Zuppa Toscana

Ingredients
1 pound bulk mild Italian sausage
1 1/4 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 large onion, diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
5 (13.75 ounce) cans chicken broth
6 potato, thinly sliced
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 bunch fresh kale, tough stems removed


Directions
Cook the Italian sausage and red pepper flakes in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crumbly, browned, and no longer pink, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Cook the bacon in the same Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain, leaving a few tablespoons of drippings with the bacon in the bottom of the Dutch oven. Stir in the onions and garlic; cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Pour the chicken broth into the Dutch oven with the bacon and onion mixture; bring to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes, and boil until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the heavy cream and the cooked sausage; heat through. Mix the kale into the soup 5 minutes before serving.

Submitted by Miriam Stoll :)

African Bean Soup

This is a vegan recipe that Alexis and I (Diana) made. I got it from www.NutritionMD.org in case anyone is interested in vegetarian recipes. We changed it so it wasn't strictly vegan. We also added some red pepper flakes to give it some zip.

Serves 8

1/2 c water

3T low sodium soy sauce
1 onion sliced thinly

2 sm sweet potatoes/yams- peeled (I didn't), diced, ~2cups

1 lrg carrot thinly sliced

1 celery stalk thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper seeded and diced

15 oz can crushed tomatoes

4 c vegie broth or water (I used chicken broth)

15 oz can garbanzo beans, undrained

1/2 c chopped fresh cilantro

3 T peanut butter

1-2 t curry powder

4c cooked brown rice

1- Heat water and soy sauce in large pot. Add onion and potatoes. Cook over high heat, stirring often until onion is soft, ~5 min.

2- Add carrot, celery, bell pepper. Cover and cook 3 min stirring occasionally.

3- Add tomatoes, broth/water, garbanzos and liquid, cilantro, p-nut butter, curry powder. Stir to mix. Cover and simmer until vegies are tender when pierced with a fork, ~10 min.

TO SERVE: place 1/2 c cooked rice in bowl and top with a generous ladle of soup.

Chicken Taco Soup

Chicken Taco Soup

4 chicken breasts cut bit size
1 onion, chopped
2 tbsp garlic
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp each – chili powder, cumin and paprika
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
6 cups water
3 each – chicken and beef bouillon cubes
2 cans – 14 oz. dice tomatoes
1 green pepper, cut bite size
1 can – 15 oz. dark red kidney beans or black beans
Salt and pepper to taste

Brown chicken, onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons oil. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Cook 15 to 20 minutes.

Serve in soup plate with tortilla chips on the bottom. Spoon sour cream on top. Garnish with black olives, cheese or avocado. Serve with more chips or warm tortillas.

Here's another fast, easy and yummy soup. This is Mary's recipe. My kids love it!

Submitted by Joanna

Tortellini Soup

Tortellini Soup

¼ cup olive oil
1 large onion
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 pkg - 8 oz. sliced mushrooms
2 cans chicken broth
1 can seasoned tomatoes
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp. basil
1 large (14 oz.) pkg. cheese tortellini
Grated parmesan cheese

Heat oil in soup pot, low to medium heat
Peel, chop and add onion and garlic – 3 minutes
Add mushrooms – 2 minutes
Add broth and tomatoes
Raise heat to high - cover pot
Bring to boil
Add Worcestershire and basil when broth comes to a boil (you can put in fridge at this point)
Add tortellini when both comes to a rolling boil
Cook 3 to 4 minutes
Add parmesan cheese to taste before serving

This is easy, fast and YUMMY!

Submitted by Joanna, requested by Sue

Vegas Wedding Soup

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 red onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon each: dried Italian Herb seasoning, dried fennel seed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Quarts low sodium chicken broth
18 frozen Italian meatballs (I use trader joe's meatballs, they are a little smaller)
1 pkg (16 oz) mixed frozen vegetables (Italian Blend)
2/3 cup small dried pasta
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 gap (5 oz) baby arugula or spinach
1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

1. Heat the oil over medium heat in a stockpot or Dutch oven. Add onion and garlic: cook, stirring, until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in the Italian seasoning, fennel seed, salt, red pepper flakes and black pepper to taste. Cook 30 seconds. Pour in the broth: increase heat to high. Heat mixture to a boil.

2. Add the meatballs, vegetables, pasta and vinegar to stockpot; lower heat to medium. cook until vegetables are heated through and pasta is cooked, about 10 minutes. Stir in arugula; cook until leaves have wilted, about 2 minutes. Serve soup with grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.

Submitted by: Krista Spaletto

Spicy Pumpkin Soup

4 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 med yellow onions, chopped
2 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 tsp red pepper, crushed
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ground coriander
Pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional)
6 cups roasted pumpkin (actually it's butternut squash or any orange squash--this is what they call "pumpkin" around here)
5 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
1/2 cup or less brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream

Melt butter over med-high heat. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Add red pepper, spices, pumpkin (squash), and chicken broth; blend well. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat; simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer soup, in batches, to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth; return to saucepan. With soup on low heat, add mild and brown sugar, stirring to blend. Add cream and season with salt and pepper as desired.
YUMMY!!

Submitted by: Sue Ng

White Chicken Chili

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cans chicken broth
1 jar (48 oz) great northern beans, with liquid
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
1 can (3 oz) chopped green chilies, w/ liquid
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground oregano
Shredded cheese (cheddar/colby jack) and tortilla chips

Directions:
Bake Chicken breasts (350 for 30 min). Let cool and shred pieces. In a large pot, pour small amount of broth. Add onion and garlic and simmer until onion is wilted and hot. Add the chilies, stir, then add remaining broth and beans w/ liquid. Mix in the cumin and oregano. Bring to a boil and add the chicken. Cover and simmer for at least 30 minutes.
Serve topped with lots of shredded cheese and crushed chips.

**Note** GLUTEN FREE

Submitted by: Miriam

Pozole

1 lrg head of garlic
12 c water
4c chicken broth
4lbs country style pork ribs (need the bones!)
1 t dried mexican oregano, crumbled
2oz dried new mexico red chilis
1 1/2c boiling hot water
1/4 lrg white onion
3t salt, divided
2 30 oz cans white hominy
8 corn tortillas
1 1/2c veg oil
toppings: thinly sliced cabbage, chopped white onion, diced radishes, lime wedges, dried red pepper flakes, cilantro, cheese, diced avocados
- Peel garlic cloves and reserve 2 for chili sauce. Slice remaining garlic. In 7-8 qt heavy kettle bring water and broth to boil with pork and sliced garlic. Skim surface and add oregano. Simmer gently, uncovered 1 1/2 hrs or til tender.
-While pork is cooking, prepare chilis (wear gloves and wash hands after handling chilis BEFORE doing anything else!) Discard stems from chilis and soak in bowl with the boiling water to rehydrate. Soak 30 min, turning occassionally. Cut onion in lrg pieces and puree in blender with chilis and soaking liquid, reserved garlic, 2t salt until smooth.
-Transfer porki to cutting board and reserve broth mix. Shred pork. Discard bones. Rinse and drain hominy. Return ork to broth mix. Add chili sauce, hominy and remaining 1t salt.
-pozole can be made 2 days ahead. chill covered.
-While pozole is simmering, stack tortillas and halve, then cut halves in half then into thin strips. In 9-10 in skillet, heat 1/2 in oil until hot, but not smoking. Fry strips in 3-4 batches, stirring occasionally until golden, 1-2 min. Transfer strips with slotted spoon to drain on paper towels. Transfer strips to bowl. May make strips 1 day ahead. Keep covered at room temp.
Serve pozole with tortilla strips and other toppings.

diana

Clam Chowder

Ingredients:
3 (6.5 ounce) cans minced clams
4-6 slices of bacon
1 cup minced leak (or onion)
1 cup diced celery
2 cups cubed potatoes
1 cup diced carrot
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 quart half-and-half cream
2 T red wine vinegar
Salt & Pepper (to your taste)

Directions:
Make bacon in a large skillet, remove once cooked fully. In bacon dripping, saute leak (or onion), celery, potatoes and carrots for apx 5 minutes. Then Drain the juice from the clams into the vegetable mixture along with enough water to cover. Heat until tender.

Meanwhile, in a large, heavy sausepan, melt butter. Whisk in flour until smooth. Wisk in cream and stir constantly until thick and smooth. Stir in the vegetable mixture. Heat through, but do not boil ***keep on very low heat**

Before serving, stir in clams (if they cook too long, they get tough). When clams are heated through, add bacon, vinegar, salt and pepper.

Submitted by: Miriam Pinnow

Spinach Bisque

1 1/2 cups water
3 cubes chicken bouillon
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped
spinach
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
1 tablespoon dried minced onion (or 2 T fresh onion)
salt and pepper to taste


In a medium saucepan, combine water, bouillon, and spinach. Bring to a boil, and cook until spinach is tender.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour, and cook for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk. Season with minced onion, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir in spinach mixture.

Submitted by: Miriam Pinnow