Sharon's Southwest Chicken Soup

1 1/2 Cups salsa verde
3 cups Shredded Cooked Chicken
2 15 Ounce Cans cannellini beans -- Drained
1 Quart chicken broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 each green onions -- chopped
1/2 cup sour cream -- optional
tortilla chips -- optional
Pepper Jack Cheese -- optional

Empty the salsa into a large saucepan. Add the chicken, beans, broth and cumin. Bring to a boil, lower heat to simmer, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Top each bowl with your choice of a sprinkling of onions, dollop of sour cream, shredded pepper jack or some tortilla chips.


NOTES : This is really good. I don't use the sour cream or onions (optional), but I do use the corn chips like you would crackers. I love the pepper jack sheese added to it.

Sausage, Potato and Cabbage Stew

2/3 pound kielbasa, sliced
1/2 red onion -- chopped
2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
4 cups chicken broth
3 cups store bought coleslaw mix -- about 7 ounces
salt & pepper
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley


In a large pot, cook the kielbasa and onion over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the mustard and vinegar, then add the chicken broth, potatoes and coleslaw mix. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper. Serve with crunch french or sourdough bread.

World's Best Chili

2 pounds ground beef chuck
1 pound bulk Italian sausage -- Hot
3 15 ounce cans chili beans in spicy sauce
1 15 ounce can chili beans -- ( Kidney), rinsed & drained
2 28 ounce cans diced tomatoes with juice
1 6 ounce can tomato paste
1 large yellow onion -- chopped
3 stalks celery -- chopped
1 medium green bell pepper -- seeded and chopped
1 medium red bell pepper -- seeded and chopped
2 whole green chile peppers -- seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon bacon bits
4 cubes beef bouillon
1/2 cup beer
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce (Tabasco)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black Pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 bag corn chips (Fritos®) -- (10.5 ounce)
1 8 ounce package shredded Cheddar cheese

Heat a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Crumble the ground chuck and sausage into the hot pan, and cook until evenly browned. Drain off excess grease.

Pour in the chili beans, spicy chili beans, diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Add the onion, celery, green and red bell peppers, chile peppers, bacon bits, bouillon, and beer. Season with chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, oregano, cumin, hot pepper sauce, basil, salt, pepper, cayenne, paprika, and sugar. Stir to blend, then cover and simmer over low heat for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

After 2 hours, taste, and adjust salt, pepper, and chili powder if necessary. The longer the chili simmers, the better it will taste. Remove from heat and serve, or refrigerate, and serve the next day.

To serve, ladle into bowls, and top with corn chips and shredded Cheddar cheese.


NOTES : I won a chili cook-off with this recipe - it is wonderful!!!

Bacon Potato Chowder

1 pound maple flavored bacon
2 medium onions -- chopped
1 16 ounce can corn -- undrained
6 medium new potatoes -- cut in cubes
2 cans cream of potato soup
half & half or whole milk
2 cups Monterey jack cheese -- shredded (or up to 3 cups)

Cut potatoes and place them in a steamer, cook until fork tender (about 20 minutes). Meanwhile, cook bacon until golden brown and crisp, place on paper towels and let cool.

Chop the onions and cook them in the bacon grease (I usually cook them in two batches) you want them caramelized to a nice golden brown. Now decide how much of the bacon grease to remove (remember the grease is a big part of the flavoring).

With all the caramelized onions in the pan, add the canned soup and the corn. Stir until nice and hot then add the steamed potatoes. The soup will be very thick at this point. Gradually add the cream/milk until you reach the desired consistency. Crumble the bacon and add it to the soup. Then add the cheese.



NOTES : This is wonderful - fattening of course - but really, really good.
Be very careful not to let the soup boil as it has a tendency to break down and thin out.

Cheddar Chowder

1 1/2 quarts water
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni
4 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 1/4 quarts non-dairy creamer
1/2 teaspoon mustard

Combine salt, onion salt, pepper, onions and water in pan. Cook until the onions are tender. Add macaroni, Worcestershire sauce and dry mustard. Cook until macaroni is done. Add cheese and stir until melted. Add scalded non-dairy creamer. Heat but do not boil. Serve.

Sharon's Chili

2 pounds hamburger
2 medium onions -- diced
3 large cans chili beans
1 can Kidney Beans -- rinsed and drained
1 can Dennison's chili without the beans
3 tablespoons chili powder -- HEAPING
1 tablespoon cumin -- HEAPING
1 large can tomato juice

Brown the hamburger and onion. Drain and transfer to a large pot and add remaining ingredients. Cook slowly about an hour. I taste it at this point and adjust seasonings. If you want it a little more juicy, add more juice or a can of beer works well too.


NOTES : This is the way I make my chili. I use to put a "Chili Brick" in it instead of the Dennison's chili con carne, but they are kind of hard to find.

Minestrone Soup

2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 pound beef -- cut into 1/2 to 3/4" pieces
7 cups water
2 15 oz cans tomato sauce
1 14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
1 medium onion
1/2 cup celery -- chopped
4 cubes beef bouillon
2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
1 15 ounce can garbanzo beans -- rinsed and drained
1/2 cup shell macaroni
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 small zucchini -- unpeeled, sliced
2 medium carrots -- sliced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste

In a 6 to 8 quart dutch oven over medium heat, melt the margarine or butter. Add the cut up meat and cook until browned. (I've used left over meat) Stir in the water, tomato sauce, tomatoes, onion, celery, bouillon cubes, parsley flakes, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 to 1 1/4 hours or until the meat is tender.

Add the carrots, cabbage, zucchini, garbanzo beans and macaroni. Return the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the macaroni is done, Stirring occasionally. Top each bowl with freshly grated parmesan cheese and pass the crispy french bread.


NOTES : If you don't try another recipe in this blog, you have to make this. It's the best minestrone I have ever tasted. I usually use 1/2 head cabbage, 2 small zucchini and 2 carrots. There are hardly any spices in the recipe, but the flavor is just perfect!!!

White Chicken Chili

2 pounds chicken breast -- cooked, pulled into pieces
16 ounce jar fresh salsa -- from refrigerated section
4 15 ounce cans small white beans -- 2 drained, 2 not
1 teaspoon cumin
8 ounces package pepper jack cheese -- cubed or shredded

Combine all ingredients and cook until cheese is melted and thoroughly hot.

Notes: There's not much liquid, so I didn't drain the other two cans of beans and it was just right.

The type of salsa you purchase will define how hot it is. I usually buy the medium heat kind, but if you don't like a lot of spice, you might buy the mild.


NOTES : This is delicious. Have more cheese available to serve on top.

Sue's Taco Soup

1 pound ground beef
1 large onion -- chopped
1 can mexican style chili beans -- undrained
1 can corn -- undrained
1 can diced tomatoes -- undrained
1 can black beans -- rinsed and drained
1 can tomato sauce -- (15 ounce)
1 1/2 cups water
1 package taco seasoning mix -- 2 tablespoons
1 package ranch-style dressing mix -- 2 tablespoons
1 can diced green chilies -- (4 ounce)
sour cream
shredded cheddar cheese
tortilla chips

Brown meat with onion. Drain and mix with beans, corn, tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, taco seasoning, salad dressing mix and chilies. Heat and serve garnished with sour cream, cheddar cheese and I use tortilla chips in place of crackers.


Serving Ideas : I usually use 1/2 jalapeno pepper and 1/2 green chilies. It makes it a little hotter and the sour cream tames it a little.......wonderful!

NOTES : Once I found this recipe, I threw the rest of my taco soup recipes out..this is a winner.

Pasta Fagioli Soup

I love this soup at Olive Garden. I combined a lot of recipes to come up with this one and it is perfect. Once in a while you come across a really great recipe - this is it. Serve it with crusty french bread (for dunking) and sprinkle the top with fresh parmesan cheese.

1 pound ground beef
3/4 cup onion -- chopped
1 cup carrots -- slivered in 1" strips
1 cup celery -- diced
2 14 ounce cans peeled and diced tomatoes -- undrained
1 15.5 ounce can kidney beans -- rinsed and drained
1 15 ounce can garbanzo or small white beans -- rinsed and drained
6 cups water
6 teaspoons beef bouillon granules -- (cubes too salty)
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/4 teaspoons black pepper
2 1/2 teaspoons parsley flakes
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
26 1/2 ounces spaghetti sauce -- (Hunt's Canned)
4 ounces dried pasta -- small shells or salad macaroni

Saute' beef in a small amount of oil in a large stock pot until beef starts to brown. Add onions, carrots, celery and tomatoes and simmer for about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse the beans and add to the pot. Also add water, bouillon granules, oregano, parsley, pepper, Tabasco and spaghetti sauce. Simmer for 15 minutes more and then add pasta. Simmer until pasta is done, about 30 minutes.

Tip: This makes a lot of soup. If you don't think you'll use it all in a day or two, freeze some of it before you add the pasta, since pasta doesn't freeze well. Another idea is to eliminate the pasta in the soup and when you serve it, place a small amount of cooked pasta in a serving bowl before you ladle it up. Either way - this is a great soup!!