Cheesy Chicken Vegetable Soup

4 c cubed hash browns (or potatoes)
1 onion, chopped
2 c sliced carrots
2 c finely chopped celery
2 c chicken broth

Cook all veggies in chicken broth and bring to a boil for 10 minutes.

Add:
3 c broccoli, cut up

Boil additional 10 minutes (do not drain)

Add:
4 cooked chicken breasts, shredded

In another pan:

1/2 c butter
3 Tbsp. flour
1 can evaporated milk
1 c regular milk
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 lb Velveeta cheese, cubed
4 chicken flavored bouillon cubes

In saucepan, melt butter; stir in flour. Add milks and cook, stirring constantly, until thick. Add cheese and can of soup. Mix until smooth. Add this mixture to veggies. Heat but do not boil.

Roasted Tomato-Basil Soup

2 28 oz. cans peeled whole tomatoes, drained and liquid reserved.

2 1/2 T. brown sugar

1 medium onion finely chopped.

3 cups tomato liquid reserved form canned tomatoes

3 cups chicken broth

3 T. tomato paste

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1 can evaporated milk

1/2 cream

1/2 cup shredded fresh basil leaves (about 10 large leaves)

salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil, spray with non-stick cooking spray (I just used a silpat liner). Arrange tomatoes on foil in single layer. Sprinkle with brown sugar and top with onion. Bake 25-30 minutes or until tomatoes look dry and light brown. Let cool slightly; finely chop.

2. Place tomato mixture, reserved tomato liquid, chicken broth, tomato paste and allspice in slow cooker. Mix well. Cover;cook on Low 8 hours or High 4 hours.

3. Add evaporated milk, cream and basil;season with salt and pepper.

Makes 6- 8 servings. Tastes great with shredded cheddar cheese on top or with Saltine crackers.

French Onion Soup

5 large onions sliced very thin 1/2 stick of butter

4 C. beef stock

Slice onions using a food processor. Sautee in a pan with melted butter till they begin to carmalize. When nice and brown and tender add to stock in a pot. Simmer 30 minutes or throw in a crockpot and cook on low for 4-6 hours. To make authentic soup, put each serving in an oven-safe dish, put a big slice of French bread on top and put a slice or two of mozzeralla on top of bread. Place in the broiler till cheese is melted. Remove carefully. These will be HOT!

Serves 4-6

This is super yummy when you use Videlia or Walla Walla onions

Soup Dumpling Soup

1 egg

pinch nutmeg

1 egg yolk

pinch salt

1/2 stick of butter, softened

3-4 T flour

Mix butter until soft. Gradually add egg and egg yolk, nutmeg and salt. Mix well. Add flour till stiff, beat till smooth. Drop in simmering broth. Do not boil (SIMMER) broth. Cooks about 10 minutes. We usually do chicken stock and add some frozen peas to make this soup.

Chicken Velvet Soup

1/3 cup butter

1 C. warm cream

3/4 C. flour

1 C. warm milk

6 C. hot chicken stock

2-4 cooked and shredded chicken breasts

Melt butter and mix with flour with a wisk to make a roux. Add 2 C. hot chicken stock, cream and milk. Stir till flour is dissolved. Put in a pot with remaining 4 C. stock. Simmer 30 minutes. Add chicken breasts. Salt and pepper to taste.

This is from the Lion House Cookbook. Its rich and super yummy. It would make a great first course at a fancy dinner.

Taco Soup

1 lb. ground beef or turkey

2 cans stewed tomatoes

2 cans diced green chilies

1 T chili powder or 1 pkg taco seasoning mix

1 tsp garlic salt or 1 clove garlic crushed

1 can corn, drained and rinsed

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Brown hamburer (can also dice 1/2 an onion and cook with beef), drain. Add other ingredients. Simmer. Can throw in a crockpot. Serve with grated cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips.

Butternut Squash Soup

Meet the oh so delicious and healthy Butternut Squash. Mix it with a few things (it can't be too healthy, right?!) and you've got a perfect soup for fall that's elegant enough for a fancy dinner and yet soothing enough for a night by the fire....that is if I had a fireplace. Guess I'll have to huddle up next to the heater vent! Butternut Squash soup:

1-3 Butternut Squash (I used 3 and it filled my big pot. Freezes great and also yummy to pair with Easy Breadsticks and share with neighbors)
Chicken Broth (for 3 I used the big box type. May only need 1-2 cans)
Butter
Milk/Cream
Brown Sugar
Pepper
Nutmeg

Bake the de-seeded butternut squash upside-down in a pan (may add a little water if you prefer) at about 350 for about 45-60 minutes, or until fork tender. Scoop out all of the yummy pulp and combine it with some of the chicken broth in the blender until smooth and to just about the desired consistency (will add milk later). If you have a super-duper "scary" blender like mine with a stick thing to help mix it around, you can put quite a bit in at a time. Otherwise, you may want to blend it a portion at a time. Pour it into a pot on the stove and add to taste about 4-12 TBS butter, a bunch of Brown Sugar, and the pepper and nutmeg. Pour in milk or cream until desired consistency and taste. Heat through. Soothing, flavorful, beautiful, YUM!