cool for salads. 

Notes: You can season these with dry herbs or garlic if you like. Just sprinkle on buttered bread before you cut in cubes.
Jenny

Chicken and Dumplings

The weather has turned chilly here, calling for a good pot of soup.  This is a favorite at our house. Think of this recipe as a guide and make your soup the way you like it!

Chicken and Dumplings
For the Soup:
In a large pot, boil 1 chicken with a whole stalk of celery for 1hour.  Remove chicken and celery from the pot.  Add water to the pot to make about 10 cups. (just estimate this)

Add to the boiling water:
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 1/2 c. chopped carrots
1 c. chopped celery
1 c. frozen peas
1 c. frozen corn
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. seasoning salt
salt and pepper
shred chicken and return meat to the pot

Cook this until the vegetables start to soften, remembering that the soup will cook for about 15 min. after you add the dumplings.  Now is the time to season the soup any way you like, adding more herbs, bouillon, salt and pepper. When it is yummy, add the dumplings.

Dumplings:
1 1/2 c. flour
3/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 c. milk
3 Tbsp. melted butter
Drop dumplings by teaspoonfuls into hot soup, cook for about 15 min.

Notes:  you can use baking powder biscuit dough for dumplings too.  You can add 1/2 tsp. dried herbs to the dumplings or 1/4 c. shredded cheese (with the dry ingredients).  I usually shred about 1/2 of the chicken back into the pot and reserve the rest for a casserole.

Jenny

Crock Pot Beef Stew

I love to put dinner in the crock pot on a busy day!  This is a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs kind of stew.  The recipe is from a Betty Crocker cookbook called Come Home to Dinner.  Yeast Biscuits would be delicious with this.

Crock Pot Beef Stew

1 1/2 lbs. potatoes, cut in chunks

1 medium onion, chopped

2 c. carrot chunks

1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (10 1/2 oz.) can condensed beef broth

2 c. sliced mushrooms (original recipe calls for Shiitake)

1/2 c. flour

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. dried parsley flakes

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 lb. beef stew meat, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Mix all ingredients, except beef in crock pot.  Add beef on top.  Cover and cook on low heat setting 8-9 hours or until vegetables and beef are tender.  Stir well before serving.

Jenny

Bacon Potato Soup

A few years ago, I compiled a family cookbook for Nathan's family, with recipes from their childhood and from our current family gatherings.  This childhood favorite was originally called "My Mom's Potato Soup" and is a recipe from my husband's maternal grandma, Rosalie.  It is hands-down my children's favorite soup.  The creamy onion-bacon flavor is homey, and feeding a crew with only 1/2 lb. of meat makes this budget friendly too.

Bacon Potato Soup
1/2 lb. bacon, diced
1 c. chopped onion
In a soup pot, brown together.  Stir in:
1/4 c. flour, and continue to heat until flour is brown. Add:
6 c. peeled, cubed potatoes
2 tsp. salt
6 c. cold water
Stir.  If needed, add additional warm water, just to cover potatoes.  Cook on medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 15 min. 
Add 2 c. milk
Taste for seasonings. (I usually add a little pepper here).  Heat, but do not boil.

Notes:  You can add other dried herbs to this, if you like. Thyme and parsley and some rosemary are all nice.  This is also a quick recipe for a soup, about 30 min. from start to finish. 

Jenny

Corned Beef and Cabbage Soup

Growing up, I thought this is what people meant when they said they were having Corned Beef and Cabbage.  It was the only one I knew!  My mother made this soup a lot when I was a child, so it holds comfort food memories for me.  My husband had really never eaten cabbage before our marriage, and thought I might be testing the depth of his love the first time I served it.  But, to our mutual delight, he liked it.  This is a great mid-winter soup.  Serve with bread and butter.

Corned Beef and Cabbage Soup
4 c. peeled, cubed potatoes
2 c. peeled, sliced carrots
4 stalks celery, sliced
1 large onion, chopped
1 head cabbage, cut into large chunks
1 can corned beef, cubed
salt and pepper to taste

In a large soup pot, bring to a boil, 2 qt. water. Add potatoes, carrots celery and onion, cabbage and corned beef.  Add a little more water if you need to, remembering that the cabbage will wilt down into the pot.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 30 min, or until cabbage is tender.  Salt and pepper to taste. We always splashed just a little white vinegar over our individual bowls at the table.

Jenny

Clam Chowder

A thick, creamy, mild version.  You can add other seasonings if you like, some are suggested below.

Clam Chowder

Bring 6 cups of water to a boil.

Drain the juice from 2 cans chopped clams into the water.

Add 6-8 c. cubed potatoes and 2 tsp. salt

Cook until tender. 

Meanwhile:

Melt 1/2 c. margarine or butter

Add 1 c. chopped  celery

1 c. chopped onion

1 garlic clove, minced

Cook until veggies are crisp tender.

Add 1/2 c. flour and stir to coat flour in butter, then add

1 c. heavy whipping cream

3 c. milk (or 1 (12oz.) can evaporated milk and 1 1/2 c. water)

Heat and stir until mixture boils gently and thickens. Tip: Use a pot with a heavy bottom for this, and watch it carefully so it doesn't scorch.

Stir the white sauce into the potatoes.  Add the 2 cans clams.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Herbs I like to add: parsley, thyme, basil.  You can also add chicken bouillon cubes, but be sure to adjust the salt if you do. If you like a kick to it, add a few drops of Tabasco sauce.

Jenny

Vegetable Cheese Soup

This is comfort food from my husband's childhood.  I adjust the vegetables enough to feed my crew, but leave the cheese sauce the same.  Seems to work just fine. My mother-in-law says this comes from the Betty Crocker cookbook.

Vegetable Cheese Soup

2 c. cubed potatoes

2/3 c. onion, chopped
1/2 c. diced celery
1/2 c. carrots, sliced
2 1/2 c. boiling water
2 1/2 tsp. salt

Mix all in a soup pot, cover and simmer 20 min.  Add cheese sauce:

4 Tbsp. butter or margarine
4 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 c. milk
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1 c. medium cheddar cheese, grated

Heat through.  Serves 6-8
Notes:  Sometimes I use Velveeta for the cheese.
Jenny

Ham and Cheese Soup

This recipe is one that starts with a packaged mix and stirs in several things to make it become soup.  I really only recommend using Velveeta brand for this one.  My experience with the Kraft and other brands is that the cheese doesn't dilute nicely and it can taste watery.  The Velveeta works out so well.  I think originally this basic recipe came from a Pampered Chef cookbook, but I've been making it from memory so long, that I don't know if it resembles it's original or not.... Use this when you want some fast and easy comfort food.

Ham and Cheese Soup
2 boxes Velveeta Shells and Cheese (12 oz. each)
2 quarts of water
2 Tbsp. dry, minced onion
1 tsp. thyme
2 chicken bouillon cubes
2 c. cubed ham
2 c. milk
1 c. frozen peas, thawed

In a soup pot, bring the water to a boil, add the pasta from the boxes and the dry onion.  Boil until pasta is desired tenderness, 8-10 min.  Do not drain!  Add to the pot both cheese packets, stirring until the cheese melts. Add remaining ingredients and heat through.  Serve with biscuits or bread sticks.

Jenny

Chicken Noodle Soup

My Grandma makes this best.  I keep trying, so someday I'll be that grandma....

Chicken Noodle Soup
1 recipe Egg Noodles
1 whole chicken or chicken pieces that include dark meat and bones
3 carrots
3 stalks celery
1/2 onion, chopped
2-4 chicken boullioun cubes
Parsley, thyme or poultry seasoning (opt.)

Place chicken in a large pot and cover with water. Boil the chicken for an hour.  Remove from pot, add noodles, carrots, celery, onion, boullion cubes and any herbs you like to the broth.  You may need to add some water at this point.  Remove chicken from the bones and add back to soup.  Boil about 20 minutes or until carrots and noodles are tender. Season to taste.
Notes: This is great with leftover turkey as well.  We like to pass the seasoning salt at the table.
Jenny

Bean and Bacon Soup

Sometimes there are happy accidents.  I had planned to make ham and bean soup with a ham bone I have been storing in the freezer.  I soaked my beans and started simmering them when I went to the freezer and found the "ham bone" was actually some turkey in disguise. Sigh.  So, we've heard of bean and bacon soup, but I've never made it before! This attempt was good, and enough so that I jotted the recipe down for future soups.  I share it here.

Bean and Bacon Soup
3 cups dried beans
Cover beans with 1 1/2 quarts of water and bring to a boil.  Boil for 10 min., remove from heat, cover and soak for 1 hour.  Drain and rinse beans and place in a big soup pot. (You can also cover beans with cold water and let them soak overnight.)

Add 2 quarts of water and bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 1 hour. 

Meanwhile, chop

1 (12 oz) package bacon

1 onion

In a skillet over medium high heat, cook together, adding 2 cloves garlic, minced.  Brown well.

Add bacon mixture to beans with

2 bay leaves

Simmer 1 hour. Add salt and pepper to taste and simmer until tender. You may have to keep adding water to the pot as it cooks to maintain the soup consistency. If you like, you can mash or puree part of the soup and add it back to the pot to make a thick soup.
Note: though I have not tried it yet, I think after adding the bacon and bay leaves, this could go in the crock pot to finish cooking.  The type of bean will determine the cooking time.  If you have a bean like Anasazi that softens easily, reduce cooking time accordingly.
Jenny

Leprechaun Soup

My mother found this recipe in the March issue of a children's magazine when I was young.  It is good, and easy. Besides, you can use a bit of fun and a little Leprechaun lore to help your children eat their veggies.

Leprechaun Soup
1 can tomato soup
2 soup cans water
5 beef bouillion cubes
2 carrots, sliced
2 potatoes, cubed
4 stalks celery, slices
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 c. chopped cabbage
1 c. frozen peas
1 c. corn
Put all ingredients in a soup pot and simmer for 1 hour.

Notes: I fluff this up a bit with an extra can of tomato soup and more water, also more potatoes. You can leave this as a vegetable soup, but my favorite is to add leftover beef, or a bit of browned ground beef to this.  In the photo, we added about 2 c. egg noodles, and liked it so well, I will probably make it with noodles from now on.  If you add noodles, do it when there is only about 20 min. left before you serve.

This would be nice served with Yeast Biscuits or Mary's Breadsticks.

Jenny

Creamy Minestrone

A friend brought this to me when I had a new baby.  It is so comforting and yummy! Serve it with breadsticks.

Creamy Minestrone
1 c. chopped onion
1 c. chopped green pepper
2 c. celery
12 Tbsp. butter
Saute together.  Add:
2 c. diced potatoes
2 c. sliced carrots
2 c. green beans
4 c. water
4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic salt

Cook 45 min.- 1 hour on low until vegetables are tender.  Thicken with about 3 Tbsp. flour, stirred into 3 c. milk.

Notes:  I toss in whatever leftover veggies are in the fridge too. :)

Jenny