Zuppa Toscana

4 slices bacon, diced
1 lb ground hot Italian sausage
1 large yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups (32 oz) chicken stock
3 cups russet potatoes, cubed
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 cups kale, in bite size pieces
1 cup heavy whipping cream
parmesan cheese, grated

In a large pot, cook the bacon until crispy. Drain the grease. Add the sausage, breaking it apart as it cooks. Once sausage is browned and crumbled, drain off grease leaving a tbsp to saute the onion.

Push the sausage and bacon to the edge of the pot and add the onion to the center; saute until translucent; add garlic; saute until fragrant.

Stir in the stock and potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Add kale and heavy whipping cream. Bring to a simmer. Top with parmesan cheese, when serving.

Mischele's Good (Minestrone) Soup

I don't know what to call this soup.  I got it from my sister-in-law Mischele and I'm not sure what she calls it either.  I just call it -Good Soup- because it's good and has good stuff for you in it.  It reminds me a little bit of Minestrone soup with grains in it.

2 cans of tomato sauce (small cans)

enough broth ( I use vegetable, could also use chkn) to make soupy (sorry I don't even have a guesstimate here, I just put all the ingredients in and add broth:)

1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup carrot
2/3 cup potato
1/2 cup onion
1/2 cup celery

2 cup Beans (can mix and match, I usually use kidney and black)
1/2 cup Cooked Pasta
1/4 cup Barley
1/2 cup Split Peas
1/4 cup Lentils

1 Tbsp Parsley
1 tsp Oregano
1/4 tsp Italian Seasoning
1 Tbsp Basil
1/2 tsp Thyme
Bay leaf
3 Cloves Garlic.

INSTRUCTIONS: precook barley and split peas for about 10m. Meanwhile saute veggies in butter till slightly softened. Add tomato sauce, broth beans, grains and seasonings, bring to a boil, cover and turn down heat to simmer until grains are close to done. (about 15m-20m) Add cooked pasta, and chopped spinach, remove bay leaf, a few minutes before done. Salt and Pepper to taste, sometimes I add a little extra onion and garlic powder at the end if it just needs a little more!

Chicken Noodle Soup

My noodle soup comes out different EVERY time.  I really NEVER follow a recipe exactly on the soup but I do on my noodles.  I hope yours turns out alright - add and take away what you need to perfect your noodle soup.

THE BEST WAY

Rinse off a full chicken with warm water.  Then put it in your roasting pot and take some cold sliced butter and whole peeled garlic cloves and insert them between the skin and the meat of the chicken.  Take one or two quartered onions and in the pan.  Add about 1 cup of water and one bullion cube.  Roast in the oven at 350 degrees for 2 - 2 1/2 hours (depending on how big your chicken is)

While the Chicken is cooking I cut up all my veggies:

1 Cup Sliced Celery

1 1/2 Cups Sliced Carrots

2 Cups Diced potatoes

Then I put them in a pot on the stove with about:

6 Cups Water

4 Bullion Cubes

3 Bay Leaves

2 tsp Parsley

Boil soup and add noodles about when the veggies are halfway cooked.  Add the strained juice from the roasted chicken to help give the soup the BEST broth ever!  I take the quarted onions that were roasted with the chicken and chop them up and add to the soup too.  Pull the cooked chicken off the roasted chicken and add to your soup.  Any additional spices needed should be added like maybe garlic - salt and pepper.  The bullion is what I use in place of salt to make the soup but then add salt at the end to perfect it. 

THE EASY WAY

INGREDIENTS

2 Large Chicken Breasts - (Cut up)
2 Tbsp Butter
1 Diced Onion
6 Cups Water
4 Bullion Cubes
3 Bay Leaves
2 tsp Parsley
1 Cup Sliced Celery
1 Cup Sliced Carrots
1 Cup Diced potatoes

DIRECTIONS
In sauce pot saute chicken and onion in butter.  Once chicken is cooked add your water, parsley, bay leaves, bullion cubes and all your vegis.  Once it comes to a good rolling boil add your noodles and cook until vegis are soft and noodles seem done.  Salt and pepper (to taste).

HOMEMADE NOODLES

2 Eggs
2 tsp Salt
2 Cups Flour (Semolina Flour or regular works fine too)
1/3 cup Milk
Beat eggs until smooth. Add salt, flour, and milk. Stir until easy to handle. Roll out on a pastry sheet to the thickness desired.  Cut into long strips with a pizza cutter

Baked Potato Soup

I made this once, and my kids beg for it now

8-10 cubed potatos

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup flour

6 cups milk

1 12oz can Chicken Broth

3 Bullion Cubes

2 tsp Onion Powder

Peel and cut potatos in cubes.  Microwave for about 8 minutes to slightly cook the potatos.

While the potatos are microwaving, melt the butter in large saucepan and then add the flour.  Whisk together then slowly add the milk, broth, bullion and onion powder.  Last add the potatos and cook until potatos are done.

Top with chopped green onions, grated cheese and REAL bacon bits!  ENJOY!

15 Bean Soup

1 Pkg of 15 Beans
1 Onion Chopped
1 Can Stewed Tomatos (15oz)
2 Cloves Garlic
2 Chicken Bullion Cubes
1 Polska Kielbasa Sausage cut up in cubes.
1 Ham pkt mix (inside 15 beans bag)


Cook the beans by following directions on bag. You can either first soak them overnight and then cook them for about 2 hours or there is a quick cook method. I think its best to cook my beans with the chopped onion, it helps to bring out the flavor into the beans and guarantee no crunchy onions.

Once the beans are cooked add your tomatos, Garlic, Bullion & Sausage. Let the juices cook out of the sausage and into the soup. Then add the Ham Pkt for more flavor. Yummy. And full of fiber.

Taco Soup

Such a quick and easy recipe, also very yummy!

1 lb Ground Beef

1 Chopped Onion

1 14 oz can Kidney Beans

1 14 oz can Black Beans

1 can of Corn

1 can Diced Tomatoes

2- 8oz cans of Tomato Sauce

1 Pkg Taco Seasoning Mix

~

Brown beef and drain: add onion and cook until tender.

Add rest of ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes.

Top with Shredded Cheese, Sour Cream & Fritos or Tortilla Chips

Black Bean Soup

This soup is SO good! My kids even LOVE it!

Ingredients:
1 Onion
2 Cloves Garlic
3 Cans Black Beans (rinsed)
1 Cup Salsa
1 ½ Cups Chicken Broth
1 tsp Cumin

Fry Onion in 1 tsp Olive Oil
Add Garlic

In Blender Add:Half of the Black Beans
Salsa
Chicken Broth
Cumin
and Cooked Onion & Garlic

Blend together well then return to pot.

Add the rest of the black beans
Cook until hot.

Top with:Sour Cream
Chopped Chives
Lime Juice
(my kids loved cheese too)