Split Pea Soup

This year, I was the proud host of Christmas dinner for my side of the family. We had an awesome spiral ham, potatoes, green beans, and rainbow jello. As is our tradition, I made split pea soup for dinner the next day. My mom makes the most amazing split pea soup. I used her recipe with only a slight change here and there. I froze some of the leftover ham and am making the soup again today (per request of my husband).

Serves: 4-6

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

Olive oil

1 medium onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp dried oregano

salt and pepper to taste

2-3 carrots, diced

3-4 red potatoes, cut into chunks

1 lb dried split peas

Ham bone leftover from spiral ham

8 cups chicken broth

Directions:

In a large pot, preheat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute onion, garlic, and oregano. When the onion becomes translucent, add carrots, potatoes, split peas, ham bone, and chicken broth. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 2 hours, or until the ham is falling off of the bone. Stir soup occasionally to avoid having vegetables stick to the bottom of the pan. Remove ham bone from pot and cut remaining meat into chunks, returning the meat to the pot. 

Before serving, remove soup from heat and allow it to thicken. Re-season with salt and pepper and serve.

Zuppa Toscana

When I lived in Honduras, people ate soup frequently throughout the year - even though it was always very hot outside. Whenever anyone served us soup, they would usually make a joke about who was going to start sweating first. Here in the states, soup is more of a fall or winter dish. I guess sweating just isn't as well-accepted as part of everyday life.

Anyway, my brother and sister-in-law eat soup a lot. This is one of the recipes that they sent when I asked them for some of their best recipes. We also enjoyed it quite a bit.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 4-6 hours

Serves: 6 people

5 cups chicken broth 

2 cups whipping cream (I prefer evaporated milk)

1/2 - 1 tsp red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste

1 small onion, diced

1/2 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled

4 to 5 cups chopped kale or spinach

3 to 4 potatoes, washed and cut into small chunks

1 lb mild Italian ground sausage

Cook bacon, cool and crumble into small pieces. Chop vegetables. Place everything in a slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Turkey Meatball and Vegetable Soup

This soup might be the tastiest soup I have ever made. It took a little while to make the meatballs, maybe about a half hour, but it was definitely worth it. I got the base recipe from For the Love of Cooking and adjusted it slightly according to my preferences and the ingredients that I had available. (Sorry about the low quality picture. It really tastes better than this picture makes it look.)

Serves: 6 

Total meal preparation time: nearly 2 hours

Meatballs:

1 lb. ground turkey

1 egg

1/8 cup Parmesan cheese

2 cloves minced garlic

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp dried oregano

2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 cup Parmesan and garlic Panko bread crumbs

Soup:

2 Tbsp canola oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 1/2 cup carrots, diced

1 1/2 cup (3 stalks) celery

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 (15 oz) can petite diced tomatoes

8 cups chicken broth

3/4 cup dilatini pasta

2 cups spinach leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine ingredients for meatballs in a medium bowl. Roll meat mixture into mini meatballs - 1/2-1 tsp for each meatball - and place onto a plate. Refrigerate meatballs while you chop up vegetables for the soup.

In a large pot, preheat 1 Tbsp over medium-high heat. Cook meatballs, in batches for 4-5 minutes. Carefully turn each meatball over halfway through so that they cook on both sides. Meatballs don't need to cook completely because they will finish cooking in the soup. Remove cooked meatballs from pan and place on a plate.

Add the second tablespoon of oil to the pot. Stir fry onion, carrots, and celery until they begin to soften, about five minutes. Add minced garlic and stir constantly for one minute, then stir in diced tomatoes and chicken broth. Cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes. Then add meatballs and pasta and cook for another 20 minutes. Right before serving, add spinach leaves and stir until they are wilted. Taste and season as needed. 

Cabbage Patch Stew

This is a type of soup that my mom made when I was growing up. I am always a little bit nervous to make soups because my husband has told me a number of times that he doesn't like soup, but when I got cabbage from my Bountiful Basket, I just decided that he would have to suck it up and eat whatever I was making for dinner. I was actually surprised when he said he liked it a lot and that he would be willing to have it again. Maybe because it was a pretty thick, meaty soup. 

I also have to give you one word of caution. Worcestershire sauce smells really good and you might feel tempted to add in a little extra. Don't do it. It has a really strong flavor.

Recipe Yield: about 7 servings (I cut the recipe in half and we had enough for dinner and then lunch for both of us the next day)

2 lbs. hamburger

1 onion, sliced

1 cup diced potatoes

2 cups shredded cabbage

2 cups water

2 Tbsp sugar

1 28 oz can tomatoes

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp chili powder

1 15 oz can kidney beans

1 cup celery, diced (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Brown meat and drain grease from pan. Add onion, potatoes, cabbage, water and salt. Simmer for 15 minutes. Then add remaining ingredients and simmer for 35 more minutes.

Crock Pot Chili

The first time I made chili all by myself was my junior year in college. I was talking to my roommate, Angie, and we decided we should make chili for dinner so we went to the store to buy the ingredients. When we got there, I realized that we hadn't found a recipe for chili. This was before the days when everyone had internet on their cell phones and I was just beside myself with worry because there was no way to look up a good recipe and my mom wasn't answering her phone. Angie wasn't worried, though; she is from the South, where apparently they make chili all the time and she reassured me that all you need is a few kinds of beans, some ground beef and some spices. Although I only had a few of the spices and ingredients that I cook with now, I was astounded at how good the chili tasted. Ever since that time I have never used a recipe for chili so the ingredients change somewhat depending on what I have on hand, but this is how I made it this time.

1 lb ground beef
1/2 green pepper
1/2 red or yellow pepper (or both)
1 large onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2-3 tsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 can chili beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can diced tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste

Stir everything together in a medium-sized slow cooker and let it cook for 6-8 hours on low. If I were making a larger batch, the main thing that I would change is to add more beans, more tomatoes, and perhaps some tomato paste. Make sure to taste it before serving and adjust the spices and seasonings. Often, adding more salt makes the difference between a chili that is okay and one that is great.

Taco Soup

There are many things that I ate growing up and, for some reason, thought that my mom was the only one in the whole world who knew how to make them. Taco soup is one of those things. I was shocked when I got to college and had many roommates who made the same soup that my mom did. It really is a great college food; it has very few ingredients (most come in a can), it only takes a few minutes to put together, and it also provides a variety of essential nutrients. This time I decided to make it in a crock pot (I didn't cook the ground beef first) and it tasted even better than normal. I also added an onion and green pepper.

1 lb ground beef
1 can kidney beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can chili beans

2 cans diced tomatoes

1 can whole kernel corn

1/4 cup (or one package) taco seasoning

1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped

If you are making this soup over the stove, brown ground beef with onions; leave out this step for a slow cooker. Transfer to a large pot or slow cooker and then add taco seasoning. Without draining, add all other ingredients. Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes to an hour, or 6-8 hours in a crock pot. Serve with shredded cheese and tortilla chips.

Potato Soup

This is a delicious and very hearty soup that my husband grew up loving. It is so much fun to share recipes from our families as we are developing our own family "food identity." In his family they always ate it in bread bowls so I like to serve it that way as well. This recipe is very easy to adjust for family size. These are the approximate measurements I used and it made about 4 servings. For a large family this recipe would have to be at least doubled.

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1-2 cans evaporated milk
1% milk
3-4 medium potatoes
1/4 cup sour cream (maybe a little more)
1/4-1/2 lb bacon
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2-3 green onions, chopped
salt, pepper, and garlic to taste

Cube potatoes and boil until soft. Cook bacon and cut into small pieces. In a large pot, melt butter and whisk in flour. When the mixture is bubbly, add the evaporated milk. Slowly pour in 1% milk until desired thickness is achieved. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for about 15 minutes. The trick to this recipe is using quite a bit of salt and pepper to season.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

It's getting chilly outside and that means it is time to start eating more soups and stews. I think it can be made in a regular pot but using a crock pot is so much easier, especially when I am working all day. It is so nice to come home to a meal, already prepared! This is an adapted recipe from one that my husband's mom made when he was younger. Even though it is a little different from a traditional Chicken Tortilla Soup, we still really like it.

1 lb chicken, cut into pieces
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 can (drained) black beans
2 cans "Mexican Style" diced tomatoes
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 can (drained) whole kernel corn
2 Tbsp lime juice
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano, crushed
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp onion powder
1 tsp minced garlic

Stir together ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low for at least 6 hours. Serve with sour cream and tortilla chips.

Chicken and Dumplings

My husband had been talking about his mom's Chicken & Dumplings for a long time so we finally decided to call and get the recipe. I had never had this dish before but I knew it was very "American" so I was looking forward to making it. I wasn't feeling very well the day we had planned to make it so my sweetheart made it for me. And let me tell you I was very surprised to find out that chicken and dumplings is just chicken noodle soup with biscuits. Nevertheless it was great. Thank you to the love of my life for making me chicken soup when I feel sick and for all of the things that you do for me. This is the recipe as dictated by his mother, who has made it so many times that she doesn't need exact measurements.

Cut up and cook chicken breast in pot
Add chicken broth (canned or cubes) - 12 cups for a large family (we used less)
Add veggies - celery, carrots, potatoes, a few peas, etc.
Bring to a boil
Add egg noodles - just a handful
Mix in cornstarch mixed with cold water, just enough so that everything doesn't sink to the bottom.
Add black pepper
Cook uncovered for 10 minutes, then covered for 10 minutes. Don't overcook
Add dumplings (follow directions on Bisquick box)

Broccoli Cheese Chowder

My grandma has always been a wonderful example to me. She always works very hard to take care of her family and she is a great cook! Chris and I love this soup and it was surprisingly easy to make.

Bring to boil:

1 Quart water

4 Chicken Boulion Cube

 

Add:

1 Cup chopped onions

1 Cup Chopped Celery

1 Cup Shredded Carrots

1 and 1/2 Cup Cubed Potatoes

Bring to boil and simmerfor 9 minutes

 

Add:

16 to 20 (I use 20) Ounces of Broccoli Cuts or I like Broccoli and Cauliflower cuts for a change

Bring to boil and simmer for 9 minutes or until done

 

Add:

2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup

1 # Velveeta type cheese sliced or cubed 

 

Stir and heat but DO NOT BOIL.

 

 

Chorizo Squash Soup

I felt like this soup was a pretty big risk. I don't have a lot of experience cooking with squash, but it turned out really well. It is a very flavorful soup; in fact, I might decrease the spices for next time. It is a great soup for a cold day and would go really well with homemade bread or rolls.

1/2 lb chorizo, chopped (you can substitute sausage)
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 tsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 12-oz box frozen squash puree, defrosted
1 quart chicken broth

Cook chorizo in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Continue to cook for about 3 minutes. Stir in the squash puree. Add the chicken broth and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

I served this soup with quesadillas made with Pepper Jack cheese, fresh cilantro, thinly sliced tomatoes and a little salt.