Taco Soup

 2 lbs ground beef

1 onion, chopped

Taco seasoning

2 cans kidney beans

2 cans chili beans

(Variation – add black beans and eliminate 1-2 cans of the other beans)

1 can corn, drained

1-2 cans tomatoes

3-4 small cans tomato sauce

1 can chopped/sliced olives

1 can mushrooms, optional

Brown beef and onion together, drain.  Add taco seasoning and tomato sauce.  Add beans (no need to drain them), corn, tomatoes, olives and mushrooms. Let simmer until ready to serve.  Serve with shredded cheese and tortilla chips.

*notes: the tomato sauce tends to thin out the flavor of the taco seasoning, so you may need to add salt and pepper to taste, depending on how much flavor you like.  You can also add a dollop of sour cream to the top of your bowl to make it creamier or as a garnish. 

Ham and Broccoli Soup

 1 onion, chopped fine

1 head broccoli, chopped

1 ½ cups diced ham, thinly sliced

¾ cups melted butter

¾ cups flour

1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk

12 oz water (use the milk can as measurement)

1 ½ tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

½ tsp sugar

Cover onion and broccoli with water and cook until tender.  Add diced ham.  Make roux of melted butter and flour.  Add milk and water, stirring so no lumps will be in the soup base.  Add salt, pepper, and sugar.  Cook and stir until thick and creamy.  Add to broccoli, onion, and ham (do not drain these).  Serve hot.

New England Clam Chowder

4 med potatoes, cubed 

2 med onions, chopped

½ C butter or marg 

3/4 C flour

2 qt milk  

2-3 tsp salt

3 cans (6 ½ oz) chopped clams undrained

1 tsp ground sage 

1 tsp ground thyme

½ tsp celery salt 

½ tsp pepper

minced fresh parsley

Boil potatoes, cook until tender. Sauté onions in butter, add flour, mix until smooth. Stir in milk, cook over med. heat stirring constantly until thick. Drain potatoes and add to sauce, add clams and heat through.

Mom's Chicken Noodle Soup

 1 whole chicken, deboned and chopped 

2 qt water

1 onion, chopped 

2 chicken bouillon cubes

2 celery stalks, diced 

2 carrots, diced

2 med potatoes, cubed 

1 ½ C fresh or frozen green beans

1 tsp salt  

1/4 tsp pepper

Add all ingredients together and simmer. 

Noodles

3C flour  

½ tsp salt

4 eggs  

1 T oil

2-3 T lukewarm water

Put flour & salt in a bowl. Add eggs, oil, & water. Stir, then knead to a stiff dough. Wrap in plastic & allow to season in fridge at least one hour. They will roll out easier. Roll out to desired thickness (remember, they plump up while cooking) and cut into strips.  Drop them separately into soup as it finishes simmering and boil/simmer until noodles are done.

Cheeseburger Soup

½ lb. Ground beef 

3/4C chopped onion

3/4C diced celery 

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried parsley 

3/4C shredded carrots

4 TBL marg. or butter, divided 

3C chicken broth

4C diced potatoes 

1/4C flour

8 oz processed Am. Cheese, cubed

1 ½ C milk  

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 to ½ tsp pepper 

1/4 C sour cream

Brown beef - drain - set aside - sauté onion, carrots, celery, basil & parsley in 1 T marg./butter until tender, about 10 min. Add broth, potatoes, beef - boil - simmer 10-12 min. Melt remaining marg./butter - add flour - cook & stir 3-5 min. Add to soup & bring to a boil - stir 2 min. Reduce to low heat - add cheese, milk, salt, pepper. Stir until cheese melts - remove from heat and add sour cream.

Hearty Navy Bean Soup

 3 cups Dry Navy Beans

1 large Onion, chopped

1 (16 oz) can tomatoes, diced with juice

1 meaty Ham hock OR 1 cup cooked Ham, diced

2 cups Chicken broth

2 1/2 cups Water

Salt and Pepper to taste

fresh chopped Parsley

Rinse and sort beans.  Cover with cold water and soak overnight.  Drain beans and place in a Dutch Oven.  Add tomatoes and juice, onion, ham, broth, water, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover simmer until beans are tender, about 1 ½ hrs. Add more water if needed. Remove hocks and cut meat from bone, set aside. (For a thicker soup, beans may be pureed in a food processor or blender and then returned to kettle.) Return ham to soup and heat through. Garnish with parsley.

Beef Barley Soup

 2 cups Beef Broth

1 tsp Oregano

8 cups Water

1/2 tsp Pepper

1/2 cup Carrots, chopped

1/2 cup Onion, chopped

1 cup Barley

2 cups Roast Beef, chopped

1 (14.5 oz) can diced Tomatoes

1 (10.75 oz) can Tomato Soup

1/2 cup Peas, frozen or canned

1/2 Green Beans, frozen or canned

In a large pan, combine broth, oregano, water, pepper, carrots, onion, barley, tomatoes, and beef. Bring to a boil and reduce heat - simmer for 25 minutes.  Add tomato soup, peas, beans, and then season to taste.

Cheese Soup

 5 small Carrots, diced

5 Celery stalks, diced

1/2 Onion, diced

5 Potatoes, diced

2 cubes Butter

1 cup Flour

6 cups Water

5 Chicken bouillon cubes

1 lbs Cheez Whiz

1 pkg frozen Peas

Boil carrots, celery, onion, and potatoes until tender. Drain.  In a separate pan, melt butter and add flour.  Add water slowly while stirring to prevent lumps.  Add bouillon and cheez whiz.  Add all the veggies and simmer to thicken.

Garden Chowder

 2 medium Zucchini, chopped

1 medium Onion, chopped

2 T fresh Parsley, minced

1 tsp dry Basil

1/3 cup Butter

1/3 cup Flour

1 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Pepper

3 cups Water

3 cubes Chicken Bouillon

1 tsp Lemon juice

1 (14.5 oz) diced Tomatoes, undrained

1 (12 oz) can Evaporated Milk

1 (10 oz) pkg Frozen Corn

1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated

2 cups Cheddar Cheese, grated

Pinch sugar, optional

Sauté zucchini, onion, parsley, and basil in butter to tenderize veggies. Stir in flour, salt and paper. Gradually stir in water.  Add bouillon and lemon juice; mix well. Bring to a boil, stir 2 minutes.  Add tomatoes, milk and corn.  Bring to boil again, then reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until corn is tender.  Just before serving, stir in cheeses until melted.  Add sugar.  Garnish with parsley. 

Ravioli Soup

*from the 'Dinner is Ready' cookbook from www.30mealsinoneday.com* 1/2 pound beef 1/2 pound ground pork (I used sausage) 1 cup chopped onion 2 tsp minced garlic 1 (28-oz) can Italian tomatoes 1 (12-oz) can tomato paste 2 (14.5-oz) cans beef broth 1 T sugar 1 tsp Italian seasoning 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs 1/2 cup shredded fresh Parmesan cheese 1 (12-oz) package frozen ravioli (I used a 24 oz package) Brown beef and pork with onion and garlic. Combine tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, sugar, Italian seasoning and dry bread crumbs. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Sitr in Parmesan cheese. Allow to cool. Place in freezer bag or container. Freeze ravioli separately. Label and freeze. 8 servings To serve: Thaw. Cook ravioli according to package directions. Heat soup just to boil. Add cooked ravioli. Serve with garlic bread and Parmesan cheese. Other tips: this is especially delicious made with sausage filled ravioli. Try all the available types of frozen ravioli and see which you prefer. Also, the soup part of this (minus the ravioli) makes a wonderful spaghetti/Lasagne sauce.