Sopa Tarasca

I haven't made this soup, but I wanted to have the recipe so I could make it. My husband is from Michoacan, Mexico and this soup originated there. I want to make it for him, even though he hasn't lived there in 40 years, he probably doesn't remember it, but his parents will! I will post about the taste when I do make it.

Source:http://eatlivetravelwrite.com

adapted from The Spiced Life and MexConnect

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons oil (I used olive)
1 large onion, roughly chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium-sized dried ancho or chipotle chilies, soaked in a little boiling water for about 15 minutes, then drained
28 oz (791 mls) diced, canned tomatoes and their juice
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
4 cups (2 cups dry) cooked white beans and about 1/2 cup of cooking liquid
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 teaspoons smoked Spanish paprika
salt to taste

To garnish:fried corn tortilla strips (or you can use crushed up plain tortilla chips)fried ancho chilies (again, soaked in boiling water then drained and lightly fried)queso fresco, feta cheese or fresh mozarella
cilantro

Directions:
In a large, heavy saucepan or skillet, heat the oil and dry the onions, garlic and chilies until the onions and garlic are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, thyme, beans, stock and paprika and bring to the boil. Turn down heat and simmer on low for about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Puree the soup with an immersion or regular blender. It’s a thicker style soup but it’s best if it is smooth, rather than lumpy.

To serve:Ladle the soup into the bowls. Add the cheese, chilies, tortilla and cilantro to taste. If you like, you can sprinkle a touch of smoked paprika before serving.

Hearty Tomato Soup

I have had a seriously bad week and soup always makes me feel better. I found this one on one of my favorite blogs. It was adapted from a Giada recipe. I love almost all Giada recipes so I knew this would be good. It was fantastic! I loved how the white beans added a creaminess to it and still kept it low fat. I would eat this every week, if I could. There was an optional rosemary cream included in the recipe, but I completely omitted it. I thought the soup to be creamy enough with the beans, but you can go to the source, if you want to use it.

Source:http://penniesonaplatter.wordpress.com
Originally adapted from Giada's Kitchen by Giada De Laurentiis

Serves: 6-8

For the soup:
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 15 oz can canellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
3 c chicken broth
1 bay leaf ( I omitted)
1/2- 1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced ( I used dried)
1 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper

In a large pot, melt butter and saute onion, carrots and garlic for about 3 minutes until soft. Add bay leaf, beans, tomatoes and broth, bring to a boil then turn the heat down to simmer with lid on for 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf. In batches, ladle the soup into a blender and process until smooth. Return to pot and serve warm.

Lighter Broccoli Cheese Soup

This is a really good light soup, although I wish it had been just a bit thicker. I think the addition of half-and-half would help with that the next time I make it. There will be a next time!

Source:http://maryanna-bishop.blogspot.com


Ingredients:
Cooking spray(I used olive oil)
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth ( I used homemade)
1 (16-ounce) package broccoli florets
2 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8 ounces light processed cheese, cubed (such as Velveeta Light)

Directions:
Heat a large nonstick saucepan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; saute 3 minutes or until tender. Add broth and broccoli. Bring broccoli mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; cook 10 minutes.Combine milk and flour, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Add milk mixture to broccoli mixture. Cook 5 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Stir in pepper. Remove from heat; add cheese, stirring until cheese melts.Use an immersion blender to process soup to the desired thickness. You can also put 1/3 of mixture at a time into a blender or food processor.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups)Nutritional Info (per serving): 203 calories; 6.3g fat; 1.2mg iron; 24mg cholesterol; 385mg calcium; 21.7g carbohydrate; 897mg sodium; 15.6g protein; 2.9g fiber

Leftover Chicken and Sweet Corn Soup

This is a really good recipe for chicken soup. I really liked the infusion of some of the Asian spices. I added bowtie pasta to it, in order to make it more like chicken noodle soup. Note: This recipe was copied directly from the source, my changes are noted in parenthesis.

Source: http://donalskehan.com

Ingredients:
Leftovers of half a roast chicken, shredded
1 litre/2 pints of homemade chicken stock
2 x 400g tins sweetcorn ( I bag frozen corn)
1 tablespoon of sunflower oil ( canola oil)
1 large thumb-sized piece of ginger, finely chopped (grated)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped (grated)
1 tablespoon of soy sauce1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon of sesame oil
2 eggs lightly beaten ( I omitted)
4 spring onions, finely sliced, diagonally

Directions:
In a large pot with a little oil, fry the garlic and ginger for about 3 minutes, add the corn and cook for a further 3 minutes.
Add a little bit of the chicken stock and, with a hand blender, blitz the mixture until it becomes smooth.
Add the rest of the chicken stock, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and sesame oil. Bring to the boil, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Beat the eggs in a Pyrex jug, which will make it easy for you to trickle them into the soup.
Reduce the heat and while the soup is still simmering, stir it continuously in a figure of eight motion and gently trickle in the beaten egg a little bit at a time to form thin strands.
Add the chicken shreds and stir through. Serve with a generous garnish of spring onions.

French Onion and Wild Mushroom Soup

This recipe was so good. I loved it because of the mushrooms, what a great addition! It was also a very easy weeknight meal.

Source: Rachael Ray

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
3 large onions, thinly sliced
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 teaspoons ground thyme
Salt and pepper
One container chicken or beef broth (32 ounce or 4 cups)
One package mixed dried wild mushrooms (1 ounce) ( I used fresh mushrooms sauteed with the onions)
1/4-1/3 cup dry sherry (eyeball it) ( I omitted)
4 thick slices crusty bread 1 large clove garlic, halved
1/2 pound Gruyère cheese, shredded ( I used shredded Asiago)

Preparation:
In a heavy soup pot, melt the butter with the EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Stir in the onions, bay leaf and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onions are softened and browned, 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring the chicken broth, mushrooms and 2 cups water to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the mushrooms and slice. ( I omitted this step and just added the mushrooms to the onions at the end of their cooking time and added the beef stock after the mushrooms became soft. I cooked it until hot.)
Pre-heat the broiler. Pour the sherry into the onions and cook over medium heat, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the mushrooms and hot broth.
Toast the bread under the broiler, rub with the garlic and top with the cheese. Broil until melted. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with the toasts.

Creamy Black Bean Soup

This is a really good soup. I made some changes, but all in all I didn't veer from the original.

Source: http://dineanddish.net

adapted from Southern Living Magazine

Yield: 6 cups

Ingredients:
5 slices cottage style bacon ( I used turkey bacon)
1 cup medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 32oz box Swanson’s chicken broth ( I used homemade stock)
4 (15-oz.) cans BUSH’S Black Beans, rinsed and drained ( I used 2)
1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes with zesty mild green chile's, undrained
1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 cups sweet corn
2 cups heavy whipping cream ( I used 1/2 c half and half)

Directions
Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven until crisp. Remove bacon, cut into bite size pieces and set aside.
Sauté onion and garlic in bacon grease oven over medium-high heat 4 to 6 minutes or until tender. Stir in broth and next 4 ingredients, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of Dutch oven; cover and bring to a boil. Uncover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in cilantro and lime juice. Let cool 5 minutes.
Process 1/2 of the batch of soup in a large food processor until smooth. Return to the Dutch oven, and stir in corn and bacon pieces. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the 2 cups of heavy whipping cream and heat through, approximately 5 minutes (but do not boil). Remove from heat and serve.

Zuppa Toscana

This is a copycat recipe for Olive Garden. I love this soup and get it every time I go to Olive Garden. I have made another version of it before, but it wasn't nearly as good as this one. I made a few changes, but I think it tastes very similar to the original and has less fat and calories!

Source: http://cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com/

(adapted from Tuscan recipes)

Ingredients

4 slices bacon, cut into a small dice (I omitted)
1 pound hot Italian sausage, ground or links with casings removed ( I used sweet turkey sausage)
1 large yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups (32 ounces) chicken broth or stock (I used homemade, it makes a difference)
3 cups Russet potatoes, cubed
sea or kosher salt and fresh black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (my addition)
2 loose packed cups kale, in bite size pieces
1 cup heavy cream or 14 ounce can evaporated milk (I used half-and-half)
Parmesan cheese, grated, for serving

Directions:
1. In a large soup pot or sauce pan cook bacon over medium until crispy. Add sausage and break it apart as it cooks. Once sausage is browned and crumbled drain off the grease leaving a tablespoon or two to saute onion. 2. Push the sausage to the edges of the pot and add onion to center; saute until translucent; add garlic; saute until fragrant. 3. Stir in broth and potatoes, season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, simmer for about 20 minute or until potatoes are tender. 4. Add kale and heavy cream or evaporated milk. Bring to a simmer. Serve with Parmesan cheese and crusty bread.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

My family loves mushrooms and soup, so this was a perfect thing to make for them. This soup is so good and satisfying. I don't remember whose blog I retrieved it from, but I am grateful to have found it!

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. butter
1/2 of a yellow onion, chopped
– 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
– 1 lb. ground turkey
– 1 c. flour ( I used 1/2 cup, but 1/4 cup would probably work really well)
– Lots of portabella mushrooms, cut into chunks* ( I omitted)
– Lots of button mushrooms, cut into chunks
– Lots of any other mushrooms you love, cut into chunks
** Okay, to be fair: you’ll need about a pound or so of mushroom chunks total, your preference–
About 4-6 c. milk, stock, or half-n-half (depending on the flavor/healthiness/thickness you want; I tend to do a mixture of all three)
– Salt and ground pepper

Directions:
Add the butter to a large heavy pot on the stove top over medium heat. Add onion and garlic to the melted butter, and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add ground turkey and brown. Add flour and make the mixture thick, get that flour mixed into the turkey really well (you’ll have a thick, sticky, lumpy mass on your hands. That is fine, it’s what you want).
Add mushrooms and cook for awhile, until juices and flavor are released (about 15 minutes). Slowly add your liquid of choice (milk/broth/half-n-half). Cook until thickened as desired while on medium heat, stirring frequently. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Floribean Chicken Chili

This is a really great chili recipe. I loved that it was sweet and smoky. I LOVED the addition of molasses, which added so much depth. I may just add it to every chili recipe!



Source: http://theperfectpantry.com

Adapted from a recipe in Parade magazine by Sheila Lukins, the dish serves 6-8; can be doubled or tripled (and frozen).

Ingredients:
2-1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
1 onion, divided (half cut into two large chunks, half diced)
1 carrot, halved
2 celery ribs, halved
2 bay leaves
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander ( I omitted)
3 black peppercorns ( I omitted)
1 15-oz can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained ( I used 2 cans Ranch Style beans)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 4-oz can roasted green chilies
4 oz diced chicken andouille or other spicy sausage ( I used turkey kielbasa)
2 tsp each ground coriander, cumin, and chili powder (mild or hot, to taste)
1 14-oz can crushed tomatoes
2 oz tomato paste
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp molasses ( I used 2 tbsp)
1 Tbsp chopped chipotle pepper in adobo ( I omitted)
1 tsp agave nectar or honey, or more to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, optional
2 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water (I omitted)

For garnishes (optional):1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup snipped fresh chives
1 ripe mango, diced
1 ripe tomato, diced
Chopped cilantro
Grated Monterrey Jack pepper cheese or other cheese

Directions:
Place chicken along with the two large chunks of onion, carrots, celery, bay leaves, lime juice, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp coriander and peppercorns in a large heavy pot. Add water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken to a bowl. Strain broth through a strainer lined with cheesecloth into another bowl, and set aside. Shred the chicken and set aside.
Heat olive oil in a heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add chopped onions, green chilies and sausage; cook for 8 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons each of coriander, cumin and chili powder; cook 3-4 minutes, stirring. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, vinegar, molasses, chipotle, agave or honey, and reserved chicken cooking liquid. Simmer 20-25 minutes. Add cilantro, beans and chicken. Cook for 10 minutes longer. Add cornstarch slurry to the stew and stir. Cook for 5 minutes until the stew thickens slightly. ( I skipped this step)

Albondigas Soup

I love Albondigas soup. I have been eating it for a long time, but don't make it very often. I have tried several recipes, but none can compare to my mother in laws. I have also tried her recipe, but it still doesn't turn out as well as when she makes it!
My friend gave me this recipe to try after she made it and declared it good. She was right, it is very good. It is not my mother in laws, but it is tasty in its own right. The only thing I would change next time is to use ground beef instead of turkey because beef has so much more flavor.

For the Meatballs:
12 oz ground turkey or ground beef
2 tbsp minced onion
2 tbsp minced cilantro
2 tbsp minced celery ( I omitted)
pinch of cumin and oregano

Directions:
Mix well. Divide into mini meatballs and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 -12 minutes.

For the soup:

32 oz chicken broth
16 oz water
1 zucchini
2 green peppers
1 onion
2 celery stalks
1/4 head cabbage
2 bunches green onion
7 oz diced green chilies
2 - 14 oz cans of diced tomatoes
1/4 c cilantro, minced
1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin

Directions:
In a non stick skillet, saute onions, peppers and zucchini, until al dente. Add green onions and cabbage cook for 1 minute. Add green chilies, tomatoes and spices, except cilantro. Add chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add cilantro and cooked meatballs into the soup.
Don't cook the meatballs in the soup, they will fall apart.

Irish Stew

This is my favorite recipe for Irish Stew! I have made it numerous times, but this is the first time I have blogged about it. The blog that I retrieved it from is also one of my favorites. The owner of the blog is a young Irish lad that takes georgeous photos and makes yummy recipes!

Source: Adapted from: http://thegoodmoodfoodblog.com

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons of wholemeal flour.
3 teaspoons of ground black pepper.
1 ½ pounds of stew steak.
2 tablespoons of sunflower oil. (I used canola oil)
4 large carrots, chopped roughly.
2 large onions, chopped into half moon pieces.
1 ½ litres of beef stock.
A good pinch of sea salt.
2 bay leaves.
5 large potatoes peeled and sliced into 1cm discs.
A good handful of freshly chopped parsley. (I omitted)
1 tsp dried thyme (my addition)
1 tsp dried oregano (my addition)

Preheat the oven to 200˚C/390˚F/Gas 6. ( I use a crockpot on low for 7 hrs)
Place the stew steak, wholemeal flour, and black pepper in a resealable plastic bag. Seal the bag and give it a good shake so that all the steak pieces have a nice coating of flour and pepper. Heat a large frying pan with a good glug of sunflower oil and brown half the steak pieces. Transfer the steak pieces to the casserole. Repeat with the rest of the meat. Fry the onions in the meat juices on the pan for 2 minutes, adding an extra drop of oil if necessary. Transfer the onions to the casserole. Add in the carrots, beef stock, sea salt, bay leaves, and stir through. Add the potato slices on top, season with a generous amount of black pepper and cover with the lid. Transfer the casserole to the oven and cook for 1 ½ hours. Serve straight from the casserole to some large bowls with some tasty wholemeal bread. Sprinkle the parsley on top and enjoy!

Creamy Vegetable Cheese Soup

My family never tires of soup. We eat soup even in 110 degree weather. This recipe has to be one of my favorites. It is loaded with vegetables and is cheesy and creamy. To quote Ina Garten, "How bad can that be?" I made several changes, but I got the idea from the following blog. If you have time, check out the blog for more easy and delicious recipes!

Source: Adapted from: http://recipeindulgence.com

Ingredients:

4 carrots, peeled and sliced
6 celery stalks, sliced
1 onion, diced
4-6 potatoes, cubed
1 bunch broccoli, chopped
2 cups chicken broth (I used 4 cups)
1/4 cup butter (1 tbsp)
1/4 cup flour
4 cups milk (2 cups 1% milk)
16 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed

Directions:
1. Boil carrots, celery, onion, potatoes, and broccoli in water until tender (about 10-15 minutes). (I boiled the veggies in the chicken broth for added flavor instead of water.) 2. In another pot, melt butter over medium heat, then stir in flour until smooth. Whisk in about 2 1/2 cups (2 cups) of the milk until sauce thickens and boils.
3. Add cheese to milk sauce and let it melt.
4. Put 2 cups of soup in a blender and puree until smooth, then return to the remaining soup. This adds an extra creamy texture without adding extra fat.
5. Add the milk/cheese sauce to the soup and stir.

Tortilla Beef and Bean Soup

We have had rainy and cold weather recently, so I decided to take advantage of it and make soup! This soup is delicious. I adapted the recipe from one of my Weight Watchers cookbooks. It turned out really well and is super healthy.

Source: Adapted from Simply Bueno - Weight Watchers

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

1 Ib lean ground meat
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
4 c beef broth
1 can diced fire roasted tomatoes with green chilies
2 cans ranch style pinto beans
1/4 c. fresh cilantro
shredded cheese
8 baked tortilla chips, coarsely broken

Directions:
1. Brown the meat in a large soup pot or dutch oven. Add the onions and garlic and saute until semi-soft. Add the chili powder and cumin, stir to distribute evenly.
2. Add the broth, tomatoes and beans; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Just before serving, stir in the cilantro. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with cheese and tortilla chips.

Salsa Verde Chicken Soup with Dumplings

This is a good chicken stew recipe. I loved the addition of salsa verde! I made a few adjustments such as, I added cumin, carrots and celery to the recipe because that is what I like in my chicken soup. I also used homemade chicken stock, which made the recipe extra flavorful. I wasn't crazy about the dumplings though. I think that it would be better with noodles instead of dumplings.

Serves 8

Source:http://savorysweetlife.com/

Chicken
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) butter ( I used 1 tbsp)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour ( I used 1/4 cup)
1 can (14.5 ounces) chicken broth
1 jar (15 ounces) salsa verde (2 cups)
1 can (5 ounces) evaporated milk
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 large celery stalks, finely chopped
1 tsp cumin
1 large rotisserie chicken, meat deboned and left in large chunks (about 6 cups)

Dumplings
1 cup whole milk ( I used 1%)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups bleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallion greens
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS:
Chicken: Heat butter over medium-high heat in a large (11 – 12 inch), deep ovenproof skillet or 5-6 quart Dutch oven. Add in carrots, celery and cumin. Mix well and cook until semi-soft, about 5 minutes. Whisk in flour to make a paste. Mix broth, salsa verde, and evaporated milk and whisk in all at once. Whisk, vigorously at first, until mixture simmers and thickens to sauce consistency. Stir in chicken, heat through, and cover to keep warm. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees.
Dumplings: Heat milk and butter in a small saucepan until steamy. Mix flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, scallions, and cilantro in a medium bowl with a fork. Stir in milk mixture to form a smooth, firm dough. Pinch off Ping-Pong-ball-size pieces of dough with your fingers and drop onto chicken mixture. Return chicken to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover and transfer pan to oven and bake until dumplings are cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve.

Claudia's Curried Sweet Potato-Apple Soup

This recipe was in my latest issue of Food Network Magazine. It was deicious! I know this sounds crazy, but it would make delicious food for a baby. I will remember it when my baby gets old enough for solids. The recipe says that it serves 4, but I think it could easily serve 6-8.

Source: FN Magazine September 2010

Ingredients:
3 medium sweet potatoes
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 2-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for garnish
1 1/2 teaspoons Madras curry powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/4 cups chunky applesauce
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Peel and dice 2 1/2 sweet potatoes. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ginger, nutmeg, 1 1/4 teaspoons curry powder, and salt and pepper to taste and cook until toasted, 1 more minute.
Add the diced sweet potatoes, chicken broth and 2 cups water to the pot, cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and stir in the applesauce. Simmer, covered, until the sweet potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes. Puree the soup with a blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper; keep warm.
Meanwhile, peel and thinly slice the remaining 1/2 sweet potato and toss with the olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until crisp, 7 to 10 minutes.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon curry powder and cook, stirring, until browned; remove from the heat and add the vinegar. Top with the curry butter, cilantro and sweet-potato chips.

Summer Squash and Corn Chowder

My daughter loves corn chowder. I usually make it with potatoes, but I saw this recipe in a Cooking Light cookbook and thought that it would be a bit different and a little more nutritious. I made a few changes to the recipe such as, adding center cut bacon and subbing the water with low sodium chicken broth to make it more flavorful. I also added a little bit of fat free half-and-half to make it creamier. I really liked it, but I think it tastes better with potatoes instead of squash.

Adapted from Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2009

1 tbsp butter
1 onion, diced
3 c corn, fresh or frozen
1 yellow squash, finely chopped
4 c chicken broth
salt and pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
5 slices of center cut bacon, chopped
1/4 c fat free half-and- half

Directions:

Melt butter in a lrge pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the corn, squash and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, fry the bacon in a small skillet until crispy. Drain off the fat with paper towels.

In a blender, blend 2-3 c of the soup until smooth and return to the pot. Add half-and-half, salt. pepper, cayenne and bacon.

Serves 6

Summer Corn & Vegetable Soup

This is another fresh recipe from Ellie Krieger. I would try to persuade anyone that likes fresh and light food to purchase her cookbook. It is one of my favorites.

Source: The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger

WW points for 1.5 c = 3 Yields 6 servings

Ingredients:
4 c fresh or frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 c nonfat milk
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, deeded and diced
1 small zucchini, diced
2 c low sodium chicken broth
2 plum tomatoes ( I omitted)
1/4 tsp salt
Pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper ( my addition)
1/4 c fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons

Directions:

Put 2 cups of the corn and the milk into a blender or food processor and process until smooth.
Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and zucchini and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2 cups of corn and the broth and bring to a boil. Add the pureed corn and the tomatoes and cook until warmed through, but not boiling. Add the salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Serve garnished with the basil.

Crockpot Beef Stew with Sweet Potatoes

I was raised in a home with a diet that consisted largely of meat and potatoes. I swore to myself that when I grew up and had my own house, we would not have meat and potatoes most days of the week! One exception is beef stew. I love beef stew and am always looking for ways to change it up and make it different. I never thought of making it with sweet potatoes, but I am so glad that I found this recipe for the idea. I loved this stew so much that it may become a staple in my house. I adapted this recipe to suit my tastes, but it is pretty close to the original.

Source: http://kyleecooks.blogspot.com

Ingredients:
1 pound of stewing beef, cut into 1" chunks
14 oz beef stock
2 medium sweet potatoes
1 large onion, diced
2 rashers thick bacon, diced
1 tsp dried thyme ( I used oregano)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Coat the crockpot with nonstick cooking spray
combine all of the ingredients and mix well.
Cover and cook on low 7-8 hours, or on high 5-6 hours, or until meat and veggies are tender.

Creamy Tuscan Bean Soup

I love soup and I will make it for my family even when the temperature outside is 106 degrees! I like that it is easy, filling, good for you and usually yields enough for leftovers. This soup is really delicious. I think that it would be even better with bacon or Italian sausage added.

Source:http://cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.blogspot.com

2 tbsp olive oil ( I used 1)
1/2 c diced onion
1/3 c diced carrot
1/3 c diced green pepper
5 garlic cloves, minced ( I used 3)
1 can Cannelini beans with juices
4 c vegetable broth ( I used chicken)
1/2 c orzo ( I used 1 c)
3/4 c chopped spinach ( I omitted)
2 tbsp fresh parsley ( I omitted)
2 tsp sage
2 tsp thyme
salt and pepper
1 c half and half ( I used fat free)

In a large saucepan, heat the oil and saute the vegetables and garlic until softened on low-medium heat, about 5 minutes.
Add the beans, broth, orzo, herbs and salt and pepper.
Simmer for 25 minutes. Add the half-and-half. Bring back up to a simmer. Remove from the heat and serve.

Creamy Tomato Basil and Italian Sausage Soup

I found this recipe on picky palate. Her blog has some fabulously easy recipes that appeal to my picky palate. She also has some kid friendly meals on her site. This soup didn't dissapoint. It was very easy, but very flavorful. I made some changes, but they are noted in parenthesis.

Source: http://picky-palate.com

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (I omitted)
1 onion, diced ( my addition)
1 pound Italian Sausage ( turkey)
10 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 26 oz jar of pasta sauce or homemade sauce
1 c water
1.5 c half and half ( I used fat free)
salt and pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper ( my addition)

Pour the olive oil in a medium sized pot over medium heat. Cook sausage until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in basil, pasta sauce, water, half and half and salt and pepper. Cook until warm then reduce the heat to low. Simmer until ready to serve.