8 Soups to Warm You Up!

One of my very favorite episodes of Seinfeld is "The Soup Nazi".   I love it for several reasons.  First, I just love the show.  A great comedy that always makes me laugh.  Secondly, I just love soup.  I love all kinds- creamy, chunky, spicy, cold, hot.  You name it.  I love it.  And lastly, I would absolutely love a restaurant that would just serve soup, except without a temperamental Soup Nazi that yells "No soup for you!!"

Here are a few of my favorite soup recipes to warm up your soul during these last winter days.  Just click on the links!

Chicken Taco Soup

Tuscan Chicken Soup

Mom's Chili

Black-Eyed Pea Soup

Busy Day Beef Stew

Smoked Sausage with Red Beans Soup

Veggie Soup

Grandma's Potato Soup

Have you tried any of these recipes?  Leave a comment and let me know how you liked it!  Did you try anything different?  I'd love to hear your ideas for what works!

Grandma's Potato Soup

I love recipes that are handed down from one generation to another.  This recipe for potato soup is my Grandma's.  Using her recipes is one way to remember how much I loved her. This recipe is inexpensive to make, delicious, and hearty on a cold winter night.  My Grandma showed my mom how to make it and we ate it all the time growing up.  I'm sure there are fancier ways of making potato soup, but I kept the recipe just like my mom taught me how to make it.  In fact, my mom and I made this soup together!  Cooking (and eating!) is a great way to bring generations together.

Here's what you'll need:
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
4 large Idaho potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 stick butter
1 1/2 cups whole milk
* potato flakes (for thicker soup)

For garnish:  shredded cheddar cheese, bacon bits, and chopped green onion.

Makes 8 -10 servings.

Here's what to do:

Peel and cut potatoes into cubes.  I like to leave some of the skin on.  Chop celery and onions.

Put potatoes in soup pot and cover with water.  Boil on medium-high heat for about 10 minutes.

Add in celery, onion, salt and pepper.  Cook for another 10 minutes on medium, or until potatoes are tender.

Add in 1 stick butter.  Stir until all combined.

Add in milk and stir until combined.

Using a potato masher, mash potatoes in soup four times.

If you like a thicker soup, add in 1/2 package of potato flakes.

Turn off heat and serve soup while it is warm.  Garnish with shredded cheddar cheese, bacon bits, and chopped green onions.

This soup only takes about forty-five minutes from prep time to completion.  It's even more delicious the next day as leftovers, or you can freeze leftovers and save for later!  I like to serve my potato soup with either a crusty bread, a BLT sandwich, or grilled cheese and ham sandwiches.  My mom likes her soup with saltine crackers.

I hope you enjoy my Grandma's recipe and have make memories cooking for and with people you love!
-Karen

Busy Day Beef Stew

My husband's birthday rolled around again this year and his special request for his birthday dinner was beef stew.  My mom makes the best beef stew so I raided her recipe box for her easy slow cooker recipe for Busy Day Beef Stew  I LOVE using my mom's recipes, but when she gives them to me- they are sometimes not so easy to understand.  She sometimes just lists ingredients and not amounts.  She'll say, "oh, just use about this much", or "use three or four potatoes, whatever looks good."  So, this is how I learned to cook. A little of this.  A little of that.  Whatever looks good.  More importantly, whatever tastes good.

Below is a copy of her recipe.  As you can see, she lists ingredients, but I have no idea how many potatoes, carrots, meat, or onions to write for the recipe!

I've made it easy for you and listed all the ingredients with amounts.  You're welcome!  But, as always, feel free to do like my mom always says, "do what works and do whatever looks and tastes good!"

Here's what you'll need:

24 ounce bag of tiny yellow Idaho potatoes, cut into small chunks

12 ounce bag of baby carrots (about 2 cups)

1 package beef stew meat, cubed (about 1 pound)

1 yellow onion, cut into chunks

*2 containers mushrooms, clean and cut off stems  

1 cup beef broth

1 8 ounce can tomato sauce

1/3 cup soy sauce

* 1 small can tomato paste

* 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

*  These are items that were not in the original recipe that I used. 

* You could use any kind of potato- just make sure the chunks cover the bottom of the slow cooker.

Makes about 12 servings.

Not pictured:  tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce. 

Here's what to do:

Layer potatoes in bottom of slow cooker.

Later carrots on top of potatoes.

Layer beef stew meat over potatoes.

Layer onions over meat.

Layer mushrooms over onions.

Combine beef broth, tomato sauce, and soy sauce.  Pour over ingredients in slow cooker.

Cook on high for 5 hours, or low for 8 hours.

After cooking, I turned to low/warm and added 1 can tomato paste to thicken sauce and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce to give it some "oomph".  At this point taste and see if it needs salt and pepper.

The beef stew is so good and everything just turns out so tender!  So yummy on a cold night and so easy after a busy day.  I guess that's why it's called Busy Day Beef Stew!  Enjoy!

Karen

Smoked Sausage with Red Beans Soup

Here is the lazy cook's version of a spicy, Cajun-style soup.  Who has time to sort through beans and let them soak overnight?  Not me!  So, I cheat and use canned red beans.  This is a quick and easy version of a Smoked Sausage and Red Beans Soup  It's easy and has that Cajun kick.  You can eat it as a soup, or pour it over rice.  I used smoked turkey sausage to make it a little healthier.  

Here's What You'll Need:

1/2 a medium onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 package (14 ounces) Turkey Smoked Sausage, browned
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning (use more, use less...depending on how spicy you like it)
3 cans dark red kidney beans (15.5 ounces per can), rinsed and drained
1 container chicken broth (43 ounces)

Makes about 10 servings.

Here's what to do:

Brown sausage in soup pot. While browning, add in Cajun seasoning.  Remove and set aside.

Saute onions, peppers, and garlic in 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil.

Once onions and peppers are tender.  Add in browned sausage.

Add in 3 cups of  rinsed and drained beans.  If you like your soup a little thicker.  Take about 1/2 cup of the beans and mash them and add to soup.

Add in chicken broth.

Let simmer about 30 minutes.

I like to serve mine with cornbread. This is Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free cornbread. 

Enjoy your Cajun kick!
-Karen

Black-Eyed Pea Soup

Growing up, my grandma always said that we needed to eat black-eyed peas on New Year's Day.  She said it would bring us good luck.  Well, I am never going to turn down an opportunity for good luck OR an opportunity for a delicious soup!  Here's an easy recipe straight from my mom's recipe box for Black-Eyed Pea Soup. It's got a kick to it, so I have noted some substitutions you can make if you prefer something milder.  Happy New Year and may your year be filled with lots of luck!

Here's what you'll need:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1 4-ounce can of chopped green chilies, rinsed and drained
3 cans black-eyed peas (or 4 cups)
3 cups beef broth (you could substitute chicken broth as well)
1 can Rotel diced tomatoes (use regular diced tomatoes if you prefer a milder flavor)

Here's what to do:

On medium heat, saute oil, onion and garlic in large sauce pan.  

Stir in remaining ingredients.

Let simmer for about 30 minutes.

That's it!  Your soup is ready in about 30 minutes.  I like my soup with grilled ham and cheese sandwiches.  I've heard eating ham is good luck too. I'm not taking any chances!  

Here's to a healthy, happy, and lucky 2015!
-Karen

Mom's Chili

There's always a debate about chili:  with beans, without beans, with meat, without meat, spicy or mild. Everyone has "the recipe" they grew up with and prefer.  I like mine with beans AND meat.  My mom makes the best chili and I will admit that I am a tad biased, but it really is so good. After some prodding, she finally shared her recipe with me a few years ago.  It's a recipe that's been in her family for years.  She's made it this same way her entire life because it's how her dad taught her how to make it.  And...it's delcious, but the best part...it's easy.  You can eat it plain, with crackers, as a frito chili pie, as three-way chili, as chili-cheese fries or load it up with all kinds of good things. This chili is even better the next day as leftovers.  Plus, IF you do have leftovers, it freezes well.  I hope you enjoy my mom's famous chili recipe.

Last night I had some friends over for dinner and made a Chili Bar.  I put the chili in a slow cooker so it could stay hot and put out bowls of toppings, fritos, french fries, and hot dogs. My guests made their chili the exact way they wanted.  It's an easy way to entertain for a casual and fun evening. 

Mom's Chili
2 pounds ground beef
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
1 package chili seasoning mix (I use McCormick's because it is gluten-free)
1 small can tomato paste
2 cans chili beans (with juice)
3 cups water
salt & pepper

Here's how to make it:

Brown ground beef in chili pot on medium heat. After browning, drain excess grease.  Add in chili powder and garlic powder.  Combine with meat.  Add in packet of chili seasoning.  Combine with meat.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
Add in tomato paste and combine with meat.  

Add 3 cups of water.  Add 2 cans of chili beans with juice.  Let simmer for about 20-30 minutes.  Add more water if it gets too thick.

Since I was having a crowd over for dinner, I doubled the recipe.  I put it all in my slow cooker to keep hot.

Here's my frito chili pie!  I love to top fritos with chili, cheese, and chopped onion.  Yum! Yum!

Here's one that is fully loaded with all kinds of toppings!  Wait!  Where's the chili?? Trust me, it's in there. Oh well, it tasted great!

Items for Chili Bar

• chopped green onions
• chopped white or red onion
• sliced black olives
• chopped tomatoes
• slice jalepenos
• sour cream
• shredded cheese
• hot sauces
• fritos
• french fries
• hot dogs
• mustard and ketchup for hot dogs

The Reality

And, here's the reality photo.  My friend smothered her hot dog and french fries in chili.  A smothered, delicious mess....

Another friend's chili creation....Keeping it simple!

Anyway you make it, its so good and perfect for a cold night or a get-together with family or friends.  

Here's a picture of me and the lady who taught me all about cooking...

Thanks for sharing your recipe mom.  

-Karen