Tortilla Soup

Lindsey Fisher’s Recipe

(Serves approximately 10 adults)

• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 8-oz can green chilies, chopped (optional)
• 2 cans chicken broth
• 2 cans beef broth
• 3 cups tomato juice
• 2 cans chopped/diced tomatoes
• 2 tsp cumin
• 4 Tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 cans corn, drained
• 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cans sliced black olives, drained
• 1 rotissori chicken (precooked chicken from the deli section of grocery store) or 3-4 cooked chicken breasts, shredded

Sauté onion and garlic, add green chilis. Add all other ingredients and bring to a boil. Let simmer one hour. Serve with shredded cheese, tortilla chips, sour cream & avocado.

-Ashley Asay

Black Bean and Salsa Soup (SO easy and fabulous)

• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup chunky salsa

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 4 tablespoons sour cream
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion

Directions

1. In an electric food processor or blender, combine beans, broth, salsa, and cumin. Blend until fairly smooth.
2. Heat the bean mixture in a saucepan over medium heat until thoroughly heated.
3. Ladle soup into 4 individual bowls, and top each bowl with 1 tablespoon of the sour cream and 1/2 tablespoon green onion.

-Jahnelle Wengler

Tomato Zucchini Soup (YUM, spicy - a little red pepper goes a long way)

from Joy the Baker

(serves 8 to 10)

3 tablespoons olive oil

about 1 cup diced carrots

about 1 cup diced celery

about 4 cups diced zucchini (skin on)

1 large yellow onion, diced

5 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, rubbed off the stems

2 bay leaves

salt and red pepper flakes

about 4 cups (2 28-ounce cans) crushed Italian tomatoes

2 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth

2 cups water

2 cups whole milk

In a large stock pot heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add carrots, celery, zucchini, and onion to the pot.  Saute vegetables, stirring occasionally until onions are translucent and broken down, and zucchini is nearly cooked through (about 10 to 12 minutes).  Add garlic and stir.  Cook for 1 minute more.

Add thyme, bay leaves, and red pepper flakes to the pot.  Stir to incorporate.

Add tomatoes, chicken stock, and water.  Stir.  Bring soup to a simmer and leave, uncovered, to cook for about 30 minutes.  Taste soup to ensure that carrots are cooked through and soft.  Add a bit of salt to taste.

Remove soup from heat.  Remove the bay leaves.  Blend soup in batches until smooth.  Be sure not to fill the blender more than 1/2 full and cover tightly with the lid.  Blending hot liquids is always and adventure.  Place blended soup in a large, clean, pot or bowl.  Once all of the soup is blended, stir in milk.  Taste and season as necessary.  You can push the blended soup through a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth for a  smoother, more refined soup.

-Jahnelle Wengler

Tortellini Soup (easy, really yummy, quick)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

2 cans chicken broth

1 8 oz. package cheese tortellini

1 can Italian stewed tomatoes (I usually used diced, not stewed)

1 10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

Saute onion and garlic until tender, using non-stick spray.  Add broth - bring to a boil.  Add tortellini, reduce heat.  Simmer for 10 minutes or until tortellini is tender.  Sir in the tomatoes and spinach, heat through.  Serve immediately.

-Jahnelle Wengler

Spicy Vegetarian Chili (most of my kids will actually eat this - great flavor)

makes a big pot, serves eight

3 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 zucchini, diced

3 small cloves of garlic, diced

1 medium jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and diced

1 cup beer (or vegetable stock if you like)

3 heaping tablespoons steak seasoning

2 heaping tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon cumin

1 teaspoon coriander

1/3 cup barbecue sauce

1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed

1 15-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed

1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes

2 or 3 cups vegetable stock, depending on how soupy you want it.

1 cup corn kernels, frozen

In a large pan over medium flame, heat olive oil.  Add onions and saute until translucent and slightly browned.  Add the bell peppers and zucchini and cook for four or five minutes, until they begin to soften.  Add garlic, jalapeno and all of the spices into the cooking vegetables.  Cook for two minutes.

Deglaze the pan by adding one cup of beer to the hot pan and scraping the bits off the bottom of the pan.  There’s lots of flavor there.  Once the beer has stopped sizzling, add the barbecue sauce, beans, diced tomatoes and vegetable stock.  Bring to a low boil and cook for about 15 minutes.  Add the frozen corn and cook for another 5 minutes.  Serve warm topped with pepper jack cheese.  This chili is delicious the next day… and the day after that too.  Lasts up to six days.

- Jahnelle Wengler

Potato Soup (my favorite soup and bread bowl recipe)

½ stick butter

7-8 potatoes with skins

2 cans c of chicken soup (1 c of celery can be

 substituted)

1 tsp garlic salt

1-2 onions

8 oz. Cream cheese

1 ½ c milk

Boil potatoes and onions for about 25 minutes or until tender.  Meanwhile mix together butter and cheese, melt in saucepan.  Add soup, garlic salt, and milk.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Drain water from potatoes (reserve some for thinner soup) and add cream mixture.  Yummy with bread bowls!

- Jahnelle Wengler

Ham, Ditalini and Bean Soup

2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

3 cups (two 15 oz. cans) great northern beans, undrained

2 cups (about 1/2 lb.) cubed cooked ham

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 package (8 oz.) ditalini, uncooked

6 cups water

3-1/2 cups (28 oz. can) tomato sauce

In 5-quart saucepan, heat oil and saute ham, onion and garlic until onion is tender, but not brown. Stir in water, tomato sauce, beans, parsley, and pepper; heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 10 minutes to blend flavors. Return soup to a boil. Add uncooked pasta and boil, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until pasta is tender. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

-Lily Padua

Seafood Chowder

4-5 medium red potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 1 lb)
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup diced red bell pepper
2 cans (6 1/2 oz each) minced clams, drained reserving clam juice
1 Tbsp. butter
2 cans (14 1/2 oz each) chicken broth
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3/4 cup flour
2 cups half-and-half (light cream)
1 lb bay scallops
1 lb cooked medium shrimp
parsley

Drain clams reserving clam juice.  If clam juice doesn't not measure 1 cup, add enough water to equal 1 cup.

Saute diced onion in butter for 3 minutes.  Add celery, carrots and bell pepper and cook another 5 minutes.  Add potatoes, reserved clam juice, chicken broth, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil; cover.  Reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, place flour in bowl.  Gradually whisk half-and-half into flour; whisk until smooth.

Add clams, scallops and shrimp to chowder; gradually whisk in flour mixture.  Return to a boil; cook 2 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly.  Cover until ready to serve.  Sprinkle with parsley.

-Tricia Ware

Tomato Basil Soup

- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp. rosemary
- dash crushed red pepper
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 28 oz. can whole plum tomatoes
- 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
- 1 6 oz. can tomato paste
- 2 14.5 can chicken broth
- 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp. sugar
- 15 basil leaves
- 1 cup heavy cream
- salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion, carrots, garlic, rosemary, red pepper and salt in butter for 10 min.  Add whole tomatoes (with juice), crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken broth and sugars.  Cook until carrots are tender.  Add basil leaves whole.  Blend in blender or with immersion blender.  Add heavy cream and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Heat to warm.

-Tricia Ware