SAHM: October 2008

13 of my favorite soups on a cold day

1. Ham and Potato soup.
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 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, or to taste
5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk

DIRECTIONS
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.
2.Potato Soup
INGREDIENTS
6 cups diced potatoes
3 stalks celery, diced
1 cup chopped onion
3 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth, divided
4 cups half-and-half cream
6 tablespoons butter, melted
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cubes chicken bouillon
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS
In a large pot, bring potatoes, celery and onion to a boil in 2 cups of broth. Cook until potatoes are tender, 15 minutes. Drain and reserve liquid.
Combine reserved broth and half-and-half in pot. In a bowl, combine melted butter and flour. Stir into half-and-half mixture over medium heat. Stir until thickened. Stir in reserved vegetables, remaining broth, bouillon and pepper. Heat through and serve.
3.Oven Baked Stew
Ingredients
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3/4 pound boneless beef chuck roast - cut into 1 inch cubes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup, undiluted
1 1/4 cups water
3/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
2 medium carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces

DIRECTIONS
In a resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Add beef cubes, a few at a time, and shake to coat. In a Dutch oven, brown meat in oil. Add the soup, water, onion and basil; mix well. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour. Add potatoes and carrots. Bake 1 hour longer or until meat and vegetables are tender.
4.Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 (19 ounce) can minestrone soup
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1 (11 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

DIRECTIONS
In a skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Transfer to a slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients; mix well. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or until heated through
5.Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ingredients
1 (10 ounce) package frozen broccoli
2 1/2 cups milk
2 1/2 cups cubed processed cheese
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream
1 cube chicken bouillon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS
Place broccoli in a medium saucepan with just enough water to cover. Cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Set aside and do not drain water.
In a large saucepan, heat milk. Blend in the flour and cheese until smooth. Stir in the cream and bouillon cube. Add the broccoli and it's water to the mixture and season with salt and pepper. Heat soup to warm and serve immediately.
6.Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
1/2 cup uncooked wild rice
3 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
salt and pepper to taste
1 (10.75 ounce) can chicken broth
2 cups milk
2 cups diced chicken

DIRECTIONS
Prepare rice according to package directions.
Melt the butter or margarine in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and saute for 5 to 10 minutes, or until almost tender.
Stir in the four and salt and pepper to taste. Add the broth and milk and stir until soup thickens.
Add the rice and the chicken and allow to heat through, about 10 minutes
7.Chicken Rotini Soup
Ingredients
2 cubes chicken bouillon
1 (12 ounce) package rotini pasta
13 cups chicken broth
4 cups water
6 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
1 1/2 pounds chicken - cut into bite size pieces
garlic powder to taste
1 teaspoon onion powder
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Place enough water in a 5 quart pot over high heat to boil the pasta. Place the bouillon in the water and bring to a boil. Place the rotini in the boiling water and cook according to package directions. Drain and set pasta aside.
In a large pot over high heat, combine the chicken broth and water. To this, add the celery, onion, carrots and chicken. Bring to a boil and stir in the reserved pasta. Reduce heat to medium low, let simmer and season with the garlic powder, onion powder and salt and pepper to taste. Cook 20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and chicken is no longer pink. Serve hot.
8.Chicken Soup
Ingredients
2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
2 cups baby carrots
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon celery salt
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add the carrots, onion, garlic and celery salt.
Reduce heat to low and add the chicken breast. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Carefully remove the chicken breast, cut it into chunks and return it to the pot. Stir in the cilantro OR dill to taste.
9.Chicken Noodle Soup
INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken meat
1/2 pound uncooked spaghetti
4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup chopped onion
salt to taste
12 cups water
3 tablespoons olive oil

DIRECTIONS
In a large pot, bring the water to a boil. Add the salt and olive oil.
Chop up the chicken, and add it with the onion and garlic to the pot.
Break the spaghetti into small pieces, no longer than half the size of your pinkie; add to the pot. Stir. Let simmer over medium heat for 30 to 45 minutes.
10.Chicken Soup (with different noodles)
Ingredients
1 (2 to 3 pound) whole chicken
3 stalks celery with leaves, chopped
1 pound baby carrots
2 onions, chopped
2 cubes beef bouillon, crumbled
1 packet chicken noodle soup mix
2 (14.5 ounce) cans low-sodium chicken broth
1 pinch dried thyme
1 pinch poultry seasoning
1 pinch dried basil
5 black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 pinch dried parsley
1 (8 ounce) package farfalle (bow tie) pasta

DIRECTIONS
Place chicken in a large pot and cover with water. Place celery leaves in pot and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and place in a bowl until cool enough to handle.
Meanwhile, strain the cooking liquid, discard the celery tops and place the cooking liquid in a large pot. Place celery, carrots, onion, bouillon, soup mix and chicken broth in the pot and let simmer. Season with thyme, poultry seasoning, basil, peppercorns, bay leaves and parsley.
Bone chicken and cut up meat into bite-size pieces. Return meat to pot. Cook until vegetables are tender and flavors are well blended, up to 90 minutes.
Stir pasta into pot and cook 10 to 15 minutes more, until noodles are al dente. Serve hot.
11.Creamy Shell Soup
Ingredients
2 cups medium seashell pasta
4 cups water
24 ounces boneless, skinless chicken meat
1 cup diced onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 potatoes, diced
4 green onions, chopped
3 cubes chicken bouillon
1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
4 cups milk
1/4 cup margarine
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 pinch ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain, and set aside.
Simmer water, chicken, diced onions, celery, minced parsley, bay leaf, salt and pepper in Dutch oven until chicken is tender. Remove bay leaf; discard. Remove chicken; cool.
Add potatoes, green onions, bouillon cubes, seasoned salt and poultry seasoning to broth. Simmer 15 minutes. Add milk, cooked pasta, and chicken; return to simmer.
Melt butter or margarine over medium heat. Add flour, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to brown. Add to soup; blend well. Let soup stand 20 minutes to blend flavors. Season to taste. Garnish with nutmeg and chopped parsley.
12.Chili
13.vegetable stew

Our birthdays are a day apart. So on mine he came home from work and surprised me with flowers. Then took me shopping for my present. We have both agreed not to try and surprise each other it never works. We are both to picky to buy for. So for my birthday he bought me a new camera. I am so happy. It is a real good one for the classes I will be taking at some point. Then after we did shopping for me I took him to get his gift. He ended up getting a new guitar case and a new amp. He was very happy. So then we went to dinner.

We went to a place called Sumo. They cook your meal in front of you while putting on a show. Very good. It was a very good birthday. On his birthday the poor guy had to work all day. I thought of calling his boss and asking them if they could send him home but I thought it would never work. So I spent the day making him a song book. I printed off some many music cords. So when he got off work I gave that to him and we went to dinner.He picked Red Lobster. So off we went. He got a whole lobster. The ones they go get out of the tank=( When they brought it to the table the eyes were looking at me and freaked me out. Gross! I made Derek turn it around.

After dinner we went and got Starbucks and walked a water fall type lake area. Then went and got some ice cream. Well now that you are probably bored out of your mind I'm going to go. I need to get packed to head to Oklahoma when Derek gets off. Have a wonderful weekend.