Zesty and Tasty Minestrone

1/4 cup Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
1 cup chopped onions (about 1 medium)
1/2 cup chopped celery (about 1 stalk)
1/2 cup chopped carrots (about 1 medium) (or use some canned carrots)
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (19 oz) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 cans (14 oz each) vegetable broth or beef broth
2 cups water
1-3 teaspoons of Italian seasoning, according to taste
1 1/2 cups small shell macaroni, uncooked (I use a can of drained black beans instead)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Heat dressing in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add onions, celery and carrots; cook 2 minutes or until crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Spoon into slow cooker. Add tomatoes, beans, broth, water and Italian seasoning; sir. Cover with lid and simmer. Recipe says cook for 6 hours on low or 3 hours on high. I just generally simmer it 30 or 45 minutes on the stove. If you use the macaroni, add it last and simmer until it is just cooked. Sprinkle cheese on individual servings. Makes about 8 cups of soup.

Black Bean Soup (with pumpkin)

Serves 5

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (16 oz) pumpkin puree
1/2 cup onion chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups vegetable broth (I use 2 beef cubes and 4 cups water.)
1 tablespoon cumin (some people use just 1 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon each of salt, cinnamon, and allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (I just add it to my serving of soup--can use cider vinegar.)

Instructions:
1. Place oil, onion, garlic and seasonings into a large pot.
2. Cook on low-medium heat until browned.
3. Puree beans and tomatoes with half of the vegetable broth in an blender. Add pureed ingredients, pumpkin and rest of broth to your pot.
4. Simmer uncovered 30 to 45 minutes. Before serving, add balsamic vinegar--or shake
some on your individual serving. (Vinegar adds to flavor and I think cures gas problems with beans.)

Vegetable Beef Barley Soup

Annette Martindale

3/4 cup frozen green beans
2/3 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1 1/2 pounds beef stew meat
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1 large onion, chopped
2/3 cup uncooked barley
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cans (141/2 oz. each)beef broth
2 cans (141/2 oz. each) diced tomatoes with roasted garlic
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce

(Can add celery, zucchini and yellow squash)

1. Rinse green beans and corn with cold water to separate and partially thaw. Mix green beans, corn and remaining ingredients in 31/2 to 6-quart slow cooker.

2. Cover and cook on low heat setting 8 to 9 hours(or high heat setting 4 to 5 hours) or until vegetables and barley are tender.

Makes 10 servings

Minestrone Soup

Lorene Orgill

1 lb. mild bulk pork sausage
6 cups water
2 beef bouillon cubes
2 onions, chopped
2 large carrots, sliced
2 large celery ribs, diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can (28 oz.) tomatoes, pureed
2 cans (8 oz. each) tomato sauce
1 Tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon sweet basil, crushed
1 teaspoon leaf oregano, crushed
salt and pepper to taste
1 can kidney or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 can green beans, drained
1 cup macaroni noodle, uncooked

Brown sausage in heavy kettle; drain. Dissolve bouillon cubes in water. Add onions, carrots, celery, tomato sauce, parsley, garlic and seasonings. Simmer, covered, for 6 hours. Thirty minutes before serving time add beans, green beans and macaroni. Simmer until macaroni is tender.

Easy Chili

Lorene Orgill

l lb hamburger
1 onion, chopped
1/4 to 1/3 cup green pepper chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
3 cans S&W Chili beans
1 can Mexican Style stewed tomatoes chopped.
1 can tomato sauce
garlic granules or garlic salt to taste
salt and pepper to taste
4 teaspoons chili powder

Saute onion, green pepper and celery in oil in heavy sauce pan for about 5 minutes. Add hamburger, garlic, salt and pepper, and chili powder and cook until brown. Drain off liquid. Add rest of the ingredients and simmer for about 30 minutes. This recipe picks up flavor if refridgerated overnight.

Macaroni and Tomato Soup

Lorene Orgill

2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 lb hamburger (lean)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup diced green pepper
1 cup diced celery
1 can (10 1/2 oz.) tomato soup
1 can water
1 can (46 oz.) tamato juice
6 oz. macaroni, cooked (al dente)
Dash pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon sweet basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt or 1 clove chopped or minced garlic
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 to 2 bay leaves.

In heavy saucepan, melt butter; cook onion, green pepper, and celery until limp. Add hamburger. Continue cooking until hamburger is brown add garlic salt to taste or chopped garlic and salt to your liking. Add remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling. Turn down to simmer and cook 30 minutes longer. Makes 10 to 12 one-cup servings. (This is actually best if refridgerated overnight before eating.)

Cheese Chowder

Chalyce Siler

3/4 cup finely chopped onions
6 Tbsp butter or margarine
1 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups milk (2% or whole)
2 cans Campbells chicken broth and 2 cans water
3/4 cup finely diced carrots
3/4 cup finely diced celery
Dash each salt and paprika
2 lbs Kraft Old English processed cheese

Cook onion, carrots, and celery in 1 can chicken broth and 1 can water until tender. In a stock pot, melt butter. Blend in flour. Add vegetables with liquid and the other 1 can of chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add milk, salt and paprika; stir well and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat to low and add cheese. Stir until melted and well blended. Simmer 15 minutes. Serves 6 to 8 (large bowls full)

Portugese Soup

Merrily Hill

2 small onions, chopped 6 tablespoons oil
1 lb. polish sausage (or Kielbasa), sliced 6 cloves garlic, chopped fine
10 cups beef stock (5 cans) 1/4 cup vinegar
1 can kidney beans, undrained 16 ounces ketchup
1 small head green cabbage, cored and chopped 12 red potatoes (quartered

In a large skillet saute onions and garlic in oil. When onions are transparent add sausage slices and brown lightly. In a large stock pot combine all other ingredients. Add sausage/onion mixture to the pot. Bring to a boil, stirring often to keep the bottom of the pot from burning. Reduce heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Makes one gallon.

Potato Sausage Soup

Lorene Orgill

Ingredients:

1 lb ground Italian sausage (Jimmy Dean Italian is very tasty. I also use Hi-Grade Italian sausage)
½ to 1 ½ tsp. crushed red peppers
1 large onion diced
4 pieces bacon
2 to 3 cloves of garlic put through a garlic press or pureed
10 cups water
5 cubes of chicken bouillon
1 cup heavy cream
3 large russet potatoes quartered lengthwise then sliced widthwise in ¼ inch thick pieces.
2 cups kale or Swiss chard torn into pieces

1. Sautee bacon in large pot over medium heat. Remove bacon and add onion to bacon fat cook until tender then add garlic and cook for a couple of more minutes.
2. Mix together the bouillon and water, add to pot with onion and garlic.
3. Crumble bacon and add to pot
4. Bring liquid in pot to a boil and add potatoes and cook until potatoes are tender about 30 minutes.
5. While potatoes are cooking fry sausage in separate pan along with red pepper. Drain and set aside.
6. When potatoes are tender add cream to pot. Heat through.
7. Stir in sausage.
8. Stir in kale or Swiss chard just before serving.

Albondigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup)

Lorene Orgill

5 cups water
2 green peppers sliced
2 onions diced
3 carrots sliced
2 to 3 stocks celery sliced
1 - 14 1/2 ounce can whole tomatoes with juice
1 T. Chicken stock base
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder or minced garlic
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. Accent
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. white pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

For meatballs mix together:
1 lb. ground beef
1 cup cooked rice
1 T. dried parsley
1/4 tsp. garlic powder,
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp Accent
1/4 tsp. salt
dash of white pepper

Shape meat mixture into 1 inch balls. Add to soup and simmer for 20 minutes or until meatballs are fully cooked.

Oven Stew

Susan Sellick

1 lb. beef stew cubes (sprinkle with paprika, salt, papper and dry onion soup mix)

Carrots
Potatoes
Celery
2 cans cream of mushroom soup and one can water

Mix together in a large pan. Bake 275 deg. for 4 to 5 hours.

Sausage Soup

Susan Sellick

1/2 lb. Jimmy Dean's Hot Sausage -- brown and add:
1 can (15 oz.) diced Italian tomatoes
1 lb. frozen mixed veggies w/baby lima beans
1 cup cicken boullion
1 cup beef boullion

Simmer until veggies are desired tenderness. Skim off grease.