Valerie's Uncanned Condensed Soups

3 T. Butter

3 T. Flour

1/4 tsp. Salt

dash of pepper

1 1/4 cups milk, or cream or stock (or a portion of each)

Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in flour and seasonings. Cook over medium heat until bubbly, stirring

frequently. Add liquid slowly, stirring with wire whisk to prevent lumps. Cook until thickened. Makes

about 1 cup or 1 can of condensed soup.

Tomato Soup: Use tomato juice for the liquid. Add dashes of garlic and onion powder, basil and

oregano.

Mushroom/Celery/Chive Soup: Saute 1/4 cup chopped mushrooms, celery, or chives and add 1T.

minced onion in butter before adding flour.

Cheese Soup: Add ½ cup grated cheese after the liquid. Stir until melted.

Cream of Chicken Soup: Use chicken broth for half of the milk, and add 1/4 tsp. poultry seasoning or

dried sage leaves.

Use any sauteed vegetables or liquid combinations you choose. Be creative!

Fat free version: Omit butter and simply whisk the flour into the cold liquid until smooth. Then heat

and proceed with cooking.

Wheat Allergies: use cornstarch instead of the flour. Mix it in with the cold liquid first, then heat until

thickened.

This is a GREAT recipe! I hope you’ll try it! It’s much healthier than the canned variety, and so nice to

know about if you run out of canned soup. I loved the cream of chicken just like it is, add some bread

and you have a delicious light meal!

Sherri and Valerie's Ghost Chili

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into ½ “ cubes

1 medium onion

1 ½ tsp. garlic powder

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

2 cans (15 ½ oz ) great northern beans, rinsed and drained

1-14 ½ can chicken broth

2-4oz cans chopped green chilies

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. oregano

½ tsp. pepper

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

1 cup sour cream

½ cup whipping cream

In large saucepan, saute’ chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add

beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.

Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream and whipping cream. Serves 7.

Valerie's Italian Bread Bowls

2 Tbsp instant yeast

2-1/2 cups warm water

2 tsp salt

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

7 cups flour

1 Tbsp cornmeal

Combine water, salt, oil and 2-3 cups flour in the mixer. Mix together. Add yeast and more of the flour.

Mix and then with the mixer running, continue adding flour until the dough pulls away from the sides ad

bottom and is not too sticky. Knead in mixer until smooth and elastic, about 3-5 minutes.

Cover and let rise in warm oven until double, about 45 minutes. Punch down and then form into 8 round

loaves. Place on a cookie sheet that has been lightly greased and sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover and let

rise until double in a warm place, about one hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. To

use as bowls, carefully slice the top off and pull out the center leaving at least 3/4 inch sides of bread in

bowls. Fill with hot soup and serve immediately.

Barbara's Soup Blend

1 cup of soup mix

1 cup of diced tomatoes

Salt and pepper

4 diced potatoes

I add 2 quarts of water to soup mix. Add tomatoes, potatoes, salt and pepper. I cook this until all of the beans in the soup mix are done, about 1 hour. Serve with cornbread or corn muffins.

Amie's Taco Soup

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground beef ***

1 large onion, chopped

1 can pinto beans

1 can whole kernel corn ,drained

1 can stewed tomatoes - mexican style

1 can Rotel tomatoes

1 pkg. taco seasoning mix -(opt.)

1 pkg. original hidden valley ranch dressing(dry)

2 1/2 cups water or more, to make soup broth

Preparation:

Brown ground beef and onions in a large pan, drain off fat. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for an hour or so. When ready, serve in big soup bowls,

Toppings:

Grated cheese, corn chips, lettuce.

ALTERNATE:

*** I love using taco flavored TVP .

This is an excellent thing to make in the crock pot!

Jessica's Taco Soup

1 can kidney beans, undrained

1 can black beans, undrained

1 can corn, undrained

1 large can crushed tomatoes

1 packet ranch dressing mix

1 packet taco seasoning

1 lb. ground beef

Brown the meat, throw everything into the crock pot, cook for a few hours on low. Isn't that EASY? We serve it with cheese, and sour cream and chips.

Terry's Making a Bread Bowl

1 large round bread loaf

Using a serrated knife, slice off about an inch from the top of the bread. Carve out a bowl from within the bread, leaving about l inch inside.

Kitchen Tip

Once you serve the chili, slice the bread bowl into wedges and serve. The flavor of the chili give the bread an added zest.

For spicy chili, add jalapeno pepper, (diced) to the chili as it is cooking. Enjoy!

Terry's Wheat Chili

Soak 2 cups whole wheat kernels overnight.

Saute:

2 medium onions, chopped

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

1 1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 teaspoons olive oil

In large kettle, add:

1 can (14 1/2 oz) whole or diced tomatoes

1/4 cup no salt added tomato paste

1 tblsp chili powder - or more, to taste/desired spicyness

1 1/2 -2 cups water or vegetable broth

Add- sauteed ingredients and bring to slow boil, stir often, simmer 30 minutes.

Optional: add 1 can (8 1/2 oz) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed, and/or 1 can (7 oz) whole kernel corn, drained and rinsed.

Gauge the liquid - depending on how "soupy" you like your chili. The wheat absorbs a good deal of fluid.

Serve in a Bread Bowl.

Split Pea Soup

2 c. split peas

1 medium onion, chopped--or 3 T. dehydrated onions

2 cloves garlic, chopped--or 1 t. garlic powder

1 1/2 qt. water

1 grated carrot

1 c. celery, chopped

ham bone, cooked bacon, ham hock or cooked ham (optional)

Wipe the top 3" of a cooking pot with cooking oil to keep soup from boiling over. Add all ingredients to pot.

Bring to a boil, then lower heat and continue simmering for 1 hour, or until peas are soft.

Garnish with parsley and croutons. Can be made in a crockpot overnight.

Janet's Creamy Lentil Soup

This smooth and creamy soup is traditional in Egypt.

2 qt. water or chicken broth

2 c. orange lentils

2 t. cumin

2 T. chicken boullion or soup mix

Cover lentils with water and bring to a boil. Cover pan and simmer for 45 minutes, or until lentils are soft. Stir in boullion and cumin. Half fill blender bowl with soup and blend until smooth. Pour smooth lentils into large bowl or 2nd pot, and continue blending until all soup is smooth. Serve with a sprinkling of cumin and a slice of lemon.

Mary Ann's Potato Soup

Prepare potato pearls or flakes as instructed,

adding enough water to make a generous amount of liquid.

Add:

dehydrated onions

dehydrated carrots

dehydrated celery

dehydrated parsley

Stir constantly until ingredients come to a boil,

reduce heat to simmer until vegetables are tender.

You may need to add additional water, so the soup

is not too thick. Creamy delicious is your goal.

To serve, you may top each bowl with cheese or

fresh parsley.

Maha's African Peanut Soup

This dish from Sudan is quick and delicious.

1 T. olive or other vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 can stewed tomatoes, or 1 cup salsa, or 1/3 c. tomato paste

1/2 c. peanut butter

1/2 t. cayenne pepper

1 stewed chicken, cut-up, or 2 small cans chicken

4 c. chicken broth or boullion

optional garnishes: 1/4 c. chopped green onions, 1/4 c. chopped cilantro

Saute garlic and onion until golden, about 1 minute.

Add tomatoes, peanut butter, cayenne pepper and half of

chicken broth. Stir and heat until smooth. Then stir in remaining

chicken and broth. Simmer covered for 10 minutes.

This dish from Sudan is quick and delicious.

Dresden's Chicken Taco Soup

2 c. precooked chicken chunks

1 can kidney beans

1 can garbanzo beans

1 can corn

2 cans dice tomatoes

1 can chicken broth

1 c. salsa

1 package taco seasoning

Simmer all together. Add water or more chicken broth if too thick. Serve with tortilla chips, cheese, sour cream, chopped cilantro, diced avocados, black olives, fresh pico de gallo, or anything else that you like.

Dresden's Tomato Soup

1 T. olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, grated

garlic or garlic powder to taste

1 can 28 oz. tomatoes crushed

1 can 14 oz. chicken broth

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. thyme

1/4 t. pepper

1 T. red-wine vinegar

Optional: sour cream on top

Heat oil and saute onions and carrots with garlic. Stir in crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, salt, thyme, and pepper. Heat to boiling and then simmer for 15 minutes. Let cool and stir in vinegar. Makes 4 cups.