Lasagna Soup

Sometimes things just don't turn out the way you imagine.  

Like a cupcake from the cupcake shop that looks absolutely fabulous and then you take a bite and gross!! It's so nasty.

Or when you've dreamed for ages about meeting someone and you finally do and you realize they're really not that cool after all.

Or you make a recipe that on paper should be fantastic but it tastes just plain disgusting.  Oh I hate that.

Or sometimes you make a recipe that seems okay but it tastes absolutely fantastic.  This recipe was that way for me.  I have been trying to branch out and try different soup recipes, hoping maybe that my younger kids will love them.

After I made this deliciousness I was so surprised.  It turned out so much better than I had even imagined.  I hope the picture does it justice because it was fantastic. We have had it at least once a month since I first made it, which if you know me, doesn't happen a lot since I am always trying new recipes. The boys have loved it. So now it's onto a soup that maybe my girls will love.

Lasagna Soup

(click here for printable version)

*Note: This soup is best served right after it's prepared. After it sits, it will get very thick.  If you have leftovers, just add a small amount of water before reheating.

1 pound ground sausage or beef (I used turkey sausage stuffed with cheese)
1 onion, chopped finely
1 bell pepper, chopped finely
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp thyme
1 tbsp brown sugar
4 cups chicken broth
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced stewed tomatoes
2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
2 tsp italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
7 lasagna noodles, broken up
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1-2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated

1. In a large soup pot cook sausage, chopped onion, chopped bell pepper, and garlic, over medium high heat until sausage is browned and the onions are translucent. Add thyme, brown sugar, stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, italian seasoning, salt, and chicken broth to the meat mixture. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce the heat and let simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add your broken lasagna noodles (I used some macaroni noodles because I couldn't find my lasagna noodles) to the soup and let simmer again until noodles are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the grated Parmesan cheese to the soup and stir until cheese is completely melted.

3. Remove the soup from the stove. Ladle it into serving bowls and top with mozzarella cheese before serving and enjoy!

Source: Jamie Cooks It Up

Chicken Enchilada Soup

There was a restaurant just across the river from me growing up.  It was in a dumpy little town (the town is getting better now) but the restaurant was AMAZING!

For very special occasions, we got to with my parents.  They were known for many things, including their homemade croutons, but another thing they were known for was there beef stew.  

Now I was a child that hated beef stew growing up, mostly because of all the vegetables stuck in there.  But this stew was Heaven in a bowl.  The flavor was fantastic and the best part...it was pureed.  So all those vegetables were smooth and no textures issues from this girl.

When I saw this recipe I knew I definitely had to get it made soon.  Tons of delicious vegetables loaded in a savory broth and all pureed so the kiddos have no idea all the yumminess they are eating.  It turned out fantastic and all my kids loved it.  This is totally a new favorite!

Chicken Enchilada Soup

(click here for printable version)

8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 3-4 chicken breasts)
1 (3.5 ounce) can chopped green chiles
1 large yellow onion, peeled and quartered
4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into large chunks
3-4 cups butternut squash cubes (from about 1/2 of a medium butternut squash, peeled and cut)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 cup sour cream, light or regular
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 cans white beans, like Great Northern, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp taco seasoning

1.  In a large pot, add the chicken broth, chicken breasts, green chiles, onion, potatoes, pepper, butternut squash, garlic, salt and cumin. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, about 20-30 minutes. If there doesn’t seem to be enough liquid for the vegetables/chicken to boil in, try adding in 1-2 cups water but don’t add too much extra liquid or the soup won’t be as thick as it should.

2.  Remove the chicken from the pot to a cutting board. Let it cool slightly before shredding or dicing. Ladle the remaining vegetables and broth into a blender (in several batches, if needed) and puree the broth and vegetables until smooth (I also add the beans to this step since my children won't eat them otherwise). It is very important to not overfill the blender since the mixture will be hot and will expand as it blends! Pour the pureed soup mixture back into the large pot. Whisk in the sour cream and tomato sauce. Stir in the taco seasoning, beans (if you didn't add them earlier) and cooked chicken. Cook until heated through.

3.  Serve the soup with additional toppings: tortilla chips, sour cream, shredded cheese, tomatoes, avocado, pico de gallo or salsa, etc. Enjoy!

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Cauliflower Cheddar Soup

 I love it when I can sneak things into my children's food (okay and my husband's for that matter) and they even know it.  It totally makes my day, especially when it is something as healthy as cauliflower.

Cauliflower is one of those weird vegetables to me.  As a kid I absolutely hated it cooked and if it had enough ranch on it I would eat it raw.  The problem was that it just didn't and still doesn't have that much flavor to it.

Which, I have to say, makes it's perfect for things like this.  Now that I am grown I have come to appreciate cauliflower.  I love it roasted (and have found an amazing way to eat it--soon to come) and it passes off as a great substitute for potatoes, which is just fabulous to me.

This soup was a hit at our house.  Now if the kiddos would of known it was cauliflower, I would of had a major revolt on my hands, but alas I changed the name for them and everything went so smoothly.  We loved the flavor and I loved having something a little different than our normal rotation of soups in the winter.  

Cauliflower Cheddar Soup

(click here for printable version)


1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
salt
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or minced
pepper
3 tbsp flour
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup whole milk or half-and-half
2 1/2 cups good quality, aged, sharp cheddar cheese, grated (it's totally worth it)

1.  Bring a couple of inches of water to a boil, add cauliflower, salt and cook until tender. Drain the water off and puree.  The food processor works great.  Set aside.

2.  Place a large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter and melt.  Add the onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook until tender, 4-5 minutes.

3.  Sprinkle the flour over the onions and cook for about 1 minute more. Slowly whisk in the chicken stock and milk.  As soon as it starts to bubble, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.

4.  Whisk the cheese into the liquid, stirring until all the cheese has melted.  Stir in cauliflower puree, adding salt and pepper to taste.  Serve and enjoy!

Source: Just Cook Already

Southwestern Chicken Barley Soup

I thought Spring was here.

No luck!

I was lucky enough to be in Seattle last week and I thought Spring was here for sure.  We had beautiful weather, even in the 60's one day, and no rain during the day.  It was awesome!  I will share pictures later on that though.

But back to Spring in Idaho.  I got home and we have had rain, snow, and more rain.  Which is awesome for those farmers but not so awesome for moms who needs their kids to play outside and get some sunshine, especially when they don't have school.

I only have so many ideas in my brain when it comes to keeping children entertained, especially 10 year olds.  They are just not excited about play dough anymore!

Anyway, I thought we were done with soups till this fall, but after a very cold day (you know more of that rain and snow stuff) I decided this would be perfect for dinner.  And oh my, it was!  My husband and I loved it and I ate it for leftovers for several days, it was that good.

Have you ever tried barley in your soups? I have never put it in my soups before and this was absolutely delicious.  I loved the little "pop" it gave. and I will definitely be keeping this recipe and adding barley to my soups more often.

Southwestern Chicken Barley Soup

(click here for printable version)

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (16-ounce) can tomato sauce

1 3/4 c. chicken broth

1 c. medium barley (not quick cooking--if your store has a bulk area it can be found there)

4 c. water

1 T. chili powder

2 t. cumin

1 t. dried oregano

dash cayenne pepper, to taste (optional)

2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 1/2 c. frozen corn kernels

Garnishes: shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, sliced green onions, tortilla chips

1.  In a large pot, combine the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, barley, water, chili powder, cumin, dried oregano and cayenne. Stir well. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat and add the chicken. Stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer the chili for 40 minutes, until the barley is tender and chewy and the chicken is no longer pink. Stir occasionally, while simmering to prevent sticking. After 40 minutes, add the beans and corn. Stir to combine and simmer for five more minutes. Serve the chili with garnishes.

Note: The soup will thicken considerably upon cooling. Add chicken broth or water as needed to achieve a desirable consistency (especially if reheating the leftovers).  I didn't find that I needed to do this but it does thicken a lot.

Source:  Mel's Kitchen Cafe

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Zuppa Toscana

Do you ever have recipes that you put off making time and time again?  This recipe kept getting pushed back to another week, I just wasn't in the mood for it.  But after getting some kale in my Bountiful Basket--have you ever heard of this amazing thing--I knew that I should just make it and stop putting it off.

Wow!  This was so yummy.  I have had it several times at Olive Garden and I thought it was even better than the restaurant if I do say so myself.  My 10 year old absolutely loved it, even having it for a snack after school.  

3 cans (14oz) Chicken Broth

2 cups whipping cream

red pepper flakes, to taste (and totally optional)

salt and pepper, to taste

1 small onion, diced, sauteed

1/2 pkg. bacon, cooked and crumbled

4-5 cups chopped kale

3 to 4 potatoes scrubbed and cut into slices or small chunks, skins left on

1 lb Johnsonville mild Italian sausage (shaped into small rounds, browned, and put on paper towels to de-grease... or if you are in a rush, just brown the sausage like you would ground beef--that's what I did and I preferred it that way.  You get a piece in each bite).

1.  Put everything except for potatoes together in a large crockpot and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours. Add potatoes the last 40-60 minutes (if you add them too soon they will get soggy).  Enjoy!

These would be awesome with focaccia bread.

Source:  Favorite Family Recipes

Homemade Tomato Soup

This is what it looks like outside my house?  We are having unprecedented snowstorms and whenever it snows, I feel like this...

I love soup in the winter!!  One of our favorites is tomato.  I decided that since I had some tomatoes left from my garden--amazing huh, I laid them out in my garage and they have done wonderfully--I would make some homemade tomato soup.  This turned out amazing.  It has a great flavor, better than anything you could get from a can, I promise, and no perservatives or artificial ingredients--hence the homemade I guess :)!  It is very easy to make and if you add some cheese soup or Focaicca bread (I will be posting my favorite one soon), it is a perfect dinner for a snowy winter night.

2 (15 oz) cans diced tomatoes (I used fresh)

2 cubes beef bouillon, crumbled

1 T. honey

1 t. salt

1 bay leaf

1/4 t. dried basil

1/4 t. black pepper

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. flour

4 c. milk

1.  Blend tomatoes until smooth (if you don't want the seeds or skin you can run them through a food mill).  Place in large pot over medium heat.  Stir in bouillon, honey, salt, bay leaf, basil and pepper.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.  Remove bay leaf.  

2.  In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.  Whisk in flour all at once to form a roux, cook one minute.  Whisk in milk, a small amount at a time, cooking and stirring constantly until thickened.  Stir into tomato mixture and heat through.  Enjoy!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

The last time I visited my parents my mom made us this wonderful soup.  It is so yummy and perfect for winter days.

2 c. cooked chicken, shredded (I was in a hurry and I used canned chicken, it worked great)

1 t. oil

1 onion, chopped fine

1 t. garlic, minced

6 c. chicken broth

2 c. frozen corn

1/2 t. chili powder

2 T. lemon juice

2 c. salsa

Corn chips

Sour cream

Cheese

* In medium saucepan, over medium heat, cook onion and garlic in oil until onion is transparent.  Add chicken broth, chicken, corn, chili powder, lemon juice and salsa.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.  When ready to serve, top with cheese, sour cream and chips.

White Chili

    I can't take a good picture of soup, it always looks unappetizing so I just delete it. So you are going to just have to deal with no picture, sorry!

1/4 c. butter

1 medium, chopped

1 clove garlic

4 c. chicken, cooked and cubed

3 c. chicken broth

1 T. basil

2 t. chili powder

4 cans white beans

optional: 2 T. chopped cilantro

* In medium saucepan sautee butter, onion and garlic until onion is soft and transparent.  Add chicken, chicken broth, basil, chili powder and beans.  Simmer for 1 hour.  Great with cornbread.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Nothing sounds better to me on cold days than soup.  Chicken noodle is my absolute favorite.

3-4 pd. whole chicken

1 small onion

2 bay leaves

7-10 peppercorns

2 T. salt

2 t. rosemary

* In large stockpot, put chicken and cover with water.  The more water, the more broth you will have.  Add onion, bay leaves, peppercorns, salt and rosemary.  Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 3-4 hours.  Remove chicken from pot and let cool completely.  Strain broth and put back in stockpot and simmer gently.  Add the vegetables now if you want.

Egg Noodles

2 c. flour, divided

2 t. salt

3 beaten eggs

1/3 c. water

1 t. canola oil

* In large mixing bowl, stir together 1 3/4 c. of the flour and salt.  Make a well in center of flour.  In small mixing bowl combine eggs, water and oil.  Add to dry mixture and mix well.

* Sprinkle kneading surface with rest of flour.  Knead dough on floured surface til dough is smooth and elastic.  Cover and let rest 10 minutes.  Divide dough into 4 equal portions.  On lightly floured surface, roll each portion out into about 12-inch square about 1/8-1/4 in. thick.  Let stand, uncovered 20 minutes. 

* While dough is resting, bebone chicken (remove all meat from the chicken bones) and put meat back in the broth. 

* Using pizza cutter cut all 4 dough squares in 1/2 inch long pieces.  Add to boiling broth and cook for 10 minutes.  Serve.

Optional:  Add carrotts, celery, peas, etc. after you have removed the chicken and strained the broth. When vegetables are tender, add noodles. 

Optional:  Serve over mashed potatoes.  This is my husband's very favorite way to have them.

Cheddar Soup

I didn't take a picture because we ate every last drop.  All of my family loves this soup and since it is Fall at my house, soup season is on.  Hope you enjoy this as much as we do.  By the way, this is really easy to make a really big batch or as small as you want.

4 medium size potatoes, peeled and chopped in bite size pieces

2 c. frozen corn

1 large carrot, peeled and grated

1 T. salt

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. flour

2-3 c. milk

2 c. sharp cheddar cheese

salt/pepper to taste

* In medium stockpot, put potatoes, corn, carrots and salt.  Add enough water to barely cover mixture.  Bring to boil and boil until potatoes are soft.

* Meanwhile, in small saucepan melt butter over medium heat.  Add flour and mix.  Add milk, whisk until smooth.  The amount of milk depends on how much soup you want to make.  Keep stirring every minute and do not let it burn.  When mixture starts to thicken, add cheese and whisk until cheese melts.  Keep over heat until it reaches a thick, pudding like consistency.  Remove from heat.

*  When potatoes are done, pour into large bowl (do not dump off the water).  Add cheese mixture and stir together.  Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.  Goes great with cornbread.