Spicy Potato Soup

What could be better on a fall day, than a nice pot of soup simmering on the stove? It makes the house smell so warm and inviting.

I found this recipe many years ago in a Taste of Home magazine. Richard and I loved it, but the girls thought it was too spicy. So when I made it I would cut way back on the pepper. Richard and I would then add our own pepper to suite our taste to our own bowls. I bet now that the girls are older and their taste have changed I could keep the pepper in.

Spicy Potato Soup

1 pound ground beef

4 cups potatoes, cubed

1 small onion, chopped

3 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce

4 cups water

2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons pepper

1/2 to 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

In a Dutch oven, brown ground beef with onions over medium heat; drain. Add the potatoes and tomato sauce. Stir in the water, salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour or until the potatoes are tender and the soup has thickened.

 

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Taco Bean Soup

It was time to go back to Weight Watcher. I tried to do it on my own and I just couldn’t. I should have known because Weight Watchers has always worked for me in the past.

The first time I went to a Weight Watches meeting was over 10 years ago and I lost 30 pounds and I made Lifetime. Over time life got and the way, I got busy with my kids and all their activities, and I stopped going to the meetings. And slowly but surely I put the weight back on.
I went back before I gained all the weight back and that time I lost 20 pounds and I started working for Weight Watchers as a leader. I worked for them for almost 2 years and I kept the weight off, because every month I had to send to corporate how much I weighed. Even though I loved being a leader I had to leave Weight Watchers because I needed to spend more time with my family.
So here I am years later and the weight has once again crept back on. So today I went back to Weight Watcher because I KNOW it will work.
And so I dusted of some of my tried and true low point recipes, like this Taco Bean soup. This soup used to be a 2 point value but because things have changed at Weight Watchers I and it is now worth 3 points.
If you need to find out about food point values and how the program works you need to give Weight Watchers a try.
So check back often because I will be posting other point friendly dishes as well as my weight lost journey.

Taco Bean Soup

1 large onion, chopped
1 package taco seasoning
2 cups frozen corn or 1 can
1 can chicken broth
1 can black beans, drained
1 can white beans
1 can fat free refried beans
1 can Rotel
1 can diced tomatoes

Sauté onions until soft in a large sauce pan sprayed with cooking spray. Add remaining ingredients to pot and simmer 20 to 30 minutes.

 Serving size is 1 cup. WW 3 pts.

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Creamy Potato Soup

Yes I know it has been awhile since I posted anything, but sometimes, time has a way of slipping by and before you even know it has been a few months before you posted anything.

Well now, because I am trying to us up all the food, that I have accumulated in, my pantry and freezer, my creative juices have started to flow again.

Well today I decided to make potato soup, because my onions were starting  to sprout and my potatoes were growing eyes and I had a can of evaporated milk that was about to expire. So I threw them all in to a pot and this is what I came up with.
And to make clean up easier I mashed the potatoes while they were still in the pot, it was easier and I didn’t have to clean the blender. And Richard also like to have a few lumps of potatoes in his soup.

Creamy Potato Soup

4 cups potatoes, peeled and diced

1 cup chopped onions
1 clove garlic, mince
2 tablespoon butter
5 cups water
3 chicken bouillon cubes
1 (12oz) can evaporated milk
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large soup pot sauté the onions and garlic in the butter for 1 minute. Add the potatoes and water and bouillon cubes, bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
With a potato masher or large spoon; mash the potato in the pot. Add the can of evaporated milk and salt and pepper. Cook for about 10 more minutes.Pin It

Oven Baked Beef Stew

This recipe can be prepared in the oven or in a crock-pot. It will be delicious either way.


Oven Baked Beef Stew
1 pound beef stew meat
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
4 medium potatoes (cut into cubes)
2 cups baby carrots
1 cup pearl onions
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (14 oz.) can beef broth
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 350⁰F. Season beef stew meat with salt, pepper and garlic powder. In a large skillet over medium-high heat oil; then brown meat in skillet. Place meat in a large baking dish; add potatoes, carrots and onions. In a medium size bowl combine tomato paste, beef broth, cream of mushroom soup, onion soup mix and Italian seasoning; combine soup mixture to the beef and vegetables in baking dish. Cover dish and bake for 2 to 2 ½ hours.

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Cheese Burger Soup

I know that I haven’t been posting any recipes lately. I really haven’t been cooking that much. When I do I just take a picture and eat the dish, I just never seem to be in the mood to post them. I now have a folder full of pictures of food and I have most of the recipes written down and unfortunately I have also lost a few of them. I guess I will have to try and prepare them again, but that will come in due time. Who knows; when I never seem to make the same dish the same way twice? I am always changing things and adding new things. That is just the way I cook.

The first time that I heard of this soup was from my friend Lupe at work. She asked me if I knew how to make it, because it was her husband Brian’s favorite soup that a local restaurant serves. I told her no but I will look into it. I went to lunch at this restaurant one day and they happen to be serving the soup so I had to give it a try. It was a little bland to me. I looked at a few sites on the net but that was as far as it went. And then last night I was looking through my email when I came across the one from Taste of Home. I went to their site to check out the feature recipe that they sent me, and did a little looking around. That’s when I found this recipe, and by the ingredients listed it sounded that it would be good, so of course I had to give it a try. And of course I changed it up a little to suit my need s and to give it a little more flavor. It turned out great and Richard had two bowls. I will be making this soup again.

Cheese Burger Soup
½ pound ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup diced carrots
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
4 tablespoons butter, divided
4 cups water
3 chicken bouillon cubes
4 cups diced peeled potatoes
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups (8oz.) process cheese (Velveeta)
1½ cups milk
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup sour cream
In a large stock pot, brown ground beef; drain and set aside. In the same pot sauté onion, carrots, basil and parsley in 1 tablespoon butter until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add water bouillon cubes potatoes and beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile in a small sauce pan, melt remaining butter. Add flour; cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly. Add to soup; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add cheese, milk and pepper; cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from the heat; blend in sour cream.Pin It

Chicken and Dumplings

What could be more comforting on a cold winter s day than a bowl of chicken and dumplings?
When I was a work the other day I told Bertha my co-worker you know what I am in a good mood. I am going to go home and make chicken and dumplings for dinner tonight and brownies for dessert. That will be a feel good dinner for my feel good mood!

Chicken and Dumplings

2 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite size pieces

1 (14oz) can chicken broth

1 cup milk
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 ½ cups frozen mixed vegetables
½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 cup baking mix
½ teaspoon dried parsley
½ cup milk

In a large soup pot combine, chicken, chicken broth, milk, frozen vegetables, poultry seasoning and pepper; bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
In bowl combine, baking mix, dried parsley, and milk blend until moistened. Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls into simmering soup. Cover pot with lid and simmer for 12 minutes (do not stir pot or lift the lid during this time).Pin It

Hoppin’ John Soup

Happy New Year! Having black eyed peas on New Year’s Day is suppose to bring you luck for the coming year. I remember eating black eyed peas when I was young, counting each pea because my parents told me for each one that I would eat I would make that much money that year. It is funny how little traditions like that keep getting passed down from one generation to another.


I don’t make black eyed peas that often, that because Richard doesn’t like them that’s because he says that they taste like dirt. So this year I wanted to make something different that I know he will love. I was thinking about making Hoppin’ John but I wanted to make a soup. So why not turn it in to my version of a Hoppin’ John soup. And if I do say so myself; it turn out very tasty. Maybe this dish will now become a new family tradition.

Hoppin’ John Soup

1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons oil
1( 16oz.) bag frozen black eyed peas
15 oz can diced tomatoes
2 medium carrots, sliced
2 cups ham, cubed
6 cups water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning
½ teaspoon pepper
Salt to taste
½ cup long grain rice

In large stock pot heat oil over medium heat; add diced onion and minced garlic and cook until onions are tender. Add black eyed peas, can tomatoes, carrots, ham, water, bouillon cubes, Cajun seasoning, pepper and salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 1 hour. Add rice and simmer 30 more minutes.Pin It

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

It’s a cold and raining day in California. On a day like today I want soup, but I have wanted chicken pot pie for a week. I was wondering if I could have both. So after a quick run to the store this is what I came up with. It came out pretty good if I do say so myself. I asked Ariel what she thought of the soup, her one word was YUMMMY!

Chicken Pot Pie Soup
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups potatoes, diced
1 (16oz.) bag frozen mixed vegetables
2 cups cooked chopped chicken
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste

1 pie crust cooked according to package directions. Cooled and broken into pieces.

In a large pot combine chicken broth, potatoes, and frozen mixed vegetables; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender; add cooked chicken return to a simmer.
In a medium sauce pan over med-high heat melt butter; add flour; whisk until smooth cooking 1 minute. Slowly add milk and cook until mixture thickens. Add milk mixture to soup and simmer 15 minutes.
Serve in bowls with pie crust pieces.Pin It

13 Bean Turkey Chili

When I was shopping the other day I threw a bag of dried beans the kind that has 13 different types of beans in the bag into my shopping cart. I was thinking that I would make soup with the beans because I still have the ham bone leftover from Christmas in the freezer. Then my brain stated turning over recipes in my head. I asked Richard if he would like me to make bean soup or chili with the beans, he chose the chili.
Because you are using dried bean make sure you soak them over night then change your water and rinse the beans before cooking them, I also change the water and rinse them again after cooking them the first couple of hours because the water was dark.
This was the first time that I made chili from dried beans and if I do say so myself they turned out great.
I served my chili with Jalapeno Corn Bread.

13 Bean Turkey Chili
2 cups dried 13 bean mix
1 pound ground turkey
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 whole Jalapeno peppers, chopped
2 (4 oz.) cans diced green chilies
2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
1(15 oz.) can tomato sauce
4 cups water
4 chicken bouillon cubes
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder

Rinse and clean beans; soak overnight in water.

Drain beans; rinse. Add beans to a large stock pot; cover with water and cook 1 ½ to 2 hours, or until beans are tender. Drain water and rinse beans again. Return beans to stock pot.

In a large skillet brown ground turkey, onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons of oil; drain.

Add to stock pot with beans.Add the remaining ingredients

and simmer 2 hours or until beans are tender.

For mild chili remove the seeds before chopping the jalapeno peppers.Pin It

Lasagna Soup

You will love this interesting way to serve lasagna. I was thinking a few weeks ago about making lasagna and then I started wondering if there was a way to make it into a soup. So I went to the web and low and behold there it was lasagna soup. I kept telling my family and co-workers about this soup idea. My co-worker Lena wanted to know how I was going to make the soup, what was I going to put in it. I told her I wouldn’t know until I started cooking then I would write it down as I cooked. I knew I wanted the soup to be similar to my lasagna recipe, so with paper and pencil in hand I started cooking and this is the recipe I came up with I hope you enjoy it.

Lasagna Soup
1 pound Italian sausage, casing removed
1 onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 (14.5 oz) cans, diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
32 oz. chicken broth or (6 cups water and 6 bouillon cubes)
2 teaspoons Italian season
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 small box lasagna noodles, broken into pieces (about 10)
1 carton ricotta cheese
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

In a large stock crumble Italian sausage add onion and garlic; cook until sausage is browned and onions are tender. Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, Italian season and brown sugar bring to a boil;

 

add broken lasagna noodles

 and cook about 12 to 15 minutes or until noodles are tender.

In a small bowl combine, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese and parsley.

To serve ladle soup into soup bowls; top with ricotta cheese mixture and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

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Chicken and Pastry

Oh how I love this dish. Most people on the west coast have never even heard of chicken pastry. They have heard of dumpling but not pastry. When I was young I would watch my grandma Anne Mae Whitley roll out the dough on a big white sheet dusted with flour, then cut the dough into strips and drop them into hot broth. When I worked at the mall in Rocky Mount NC I would go to the K&W Cafeteria and eat a bowl for lunch. When Brandy was a little girl she asked me if I would make it for her wedding dinner when she got married. Out of everything that I cook for my family I believe that this is their favorite, the one that everyone wants to be home for.

Chicken and Pastry
1 3-4 pound whole chicken
6 to 8 water
4 bouillon cubes
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste

Place chicken in a large pot; cover with water; add bouillon and bring to a boil; cook chicken about an hour or until done. Remove chicken from pot; and cool.

Meanwhile prepare pastry; Sift flour into a large bowl; add ½ to ¾ cup of the broth from the pot to the flour and mix with a fork until a stiff dough forms. Place on a flour surface and knead slightly. Roll out on floured surface to ¼ inch (use more flour as needed it will help thicken the both); let rest. Debone the chicken; set aside.

Bring broth back to a boil. Cut pastry into strips and drop into boiling broth, stirring gently to cover all strips.

When all the strips are in the pot boil 10 minutes; return chicken to pot and boil 5 more minutes. Pepper to taste.

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Potato Ham and Cheese Soup

This is an easy great tasting soup; I have been making potato soup for years it happens to be one of family’s favorites. I make a few different versions of potato soup, but today I am giving you this version over time I will be sharing my other recipes. Make this on a cold winter’s day or if you happen to have some leftover ham and you don’t know what to do with it, like I did.

Potato Ham and Cheese Soup
6 cups potatoes, cubed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup carrots, sliced
1 cup ham, chopped
5 cups water
3 chicken bouillon cubes
½ teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste
2 tablespoons dried parsley
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

(You notice I left the skins on the potatoes I seldom peel them my family likes the skins to be left on)

In a large soup pot add potatoes, onion, ham, water, chicken bouillon, salt, pepper and parsley. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile; In a medium sauce pan melt butter over med-low heat, whisk in flour stirring constantly cook for 1 minute, slowly stir in milk; continue stirring until thick about 5 minutes; add cheese cook about a minute or until melted.

Slowly add milk cheese mixture to soup pot and stir until heated and well combined.

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Split Pea Ham Soup

There’s nothing like a good bowl of soup on a cold winter night. Split pea soup is a favorite in our house. I make it at least once a year when ever there is leftover ham in the house.

Split Pea Ham Soup

1 (16 oz.) bag dried split peas
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion; diced
1 cup carrots; diced
2 garlic cloves; minced
6 -7 cups water
1 cup ham; chopped
4 chicken bouillon cubes

Clean and rinse beans; drain and set aside. In a large pot sauté onion, carrots and garlic in oil; about 5 minutes or until onions are tender. Add water, peas, ham and bouillon; bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes; or until peas are tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.Pin It

String Bean Potato and Ham Soup and Cheddar Cheese Bread

Tonight for dinner we are having string bean, potato and ham soup. I took the leftover Parmesan Crusted Baked Potatoes and String Beans with Garlic and Mushrooms that we had for Christmas dinner added a few more ingredients and viola soup. Now what to serve with this great soup, I chose this cheddar cheese bread. My co-worker Shelly Higgins gave me the recipe; she has made it a few times over the last ten years, she wanted me to take a look at the recipe to see if I could make any changes. I did; I omitted a few things, added a few things; I hope this makes the bread more appealing to Shelly and her family.

String Bean Potato and Ham Soup

1 pound fresh string beans
1 pound new potatoes; cut into fourths
1 cup ham, diced
4 cups water
4 bouillon cubes
¼ cup flour
¼ cup parmesan cheese
1 ½ cups milk
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot bring string beans, potatoes, water and bouillon cubes to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
In small bowl mix together flour, cheese and milk with a fork until well blended; add to pot and cook about 5 to 10 minutes longer. Add salt and pepper to taste



Cheddar Cheese Bread
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup butter
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 cup milk
1 egg
Preheat oven to 350⁰F. Lightly grease a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan.
Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Using a pastry blender or two knifes, cut the butter into the flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Add the cheddar cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne pepper to the flour mixture in the bowl; toss with a fork until well blended.

In small bowl; combine milk and egg. Add to flour mixture all at once; stir with a fork just until all dry ingredients are moistened. Do not over mix.

Spread batter evenly into prepared loaf pan.

Bake in center of oven for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of bread comes out clean.
Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes on wire rack; before removing from pan. Brush with melted butter and serve.

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Chicken Tortilla Soup

I love a good bowl of soup on a cold rainy day. Chicken tortilla is one of my favorites. the Spicy combination of the soup mingling with the cheese and sour cream and the tortilla chips soaking it all up. YUM! This soup is so simple to throw together and it taste like you spent hours. I'm sure it will become a family favorite like it has been in mine.







Chicken Tortilla Soup
1 pound chicken breast
4-6 cups water
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1 can black beans, drained
1 can whole kernel corn
1 can diced green chile's
1 can diced tomatoes
1 package taco seasoning
In a large soup pot add water, chicken bouillon and chicken. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until chicken is done. Remove chicken from pot and shred return to pot and add the remaining ingredients and simmer 30 minutes. In large soup bowl top soup with crumbled tortilla chips, cheese and sour cream.

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Italian Sausage Soup

This soup is easy to make, and you can customize it any way you like. Add tortellini or your favorite pasta. The sausage gives this soup it's great flavor. Try it with a nice crusty bread on a cold winter night.

Italian Sausage Soup

1 pound Italian sausage

1 clove garlic, minced

2 (14 ounce) cans beef broth

1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian-style diced tomatoes

1 cup sliced carrots

1 (14.5 ounce) can great Northern beans

2 small zucchini, cubed

1 box frozen chopped spinach

salt and pepper to taste

In a stockpot or Dutch oven, brown sausage with garlic. Stir in broth, tomatoes and carrots and salt and pepper. Reduce heat and cover, and simmer 15 minutes.

Stir in beans with liquid and zucchini. Cover and simmer another 15 minutes, or until zucchini is tender.

Add spinach and return to a simmer for another 5 minutes.

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