CHEESY CHICKEN CHOWDER

CHEESY CHICKEN CHOWDER

3 cups chicken broth
2 cups diced peeled potatoes
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced onion
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
2 cups (about 8 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
2 cups diced cooked chicken

In a 4-quart saucepan, bring chicken broth to a boil. Reduce heat; add potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan; add flour and mix well. Gradually stir in milk; cook over low heat until slightly thickened. Stir in cheese and cook until melted; add to broth along with chicken. Cook and stir over low heat until heated through. 6 TO 8 SERVINGS

Cauliflower Soup and Garlic and Cheese Sourdough Dippers

By: Dianna Sweede Aucoin
From: The Barefoot Contessa on foodnetwork.com

Healthy and delicious! Cauliflower soup and Garlic and Cheese sourdough dippers

Soup Ingredients
• Coarse salt and coarse black pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 sm. (or 1 lg) heads cauliflower, cut into sm. bunches of florets
• 3 ribs celery and leafy tops from the heart of stalk, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 quart chicken broth
• 1 cup half-and-half or whole milk
• Hot sauce, optional
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves or chives, for garnish
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, for passing at the table

Dippers:
• 3 sandwich size sourdough English muffins split
(recommended: Thomas' brand)
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Grated cheddar and Parmesan
• Paprika

Directions
In a large pot, heat up the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter, over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cauliflower florets and stir with a wooden spoon. Add celery, onion and thyme and cook for 3 minutes. Push the vegetables to 1 side of the pot. Melt 1 more tablespoon of butter on empty side of pot and add flour to the butter. Cook for 1 minute, stirring the flour in the butter. Mix in chicken broth and half-and-half. Bring up to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Puree soup using an emersion blender, food processor or blender and return to pot. I like to leave it a little chunky. Check seasoning and add a dash of hot sauce, if desired.

Garnish soup with hot pepper sauce, chopped parsley or chives and serve with grated cheese to sprinkle on top.

Preheat broiler.

Toast English muffin halves and then place on a cookie sheet. In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the garlic over low heat. Brush toasted muffins with garlic butter and top with lots of grated cheddar and Parmesan cheeses. Sprinkle a little paprika over toasts, then place under broiler until cheeses are melted and browned.

Serve cheesy toasts with soup for dipping.

Chile Verde

By: Julia Mangan

This is a freezer recipe that is really yummy if you like spicy stuff! This is kind of like a soup and you put it over corn tortillas topped with salsa and cheese.

8 oz. package dry pinto beans (1 & 1/4 cups)
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 oz. can chopped green chilies
1 t. ground cumin
3/4 t. dried oregano leaves
1/8 t. ground cloves
1/8 t. cayenne pepper
3 c. water
3 chicken bouillon cubes
1 t. minced garlic (1 clove)
1 t. salt
2/3 c. finely chopped onion
1 c. grated low-fat Monterrey jack cheese
12 corn tortillas
11 1/2 oz. jar salsa

Rinse pinto beans, soak them in cold water overnight, then drain them. (I used canned so I skipped this step.) Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes; cook in small amount of water or vegetable oil until no longer pink, about 15 minutes. Combine chicken with chilies and seasonings; refrigerate until needed. At the same time, combine beans, water, bouillon cubes, garlic, salt and onion in a large pot; bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer until beans are soft, about 1 hour. Add more water if necessary.

Combine chicken and spices with beans; simmer 10 more minutes. To serve, top chili with salsa and grated cheese; serve on warmed corn tortillas. If freezing, cool and freeze. Grate cheese, put it in a 1-quart bag and attach it to the freezer container with the chili. To serve, thaw chili and cheese. Simmer chili 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. See above for serving.

Creamy Potato, Onion and Cheese Soup

By: Julia Mangan

3 T. butter

1 small onion, chopped finely

6 scallions, green part included, chopped finely

4 potatoes, cut into chunks

3 cups chicken stock

salt and pepper

2/3 c. milk

2/3 c. whipping cream

3 T. chopped fresh parsley

3/4 c. coarsely grated cheddar

fried garlic croutons (optional)

Heat the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion, scallions and potatoes. Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes until the onions are tender.

Add the stock. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Remove from heat.

Mash the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the milk, cream and 2 T. of the parsley. Reheat gently. Ladle into bowls. Sprinkle with the cheese and remaining parsley. Serve with croutons, if using.

I sometimes serve with sour cream as well as crumbled bacon.

Cowboy Bean Soup

By: Rebekah McKibben Edwards

Choose about 5 cans of beans of your choice. Dump them, liquid and all into a pot. Add about 1/2 c. salsa, or to taste. Add meat of choice, if any. Warm up and serve in bowl with shredded cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips or corn bread.

Chicken Taco Soup

By: Gina Calvin

This is SO easy and SO delicious. I would put it under Crockpot recipes.

2 pkgs Oscar Meyer Grilled Chicken chopped up
1 onion, diced
1 pkg Taco seasoning
1 can black beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can rotel tomatoes
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 cans white corn
1 1/2 c water

Combine all ingredients in crockpot or on stove. Do not drain veggies.
Cook on low for several hours.

Chili

By: Amanda Blackstone Harding

Ingredients:

4 15 oz cans diced tomatoes

2 Cans Chili Beans

2 Cans White Northern Beans

1 15-18 oz jar salsa

1-2 packets mild chili seasoning

1 1/2 lb ground beef browned with onions and garlic --can cook this first in your big kettle w/ garlic and onion--add remaining ingredients. Heat.

Cheddar Chowder

By: Amanda Blackstone Harding

Serves 6/Prep 30 min

Ingredients:

2 C Water
2 C Diced Potatoes (or 1 can)
1/2 C Diced Carrots
1/2 C Diced Celery
1/4 C Chopped Onion
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
White Sauce
1/4 C Butter
1/4 C Flour
2 C Milk
2 C Grated Cheddar Cheese
1 C Cubed Ham (or 1 large Ham Steak)

Directions: Combine 1st set ingredients in large kettle. Boil 10-12 min.

Next: in small saucepan, make white sauce by melting the butter.

Add flour and stir until smooth.

Slowly add milk; cook until thickened.

Add grated cheese to white sauce; stir until melted.

Add white sauce and cubed ham to vegetables that have not been drained.

Heat thoroughly.

Corn, Sausage and Pepper Chowder

By: Laura Stribley Ballard

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 cups chicken broth

1 pound red potatoes, cut into chunks

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

3 1/2 cups whole kernel corn

4 ounces kielbasa, halved and sliced

1/3 cup milk

1/3 cup heavy cream

Directions

In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Cook onion, garlic, and bell peppers in butter until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in broth, potatoes, pepper and cumin and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, until potatoes are tender.

Place half the corn in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Stir pureed corn, remaining whole corn, kielbasa, milk and cream into soup. Simmer 20 minutes more.

Baked Potato Soup

By: Emily Ceder

Ingredients

• 12 slices bacon
• 2/3 cup margarine
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 7 cups milk
• 4 large baked potatoes, peeled and cubed (If I don’t have any leftovers I boil them)
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1 1/4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium heat until browned. Drain, crumble, and set aside.
2. In a stock pot or Dutch oven, melt the margarine over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in milk, whisking constantly until thickened. Stir in potatoes and onions. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
3. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Mix in bacon, cheese, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until cheese is melted.

Even my pickiest of family love this one!

Beef Barley Soup

By: Dara Greeley (stolen from a friend)...so so good and healthy!

1 1/2 lbs boneless LEAN beef (I like to use a small lean roast and cut it up while it is slightly frozen. Shoulder Tender works great and is very lean. Sirloin works well too. What ever is on sale and is lean – use it!)

6 cups water

4 cups low sodium Beef Broth

2 C chopped Mushrooms, fresh

2 C chopped Celery

1 C chopped Onion

1 Cup chopped Carrots

1 C chopped Zucchini/Squash – or both.

1 t Sea Salt (Do NOT add extra!)

1 Tbsp fresh Rosemary , or 1 tsp dried.

1 tsp Thyme, dried or fresh

1 tsp Parsley, dried or fresh

1 large Bay Leaf

1/2 t Pepper

1 clove Garlic (or to taste) – try roasted garlic for a richer flavor – I buy the one pre chopped in the jar to save time.

6 oz tomato paste with basil garlic and oregano

1 C pearl Barley – quick cook (10m)

Directions – Trim meat of all visible fat and cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Brown in a large stock pot. Remove from pot and set aside. Add chopped veggies (except zucchini/squash) to stock pot and cook until slightly tender. Then add cooked beef, water, broth (can add extra), and tomato paste. Bring to a full boil, and add barley. Cook 8 minutes. Then add zucchini/squash, fresh herbs, sea salt and pepper – cook for another 5 minutes. Reduce heat, and simmer for 10-20 minutes before serving.