Sarah and Carol's Creamy Onion Soup (tied for 3rd place!)

This recipe is from the 1944 edition of The Good Housekeeping Cook Book that belongs to my (Sarah's) mother.



(This is their adaption of the recipe)

• 4 cups quartered large onions
  
• 5 Tbs butter, margarine, fat, or salad oil
  
• 1/4 tsp pepper
  
• 4 chicken bouillon cubes
  
• 4 1/2 cups water
  
• 1 cup light or heavy cream
  
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
  
• 5 croutons
  
• 2 Tbs grated provolone cheese

  
  Saute the onions in the butter until golden brown, spinkling them with the pepper while cooking. Dissolve bouillon cubes in the water, then bring to boil. Add browned onions. Continue boiling, covered for 1/2 hour. Then slowly stir in the cream and salt. Place croutons in each individual soup dish, and pour on the soup. Sprinkle cheese on top. Serves 5.
  
  
  
  The French Onion Soup is very similar, and a lot of people like it.
  
  

Susan's Lamb & Tomato Curry Soup

For Meatballs:

1 lb. lamb

1 egg

1/3 c. breadcrumbs

1/2 tsp dried mint leaves

1/4 c. grated onion

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 tsp salt

Combine all above. Add more breadcrumbs if meat is too sticky. Roll into small meatballs and place in a baking pan, or place one meatball in each cup of a mini-muffin tin. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes or until well browned on the bottom. Can be made ahead and frozen.

For Soup:

In a large soup pot, saute in a little olive oil 5 minutes:

1 onion cut into small chunks or half-slices

1 clove garlic, crushed

Add:

1 large can diced tomatoes

1 can beef broth, plus 1 can water

2 Tbs tomato paste

1 c. frozen spinach

1 c. chopped summer squash

1 carrot, sliced

cooked lamb meatballs from above recipe

Season with:

2 tsp paprika

2 tsp white or black pepper

salt to taste

1 Tbs curry powder

1/4 tsp cinammon

1 cube vegetable bullion

dash each of: turmeric, garam masala (or allspice), celery seed, cayenne pepper

Karen's Cold Day Chile

Karen's Cold Day Chile

• 1 qt beans. soak and cook until tender. Cover with water 1 inch above beans. Add

• 1 12 oz tomatoe paste.

• 1 qt mild or med hot salsa

• 2 lbs browned hamberger

• 1 large onion chopped

• 3 Tbs chile powder

Karen's Chocolate Lovers Chile

Karen's Chocolate Lovers Chile

• 1 1/2 pds ground lean turkey

• 2 medium onions, chopped

• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained

• 3 cups beef broth

• 1 (8 oz) can tomatoe sauce

• 1 Tbs chilli powder

• 1 Tbs baking cocoa

• 2 Bay leaves

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

• 3 (15 oz) cans white kidney or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

Directions

In a Dutch oven or kettle, cook the turkey and onions over medium heat until meat is no longer pink: drain. Add oregano and cumin; cook and stir 1 minute longer. Stir in tomatoes, broth, tomato sauce, chilli powder, cocoa, bay leaves, salt and cinnamon. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Add beans; heat through. Discard bay leaves before serving.

Delia's Black Bean Soup

This is from my favorite cookbook: The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook but modified to fit how I cook it.

Black Bean Soup

Serves 6 to 8

Prep time: 15 minutes, Total time: 50 minutes

• 1 TBSP vegetable oil

• 1 onion, chopped fine

• 1 jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded and minced

• 6 garlic cloves minced

• 2 tsp. chili powder

• dash of cayenne pepper or "red ground pepper"

• 4 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

• 4 cups chicken broth

• 2 cups water

• salt to taste

• limes wedges (opt - but I LOVE it with it so I wouldn't dream of leaving it out)

• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro (opt)

Heat oil in Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat until shimmering. Cook onion, jalapeno and garlic until softened, about 5 minutes.


Stir in chili powder and red pepper. Cook for about 1 minute.

Rinse beans. Add beans, broth, salt, and 1 1/2 cups of water to pot. Bring to simmer and cook for 20 minutes.

Blend three cups of soup in blender until smooth. Sorry for lack of picture. This part is a little tricky. The hot soup creates a lot of pressure in the blender and can make a mess. I have had this soup pop the lid off by sheer pressure build up even with me pushing down on the top. Unless you have a vitamix, be sure to adjust the lid to release the steam as you blend.

Add mixture back to the soup and add remaining 1/2 cup of water if necessary.

Off heat, season the soup with lime wedges and salt. You can also add cilantro, avocado, and sour cream.

Add some yummy cornbread or tortillas...I made squash cornbread casserole... and you have a light vegetarian meal.

Megan's French Split Pea Soup

Megan's French Split Pea Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 c split peas

• 6 c water or chicken stock (w/o sodium when using ham hock)

• 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped

• 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped

• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped

• 1 smoked pork chop (I use a ham hock, and if you want more ham just get a ham steak and cut it up to add after you've pureed the soup)

• salt/pepper to taste

Rinse and sort through split peas. Place peas in slow cooker and add the water, onion, carrots, celery, and pork chop (or ham hock).

Cover and cook on low for 8-10hrs, until peas are tender and the meat has fallen away from the bone. Season with salt/pepper to taste. Remove and discard the pork chop bone and break up any large chunks of meat with a fork. (I personally like to take out the ham hock, puree the soup and then add the ham back to the soup--yummy, and I like adding extra ham, but to each their own).

Ladle into bowls, and serve immediately (though, I've found that it tastes great days later, too--perfect make ahead soup).

Meagan's Yummy Vegetable Cream Soup

Meagan's Yummy Vegetable Cream Soup

• 1 1/4 cup Blue Chip Baker's Deluxe Cream Soup Base Mix (can be ordered from Macey's service desk)

• 6 cups cold water, divided

• 1 tsp or cube chicken bouillon

• 1 16oz package California Blend frozen vegetables

• 2 or 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

• 2 cups shredded cheese (cheddar and jack blend works well, but you can use anything)

• 2 cups diced ham

Mix soup base mix in 3 cups cold water, set aside.

Boil 3 cups of water and add bouillon. Cook diced potatoes for about 10 minutes in the broth. Add frozen vegetables and cook for about 5 more minutes, or until tender. Add soup base and water mix, stir well. Add shredded cheese and diced ham.

This can go into a crock pot once completed. This recipe is also quite forgiving... add more vegetables, cheese, or meat as desired.

Taitum's Taco Soup

Taitum's Taco Soup (3rd place winner!)

• 1 pound ground hamburger, browned

• 2 15 oz. cans of diced tomatoes with cilantro and lime

• 1 8 oz can of tomato sauce

• 3 15 oz. cans of three different types of beans (I like black, red, and kidney), drained.

• 1 15 oz. can of whole kernel sweet corn, drained

• 1 pkg. Taco seasoning

• 3 cups water

Combine all ingredients and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for approx. 30 minutes or until heated through. Serve with cheese and sour cream on top and corn chips to dip or serve soup over them.

Connie's Chile Verde Soup

Connie's Chile Verde Soup (2nd place winner!)

• 2 Chicken breasts, cut and cooked or 1 large can chicken
  
• 4 Cups Chicken Broth
  
• 1 Small can Mild Green Chili Enchilada Sauce
  
• 1 can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
  
• 1 can Corn, drained
  
• 3-4 Green Onions, chopped

Combine and simmer 30 minutes.

Add 1/2 bunch Cilantro, chopped
If too spicy, add more chicken broth to taste.
Serve with Fritos, sour cream, and cheese.