Italian Tortellini Soup

Have you ever found a soup that your kids just gobble right up? Well, in our family this is that soup!

It is comforting, delicious, and simple to make - exactly what I love.

Ingredients:

1 pound italian sausage

1 medium onion - chopped

1/2 tsp basil

1/2 tsp oregano

2 carrots - sliced

1 medium zucchini - halved and sliced

3 cups water

2 cans tomato soup

8 oz. tortellini

Brown sausage and onions in a large pot - I like to use my enameled cast iron dutch oven, it's the perfect size.

Throw in all the remaining ingredients - except the tortellini.

That would be the veggies, seasonings, water, and tomato soup.

Bring it to a boil and reduce the temperature. Allow it to simmer for 15 minutes. Then throw in the tortellini and boil for 10-12 more minutes or until the tortellini is soft.

You can cover this and keep it on a simmer for a longer amount of time. Just remember, DO NOT add the tortellini until the final 10 minutes or else you will have a soggy, gross mess.

This is seriously some good eats - especially if you serve it with some Rosemary Bread....

...Mmm.

Enjoy!

Creamy White Chili

This recipe is perfect for these crisp fall days. It is so good, in fact, that I won 1st place at my church's Chili Cook-Off with this recipe. Of course, any recipe that has cream and sour cream must be good - it's a law of nature.

Ingredients:

1 Tb. vegetable oil

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed

1 onion, chopped

14 oz. can chicken broth

2 cans (15.8 oz.) Great Northern beans, rinsed & drained

1 can (7 oz) chopped green chiles, undrained

1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

8 oz. container sour cream

1 cup whipping cream

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (optional)

Heat oil over medium heat; add chicken and onion. Sauté 10 minutes or until chicken is done; set aside.

Add broth, beans, chiles, and seasonings. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.

Remove from heat. Add sour cream and whipping cream, stirring well. You can top it with shredded cheese, however, I did not. I figured with all the various creams, I didn't really need the cheese.

This is seriously amazing, go make some tonight!

Easy Texas Chili

This recipe was inspired from a Campbell's Soup Recipe Book. I took their chili recipe, added some things, left other things out, and then messed with the amounts until I got this recipe. It's really easy and my family loves it.

Ingredients:

1 pound ground Beef

1 medium onion - chopped

1 clove garlic - minced

1 can dark kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2 cans chili beans

1 can (15 oz.) diced tomatoes

1 cup beef broth (can use 1 cup water and 1 beef bouillon cube)

1 1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/4 tsp. ground cumin

1/8 tsp. pepper

1 bay leaf

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, cook beef and onion. After the beef is cooked, add garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Spoon off fat.

Stir in kidney beans, undrained chili beans, undrained tomatoes, beef broth, chili powder, cumin, pepper and bay leaf. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 10 minutes. Remove lid and continue to cook for another 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaf.

Ladle into soup bowls and serve with cheese and sour cream.

Kale and Potato Soup with Sausage

Had this for dinner Friday night - so good. We also had Rosemary Bread (like the kind you get from Romano's Macaroni Grill).

6 red potatoes, sliced
1 pound lean ground sausage
1 Tbsp. cooking oil
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups water
3 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 tsp. salt
pinch of dried red pepper flakes
1 lb. kale, stems removed, leaves shredded (4 stems)
1/4 tsp. fresh-ground black pepper

1. Start by cleaning red potatoes, then poke holes in potatoes with a fork and stick in microwave. Cook until soft through middle (8 to 12 minutes).
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in large pot. Add sausage until browned; remove sausage and pour out fat.
3. Add onion to the pot and then saute with garlic. Add water, broth, and salt. Bring to a boil.
4. When potatoes are finished, slice potatoes in a half moon shape with skins still on. Add to the pot. Then add sausage and red pepper flakes.
5. Bring to a simmer. Add kale. Cook partially covered until potatoes and kale are tender (about six minutes). Add pepper.


*This recipe belongs to either Kristin Withers or Cherise Camp. It's really good - very similar to the Olive Garden soup that has kale, sausage and potato.

Potato Soup

I should name this "Garlic Mashed Potatoes - in Soup Form." But somehow that seems just a little long.

This soup is amazing, especially if you love creamy, filling soups piled with cheese. And, on a lighter note, this soup is actually good for you - well, better than most potato soups. So you don't have to fill guilty about going for seconds.

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

5 - 6 cups diced red potatoes

2 tsp. salt

3 cups chicken broth

2 cups milk

4 oz. cream cheese - softened (I use Neufchatel - less fat)

grated cheese (optional - but HIGHLY recommended)

chopped green onions (optional)

bacon chunks (optional)

In a large pot, saute' the butter and the onion until the onion is tender.

Add the garlic cloves, salt and the diced potatoes. Continue to cook about 10 minutes.

Add the chicken broth and 1 1/2 cups of the milk. Bring to a boil and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes.

While potatoes are cooking, put the remaining 1/2 cup milk and softened cream cheese in a medium bowl. Blend with a hand mixture until you have a smooth consistency. Then add the cream cheese mixture to the soup.

*If you can't get a smooth texture, just pour the cream cheese mixture into a sieve over the soup and push it through will a spoon. This will keep your soup from having lumps.*

Once the potatoes are tender, smash a few of the potatoes with a potato masher to help thicken the soup. Serve with grated cheddar cheese, diced green onion, and chunks of bacon.

Recipe Card (4x6):

Minestrone Soup

This is a healthy soup that tastes great the day you make it, and then somehow it is even better the next day. Must be because all the flavors have had a chance to marinate - boy is it good!

Ingredients:

3 slices bacon, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 medium onion, minced

1 1/2 tsp parsley

2 stalks celery, diced

2 carrots, diced

1 large potato, diced

1/2 medium cabbage, finely sliced

1 14.5 oz. can stewed tomatoes, diced

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. salt

1 15 oz. can kidney beans, drained

2 quarts chicken broth

1/2 cup dry pasta (any kind)

In a large kettle, fry bacon thoroughly. Do not drain grease.

Add onion, parsley, celery, carrots, potato, and cabbage. Saute' for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until vegetables are tender but still crunchy. Add garlic for last minute of cooking.

Add tomatoes, basil, salt, beans, and chicken broth. Simmer about 30 minutes.

Add pasta and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.

Printable Recipe (4x6)

Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients:

- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 bell peppers (I used green and orange), chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 (4 oz) cans chopped green chile peppers, drained
- 2-4 Boca burgers, thawed and crumbled
- 2 (28 oz) cans whole peeled tomatoes, crushed
- Almost 1/4 cup chili powder (probably about 1/6 cup-ish)
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
- 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans
- 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the celery, bell peppers, jalapeno pepper, garlic, and green chile peppers. Season with bay leaves, cumin, oregano, and salt. Cook until vegetables are tender. Mix in the vegetarian burger crumbles. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 5 minutes.

2. Put the tomatoes into crock-pot. Season chili powder and pepper. Stir in the kidney beans, garbanzo beans, black beans, and corn. Add vegetable mixture. Cook for 30 minutes on high, then 4 hours on low.

This chili has 31 grams of protein and 20 grams of fiber. Forrest ate the Boca burger with no complaints.

Ginger & Sweet Potato Soup with Cilantro

This is my favorite soup...

2 tsp olive oil

1 medium leek ( white part only, cut in half lengthwise, rinsed well between layers and thinly sliced

1 medium carrot, chopped

2 lbs. sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and cubed

1 1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped, plus 1 tsp grated

4 cups chicken broth

3/4 tsp salt- to taste

Fresh Cilantro leaves for garnish

lime wedges

1. Heat oil in a 4-6 quart dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add leek and carrot; cook, stirring often, until they begin to soften, 2-3 minutes

Stir in sweet potatoes and chopped ginger. Add broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until sweet potatoes are soft- about 30 minutes.

2. In batches, if necessary, transfer the soup to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Return the soup to pot, season with salt and reheat. Just before serving stir in grated ginger- garnish with cilantro and squeeze lime into soup. ( if you like-- put a little plain yogurt in bottom of serving bowl and swirl in.)

**** The cilantro and lime make this soup sooooo goood.

Mediterranean Grilled Vegetable Soup

2 Red Bell Peppers, cored, seeded and quartered lengthwise
1 Yellow bell pepper cored, seeded and quartered lengthwise
2 small zucchini (1/2 lb total) trimmed and quartered lengthwise
1 red onion peeled and cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
1 tsp olive oil
3 large vine-ripened tomatoes (1 1/4 lbs) cored and chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 cup shredded basil Leaves
1 Tbsp. red-wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Prepare a grill or preheat the broiler. Grill or broil bell peppers, skin-side towards the flame, until the skin in blackened, 5-10 minutes. Place in paper bag and set aside for 15 minutes

Meanwhile, brush zucchini and onion slices with oil and grill or broil until well browned and tender, about 5 minutes
Chop coarsely and set aside

Peel the peppers. Coarsely chop the yellow pepper and set aside with the reserved zucchini and onions. Place the red peppers in a food processor or blender, along with tomatoes, garlic and oregano; puree until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir 1 cup water, basil, vinegar and reserved chopped vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until cool, about 30 minutes ( the soup can be stored covered about two days) or Heat when ready to serve.
Serves four

i got this from a detox nutrition class at the Yoga center in Coppell