Clam Chowder

I have experimented with at least three different clam chowder recipes, and always come back to this one. Enjoy!

1 cup water
1 8oz can minced clams, undrained
1 chicken bouillon cube
2 cups potatoes
2 cups carrots, peeled and sliced
1 1/2 cups minced onion
1 T. parsley
1 can cream of celery soup
2 cups milk
2 1/2 t. seasoning salt
8 oz. shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Pour water and juice from clams into sauce pan. Add diced potatoes, carrots, bouillon, onions, and parsley. Simmer til veggies are tender. Add cream soup, clams, milk, cheese, and seasoning salt. Heat gently but do not boil. It is best to make the day before or early in the day you plan to eat it. Much more flavorful!

Canned Tomato Soup

This is a recipe from my sister-in-law (Jayne). It makes a creamy tomato soup that is wonderful to have preserved for winter.

14+ quarts Tomatoes
1 bunch celery
6 medium onions
½ to whole head cabbage (green or red)

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1 lb. butter, softened
1 lb. brown sugar
2 cups Flour
¼ cup salt

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In 16 qt stockpot, cook tomatoes (halved or quartered), celery (chopped thin), onions (chopped), and cabbage (shredded) until soft. Run through sieve. Poor back into Stockpot. (Can blend some of the leftover pulp, re-sieve and add to stockpot). Combine butter, brown sugar, flour, and salt. Add to mixture in spoonfuls. Boil for 5 minutes. Put in hot sterilized jars. Water bath 20-25 minutes.
To Serve: If desired, add milk or cheese to taste.

* It is no longer recommended to can with starches (flour) or fat (butter) found in this recipe. I looked up several sites and the serious canners say leave the thickening to after canning. Also, tomatoes should not be canned in a water bath unless they are proper acidified with lemon juice. A pressure cooker would be a better option for this soup.

Two Soups

Fall is here and my crock put has been put to some serious use lately. Here are two of our families favorite soup recipes:

Blessing Soup

2 C. dried white beans
2 qts. water or chicken broth or a combination
1 C. diced ham or a ham bone
1 small onion, diced
1/2 C. red bell pepper, diced
1/2 C. celery, diced
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 garlic clove
2 T. lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Put all in slow cooker, high 4-5 hours, low 8-10 hours.

Chile Con Pollo

3-4 chicken breasts
1 jar salsa
2 cans great northern beans (with liquid)
1 can black beans (drained)
1 can corn (optional)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato soup
1 can water
2 t. cumin (or more, to taste)

Cook all in a crock pot for 6-8 hours on low. Shred chicken with two forks (I usually cut it into chunks before putting it in the crock pot, to save this step). Top with shredded cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips.

Taco Soup

Everyone has a Taco Soup recipe. Here's mine! (Modified a bit from the one my mother-in-law gave me!)

In a large pot, brown 1 pound of ground beef. Drain fat and add:
4 cups water
1 16 oz. can tomatoes in water
1 can corn (drained)
1 can tomato soup
1 can kidney beans (rinsed and drained)
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 clove garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Let it boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. Serve with cheese, chips and sour cream.

Mom's Corn Chowder (plus)

My mom (Sherri Ewert) could make grocery money last like no one else I know. I know she is now thankful she doesn't have to work so hard with so little. She was the queen of coupons back when our little family had nothing to spare. This soup is a great "poor man's meal" for less than 50 cents per bowl. I've changed some things, but it still remains one of the easiest yummy chowders. I serve it with cheesey biscuits. The soup is even better the next day!

Saute half an onion (chopped) with a few slices of chopped bacon (You can use chopped ham if you have it). Add 1 tsp salt. When bacon is done, add:
2 cups water
3-4 potatoes, chopped bite size
a litte margerum
pepper
garlic powder (or the real thing)
Simmer for 15 minutes and add:
1 can corn with water
2 cups cold milk plus 2 TBS corn starch to thicken
Bring just to simmer, adjust salt and pepper serve with cheese if desired.

Perfect Winter Beef Stew

This recipes comes from kraftfoods.com. I made it a couple times last winter and we all loved it. I had kind of forgotten about it and stumbled across the recipe again, so I made it tonight for dinner. It was just as delicious as I remembered. In fact Will, who's 6, commented, "Mom this is really good. I mean REALLY good". I think what sets it apart is the bacon. I added my notes on some things I changed, as well. Seems to be a flexible recipe and has always turned out yummy.

Perfect Winter Beef Stew

3/4 cup Italian dressing (can use light or fat free)
2 lbs. beef for stew, such as beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch chunks ( I used venison because that's what we had in the freezer and I marinated it all day, as opposed to 1/2 hour--you couldn't even tell it was deer meat)
6 slices bacon, chopped
3 cups sliced mushrooms
1 cup chopped onion
3 cups sliced carrots (about 6 med carrots)
1 1/2 lb. potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks (I used 4)
1 can (14oz) stewed tomatoes
1 can (14oz.) beef broth ( used 1 T. beef bullion and 1 cup water)
*I added 1 can cream of mushroom soup because I didn't have enough mushrooms and I thought it would be good for thickening and flavor.

Pour dressing over meat in large ziploc and refrigerate 30 minutes to marinade. Meanwhile cook bacon til crisp and remove from pan. Drain drippings.

Add mushrooms and onion to large soup pot and cook over med-high heat til tender (I also added a couple cloves of crushed garlic). Remove meat from marinade and discard marinade. Add meat, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, broth and bacon to pot.

Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for 1 hour 15 minutes or til meat is cooked and stew is thickened.

I served ours with garlic sourdough bread.

Enjoy!

Potato Leek Soup

2-3 leeks, chopped, greens and all
4 - 5 medium sized potatoes
about 4 cups of chicken stock
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp rosemary
salt and pepper to taste

In a larger size pot, saute the leeks in olive oil to release flavor. Then add chicken stock. Peel and chop potatoes and add to chicken stock. Simmer until potatoes are mushy. Add spices. Blend in blender or an with immersion blender.

I love this because it's so easy, cheap, and good. Plus we still have leeks in our garden. By the way, an immersion blender (or hand held blender) is one of the best things I ever bought. I bought one at Walmart for 10$. You can blend soups easily and it's great for making tomato sauce and stuff. Paul likes to blend his orange juice before he drinks it. Don't ask me why, something about an orange julius.

Black Bean Soup

(double to get leftovers)

1 can black beans, undrained
1 1/2 cups frozen corn (I use white, and I sometimes use up to 4 cups)
1/2 cup salsa (any kind, I usually use green salsa)
1/2 cup water
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
juice of 1 lemon or lime

Heat until bubbling...also, I add a can or two of diced tomatoes.

Here are some ideas for garnish/condiments to put on top:

- Avacado
- Tortilla chips or toasted tortilla strips
- Sour cream or Mexican creme
- Cheese

Sweet Corn Soup

We have tried this and it is so delicious- especially with a side of sourdough bread.

12 fresh ears of corn (or 6 cups of frozen kernel corn)
1 tbsp. oil
1 small apple, peeled and chopped (2/3 cup)
1 small carrot, chopped (1/3 cup)
1 small onion, chopped (1/3 cup)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 14oz can of chicken broth
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a 4-qt. pot, bring 2 qts lightly salted water to boil. Add corn, return to boiling. Cook uncovered for 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add apple, carrot, onion, and garlic. Cook and stir for 3-4 minutes or until tender but not brown. Add broth. Bring to boil and reduce heat. Cover and cook for 2 minutes more. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.

3. Add 3 cups of cooked corn to broth mixture and puree (in food processor/ blender). Return to pot and add remaining corn. Salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Creamy Pumpkin Soup

I haven't tried this but it looks good!

1/2 cup finely minced onion
1/2 cup finely minced shallots
2 cups canned pumpkin
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. honey
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 12oz can evaporated milk
(croutons)

In a deep saucepan, saute onion and shallots with a little oil. Stir in pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, curry powder, and honey. Gradually whisk in broth and milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until very hot- about 5 minutes. Do not boil. Serve and enjoy:-)