Cream Cheese Vegetable Soup

If you're looking for a little comfort food love on a cold winter night, check out this soup.  It's so rich and creamy and absolutely delicious!  You can mix up the veggies and throw in some meat if you want.  It's very versatile like that.  Grab a thick slice of homemade bread and you've got a perfect meal!

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves minced garlic
1 cup frozen corn
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
3 cups chicken broth
4 red potatoes, diced
1 cup milk
4 tablespoons flour
1 (8 oz. package) regular or light cream cheese
1 tsp paprika
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions
In a large pot, melt the butter and add the onion, garlic and carrots. Saute, stirring often for 3-4 minutes until the veggies are slightly tender and the onions are translucent. Add the chicken broth, frozen corn and potatoes. Bring the soup to a simmer, partially cover and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour and milk together until smooth, then whisk the mixture into the soup until well blended. Continue cooking and stirring over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until the soup begins to thicken slightly. Soften the cream cheese in the microwave until it is soft and easy to stir, then add to the soup by tablespoonfuls and whisk until the cream cheese melts and it’s smooth. Season with paprika, salt and pepper.

Source:  Whisked Away

Chicken Avocado Lime Soup

Living in the land of neverending snow and ice, I'm always on the look out for a good soup recipe.  There are so many heavy, creamy soups out there that make the perfect ending to any cold winter day.  Don't get me wrong, they are fabulous, but I wanted to find one that tasted amazing but was lighter on the calories.  And then I found this.  Oh, this soup is so perfect in every way.  The chicken broth is light and savory, the lime adds a little zip and the buttery avocados mix perfectly with the cilantro.  You can keep it light or, for a few more calories, add some optional toppings.  This soup is filling, light and full of flavor and is going to be enjoyed year round.

Ingredients
2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped green onions
2 cloves minced garlic
7 cups chicken broth
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 tsp ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
3 medium avocados, peeled, cored and diced
Optional toppings - tortilla chips, shredded cheese and sour cream

Directions
In a large pot heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add green onions and garlic and saute for a couple of minutes.  Add chicken broth, tomatoes, cumin, salt, pepper and shredded chicken.  Stir well and simmer for about 10 minutes.  Stir in cilantro and lime juice. Add avocados to soup just before serving (if you don't plan on serving the soup right away, I would recommend adding the avocados to each bowl individually, about 1/2 an avocado per serving). Serve with tortilla chips, cheese and sour cream, if desired.

As a Freezer Meal
Prepare as directed, leaving out the avocados.  Once it is cooled to room temperature, place in gallon sized, freezer ziploc bag.  When ready to use, thaw soup and reheat in a large pot.  Add in avocados before serving.

Source:  Cooking Classy

Cheese Tortellini Soup

Now that we are living in the land of ice and snow, I am keenly aware of the need for good soup recipes.  There is nothing like a big bowl of soup to warm a cold winter night.  I was talking recipes with one of my Michigan friends the other day and she mentioned this Cheese Tortellini Soup that is a staple at their house in the winter.  Well, when in Michigan, do and the Michiganders.  I asked her for the recipe and oh, wow.  This stuff is amazing!  It's loaded with vegetables and the cheese tortellini is a little bite of heaven on a spoon.  As a side note, I substituted yellow squash for the zucchini and it was great!  The family all gave it two spoons up as they licked their bowls clean.  I can totally do this winter thing now.

Ingredients:

1 TBSP olive oil 

2 medium carrots 

1 medium onion, 

chopped 1 stalk celery, sliced 

2 garlic cloves, minced 

1 tsp dried basil 

1/4 tsp black pepper 

3 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock 

28 ounces crushed tomatoes 

250 grams cheese tortellini 

1 cup zucchini

Directions:

1. in a pot heat oil, add carrots, onion, celery, garlic, basil and pepper. Cook on medium heat until vegetables start to soften.

2. Add vegetable stock and tomatoes, cook on high heat until you reach a boil.

3. Add tortellini and zucchini and reduce to medium heat until tortellini are tender but firm, about 10 minutes.

*Source:  Siri Powell

Tomato Bisque

Winter was a little slow in coming this year but it is most definitely here now!  I think the key ingredients in helping me survive this Michigan winter are going to be hot drinks and warm soup.  I could probably eat soup every night for the next four months and be a happy girl.  There are so many fabulous soups out there but if I had to pick just one to eat all winter long, I think this would be my pick.  I have always been a sucker for tomato soup.  I wasn't much of a cook when we first got married.  The only tomato soup I knew came in a can.  My taste, as well as my skills have come a long way.  And my family is grateful.  My sister Jamie gave me this recipe and she is a fabulous cook so I knew it would be amazing.  I made it right away and fell in love immediately.  The flavor of this tomato bisque is to-die-for amazing!  One bite will have you saying, "Wow, what did I just eat?!"  I have a few kids that aren't big tomato fans.  They weren't so sure when I first put this one on the table.  After one taste, they were convinced that all things tomatoes aren't bad after all.  Now when I have tomato soup on the menu they ask if it's the "good kind".  And then they get excited when I assure them that it is most definitely the "good kind".  Always and forever.  This is the only tomato soup I'll ever need in my life.  If you want a life changing soup experience too, give this baby a try.  And you will definitely want to make a Gourmet Grilled Cheese sandwich to go with it.

Ingredients:

6 T butter, divided
2 garlic cloves minced
1 1/2 t dill weed
1 t oregano
1 t basil
5 c canned crushed tomatoes
1 (6 oz can) tomato paste
4 c chicken stock or broth (2 cans)
2 T flour
2 t salt
1/2 t white pepper
4 t honey
1 1/4 c heavy cream
2/3 c half and half

Directions:

In a large pot, melt 4 T butter. Saute garlic, and herbs on medium low for about 1-2 minutes, until garlic is lightly browned. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, and chicken stock and heat to simmer. In a separate small saucepan, make a roux with the flour and remaining 2 T butter, whisking constantly over medium heat for 3 minutes, without browning. Add roux to soup, whisking to blend. Add salt and pepper. Bring to a boil to thicken, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to simmer, uncovered for 15 minutes. Add honey, cream, and half and half. 

As a Freezer Meal

Prepare soup as directed.  When cooled to room temperature, put in a gallon sized, freezer ziploc bag.  Store flat in the freezer.  When ready to use, thaw and reheat in a pot on the stove top.

Source:  Who Want's Dinner

Bacon Potato Chowder

There is nothing like a hot bowl of soup waiting for you at the end of a cold winter day.  When the kids see the potatoes boiling and smell the bacon cooking they get excited because they know we're making this Bacon Potato Chowder for dinner.  And everybody's happy!  Serve this thick, hearty chowder in a homemade soup bowl and you will have a crowd pleaser for sure!  I use this recipe for my bread dough.  One batch makes 4-5 soup bowls, depending on their size.  You won't mind those cold winter nights so much when you have this guy keeping you company.

Ingredients:
6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
3-4 red potatoes, cubed and boiled until slightly soft
1 cup sour cream
1/2 TBS dry onion
1 1/2 cup milk
1 can cream chicken soup
1/2 cup shredded cheese
8 oz whole kernel corn, drained
1 tsp salt
dash pepper
1/2 tsp paprika

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a pot.  Stir together.  Simmer on medium heat until heated through. stirring occasionally.  Serve hot.

*Source:  Jamie Young

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Years ago I was searching for a good chicken tortilla soup recipe.  It's one of my favorite soups!  I came across one that had a really good flavor but it didn't have enough substance to it.  I added in some corn, black beans and cilantro and BAM, that was it!  My go-to chicken tortilla soup had been found!  I've made this for potlucks and taken it to friends when they are sick or have had a baby.  It's always a hit and they usually ask for the recipe too.  Go cook up a pot of this goodness for dinner tonight and I'm betting it will put a smile on your face.

Ingredients:
3-4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 tsp minced garlic
4 cups chicken broth (or water and 4 bullion cubes)
3 cans corn, drained
4 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
2 TBS sugar
3 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp oregano

Directions:
Boil chicken breasts, then shred.  Combine all ingredients (including shredded chicken) and cook over medium heat until heated thoroughly.  Serve with tortilla chips, shredded cheese and sour cream.

As a Freezer Meal
Prepare soup as directed.  Do not add any toppings.  Once it is cooled to room temperature, place in gallon sized, freezer ziploc bag.  When ready to use, thaw soup and reheat in a large pot.  Serve with tortilla chips, shredded cheese and sour cream.