Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

So I really need to get a good camera so that my pictures actually make the food look good, not to mention more professional. My iPhone camera will have to do for now. Plus I probably should learn how to present my food better too; all in due time I hope. Anyway, this soup is one of my favorites, I crave it often! I got this recipe from my best friend Katie, who I believe got it from her sister, so thanks Sarah!  

Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 cans Cream of Chicken soup
• 2 cans Chicken Broth
• 1/2-3/4 can water
• 1 box Rice-a-Roni Long Grain & Wild Rice, cooked
• 1 packet dry Chicken Noodle Soup mix
• Shredded chicken (amount is to your liking--I used about 2-3 chicken breasts)

Directions:

1. Once rice and chicken is cooked (and shredded), combine all ingredients in a pot on the stove and heat until warm throughout. 

Easy as that!

Grandma Noodles

So this dish may seem a little different but it is comfort food! My grandma was the one who started this recipe and she would make homemade noodles and all. She would make this every General Conference and we absolutely loved it, its a tradition that is still kept today. Andrew likes to think of it as chicken noodle soup with mashed potatoes instead of potato chunks. 

Grandma Noodles

Ingredients:

• 8-10 oz egg noodles
• 3 cans chicken broth
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes
• 4-5 potatoes
• 2 chicken breasts, shredded

Directions:

1. Boil chicken breasts, until cooked all the way through. Shred with fork or in food processor with spade blade. 
2. Meanwhile peel and boil potatoes. Once tender, drain and return to pot. Add butter and milk to potatoes and mash. Set aside. 
3. Add bouillon cubes to chicken broth and heat in pot. Add egg noddles to broth and cook till soft. Add in shredded chicken.
4. Scoop potatoes in bowl and add noodles and broth over potatoes. Enjoy!

Lasagna Soup

So this soup turned out great! I was looking for a low-cal meal and I found this. It was delicious and new; Andrew and I loved it. According to the Dean Bros this soup is only 225 calories for 1 Cup. Thanks Dean Bros for the great recipe! If you want to add a spice kick to your soup, use tomato sauce that comes with diced green chilies, that is what I used and I liked it (surprisingly!). 

Lasagna Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (32-ounce) container chicken broth
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce (optional: w/ diced green chilies)
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces broken whole-wheat lasagna noodles (about 4-5 noodles)
• 2 tablespoons dried basil
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 Cup reduced-fat shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick sauce pot. Add in beef, onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally, until beef is browned, 8-10 mins. 
2. Add the broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer. Stirring occasionally for 20 minutes. 
3. Add the noodles, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until soup thickens and noodles are tender, ~15 minutes. 
4. Remove from heat, stir in mozzarella, basil, and Parmesan. 

Source: Adapted from the Deen Bros.

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

This soup recipe comes from Favorites cookbook by the Ivory family. I love this cookbook, if you don't already have it I would consider getting it because it has the best recipes; it's one of my "favorites" for sure! Anyway, I thought I would try another tomato soup recipe on another cold winter day. It turned out surprisingly good; I say surprisingly because while I was cooking I wasn't so sure it would turn out so great. My Easy Tomato Soup has more of a sour taste to it and this tomato soup is more sweet and requires a little more work; both pretty good though. 

Saute onion and garlic in butter until soft.

Add in tomato soup and cream cheese.

Whisk until everything is incorporated.

The soup isn't looking to great at this point, does it? 

Add in whole tomatoes.

Puree soup in blender until smooth (I left some chunks in mine). Return to pan.

Add milk and basil into soup.

Gently warm over low heat.

Enjoy!

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 (10 3/4 oz) cans condensed tomato soup
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans whole tomatoes, undrained
• 1 C milk
• 1/4 C fresh basil

Directions:

1. Using a large saucepan, saute onion and garlic in butter over medium heat until soft.
2. Add cream cheese and tomato soup. Whisk together until cream cheese and tomato soup is well incorporated. 
3. Add whole tomatoes and their juices.
4. Puree soup mixture in blender (do it in batches if needed), return to pan.
5. Add milk and basil. Warm through over low heat. Serve.

Mexican Corn Chowder

I have to start off by saying that I Love This Soup! It turned out better than I could have imagined! It almost tastes like a taco soup but with chicken and a white sauce. The blog where I found it, Joyful Mammas Kitchen, suggests another name for is: White Chicken Chili. Anyway, this soup is delicious, gluten free, and quick; it takes less than 30 minutes! You have to try it! 

Cook chopped onion and chicken in butter. 

Once chicken is cooked add garlic and cook for a minute. Then add hot water, bullion cubes, and cumin. 

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. 

Now combine half & half, cheese, creamed corn, & chilies. Stir until cheese in melted.

Add in fresh chopped tomato before serving. 

Blend tomato into soup. 

Mexican Corn Chowder

Ingredients:

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cubed (I cut up and used 6 tenderloins)
• 1/2 C chopped yellow onion
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 C hot water
• 2 chicken bullion cubes
• 1 Tsp ground cumin
• 1 C half & half cream
• 1 C shredded Monterey jack cheese
• 14 oz can creamed corn
• 4 oz can chopped green chilies
• 1 medium tomato, chopped

Directions:

1. In large pot, brown chicken and onion in butter until chicken is no longer pink. 
2. Add garlic and cook for a minute longer. Stir in hot water, bullion cubes (or 1 C chicken broth), and cumin. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the half & half, cheese, corn, and chilies. Cook and stir over low heat until cheese is melted. Stir in tomato and serve. 

Easy Tomato Soup

First post...here we go! 
There isn't much that makes me happier than cooking a meal that turns out great and when that cooking only requires 5 ingredients and a crockpot then life cant get much better than that! Thanks to my best friend and roommate in college for introducing this to me, makes a great winter meal. We ate it together multiple times back in our "no time to cook" college days . 

This recipe for tomato soup is so easy and especially good when accompanied with grilled cheese sandwiches, another favorite of mine. 

Easy Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 jar Classico tomato basil sauce
• 1 16oz can diced tomatoes (blend in blender)
• 4 tsp garlic salt
• 2 tsp basil
• Pint of half and half

       Directions:
      Combine all ingredients except half and half in the crockpot on low.  Ready within an hour but I usually put mine in the crockpot for the day.

Before serving add a pint of half and half. 

Easy as 1, 2, 3! Enjoy!