Category: Soups

Chunky Vegetable Beef Soup

Sometimes, nothing satisfies like a big pot of healthy soup simmering away on the stove! This recipe is delicious and comes together quickly, plus it makes enough for a small army. You can feed the army right away, and then eat on it for a few days, or freeze it up to 3 months. This is a Southern Living recipe from their Make Ahead Meals Special Collector’s Edition magazine. This is a big batch, so grab your biggest pots!

2 lbs. ground chuck
1 small onion, chopped
1 tsp. table salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3 (14 oz.) cans reduced-sodium beef broth, I just use regular beef broth
3 (29 oz.) cans mixed vegetables with potatoes, drained and rinsed
3 (14 1/2 oz.) cans diced new potatoes, drained and rinsed (from the pic, you can tell I missed the diced part. lol)
1 (15 oz.) can peas
2 (26 oz.) jars tomato, herbs, and spices pasta sauce
1 (14 1/2 oz.) can diced tomatoes wit sweet onion

Brown ground chuck and onion, in batches, in a large Dutch oven over medium-high, stirring 5-8 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain well, and return to Dutch oven. Stir in salt, black pepper, and beef broth; bring to a boil.

Stir in mixed vegetables and next 4 ingredients. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer at least 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Garnish with a mix of shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheeses and chopped fresh basil.

Serves 8.

Spinach and Tortellini Soup

This quick and healthy recipe, adapted from Debbie Wilson in North Carolina, is a great one to have for a speedy supper or a light lunch! Fallon and I love it and Creed eats the pasta, so we are all happy with this one. 😉 This can easily be made vegetarian by using vegetable broth instead of the chicken broth.

1 tsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5 oz) can Italian style diced tomatoes
3 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 pkg. (9 oz.) refrigerated cheese tortellini
4 cups fresh baby spinach
Shredded Parmesan cheese and freshly ground pepper

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add garlic; cook and stir for 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, broth and Italian seasoning; bring to a boil. Add the tortellini; bring to a gentle boil. Add a little salt and cook, uncovered, 7-9 minutes or just until the pasta is tender.

Stir in the spinach and adjust seasonings. Sprinkle servings with cheese and pepper.

*I always think, I might course chop the spinach before throwing it in, but for time’s sake usually don’t. But if you want smaller bites of the spinach, that might be a good idea! And the addition of cooked Italian sausage would be delicious too, I think!
Makes 4-6 servings

COOKING THE BOOKS, YA’LL!

Bacon and White Bean Stew with Kale and Rosemary

This recipe comes by way of Dinnerly. Yep, you guessed it, I’ve ordered another meal delivery kit! I love these things! Dinnerly is the more humble service, offered by Martha and Marley Spoon. This is my first meal and I must say, it is sooooo tasty. My 10 year old daughter, Fallon, and I gobbled it right up! She was thrilled it lacked the sweet potatoes and gained the white beans, which came from another delivery a few weeks back and I completely agree! Now THIS is healthy and edible. Let’s be sensitive to the fact that I love bacon, now, even though some of you are heart healthy readers and eaters. Only love here! The soup is topped with more crispy bacon, fried rosemary leaves, which are the total bomb, and the leftover rosemary oil. Such a delicious meal with so few ingredients. For the kale haters, Martha says to serve this with a sparkling wine, a light prosecco (I used Lunetta) or a favorite champagne. This should clear up any kale trouble and as Martha says, the acidity, freshness and spritz from the bubbly will cut through the rich bacon goodness with ease……And by George, I do believe it does! Live well, my friends. Dilly Dilly!……..sorry, it is still football season!

1 yellow onion
2 (14 oz.) cans cannellini beans
8 oz. bacon
2 or 3 large leaves of curly kale
3 stems fresh rosemary
Kosher salt
Fresh black pepper
3 T. olive oil

Cut the bacon crosswise into 1/4-inch wide strips. Trim ends from the onion, then halve, peel and finely chop. Pick rosemary leaves from stems, and throw the stems away. Strip kale leaves from stems, discard stems, and tear the leaves into bite sized pieces. I ran my knife threw them afterwards as well to get a smaller bite of healthy stuff. Ha! In a small dutchoven or medium saucepan, cook bacon over medium-high until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp, about 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towel, leaving the bacon fat in the saucepan.

Add the onions to bacon fat in your dutch oven or saucepan along with 1/2 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add kale leaves and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes more, reducing heat if onions start to get too brown.

Add beans and their liquid, 1 1/2 cups water, and half of the cooked bacon. Cook over medium-high, gently crushing some of the beans with a spoon, until kale is very tender, 7-10 minutes. (Just do whatever it takes with the kale to soften it, more time if you need it.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, in a a small skillet, heat 3 T. olive oil over medium-high until shimmering. Add the rosemary, fry until crisp, 1 minute. Transfer with slotted spoon to a plate with the bacon. Season with a pinch of salt. Ladle stew into bowls. Garnish with fried rosemary and reserved bacon. Drizzle with some rosemary oil (reserve the remaining for your own use, like dipping bread in!). Enjoy!

Vegetable Beef Soup

I’ve been out of town for several days and the trip included lots of eating out. Eating out is definitely what I would call a hobby of mine and I loved every second of it, but even a girl whose passion is to explore food can get ready to hole up at home and eat simply. If I’m not craving a good old hamburger after a long trip, this soup runs a close second. This recipe is also a sweet reminder of the family reunions I grew up going to in the summers. The first week of June, every year, we would gather with my mother’s 4 sisters and their families for a 10 day family reunion at Lake Stamford. We camped in campers and had a lake house that we would all eat our meals in together. One of the meals was this soup and it was always a favorite of mine! It brings back back the sweetest of memories for me! Top it with shredded cheese and a sprinkling of Lawry’s seasoned salt. MMM, MMM good.

1 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
fresh black pepper, to taste
2 (10.5 oz.) cans Campbell’s soup beef broth
1 (15 oz.) can whole kernel corn
1 (14.5 oz.) can green beans
2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
3 small russet potatoes, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
1/4 head of cabbage, chopped

Garnish: shredded cheddar cheese

Heat oil in a a dutch oven over medium high heat. Add ground beef, minced garlic and diced onions. After breaking the meat up and stirring everything good, season with 1/2 tsp. kosher salt and a bit of fresh ground pepper. Once the meat is browned, add the rest of the ingredients, including the juices from the canned ingredients. At this point, you can add a little water if it looks like it needs more liquid for the soup. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a nice simmer. Cook for about an hour or until all of the vegetables are tender. Adjust the seasonings and serve with shredded cheese for topping.

Chicken Enchilada Soup

This recipe is perfect for a chilly fall night and I love that it is very simple to throw together, especially if it has been a long day! Your loved ones will be so happy with the smells coming from the kitchen. My friend, Nelda Harris, shared this soup recipe with me. She had many of us to her beautiful cabin in Ruidoso, NM for a watercolor art retreat. It was so much fun and she fed us the most delicious food as well! Thanks for the good memories, Nelda!

2 T. vegetable oil
1/2 pound boneless chicken, cut into bitesized cubes
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (10oz.) can mild Rotel
1 (14.5 oz.) can beef broth
1 (14.5 oz.) can chicken broth
1 (10.5 oz.) can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups water
1 T. A1 steak sauce
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp.ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/8 tsp. black pepper
3/4 pound Mexican Velveeta cheese
Garnishes:
diced avocados
paprika
crushed tortilla chips

In a dutch oven, saute onion, garlic, and chicken in 2 T. hot oil. (Tip: add a little chicken fajita seasoning to the meat as it cooks to add extra flavor to the chicken.) Add the rest of the ingredients except the Velveeta, chips, avocado and paprika.

Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer. After 30 minutes to an hour, add the cheese; simmer uncovered for 10 more minutes. Serve the soup over crushed tortilla chips and top with diced avocado and a sprinkle of paprika.

Fresh Squash Soup

Fresh squash soup seems so healthy to me and with the addition of evaporated milk, it makes it creamy and comforting as well. This delicious soup is perfect for a light supper pared with your favorite sandwich. I’m thinking bacon and tomato for mine! This soup was inspired by The Peachtree Tearoom’s recipe. Located in Fredericksburg, Texas, it is a fabulous place to stop in for lunch should you ever be in that neck of the woods!

1/4 lb. bacon, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
2 large zucchini, sliced
8 large yellow squash, sliced
5 tsp. cumin
1 1/4 tsp. Lawry’s salt free seasoning or oregano
2 (32 oz.) boxes of chicken broth
4 cups evaporated milk
2-3 low sodium chicken bouillon cubes
2 tsp. kosher salt
fresh cracked pepper
Garnishes: grated cheddar cheese and chopped green onions

In a large stockpot, brown the diced onion. Discard all but 2 T. of bacon grease. (Save the bacon bits to use as a garnish for the soup, if you like.) Add onion and sauté until transparent. Add garlic.

Add yellow squash, zucchini, chicken broth, bouillon cubes, cumin, and Lawry’s salt free seasoning. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes.

Add evaporated milk and heat through. Season at first with 1 to 2 tsp. kosher salt. (It seems like a lot of salt, but this is a big batch of soup. Start with less and taste as you go, adding more to suit your personal taste.) Using a potato masher, coarsely mash squash. Taste again for salt and pepper. I like to use my immersion blender to puree half of the soup. Garnish as desired.

Chicken and Dumplings

This recipe was shared with me by my sweet sister-in-law, Laurel. One evening she brought these over along with a pan of caramel brownies. For the life of me, I cannot remember what I was ailing from, but I do remember this yummy meal! Easily doubled, this can be made to comfort your own family and those of a friend in need.

3 or 4 chicken breasts
1 (32 oz.) Chicken Broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 (10 count) can Pillsbury layers biscuits
salt and pepper to taste
flour

Cook the chicken breasts in 4 cups water. Add more to cover the chicken if you need to. Boil until cooked. 45 minutes should be good, but be sure and check for doneness beforehand too. No need for dried out chicken here!

Pour the broth into a medium to large size pot and stir the cream of chicken soup into the boiling broth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pull the biscuits apart into three layers and dip each layer into flour coating both sides. Tear the floured layers into three pieces and drop into the gently boiling, seasoned broth. Try not to stir the biscuits too much. Just push them down with a spoon into the broth as they float to the top.

Cook for ten minutes after the last dumplings have been added. Shred your chicken breasts and add to the dumplings and turn the stove to low until you are ready to serve.
Taste for salt and pepper adjustments.