Anna's Creamy Tomato Soup

1/2 onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 (15 oz) containers of chicken broth

1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes

1 cup heavy cream

Coarse salt & pepper

20 leaves fresh basil for chiffonade garnish (optional)

Fresh tortellini from Costco ( cooked ahead of time)

Saute onions and garlic in olive oil. Add broth & tomatoes in medium saucepan over moderate heat. When soup bubbles, stir in heavy cream and reduce heat to low. Season w/ salt & pepper and simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. With an immersion blender, puree soup. Add tortellini (that has already been cooked). Serve bowls of soup with crusty bread and basil chiffonade as a topper.

Tortellini Soup

2 cans stewed tomatoes
1 carton Kitchen Basics chicken stock (it's the best brand - just use it, ok??).
3 carrots, chopped
2 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic
2+ tablespoons fresh basil (dried if you must - use less)
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 package frozen green beans
1 pkg refrigerated cheese tortellini
Parmesan cheese

Combine tomatoes, chicken stock, carrots, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, & basil in stock pot or crock pot until carrots are tender. Add green beans and tortellini and simmer for a few minutes until pasta is done. Serve immediately and garnish with parmesan cheese.

*Don't even think about buying cheap tortellini. They are the star of this dish, so get some good ones! You can use frozen, too. I think the refrigerated ones hold up a little better.

Taco Soup

1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 can corn
1 can black beans - undrained
1 can kidney beans - undrained
1 envelope ranch dressing mix
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 small onion, chopped

tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream - to top

Combine all (minus garnish) in crock pot and cook on low 4-6 hours. Garnish with toppings.

Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder

*From Melissa Lasly - Iowa City Wards Cookbook

3 skinless chicken breasts
1/2 c. chopped onion
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tablespoons butter
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 c. hot water
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 c (1 pt.) half and half
2 c (8 oz) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 can (16 oz) creamed corn
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies, undrained
1 tsp tobasco sauce
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
fresh cilantro to garnish

Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Brown chicken onion and garlic in butter until chicken is cooked through. Dissolve bouillon in hot water. Add to pan along with cumin; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add cream, cheese, corn, chilies, and tobasco. Cook until cheese is melted. Stir in tomatoes. Serve immediately; garnish with cilantro.

**I add white beans or hominy to make this a little heartier. Then it kinda becomes a white chili. Delish! Thanks Melissa!!!

Chicken Noodle Soup

Soup
1 carton Kitchen Basics chicken stock
1/2-1 carton water
4-5 chicken breasts
4 celery stalks, chopped
1 big onion, chopped
4-5 carrots, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 can cream of chicken soup
salt, pepper, basil- to taste (lots of all of it!)


Homemade noodles
1 cup flour
1 egg
milk to bind (2 egg-shells full)

1. In crock pot, put carton of chicken stock, veggies, and chicken breasts. Add up to a carton of water (or use another carton of chicken stock if you're rich like that!!). Cook on low for about 4 hours, or until chicken is done.

2. Make noodles (I double the recipe) . Combine flour, egg, and milk in mixer and knead a few minutes until the texture feels right (they'll be super thick and hard to roll out) . Roll out and cut into thin strips with pizza slicer.

3. Take out chicken. Add can of cream of chicken. Shred chicken and place back into soup with noodles. Cook another 20 minutes until noodles are done.

4. Eat




The noodles are bland by themselves, but OH SO YUMMY when they soak up delicious soup. You can add a tsp or two of herbs to the dough, if you're into that. And you can make them up to a few hours before and leave them out. They'll dry a bit, but that's cool. I think I actually prefer it that way.

Shout-out to my sister-in-law, Chrissy for the noodle part of the recipe!