Killer Leftover Turkey Soup

Got leftover turkey? Unclogged arteries? A yearning for tasty-but-bad-for-you soup?

Then try the soup recipe I invented to use up leftover turkey!

TURKEY BACON CHEDDAR SOUP

5-6 pieces of bacon
1/2 large red onion, chopped
2 Tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup whipping cream (whole milk will do)
1 1/2 cup chicken broth
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup diced turkey

Fry bacon and onions in large, deep frying pan, keeping them mostly separate. When the bacon is crispy, take it out and put it on a paper towel-lined plate. Drain off most of the bacon drippings, leaving about 2 Tbsp. Add the turkey, flour and the pepper to the onions and bacon drippings. Cook, stirring constantly, until bubbly. Then keep stirring occasionally for 2-4 minutes.

Cut bacon in small pieces and reserve, keeping warm.

Stir in broth. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Add cheese; when cheese is melted, add cream and bacon. Cook, stirring frequently, until warmed through.

Serve soup warm with crusty bread.

It is pictured above garnished with a little bacon and served with Irish Soda Bread. I don't eat the soup (I'm not a carnivore), but I love the bread! It's good with almost any soup. A missionary friend from Japan gave me the recipe, and here it is:

IRISH SODA BREAD

4 cups unsifted flour [I used 2 cups white and 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour and it turned out great!]
½ cup sugar
¼ tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 ½ cups buttermilk (or yogurt)
2 eggs
4 oz (1 stick) butter or margarine
½ lb. raisins (optional)
1 tsp caraway seeds (optional) [I never have put in raisins or caraway seeds… ick]

Preheat oven to 350F

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Toss mixture with hands (this gives the bread a light, airy consistency).

Add softened butter to the flour mixture, still using hands, and blend until evenly distributed. [I have found that if you use cold butter, and mix about half of it in evenly and the other half in small clumps, as you would for biscuits, it’s even lighter and better]

Add raisins and caraway seeds. Toss with hands.

Beat eggs in a separate bowl. Add buttermilk and blend well.

Pour egg mixture, a little at a time, into dry mixture. Blend well with a spoon. [I do the biscuit thing again – I make a hole in the center and pour it all in at once. Then I use my hands]

The dough should be heavy but not too wet. If it seems too dry, add a little more buttermilk [Mine is always VERY wet… and it always turns out tasty]

Dust hands with flour and mold dough into a round. Place dough in a greased 9” round pan. Dust top generously with flour. [Again, mine never really molds. It really just plops/spreads. But it’s always good]

Using the wrong end of a fork, cut a deep cross in the dough. This will prevent the bread from cracking, and will give it a traditional look. [Um… again, mine is too wet for this really to work]

Bake at 350F for one hour, or until well browned. Cool on rack.

I’ve started making honey butter to go with this – use equal amounts softened butter and honey, and stir together. Rocket science!

Enjoy! And don't blame me if your arteries clog!

Curry Pumpkin Soup

I'm always on the lookout for some new recipe to try. You just never know where you're going to find the next family favorite. I especially love soup and stew recipes when the weather turns cold. This is the perfect recipe for a chilly autumn evening.

I found this Curry Pumpkin Soup recipe while flipping through the October 2008 issue of Better Homes And Gardens Magazine at a friend's house. Luckily BH&G keeps a catalog of their recipes online so it was each to track it down. To print your own copy click on the picture below and follow the link to the BH&G website.


Overall I was pleased with how simple a recipe and how tasty the soup was. My three year-old wasn't a fan, but my husband and I really enjoyed it.

With the exception of orange zest and onions (which we never have in our house, my husband hates them) we had all the ingredients in stock. Right there that is a plus for this recipe. I hate it when you have to go hunting for rare ingredients. The recipe was easy to follow and made enough leftovers we easily got two meals from one batch. Of course if I had doubled we could have had leftovers to freeze, but I'm short on freezer space and with such a fast and simple recipe it won't be a big deal to make it again anytime we are looking for something like this.

I should note that I don't have a food processor, so I used my blender and that worked just fine.

Another great thing about this recipe is that it can be done as time allows. It's a quick recipe, but I started it earlier in the day as that is what my schedule allowed. I completed all of step 2 and left the soup to cool. Later I came back and finished step 3 and just before step 4 I completed the Orange-Cranberry Topper (Step 1). This worked well and dinner was ready when my husband walked in the door.

One other slight change, I only had 1 can of chicken broth, so I substituted 1 can of vegetable broth for the missing can. Which got me thinking.... taking out the other can this could easily become a vegetarian soup. If you substituted the butter and milk with something else it could even be vegan. Pretty versatile if you ask me!

Definitely a great dish, would make again. Great if served with fresh bread or rolls or cranberry orange muffins.

Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

I tried this recipe for the first time last week and it is a keeper.

Ingredients
1 pound shredded, cooked chicken
1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Optional Garnishes:
Corn chips, fresh diced avocado, sour cream, shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese.

Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.

Notes: I used mild enchilada sauce and went on the low side of chili powder. You can spice this up by going to medium or hot. I also used some of my frozen, chopped chicken breast from my freezer stash. Talk about making this meal super easy to assemble! As usual, I assembled this is my crock pot the night before. Since I don't have a large crock pot, I guess measured the chicken, corn and water so that it wouldn't be overfull. I garnished with all of the above suggested garnishes.

Adapted from Allrecipes.com.

Hamburger Stew

This is hands down one of my husbands favorite meals. It is also a freezer meal. I love having a hearty meal I can grab from my freezer and have ready to eat in a fairly short amount of time.

Ingredients:
2lbs. ground beef
2 medium onions, chopped
4 (14.5oz.) cans stewed tomatoes
8 medium carrots, thinly sliced. I use the pre-sliced carrots fresh carrots in the produce section to save time.
4 celery ribs, thinly sliced
2 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced
2 c. water
1/2 c. uncooked long grain rice
2 T. salt
2 t. pepper

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENT when thawing and serving: 1 & 1/2 c. water.

In frying pan or dutch oven, cook hamburger and onions until meat is no longer pink; drain. Transfer to large stock pot. Add tomatoes, carrots, celery, potatoes, water, rice, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables and rice are tender.

Uncover; simmer an additional 20-30 minutes or until thickened. Stir often, mixture can stick to the bottom of the pot very easily. Let cool a bit. Transfer to freezer tupperwear in 3 cup portions. Freeze. Yields 5 batches. Each batch serves 2, with second helpings.

To serve: Thaw in fridge for 24 hours. Transfer to sauce pan; add water. Heat until hot. OR You can skip thawing and put frozen block of stew directly in the sauce pan with water and heat covered on low to medium heat until thawed and stew is hot. I use the later method.

Late-Summer Vegetable Soup

Recipe courtesy of 2008 Super Fresh Monthly Savings Magazine
Serves 6

Prep time/Total time: 35Min
(per serving: 182 cal; 5.6 g fat 9.8 g sat fat; 6 g protein; 31.1 g carb; 4.7 g fiber)

"The produce-packed soup is cooked quickly to preserve the fresh flavor of the vegetables. the orzo simmers right in the pot."

Ingredients:
- 4 ears corn, husks and silks removed (if fresh corn is not available use frozen or canned, but be sure to rinse before putting in the pot)
- 2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- 2 cans (14.5 oz each) reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 large zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 8 oz. fresh green beans (stem ends removed), cut into thirds (again, frozen can be substituted if fresh is not available)
- 1 can (14.5) oz diced tomatoes in juice (or substitute 4 fresh medium tomatoes)
- 1/2 cup orzo pasta
- water

Directions:
1. Cut off tip of each ear of corn. One at a time, stand ears in a wide bowl. With a sharp knife, carefully slice downward to release kernels. Discard cobs; set kernels aside.

2. In a Dutch oven or 5qt pot, heat oil over medium. Add onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.

3. Add broth and 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Add zucchini, green beans, corn, tomatoes (with juice), and orzo; cook, uncovered, until orzo is tender, 8 to 11 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

To FREEZE: Ladle 1 1/2 cups into each of six resealable plastic bags. Store flat in freezer, up to 3 months. Before reheating, thaw in refrigerator.

Related Links:

Fresh/Canned Tomato Conversion Chart

Gazpacho

This gazpacho recipe is from Jaleo, a Spanish tapas restaurant in DC. I've had it in the restaurant and it is sublime! The chef gave out the recipe to the Washington Post several years ago, and I make it without fail every summer as soon as the real tomatoes are available. Last week I was seduced into buying a 20-lb flat of damaged/spotted tomatoes at the farmers market (only 69 cents/pound! and just as good as the regular ones once you cut out the bad spots!). Fortunately that impulse purchase coincided with record high heats, so I made two pitchers full of gazpacho in a short space of time.

I don't usually mess about with all the garnishes. Also I don't strain it, so it is literally something you can toss in the blender, blend, chill, and eat. Although last time I did make the croutons and they were great.

For the gazpacho:
10 (2 pounds) plum tomatoes, quartered
1 medium cucumber, peeled and cut into chunks
1/2 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar, or more to taste (THIS IS THE SECRET!! Rush out and buy some immediately!)
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, preferably Spanish (NOTE: I usually only use 1/4 cup or so. It's fabulously rich with the whole amount. Sublime, but not everyday fare.)
1 to 2 teaspoon salt

For the garnish:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, preferably Spanish
1 slice rustic white bread
12 cherry tomatoes, halved (or quartered if large)
1 medium cucumber, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 pearl onions, quartered and separated into segments
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
Sea salt
4 chives, cut into 1-inch pieces

For the gazpacho: In a blender or food processor, add the tomatoes, cucumber, green bell pepper, garlic, sherry vinegar and water and blend until the mixture becomes a thick liquid. Taste for acidity (this will vary with the sweetness of the tomatoes) and add more vinegar if necessary. Add the oil and salt. Blend again briefly to thoroughly incorporate the oil. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher or large bowl. [I usually skip this step. Too much hassle.] Cover and refrigerate until cool, at least 30 minutes.

For the garnish: Meanwhile, in a small saute pan over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of the oil. When it is shimmering, add the bread and cook until golden on both sides, about 2 minutes. Break the bread into small pieces to form about 16 croutons and set aside.

To assemble the soup, distribute the croutons, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and onions evenly among the bowls and drizzle with sherry vinegar and the remaining olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt and chives. At the table, pour the chilled gazpacho over the garnish. Serve immediately.

Recipe Source:
Adapted from “Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America,” by Jose Andres (Clarkson Potter, 2005, $35).

Did I say "sublime" twice in the same post? Try it and see if I'm not justified in a little hyperbole.

Spinach, Chickpea and Potato Soup

First of all, I'm happy to be on board with the revived Marthas. I know most of you even if I haven't seen you in years... so hello!

In my mind (and probably in most of yours) there are three important meal elements often in tension with each other: good taste, reasonable cost, and ease/speed of preparation. I find that most meals succeed at two, but it's hard to manage all three. In my case, throw in multiple food allergies (gluten, eggs, dairy) and the third almost always gets sacrificed to the other two. Most of the time I don't mind because I like cooking, but sometimes I still want or need to make something quick.

This soup is one of my favorites, and counts as quick in my kitchen. It is also cheap, especially if you get your spinach in giant bags at Costco (and incorporate it into every dinner for a week. I didn't call myself the Spinach Monster as a child for nothing!) I clipped it out of the Washington Post 5 or 6 years ago and neglected to keep the original publication information, which pains my academic citation-obsessed soul. I did replace the original chicken broth with vegetable, so can I call it mine now?

Spinach, Chickpea and Potato Soup

1 T olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, chopped (about 3 T)
1/2 tsp ground allspice, or more to taste
6 cups vegetable broth (I like the Rapunzel bouillon cubes)
1 pound red or white new potatoes (or any kind except baking), cut into 3/4" cubes
1 15.5 oz. can chickpeas, drained, or 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
6 oz fresh baby spinach
Juice of one lemon
Salt and pepper to taste (The Rapunzel broth is quite salty.)

Heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir just until it releases its aroma, about one minute. Add the allspice and cook for one minute; then add the broth. Heat until bubbles start to appear around the edges. Add potatoes and chickpeas. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium low. Cook at a gentle boil until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork, 15-20 minutes depending on the size of the cubes. Taste and adjust seasonings. Turn off the heat and add the spinach, which will wilt in the heat of the broth. Add the lemon juice and stir. Serve immediately.

Cooking with Orzo

Orzo is one of my favorite things to keep on hand. It comes in handy for so many things. I make myself a quick lunch of orzo, a little cheese (feta or goat is my favorite), tomatoes, parsley (fresh or dried), a dab of olive oil and a squirt of lemon juice (if I have a lemon).

This month I made these two quick and easy recipes and used a small amount of orzo. They both serve our family of four with enough leftovers for a lunch the next day.

Red Pepper Frittata

Cook a small amount or orzo following package directions. You want about 1 Cup cooked orzo. Preheat oven to 350.
Then combine in a medium bowl:
* 1 tablespoon water
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* 4 large egg whites
* 3 large eggs
Stir with a whisk. Prepare a baking dish (8 X 8 works well) by coating with cooking spray.

Heat a larger skillet (on medium) coated with cooking spray and add in:
* 1-1/2 cups diced red bell pepper
* 1 cup sliced onion
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
Saute for 5 minutes. Stir in orzo and egg mixture and stir for 2-3 minutes.

Transfer everything to the baking dish and sprinkle about 1/3 cup cheese (I like cheddar or jack or a combination) and bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes. The dish will look set to you. It is best if you let it stand for 3-4 minutes before serving.

Lemon Chicken Soup with Orzo

My kids love this soup and it has a really unique flavor.

* 6 cups broth (chicken is best but I have substituted vegetable and even used part water before)
* 1/4 teaspoon dill
* 1/2 cup uncooked orzo
* 4 large eggs
* 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (1 good sized juicy lemon squeezed is about the right amount)
* 1 cup shredded carrot
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 8 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces

Bring broth and dill to a boil in a large saucepan. Add orzo. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until orzo is slightly tender. Remove from heat.

Place eggs and juice in a blender; process until smooth. Remove 1 cup broth from pan with a ladle, making sure to leave out orzo. With blender on, slowly add broth; process until smooth.

Add carrot, salt, pepper, and chicken to pan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, and cook 5 minutes or until chicken and orzo are done. Reduce heat to low. Slowly stir in egg mixture; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly (do not boil).

In Honor of Fall Weather

Crockpot Potato Soup

from my friend Jen, who's husband loves this recipe

8 c. coarsely chopped peeled potatoes
1 small onion, chopped (1/3 c.)
1/2 lb. bacon, crisped, drained and crumbled
1-8oz. pkg. cream cheese softened
3 cans reduced sodium chicken broth (14.5 oz. cans) (or subsitute any chicken broth)
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup (10.75 oz. can)
1/4 t. pepper

In a 4 qt. crockpot, stir together thee potatoes and onion. Stir in the bacon.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, and pepper. Add the mixture to the crockpot.

Cover and cook the soup on low heat for 8-10 hours or on high heat for 4-5 hours. If you like, mash the potatoes for a slightly thicken consistency before serving.

Summer Squash Soup

It's kind of warm for soup, but since this is the season to grow/buy summer squash I thought it'd be worth a try. And if you don't want to eat it now, just freeze it for a cold winter night.

5 small yellow summer squash, diced (seeded optional)
2 green onions, cut into 3" pieces (or onion powder if you don't like onions)
2 TB butter or margarine
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 to 1/4 tsp white pepper (black works just as well)
1-1/2 cups whipping cream

In large saucepan, saute squash and onions in butter until tender. Stir in broth, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Cool slightly. Process in batches in a blender or food processor; return all to the pan. Stir in cream and heat through.

Yield 6 servings.

Irish Beef Stew

Serves 4-6 people

Ingredients:

2lbs. stewing beef, cubed
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
2 10 3/4-oz. cans tomato soup
1 soup can water
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 cups diced carrots
2 cups diced potatoes
1-lb package frozen peas
1/4 cup water

1. Place beef, onion soup, tomato soup, soup can of water, salt, pepper, carrots, and potatoes in slow cooker.

2. Cover. Cook on Low 8 hours.

3. Add peas and 1/4 cup water. Cover. Cook on Low 1 more hour.

**I found a bag of frozen peas and carrots in my freezer so I used this instead of the carrots AND the bag of peas.

*** I cut this recipe in half so I wouldn't have too much. It fed the two of us for dinner with one set of leftovers, so for those of you who want more keep it as it is or double it.

This is a FAST prep recipe and is soooo delicious!

Creamy Tomato-Balsamic Soup

This is mostly from Cooking Light (Oct 2005) but I made a few substitutions when I made it and it turned out wonderful. It has a rich creamy almost-smoky flavor.

1 C vegetable or beef broth, divided
1 T brown sugar
3 T balsamic vinegar
1 T soy sauce
1 C coarsely chopped onion
5 garlic cloves
2 28-oz cans whole tomatoes, drained
Cooking spray
3/4 C half-and-half
Freshly ground pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Combine 1/2 C broth, sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce in a small bowl. Coat a 13 X 9-inch baking with cooking spray and place onion, garlic, and tomatoes in it. Pour broth mixture over the top. Bake at 500 for 45 minutes or until vegetables are lightly browned. Cool for about 10 minutes.
Place tomato mixture in blender and add remaining broth and half-and-half. Process until smooth. Garnish with pepper. Serves: about 4.

Vegetarian Cashew Chili

This can be used on a campout fairly easily. I have made it at home but made it on our recent church campout.

3 C chopped onion
2 & 1/2 C chopped red bell pepper
1 & 1/2 C chopped celery
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 C red wine vinegar
1 T molasses
1 & 1/2 t dried basil
1 & 1/2 t dried oregano
1 t ground cumin
1/2 t salt
1/2 t chili powder
1/2 t black pepper
1/8 t bay leaves (or 1 whole bay leaf)
2 T olive oil
2-15.5 oz cans red kidney beans, undrained
1-28 oz can diced or stewed tomatoes, undrained
1-15 oz can pinto beans, undrained
2/3 C cashews, coarsely chopped

Place first four ingredients together (in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag if camping). Combine the next 9 ingredients (vinegar through bay leaves) separately. (Also in a zip bag if camping.)
(At campsite): Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic; saute 8 minutes or until tender. Add vinegar mixture, beans and tomatoes; cook 20 minutes, stirring often. Stir in cashews. Serve. Yield: 7 large servings.

Black and White Bean Soup

I haven't tried this recipe yet, although it is on the menu for later this week so stay tuned....However, I mentioned it to Sarah because of the creative way it is served. It looked like a great company conversation starter. Not to mention that beans are cheap and healthy, too! So since she really wanted me to post this recipe, here it is. :-) Enjoy!

Black and White Bean Soup

Makes 4 Servings

3/4 c. dried black beans
3/4 c. dried great Northern beans
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small poblano chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped (my cookbook recommends wearing gloves for this....)
1 small rib celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1-1/2 t. chopped fresh thyme leaves
8 c. chicken broth
1 t. chili powder
1 t. groun cumin
1 t. chopped fresh sage
Roasted-Pepper Cream (recipe listed below)
Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

Place black beans and great Northern beans in two separate large bowls, cover with cold water, and soak overnight in the fridge.

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, chile pepper, celery, garlic, and thyme and cook for 8 min, or until the vegetables are tender. Remove half of the vegetables to another large pot.

Drain the beans. To the first pot, add the black beans, 4 c. of broth, the chili powder and the cumin. To the second pot, add the great Northern beans, the remaining 4 c. broth, and the sage. Heat both pots to boiling and cover. Reduce the heat to low. Simmer the black bean pot for 1.5 hours and the white bean pot for 1 hr. Keep both warm over low heat.

To serve, ladle 1 c. black bean soup into each of 4 serving bowls. Tilt the bowls and ladle 1 c. white bean soup into the other side of each bowl. Drizzle with the Roasted-Pepper Cream and garnish with the cilantro leaves.

Roasted-Pepper Cream

Makes about 1 cup

1 jar (7 oz.) roasted red peppers, drained
2 T. fat-free sour cream
1 t. apple cider vinegar
salt
groun black pepper

In a blender or food processor, combine the peppers, sour cream, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Many Bean Soup

Coming from a large family I've tried my share of bean soups! This recipe is a version of bean soup that I actually took with me when I left home. It is easy and a great way to eat lots of beans and veggies.

4c. boiling water or tomato juice
1c. each chopped: onion, celery, carrots, potatoes, cabbage
1/8t. garlic powder
pepper to taste (optional)
4c. any combination cooked beans (soak and boil beans until tender)
1T. ham or veg. soup base/boullion (I found that I needed more to get the flavor I wanted)

Combine water and fresh vegetables and cook on stove top until tender. Add remaining ingredients and heat through.

Serves 6

Cabbage Soup in the Slow Cooker

Don't be frightened off by the title of this recipe -- cabbage can be very tasty and is cheap too! Since tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day I bought myself some cabbage earlier this week to make corned beef and cabbage. Around this time of year cabbage is VERY cheap (17 cents a pound). I had some extra so I decided to try this soup.

Cabbage Soup
Makes 8 servings

Half a head of cabbage, sliced thin
2 ribs of celery, sliced thin
2-3 carrots, sliced thin
1 onion, chopped (or you can substitute onion powder)
2 chicken bouillon cubes or substitute some of the water below with chicken broth
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 qt. tomato juice
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp. pepper
Water (see above note about chicken broth)

1. Combine all ingredients except water in slow cooker. Then add water to within 3 inches of top of slow cooker.
2. Cover. Cook on High 3 ½-4 hours, or until vegetables are tender.

Other variations...

* Instead of chicken broth or bouillon use beef broth or bouillon. Then add beef stew meat, precooked. Or up the slow cooker time if adding raw or browned meat. Cook till meat is done and vegetables are tender. This is very tasty too!

* Also, I only had a half a quart of tomato juice, so I finished up the other half with diced tomatoes and their juice. This adds the tomato texture and flavor without getting to saucy tasting.

* I didn't have any broth on hand so I used bouillon and added a bit of water to it first so they became liquefied before I added them to the veggies.

* I also added some HOT red pepper flakes to add some ZING to the recipe.

This was VERY tasty and is simple and cheap to make. It works both as a vegetarian and as a meat recipe. Of course, if you want a Vegan recipe just subsitute vegetable broth when it asks for chicken. Five Stars on this one.

Successful Soup and Substitutions

I tried the "Cream of Acorn Squash" recipe that Sarah posted a while back (post entitled "Tale of Two Soups"). Delicious soup. I'm sure that if I'd followed the recipe, it would have been just as good.

I mostly did follow it. Due to an absence of limes and cream, I used lemon juice and evaporated milk/milk instead. I also added salt, garlic, and celery salt. It was quite good, served with biscuits. I'm enormously proud of myself for making and enjoying a squash dish. Thanks for the recipe, Sarah.

Also, I made a coffee cake that called for sour cream, which I didn't have. I used plain yogurt and cream cheese instead. How often will you have plain yogurt and cream cheese instead of sour cream on hand? Well, if it ever happens, now you know what to do.

-- SJ

Mexican Corn and Bean Soup

While this is not the exact recipe that Sarah is looking for, we had it for dinner last week and it was very good. As with any soup, you could add in any extra vegetables you have on hand and just make more broth. The benefit to this recipe is that it is FAST. Great for coming home from work and having something ready 20 minutes later.

2 t olive oil
1/2 C chopped onion
1 t ground cumin
1 t minced garlic (the bottled kind or fresh)
1/2 t dried oregano
1 C frozen whole-kernel corn
1/2 t black pepper
1 - 14 oz can chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1 - 15 oz can black beans, drained
1 - 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
Lime slices (optional)
Cilantro (optional)

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, cumin, garlic and oregano; saute 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in corn, pepper, broth, beans, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes. Serve with lime slices and top with cilantro if desired. Serves 2-3.

What do you do with black beans? How about a Mexican soup...

Last night I had the most delicious soup in a bread bowl, I'm dying to make it at home. It was vegetarian, but even meat eaters would love this one.

Vegetarian Black Bean Soup
Ingredients included: Water, black beans, onion, celery, red bell pepper, vegetarian vegetable base (baked carrots, lima beans, natural flavorings, tomato paste, cooked potatoes, corn oil, celery, onions), modified food starch, spices, salt, lemon juice, garlic.

Does anyone know of a recipe for this? The closest I can find is on AllRecipes.com and is called: Black Gold Bean Soup.

It was like having taco soup, I love Mexican foods. :) The bread bowl added a very nice touch - have any of you ever done a bread bowl? They are also great with chili.

Tomato Soup with flair

One of my beloved former roommates (LMJ or DMR) left a can of tomato soup in the townhouse when they moved out. I hate tomato soup so it made it through two moves. Then in an act of low-fund desperation, I made it for my husband early in our marriage. He told me as he took a bite that he hated tomato soup but has continued to request it ever since. Last night, feeling a little sick, he requested it once again. Why? Because I fail to follow any directions printed on the can. Instead...

Make soup with milk instead of water, or even better, half-n-half and water mix.
Add onion soup mix or onion flakes for a little more flavor. (Or saute onion in the pan before making the soup.)
Another good add-in is orzo (rice-shaped pasta) and then
top it with fresh cilantro and fresh ground pepper.

Thanks to Linds or Dana for bringing out the creativity in me and helping us discover a family favorite.