Allie's Gazpacho

John and I have a favorite lunch spot in Colorado Springs--Margarita at Pine Creek. We always always order their gazpacho (lunch includes soup, entree, and dessert!) and it is AMAZING. I tried the Pioneer Woman's recipe for gazpacho but we like this one from my neighbor the best. SO yummy. SO healthy. And such a great way to get your serving of veggies!

Allie's Gazpacho

1 medium cucumber, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 green pepper, coarsely chopped
1 red onion, coarsely chopped
4 roma tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped (add to boiling water for 3-4 minutes, remove, and skin will peel off easily)
28 oz can whole plum tomatoes, puree in food processor or blender (or use canned diced tomatoes)
1 small can chopped green chilies, undrained
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 cups V-8 juice (I used spicy hot but you can use regular or a mix of hot/regular)(start with one cup of V-8 and add more at the end to make thinner if desired)
2 tsp salt
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp hot sauce (optional)

Combine in large glass (not metal) bowl and stir well. Refrigerate for 2 hours for flavors to combine. Serve cold.

Shannan's Hearty Bean Soup

Hearty Bean Soup (from Shannan I)

1 tsp olive oil
1 each: medium carrot, onion, zucchini, all chopped
1 can condensed bean with bacon soup
1 can water
1 can (14.5oz) diced tomatoes with garlic and onion (undrained)

Saute onion and carrot five minutes. Stir in zucchini and saute one minute. Stir in soup, water, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Yield: 4 servings.

Tomato-Basil Soup

I took a standard recipe and tweaked it a bit! Delicious!

1 - 28 oz can whole tomatoes

1 - 14 oz can petite diced tomatoes

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 dozen basil leaves, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2-4 Tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp salt (I used more but didn't measure)

1/2 tsp pepper

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 stick butter

Puree the whole tomatoes in blender. Add everything (except cream and butter) to stock pot and simmer simmer 30-40 minutes. Add cream/butter and heat through. Serve. 

My Favorite Chicken Noodle Soup

From Southern Living (Feb/95)

Chicken Noodle Soup

3.5-4lb fryer

2 stalks celery, halved

1 large onion, quartered

1 carrot, scraped and halved

1 turnip, peeled and halved

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 1/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp tarragon

4 cups water

3 cups chicken broth

---------------------------

6 oz egg noodles, uncooked

1 large onion, chopped

2 carrots, scraped and sliced

2 stalks celery, sliced thin

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

dash of tarragon

Combine first 11 ingredients in a large Dutch oven and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat; cook for 1-2 hours until chicken is very tender.

Remove chicken, reserving broth. Let chicken cool, then chop meat.

Strain broth (wire strainer) into large bowl; discard cooked veggies. Skim fat from broth and return to Dutch oven.

Add chopped onion, celery, and carrots. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook noodles in broth until al dente. Stir in chopped cooked chicken, salt, pepper, and tarragon and cook until thoroughly heated. 

*The turnip gives this soup a wonderful flavor. I think I usually add more noodles and less tarragon.

Spaghetti Soup

Spaghetti soup is delicious!  I found the recipe on another blog and I'm so glad she shared it because it has become my new favorite.

Spaghetti Soup

1.5 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 c. each chopped onion, green pepper, carrots
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 c. water
2 14 oz. cans petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 jar spaghetti sauce 
1 T. sugar
1/2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. salt or 1/4 tsp. coarse Kosher salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 oz. dried spaghetti, broken into 2-in. pieces
fresh basil (optional)

Cook ground beef and all veggies over medium-high heat til browned and vegetables are tender.

Add rest of ingredients and bring to boil. Then reduce heat to boil very gently, uncovered, about 12-15 minutes or til pasta is tender.

Serve with a salad and bread.

*I forgot to buy a green pepper last time I made this and John and I both noticed it.  I won't forget next time because it adds GREAT flavor.  I also bought a different kind of spaghetti sauce than normal and it wasn't as good.  I like the Ragu chunky garden style...it adds more veggies and gives it a good flavor. 

Beef Stew

Love this recipe for stew!!!  John clipped it out of his Western Horseman magazine and tacked it on the fridge about a month ago. I made it yesterday and it was delicious!

Beef Stew

2-3 lbs stew meat

28 oz can stewed tomatoes, undrained

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

4 carrots, sliced

2-3 potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 onion, chopped

3 1/2 Tbsp flour

12 oz jar brown gravy

1/4 tsp thyme

1/4 tsp rosemary

1 bay leaf

frozen peas (about 1/2 of 10 oz package)

frozen corn (about 1/2 of 10 oz package)

frozen green beans (10 oz package)

water or beef broth

salt and pepper to taste

Brown meat (sear) in pan.  Add all ingredients except gravy to Dutch oven or crockpot. Mix thoroughly.  Cover and cook on low heat for about 4 hours (6-8 in crockpot), stirring occasionally and adding water if necessary to desired consistency.  Remove bay leaf, add gravy and simmer for another hour.  Serve with hot cornbread.  Mmmmmmm...

Stuffed Green Pepper Soup

This recipe is from my friend, Leah. She had this soup at The Mason Jar restaurant while in Colorado Springs, and liked it so much she asked for the recipe. Surprisingly, they gave it to her! I made it a couple of weeks ago and it was very, very good. I love soup in the fall and winter, and this recipe is a keeper!

Stuffed Green Pepper Soup

2 lbs ground beef
2 quarts water
1 can (28 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes (undrained)
2 c. white rice
2 c. chopped green peppers
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
2 t. salt
1 t. pepper
2 t. beef bouillon

In a large pan, season beef with salt and pepper and cook until no longer pink. Drain beef and add remaining ingredients and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until peppers are tender. Enjoy!

**I thought the sugar sounded weird, but I didn't notice it and it definitely didn't make this soup taste sweet. I don't like sweet soups!!!

**Next time, I'll add the rice just before serving to keep it firm. Mine was a bit overcooked.

White Chicken Chili

This is our most favorite soup EVER! We have it once every couple of weeks and we never ever get tired of it. It is delicious!!!

White Chicken Chili

1 tablespoon of oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 Tablespoon cumin
3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
2 cans navy beans, drained
1 cup frozen white corn, or 1 can white corn
1/2 can of cream corn (freeze the other half for next time)
4oz can of chopped green chiles
2 cups of chicken broth
1/2-1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 can petite diced tomatoes
3 or 4 tablespoons salsa verde

Garnishes:
Sour cream
chopped cilantro (A MUST)
shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
tortilla chips.

Saute onion, and garlic in hot oil in a large stock pot until tender. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Simmer over low heat for 30-60 minutes.

Confetti Chowder

So yummy, and so full of veggies. My kids like this soup a lot, and the cheese sorta disguises all those vegetables! A skillet of cornbread goes great wtih this!!

Confetti Chowder

3 Tbsp butter
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced or shredded zucchini
1 cup broccoli florets
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp sugar
3 cups milk, warmed
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup diced ham
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup shredded cheddar OR 1lb Velveeta OR a mix of the two

Melt butter in stock pot. Add carrots, zucchini, broccoli, onion, and celery. Saute until crisp-tender. Sprinkle next 4 ingredients over veggies, mix well to coat. Immediately add milk and broth. Stir until thick and bubbly. Add all remaining ingredients. Stir until cheese is melted. Serve immediately. Makes 2 quarts.

**I sometimes decrease the milk to 2 cups, and increase broth to 2 cups. You can use any combination really, just as long as you end up with 4 cups of liquid.

Taco Soup

This is one of my favorite recipes from my friend Joan in Arkansas. I've modified it a tiny bit, but I think of her every time I make this!

Taco Soup

2 lbs. lean ground been, browned and drained
1 large onion, chopped (brown with the ground beef)
1 28 oz can whole tomatoes (puree in blender)
1 can mild Rotel
1 package taco seasoning
1 package HVR seasoning
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
2-3 cups water

Mix all ingredients together. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips, shredded cheddar, sour cream and sliced avacado. YUM!

Mer's Potato Soup

Mer's Potato Soup

4-5 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 onion, chopped
2-3 stalks celery, chopped fine
1 cup sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup *
salt and pepper to taste
1/4-1/2 stick of butter
1/4 lb Velveeta
2-3 cups milk
sharp cheddar cheese-shredded
chopped, cooked bacon or bacon bits

Boil potatoes with salt, pepper, and celery until potatoes are tender. Drain all but about 1/2 cup of the water the potatoes were boiled in. Add cubed Velveeta and butter and stir until melted. In small bowl, mix sour cream, chicken soup, and 2 cups milk. Pour over potatos and stir well to blend. Season with more salt and pepper. Add more milk if soup is too thick. Heat through and serve with shredded cheddar and bacon bits.

*Lately, I haven't been using the cream of chicken soup. It tastes fine without it...

Lentil and Sausage Soup

Lentil and Sausage Soup

1 14oz cans chicken broth
1.5 cups water
1 cup lentils, rinsed and drained
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup sliced carrot
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/8 tsp cayenne
2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
6 oz cooked smoked sausage links, sliced

In a large saucepan, combine broth, water, lentils, celery, carrot, onion, dried thyme, cayenne, and garlic. Bring to a boil, reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 20-25 minutes or until lentils and veggies are tender. Stir in sausage. Heat through and serve.

I double this for my family, and we have enough for leftovers.