Zuppa Toscana

This is my version of Olive Garden's best soup (in my humble opinion). I'm making it today for Recipe Club. The theme is Italian. Lucky ladies...

1 32 oz. box Pacific Organic Chicken Broth
4 c. water
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 c. finely diced potatoes
2 green onions, finely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
1-2 c. browned, crumbled italian pork sausage
1 c. cream and /or whole milk
2 T. flour
1 T. salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp. pepper
1-2 c. dark, leafy green (I've used kale and bok choy)

Bring broths, water, and garlic to simmer in large soup pot over HI heat. Add potatoes and green onions. Let simmer for 5 minutes. Add red pepper and sausage. Simmer until potatoes are fork tender. Turn down heat. In a jar or cup with a lid, shake cream and flour until smooth (not too much or cream will turn to butter) or whisk. Swirl into soup and allow to thicken slightly. Season with salt, sugar, and pepper. Slice washed greens crosswise in 1/4" strips. Lay on top of soup and allow to wilt slightly.
Serve with Parmesan cheese and crusty bread.

New England Clam Chowder

A classic favorite of ours.

1 c. onions, chopped
1 c. celery, chopped
2 c. potatoes, diced
2 tsp. vinegar
2 - 6 oz. cans chopped clams + juice
1 can corn, drained
2-3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled finely
3/4 c. butter
3/4 c. flour
1 qt. cream, or
4 c. whole milk
1 1/2 tsp. salt
pepper

Place all vegetables in med. saucepan. Pour drained clam juice and vinegar over top and add enough water to cover. Bring to simmer on MED heat until barely tender. Meanwhile, in large soup pot, melt butter over MED HI heat. Add flour and whisk to blend. Stirring constantly, add cream or milk. Stir with whisk until smooth and very thick. Add vegetables and clam juice. Add clams and bacon. Blend well and heat through on LOW heat. Season with salt and pepper. Serves 8.

Cheddar Broc Pot

This is my take on a recipe I found in Country Living magazine. It is perfect for cold winter days, and when the kids ask, "What's for dinner?", its fun to say.

1 lg. onion, chopped
2 T. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
5-6 med. potatoes, washed and quartered
2 c. baby carrots
3 c. chicken broth
1 c. water
1 bag frozen broccoli, florets or chopped
1 1/2 c. milk
1 c. shredded sharp or medium cheddar cheese, grated
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. pepper

Heat oil in large heavy pot. Add garlic and stir for one minute. Add potatoes, carrots, broth, and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to MED LO. Simmer for 1 hour. Add broccoli, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add milk, cheese, salt, sugar, and pepper. Using a potato masher, mash large chunks until soup thickens and becomes creamy, though not smooth. Add water if too thick. Add more salt or sugar to taste. Serves 6-8.

Pumpkin Turkey Soup With Wild Rice

Everyone should be famous for at least one recipe. This is one of mine. It's great for leftover turkey at Thanksgiving.

4 c. chicken or turkey stock
2 c. water
1 c. cream or whole milk
1 (24-oz.) can pumpkin
6 T. brown sugar
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
3 c. cooked turkey or chicken breast, diced
2 c. cooked wild rice
1 can green chiles, diced
1 1/2 c. cheddar cheese, grated

Bring stock, water, and cream to a boil. Whisk in pumpkin, sugar, cumin, salt, chili powder, and nutmeg. Reduce heat and simmer until soup thickens. For a light soup or first course, serve at this stage, garnished with cheddar cheese. For a heartier soup, continue: Add turkey, wild rice, chiles and heat through. Serve garnished with cheddar cheese.

Ham & Bean Soup

I love dump-and-leave dinners. This soup assembles fast, and you only have to come back to it a couple of times before you get to eat it. And that is the best part, of course.

6 c. water
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can red beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn, drained
1 ham bone with meat
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/8 tsp. rosemary
1-3 dashes Tabasco sauce
1 onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 c. carrots, chopped
2 potatoes, chopped, skins on
2 tsp. salt
1 T. sugar
pepper

Heat water and ham bone to boiling. Cover, reduce heat to MED LO. Simmer for one hour. Add garlic, herbs, Tabasco, onion, celery, carrots, potatoes, and corn. Cover. Simmer one hour. Remove ham bone to plate. Trim ham from bone, discard bone, and add meat back to pot in bite-size pieces. Add salt and sugar to taste. Sprinkle with pepper and serve.

Chili Con Carne

I love chili, and it was one of the things I missed from a can. But, I was raised on the homemade stuff, and I love this rich, deeply flavored recipe. It took years to perfect. We like ours with a dollop of sour cream... my kids laugh when I say dollop.

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2-3 T. chili powder
1 tsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. onion powder
2 (16-oz.) cans diced or crushed tomatoes
1 (24-oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (24-oz.) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
*1/8 tsp. chipotle chile powder for more heat

In soup pot over MED HI heat, cook and stir ground beef, onion, celery, green pepper until beef is browned. If desired, spoon off grease. Stir in chili powder, cocoa, salt, sugar, cumin, onion powder, and tomatoes. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, 20-30 minutes. Stir in beans and heat through. Simmer until desired consistency, longer for thicker chili. Serve with CORNBREAD.

Potato Soup

This is a creamy, hearty soup that will satisfy your need for home cooking. Don't forget the fluffy BISCUITS on the side. Is it bad manners to dip your bread in your soup? Who cares!

6 c. water
6 potatoes, scrubbed and diced
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 c. chopped carrots
4 stalks celery, chopped
4 slices bacon, crumbled OR
1 c. ham, diced
1 (14-oz.) can corn, drained
1/2 c. flour
2 c. milk or cream
1 T. salt
1 T. sugar
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. sage
1/8 tsp. pepper

Bring water to boil in large soup pot over HI heat. As water heats up, prepare vegetables and bacon. Add potatoes, onions, carrots, and celery to water. Boil until potatoes are tender, but firm, checking with a fork. Add bacon and corn. In jar or cup with lid, shake milk with flour until smooth. Stir slowly into soup and allow to thicken. Add salt, sugar, thyme, sage, and pepper. Stir and turn off heat. *For speedier preparation, substitute frozen peas and carrots for celery and carrots.

Chicken Soup With Spaetzle

Comfort Food. We have Mom’s German heritage to thank for this one. Tastes like home.

1 whole fryer chicken, washed, neck and giblets removed
6·8 c. water
1 lemon or lime, juiced
1 clove garlic, skinned and quartered
1 onion, chopped
4 lg. potatoes, diced
2-3 c. carrots, chopped
1 can corn
4-6 stalks celery, chopped
2 T. salt
1 T. sugar
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. thyme
1/8 tsp. sage
1/8 tsp. rosemary
1 1/2 c. raw egg noodles
OR 2 c. cooked rice
OR
SPAETZLE (german dumplings)

In large soup pot over HI heat, cover chicken with water. Add juice of lemon and garlic. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to MED, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink through breast meat. Carefully remove chicken to plate and allow to cool a bit. Add onion, potatoes, carrots, corn, celery, salt, sugar, pepper, thyme, sage, and rosemary to chicken stock. If using noodles or rice, add now. Bring back to boil and simmer until potatoes are tender. Pull meat off bones of chicken in bite-size portions and add to soup. If adding spaetzle, continue to below. If not, take soup off heat and serve.

Spaetzle (I double this)
3 eggs
3T. milk
1 T. butter, melted
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 c. flour
1/8 tsp. baking powder

Beat with mixer: eggs, milk, and butter. Beat in salt, flour, and baking powder until smooth and glossy. Drop by spoonfuls, sliding batter off spoon with finger, into simmering soup. Batter will puff up into little dumplings. Simmer 10 minutes.