Minestrone Soup

Minestrone Soup (justcookalready) ingredients 4 cups canned chopped tomatoes 4 cups water 1 cup beef broth 8 oz. tomato sauce 4 ribs celery, chopped 3 large carrots, chopped 2 large onions, chopped 1 tsp basil 1/2 tsp oregano 1 tbsp parsely 2 cloves garlic 1 tbsp sugar 1/4 lb ground turkey 1 can kidney beans 1 cup pasta directions throw everything in a soup pot over medium heat and allow to simmer and cook for 40-45 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. while that's simmering, cook ground turkey and add to the pot. the last ten minutes, add the pasta. eat, and enjoy!

Chicken and Vegetable Dumpling Soup

Chicken and Vegetable Dumpling Soup
(melskitchencafe.com)

The ultimate in comfort food, this soup was our solace for being trapped in the house far too long with subzero temperatures raging outside (oh, spring, wherefore art thou??). My Aunt Marilyn sent me the recipe and I was hooked on trying it when I knew she had been making it and loving it for years and also has used it as a wonderful take-in meal with great results.
The soup is a delicious and unique twist on traditional chicken noodle soup and the overall flavor of this soup is out of this world (not to mention the way my house smelled while cooking it – crazy good). Slightly creamy and chock full of vegetables and tender chunks of chicken, this soup is elevated to a whole new level by the addition of steamed morsels of dumplings. Soft and delicate, the dumplings complimented every bite of this tummy-warming soup.
Talk about a hit with my kids. Fighting over dumplings ensued big time, which led to the realization that this soup will definitely be made again and again at my house. A little more work (and the use of one or two more bowls) than a quick fix dinner, this soup is worth it, I promise.

One Year Ago: Lemon and Garlic Grilled ChickenTwo Years Ago: Super Moist Fudge Bundt Cake
Chicken and Vegetable Dumpling SoupPrintable VersionPrintable Version with Picture
*Serves 6
Chicken and Broth:4 cups chicken broth4 cups water2-3 chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
Vegetables:1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil2 stalks celery, chopped2 large carrots (6-7 baby carrots), chopped1 onion, chopped1 ½ teaspoons salt1 teaspoon dried thyme1/4 teaspoon pepper1/2 cup frozen peas
Dumplings:1 cup flour2 teaspoons baking powder1/2 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon dried thyme or sage1/2 cup sour cream1/2 cup milk1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
In a large pot, boil the chicken broth, water and chicken breasts until the chicken is cooked through and tender (about 15 minutes). Remove the chicken from the pot, reserving the broth in the pot, and shred the chicken with two forks. Set the chicken aside and keep the broth warm on the stove.
While the chicken is boiling, in a large skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the celery, carrots and onions. Saute for about 6-7 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add the vegetables to the hot broth in the pot after the chicken has been removed. Add salt, thyme and pepper to the vegetable/broth mixture and stir to combine. Heat the soup to a simmer.
In a small bowl, blend ½ cup cold water and 1/4 cup flour with a wire whisk until smooth. Whisking vigorously, slowly add the flour mixture into the hot vegetables and broth and whisk until well combined. Add ½ cup frozen peas and the reserved chicken and cook, stirring gently for one minute.
For the dumplings, in a medium bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, milk and oil. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined (don’t overmix, it is ok if there are a few dry spots of flour here and there).
Heat the soup to boiling and drop teaspoonful amounts (the dumplings should be fairly small, they’ll expand while cooking) of dumpling dough into the boiling soup, covering the entire surface of the soup (don’t make more than one layer of dumplings). Reduce the heat to simmering, cover and let the dumplings cook for 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid of the pot while the dumplings cook.
When the dumplings have cooked fully, remove the lid and gently stir the dumplings to break them apart. Serve.

White Chicken + Bean Soup with Lime

WHITE CHICKEN + BEAN SOUP with LIME
(recipes and more)
3 chicken breasts, cooked + cubed
2 (40z) cans green chilies
1 can hominy
1 can great northern beans
1 can white kidney beans
1 1/2 t. lime pepper or lemon pepper
1 t. cumin
1 clove garlic
1 cup chopped onion
2 T. olive oil
4 T. lime juice, plus one lime for garnish
1 can chicken stock
1 1/2 cups water
1 can white shoepeg corn

In small saucepan fill with water, drop chicken in + cook. In large pot saute the onion in the oil until translucent. Add the spices + garlic + stir. Add all canned ingredients, plus the water + stock. Bring to a boil then lower to simmer. When chicken is cooked, take out and cube then add to soup. Just before serving add the fresh lime juice and stir well.

Garnishes :: {any or all}
:: Sour cream :: Salsa :: Avocado :: Cilantro :: Crushed tortilla chips ::

Side dish ::
Flour tortillas brushed with a little EVOO, sprinkled with salt + pepper toasted in a skillet on both sides fill them with lots of cheese, tomatoes, cilantro + fresh {cooked} corn on the cob, cut them in wedges, serve with soup.

Tortellini Soup

Tortellini Soup
(gotta try it, it's soooo good)
1 pound mild Italian sausage
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup water
2 cans beef broth
1/2 cup apple juice
3 carrots, sliced
1 (28oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 t. basil
1 t. oregano
1 cup zucchini (optional)
4 T. parsley, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
8 oz cheese tortellini (I like the baritolli kind that you can buy next to the noodles on the shelf, but the refrigerated or frozen kind works as well)

fresh grated Parmesan cheese

In a large soup pan, brown sausage. Drain fat + add chopped onion + garlic + cook until tender. Add water, broth, apple juice, carrots, tomatoes, basil, oregano, zucchini, parsley + green pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes or longer. Add tortellini 5 to 10 minutes before serving + cook until tender, but not soggy. Garnish with parm.

Deep Pantry Chili

My "dig deep in the pantry" Chili
2 t. olive oil
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies
1 medium onion, chopped
dash garlic powder
3 T. tomato paste
1 1/2 T. cumin
1/2 T. chili powder
1 pound browned ground beef
1 (28 oz) can petite diced tomatoes
1 can red kidney beans
1 can white kidney beans
Shredded cheddar cheese
In a large pot put in the oil and the onion. Saute until translucent. Add the chilies, garlic powder, spices & stir. Add the beef, tomatoes & beans. Simmer for 10-15 min.

Preheat the oven to 350. See how much chili you have in comparison to the potatoes. A half and half proportion is best. Reserve the chili in container if there is more than half of the potatoes. Spoon chili into baking dish, spread evenly. Take the potatoes and spread evenly over top. Sprinkle with the cheese. Put in the oven for 15 minutes or until cheese is completely melted on top.

Minnesota Taco Bean Soup

Taco Bean Soup:
1 lb. Gr. Beef
1 chopped onion
*browned
Add:
2 cans black beans (drain )
1 can corn (drain )
2 cans Rotel tomatoes (mild )
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 can water
1 taco seasoning pack (Spicy Old El Paso worked great!)
1 package hidden valley ranch dressing mix
Mix and simmer 20 minutes
Top with sour cream, cheese, green onion, tortilla chips . . .

Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana

zuppa toscana
(justcookalready.com)
sometimes finding a restaurant's recipe that you love can be so exciting. but often i find it's too difficult, or too time consuming to even recreate. not with this recipe. it's easy and tastes identical to the olive garden version....delicious!


Zuppa Toscana
6 to 8 servingsIngredients
· 1 lb ground spicy Italian sausage (remove casing and crumble)
· 1½ tsp crushed red peppers
· 1 large diced white onion
· 4 Tbsp bacon pieces
· 2 tsp garlic puree
· 10 cups chicken broth or 10 cups water with 5 cubes or teaspoons of bullion
· 1 cup heavy cream (I will only use 1/2 cup next time)
· 1 lb sliced Russet potatoes, or about 4 large potatoes (unpeeled and chopped into bite size pieces)
· about 4 cups of kale (roughly chopped)
Directions1. Sauté Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.2. In the same pan, sauté bacon till fat is rendered and add onions and garlic for approximately 10 minutes or until the onions are soft.3. Mix together the chicken bouillon and water, then add it to the onions, bacon and garlic. Cook until boiling.4. Add potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.5. Add heavy cream and cook until thoroughly heated.6. Stir in the sausage.7. Add kale just before serving. Delicious!