Tomato Alphabet Soup

I got the basic recipe for Tomato Alphabet Soup at http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes-and-cooking/50-easy-soups-1--10/index.html, but I found it a little bland so I doctored it up and we really like it. Here is what I do:

• Brown 1/2 pound hamburger with some onion and minced garlic, drain off the fat if needed.
• Add three cups chicken broth and two cups tomato juice and bring to a boil.
• Add as much oregano as you would like.
• Adjust taste to your liking with onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, more oregano, basil--or whatever sounds good to you!
• Add 1/2 cup alphabet pasta and cook until tender. (I couldn't find alphabet pasta so I just found a small pasta and used it).
• I also like to throw in some fresh or frozen spinach when the pasta is just about finished.
• Serve with grated parmesan if desired.
  

The above website is a link to 50 easy soups. I like a lot of the others too and recommend taking a look through them. This recipe is number #31 on the list.

Maria's Clam Chowder

Hi All!

Tonight I went to a Soup-n-Swap for our Enrichment Night. Very fun! I brought a clam chowder. A recipe Maria gave to me in 2005! It is very delicious and I noticed that it wasn't here so I'll copy her recipe so you clam chowder lovers can try it. YUM! Thanks, Maria! I have so many of your recipes that I now use on a regular basis. You are very talented!

I miss ya'll!...Except for those of you I don't know...cuz...I don't know you.:) Anyway, enjoy!

Bratten's Boston Clam Chowder

2-6 1/2 oz. minced clams

1 c. onion, chopped

1 c. celery, chopped

2 c. potatoes, diced

3/4 c. butter

3/4 c. flour

1 quart half and half

1 1/2 t. salt

a few grains of pepper

1/2 t. sugar

Drain juice from clams and pour over vegetables in med. saucepan. Add enough water to barely cover and simmer, covered, over med heat until potatoes are tender. In the meantime, melt butter, add flour and blend and cook a minute or two. Add cream and cook and stir until smooth and thick, using a whisk to blend. Add undrained vegetables and clams and heat through. Season with salt, pepper and sugar.

White Chicken Chili

1-2 lbs chicken cooked and shredded
1 T. Olive oil
2 -4oz. Cans green chiles
2 med. Onions chopped
3 c. shredded Montery Jack cheese
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 t. ground cumin 3 cans (16 oz.) Great Northern beans*
1 ½ t. oregano
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
3 cans chicken broth (or 4c. Water with 4 bouillon cubes)
s&p to taste

Heat oil. Add onions. Saute. Stir in garlic, cumin, oregano, pepper, & green chiles. Stir in undrained beans. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and add chicken and cheese and stir until cheese is melted. Serves 10 people.

*Can use 1 lb. Dry beans. Soak overnight. In morning rinse and then simmer in broth and garlic for 3 hours (or until tender) before adding to soup.

Chicken Soup with Dumplings

Last night I decided to try a new recipe and for some reason Chicken and Dumplings have been on my mind. I have never made dumplings before and was happy with a recipe that I found in my Lion House Cookbook. I just finished eating the leftovers 5 minutes ago. It's a yummy, hearty meal...great for a chilly day.

Chicken Soup with Dumplings

• Meat From 1 Chicken Cooked and Shredded
• 1 large Onion Diced
• ½ stalk Celery Diced
• 2 Carrots Diced
• 4-6 cups Chicken Broth
• 1 cup fresh cut Green beans
• 1 cup Pearl Barley if you like
• 1 tsp celery salt
• 1 Tbsp Fresh Chopped Parsley
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp Thyme if you have Thyme
• Salt
• Pepper

Method:

In a small amount of cooking oil sweat the onion, carrots and celery. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer until the barley is tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add spoon sized balls of dumpling dough and simmer until dumplings rise.

Dumplings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Milk
• ½ cup Butter
• ½ tsp Salt
• ½ tsp Nutmeg
• 1 cup Flour
• 3 Eggs

Method:

Bring the milk and butter to a boil, add salt and nutmeg. Remove from heat and immediately add flour stirring until dough leaves the sides of the pan. Incorporate the eggs one at a time forming sticky dough.

Pasta e Fagioli

I have no idea what that name actually means but it sounds nice, and it tastes so good! It's raining a lot here in California, good as it gets soup weather. I got this recipe from http://www.topsecretrecipes.com/

1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, diced (1 cup)
1 large carrot, julienned (1 cup)
3 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes
1 15-ounce can red kidney beans (with liquid)
1 15-ounce can great northern beans (with liquid)
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 12-ounce can V-8 juice
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 pound (1/2 pkg.) ditali pasta
1. Brown the ground beef in a large saucepan or pot over medium heat. Drain off most of the fat.
2. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic and sauté for 10 minutes.
3. Add remaining ingredients, except pasta, and simmer for 1 hour.
4. About 50 minutes into simmer time, cook the pasta in 1 1/2 to 2 quarts of boiling water over high heat. Cook for 10 minutes or just until pasta is al dente, or slightly tough. Drain.
5. Add the pasta to the large pot of soup. Simmer for 5-10 minutes and serve.
Serves 8.

Easy Soups

Hi ladies! This is my first time posting and you need to know that I am far from a gourmet chef. Meals at our house are generally what we can throw together fast. That being said here are 2 soup recipes we love when it is getting cold. They are total throw-it-together-fast meals!
Katie


Taco Soup
1 lb. hamburger
1 pkg. taco seasoning (or less to taste)
1 small can tomatoe sauce
1 can corn (do not drain)
1 can kidney beans (do not drain)
1 can black beans (do not drain)
1 can diced tomatoes (do not drain)

Brown hamburger and drain of grease. Add all ingredients in a large pot and cook 15-20 minutes. Serve with grated cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips or Nacho Cheese Doritos. (YUM!)

Minestrone Soup
1 lb. browned hamburger w/ chopped onion
3 cans Campbell's Minestrone Soup
2 cans pork n' beans
3 cans water
1 packet dry italian dressing (or less to taste)

Mix ingredients together in large crockpot. Cook on low for 2 hours stirring occasionally.

Chicken Curry

A while ago Jocelyn let us sample some awesome soup that she made. So good! When I had the first bite, I thought I recognized a mild flavor that I couldn't initially pin point. But then I figured it out. Coconut milk! It was so delicious and the coconut didn't overpower it. So thanks! Jocelyn wanted to make sure that Tina Culter got the credit for the recipe so thanks Tina as well!!

*Chicken Curry From Sister Cutler

1 can chicken broth
1 can coconut milk (13 ½ ounce)
1 teaspoon Thai red curry paste
3 chicken breasts, diced.
bamboo shoots, sliced
4 carrots, chopped thin
2 small zucchini chopped (or other vegetables you like)
1 teaspoon lime juice
fish sauce, sugar and salt to taste

Mix curry paste with a small amount of coconut milk to dissolve. Bring coconut milk, chicken broth and curry paste to boil. Brown chicken, add to coconut milk mixture. Simmer about 10 minutes. Add lemon leaves, chopped vegetables and bamboo shoots. Simmer about 10 minutes. Add lime juice and fish sauce, sugar and salt to taste.

Carrot Chowder

I didn't take a picture of the carrot chowder I made for Gretchen's shower but I have had many requests for the recipe. So, here it is minus the pic:

Carrot Chowder

1 pound ground beef—brown then add:
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup celery chopped
½ cup bell pepper chopped
½ cup green onion chopped

1 quart tomato juice (46 oz juice or 32 oz)
1 ½ cup water
½ tsp pepper
3 cloves of minced garlic (I always add extra)
¼ tsp salt
1/8 tsp marjoram
1 tsp sugar
2 ½ cups coarsely grated carrots
2 cans cream of celery soup

In a large pot brown 1 lb. grown beef and discard drippings. Add: salt, celery, peppers, green onions, sauté this mixture until meat absorbs vegetable flavor—about 10 minutes. Add: tomato juice, water, pepper, garlic, salt, marjoram, sugar, and grated carrots. Bring to a boil and then turn to simmer.
**Take some of this hot mixture and put it into a separate bowl. Add two cans soup into the separate bowl and stir until smooth. This step is important so that the soup isn’t lumpy. Then, put this mixture back into the big pot. Pour the soup into bowls and add swiss cheese to melt into each bowl**

Chicken Sausage Jambalaya

2 1/3 - 3 lbs. Chicken Breast (3 Whole) browned in skillet
2 C. White Onion Diced (1 large onion)
1 Green Bell Pepper Diced
1 C. Chopped fresh parsley
1 C. Green onions chopped
1 Lb. Smoked beef sausage
3 C. Raw white rice, long grain
8 C. Chicken Broth (canned is better)
2-3 TBS. Minced Garlic (1 Tbsp. Of jar garlic)
Salt/Hot Sauce to taste

* Stir Often

Brown Chicken in ¼ C. olive oil. Remove chicken. Sauté onion, bell pepper, parsley, and green onion in remaining oil. Add chicken stock. Stir. Add rice, chicken, sausage, and garlic. Start salting and adding Tabasco sauce. Stir consistently on medium heat until most of liquid is absorbed, and mixture is more condensed. Reduce heat to low, cover. Stir on occasion. Steam for approximately 30 minutes. Check rice. Done when rice is ready.