Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

-Sarah Hirschi

6 cups of water (I use 2 cans of chicken broth and 4 cups of water)
3 chicken breasts ( I use about 8 tenders)
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon or base (4 bouillon cubes for 4 cups of water in addition to the broth)
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups chopped carrots
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 cups dry egg noodles (I like the rottini noodles better for this recipe)
1/4 cup of flour (I used 1-2 tblsp. of cornstarch and water instead)
1/2 cup cold water.

Bring water (and broth) to a boil in large pot. Add chicken, bouillon or base and stir until dissolved. Cover and cook for 20 to 30 minutes until chicken is no longer pink in center. Remove chicken and cut into small pieces. Return to broth and add carrots, celery and onion. Cover and cook until tender. Add noodles and cook for 10 minutes or until noodles are tender. Mix cream of chicken soup, evaporated milk and spices together and slowly stir into broth mixture. Whisk flour (cornstarch) and water (I don’t use very much with the cornstarch. Just enough to make it wet.) together stirring until smooth. Stir flour mixture into soup and cook until thickened.

Sweet Mama Soup

-Heather Jordan

2-21/2 lb. Sweet mama, butternut, or acorn squash
1 med onion, chopped
1 T olive oil
5 C chicken broth
2 medium cooking apples, peeled, cored, and quartered
1/4 C pure maple syrup
1 C whipping cream
salt and black pepper
chopped red and /or green apple (optional for garnish)

Preheat oven to 350. If using Sweet Mama, use half to three fourths of the squash. If using butternut or acorn squash, cut in half lengthwise; remove and discard seeds. Arrange squash, cut sides down, in 3 quart rectangular baking dish. Bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours for Sweet Mama, 45-60 minutes for butternut or acorn, or until squash is tender. Remove from oven; cool slightly. Scoop pulp from squash halves. Place cooked pulp in a bowl; mash with a potato masher or fork (you should have about 2 C pulp)

Meanwhile, in a saucepan cook onion in hot oil for 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in broth, apples, and maple syrup. Bring to boiling, reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until apple is very tender. Remove from heat. Cool slightly. Stir in mashed squash.
Transfer half the squash mixture to a blender container or 1/4 the squash mixture to a food processor bowl. Cover; blend or process until smooth. Repeat with remaining mixture.

Return blended squash mixture to saucepan. Stir in whipping cream; heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle each serving with chopped apple.

Smoky Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese

-Heather Jordan

2 T olive oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 quart chicken stock, divided
1 28 oz can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
1/2 t sugar
1/4 C heavy cream (optional)
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1/4 t dry oregano
1/2 t red pepper flakes

Grilled Cheese:
16 slices rye bread
16 small slices sharp cheddar cheese
4 slices bacon, chopped

Heat a large pot over med-high. Heat 2 T oil. Add bacon and cook til crisp. Remove bacon from pot and set aside. To pot add garlic, onion, celery, carrots, and salt and pepper. Cook 4-5 minutes until they start to tender. Remove veggies from pot to blender. Throw in a big splash of chicken stock and add oregano. Puree until smooth. Return veggies to pot and add remaining stock, fire roasted tomatoes, sugar, pepper flakes and cream. Bring to a bubble and simmer.

Grilled Cheese:
bread, cheese, bacon, cheese bread. Grill til melted.

Hearty Turkey Vegetable Soup

-Heather Jordan

2 quarts turkey broth (I use chicken broth)
1 C cubed potatoes
1 C sliced carrots
1 C sliced celery
1/4 C chopped onions
1 t salt (pepper to taste)
1 C uncooked egg noodles
2 C cooked turkey meat, cubed (I use chicken)

Pour broth into large pot. Add potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Add noodles. Simmer 30 minutes. Add turkey. Heat thoroughly and serve.

Taco Soup

-Heather Jordan

1 lb ground beef
1 med onion chopped
1 T mild taco seasoning mix
1 16 oz can corn (don't drain)
1 16 oz can kidney beans (drained and rinsed) You can also use black beans
1 28 oz can stewed tomatoes, chopped not whole (don't drain)
1 8 oz can tomato sauce

Brown meat and drain. Add onion and saute for a few minutes. Add to pot all other ingredients. Simmer 20-30 minutes. Top with cheese and corn chips or Freetos.

Hamburger Soup

-Heather Jordan

1 lb browned hamburger (drain)
1 quart tomato juice
2 1/2 C water
3 beef bouillon cubes
3-4 potatoes, diced
1 onion, chopped
3-4 carrots, diced
2 stocks of celery, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook on low heat until veggies are soft and tender. When ready to serve add:
2 T sugar
2 T butter.

Add 2 C extra wide egg noodles 30 minutes before serving.

Vegetable Cheese Chowder

-Heather Jordan

4 C cubed potatoes
2 C diced carrots
2 C chopped celery
1/2 C minced onion
2 t salt
4 C water
1- 10 oz pkg frozen broccoli cuts
3 T chicken base or chicken bullion cubes
3 1/2 C milk
1/2 C margarine
1/2 C flour
1 T dry mustard
2 C cheddar cheese

Place potatoes, carrots, celery and onion in a pot. Add salt & water. Cook until tender. Add broccoli, chicken base and milk. Simmer 5 more minutes. In a separate pan melt margarine. Add flour and dry mustard. Stir together and add to soup. Add cheese until melted. Do not boil.

Creamy White Chili

-Aubri Larson

3 c cooked, diced (or shredded) chicken *I use canned chicken and it works great.
1/2 c chopped onion
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 cans (15oz each) white cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 can chicken broth (I had to use 1-1/2 cans total)
1 can chopped green chilies
1 tsp EACH salt, ground cumin, dried oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup (8 oz) sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream

In a large saucepan, brown onion in a little oil. Add chicken and garlic powder, heat. Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and whipping cream.
*Garnish with shredded cheese, sour cream, & fritos. (optional)

Summer Harvest Soup

-Heather Jordan

4 cups chicken broth
1 cup prepared pasta sauce
1 cup water
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 zucchini, washed well and sliced in 1/4-inch rounds
2 yellow summer squash, washed well and sliced in 1/4-inch rounds
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered (depending on size)
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/3 cup dry white Cannellini beans (this doesn't sound like a lot, but they swell!)
1/2 cup pasta (to add 20 minutes before serving)
salt and pepper to taste
garnish with Parmesan and Romano cheeses

The Directions.

I used a 6-quart slow cooker. Wash squashes well, and slice in rounds. Place into slow cooker, with diced onion and tomato wedges. Rinse your beans in hot water, and add to cooker. Add broth, pasta sauce, and water. Stir in Italian seasoning.

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until beans have reached desired tenderness. 20 minutes before serving, stir in raw pasta. Serve with grated Parmesan and Romano cheese.

Lion House Tomato Bisque

-Heather Jordan

12-15 Roma tomatoes (the roasting took a little over 30 min)

4 cans (10 1/2 ounces each) tomato soup

2 cups chicken stock

1 cup beef stock or canned beef consomme

1 bunch fresh basil or 2 tablespoons dry basil (It was a 6 oz container of fresh)

1 cup sugar (it only took me ½ a cup)

2 to 3 cups cream (for me it only took about 2 cups)

8 oz. of fresh Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

Roast tomatoes in oven at 350 degrees until tops begin to blacken. In a large pot, combine tomato soup, chicken stock and beef stock. Place roasted tomatoes, cheese, and basil in blender and puree until smooth.

Add puree to pot and let simmer. Add sugar until mixture is slightly sweet (don't skimp on the sugar — it may take more or less, depending on the tomatoes), then add cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Note: The soup should not taste like marinara sauce but should have a slightly sweet creamy flavor.