Butternut and Apple Harvest Soup

Justin found this recipe online and whipped it up for dinner last night!  I thought it was fabulous!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large potato, peeled and cubed
• 2 cups cubed butternut squash
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)
• 1/2 cup light cream
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives

Directions

1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in leeks and onions, and cook until the onion softens and turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Add potato, squash, carrots, apple, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes.
2. Carefully puree the soup in batches in a blender, or use a stick blender to puree the soup right in the pot. Once the soup has been pureed, return it to the pot and stir in wine and cream. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper; simmer gently for 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped chives.

Cheesy Chowder

This recipe came from my sister Emily's mother-in-law. Emily and my Mom whipped some up for Jenna's birthday party a while back and it was delicious. I finally got around to making it myself over Christmas vacation and again, YUM! A single batch will serve 6-8 depending on how hungry you are.

-Cut 4 slices of bacon into little pieces and fry in sauce pan.
-Remove cooked bacon leaving drippings.
-Add 1/2 cup chopped onion.
-Cook until tender.
-Add 4 T. flour, (you might need to add 2 T. butter) and 2 cups milk.
-Stir until thick then add 2 or 3 cups of sharp cheddar cheese.(It depends on how cheesy you like it.)
-Using a different pan, boil 2 cups chopped potatoes, 1 cup sliced carrots, 3 cups water, 3 chicken -bouillon cubes. Cook until tender. Do not drain extra water.
-Add cheese sauce to cooked veggies.
-Stir until blended.
-Top with crispy bacon just before serving.
-Add a little garlic powder, salt and pepper and parsley.

Olive Garden Pasta E Fagioli Soup

This is one of our family's favorite recipes. I can't believe I haven't posted it before. Justin found this recipe on the Recipe Zaar website, but we've made just a few changes so I've typed it up the way we do it. A word of warning: this makes a lot of soup. We can easily feed two families with just one crockpot full.

3/4 lb. ground beef
1 med. onion chopped
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced carrots
3-4 stalks of celery thinly sliced
2 cans Italian style diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
32 ounces beef broth
3 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. black pepper
5 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. Tabasco sauce (optional- I don't ever use it, but Justin always adds a little to his own bowl)
1 20 oz. jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1 cup small shell or other small pasta noodles

Brown the beef in a skillet. Drain fat from beef then add all ingredients except pasta to a large crockpot. Cool on low 7-8 hours or high 4-5 hours. During the last 30 min. on high or last hour on low add pasta.

Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup

Katie also makes this soup and it is delicious. I haven't actually made it myself...yet. I plan to soon. I'm not real into super spicy things, so I need to find a good sausage with a little spice, but not too much.

SERVES 6-8
Ingredients

* 1 lb. spicy sausage
* 4 medium potatoes, cut in half lengthwise and cut into 1/4 inch slices
* 1/4 cup onion, diced
* 1/2 cup REAL bacon bits
* 1/4 teaspoons minced garlic
* 2 cups kale leaves, cut in half, then sliced
* 2 tablespoons chicken base
* 1 quart water (or substitute water and base for 2 cans chicken broth )
* 1/3 cup heavy cream

MY NOTES: I buy about a half to 3/4 a pound of mild Italian sausage for this recipe and I don't use the bacon bits.

Directions

1. If sausage is in links, take out of wrapper (or slice).
2. Cook ground sausage, set aside.
3. In soup pot, saute onion and garlic cook 1 minute.
4. Add chicken base, water, and potatoes; simmer 15 minutes.
5. Add crumbled bacon, sausage, kale and cream.
6. Simmer 5 more minutes, then serve.

Salsa Chicken Soup

Even my kids love this recipe. I got it from my sister-in-law Katie who is always making something yummy. I love that I can make this in under 45 minutes!

2 chicken breasts
2-3 garlic cloves
1/4 cup onions
salt
1 can of diced tomatoes
14 oz chicken broth
14 oz beef broth
1 Tbsp. chili powder (I leave this out- I don't care for chili powder)
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 can black beans drained
1 can corn drained
1/2- 1 cup salsa

Saute onions and garlic in oil. Add remaining ingredients and cook until chicken is done (about 10 minutes). Take chicken out and cut it up. Return chicken to pot, add salsa. Serve with tortilla chips and cheese.

I usually just boil my chicken in a separate pot first, then add it to the soup once it's completely cooked and chopped up instead. Just my personal preference.

White Chicken Chili

I made this for dinner last week and it turned out fantastic! Thanks for the recipe Alison!

1lb. Chicken, cubed (2 medium chicken breasts)
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 medium onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. oil
Saute together in frying pan

ADD:
2 (15 oz) cans great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1-2 (4 oz) cans green chilies diced
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 (14 1/2 oz) can chicken broth
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp oregano

Boil 30 minutes uncovered. Remove from stove.

Add:
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. whipping cream

**Just a personal preference on the chicken--I like to boil it til done first, then chop it up and toss it in the soup.