Stuffed Pepper Soup

1 Pound Ground Beef
1 Large Can Tomato Juice
1 Jar Chili Sauce
2 Celery Stalks (chopped)
1 Onion (chopped)
1 Garlic Clove (minced)
2 Quarts Water
½ Teaspoon Salt
2 Medium Red or Green (or one of each) Sweet Peppers (diced)
3 Chicken Bouillon Cubes
1 Cup Instant Rice (uncooked)

Brown the ground beef in a frying pan, drain and add to crock-pot.  Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the rice.  Cook on high for 2 hours, turn down to low for another two hours.  Add the cup of Instant Rice during the last half hour of cooking. 

Note:  I like to use low sodium chicken broth, so I used two cans of that as part of 2 quarts of water and omitted the chicken bouillon cubes.  I got this recipe from the Nine Pines’ February Newsletter.  Nine Pines is, a local gift shop.  My students just loved it when I served it at a Monday Night Supper Class!
 

Manhattan Clam or Shrimp Chowder

4 slices bacon diced
1 qt. water
1 ½ tsp. salt
1 cup finely diced carrots
1 cup finely diced celery
1 cup finely diced onions
2 cups diced potatoes
1 cup canned tomatoes
¼ tsp. pepper
2 cans of either shrimp or clams (could also use fresh)

Fry the bacon until golden, then add water and simmer for five minutes.  Add the salt, carrots, celery, and onions and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add the potatoes, tomatoes, and pepper and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add the clams or shrimp and juice.  Simmer until hot and ready to serve. 

 This is a recipe that my family loves.  I used to cook it in an iron kettle in the fireplace at our summer home in Old Forge.  Of course I wrapped the kettle in foil first to save on cleanup time!
 

 Chicken Velvet Soup

6 T. butter or margarine
6 T. all-purpose flour
½ Cup milk
½ cup light cream
3 cups chicken broth
1 Cup finely chopped chicken
Dash of Pepper      

Melt butter or margarine in saucepan.  Blend in all-purpose flour, then stir in milk, light cream and chicken broth.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and comes to a boil.

Reduce heat.  Stir in finely chopped cooked chicken and dash of pepper.  Return soup to boiling and serve immediately.  Makes about 5 cups.
 

WILD RICE & CHICKEN SOUP

2 ½ cups chopped cooked chicken (I used a garlic & herb rotisserie chicken from the store)
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
2 medium carrots, coarsely shredded (I bought a package of the tiny carrot sticks)
2 stalks celery, diced
1 10 ¾-ounce can condensed cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup
1 6-ounce package long grain and wild rice mix
5 cups chicken broth

1.     In a crock-pot, combine diced cooked chicken, mushrooms, carrot sticks, celery, soup, uncooked rice and the contents of the rice seasoning packet.  Gradually stir in chicken broth and 5 cups of water. 

2.     Cover, cook on low-heat setting for 6 – 8 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 – 4 hours.  Makes 8 – 10 servings.

3.  This is so easy and so delicious!  It is also a healthy recipe.   I served it in some new poppy soup bowls with a tossed salad and plate of fresh fruit.
 

BASIL TOMATO SOUP

2 cans (28 oz. each) crushed tomatoes.  (I used 8 cups of crushed fresh tomatoes)
1 can (14 oz.) chicken broth
Fresh basil (18-20, or to your taste) 
1 tsp. sugar
1 cup whipping cream  (I used half and half)
2 T. butter

In a large saucepan, bring the tomatoes and broth to a boil.  When I used fresh tomatoes I peeled and cored them, then ran them in the food processor until crushed.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer at least 10 minutes.  (I simmered it about 2 hours).  Add basil and sugar.  Reduce heat to low, stir in cream and butter.  Cook until butter is melted.  Yield 9 servings.  Serve with a dollop of sour cream and fresh basil or parsley springs.  Goes Fast!
 

SUMMER CORN CHOWDER

6 slices smoky style bacon
1 small onion
4 cups fresh or frozen corn
1 can cream of corn
1 Yukon gold potato
3 cups chicken broth
½ tsp. black pepper
1 cup half and half

Cut up the bacon slices into small pieces and fry in a pan until crisp.  Chop the onion and mix with the bacon in the pan for about 4 minutes.  Add the corn.  Cube the Yukon gold potato and add to soup pot.  Add the 3 cups of chicken stock and the black pepper.  Bring all of the ingredients to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add the half and half slowly bring back to temperature by simmering an additional 5 minutes.  Serve with a sprig of fresh parsley and a dollop of sour cream. 4-6 Servings.  Enjoy!
 

           Carrot Soup with Thyme

2 pounds carrots (I bought carrot sticks in a bag at Wegman’s)

1 medium onion, diced

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 ½ quarts chicken OR vegetable broth (I used low sodium)

2 cups half and half cream

Salt and pepper to taste

Freshly grated nutmeg to taste

Bouquet Garni:  6-8 fresh parsley springs; 3 fresh thyme sprigs or 1 teaspoon dried thyme; 6-8 black peppercorns.  I wrapped them in a coffee filter and tied it with string.

Garnish:  Put a dollop of sour cream in center of soup, then a few grated carrot pieces and a sprig of parsley and thyme or oregano on either side.

Wash, trim and peel the carrots and chop them coarsely.  Trim, peel and chop the onion coarsely.  Sweat the vegetables in butter in a soup pot.  Add the stock and bring the soup to a simmer.  Add the bouquet garni and simmer about 20 minutes.

Remove the bouquet garni and puree the soup in batches.  Stir in the cream (slowly) and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Let the soup warm over very low heat for 5 minutes.  Serve in warm soup bowls and garnish as above. 

Note:  DO NOT BOIL THIS SOUP.  It is meant to be simmered slowly. 
Enjoy!  Joanne