Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup

I found this recipe in BYU Magazine

The girl decided to cook dinner in a crockpot every day for a full year.

This was the recipe posted with the article and it was really good!

Makes about 2 quarts

2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, with juice


1 cup finely diced celery


1 cup finely diced carrots


4 cups chicken broth
1 cup finely diced onions


1/2 bay leaf


1 tsp dried oregano or 1 Tbsp fresh oregano


1 Tbsp dried basil or 1/4 cup fresh basil


1/2 cup butter


1/2 cup flour


1 cup Parmesan cheese


2 cups half and half, warmed


1 tsp salt


1/4 tsp black pepper 

In a large slow cooker, combine tomatoes, celery, carrots, chicken broth, onions, bay leaf, oregano, and basil (if using fresh oregano and basil; if using dried oregano and basil add those two ingredients in the last hour of cook time). 

Cover and cook on low for 5 to 7 hours, until flavors are blended and vegetables are soft.

About an hour before serving prepare a roux: Melt butter over low heat in a skillet and add flour; stir constantly with a whisk for 5 to 7 minutes.

 Slowly stir in 1 cup hot soup from the slow cooker. 

Add another 3 cups soup and stir until smooth.

Add all back into the slow cooker. 

Stir and add Parmesan cheese, warmed half and half, salt, and pepper. 

Cover and cook on low for another hour until ready to serve.

Chicken Tortilla Soup with Corn & Spinach

This one is really easy and delicious. I got it from Jamie, but thought it worth sharing. Thanks Jamie. :)

2 tsp canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cups fat free, reduced sodium chicken broth
1 cup frozen or canned corn kernels (I use hominy sometimes too)
4 cups lightly packed fresh baby spinach (4oz)
2 cups diced chicken breast
1/2 cup salsa
Juice of one lime
1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves
1 ounce tortilla chips

1. Heat oil in deep medium saucepan over medium-high heat. saute onion until translucent.
2. Pour in broth. add corn and spinach. reduce heat to medium and cook until corn is heated through and spinach is bright green, 3 minutes. mix in chicken, salsa and lime juice. season soup to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. (I omit the pepper).
3. to serve, divide soup among 4 bowls. top each with cilantro, crushed tortilla chips and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings: 313 calories per serving.

zuppa toscana

Zuppa Toscana

I made this for dinner tonight and it was a big hit. Very easy and quick. I served it with mini paninis made from a thinly sliced baguette with provolone cheese. Even my kids liked this one.

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 {32} ounce containers organic chicken broth (or homemade if you have on hand; also, Costco carries a great organic chicken stock at a great price)

4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes

4 cups kale, chopped, stems discarded

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper (I omitted this one, since my kids were eating it)

pinch of red pepper flakes (I omitted this one, since my kids were eating it)

3/4 lb. mild Italian sausage links, casings removed (I used 1/2 lb. sweet Italian sausage)

1/2 cup heavy cream (I used half and half)

In a large pot, saute onion in olive oil over medium heat until onion becomes translucent–about 10 minutes. Add broth, potatoes, kale, sea salt, pepper, and pepper flakes then bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the sausage until browned in a pan over medium heat, breaking up with the back of a wooden spoon. Once cooked thoroughly, add the sausage and cream to the soup. Heat to desired temperature and serve with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano on top. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Recipes for Fall

I did these for a RS activity and they are really good--they came from Better Homes and Gardens 28 yummy recipes--just in case you can't get enough pumpkin, there's 24 more you could try!

Pumpkin Recipes

Pumpkin/Cream Cheese Spread

Ingredients

• 1  8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

• 1/2  cup canned pumpkin

• 1/4  cup sugar

• 3/4  teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

• 1/2  teaspoon vanilla

directions

Beat all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours. Makes 1-1/2 cups (24, 1-tablespoon servings).

Pumpkin Marmalade

ingredients

• 2  cups cooked fresh pumpkin puree or one 15-oz. can pumpkin

• 1  cup orange marmalade

• 1  tsp. grated fresh ginger

• 2  Tbsp. lemon juice

•   English cheddar cheese, white cheddar cheese, or Parmesan cheese (buy about 2 oz. for each person you'll be serving)

•   Assorted hearty breads

directions

In a medium saucepan combine cooked fresh pumpkin puree, marmalade, and ginger. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice. Transfer to a serving bowl. Cover and cool. Serve as a spread with cheese and bread. Makes about 3 cups or 24 (2-tablespoon) servings. Spread will keep in the refrigerator up to 1 week. Makes about 3 cups spread (24, 2 tablespoon servings)

Autumn Pear & Pumpkin Soup

ingredients

• 1/2  cup chopped onion

• 1/2  cup water

• 2  teaspoons instant chicken bouillon granules

• 1  15-ounce can pumpkin

• 2-1/2  cups half-and-half or light cream

• 1-3/4  cups pear nectar

• 1/4  teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/4  teaspoon white pepper

•   Pear slices (optional)

directions

1. In a large saucepan combine onion, water, and bouillon granules. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, about 10 minutes or until onion is very tender; cool slightly. Do not drain.

2. Transfer mixture to a blender container or food processor bowl. Add pumpkin. Cover and blend or process until smooth. Return pumpkin mixture to saucepan. Stir in half-and-half or light cream, pear nectar, ginger, and white pepper. Cook and stir until heated through.

Ladle into soup bowls. If desired, garnish each serving with pear slices. Makes 6 servings.

Pumpkin Gingerbread

ingredients

• 2-1/4  cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2  cup sugar

• 2/3  cup butter

• 3/4  cup chopped pecans

• 3/4  cup buttermilk (or sour milk)*

• 1/2  cup molasses

• 1/2  cup canned pumpkin

• 1  egg

• 1-1/2  teaspoons ground ginger

• 1  teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2  teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2  teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/4  teaspoon salt

• 1  recipe Caramel Sauce, recipe below (optional)

•   Vanilla ice cream (optional)

•   Chopped pecans (optional)

directions

In a large bowl combine flour and sugar. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the 3/4 cup pecans. Press 1-1/4 cups of the crumb mixture into bottom of an ungreased 2-quart square baking dish. To remaining crumb mixture, add buttermilk, molasses, pumpkin, egg, ginger, soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt; mix well. Pour over crumb mixture in baking dish. Bake in a 350 degree F oven about 50 minutes or until center tests done. Cool 30 minutes. Serve warm with Caramel Sauce, if desired. Top with ice cream and additional pecans, if desired. Makes 9 servings.

Caramel Sauce: In a saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter; stir in 1-1/4 cups packed brown sugar and 2 tablespoons light-colored corn syrup. Cook and stir until boiling. Stir in 1/2 cup whipping cream; return to boiling. Serve warm.

Clam Chowder

I got this from Mrs. R--she is one of Sarah's friends.  The recipe is her mother-in-law's--she tweaked it and I tweaked it a little bit more--It is so yummy and perfect for a fall evening!

1/4 pound bacon, cut up
1/2 large onion, chopped
1/2 bag frozen corn
5-6 red potatoes, washed and cut into pieces
3 celery stalks, sliced
2 cans chopped clams
2 cups half and half
salt and pepper
3 T butter
about 1/4 cup flour


In large soup pan, fry bacon.  Add onions and saute until clear.  (I drained off the extra grease at this point) Add corn, potatoes, celery, clams (with juice), and potatoes.  Add 1/2 cup of water and 1 cup of the half and half.  Continue cooking until potatoes are tender.
In a small sauce pan, make a white sauce with the butter, flour and the last 1 cup of half and half.  Thicken.  Slowly ladle in a half cup of the soup "liquid" and then stir in the entire "thickening" sauce into the soup.  Simmer until potatoes are tender--flavor with salt and pepper.

Rustic Farro Soup with Sausage and Mushrooms

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• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow onions
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
• 1/2 pound Italian sausage, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 pound mushrooms, coarsely chopped (white, cremini, shiitake, oyster, etc.)
• 1 cup canned diced tomatoes, with their liquid
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 2 1/2 cups beef broth
• 2 1/2 cups mushroom broth
• Crushed red pepper to taste (optional)
• 7 ounces uncooked farro, rinsed and soaked for several hours or overnight
• 1/2 pound escarole, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3 tablespoons chopped thyme
• Grated Parmesan cheese

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Serves 4 to 6

This fragrant soup, with a foundation of vitamin-rich farro grain, will both satisfy your appetite and warm you up on a chilly winter day. The full flavors of Italian sausage and mushrooms combine with carrots, celery, escarole and onions for a truly hearty meal. This rare grain can easily be substituted with spelt, another ancient form of wheat that is more readily available.

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped yellow onions
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
1/2 pound Italian sausage, cut into small pieces
1/2 pound mushrooms, coarsely chopped (white, cremini, shiitake, oyster, etc.)
1 cup canned diced tomatoes, with their liquid
1 cup dry red wine
2 1/2 cups beef broth
2 1/2 cups mushroom broth
Crushed red pepper to taste (optional)
7 ounces uncooked farro, rinsed and soaked for several hours or overnight
1/2 pound escarole, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons chopped thyme
Grated Parmesan cheese

Method

In a soup pot, heat 1/4 cup of the oil over medium high heat, then add the carrots, celery, onions and garlic and cook until onions become translucent. Add sausage. When it starts to brown, add mushrooms and continue to cook, stirring occasionally. When mushrooms have released most of their liquid, add tomatoes, wine, broths, crushed red pepper and farro. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until farro is almost tender, about 45 to 60 minutes. (You can add more liquid if a thinner soup is desired.) Add escarole, salt and pepper. Simmer for approximately 3 minutes, then add thyme.

Serve soup hot, with a drizzle of olive oil and a bit of cheese sprinkled over the top.

Italian Vegetable Soup

I found this one on a blog (orangette) and really liked it:

Fretwell (Italian Vegetable) Soup

This soup recipe comes from the Fretwell family, longtime friends in Oklahoma, and they in turn discovered it somewhere in Italy. I have only a blurry Xeroxed copy of the recipe (which the Fretwells had faxed to them from wherever they first ate it), and so I thus cannot give credit here to its original author. That’s a true shame, because this is one of the most delicious vegetable soups I’ve ever tasted. The Fretwells brought us many meals while my father was ill, and this was one we requested repeatedly. But consider yourself warned: this recipe makes a veritable cauldron of soup. If you don’t have a stockpot that can hold twelve quarts or so, do this in two batches, or halve the recipe.


1 ½ lbs. dried cannellini or Great Northern beans
Olive oil
Salt
2 or 3 fresh sage leaves
1 or 2 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
2 or 3 medium yellow onions, chopped
8 medium carrots, sliced into ¼-inch coins
5 celery stalks, trimmed and sliced into ¼-inch crescents
2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced into ¼-inch half-circles
1 bunch red Swiss chard, washed, dried, and sliced
½ head green cabbage, cored and chopped roughly
1 quart vegetable broth (I used Imagine brand)
1 28-oz can whole peeled tomatoes, juices reserved and tomatoes chopped roughly


Soak the beans overnight. The next day, drain them, put them into a large pot, add water to cover by 2 inches, and cook, with sage and garlic, for about one hour. As the beans cook, skim off any white foam that rises to the surface, and halfway through their cooking time, add ½ Tbs salt.

Heat 2 or 3 Tbs olive oil in a large soup pot, add onions, carrots, and celery, and sauté for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, salting lightly, and adding more oil if necessary. Add the zucchini and the vegetable broth, cover, and bring mixture to a simmer. Then add Swiss chard, cabbage, tomatoes, and tomato juices. Cover the pot, and simmer over low heat for half an hour or so. Add the beans and their cooking water, salt to taste, and simmer, covered, over low heat for one hour, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve over slices of day-old crusty bread, and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil if you like.

Serves scads—but scads!—of people.

Southwestern Beef Chili with Corn

I got this recipe from Cheryl, and she has made a few additions that are great. She serves it with sides of cheese, tomatoes, diced green onions, leaves of cilantro, sour cream and diced avocados. She also makes a side of quesadillas, and it is a yummy meal.

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 carrots, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 poblano or bell pepper, chopped
1/2 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon chili powder
Kosher salt and pepper
1/2 cup corn kernels (from 1 ear, or frozen and thawed)
1/2 cup grated Cheddar (2 ounces)
2 scallions, sliced

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, and poblano and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until it is no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it is slightly darkened, 1 minute. Add the beans, chili powder, 3 cups water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Simmer over medium heat until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the corn. Divide among bowls and top with the Cheddar and scallions.

Make Ahead: You can cook the chili in advance and refrigerate it for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to 3 months.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 343; FAT 15g (sat 5g); CHOLESTEROL 51mg; CARBOHYDRATE 34g; SODIUM 893mg; PROTEIN 23g; FIBER 11g; SUGAR 6g

Best Darn Minestrone Soup Around

• 1 cup butter
• 3 cups chopped onions
• 8 (14 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 8 (15 ounce) cans mixed vegetables, with liquid
• 4 (16 ounce) cans kidney beans, with liquid
• 4 (14.5 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, with liquid
• 2 (16 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons and 2-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups canned garbanzo beans, drained
• 8 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese for topping

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DIRECTIONS

In a large stock pot over medium heat, stir and cook onions in butter until soft. Add broth, mixed vegetables, kidney beans, tomatoes, spinach, and tomato paste; simmer gently for 1 1/2 hours.

Using a slotted spoon, remove about half of the vegetables to a blender or food processor, reserving liquid in stock pot. Puree the vegetables until smooth and return them to stock pot.

Stir in garlic powder, parsley, salt, pepper, basil, macaroni, 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, garbanzo beans, and heavy cream; cook for 1/2 hour, stirring frequently. Pour into bowls and sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese.

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

I found this one on a blog, but it is from the Food Network. I have tried it a few times now and it is REALLY yummy. I just use a blender to puree the soup, and then I can make it as smooth or chunky as I like. We always have grilled cheese on the side, and it is perfect for a cold, rainy day.

• 3 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 (28-ounce) canned plum tomatoes, with their juice
  
• 4 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 quart chicken stock or water

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss together the tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the tomatoes in 1 layer on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes.

In an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the butter, and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, and chicken stock. Add the oven-roasted tomatoes, including the liquid on the baking sheet. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Pass through a food mill fitted with the coarsest blade. Taste for seasonings. Serve hot or cold.