Split Pea Soup

1 (1lb.) pkg. dried split peas
2 lbs. ham hocks
1 medium onion (chopped)
3 stalks celery (chopped)
1 clove garlic (minced)
1/8 teas. Pepper
Salt to taste ( I put 2 teas.)
Parsley sprigs

Combine all of your ingredients in a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered, 1 hour or until peas are soft.  Remove ham hock. Put pea mixture through a food mill or sieve. (I ran mine in small batches through a food processor). Cook over low heat until thoroughly reheated. Add salt to taste and garnish with parsley sprigs if desired.

White Chili

It's a Chili sort of day around here with the national weather system that has moved through the area. Even in DFW we are below freezing!  What better to have for supper than Chili!

White Chili
1 pound white beans, soaked overnight and drained
3 cups chicken broth
1 clove minced garlic
1 onion, diced
1 (4 oz) can green chilies, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin, ground
1 teaspoon oregano
1 dash of cloves, ground
1 dash of cayenne pepper
4 cups chicken, cooked and cubed
3 cups Monterrey Jack cheese, grated

Combine chicken broth, garlic, onion, and beans in a large stockpot.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simer for 2 to 3 hours.  Add remaining ingredients, except cheese.  Simmer an additional hour. 
Garnish with Cheese.
Serves 8-10

You can add in tortillas if you prefer!

Tex Mex Soup

Tis the season for soups.  I am new to Texas and Lord knows that I should not be cold, but I confess.  After moving here in the dead heat of summer, my blood thinned quickly and Im longing for warmth. 
Here is a Yummy soup from a cafe from none other than IOWA!  I thought that was funny being the name is TEX MEX SOUP!!!

1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 15 ounce can stewed tomatoes
4 cups chicken stock
1 can tomato soup
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

For serving:
avocado
sour cream
tortilla chips
grated cheese

Saute onion, jalapeno, garlic and stewed tomatoes in a large kettle for several minutes,  Add remaining ingredients and simmer one hour. 
Garnish with fresh avocado, grated cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips. 
Serves 4-6

Hatch Chili Stew

If you enjoyed the Hatch Green Chili Chicken Tacos recipe and had leftovers - here is a great idea to make a different meal with what was left.
What you need:
Leftover Hatch Green Chili Chicken and the Broth
1 Can of Pinto Beans
2 Cups of Brown Rice cooked
Grated Cheese
Corn Chips
Sour Cream & Salsa


Tonight I made some brown rice, and opened a can of pinto beans and just heated it all up together with the Hatch Green Chili Chicken leftovers. I served in a bowl with chips, grated cheese, and sour cream for me - salsa for my sweet man!  Dinner was ready in less than 15 minutes!

Grandma Branham's Beef Stew

Beef Stew

Note: This is exactly how she wrote it down - you know how Grandma's are - No exact measurements! You have to taste it and see what you think!

Taking Stew meat - chop it into tiny chunks and fry with 1 Onion and 1 Green Bell Pepper in a small amount of Olive oil.

After its browned add:

1 qt. canned tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
6 or 7 potatoes peeled and cubed
3 or 4 stalks of celery, plus the leaves, chopped
1 can of green beans drained
Gobs of carrots
1 cup frozen corn
2 teas crushed basil (she loved basil)
salt and pepper
Bring to a Boil and then Simmer for 2 hours.

She always served it with cornbread! YUMMY!

Dara's Notes

After making this today - I wanted to add a few pictures of the yummy stew and note a few changes.  I didn't put in the bel pepper.  I only added 2 Large red potatoes as apposed to the 6-7 Grandma suggested.  Her pot was obviously bigger than mine!  As well, I had to add some beef broth to this.  Her tomatoes were always fresh home grown canned tomatoes and I used Organic stewed tomatoes from the store.  Their consistency was thicker than what hers was - so therefore I needed more broth!

Butternut Squash Soup

submitted by Rachel Crouse

tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 carrots, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup pulpy orange juice
2 boxes frozen butternut squash puree (I think they were 12 oz boxes)
2 or 3 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper
Grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves, for garnish
1 tablespoon orange zest, for garnish

Heat a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin
olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. When butter has melted, add the
onion and carrots and cook until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper. Deglaze with the orange juice and simmer
for 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden
spoon.
Transfer the mixture to a food processor or a blender. Puree the
mixture until smooth, then return to pot over medium heat. To mixture,
add the frozen butternut squash puree and the chicken broth and stir
to combine. Adjust the seasoning. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat
and let simmer for 10 minutes. Grate some fresh nutmeg and stir to
combine.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Rachel Crouse

Potatoe Soup

1 stick butter (no substitutes)
1 medium chopped onion
3 stalks of celery (including tops)
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
2 T flour (optional for thickening)
4 red potatoes, peeled and diced
1 small can evaporated milk or regular milk
1 t. dried parsley flakes
4 oz. velveeta cheese
1 carrot grated with cheese grater

Saute onion + celery in butter, until tender. Add salt & pepper,carrot, & potatoes, and just cover with water and boil until potatoes are soft. Pour in just enough milk to make white if using regular milk. Turn down heat. DO NOT BOIL MILK AND VELVEETA . On low temp add Velveeta + Parsley. Serve warm with cornbread once cheese melts. (jiffy is really yummy with it because its a little sweet).

Black Bean Soup

submitted by Lindsay Young
serves 4

*This is my favorite soup. It could not be faster or
more healthy! Dinner is on in 10 minutes.

1 t. olive oil
1 pt. fresh salsa (pico de gallo style)
1-16 oz. can refried black beans (in the mexican food
section)
1-15 oz. can black beans, drained
1-14.5 oz. can low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
sour cream, extra fresh salsa and cilantro to garnish

heat oil in a saucepan or large pot over medium heat.
add salsa and cook 4 minutes. add beans and broth and
bring to a simmer; cook til warmed through, about 5
minutes. top with sour cream, extra salsa, and
cilantro.

Hearty Split Pea Soup

submitted by Lindsay Young
serves 9

*This is also a budget-saver meal. I serve it on
dreary days with fresh crusty bread. Even Michael,
who hates split peas, like this.

16 oz. dried split peas
2 c. diced fully cooked lean ham
1 c. diced carrots
1 med. onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
5 c. boiling water
1 c. hot milk

In the slow cooker, layer the first nine ingredients
in the order listed (do not stir!). cover and cook on
high 4-5 hours until the vegetables are tender. Stir
in milk. Discard bay leaves before serving.

Route 66 Chili

submitted by Lindsay Young

serves 8

*I make this for gameday or on New Year's, and it's
always a hit.

3 lbs. trimmed boneless pork, cut into 1" pieces
all purpose flour
1/2 c. olive oil
3/4 c. chopped onion
4 poblano chiles, chopped (optional)
1/4 c. chopped garlic
1-28oz. can diced tomatoes in juice
2-19 oz. cans enchilada sauce (red or green - I use
one of each)
1-12 oz. bottle amber ale (your choice...Fat Tire or
Michelob Amber Bock both work well)
1-7 oz. can diced green chiles
1 T. cumin
1 T. chili powder
sour cream, for garnish
sliced green onions, for garnish

Dredge pork in flour to coat; shake off excess. Heat
1/4 c. olive oil in heavy large pot over medium/high
heat. Working in batches, add pork and brown on all
sides, about 8 minutes. using a slotted spoon,
transfer to a bowl.

Add remaining olive oil to the same pot. Add onion
and saute until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add
poblano chiles and garlic and saute for 2 minutes.
Mix in everything else (but the garnish). Simmer
until the meat is tender and chili thickens slightly,
stirring occasionally, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Serve
with sour cream and sliced green onions.

Taco Soup

submitted by Lindsay Young
serves 8

*We eat this a lot at our house: a real fix-and-forget
recipe! I can't lie, though...I didn't invent it - I
got it from http://momadvice.com - a great frugal
momma site!

1 lb. ground turkey
1 can chili beans with liquid
1 can kidney beans (dark or light) with liquid
1 can whole kernel corn with liquid
2 cans petite cut diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
2 c. water
1 pkg taco seasoning mix (can use regular or mild for
more kid-friendly flavor)

brown the turkey and place in slow cooker with all
ingredients. cook on low for 8 hours. garnish with a
dollop of sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and
tortilla strips. freeze leftovers for another day!

White Chicken Chili

submitted by Jenn Adair

1 can (8-12oz) Northern Beans

1 stick butter

3/4 cup chicken brother

1 1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 can diced green chilies

1 diced medium onion

1/2 cup flour

2 cups milk

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

4 chicken breasts (cooked and cubed)

1 package taco or fajita seasoning (optional)

Start by boiling the chicken breasts (in the packet of seasoning if you wish, I do it to add a little more flavor). Cook the chicken breasts throughly, then cube. Set chicken to side. In a large skillet saute' onion in 2 tablespoons butter. Melt remaining butter, add flour, chicken broth and milk. Stir in seasonings. Mix well. Place the beans, chilies and chicken in a large pot or crock pot, then add liquid mixture. I prefer to use my crock pot because I like the beans to be a little more tender.

Garnish with sour cream or cheese if you desire. We often make cheese quesadillas to dip.