Fantastic Food

 So soup is one of my favorite family meals.  Whole meal in one pot? Yes please!  We eat it year-round because it's easy and hearty and delicious.  Even during the peak of summer heat you can bet I'll be cooking soup at least once a week (sooo thankful for AC!).  This particular soup recipe I have cooked a few times, and while I've tried it with a variety of different ingredients, I think I hit on the perfect  combination this last time.  Everyone was raving about it (except my husband, who happens to be trying an all-meat diet currently and had to pass on the soup for a giant steak; yes, he's crazy), and after I finished I was looking forward to eating more of it the next day for lunch (and it did not disappoint the second time either).  Ya'll should give it a try for sure... Ingredients: 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil 1 13 oz. package smoked andouille sausage, thinly sliced 4-5 cloves garlic, chopped 1 yellow onion, diced 2 stalks celery, diced 3 medium...

You know that time when you went to Costco and....  Need I say more?  Don't you always buy something you didn't intend to buy when you go there?  Those darn samples, they get me every time!  So there was this time I went to that accursed place that I both love and hate, and I ended up buying a huge package of fresh cheese tortellini.  The package was so big they had to split it into two packages.  Oh America...  Anyway, I had to come up with a great idea for this pasta, because of course I bought it impulsively with no plan whatsoever besides, "this is good.  must eat again."  (Sometimes when I eat delicious food, it takes over brain function and I sound a little bit like a caveman...)  Everyone knows that when you need a good idea, you go to the World of Good Ideas Only (aka Pinterest), where anything you try will always turn out (I realize it's hard to sense sarcasm through text, but I'm counting on your common sense to know when I'm ...

I just went looking for a good clam chowder recipe because I was craving it, and I found this one that was really easy and yummy.  I added 2 ribs of chopped celery in at the same time as the onion, but that was the only change from the original recipe.  It was a big hit with the family! Recipe from damndelicious.net INGREDIENTS: 4 slices bacon, diced 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 onion, diced 2 ribs celery, chopped* 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 cup milk 1 cup vegetable stock 2 (6.5-ounce) cans chopped clams, juices reserved 1 bay leaf 2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced 1 cup half and half Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves *Optional DIRECTIONS: Heat a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving 1 tablespoon ex...

Total time: 20 minutes INGREDIENTS: 3 medium carrots, sliced 2 celery ribs, chopped 1/2 large onion, chopped 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped 1/2 cup chopped onion 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil 2-3 cans (15-1/2 ounces each) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained 6 cups chicken broth 2 cups cubed fully cooked ham 1/2 tablespoon chili powder 3 cloves minced garlic 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 bay leaf salt to taste INSTRUCTIONS: In a large saucepan over medium heat, saute the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and bell pepper in butter until tender.  Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cook for 15 minutes or until heated through. Discard bay leaf.                                 Yield:  7 servings.

Total time: 30 min. INGREDIENTS: 1 Tbs. Olive oil 2 Tbs. fresh ginger, chopped or grated 2 cloves garlic, chopped 8 scallions sliced, green parts separated from white parts 1 Tbs. sweet curry powder 1/2 tsp. hot curry powder 5 medium carrots, peeled and sliced 1 russet potato, peeled & cubed into bite-size pieces 1 cup red lentils (or any color is fine) 1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded (or cubed into small pieces) 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth 2/3 cup pumpkin (canned is fine) 1/3 cup tomato sauce 2 tsp. soy sauce Salt & pepper naan bread, peanuts, & lime wedges for serving coconut milk (optional) DIRECTIONS: Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, ginger, and scallion whites, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until softened. Stir in curry powders. Add carrots, potatoes, lentils, chicken broth, 1 tsp. salt & 1/4 tsp. pepper, pumpkin, soy sauce, & tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer...

I got to try this recipe at a relief society activity, and it was delicious.  I am putting it on here so I know where to find it when I decide to make it :)   Ingredients: 1 cup uncooked quinoa 2 Tbs olive oil 1 Large onion, chopped 5 stalks celery, chopped 5 medium carrots, peeled & sliced 6 sweet peppers, seeded & chopped 1 zucchini, quartered & sliced 2 yellow zucchini, quartered and sliced 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced pinch of salt 32 oz. broth (chicken or vegetable) 2 15oz. cans diced tomatoes 2 cans white beans, drained & rinsed 2 Tbs ground cumin 1 1/2 Tbs chili powder 1 tsp hot sauce 1 tsp fresh lime juice Salt & pepper to taste Garlic salt to taste Parsley to taste Directions:  Saute onion, celery, peppers, carrots, and squash until softened, then add broth, beans, spices, and quinoa.  simmer 20 minutes or until quinoa is cooked through.  

INGREDIENTS:   3 Tbs. Olive Oil 1 cup minced yellow or white onion 1/2 c. chopped zucchini 1/2 c. frozen or fresh cut green beans 1/4 c. minced celery (about 1/2 stalk) 4 tsp. minced garlic (about 4 cloves) 4 c. vegetable broth (can use chicken) 2 15oz. cans red kidney beans (drained & rinsed) 2 15oz. cans small white beans (drained & rinsed) 1 15oz. can diced tomatoes 1/2 c. julienned or shredded carrot 2 Tbs. minced fresh parsley 1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano 1 1/2 tsp. salt (or more to taste) 1/2 tsp. black pepper (or to taste) 1/2 tsp. dried basil 1/4 tsp. dried thyme 2 bay leaves 3 c. hot water 1 to 1 1/2 c. cubed butternut squash** 4 c. baby spinach 1/2 cup small seashell pasta* (or other small pasta) DIRECTIONS: 1) Prep all veggies. 2)Heat olive oil over medium heat in large stock pot.  Saute onion, zucchini, green beans, celery, and garlic in the oil for 5 minutes or until onions begin to turn translucent. ...

FRENCH ONION SOUP 4 Tbs. butter 5-6 yellow onions (4-5 if the onions are really big) 1/2 tsp. sugar 1 Tbs. flour 1 tsp. dried thyme (or 2 tsp. fresh) 6 1/2 cups beef broth 1 small baguette olive oil salt & pepper 8 oz. swiss cheese (sliced or grated), or gruyere if you want stronger flavor 1. Slice onions into half moons.  Melt butter in a large stock pot or a very large skillet over LOW heat.  Add onions and sugar to skillet and try to stir onions enough to coat with butter (pan will be very full of onions, but they will shrink down more than half so don't panic).  Keep heat on low, and don't cover with a lid.  Stir onions every 20 minutes or so.  It will take 2 to 3 hours for the onions to cook down and carmelize.  It is critical to leave the heat low and to take your time.  Don't rush this! **(If you want to make your own baguettes, now is the time! I used this recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/homemade-french-baguettes.h...

Recipe by Our Best Bites 1 Tbs. olive oil 1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup) 2 (15oz) cans white beans (great northern or white or cannellini) 1 pound boneless chicken breasts, cubed (about 3-4 normal sized chicken breasts) 3-4 garlic cloves, minced 1 (3.5oz) can green chilies 1/2 tsp. cumin 1/2 tsp. dried oregano 1/2 tsp. coriander 1/2 tsp. salt pepper to taste 1 (32 oz.) box chicken broth 1 lime juiced 1/2 cup chopped cilantro Toppings: sour cream, chopped cilantro, shredded Mexican cheeses, avocado, tortilla chips, lime wedges, tomatoes. 1.  Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the chopped onion and cook for about 2 minutes, until translucent. 2.  While the onions are cooking, drain the beans and rinse with cold water; set aside.  Sprinkle the chopped chicken with a little salt and pepper and add to pot.  Add the garlic.  Cook for 4-5 minutes or until there's no more visible pink on the chicken. 3.  Add green...

I say "Chili" because it's not really that chili-ish except for a couple of ingredients.  It's more of a soup that has some chili powder in it.  I kind of mixed two "chili" recipes together to get this, and as it was cooking I thought, no one is going to like this.  It looked weird, but I think that's because I was thinking of it as a chili, and whoever heard of a chili with carrots and celery in them? Or even chicken?  Not me--that's not how I do chili; beef, sausage, beans and lots of chili powder and spice is how I do chili.  Despite the misgivings, this soup turned out to be a real winner.  I was very pleasantly surprised by it's awesomeness, so much so that I made it for a family in need two days later and made sure to make enough for us to eat too.  The kids absolutely loved it.  Naomi took it to school for lunch one day and when I asked her if it was okay for lunch or if it was too cold (they don't get microwaves in their classrooms--a...

ITALIAN SAUSAGE SOUP 1 ½ lbs mild Italian sausages, cut into ½ inch slices 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed 2 large onions, chopped 1 large can (about 28 oz) Italian-style tomatoes 3 cans (14 ½ oz each) regular-strength beef broth 1 ½ cups water ½ tsp dry basil 1 Tbs dry parsley 1 medium-size chopped green pepper 2 medium-size zucchini (1/2” slices) 5 oz (about 3 cups) bow-shaped noodles Grated Parmesan cheese (optional) 1. In a 5-quart heavy pot, over medium high-heat, cook sausage slices until lightly browned on the outside and no longer pink inside when slashed. Remove from pot with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels, and set aside. Spoon off and discard all but 3 Tbs. drippings. Add garlic and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft (about 5 minutes). 2. Stir in tomatoes (break up with a spoon) and their liquid; then add sausage slices, broth, water, and basil. Bring to a full rolling boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes...

This is a slightly altered version of a recipe I found on Food Network.  It's been my favorite chili so far! 1 pound pork sausage 2 pounds ground beef 4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped 1 green bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped 2 ribs celery, chopped 2 28oz. cans chili beans 2 15oz. cans crushed tomatoes 2 large onions, finely chopped 1 28oz. can tomato sauce 1 tablespoon black pepper 3 tablespoons red chili powder 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper 1 generous cup ketchup 4 dashes hot sauce (or to taste) 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 cup water 3+ tablespoons sugar (to taste) Brown sausage in a frying pan, then drain and add to a large pot.  Brown beef in frying pan, then drain and add to the sausage.  Add all remaining ingredients to pot and simmer for 4 to 6 hours for best results (or pressure cook in instant pot on 5 minute manual setting). For those who like it hot hot, use HOT sausage ins...

Ingredients: 2 cans diced tomatoes with green chiles 2 cans chicken broth 1 can refried beans 1 can black beans, drained 2/3 c. canned/frozen corn 2 1/2 c. shredded chicken (I just use canned chicken if I'm in a hurry!) 1/2 tsp. garlic powder 1/4 tsp. cumin 1/4 tsp. onion powder 1/4 tsp. salt freshly ground black pepper to taste 2 small limes, juiced handful chopped cilantro (amount is matter of personal preference) Directions: Combine broth, tomatoes, corn, and spices. Slowly work in the refried beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat; add chicken and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until chicken is heated through.  Add lime juice and cilantro to soup, stir into soup, then remove from heat and serve.  Optional toppings for individual servings: cheddar cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips, salsa, green onions, diced fresh jalepenos, etc. This was really good, and REALLY easy. I think I might add some diced, fresh jalepenos next time for ...

*Fair warning to everyone: I seem to have a real issue with following recipes exactly . I don't think I ever follow a recipe the same way twice, and I'm really bad at measuring out ingredients, I tend to just 'eye' them alot, so if my recipes get really annoying when I just say, "as much as you want", sorry... 1/2 lb. ground beef 1 small red onion (I just always use regular onions, or onion flakes if I'm out of those) 2 cans stewed tomatoes (I just use regular petite diced canned tomatoes, but the recipe recommends Mexican style) 1 can kidney beans, undrained (I also add 1 can black beans, undrained) 1 can corn, undrained 1 package taco seasoning 1 can tomato soup (if you happen to be out of tomato soup like I was when Will & Peggy & Amy were here, about 1 soup can of salsa makes a nice substitution) I also like to add dried cilantro - um...as much as you want. Place all ingredients in large pot, and simmer for 15 min. Serve with sour cream, g...

This soup is so yummy, and just right for a chilly November day. It is definitely a favorite at our house when served with warm rolls. I'm sure you could use turkey in it as well to make good use of those leftovers! : ) 3 c water 3 chicken 2 c chopped celery 2 c chopped carrots 1 small chopped onion Boil above ingredients until tender and then add: 2 cans cream of chicken soup 1 c milk 2 c chopped, cooked chicken 1/2 package of cooked egg noodles ( I like to make this with the "homestyle" egg noodles you can find at sam's or costco. They taste and look like fresh noodles) Warm through and that's it! It's my opinion it's even better the second day, so make enough for leftovers : )

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium diced onion (or less if desired) 1 teaspoon minced garlic 3 cans roasted diced tomatoes 1/2 cup chicken broth 10 large fresh basil leaves, chopped (can substitute with about 1/2 tablespoon dry basil) 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup cream (can substitute with whole milk) In medium pot, saute onions and garlic in the olive oil over medium high heat for 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients except for the cream. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove soup from heat. In two or three separate batches, puree soup in blender. ( NOTE: When blending hot liquids, only fill blender halfway and place kitchen towel over lid to prevent burns). Start with lower settings before puree setting. Return puree to pot, add cream and heat through. Serve hot, garnished w/ chopped fresh basil. This is soooo good you guys. I just had it for lunch again today. And if you are going to have grilled cheese sandwiches with your soup (which...

This is VERY good--I was quite surprised actually. I made some homemade biscuits that went with the soup really well. I know it's a bit hot (at least it is here) for soup, but just turn your AC down for dinner and you're all set! CORN & VEGETABLE CHOWDER: 1 Tablespoon Canola Oil 1 Red onion (can substitute w/ regular onion), diced 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced (optional) 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1 3/4 cups diced potatoes 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 1/2 cups milk 1 1/4 cups vegetable/chicken bouillon 1/3 cup chopped spinach 1 3/4 oz/50 g broccoli flowerets 3 cups canned corn, drained 3/4 to 1 cup grated cheddar cheese 2-4 Tablespoons cream cheese salt & pepper to taste 1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro, to garnish (optional) 4 slices bacon, crumbled, to garnish (optional) 1. Heat oil in a large pan. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, and potato and saute over low heat, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes, until the onion is softened and tra...

This recipe is super easy and very tasty. You can customize it easily to fit your family's preferences. You will need the following ingredients: 1 to 1.5 lbs lean ground beef 2 1/2 cups beef broth 1 9 oz. package cheese or beef tortellini 2 or 3 cans diced tomatoes, undrained 1 to 1 1/2 cups water 1/2 onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 zucchini, sliced 1 cup frozen or canned corn (drain liquid if using canned) salt & pepper grated cheddar cheese, to garnish Other optional/substitute vegetables include: frozen green beans, frozen okra, spinach, carrots... Instructions: Heat 1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil at medium-high in a large pot.  Add garlic to oil, and wait until fragrant (about 30 seconds).  Add onion, and stir about 2 minutes.  Add ground beef; brown the ground beef, drain off the fat if there is excess (if you use lean meat, this step isn't necessary. Mix all ingredients EXCEPT the tortellini together, either in a pot on the stove or in a crockp...