Cheesy Broccoli Soup

Fall is the time for soup, and cheesy soups are especially great. It's not hard to find good soup recipes, but when you find a really good one, you don't let it go.--Mark

Ingredients

3 cups water

2 T chicken bouillon granules

2 bunches of broccoli, chopped

1/2 onion, minced

2 cups milk

1/2 cups butter

5 T all-purpose flour

1 8 oz package of cream cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

Bring water and chicken bouillon granules to a boil in a pot. Add broccoli and onion; cook at a boil until tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

Combine milk, margarine, flour, and cream cheese in a large pot over medium heat; cook and stir until the margarine melts and the mixture begins to thicken, about 5 minutes.

Stir Cheddar cheese into the milk mixture; cook and stir until the Cheddar melts completely.

Pour the broccoli mixture into the cheese mixture in the large pot; stir well.

Notes

Substitute vegetable bouillon to make it vegetarian.

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/220271/erins-cheesy-broccoli-soup/

Enchilada Soup

One day Stacy decided that she wanted some soup, Mexican soup. She didn't want to make one of our other recipes, and being the "Queen of Leftovers" she was able to put together several things we had in the house into a nice broth. Then she wondered what would happen if she added a can of enchilada sauce. Taste it and you'll see what happened. The fact that it is here on the blog tells you all you need to know. --Mark

Ingredients:

olive oil
1 medium onion
garlic to taste (optional)
1 can diced green chilies
1 quart chicken or vegetable stock
cooked chicken (or lentils)
1 can enchilada sauce

1 can of hominy
hot sauce (optional)

shredded cheese
shredded lettuce
sour cream
avocado
chips

Instructions:

Heat a small amount of oil in a pot and add the onions and garlic. Saute until soft. Add the green chilies and heat through.

Add stock and heat to a boil.

Add chicken (or lentils) and hominy,  and heat until ready to serve, or until the lentils are cooked.

Add hot sauce if desired.

Top with cheese, lettuce, sour cream, avocado, chips, or anything else that you would like.

Enjoy!

Notes:

You can add water if needed to dilute the flavor or increase the amount of soup desired.

Cream of Pumpkin Soup

Stacy does a great job of whipping up soup on a whim. I came home one morning for lunch and she was in the middle of making this awesome soup. Fall means pumpkin, which means cream of pumpkin soup. The croutons made the meal, though. --Mark

Ingredients:

3 T butter, softened
1 T brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
4 slices whole wheat bread
1 cup chopped onion
2 T butter, melted
2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken (or vegetable) broth
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F(200 degrees C). Combine butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Spread butter mixture evenly over one side of each bread slice. Place bread, buttered side up, on a baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until bread is crisp and topping is bubbly. Cut each slice of bread into 8 small triangles or squares.

Saute onion in butter in a medium saucepan until tender. Add 1 can chicken broth; stir well. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.

Transfer broth mixture into the container of a blender or processor. Process until smooth.

Return mixture to saucepan. Add remaining can of broth, pumpkin, salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground pepper; stir well. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally..

Stir in whipping cream and heat through. Do not boil. Ladle into individual soup bowls. Top each serving with Cinnamon Croutons.

Notes:

Add brown sugar, cayenne pepper, a smidge of nutmeg and cloves . . . SO good.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cream-of-Pumpkin-Soup/Detail.aspx

Baked Potato Soup

Stacy loves a baked potato, and she likes creamy soups, and she is a sucker for a restaurant with creamy baked potato soup. So, why not make it at home. On a whim she looked this up and said, "Let's have baked potato soup for lunch." A short time later we were eating a delicious soup topped with locally raised bacon. Oh, and the skins were great as an appetizer the next day. --Mark

Ingredients:

3 bacon strips, diced
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 T all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp pepper
3 cups chicken broth
2 large baked potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup half-and-half cream
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce
Shredded Cheddar cheese
Minced fresh parsley

Instructions:

In a large saucepan, cook bacon until crisp. Drain, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings. Set bacon aside. Saute onion and garlic in the drippings until tender. Stir in flour, salt, basil and pepper; mix well. Gradually add broth. Bring to boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes, cream and hot pepper sauce; heat through but do not boil. Garnish with bacon, cheese and parsley.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Baked-Potato-Soup/Detail.aspx

Zippy Potato Soup

Do what you want with the adjective "zippy." I'm not sure I'd use that word, but if it has anything to do with being tasty in a wonderfully multi-flavored way, I can get on board. --Mark

Ingredients:

3/4 pound sliced bacon, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
8 potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 medium carrot, grated
5 cups water
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
2 T butter or margarine
4 1/2 tsp minced fresh parsley
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions:

In a large skillet, cook bacon and onion; drain and set aside. In a soup kettle or Dutch oven, cook the potatoes and carrot in water for 20 minutes or until tender (do not drain). Stir in the remaining ingredients and the bacon mixture. Cook for 10 minutes or until heated through.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Zippy-Potato-Soup/Detail.aspx

Ham and Potato Soup

Soups like this are some of the few ways we really enjoy ham. This is a very tasty, creamy soup that is surprisingly easy to make. --Mark

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
1/3 cup diced celery
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 cup diced cooked ham
3 1/4 cups water
2 T chicken bouillon granules
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
1 tsp ground white or black pepper, or to taste
5 T butter
5 T all-purpose flour
2 cups milk

Instructions:

Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt and pepper.

In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.

Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Delicious-Ham-and-Potato-Soup/Detail.aspx

Ham Chowder

None of us are big ham people, but this recipe is great! If we ever eat ham we're sure to make up some stock just to make this soup later. So worth it. --Mark

Ingredients:

8 cups chicken or ham stock
4 cups cubed Country ham
4 tablespoons dried rosemary
2 pounds bacon, diced
2 large onions, diced
3 leeks, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 green onions, diced
6 large potatoes, cubed
1 pound carrots, cubed
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Instructions:

Pour stock into a large pot set over medium heat, and bring to a simmer. Stir in the cubed ham and 2 tablespoons rosemary. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook diced bacon until crisp. With a slotted spoon, remove bacon, and add to pot. Drain half of the bacon grease, and return skillet to medium heat. Stir in onions, leeks, garlic, and green onions; cook until tender, then add to pot.

Place cubed potatoes, carrots, and 2 tablespoons rosemary in pot; simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Turn off heat, and add cream to pot.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Ham-Chowder/Detail.aspx

Sopa de Ervilha (Pea Soup)

This is a recipe Stacy picked up in Portugal and it is more typical of Continental cooking. It is very tasty, even if you aren't a big pea fan. --Mark

Ingredients:

peas

potatoes

onion

2 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth

1 pint cream

Instructions:

Cook and puree the first 3 ingredients. Add in broth, and cream. Add water as necessary.

Portuguese Soup

Soups are very central to Portuguese cooking, and this one is the most basic of all. Stacy grew up eating this soup almost every night with dinner. Ask her. She'll tell you all about it. --Mark

Ingredients:

meat (chicken, pork, etc.)

chourico

potatoes

collards

red kidney beans

water

salt

onion

Instructions:

Boil meats with onion and chourico. When almost cooked, add potatoes, collards, and beans. Salt to taste. Continue cooking until everything is done.

Clam Chowder

Considering my mother hadn't really been to New England at the time I'd learned this recipe, this is a very good chowder. Serving it with a hint of red wine vinegar really brings out all the flavors, and adds a little "zing." --Mark

Ingredients:

1 can diced clams (6 1/2 oz.)

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

2 cups diced potatoes

3/4 cup butter

3/4 cup flour

4 cups milk

1 1/2 tsp sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

pepper

Instructions:

Drain clams and pour juice over onion, celery, and potatoes in a sauce pan. Add enough water to cover the vegetables. Cover and simmer until tender (about 10 minutes).

In a large soup pan melt butter, blend in flour, and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute, then add milk gradually. cook and stir until thick. Add undrained vegetables, clams, salt, and sugar.

Remove from heat and serve.

Sopa de Estrelinha

"Soup of Little Stars" is the Portuguese equivalent of mom's chicken soup. This is great when you feel sick, but not if your stomach is upset because it's got some kick. It will clear out your sinuses, though. You can make it with any little pastas, but the stars are the best. It just feels right that way. --Mark

Ingredients:

onion, chopped

olive oil

garlic, crushed

crushed red pepper

tomato sauce

water

chicken bouillon

cooked chicken

star pasta

Instructions:

Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add crushed red pepper and stir for about a minute. Add tomato sauce and heat through. Add water and chicken bouillon. Bring to a boil. Add in cooked chicken and pasta. Cook until pasta is soft.

Caldo Verde

This is another staple in a long line of Portuguese recipes. It's incredibly simple and wonderfully delicious. We usually have an abundance of collards from our garden so it makes sense to do something like this with them. Again, Portuguese recipe = no exact measurements. --Mark

Ingredients:

Potatoes

Collards, sliced thinly

Chourico

Olive oil

Instructions:

Fry slices of chourico on the side. Boil potatoes and "mash badly," without draining the water. Add collards and slices of fried chorico. Cook until the collards are al dente. Remove from heat and add olive oil to taste.

Molho de Feijao

This is a very standard Portuguese soup, and the first one our daughter ever made. She still loves to make and eat it. As with nearly all our Portuguese recipes, add as much or as little of everything as you like. Experiment. --Mark

Ingredients:

Chourico

olive oil

2 large onions

tomato sauce or crushed tomato

garlic

crushed red pepper

3 cans kidney beans, undrained

2 cups elbow macaroni

salt

parsley

Instructions:

Fry the chourico in olive oil. When almost done add the chopped onion and saute. Add tomatoes or tomato sauce, red pepper, and garlic. Add beans and cover with water. Cook for a few minutes and then mash. Continue to boil. Add macaroni and boil until done. Salt to taste and garnish with parsley.

Soup in a Pumpkin

Coupled with Dinner in a Pumpkin, this is a fantastic fall meal. The soup is very hearty, though, so beware. --Mark

Ingredients:

6 lb pumpkin

2 1/2 cups bread crumbs

2 cups onions, chopped

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cup grated cheese (mozzarella or Swiss)

2 quarts chicken stock

salt and pepper

1/2 tsp sage

1 cup cream or 1 cup half and half

parsley, chopped

Instructions:

Crush bread crumbs. Saute onion in butter until soft but not browned. Stir crumbs into the hot onion mixture and cook slowly for 3 minutes. Cut the top off the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds. Rub the inside with butter.

Turn the crumb mix into the pumpkin. Stir in grated cheese and fill to within 2 inches of the top with hot chicken stock. Season with salt, pepper, and sage.

Bake on a pan in preheated 400 degree oven for about 1 1/2 hours or until the pumpkin flesh can be flaked off with a large cooking fork. Do not overcook as pumpkin will collapse.

Just before serving, gently stir in hot cream or half and half, and a handful of chopped parsley. Ladle into bowls, scraping off some of the pumpkin flesh as you do.

French Onion Soup

This comes from a long list of my mother's "Simple but Delicious" recipes. Cooking for a family of 8 you learn to do it efficiently, but always tastily. --Mark

Ingredients:

3 onions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup butter

4 cups water

4 tsp beef bouillon

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

dash black pepper

Instructions:

Saute onions in butter in a large saucepan until limp and tender. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and cool to eat. Serve with bread or rolls.

Tex-Mex Corn Chowder

In our quest for more soups this winter, we found this excellent Mexican soup. It is tasty and filling and burns to the bottom of the pan very easily so be careful. --Mark

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups onion, chopped
2 T butter
1 T flour
1 T chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 package (16 oz.) frozen corn, thawed
2 cups medium salsa
1 can (14.5 oz.) chicken (or vegetable) broth
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup milk

Instructions:

In a large saucepan, saute onions in butter. Stir in flour, chili powder, and cumin. Add corn, salsa, and broth. Bring to a boil; remove from heat. Gradually add 1/4 cup of the mixture to teh cream cheese in a small bowl. Stir until blended. Add cream cheese mixture and milk to saucepan, stirring until well blended. heat through but do not boil. Serve immediately.

Notes:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Tex-Mex-Corn-Chowder/Detail.aspx

Creamy Pumpkin Soup

Sherry Kilgore brought this one night for book club and everyone had to have the recipe. She could have claimed it as her own, but she of course honestly attributed it to Land O' Lakes. Either way it's delicious, especially on a cool autumn day. --Mark

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp. firmly packed brown sugar
1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon

Instructions:

Melt butter in a saucepan until sizzling. Add onion, garlic, and sugar; cook over medium heat until onion is softened (about 1 to 2 minutes). Add broth, water, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low; cook stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Stir in pumpkin, evaporated milk, and cinnamon. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Transfer mixture to a food processor fitted with a metal blade, or a 5-cup blender. Cover; process until smooth. Return mixture to sauce pan. Serve warm.

Black Bean Chowder with Yogurt-Cilantro Relish

The Pioneer Woman has a lot of great recipes with wonderful pictures. This is one that looked so good and it was. We used canned beans this time around, but I wonder how it would taste if we actually used dry beans instead. --Mark

Ingredients:

1 32 oz. package dried black beans
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, pressed
olive oil
1 4 oz. can diced green chilies
6 cups chicken stock
6 cups milk
1 T butter
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 T flour
2 T chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp mild curry powder
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Relish:
1 cup plain yogurt
2 cups chopped cucumber, peeled and seeded
1 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp. salt

Instructions:

Place beans in a colander and rinse the beans well. Place in an 8-quart Dutch oven and cover with water (about an inch over the top of the beans) and soak overnight. The next morning, prepare the relish by mixing all the ingredients together, then place in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Then drain the beans and rinse them well.

Gently saute the onion and garlic in the stock pot with 2-3 T of olive oil, then add diced green chilies. Place beans back in the Dutch oven and add chicken stock, chili powder, cumin, curry powder, cayenne and salt and pepper. Stir well and bring to a boil. Boil for one minute, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally. After one hour is up, add the milk and 2 T butter and simmer another 30 minutes. While the chowder is simmering, place the shredded cheese in a large bowl and add the flour; toss to coat the cheese with the flour. Bring the chowder to a boil and stir in the cheese. Boil while stirring constantly until the chowder thickens to your desired consistency. Ladle chowder into bowls and top with one or two T of yogurt-cilantro relish placed in the center. Serve with warm tortillas.

Notes:

You can puree the chowder if you want a more "elegant" presentation. For us, the lumpy, yet delicious, form was good enough.

Taco Beef Soup

This is a very easy, quick, and delicious meal. And yet another recipe that I got from my college roommate Katie. It's quite filling, too. --Stacy

Ingredients:

½ lb ground beef or turkey
¼ cup chopped onion
1 ½ cups water
1 16 oz. can stewed, cut tomatoes
1 16 oz. can kidney beans
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
½ envelope (2 T) taco seasoning
1 small avocado, peeled and sliced
Shredded cheese
Tortilla chips
Sour cream
Lime (optional)

Instructions:

In a large pan, cook meat and onion until brown. Pour out the grease. Add water, tomatoes, beans (undrained), tomato sauce, and taco seasoning. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes. Add avocado if desired. Top individual bowls with cheese, crushed chips, and sour cream.

Notes:

Double the recipe. You’ll love it and even if it’s too much, it freezes well. We use ground turkey instead of ground beef, but “Taco Turkey Soup” doesn’t have the same ring to it. You can add lime at the end for a little zing. We’ve also fried strips of corn tortillas in a pan instead of using tortilla chips. Yum!