Tomato Basil Soup

Ingredients: 

 4 Large Tomatoes Cored 

2 Packs of 10oz Cherry Tomatoes 

1 Onion Chopped 

4 Cloves Garlic 

1/2 Cup Vegetable Stock 

1/2 Tsp Black Pepper 

1 Tsp Salt 

1 Tsp Chicken Base (Optional) 

1 Tbsp EVOO 

2 Tsp Fresh Basil  

3 Bell Peppers Cored (Small ones) 

 1/3 Cup Heavy Cream (Optional) 

 Instructions: Place all the ingredients in a crockpot, put the lid on it, turn it on low, come back 7 hours later to find a beautiful smell and delicious looking soup. Lastly, remove lid and pour in 1/2 Cup heavy whipping cream and puree using an immersion blender and then place lid back on for a few minutes to heat back up. Then serve with a drizzle of cream on top (Optional), fresh basil and Parmesan cheese.

Slow cooker Chicken tortilla soup

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup 
• 1 cup salsa
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried cilantro
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• tomato, optional topping
• avocado, optional topping
• sour cream, optional topping
• crushed tortilla chips, optional topping.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Spray slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Place chicken into slow cooker.
3. In a bowl, mix together cream of chicken soup, salsa, corn, black beans, water, cumin, and cilantro. Pour over chicken in slow cooker. Cook on low for 4-6 hours (or high for 2-3 hours).
4. Remove chicken and shred using two forks.
5. Put chicken back into slow cooker, add cheese, and let cook for 15 more minutes.
6. Serve with your favorite fajita toppings.

Beef bone broth

Ingredients:
4 pounds beef bones with marrow
4 carrots, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
2 medium onions, peel on, sliced in half lengthwise and quartered
4 garlic cloves, peel on and smashed 1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs fresh thyme 5-6 sprigs parsley
1⁄4 cup ACV
18-20 cups cold water


Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a 10 quart capacity crock-pot.
   
2. Add in water.
   
3. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce and simmer gently, skimming the fat that rises to the surface occasionally.
   
4. Simmer for 24-48 hours.
   
5. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
   
6. Discard solids and strain remainder in a bowl through a colander. Let stock cool to room temperature, cover and chill.
   
7. Use within a week or freeze up to 3 months. 
   

tomato bisque

2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup half-and-half cream
Chopped fresh tomatoes, optional

Directions
In a medium saucepan, saute garlic in butter for 1 minute. Stir in flour until blended; gradually add chicken broth. Stir in tomato paste and cayenne until well blended.
Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; gradually stir in cream. (Do not boil.) Garnish with chopped tomatoes if desired. Yield: 6 servings

Chicken tortilla soup

Ingredients
2 1/2 (14.5 oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth (4 1/2 cups)
1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes
3/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion
4 cloves garlic, pressed through a garlic crusher
2 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground coriander
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 (14.5 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
For serving:
Tortilla strips or tortilla chips
Shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese
Diced avocado, diced roma tomatoes, sour cream (optional)



Directions
Pour chicken broth and diced tomatoes into a slow cooker. Add onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, coriander and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add chicken breasts then cover with lid and cook on LOW heat 6 hours, or until chicken is cooked through.
Remove chicken and shred, then return to slow cooker along with black beans, corn, cilantro and lime juice, stir. Allow to cook until heated through.
Serve warm with tortilla strips and cheese and other optional ingredients.
Recipe source: Cooking Classy

Chicken Tortilla soup

4 boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces 
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans or pinto beans (or one of each) 
2 (15 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 cup salsa (heat of your choice)
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies 
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can tomato sauce  

Combine all ingredients into crockpot and cook on low for 8-10 hours. To serve, top with sour cream, avocado, tortilla strips or chips, diced green onions, sliced black olives. This is a nice "throw together" dinner that can cook all day and be ready when you are.  If soup is too thick, add a cup of chicken stock.

Slow Cooker Sausage Lentil Soup

1 pound lentils

1 cup diced celery

1 cup diced onion

1 cup diced carrot

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 pound sausage (we like apple chicken sausage)

6 cups chicken or veggie broth

2 cans diced tomatoes, undrained

2 cups chopped spinach or kale

Juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon Canadian steak seasoning (or salt and pepper to taste)

Brown the sausage then add all ingredients to crock pot and cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Before serving, blend 2-3 cups in blender and add back in or use immersion blender to thicken. 

Hot and Sour Soup

·         4 dried Chinese fungi (about 1 ounce), such as wood ears, shitake, or cloud ears (can use a mixture)

·         2 tablespoons olive or canola oil

·         1 tsp. sesame oil (or to taste)

·         1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated

·         2-3 tsps. red chili paste

·         1/2 cup canned bamboo shoots, rinsed well and sliced

·         1/4 pound barbecued pork or chicken, shredded

·         1/4 cup soy sauce

·         ½ tsp minced garlic

·         1/4 cup rice vinegar or red wine vinegar

·         Juice and zest of 1 lemon or lime

·         1 teaspoon salt

·         ½ teaspoon ground white pepper

·         Pinch sugar

·         2 quarts Chicken Stock

·         1 square firm tofu, drained and sliced in 1/4-inch strips

·         3 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water

·         1 – 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

·         Chopped green onions, grated carrot, and cilantro leaves, for garnish

Put the fungus in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand for 30 minutes to reconstitute. Drain and rinse; discard any hard clusters in the centers. (You can reserve the liquid to add to the soup for extra flavor.)

Heat the oil in a wok or large pot over medium-high flame. Add the ginger, chili paste, wood ears, bamboo shoots, and meat; cook and stir for 1 minute to infuse the flavor. Sprinkle with sesame oil.  Combine the soy sauce, vinegar, lemon or lime juice and zest, salt, pepper, and sugar in a small bowl, pour it into the wok and toss everything together - it should smell really fragrant. Pour in the chicken stock (and reserved mushroom liquid, if using), bring the soup to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the tofu and cook for 3 minutes.

Dissolve the cornstarch in the water and stir until smooth. Mix into the soup and continue to simmer until the soup thickens. Remove the soup from the heat and stir in 1 direction to get a current going, then stop stirring. Slowly pour in the beaten eggs in a steady stream and watch it spin around and feather in the broth (it should be cooked almost immediately.) Garnish the hot and sour soup with chopped green onions, grated carrot, and cilantro before serving.

Lasagna Soup

for the soup:
2 tsp. olive oil
1-1/2 lbs. Italian sausage
3 c. chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 T. tomato paste
1 28-oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
6 c. chicken stock
8 oz. mafalda or fusilli pasta
1/2 c. finely chopped fresh basil leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

for the cheesy yum:

8 oz. ricotta or cottage cheese

1/2 c. fresh grated Parmesan cheese

pinch of freshly ground pepper

2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking up into bite sized pieces, and brown for about 5 minutes. Add onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.

Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add uncooked pasta and cook until al dente. Do not over cook or let soup simmer for a long period of time at this point, as the pasta will get mushy. Stir in basil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the cheesy yum. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.

To serve, place a dollop of the cheesy yum in each soup bowl, sprinkle some of the mozzarella on top and ladle the hot soup over the cheese.

Servings:  8

Source:  adapted from 300 Sensational Soups by Carla Snyder and Meredith Deeds, as seen in the February-April 2011 edition of At Home with Kowalski’s magazine

Taco Soup

1 lb. Hamburger

½ cup chopped onion

2 16-oz cans kidney beans (or equivalent in cooked beans)

1 envelope taco seasoning

3 cups water

2 8-oz cans tomato sauce

1 quart tomatoes, pureed

Brown hamburger in large soup pan, drain and add onion.  Cook till onion is clear.  Add remaining ingredients, simmer covered for 15-30 minutes.  Serve with various garnishes, such as grated cheese, guacamole, crushed tortilla chips, sour cream, olives, tomatoes, green onions, salsa, etc.

Clam Chowder or Cheese Soup

2 cup finely chopped onions

2 cup finely chopped celery

4 cups finely diced potatoes

1 tbs. Parsley

2 6 ½  oz. cans minced clams, reserve juice

1 cup butter 

1 cup flour

1 quart ½ and ½

1 ½ tsp. Salt

few grains pepper

½ tsp. Sugar

Drain clams over vegetables in a large soup pan.  Add enough water to barely cover veggies and simmer till barely tender; do NOT drain.  Melt butter, add flour and blend.  Add ½ and ½ and cook till thick, stirring constantly. Stir this mixture into the pan with the cooked veggies.  Add clams, salt and pepper, sugar.  This makes a LARGE pan of soup.  Do not substitute margarine for butter or milk for half and half.


To make Cheese soup, omit clams, add 1 large can chopped green chilis when you are simmering the vegetables, and as much grated cheddar cheese as you like (at least 1 1/2 lbs) after you stir the half and half mixture into the cooked veggies.  Serve with heated tortillas.