Irish White Bean and Cabbage Stew

I love a good soup recipe! This is a Forks Over Knives recipe and I will definitely add this to our regular menu. So easy and so good! Not to mention so healthy! You can leave out and add in anything you have on hand like I did. I left out the caraway seeds and potatoes and added kale.

Irish White Bean and Cabbage Stew

1 large onion, chopped
salt to taste
3 stalks celery
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 head cabbage, chopped
4 carrots, sliced
1-1 1/2 lbs potatoes, cut in large dice
1/3 cup pearled barley (or sub. with gluten-free grain)
1 bay leaf
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp caraway seeds
1/2 tsp rosemary, crushed
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
6-8 cups low sodium veggie stock (or reg. broth of any kind)
3 cups great northern beans cooked (or 2 cans, drained) (white beans)
1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes
1 Tblsp parsley, chopped

 Place veggies, seasonings, barley and broth into a large stockpot. Cover and simmer until veggies are tender, about 45 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, check seasonings, and add more herbs if necessary. Simmer uncovered for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Optional: Cook in crockpot. Place veggies, seasonings and barley into large slow cooker. Add enough veggie stock to just cover the veggies (start with 6 cups and add more as needed). Cover and cook on low heat for 7 hours.
 Add beans, tomatoes, parsley and salt to taste. check seasonings and add more herbs if necessary.
Cover and cook for another hour. EnJOY!

Egyptian Red Lentil Soup

Thank you Britt Mitchel for sharing an amazing unique soup recipe! This soup is packed with flavor, warm and tasty! Ive made it twice already! With a side of homemade naan bread, yes please!

Egyptian Red Lentil Soup

5 cups veggie broth
1 cup dried red lentils
2 cups chopped onions
2 cups chopped potatoes
8 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 Tblsp canola oil
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 Tblsp fresh lemon juice (I added 5 Tblsp)
Salt and pepper to taste

Add the first 5 ingredients to a large pot; cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 10-15 minutes or until the lentils and veggies are tender. Remove pot from heat and set aside.
In a small saucepan, add the oil, warm over low heat until the oil is hot but not smoking. Add the cumin, turmeric and salt; cook and stir constantly for about 2 minutes or until the cumin has released its fragrance (be careful to not burn). Set spice mixture aside to cool.
Stir spice mixture into the lentil mixture; add cilantro, stir to combine.
You can puree the soup in batches, in a blender or you can use an immersion blender and blend to desired texture ( I like mine chunky).
Add lemon juice; stir to combine. Rewarm soup in pot if needed. Add salt and pepper if needed. EnJOY!

Pasta Fagioli Soup

This is an awesome copy cat recipe from damndelicious.net trying to recreate the olive garden recipe. I used turkey sausage to make it a little healthier.

Pasta Fagioli Soup

1 cup ditalini pasta (I used macaroni pasta instead)
2 Tblsp olive oil, divided
1 lb spicy italian sausage, casing removed, or regular italian sausage, or turkey sausage
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cups chicken broth
1 (16oz) can tomato sauce
1 (15oz) can diced tomatoes
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
3/4 tsp dried thyme
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 (15oz) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15oz) can white beans, drained and rinsed

In a large pot of boiling salt water, cook pasta according to package directions; drain well and set aside.
Heat 1 Tblsp olive oil in a large stockpot, or dutch oven over medium heat. Add italian sausage to the skillet and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the sausage as it cooks; drain excess fat and set aside.
Add remaining 1 Tblsp oil to the stockpot. cook onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender about 3-4 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook 1 additional minute.
Whisk in chicken broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, basil, oregano, thyme, sausage and 1 cup water; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, until veggies are tender, about 10-15 minutes. Stir in pasta and beans and cook another 4-5 minutes until heated through. Serve immediately. EnJOY!

Zuppa Toscana Soup

I love a good hearty soup so when I saw this recipe from www.gimmesomeoven.com I had to try it. This is delicious! I love this soup! Its so different from all my other soup recipes. If you dont like spice then dont use hot sausage, use a mild sausage or an italian sausage and it will still be just as yummy.

Zuppa Toscana Soup

1 lb ground hot italian sausage, or mild or just italian if you dont like heat
1 small white onion, peeled and diced
4 cups chicken stock
1 (12oz) jar roasted red peppers, drained and diced
1 bunch of kale, roughly chopped (stems removed)
1 lb gnocchi
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
Optional toppings: freshly shaved parmesan cheese or crumbled bacon

Add Italian sausage and diced onion to the large stockpot or dutch oven. Cook over medium high heat until the sausage is completely browned, stirring occasionally and breaking up the sausage with a spoon. Drain out as much of the excess grease as possible.
 Then add in the chicken stock and diced roasted red peppers and bring mixture to a simmer. Once it reaches a simmer, reduce heat to medium low and add the kale and gnocchi and stir to combine. Continue cooking for 5 minutes, or until the gnocchi are cooked through and tender. Stir in the heavy cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. EnJOY!

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

I love winter time, it means soup time! This is a killer soup that is hearty and easy to make. You can make this a vegetarian dish by using vegetable stock instead of chicken stock and leave out the chicken. I found this recipe on www.rotinrice.com

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

1 cup wild rice (I used a wild rice blend, it cooks faster and is a lot cheaper)
1/4 cup vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
1 onion, chopped
2 medium sized carrots, peeled and chopped
2 large celery stalks, chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
3/4 cup flour
8 cups chicken stock (I used low sodium stock)
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups cooked chicken, cubed (I used rotisserie chicken)
8 oz mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
1 cup half and half
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Cook wild rice in 4 cups of water for 45 minutes or until it fluffs up. Drain any remaining liquid left in the pot. Set aside. (If using a wild rice blend, cook according to package directions).
 In  a large pot, add oil. Saute onions, carrots, and celery until softened, abut 3 minutes. Add dried thyme and flour. Cook and stir for another 2-3 minutes.
 Pour in chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Add cooked chicken, mushrooms, salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add cooked wild rice and pour in half and half. Bring soup back up to a boil and allow it to heat through, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat. Stir in chopped parsley. Serve with some crusty bread if desired. EnJOY!

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

I love this time of year, nice and cool outside and the leaves turning colors. I always crave soups with cooler wether so I was super excited when I found this recipe on pinterest and it turned out great! Super easy to make.

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

2 Tblsp olive oil, divided
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken, cut into bite size chunks
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1/2 tsp dried thyme
5 cups chicken stock
2 bay leaves
3/4 cup uncooked orzo pasta
1 sprig rosemary
Juice of 1-2 lemons to taste
1 cup water
2 Tblsp chopped fresh parsley leaves

Heat 1 Tblsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Season chicken chunks with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pot and cook until golden, about 3-5 minutes stirring to cook all sides. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.
Add remaining 1 Tblsp oil to the spot. Stir in garlic, onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in thyme until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Whisk in chicken stock, bay leaves and 1 cup of water; bring to a boil. Stir in orzo, rosemary and chicken; reduce heat and simmer until orzo is tender, about 10-12 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and parsley; season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve Immediately. EnJOY!

White Chicken Chili

A true pinterest "nailed it" moment! I have quite a few pinterest fails lately so I was excited to find one that worked that my entire family loved. This recipe is super easy, especially if you buy your salsa verde from the store. I made mine and it was not hard at all and worth the extra effort. Also, I cheated to make it even easier by using a store bought rotisserie chickens!

White Chicken Chili

6 cups chicken broth
4 cups cooked shredded chicken (I use 2 entire store bought rotisserie chickens)
2 (15oz) cans white beans, drained
2 cups salsa verde (store bought or homemade)
2 tsp ground cumin
Optional toppings: diced avacado, chopped cilantro, shredded cheese, chopped green onions, sour cream, crumbled tortilla chips)

Add chicken broth, shredded chicken, beans, salsa and cumin to a medium saucepan, and stir to combine. Heat over medium heat until boiling, then cover and reduce heat to medium low and simmer for atleast 5 minutes.
Serve warm with desired toppings. EnJOY!

Slow cooker method;
 add chicken broth, 2-3 uncooked boneless skinless chicken breasts, beans, salsa and cumin to a slow cooker, stir to combine. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or high 3-4 hours until the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily with a fork. Shred chicken and serve warm with desired toppings.

Tomatilla Salsa Verde

2 lbs tomatillos, husks removed and rinsed
1-2 serrano peppers (or 2-3 jalapeno peppers)
4 unpeeled garlic cloves
1 cup fresh cilantro
1/2 cup diced white onion
4 tsp. lime juice
large pinch of salt

Preheat broiler to high. Place tomatillos, serrano and unpeeled garlic cloves in a baking dish and put under the preheated broiler until the tomatillos are roasted and the peppers are slightly charred on all sides, about 10-15 minutes. Rotate ingredients during cooking to make sure all sides are charred.
Remove baking dish from the oven and slightly cool. Once cooled peel the peppers and garlic and remove any extremely charred skin from the tomatillo (I leave it on because it adds flavor).
Add the tomatillos, garlic, serrano, onions, cilantro, lime juice and salt to a food processor. Pulse until the salsa is well blended.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Oh holy moly is this recipe so awesome! My family absolutely loved it, definatly a new favorite dish. It's so full of flavor and lots of veggies so you wont feel guilty after you indulge! This is a must try I promise! You could even just shred a rotisserie chicken and skip the cooking chicken part to make it a little easier.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2 whole boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 Tblsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tblsp olive oil
1 cup diced onion
1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (10oz) rotel tomatoes and green chilies
32 oz fluid low sodium chicken stock
3 Tblsp tomato paste
4 cups hot water
2 cans (150z) black beans, drained
3 Tblsp cornmeal or masa
5 whole corn tortillas, cut into uniform strips around 2-3 inches

For garnish:
sour cream
diced avacado
grated monterey jack cheese
cilantro

Preheat oven to 375. Mix cumin, chili pepper, garlic powder and salt. Drizzle 1 Tblsp olive oil on chicken breasts, then sprinkle a small amount of spice mix on both sides. Set aside the rest of the spice mix.
Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Use two forks to shred chicken, set aside.
Heat 1 Tblsp olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. Add onions, red pepper, green pepper and minced garlic. Stir and begin cooking, then add the rest of the spice mix. Stir to combine, then add shredded chicken and stir.
Pour in rotel, chicken stock, tomato paste, water and black beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes uncovered.
To make the tortilla strips, cut your strips into uniform 2-3 inches and spread out on a cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 5 minutes or longer, until crisp.
Mix cornmeal with a small amount of water. Pour into the soup, then simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Check seasonings, adding more if needed, add more chili powder if it needs more spice, and be sure not to undersalt. Turn off heat and allow to sit for 10 minutes or longer before serving. Ladle into bowls, then top with souirc cream, diced avacado, grated cheese and cilantro if desired. EnJOY!

Turkey Chili

This is another fabulous recipe from Domenica Catelli's cookbook, Mom-a-licious. Have I mentioned I love her?! This is such a hearty and delish recipe. 

Turkey Chili

2 Tblsp extra virgin olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 Tblsp ground cumin

1-3 tsp red chili flakes(they are not spicy)

3 Tblsp fresh garlic, chopped

1 lb ground turkey

1 Tblsp soy sauce

1 14.5 oz can fire roasted organic crushed tomatoes (they sell them at safeway only)

2 15 oz cans black beans

2 15 oz cans kidney beans

1 cup water or chicken broth

optional: top with jack or chedder chese, fresh onion or sour cream.

1. In heavy pot, saute onion, cumin and pepper over medium heat with extra virgin olive oil. do not let onions brown. as onions become soft, about 5 minutes, add garlic and cook about 2 minutes.

2. add ground turkey and cook. stir and smash up turkey. once browned add soy sauce. add fire roasted tomatoes. add drained beans and chicken broth.

3. bring to a boil, turn down to medium heat and cook for 10 minutes. Serve and EnJOY!

Sunday Night Beef Stew

This is a pioneer woman recipe that is so amazing! Its unlike any other beef stew I have ever had. My husband liked it so much he proposed to me again, Ha! This is a new family favorite hands down! Make sure and serve this over the mashed potatoes, sooooo good.

Sunday Night Beef Stew

Stew:

3 Tblsp olive oil

1 Tblsp Butter

2 pounds Beef Stew Meat (chuck Roast Cut Into Chunks)

Salt And Pepper

1 whole Medium Onion, Diced

3 cloves Garlic, Minced

4 ounces,  Tomato Paste

4 cups Low Sodium Beef Stock Or Broth, More If Needed For Thinning

½ teaspoons Sugar

4 whole Carrots, Peeled And Diced

2 whole Turnips, Peeled And Diced

2 Tablespoons Minced Fresh Parsley

Mashed Potatoes

5 pounds Russet Potatoes (peeled)

1 package (8 Ounce) Cream Cheese, Softened

1 stick Butter, Softened

½ cups Heavy Cream

1 teaspoon Seasoned Salt

Salt And Pepper, to taste

Preparation Instructions

Salt and pepper stew meat. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add butter, and as soon as it melts, brown half the stew meat until the outside gets nice and brown, about 2 minutes. (Turn it as it browns.) Remove the meat from the pot with a slotted spoon and put it on a plate. Add the rest of the meat to the pot and brown it, too. Remove it to the same plate. Set the meat aside.

Add the onion and garlic to the pot, stirring it to coat it in all the brown bits in the bottom of the pot. Cook for two minutes, then add the tomato paste to the pot. Stir it into the onions and let it cook for two more minutes.

Pour in the beef stock, stirring constantly. Add the beef back to the pot, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours.

After 1 1/2 to 2 hours, add the diced turnips and carrots to the pot. Stir to combine, put the lid back on the pot, and let it simmer for another 30 minutes. The sauce should be very thick, but if it seems overly so, splash in some beef broth until it thins it up enough. Feel free to add beef broth as needed!

When the carrots and turnips are tender, stir in minced parsley. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Serve piping hot in a bowl with mashed potatoes, letting the juice run all over everything. Sprinkle with extra minced parsley at the end.

MASHED POTATOES

Cut the potatoes into quarters and cover with water in a large pot. Boil until potatoes are fork tender, about 25-30 minutes. Drain the potatoes, then put them back into the same pot. With the heat on low, mash the potatoes for 2 to 3 minutes to release as much steam as possible.

Turn off heat, then add cream cheese, butter, cream, seasoned salt, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Serve potatoes immediately or spread them into a buttered baking dish to be reheated later. To reheat, put them in a 375 degree oven, covered in foil, until hot. EnJOY!

Albondigas

Tonight we had a family home evening night and once a month we have a "cultural night" implemented into it. Tonight's was Mexico and thanks to my amazing friend Julie Mulkay, she provided us with the perfect Mexican dish, meat ball soup! Sooo flavorful! I love this soup! Thanks Julie :)
Albondigas

Meatball ingredients:

1lb ground beef
1 egg
1 clove garlic
¼ cup uncooked rice
Oregano, salt and pepper to taste
2 hard boiled eggs, cut into chunks

Soup:1 can diced tomatoes (flavor onion and bell pepper)
1 cube of Knorr chicken bullion
1 cup sliced carrots
1 bell pepper cut into chunks, or diced
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, diced
Oregano, salt and pepper to taste
Water ½ full in large pot

Start boiling 2 eggs in a small pot. Set aside.
In a large pot, add all the soup ingredients to the water and boil. Test the broth for taste, add more seasonings if needed.
Mix the meatball ingredients and wrap the meat mix around a chunk of hard boiled egg. As soon as the soup starts boiling, drop the meatballs in.
Let soup and meatballs boil 20-40 minutes or until rice in the meatballs is cooked. Check doneness by taking out a meatball, cut in half and test rice inside.
Eat with tortillas. EnJOY!

Mexican Chicken and Rice Soup

I found this recipe in a cooking light magazine, love those! Im so excited about this recipe, make it, thank me, make it again every week, thank me again each week. Im telling you this recipe is restraunt quality baby! Mix that sour cream around in your bowl and it becomes heavenly. I used a boxed rice pilaf that made exactly the right amount and also used part of a rotisserie chicken that I shredded. Easy, quick and amazing.
Mexican Chicken and Rice Soup

1 qt. chicken broth
1 cup tomato salsa
¼ cup fresh lime juice + 4 lime wedges
1 ½ cup pulled chicken
3 cups rice pilaf
1/3 cup shredded Monterey jack
¼ cup sour cream
1 avocado, thinly sliced
2 Tblsp chopped cilantro

In medium pot, brong broth, salsa and lime juice to boil. Divide chicken and pilaf among 4 bowls. Fill each bowl with hot broth. Top with cheese, sour cream, avocado and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges. EnJOY!

Thai Coconut Soup and Chicken Satay

This recipe is an amazing Thai soup recipe from weight watchers! Love it! Omit the cayenne if your not a spice fan. Soooo yummy! Oh, I like to add the entire can of coconut milk instead of 1/2 cup, it gives it way more flaver but it will up the points. The weight watchers points on this is 2 per serving, which is 1 cup.
Thai Coconut Chicken Noodle SoupIngredients:
2 bags House Foods Tofu Shirataki Fettuccine Shaped Noodle Substitute
(I just used egg noodles, they were just as yummy)
1 1/3 cups chopped onion (about 1 onion)
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 tbsp. canned diced green chilies, drained
1 1/2 tsp. chopped garlic
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper, or more to taste
4 cups reduced-sodium fat-free chicken broth
10 oz. raw boneless skinless lean chicken breast cutlets
1/2 cup canned lite coconut milk (I use the entire can)
1 tbsp. reduced-sodium/lite soy sauce
1 tbsp. lime juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
Optional: salt, black pepper

Directions:
Use a strainer to rinse and drain noodles well. Pat dry. Place noodles in a large microwave-safe bowl, and microwave for 1 minute. Drain excess liquid. Dry as thoroughly as possible, using paper towels. Cut noodles up a bit with kitchen shears (if you've got 'em), and set aside. (Or you can just use egg noodles, way easier).
Bring a medium-large pot sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat on the stove. Add onion, mushrooms, chilies, garlic, ginger, and cayenne pepper. Stirring occasionally, cook until onion is soft, about 4 minutes.
Add broth and bring to a boil. Add chicken and return to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
Add coconut milk and soy sauce, and mix well. Continue to cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
Remove chicken and place it in a bowl. Shred each piece using two forks -- one to hold the chicken in place and the other to scrape across the meat and shred it. Return the shredded chicken to the pot.
Stir in noodles, lime juice, and 1/4 cup cilantro. Continue to simmer until noodles are hot, about 2 minutes.
If you like, season to taste with salt, black pepper, and additional cayenne pepper.
Evenly top each serving with remaining 1/4 cup cilantro (2 tsp. each). EnJOY!

Yes, seriously good! I was blown away! I will make a marinade out of the curry and salt next time, adding 1/2 cup lemon juice and letting the chicken marinade in the mixture for an hr. The peanut sauce is just amazing and low fat! Without tasting low fat, even better!
Chicken Satay
Chicken Skewers
3-4 raw boneless skinless lean chicken breast, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
1/8 tsp. curry powder
1/8 tsp. salt
2 dashes black pepper

Sauce
1/3 cup plain light soymilk (I just used regular milk)
2 tbsp. reduced-fat peanut butter, room temperature
1 1/2 tbsp. lite/low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. crushed garlic
1/4 tsp. dried minced onion
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. (Or bring a grill/grill pan sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat.)

Sprinkle chicken with curry powder, salt, and black pepper. Evenly cut chicken into 12 strips, and thread each strip onto a skewer. Place skewers on a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick spray, and bake in the oven until chicken is fully cooked, about 10 minutes. (Or grill until cooked through, 1 - 2 minutes per side. If using a grill pan, remove from heat and re-spray between batches.)

Meanwhile, combine all sauce ingredients except yogurt in a small nonstick pot. Bring to medium-low heat on the stove. Stirring constantly, cook until hot and well mixed, about 5 minutes.

Remove sauce from heat and let cool slightly. Add yogurt and stir until smooth and blended. Serve sauce with chicken skewers, spoon it on, and EnJOY!

Chicken Posole Verde

Ok can I just say, YUM! This is a recipe from a pampered chef recipe book, altered just a tad. I used a rotissere chicken from the store to make it even easier. This recipe is so surprisingly amazing!! Try it, you can thank me later!

Chicken Posole Verde
1 Tblsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 can (29oz) white hominy, drained
2 cups chicken broth
1 can (10oz) medium green enchilada sauce
1 cup water
1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
2 cups diced cooked chicken
1 cup thinly sliced green cabbage
2 Tblsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime (I use 1 Tblsp lime juice)

Add oil and pressed garlic to 4qt casserole pot; heat over med-high heat 1-3 minutes or until garlic is golden brown and fragrant. Meanwhile, drain hominy.
Immediately add broth, enchilada sauce, water, oregano and hominy to casserole; bring to boil, reduce heat to medium; simmer 8 minutes.
As hominy mixture comes to a boil, dice chicken. Add chicken to casserole; simmer until heated through.
As posole simmers, thingly slice cabbage and chop cilantro. Slice lime into wedges.
Top each serving with cabbage, garnish with cilantro and lime wedges or add lime juice just before serving. EnJOY!

Shawna's Lentil and Barley Soup

This is one of the healthiest recipes Ive made and packed with the greatest flavor ever! Even my 3 babies were chowing down on this goodness! Thank you Shawna for sharing this recipe with me! One of my favs! oh yeah, and easy and fast to make! yahoo!

Lentil and Barley Soup
10 cups water
5 chicken bullion cubes
½ bag of lentils (approx. 1 cup)
½ to 1 cup barley
½ onion, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
3-4 carrots, chopped
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
½ tsp sage
½ tsp thyme

Add all ingredients in a big pot and bring to a boil. Cover and lower heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes.EnJOY!

Minestrone Soup

Another fantastic recipe from my favorite Funk family! Easy, cheap and so hardy!I didnt have all the ingredients and this is a recipe you can easily use whatever you have and less of what you dont. I added pasta to make up for all the ingredients I didnt have. Love this one on a cold night! Thanks Julie!

Minestrone Soup

1/3 c olive olil
1 large onion, diced
4 large carrots sliced
2 large red potatoes, peeled and diced or you can use 1 lb spiral or shell pasta, PRE-COOKED and drained
1 green pepper cut in 1/2 inch squares
1 1/2 cups green beans (I just use 1-2 cans green beans drained)
1 medium sized green cabbaged, shredded
5 cups beef stock (may use boullion or canned beef broth)(You can use veggie broth to keep it vegitarian)
5 cups water
1 34 oz can crushed tomatoes (or diced or tomato sauce) (I use 1, 28oz can crushed tomatoes and 1 can 14oz diced tomatoes instead of 1 34oz can which I can never seem to find at the store)
2 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried basil
salt and pepper to taste
2 1/2 cups garbanzo or kidney beans, drained (I always use 2 cans kidney beans drained, no garbanzo)
1 lb sweet italian sausage, cooked and drained (optional: I leave out the meat)

Saute onion in oil for 10 minutes, Stir in carrots and saute 2-3 minutes. Add potatoes if using, pepper, green beans, sauteing each 2-3 minutes before adding next. Last add cabbage and cook 5 minutes more. Add stock, water, tomatoes, beans, sausage (if using), oregano and basil, salt and pepper. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer covered over low heat for 30minutes to 1 hour. The soup will be thick. Serve with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. May also make meatless.
EnJOY!

Jana's Tortellini Soup

My amazing friend Jana made this soup for me a while back and its my favorite quick, easy, cheap and delish family meal! I sometimes use ravioli if Im out of tortellini and I use canned green beans and add sliced zuchini and any other fresh or canned veggies you want. So hardy and delish!

Jana's Tortellini soup
4 cups chicken broth
1 9oz package cheese tortellini
1 15oz can white kidney beans or canellini beans
1 14.5oz can Italian diced tomatoes
1 ½ tsp. dried basil
1Tblsp. Red wine vinegar or cider vinegar

Bring broth to a boil. Stir in tortellini and cook for 4 minutes. Stir in beans, tomatoes, basil and cook for another 4-6 minutes or until pasta is done. After it is all cooked, stir in vinegar. Serve with parmesan cheese and pepper.
EnJOY!

Broccoli and Potato Soup

Its the season for amazing soups and Kathy Whitezell has shared her recipe with me for the most amazing and hearty soup! You can add more cheese if you like yours really cheesy like me!
Broccoli and Potato Soup
Veggie base:
2 cups chopped potatoes
2 cups chopped celery with leaves
2 cups chopped broccoli florets
1 cup chopped yellow onion

Cream base:
¾ cup butter
¾ cup flour
1 quart ½ and ½ or cream
1 tsp. garlic salt
½ tsp. season salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup bacon crumbles

Place veggies in pot and cover with water, just enough to cover. Cook until slightly tender, add broccoli just as veggies are softening so you don’t over cook.
Melt butter in separate saucepan. Slowly beat in flour with whisk until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Slowly add cream and stir over medium heat 2-3 minutes until it starts to thicken.
Add cream mixture to veggies and water- continue to cook until thickened. Season and serve! Top with cheddar cheese and bacon crumbles.
EnJOY!

Cliff's Chili

I am picky about chili and was so impressed by my hubbies chili creation. He added a can of kidney and black beans to thicken it up and make it go farther for a crowd. Super hardy and amazing!
Cliff's Chili

Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 Large Trip Tip (1/4 inch cubes)
• 1 Med Pork Loin or Spare Rib (1/4 Inch cubes)
• 1 (14-ounce) can beef broth (recommended: Swanson's)
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce (recommended: Hunt's)
• 1 Large yellow Onion (Minced)
• 1 Large Red Bell Pepper (Minced)
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 beef bouillon cube
• 5 tablespoons red chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
Directions:

In a large heavy bottom pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the meat, Season with salt and pepper and cook until browned, about 8 minutes. Drain off the excess grease. Fold in Onions and Pepper and let cook for another 5 Mins. Add the tomato sauce, the beef broth and spices and simmer for 1 hour. Let cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
EnJOY!

Artichoke Soup

This is my favorite soup from my favorite restraunt in Bakersfield- The Guild House. Picture coming soon!

Artichoke Soup

2 (10oz) cans artichoke hearts
2 1/2 c. chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp oregano
1 Tblsp lemon juice
2 C half and half

Drain artichoke hearts and cutt off coarse tops. Puree with chicken broth. Heat with remaining ingredients. Garnish with chopped parsley, lemon slice or dollop of sour cream.
EnJOY!