Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup

My mom made this a while ago for a luncheon after we blessed my youngest son at church. It was the first pot of soup to be emptied, so I knew I'd have to make it again in the future. Well the "future" came this week, and everyone loved it again! The carrots add a touch of sweetness that works great with the cheese and broccoli.

Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup

1 tablespoon melted butter

1/2 medium chopped onion

1/4 cup melted butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cups half-and-half cream

2 cups chicken stock

1/2 lb fresh broccoli

1 cup carrot, julienned

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese

salt and pepper

Directions

1.Sauté onion in butter. Set aside.

2.Cook melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly and add the half & half.

3.Add the chicken stock. Simmer for 20 minutes.

4.Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat 20-25 minutes.

5.Add salt and pepper. Put portions in the blender and purée. Return to heat and add cheese. Stir in nutmeg.

US Senate Bean Soup

When I try to plan frugal meals, I tend to try to incorporate beans since they are cheap, yet pack a nutritional punch. I just wish I had more yummy bean recipes! :) I found the original recipe for this soup that uses beans in the Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook and we loved it! My husband said he could have kept eating it all night long, and I wish he would have because this recipe made a ton of soup! In fact, there was too much of it to fit in the crockpot I had! 4 adults ate a little less than half of what this recipe yields, so if you have a smaller family, I'd definitely suggest cutting it in half. I also didn't have a hamhock (nor could I find one at the store), so I used bacon, and since my crockpot couldn't handle the volume of this soup, I had to cook it differently. So the recipe below is not the original, but instead is exactly how I made the soup.

US Senate Bean Soup

1 lb. dried navy beans, cooked and drained
1 lb. bacon
10 cups water
2 medium yellow onions, diced
3 medium baking potatoes or 5 small russetts, cubed
6 ribs celery, finely chopped
2 Tbl dried parsley
1/4k tsp ground black pepper, or to taste
salt to taste
1 bay leaf, optional (I used it)

Cook the bacon in the bottom of your soup pot until it starts to brown. Add everything else to the pot. Bring the soup to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until veggies are tender or until ready to serve. (My soup simmered for about 4-5 hours and the potatoes and beans retained their texture and shape just fine.)

Meatless Chili

This is the best chili I have ever had--which automatically makes it the best I've ever made. Of course, it being the only chili I've ever made also makes it the best I've ever made.

I found it in a copy of Woman's Day magazine--which I love--and liked it so much I wrote it down. This version is slightly different, since I had to work with what I had, but it tastes so good! And it's not too spicy--just enough kick. And best of all, it's easy! So easy that even I, the Slow-Cooker Idiot, can succeed!

1 small onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 can of kidney beans, rinsed

1 can of black beans, rinsed

1 c. frozen corn

1 can diced tomatoes, do not drain!

about 1 cup of water

2 T. cocoa powder

2 T. chili powder

1/2 t. hot pepper sauce--if you don't like any kick at all, this is what you want to leave out

2 t. cumin

a handful of chopped cilantro (not a biggy if you don't have it, but it's good, you should have it)

Directions:

1. In a slow cooker, mix all ingredients but the cilantro. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

2. Stir in cilantro.

3. Serve with sour cream and cheese and corn bread.

Pasta e Fagioli (aka Olive Garden Minestrone Soup)

Thanks for being patient with me the last couple of weeks. I am back in town now, but we are now getting ready to move out of state. I am trying to have some posts scheduled so that there will be something new to look at every couple of days, but if I disappear again, please know I will be back soon! I've just got to pack, move, and then unpack, etc. etc. Whenever I go to the Olive Garden, I almost always get the same thing- the soup and salad combo with minestrone soup. I love it! So when I was visiting my family last week, my mom suggested we make this recipe for dinner one night and I'm so glad we did! It tastes every bit like the wonderful soup at OG, but now I can make it at home for way cheaper than it is to buy a bowl and their salad. Mmmmmm! The day we chose to make this soup ended up being rather busy, so we followed the first 2 steps and then threw everything, except the pasta, into the crockpot and let it simmer while we were gone. Then about 20-30 minutes before we sat down for dinner, we stirred in the cooked pasta (so make sure you cook your pasta ahead of time if you want to cook it this way). We also had some fresh peas from the garden that we threw into the mix, and you could do that with any vegetables you have hanging around. It was so delicious and I can't wait to make this again!

Pasta e Fagioli (aka Olive Garden Minestrone Soup)

1 pound ground beef 1 small onion, diced (1 cup) 1 large carrot, julienned (1 cup) 3 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup) 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes 1 15-ounce can red beans (with liquid) 1 15-ounce can great northern beans (with liquid) 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce 1 12-ounce can V-8 juice 1 tablespoon white vinegar 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon oregano 1 teaspoon basil 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/2 teaspoon thyme 1/2 pound (1/2 pkg.) ditali pasta 1. Brown the ground beef in a large saucepan or pot over medium heat. Drain off most of the fat. 2. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic and sauté for 10 minutes. 3. Add remaining ingredients, except pasta, and simmer for 1 hour. 4. About 50 minutes into simmer time, cook the pasta in 1 1/2 to 2 quarts of boiling water over high heat. Cook for 10 minutes or just until pasta is al dente, or slightly tough. Drain. 5. Add the pasta to the large pot of soup. Simmer for 5-10 minutes and serve. Serves 8.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

This is a recipe I put together after looking hard for a Chicken and Wild Rice Soup recipe, and not being satisfied with the results. The wild rice I bought was marked up quite a bit, but if you live in a larger city than Rexburg, Idaho, you can probably find it cheaper than I did. If not, you can use regular white rice, but I would wait to add it until around the last hour of cooking in the crockpot. I am sure you could also use brown rice, but I am still trying to master that topic so I do not have any advice right now. I used rosemary and bay leaf as my seasonings (besides salt and pepper), but most of the recipes I found called for sage. I did not have sage, but if you would prefer it, just substitute it for the rosemary. You can also leave the bay leaf out, but I prefer it in my soups. This goes great with a side salad and rolls.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

8 cups chicken broth (I used reconstituted chicken boullion)

2 cups shredded chicken

2/3 cup uncooked wild rice

1/2 medium onion, chopped (I used 2 Tbl chopped dehydrated onion)

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped carrots

1 tsp rosemary (or you could use sage)

1 large bay leaf or 2 small ones

salt and pepper, to taste

Add all the ingredients into a crockpot and cook on high for 4-6 hours, or low 8-10 hours.

You could probably also use the stove top to cook this. Just make sure the rice is cooked and the vegetables are tender before you serve it- I'm just not sure how long it would take...

Borscht

Borscht is a traditional Russian soup, which means it's cheap! It also means it's made with three things: potatoes, sour cream, and beets.

You may be thinking "Beets?! EW!" But I promise, even if you don't like beets, you'll probably like borscht. And the warranty? It costs almost nothing to make, so you don't feel rotten if you really don't like it. (But you will.)

I just made this up as I went along, but THIS TIME I WROTE DOWN THE STEPS! I know, it's a miracle.

3 medium potatoes (I prefer red), chopped

1/2 c. chicken broth

1/4 c. onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, sliced

1 or 2 celery ribs, sliced

about 1/3 of a small head of cabbage (you might need a bit more), shredded

about 2/3 of a can of beets canned in water (not pickled), sliced.

2 chicken thighs, chopped

salt and pepper, to taste

garlic powder (or a diced version of the real thing, if you're lucky enough to have it), to taste

1/2 T. vinegar

1. Put the potatoes in first, with enough broth and water to cover them. Add the rest of the ingredients, making sure chicken and vinegar go last. Add water when needed so it stays just level with the top of the ingredients.

2. Let simmer until the chicken is cooked through.

3. Serve with sour cream and make sure you have plenty of bread to dip.

You could also put a bay leaf in it, I just never have them on hand. I know, I know. I have them now, I just don't usually have them.

Zesty Black Bean Soup

I know it has been almost a month since I last posted, and I'm sorry. Well not too sorry because I've been spending the time with my newborn son. His name is Caleb and he was born on December 29 and was 6 pounds 14 ounces and 19 inches long. Everything went well with delivery and we are both healthy. That being said, I don't know how often I'll be able to post for the next little while. My goal is still once a week, and I'm hoping since I've officially started my post-baby diet that I will have lots of new and healthy recipes to share. Ok, ok, and still the occasional treat! I am still a chocolate addict afterall!

I tried this for dinner the other night with cornbread and it was yummy! I even liked eating it for lunch the next day! If you don't like spicy things, you could always substitute a can of regular diced tomatoes for the Rotel tomatoes. However, I thing the Rotel chiles add just enough spice to keep the soup from being boring. The original recipe I used came from $5 Dinners, but I also found this version for the crockpot. This is definitely something I will be making again as it is super cheap, but very healthy! You could make it even healthier by adding more vegetables, such as bell peppers, carrots, celery or even zucchini.

Zesty Black Bean Soup

2 cups dried black beans (or you could use 2 cans of drained and rinsed black beans)
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed (I used 1/4 tsp garlic powder)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups of chicken stock (I used reconstituted boullion)
1 10 oz. can of Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
2 Tbsp cornstarch (**edited 2-18-10: I leave this out with good results)

1. Soak black beans overnight in a bowl full of water. If you forget to soak, as I often do, then add the beans to boiling water, remove from heat and let soak for 2 hours. Once soaked, drain and rinse.

2. Add the soaked and rinsed beans to large saucepan and cover with 2 inches of water. Add the chopped onion, crushed garlic, cumin, lemon juice, and salt in with the beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cover. Cook for about an hour.

3. After an hour, add the homemade chicken stock and the undrained can of Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies. Let the soup simmer for another 30 minutes, or until the beans have softened.

4. Then add the cornstarch. (A note from Erin on how to best add the cornstarch: Sift and whisk at the same time to keep from getting clumpy in the soup!)

**Edited 2-18-10: I prefer to make this in the crockpot by cooking my dried beans until tender then covering them by an inch in my crockpot. I then add the rest of the ingredients (except the cornstarch, I do not use it anymore) and cook on high for about 4 hours. You could probably use canned beans with this method, however, they might be a little on the mushy side. Maybe cooking it on low would help?**

Baked Potato Soup

This baked potato soup is really rich and creamy, as well as very kid friendly. I'm not sure where the recipe comes from since it's one my mom gave to me, but we love it, especially on cold winter nights. The recipe called for bacon, which I have added in the past. When I made it this last time, I didn't have any bacon, so I used 2 Tbl melted butter for the bacon grease used in the flour paste mixture. I made a couple of other modifications as well, but those are notated in the recipe.

Baked Potato Soup

8 oz bacon, chopped
3 lbs. russet potatoes, scrubbed (I used about 9-10 small/medium)
1 large onion, chopped (I used 2 Tbl chopped dehydrated onion)
2 garlic cloves, minced (I used about 1/4 tsp garlic powder)
2 Tbl flour
4 cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp dried thyme (if you don't have thyme or don't like it, rosemary would be a good substitute)
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I used about 1-1/2 cups + extra for topping the soup)
1 cup sour cream
3 scallions, sliced thin

Cook bacon until crisp. Peel potatoes and cut into 3/4" pieces. Remove bacon from pot and add onion to fat, cooking over medium heat until golden. Stir in garlic and flour. Cook until fragrant (I cooked it until it was a thick, bubbly, paste). Gradually mix in broth and cream with a whisk. Stir in thyme and potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and cook until potatoes are tender. Discard thyme, and transfer 2 cups potatoes to a bowl. Puree remaining mixture until smooth (you can do this however you want. I used my blender- if you use yours be sure to leave a vent for the hot air to escape so the blender doesn't explode all over you). Return to pot and warm over medium-high heat. Remove from heat, stir in cheese until melted, then whisk in sour cream. Return 2 cups potatoes back into pot and season soup with pepper. Garnish with bacon, scallions, cheese, and sour cream.

Home-Style Potato Soup

This is really quick and easy, and pretty versatile. Sometimes I add broccoli and cheese, etc. Just play around with it.

about 14 oz of chicken broth

2 large potatoes, cut into large pieces

1 1/2 c. milk

2 medium green onions, thinly sliced

salt and pepper

1. Heat chicken broth and potatoes to boiling in a 2-quart saucepan over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until potatoes are tender (about 15 minutes).

2. Remove saucepan from heat, but don't drain. Break potatoes into smaller pieces with a masher or large fork. It should still be lumpy.

3. Stir in the milk, salt, pepper, and green onions into potatoes. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally until hot but don't boil to prevent curdling.

If you're going to add frozen broccoli, add it with the milk, etc. If you're going to add cheese, add it after everything else has been heated and stir until melted.

Bean Soup

The original recipe calls for navy beans, but I used great northern beans and it came out great. This makes a lot, so I did about half and that was plenty for my two-person household! (We like a lot of flavor, so although I did half the beans and about 2/3 the ham, I kept all the veggies and spices, etc. the same.)

Ingredients:

1 lb. dry beans

6 c. water

1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, don't drain

1 medium to large onion, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1/2 lb. chopped ham (there was a sale on pork, so that's what I used)

1 cube chicken bouillon

2 T. Worcestershire sauce (I used a little more)

1 t. dried parsley

2 t. garlic powder (again, I used a little more)

salt and pepper

3 cups water

Directions:

1. Combine beans, water, tomatoes, onion, celery, garlic, ham, bouillon, Worcestershire sauce, and parsley in a stock pot. Bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover, and simmer for two hours.

2. Add additional water. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for additional two hour.

Note: Keep an eye on the soup as it simmers. You may need to add a little water every once in a while, and even at the end, if it the broth looks a little low when you're ready to serve, don't hesitate to put in a couple of cups.

Lentil Soup

I've been browsing the internet looking for ideas on inexpensive meals, and I kept coming to beans and lentils. So I decided to try my hand at a pot of lentil soup and... it was delicious! This recipe calls for Italian type seasonings, but there are other variations. Some of these variations use curry or are spicy and involve cumin. If Italian isn't your style, do an internet search for lentil soup and choose one with flavors you like. But I promise you that if you use this recipe, you will not be disappointed!

Lentil Soup

1 cup each dry lentils, and chopped carrots,celery,onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp each dried basil,and oregano
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
3 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water
1 14 -1/2 oz can Italian style stewed tomatoes

Rinse lentils , place lentils, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, basil, oregano, thyme, and bay leaf in cooker. Stir in broth and undrained tomatoes. Cover and cook 12 hours on low or 5-6 hours on high (I think these times might be a little long, so if you're cooking on low, check it at around 8 hours and if you're cooking it on high, check around 3 or 4 hours). Disgard bay leaf before serving. Enjoy! Makes about 6, 1 cup servings.

Homemade chicken broth

The other day I tried my hand at making some homemade chicken broth. It's really easy to do and requires little supervision. The best part is that it is practically free to make!

Homemade chicken broth
1 chicken carcass (Or you can use the bones from bone in chicken breasts, thighs, or drumsticks. It'll work better if you have more than just 3 or 4 bones, so if you need to, save some bones in the freezer until you have enough- probably around 10 or 12)

1 onion, quartered

3 or 4 sticks celery with greens

2 cups or so baby carrots or 3-4 regular carrots

2 bay leaves

about 6 cups of water

salt to taste

Put chicken carcass into crockpot stoneware and add onion, celery, carrots, and bay leaves. Add water until it reaches 2 inches from rim of crock. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

Remove vegetables, leaves, and chicken bones from broth. Add salt to taste. Spoon into ziploc baggies by 1 or 2 cup portions (I used sandwich bags, and they should not be filled with anymore than 2 cups each- 1 cup is probably more ideal). Place in refrigerator to cool. Once cooled, skim fat off of top of broth and discard.

To store, freeze (It's best to lay the baggies flat on a baking sheet until they're frozen so you can conserve precious freezer space. You can remove the sheet once the baggies retain a flat shape and then use the baggies to fill whatever nooks or crannies you have in your freezer.)