Easy Minestrone Soup

PREP: 30 min
SERVES: 6-8

INGREDIENTS
1 package of Bear Creek Minestrone Soup Mix
1 lb ground beef
1 can Italian green beans

DIRECTIONS
Brown ground beef in a large pot. Drain off grease. Add 8 cups of water, cover and bring to boil. Whisk in the package of Bear Creek Minestrone Soup Mix then add can of Italian green beans. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. 

Serve with crusty bread or cornbread.

Mediterranean White Bean Soup

From Feel Good Foodie.

Prep: 45 minutes
Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large carrot, chopped
1 celery rib chopped
6 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 15-oz canned white beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups baby spinach
fresh parsley for serving
grated parmesan cheese for serving

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large pot or saucepan, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add onions and cook until onions are translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
2. Add vegetable broth and beans, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes to combine all of the flavors together.
3. Stir in the spinach and continue to simmer until the spinach wilts, about 2 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, sprinkle fresh parsley and grated parmesan cheese, if desired, and serve immediately.

Leeann's Chicken & Vegetable Soup

PREP: 1 hour
SERVES: 6-8

INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbsp butter
1 pkg of chicken thighs (de-boned, approx 8 thighs)
1 Soup Mix from HEB (found in produce area, includes: 1 potato, 2 stalks of celery, 1/4 head of cabbage, 3 carrots, 1 onion, 1 Mexican zucchini)
4+ cans chicken/bone broth
seasoning salt
garlic salt
dried parsley

DIRECTIONS:
1. Dice onion and celery, then sauté in butter in large pot.
2. Add chicken thighs, broth, and seasonings to the pot and bring to boiling. Cover and reduce heat. Cook 10 minutes or until chicken begins to fall apart.
3. Chop potato, cabbage, carrots, and zucchini.
4. Remove chicken and add the rest of the veggies. Shred chicken with a fork and add back into the pot.
5. Simmer 10-20 minutes or until veggies are tender and flavors have melded.

NOTES: Add other veggies, noodles, or rice as desired. Serve with crusty bread.

Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup - Olive Garden CopyCat

Adapted from here.

PREP: 40 min
SERVES: 8

INGREDIENTS
3 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup onion, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups half-and-half
1-2 cans (14 oz each) chicken broth (I used 2-3 because it was still too thick)
1 Tbsp fresh thyme
1 cup shredded carrots (I may have used a bit more)
1 cup fresh spinach leaves, chopped (I used 3-4 cups)
1 cup diced cooked chicken breast (I used 2 cups of Italian seasoned rotisserie chicken, light & dark meat)
1 package (16 oz) potato gnocchi (on the pasta isle)
salt & pepper to taste (it needed a lot of salt)

DIRECTIONS
In a large pot add butter and olive oil. Over medium high heat, sautee onion, celery, and garlic until tender. Add the flour to create a roux and cook for another minute.
Slowly add the half-and-half and stir until thickened. Add the chicken broth, thyme, carrots, spinach, chicken, and gnocchi. Simmer for about 5 minutes or until gnocchi is cooked and soup is thickened (mine took about 15 min). Add more chicken broth is a thinner soup is desired. Salt & pepper to taste and serve.

Serving suggestions:
Ceasar salad & crusty bread

Lasagna Soup

*Adapted from Bobby's Lighter Tastes Like Lasagna Soup.

Prep: 45 minutes
Serves: 4-6

INGREDIENTS
2 tsp olive oil.
1 lb Italian mild turkey (or pork) sausage, casings removed
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (32 oz) container chicken broth
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (14 1/2 oz) can petite diced tomato
1/2 tsp minced onion
1/4 - 1/2 tsp salt
5 whole wheat lasagna noodles, broken into 1/2" pieces
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 zucchini, diced
1 yellow squash, diced
3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick saucepot or Dutch oven. Add the sausage and cook over medium-high heat stirring occasionally until the sausage is crumbled and browned, 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and sautee for an additional 2 minutes.
2. Add the broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, minced onion, and salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors are blended, about 20 minutes.
3. Add the noodles, basil, zucchini, and squash; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the soup thickens slightly and the noodles are tender, 10-15 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and stir in Parmesan and mozzarella cheese.

Serve with salad and breadsticks.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

*Adapted from this allrecipes.com recipe.

Serves: 6
Prep: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup butter
1/2 onion, chopped
1 carrot, diced
16 oz pkg frozen broccoli, thawed and chopped
2 (14 oz) cans chicken broth
1/2 Velveeta cheese loaf, cubed
1 cup milk
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup cornstarch

DIRECTIONS
1. In a stockpot, saute onion and carrot in butter until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add broccoli and 1 1/2 cans of chicken broth. Simmer until broccoli is tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to low, stir in cheese cubes until melted. Mix in milk and garlic powder.
4. Add cornstarch to 1/2 can of broth, stir until combined and then add mixture to soup. Raise heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently until soup thickens. (Reduce heat immediately if cheese begins to stick to the bottom of the pot.)

Notes: You can use an immersion blender before adding the cheese if you prefer your soup to be smoother. I like broccoli cheese soup to have larger pieces of veggies, so I finely chopped half of the broccoli and coarsely chopped the other half for variety. You could also use vegetable stock if you want this to be vegetarian.

Jan's Chicken Enchilada Soup

Prep: 1 hour
Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
15 oz can black beans, rinsed
15 oz can Mexican-style diced tomatoes
10 oz pkg frozen whole corn
10 oz can enchilada sauce (red, not green)
10 oz can cream of chicken soup
15 oz can chicken broth
1 pkg dry Ranch dressing mix
1 1/2 cups milk
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded*

DIRECTIONS
1. Saute onions and bell pepper in butter.
2. Add all ingredients except chicken to large pot. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.
3. Add chicken and continue simmering for 15 minutes.
4. Serve with crushed tortilla chips, sour cream, shredded cheese, and avocado.

*substitutions/additions:
-sub for cooked chicken breasts: rotisserie chicken, shredded, or 3 cans chicken
-sub for frozen corn: canned corn, drained
-sub for Mexican-style diced tomatoes: regular can diced tomatoes plus 2 Tbsp Rotel or canned diced green chilies
-pinto beans would be a good addition to this soup

Pasta E Fagioli Soup (like Olive Garden's)

*Found on Pinterest from here.

Serves: 6
Prep: 1 hour (or all day in a slow cooker)

INGREDIENTS
1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, finely diced
2 carrots, finely diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can cannellini beans (or white kidney beans), drained and rinsed
4 cups beef stock
1 jar (25 oz) spaghetti sauce
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp ground black pepper
3/4 cup uncooked ditalini pasta (or other small pasta shape)
salt, to taste (about 1/2 Tbsp kosher salt)

DIRECTIONS
Brown ground beef in a large pot and drain excess grease. Add all ingredients except the pasta and simmer on low, covered, for 45 minutes. Add pasta and a little additional water or broth if desired. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

Notes:
1. This recipe could very easily be doubled to serve a large group or freeze the extra.
2. You can also make this in a crock pot by browning the ground beef in a skillet then combining it with all ingredients except the pasta and cooking on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours. Add the pasta 30 minutes before serving.

Favorite Chicken Noodle Soup

*Adapted from Williams-Sonoma's Chicken & Orzo Soup in the book "Food Made Fast: Weeknight".

SERVES: 4
PREP: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbsp. butter
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. fresh marjoram
8 cups (64 oz.) chicken broth
3/4 cup* pasta (orzo was recommended, but I used elbow macaroni noodles--any small noodle would work)
6 oz. baby spinach, chopped coarsely
1 cooked chicken (about 3 cups), shredded (I used a store-bought rotisserie chicken)
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (I didn't use this and it was still delicious!)

*Do not use more pasta than recommended. From experience, if you do, too much water will be absorbed and the proportions of the soup will be off.

DIRECTIONS:
In a large saucepan or medium pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and celery and saute until onions are translucent, 3-4 minutes. Add the carrots and marjoram and saute until the vegetables are softened, about 3 minutes longer. Add the broth, raise the heat to medium-high, and simmer for 5 minutes to blend the flavors.

Add the pasta to the simmering soup and cook for the length of time recommended on the pasta package for al dente. Add the spinach and the chicken and cook, stirring, until the spinach has wilted and the chicken is warmed through, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into individual bowls, sprinkle with some of the cheese and serve.

Ryan's Easy Taco Soup

PREP: 30 minutes
SERVES: 10-12

INGREDIENTS:
2 lbs ground beef
1 can Rotel
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 small can green chilies
1 can corn
1 can ranch style beans
1 can reg. pinto beans
1 can black beans, drained
1 packet taco seasoning
1 packet ranch dip mix
4 cups water

DIRECTIONS:
Brown meat and then add all ingredients. Cook for 20-30 minutes on low.

Set out shredded cheese and sour cream as toppings. Serve with cornbread or chips and queso/guacamole/salsa.

Thanks, Ryan, for sharing this delicious recipe!

Basil, Beef, and Barley Soup

*Adapted from the April 2010 edition of Better Homes and Gardens. Original recipe can be viewed here.

PREP: 30 minutes
SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. boneless sirloin steak
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. dried basil, crushed
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 cup quick-cooking barley
1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano (do not drain)
1 cup packaged peeled fresh baby carrots, sliced diagonally
1 can lower-sodium beef broth
3 cups water
small fresh basil leaves (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Cut steak into 1/2" pieces. In a shallow dish combine flour, basil, salt, and pepper. Add meat and toss to coat.
2. In a 4- to 5-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add steak; cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Stir in any remaining flour mixture as well as the barley, tomatoes, carrots, beef broth, and water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Ladle into bowls and top with fresh basil.

*You can use regular barley that is not "quick-cook" if you add an additional cup of water and simmer for 50 minutes instead of 10.

Brooke's Creamy Spinach Soup

SERVES: 8-10

INGREDIENTS:
1 small onion, chopped
4 Tbsp. butter
3 boxes frozen leaf spinach, thawed
10 cups vegetable broth
1 cup cream or half and half
salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Combine onion, butter, spinach, and broth in a large pot. Simmer for 20 minutes or until it is all hot and the spinach has some time to cook. Allow mixture to cool, then blend until smooth. Add cream and salt and pepper. Stir well and then reheat.

Serving Suggestions: crusty bread or grilled cheese sandwiches

Any's Columbian Lentil Stew

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup lentils
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups water and/or chicken broth
1 large tomato, cored and chopped
1.5 cups cubed potatoes, peeled
2 pieces of bacon, cut into 1/4" pieces
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Adobo all-purpose seasoning (found in the "Goya" or international section at the grocery store)
3 Tbsp. Sofrito (found in a jar in the "Goya" or international section at the grocery store)
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. sugar

DIRECTIONS:
In a large saucepan, add all ingredients and bring everything to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook on medium-low for about 2 1/2 hours.

You may want to add more broth/water if lentils appear too thick. If lentils appear too watery, bring heat up for a few minutes to thicken.

Serve with crusty bread as a soup; or serve over cooked rice and/or ropa vieja.

*This recipe is vegetarian if you omit the bacon and use water instead of chicken broth.

Crock Pot Corn Chowder

*Adapted from "Saving Dinner" by Leanne Ely (p.72).
**Note to self: last time I made this we all thought it was VERY bland.

SERVES: 6

INGREDIENTS:
5 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 uncooked chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 onions, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cans corn, undrained
2 Tbsp. butter
1 can chicken broth
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
1 tsp. Kosher salt
pepper to taste
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

DIRECTIONS:
In a crock-pot, add everything but the milk and cook on low for 8-9 hours. Add the evaporated milk and cook another 30 minutes, then serve.

Serve with grated cheddar cheese on top.

Gail's Bean Soup

SERVES: 6-8

INGREDIENTS:
bean soup mix (~16-oz. pkg.; discard the seasoning pkg. in the bag)
1/2 - 3/4 lb. ham, diced
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 can whole tomatoes
*optional: add garlic, onion or onion powder, or pepper for additional flavor

PREP:
Soak beans overnight in a covered container.

DIRECTIONS (with a crock pot):
Combine all ingredients and add enough water to cover. Cook on high for at least 4 hours, or on low for at least 8 hours.

DIRECTIONS (without a crock pot):
Combine all ingredients and add enough water to cover. Bring to boil and then simmer for 3 hours.

I recommend serving this with cornbread!

Chicken and Dumplings

PREP: 1 hour, with pressure cooker
SERVES: 8

INGREDIENTS:
1 whole frying chicken
3 stalks celery, sliced
4 carrots, sliced
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/2 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp thyme
1 clove garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp Tabasco or Cholula sauce, optional
1/2 cup peas, optional
3 1/4 cups Bisquick mix
1 cup milk

DIRECTIONS:
Pressure cook the chicken with salt and pepper and enough water to cover 2/3 of the chicken for 30 minutes (time starts after pressure valve starts wobbling). Or, if not using pressure cooker, simmer partly covered for 2 hours. Cool and debone, reserving the broth and chicken and discarding everything else. Cut larger pieces of chicken into bite-sized pieces.

For the dumplings, mix Bisquick and milk to make a dry dough. Bring broth back to a slow boil and add in small spoonfuls of the dough. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes, then add chicken and all other ingredients and simmer, covered, for 10 more minutes. Add more water/broth, or simmer uncovered on low to allow to thicken, depending on desired consistency.

Gail's Bean Soup

INGREDIENTS:
bean soup mix (~16 oz. bag), ignore provided seasoning mix
ham, diced
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 can whole tomatoes
water

DIRECTIONS:
Soak beans overnight. Bring all ingredients to boil in a large pot and let simmer for 3 hours.

Texas Two-Step Soup

Serves: 8
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20-25 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
1 1.61-oz. pkg. brown gravy mix
2 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1 tsp. ground cumin (opt.)
1 tsp. dried minced onion
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
10-12 tortilla chips, crushed
2 cups wagon wheel pasta, uncooked
1/2 lb. ground beef or turkey, browned
7 cups water
1 15-oz. can corn with red and green bell peppers
1 16-oz. can crushed tomatoes

DIRECTIONS:
Brown ground beef or turkey in large saucepan. Add gravy mix, chili powder, oregano, cumin, minced onion, garlic salt, tortilla chips, pasta, and water. Heat to boiling. Stir in cans of corn and tomatoes. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally.

Serve with: tortilla chips, sour cream, and grated Monterey Jack cheese

Eryn's Chili Soup

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 bell peppers, choopped
4 garlic cloves, minced (or 1 tsp. garlic powder)
2 cans kidney beans
2 cans black beans
1 quart stewed tomatoes
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt to taste
4 cups water
2 Tbsp. basil, chopped

DIRECTIONS:
Brown meat, onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to boil. Simmer on low for 2 hours, if possible, though it can be served immediately after boiling.

Morgan's Tortilla Soup

Serves: 12
Prep: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS:
4 chicken breasts
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 stick butter
2 cans Rotel tomatoes
10-12 corn tortillas
garlic salt to taste
2-3 lemons
3 Tablespoons cilantro
3 yellow squash, chopped
red bell pepper, diced
additional chicken broth
sweet corn
cooked rice (optional)

Serve on the side:
grated monterey jack or cheddar cheese
extra cilantro
chopped avocado
tortilla chips
sour cream

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large stock pot, boil chicken breast until done, adding salt and pepper to stock if you like. While chicken is boiling, juice lemons, chop cilantro, cut tortillas into 1-inch squares.
2. Saute onions and garlic in butter, and add squash and red bell pepper a few minutes before onions are fully translucent.
3. When chicken is done, save stock and tear chicken into bite size pieces. Add all prepared ingredients to stock (except cilantro which needs to be added just before serving.) Simmer on low for 20 minutes.