Heart and Tummy Warming Soups

Hearty Mushroom Soup

(This is an extremely healthy but delicious soup.  I used the lowfat soup and reduced sodium broth

and it is my new favorite soup!)

8 oz sliced fresh mushrooms
4 ribs celery, sliced
2 carrots, grated
2 cans (or 3 1/2 cups) chicken broth
1 can cr of mushroom soup
1/2 c quick cooking barley or orzo pasta
1/2 t dried thyme
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper

Saute mushrooms and celery in a sprayed large skillet.  Add cr of mushroom soup and stir.  Add rest of ingredients.  Bring to a boil and simmer until pasta is tender.  Makes about 4 servings.

Potato Bacon Chowder

4 - 6 potatoes, peeled (if desired) and diced
8 - 12 slices of bacon (cut into 1 inch pieces)
2 c water
2 cans cr of chicken soup
1 c sour cream
1 1/2 c milk
salt and pepper as desired
1 T dried parsley

Cook bacon in soup pot until crisp.  Leave in pan with drippings.  Put in potatoes.  Pour in water and simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender.  Stir in soup.  Then add sour cream and stir in well.  Slowly add milk and spices and heat through.  Makes about 8 servings.

Easy Cream Soup

Basic recipe:

4 - 6 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cube margarine or butter
water
1/2 c flour
1 can evaporated milk

Place potatoes (and other veggies) into a large soup pot.  Add butter and enough water to cover vegetables. Bring to a boil and simmer until veggies are tender.  In a bowl, whisk together the flour and the milk and add to veggie mixture.  Simmer until thickened.  Salt and pepper to taste. Then add any meat or cheese.

For Seafood Chowder:

Add canned shrimp, tuna and/or minced clams with the milk and flour mixture.  Add any other desired vegetables (carrots, celery, onion) with the potatoes.  I also like to drain the seafood and add the juice in with the water.

For Vegetable Chowder:

Add celery, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, and/or carrots with the potatoes.  Then after you add the milk, stir in frozen peas and a can of drained corn.

Broccoli Cheese Soup:

Add broccoli (one large bunch or 1 bag frozen - we like fresh better) with the potatoes.  After you add the milk, stir in 2 c of grated cheese.

Sweet Hamburger Soup

Yes - I said sweet.  It is so yummy!

1 lb hamburger, browned
2 cans creamed corn
2 cans diced or crushed tomatoes
4 grated carrots
2 cans cr of mushroom soup
1/2 c brown sugar (or more to taste)
salt and pepper to taste

Simmer all ingredients together until warmed through.

Soups of the Weekend - it's cold in my neck of the woods!

Corn Chowder

5 peeled and diced potatoes
1/2 c chopped celery
1 cup butter or margarine
1 c flour
1 qt half and half or milk
3 cans creamed corn
1 can regular corn
1 t dried Thyme
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 c real bacon bits

In a large soup pot, cover potatoes and celery with water and simmer until potatoes are tender.  In a smaller saucepan, melt butter.  Whisk in flour until well mixed.  Slowly pour in milk or half and half and cook on low until thickened, stirring constantly to prevent clumping.  When potatoes are done, stir milk mixture into potatoes and add the rest of the ingredients.  Cook over low until warmed through.  This recipe makes about 8 - 10 servings and is great for leftovers!

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup (tastes like pumpkin pie in a bowl)

2 butternut squash
5 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 Tablespoon butter
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1/2 t ground ginger
1 1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/4 c brown sugar
1 cup heavy cream or half and half
Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds.  Either microwave or roast in oven at 350 (covered) until squash is completely tender.  Scoop out squash from outer skin.  Combine squash with 1 cup of broth in your blender (be sure to open the vent at the top) and puree until squash is smooth.  In a saucepan, bring rest of broth to a boil. Add butter, spices and sugar.  Stir in pureed squash and cream and heat through.  Serve topped with seasoned croutons.

Old Fashioned Beans and Ham

1 smoked ham shank (available in the butchers area of the grocery store)
1 lb desired dried beans (baby limas, butter beans, black eyed peas, navy beans or green split peas)
1 onion, diced
Salt and pepper
1/2 c celery and/or grated carrots if desired

In a sprayed crockpot (at least 3 quart), place ham shank, then beans, then onion.  Cover with water at least 2 inches above the level of the beans.  Simmer on high for 5 hours or low for 8.  Add salt and pepper to taste and vegetables.  Remove ham shank.  Take the meat off of the bone and add it back into the soup.  Simmer for one hour on high and then serve.