Cream of Chicken Soup

2 c. milk
2 c. chicken stock
2 T. all-purpose flour
2 T. butter
2 c. finely chopped cooked chicken meat
1 t. salt
1/2 t. ground black pepper
1/2 t. garlic powder

Make a white sauce of milk or cream, flour and butter. Add chicken. Add salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix well and simmer for 20 minutes over low heat. If soup is not as thick as desired, mix a small amount of cornstarch with a small amount of water and add to soup. Simmer for 10 minutes. Freeze in individual portions and you won't ever have to buy cream of chicken soup again!!

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Boil for 15-20 minutes:
2 cans chicken broth
2 cans water
4 bouillon cubes
1 onion, chopped
1 large bag frozen broccoli, or 3 heads broccoli fresh

Mix together, add to vegetables and stir:
1 cube butter, melted
2/3 c. flour

Add:
1- 1 1/2 cans evaporated milk
1 medium box Velveeta cubed
6 slices of cooked, crumbled bacon.

OR
(This next one obviously isn't the healthy choice, but oh so creamy!)

4 qts. water
12 chicken bouillon cubes
2-3 cubes butter/margarine
1 1/2 c. flour
1 (16 oz.) jar Cheese Whiz
3 small packages frozen broccoli, or 5-6 head fresh broccoli

Bring water to a boil and add chicken bouillon cubes. Cut up broccoli in bite sized pieces and add to water. Melt butter in small pan. Add flour and stir until thickened and smooth. Add into boiling water. Add cheeze whiz and stir until melted and thickened. Makes 5 quarts of soup.

Easy Italian Vegetable Soup

1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can condensed beef broth, undiluted
1 package (8 oz.) sliced mushrooms
1 medium zucchini, julienned
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, choped
1/3 c. dry red wine or beef broth
1 1/2 t. dry basil leaves
2 1/2 t. sugar
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 t. salt
1 c. shredded mozzarella

Combine tomatoes, broth, mushrooms, zucchini, bell pepper, onion, wine, basil and sugar in slow cooker. Cook on low 8 hours or on high for 4. Stir in oil and salt and serve with mozzarella to garnish.

Chicken Corn Chowder

8 strips bacon
3 c. chopped onion
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 t. hot paprika
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 T. fresh thyme
3 c. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
8 c. chicken stock
2 c. heavy cream
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
6 c. fresh corn, reserve cobs

In large pan, cook bacon until crisp, then drain and crumble. Sprinkle both sides of chicken breasts with salt, pepper & paprika. In the same pan you cooked bacon in, saute the chicken breasts. Remove, add onions and saute until soft. Meanwhile, in a large pot, boil stock, chicken breasts and corn cobs. Remove corn cobs and chicken; add onion, garlic, potatoes, bay leaf and thyme. Cut up chicken into bite-sized pieces, add to broth, along with the bacon. Cook uncovered until potatoes are tender, about 10-15 minutes. Add cream and corn. Cook until almost boiling, discard bay leaf and serve.
*I use can corn and it is just as good!

Creamy Bean Soup w/ Taquito Dippers

I honestly have no idea where I found this recipe, but it turned out so yummy.

1 can. (16 oz.) refried beans
1 can (14.5 oz.) petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 c. chicken broth
1 c. (from 14 oz. can) unsweetened coconut milk (not cream of coconut)
1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chilies
1 package (1.25 oz) taco seasoning mix
sharp cheddar cheese or monteray jack cheese
flour tortillias
2 T. oil
1 c. chopped fresh cilantro
4 medium green onions

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Line cookie sheet with foil. In 2-quart saucepan, stir beans, tomatoes, broth, coconut milk, chilies and taco mix; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, put cheese on one edge of each tortilla; roll tortilla tightly around cheese. Brush edges of tortillas with water to seal. Place taquitos, seam sides down on cookie sheet. Brush each lightly with oil. Bake for 5-7 minutes or until edges are golden brown and cheese is melted. Pour soup into serving bowls; garnish with cilantro or onions. Serve with taquitos for dipping!

Taco Soup

This is my favorite soup recipe and it is really easy to make too!

1 12.5 oz can chicken breast
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes-I usually use two small cans, one just tomato and the other tomato with diced chiles
1 14 oz can corn
1 14 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can sliced olives
1 package taco seasoning

Combine and cook in crock pot for 2-6 hours. Serve with tortilla chips, shredded cheese, and sour cream.

Southwestern Chili

Avocado Salsa

• 1 medium avocado, peeled, pitted and finely chopped
• 1 small tomato, finely chopped
• ¼ red onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• Juice of 1 large lime
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Chili

• 1 pound hamburnger
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cans each of beans of your choice, rinsed and drained.
• 1 can (14 oz) tomatoes
• 1 can (14 oz) vegetable broth
• 1 can (4 oz) green chili peppers, chopped
• 2 cups frozen corn or 1 can corn
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ cup fat-free sour cream
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (I cook this into my chili)

To make the avocado salsa: In a large bowl, combine the avocado, tomato, onion, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, cumin, and pepper. Lightly toss. Let stand for 30 minutes

To make the chili: Cook hamburger and diced up onion in a 6 qt. pan over medium-high heat until done.   Add the beans, tomatoes (with juice), broth, chili peppers, chili powder, garlic, cumin, and oregano and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve with the avocado salsa and sour cream. Sprinkle with the cilantro.

Beef Cilantro Lime Soup

I love soups! They are so easy to make and healthy and you can use up whatever is in your fridge. This is a sortof Mexican themed soup that I invented one day to use up some things that I had hanging around. I like to serve soups with fresh bread, grilled cheese sandwiches, or cheese quesadillas.

6 cups beef broth
½-1 lb ground beef or turkey, browned with onions and garlic
2 potatoes, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic
Handful lentils
Handful fresh cilantro
2 t Cumin
1 t Oregano
½ t Pepper
2 T Half and half or sour cream
2 T Lime juice

I didn’t put precise measurements because I don’t usually measure when I make soup, but I tried to estimate. Just simmer it all together for about a half hour and then taste it to adjust seasonings.

Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

2 big chicken breasts (or thighs)
2-4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, chopped or grated
2 carrots, chopped or shredded
2 celery ribs, chopped
2 t cumin
4 green onions, cut into matchsticks
6 cups chicken broth (I use base and water)
½ pound thin spaghetti
2 cups fresh bean sprouts (optional)
Fresh snipped parsley (optional)

I make this in the crock pot. Put everything but the spaghetti and bean sprouts in together for several hours, then break up the chicken, and add the last ingredients for about 15-20 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste and garnish with parsley. However, you could make this on the stove if you chopped and browned the chicken, then simmered it all for about 20 minutes.
This is adapted from a Rachael Ray recipe.

Stuffed French Toast with Apple Cider Syrup

I absolutely love this and would eat it for 3 meals a day...and dessert!

1 loaf unsliced French Bread
8 oz. cream cheese, cubed
2 apples, cored, peeled, and sliced
8 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
6 tbsp. butter
1/4 cup maple syrup

Cut bread into cubes. In a greased 9X13 pan, spread half of the bread cubes on the bottom. Top with cream cheese cubes and apple slices, then remaining bread. In a blender, mix eggs, milk butter, and maple syrup until well combined. Pour evenly over top layer of bread. Use spatula to press bread down to moisten all layers. Cover and refrigerate over night. The next morning, bake uncovered at 325 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Center should be set and edges slightly golden. Let stand10 minutes before serving with Apple Cider Syrup.

Apple Cider Syrup

Great of stuffed french toast, regular french toast, pancakes...anything really.

1 cup sugar
8 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cups apple cider or juice
2 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp butter

In a saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon. Gradually add apple juice and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Cook 2 minutes more, remove from heat and stir in butter until it melts.

Annette's Amazing Chili

This is an amazing recipe I got from one of those old Relief Society Cookbooks. Annette (whose recipe this is) was actually my Young Woman's leader, and this woman could cook! Mmmm! This Chili is really tasty- I like that it actually tastes homemade, and I think the sugar gives it a fun twist. Hope you enjoy.

Annette's Amazing Chili
1 lb. hamburger
1 lb. ground sausage
1 onion, chopped
1 to 2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 quart jar tomatoes, diced and undrained (or 2 cans diced tomatoes)
2-3 stalks celery, chopped
1-2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp salt
1 T sugar (I used brown sugar)
1-2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans
*I also added 1/2 to 1 cup of salsa and to make it go further, three more cans of beans: black and 2 chili beans. I drained some, but not the chili beans.)

Cook and stir hamburger, sausage, onion, and garlic is saucepan until cooked through. Drain. Stir in tomatoes with liquid, celery, chili powder, salt, sugar and Worcestershire sauce. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 1 hour. Stir in beans, heat to boiling, reduce heat. Simmer until thick and heated through. (I threw it all in the Crockpot to simmer for quite a while- you could just do that after you brown the meat.)

Individual Pumpkin Cheesecakes

This is a yummy recipe I found in our newspaper, and I was really excited because I have had 1 cup of pumpkin sitting in my fridge for a while now, and I have been looking for a good recipe to use it in. I thought it sounded fun, so we enjoyed it for family night. (I mean REALLY enjoyed it!) It was a hit with my girls, and I liked that the pumpkin taste was very mild- maybe because of the cream cheese, but it was sure tasty!

Individual Pumpkin Cheesecakes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 30-35 at 325
Chill Time: 1 hour
Makes: 18

18 paper baking cups
18 gingersnap cookies
12 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 T corn starch
1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup Karo Lite Corn Syrup

Place paper cups in muffin pans. Place 1 gingersnap cookie in each cup. Beat cream cheese, sugar, corn starch, and pumpkin pie spice with an electric mixer until well mixed. Add egg and blend well. Add pumpkin and syrup, beat 1 minute. Pour filling into cups, dividing evening. Bake in preheated 325 oven for 30-35 minutes, until just set. Chill for 1 hour. Garnish as desired. (I put whipped cream and a sprinkle of Cinnamon.)