White Bean Chicken Chili

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion
2 (14.5 ounce) cans Great Northern Beans, undrained
2 cups cooked, diced chicken (or turkey)
2 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup salsa (I use Pace Chunky Medium)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the remainder of the ingredients, except the mozzarella cheese. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the soup comes to a simmer. Add the mozzarella cheese one handful at a time, stirring to let each addition melt before adding the next. Stir to combine and make sure all the cheese has melted and serve.

(Recipe from mykitchencafe.blogspot.com, via Shauntel Cheney -- thanks!!)

Basic Taco Soup

This is what I was going to bring the night of Freezer Meals and what I should have brought to Soup night. There are days (weeks, months) where I'm not feeling like much of a cook, and this is always handy during such times to throw together in a pinch. Plus, it makes two meals for my little fam (unless we pig out), or it can just as quickly be doubled: one meal for later on in the week and two more for the freezer. That's my kinda cook'n!

makes ~8 cups

1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
1 28-oz can tomatoes (pureed, diced, however your fam likes them)
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1 15-oz can kidney beans (drained & rinsed)
1 15-oz can corn (w/ liquid)
1/2 pkg taco seasoning (I think McCormick is the most flavorful, but Kroger is good as well.)

Toss it in a pot, let it come to a boil, and serve up!

Toppings:
- Fritos corn chips
(sure, you can substitute regular corn chips, but it's just not the same)
- shredded cheese
- sour cream
(nothing else better than the heat of the soup and the cool of the cream....YUM)
- sliced olives

Can also toss in whatever you need to clean out of the fridge:
- onion - peppers - pinto/black beans
- roast beef in place of hamburger meat
(made it yesterday with some BBQ-rubbed roast leftovers; what a tasty substitute!)

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

by Melissa Winder
2 C cooked and diced chicken breasts (about 2-3 breasts)
1 chicken bouillon cube
4 C chicken stock
2 C carrots, chopped
2 C celery, chopped (I leave this out since James doesn't like it)
3/4 C onion, chopped
1 can cream of chicken soup (Healthy Request version works great too)
1/4 C evaporated milk + more (also works with Lowfat evap milk)
Extra chicken stock or chicken broth
Salt and pepper
Noodles--homestyle egg noodles or homemade (see recipe below)

Directions:
-Heat stock, add 1 chicken bouillon cube
-Add carrots, celery, onion, and simmer until tender (about 1-2 hours if you have the time)
-Add cream of chicken soup and evaporated milk
-Add noodles, cook until soft (according to package label or until doubled in size for homemade)
-Add chicken and salt and pepper to taste
-Soup will look like a casserole, so add equal parts chicken broth (or stock) and evaporated milk until it is the desired consistency

Homemade noodles:
1 egg, beaten
2 Tbsp milk
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 - 1 C sifted flour (too much flour makes them a little hard)

Directions: Mix ingredients to stiff dough. Roll out on floured board. Let sit for 20 minutes. Cut into thin strips, let sit for 5 more minutes. Put into soup; stir to keep noodles separated.

Enjoy!

Cheater Potato Cheese Soup

by Natalie Pelfrey

This recipe is so ridiculously easy...

3 cans cream of potato soup
2 8-0z cans of evaporated milk
pepper jack cheese
cheddar cheese
real bacon strips, crumbled

Throw it in a pot!

Summer Strawberry Soup

by Natalie Pelfrey

2 c vanilla yogurt
1/2 c orange juice
2 lbs. fresh strawberries, halved (8 cups)
1/2 c sugar

In a blender, combine the yogurt, orange juice, strawberries and sugar in batches; cover and process until blended. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Southwestern Pumpkin Soup

3 cups chicken stock
1 cup whipping cream
1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
3 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup (packed) grated cheddar cheese
Chopped fresh cilantro

Bring chicken stock and whipping cream to boil in heavy medium pot. Whisk in canned pumpkin, brown sugar, cumin, chilli powder, coriander and nutmeg. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until soup thickens slightly and flavours blend, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Soup can be prepared up to 1 day ahead. Cool. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over low-medium heat, whisking occasionally.) Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish each with cheddar cheese and cilantro and serve.

Italian Minestrone Soup by Necia Joy

Brown together ( Use a little olive oil if not using meat )
*1/2 pound choice of meat ( mild Italian sausage is super yummy )
*1 cup chopped celery
*1 medium chopped onion
*2 big carrots sliced
*1/2 chopped choice of pepper ( red is yummy )
* 1/4 teaspoon salt

Add all top ingredients after browned to a crock pot with the following:
*quart of water
*1 can italian stewed tomatoes
*1 can 16oz tomato sauce
*2 cups beef broth
*1 can garbanzo beans
*1 can green beans
*1 can kidney beans
*1 can lima beans
*1 teaspoon parsley
*1 teaspoon basil
*1 teaspoon oregano
*1/4 teaspoon pepper
*garlic...minced...a clove or two, or more if you desire, or leave out garlic....
*1 1/4 cups uncooked smaller noodle ( like a baby penne or a baby shell )

Simmer all day, except for the noodles.
I cook the noodles separately and add to crock pot when ready to serve.

Note: you can use fresh beans or can beans when doing this....if using can, I always drain the beans from the liquid they sit in. You do not have to but I like to do that!