Butternut Squash Soup

Serves 6-8 (I double everything, you definitely want leftovers of this soup!  YUM!)


Prep Time:  1 hour

1/2 T olive oil
1 T butter
1/2 C sliced carrots (abt 1 med carrot or 12 baby ones)
2 stalks celery, diced
1 C diced onion
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 medium butternut squash, (about 4 cups peeled and diced)
1 medium potato, diced (about 2 C diced)
32 oz chicken broth
1 T brown sugar
1 1/2 t kosher salt
3/4 t dried sage
1 pinch cayenne pepper or a douse of hot sauce

1.  In a large stock pot, heat olive oil and butter. When butter is melted add onions, carrots, celery, and garlic.
2.  Saute for 2-3 minutes or until onion is tender. Add the squash.  Then add potato, sage, salt, red pepper, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer. Simmer with the lid on for 30-40 minutes or until everything is tender. Check a piece of squash and also a piece of celery and potato to make sure they area fork tender.
3.  Stir in 1 T brown sugar.
4.  Use an immersion blender, or transfer soup to a regular blender and puree until smooth.

This soup is amazing!  Even my picky butternut squash eaters ate 2 bowls of it!  This recipe is from Our Best Bites.

Tortellini Sausage Soup

Prep Time:  1 hour

4 links Italian sausage
8 cloves minced garlic
2 onions, diced
1 cup water
4 cans chicken broth
1 cup apple cider or apple juice
29 oz. can diced tomatoes
15 oz. can tomato sauce
6 medium carrots, sliced
2 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp. dried oregano
4 medium zucchini, sliced
2 - 10 oz. packages of frozen cheese tortellini
1/4 cup dried parsley

1.  Remove the casings from the sausage and crumble in a large soup pot.  Cook sausage over medium heat and drain half-way through cooking.  Add chopped onions and garlic and continue cooking until sausage is no longer pink.

2.  Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, apple juice, water, chicken broth, carrots, oregano and basil, parsley and zucchini.  Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

3.  Add the tortellini and cook until tender.

Makes 12 servings.

This is one of my family's favorite soups.  It has a great flavor and is very filling.  I serve this soup with oatmeal muffins.

Chicken Noodle Soup

This is my favorite recipe to make when someone in the family is sick.  It goes together quickly and is so yummy and soothing.


Prep Time:  1 hour

10 cups of chicken broth (I like to use Better than Bouillon chicken base)
2 cups chicken, cooked and chopped (you can also use a 12.5 oz. can of chicken)
5 carrots, peeled and sliced
5 stalks of celery, sliced
2 medium onions, chopped

1/2 Tbsp. dried parsley
1 - 2 cups noodles (I like the Country Pasta homemade style egg pasta)
2 cups frozen petite peas

Bring the broth to a boil and add the chicken, carrots, celery, onion, and noodles.  (If using other egg noodles that are not thick like the Country Pasta brand, don't add the noodles until you are about 10 minutes away from serving the soup or they will be mushy.)  Simmer for about 15 - 20 minutes or until vegetables are soft and the noodles are still slightly chewy.  Add the peas, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste; simmer for 5 - 10 more minutes.

Makes about 12 cups.

Chili

Prep time:  1 hour

1 lb. ground beef
2 large onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 - 14 1/2 oz. cans of diced tomatoes
2 - 15 oz. cans of kidney beans, drained (or 2 cups dried kidney beans: soaked, cooked, and drained)
3 - 8 oz. cans of tomato sauce
4 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. salt

In a large saucepan, cook the ground beef, onion, and garlic.  Drain the fat.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Makes 8 servings or about 10 cups

(This is a recipe from Better Homes and Gardens that I have adapted.  If you like your chili spicy, you can add additional chili powder and some ground pepper.  This is a very family friendly recipe though.  My 4 year old son says to me when I make this, "I don't like your chili, Mom--I love it!"

Lentil Soup

Prep Time:  1 hour

3 Tbsp. olive oil
5 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
5 celery stalks, chopped
2 large onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups water
2 cups lentils, sorted and rinsed
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
1 tsp. dried thyme
2 cups diced ham*
1/2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 - 2 tsp. salt (1 tsp. if you make this dish with meat)
1/2 tsp. pepper

1.  Heat the oil in a large soup pot, over medium-low heat and add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic, cooking until tender, but not browned (about 5 - 10 minutes.)

2.  Stir in the water, lentils, tomatoes, and thyme.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the lentils are tender, 30 to 45 minutes.

3.  Stir in the ham, vinegar, salt and pepper, and serve.

Makes 6 servings (about 12 cups)

(I have taken this recipe from the Joy of Cooking, one of my favorite cookbooks, and have adapted it for my family.  I have added about one and a half extra vegetables, added ham, and reduced the amount of pepper called for.)

*I buy a 1/2 spiral cut ham with a bone-in for a nice Sunday dinner.  I freeze the leftover slices of ham and the ham bone (which is great for this soup!), in quart-sized freezer bags that are very convenient for cooking with later.  This is the only type of ham I use in this soup.  I have tried buying prepared packages from the store of diced or chopped ham, but my family did not enjoy the soup that way, they felt like the ham was too rubbery.