Clam Chowder

4 slices bacon

½ cup chopped onion (optional - I made this for my dad, who can't eat onions, and it was great)

½ cup diced celery

½ cup diced or grated carrot

2 cups peeled, diced potatoes

4 (6.5 oz) cans minced clams

1 bottle clam juice

½ cup butter

½ cup flour

1 quart half-and-half

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 ½ teaspoons salt

ground black pepper, to taste

Pinch of thyme

1.     Brown the bacon in a large saucepan. Remove cooked bacon and set aside (add with clams later). In bacon fat, sauté onion, celery and carrot until soft. Add potatoes and clam juice (including the juice from the minced clams). Simmer until potatoes are tender.

2.     In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Whisk in half-and-half and stir constantly until well-blended and slightly thickened. Add flour mixture to vegetables and stir well.

3.     Just before serving, stir in clams and cooked bacon (chopped). Stir in vinegar and seasonings.

Three Sisters Soup

I adapted a recipe from a soup exchange at church. It came from Sister Cathy Bowen, who is our Michigan Grandma. She told us that Native Americans called corn, beans, and squash the Three Sisters, using them often in their diet. If you haven't tried hominy before, it is dried corn treated with alkali and rehydrated. The texture is chewy and the corn flavor is milder. It is usually in the Hispanic section of the grocery store. From Sister Bowen's original recipe I added chicken and spice and pureed the potatoes and squash. My husband added cheese to his soup and thought it was perfect, I liked mine without. Excellent with Indian Fry Bread.

Three Sisters Soup

2 C peeled and cubed butternut squash

2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/4 C onion, chopped
6 C chicken stock
3 Tb butter
3 Tb flour
1 C milk

1 29 oz can hominy, drained

2 C fresh or frozen grean beans, trimmed and cut into bite size pieces
2 chicken breasts
cumin, salt and pepper to taste
shredded cheese (optional)

Bring chicken stock to a boil in large stock pot, add squash, potatoes and onion and simmer until soft. Meanwhile, season chicken liberally with cumin and salt on each side and grill or fry in oiled pan until just cooked through. Let rest. Puree stock and veggies in blender until smooth. Leave in blender while making rue. Add butter and flour to stock pot over medium heat and whisk until smooth. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly. Then slowly add stock mixture, whisking to avoid lumps. Bring back to simmer. Add hominy and green beans and let simmer for a few minutes while you shred the chicken breasts. Add chicken to soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add cheese to individual servings, if desired.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I modified this recipe from one I got in Arizona at Dinners Done Right. It's a big hit in our family. There are only three bean-eaters in our house, but they blend into this recipe so well, no one notices them (the beans, not the bean-eaters, of course). I use mild ingredients to accommodate my family's tastebuds; you can spice this up if you'd like!

1 cup refried beans
1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes in puree
1/4 cup green taco sauce
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups cubed cooked chicken or turkey
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced

Combine all ingredients and place them in a medium to large slow cooker. Cook on high for 3 hours, or on low for 6 hours, or until heated through.

Garnishes:

Tortilla chips or Fritos
Shredded cheese
Chopped fresh cilantro
Sour cream
Lime wedges

Zuppa Toscana

A friend of mine is a huge fan of Olive Garden soups. A friend of hers sent this recipe, and then she shared it on her blog, and now I'm sharing because it was DELICIOUS!

Zuppa Toscana
1 lb ground Italian Sausage
1 1/2 tsp crushed red peppers
1 large diced onion
4 TBS bacon pieces
2 tsp garlic puree
10c. water
5 cubes chicken bouillion
1c. heavy cream
1 lb sliced russet potatoes (about 3 large potatoes)
1/4 bunch kale

brown sausage and red pepper. Drain fat and set aside. In same pan, saute oion, bacon and garlic until onions are soft. Add water and bollion. Bring to a boild and add potatoes. Cook until soft (about 30 minutes). Add cream, sausage and kale. Cook until heated through and serve.

I did the recipe a little different. I did 4 very large potatoes, and chunked them not sliced. I did about 3/4 bunch of kale and I used half and half instead of heavy cream. And I did about 6 TBS of bacon. It turned out fabulous! I will definitely be making this recipe again!

MORE PUMPKIN!

We were served this tasty stew by a vegetarian friend, SusanAnn. After she prepared the stew, she served it in a hollowed-out pumpkin! It's a fairly easy recipe and very hearty. The recipe here is the original given to me by SusanAnn, however, I substitute chopped celery for the onion and cut back on the garlic to only 1 clove. I like to sprinkle fresh ground nutmeg on top and serve it with hot homemade bread! MMMMM!

SAVORY PUMPKIN STEW

1 onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. vegetable oil (I use olive oil)
3 cups peeled, seeded and chopped pumpkin
2 potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 T. whole-wheat flour (I'm not particular about the flour, either)
2 cups vegetable broth or water (I use chicken broth)
1 t. prepared mustard
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 T. apple cider vinegar
1 T. sugar
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen corn
1 t. salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Saute onion and garlic in oil until transparent, about 4 minutes. Add pumpkin and potatoes and cook, stiring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Stir in flour until dissolved. Add vegetable broth or water, 1 cup at a time. Stir in mustard, cinnamon and vinegar. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, over medium-low heat for 30 minutes, or until sauce is thick and vegetables are tender. Add peas and corn and cook 5 minutes more. Serves 4.

Simple Crockpot Chili

2 lbs ground beef (browned and drained)
1/2 cup dried minced onion or 1 large onion chopped
1 large can (28 oz) diced tomatoes with liquid
2 cans (8 oz ea) tomato puree
1 can (16 oz) kidney beans with liquid
1 can (4 oz) diced green chilis with liquid
1 cup water
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Combine all ingredients in a greased 4-1/2-6 quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat 2-3 hours or on low heat for 4-6 hours. Serve in breadbowls. Makes 6-8 servings. Add sour cream, cheese, chives or whatever you want on top. Add more chili powder for more hotness.

White Chicken Chili

I share this recipe any time I get one of those recipe exchange things. Everyone seems to like it-- including my kids-- and it is really healthy. Chips and salsa make a perfect side dish!

White Chicken Chili:
2 Chicken breasts(add more if desired)
1/2 onion, chopped
Juice of 1/2 lime (optional)
1 14 oz can chicken broth
1 15 oz can white beans (drained)
1 15 oz can pinto beans (drained)
1 4 oz can diced green chiles
1/2 cup frozen white corn
Salt & Pepper

Garnish:
tomatoes
sour cream
cheese
Chips & Salsa

Cook and shred chicken breasts, place in a large pot. Sautee onion over medium heat, add to pot. Add chicken broth, lime juice, beans, chiles and corn. Over medium-high heat, bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer for 15-20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, serve with garnishments.