Butternut squash soup

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

1 whole butternut squash, peeled and chopped

1 whole onion, chopped

1 quart chicken stock, (free range organic)

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp real salt

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

2 tablespoon coconut oil, organic

DIRECTIONS:

1. Saute chopped onion in coconut oil in a large pot

2. Add in cinnamon, nutmeg and salt

3. Add chopped butternut squash to pot, and pour in broth.

4. Boil the butternut squash in the broth until tender. (About 10-15 mins)

5. Puree soup in a food processor or high-speed blender until smooth.

6. Garnish with a sprinkling of cinnamon and chopped walnuts.

{ Homemade Mushroom Soup }

Homemade Mushroom Soup

Submitted by Mal

serves 2

(I recommend doubling, this barely serves 2)

2 cups mushrooms, cleaned and finely chopped 

(or if you don't want to finely chop the mushrooms, you can just add the entire soup to a blender at the end to soup-ify it)

1 Tb olive oil

3 cloves garlic

1 Tb butter

1 Tb chopped fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme

1-2 bay leaves

1 tsp worcestershire sauce

1 cup chicken stock

1 Tb flour dissolved in 1 Tb water

salt to taste

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup milk

dash of nutmeg

ground black pepper to taste

Heat olive oil.  Add butter and light saute garlic on medium heat until golden.  Add mushrooms, thyme, bay leaf and worcestershire sauce.  Cook over medium for 5 minutes, or until the moisture from the mushrooms disappears.  Add chicken broth, stir and reduce heat.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  Add diluted flour and stir constantly allowing the mixture to thicken.  Season with salt and nutmeg.  Add milk and cream, bring to a simmer and turn heat off.  Enjoy!

The Best Clam Chowder

Clam Chowder

1 cup chopped celery
2-3 cups chopped potatoes
1 large onion, chopped
3 chopped carrots
4 cans clams
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 quart half & half
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper


In a large saute pan, cook vegetables with clam juice for 15 minutes covered.
In a separate pan, melt butter. Whisk in flour while bubbly. Whisk in half & half. Cook and whisk until thick.
Once thick, add to vegetables (do not drain the clam juice).
Add salt and pepper.
Add clams at end, so they don't get tough.
Serve with bread bowls.

Chicken Corn Chowder & Olive Garden Dressing

Chicken Corn Chowder

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup thinly sliced or cooked chopped ham
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 (14-oz.) cans chicken broth
3 tablespoons flour
1 can corn
2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
4 oz. softened cream cheese
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Place olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute celery, bell pepper, onion and jalapeno until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and ham; cook for another 3 minutes. Whisk the broth with the flour in a liquid measuring cup or bowl and then stir into the soup. Stir in the corn and chicken. Bring to a low boil and reduce heat. Melt the cream cheese a little in the microwave and whisk together with the milk. Add the milk/cream cheese mixture to soup and add salt and pepper.

-and-

Olive Garden Salad Dressing

1/2 cup mayonaise
1/3 cup white vinegar
1 tsp olive oil
4 TB parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp parsley flakes
1 TB lemon juice
2 TB honey
1 clove garlic, minced

Mix all in a blender! And don't let the mayo fool you or scare you away. This doesn't make a creamy dressing. It really is just like the Olive Garden dressing. Yum Yum. Many recipes say to add more sugar but I think it is just perfect with the honey already added. But do as you wish.

-and-

Costco's sourdough bread. MMMMMM. I waited wayyyyy to long in line today just for two loafs of this.

Butternut Squash Soup

This is a easy and healthy recipe that Malorie got from her mother in-law. You will need a blender to make this! The hardest part of this recipe is cutting up the butternut squash! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 TBS olive oil

1 medium onion

1 medium butternut squash (cubed)

2 cups chicken broth

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ginger

dash of pepper

1-2 cups milk

Directions:

Saute olive oil and onion

Add cubed butternut squash and cook for 1 minute

Add all ingredients but milk and cook for 15 minutes

Blend and pour back in pot and add milk until warm

* This is great reheated, you can also freeze and reheat

Slow Cooker Taco Soup Recipe

I got this from http://blog.superhealthykids.com/ , I LOVE this website! Trying to eat healthy easy meals that my little one will eat! I have been making this for years but, here is the websites version! You can also cook this just on the stove top! I always add cheese and sour cream too :)

Ingredients:
1 lb. cooked and chopped meat of choice (chicken breasts, lean ground beef, or ground turkey)

28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes (or three cups of finely chopped fresh tomatoes)

2 cups frozen corn (or 1 can, 15 ounce corn)

2 cups black beans (or 1 can 15 ounce black beans)

2 cups red kidney beans (or 1, 15 ounce can)

1 envelope Ranch seasoning mix (Or use recipe below)

2 TBS Taco seasoning

1 small onion, chopped



Place all ingredients in a slow cooker, and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

To avoid the packaged Ranch seasoning mix, make your own . . .

1 teaspoon dried chives

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon dried dill weed

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Cream of Tomato Soup

I made this for Sunday dinner and it was soooo Yummy!!If you dont have a pressure cooker this is another reason to buy one!

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 6 minutes
Total Completion Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

3 medium onions, chopped
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 pounds fresh tomatoes, roma work great
salt and pepper

1 stick butter
1/2 cup wonder flour or Flour
4 cups half and half

Instructions

Saute onions, carrots, celery, and garlic in olive oil in pressure cooker. Add tomatoes, 1 tablespoon each of salt and pepper and water. Pressure for 6 minutes. Let Pressure down and remove lid. Using a stick blender or blender, puree contents of pressure cooker. Strain through a sieve into a large dish. In pressure cooker, melt butter and add flour. Toast flour slightly. Add half and half. Cook until thick. Add tomato mixture and whisk well. Enjoy.

{ Tortilla Soup }

Submitted by Chelsey

This was perfect for a cold rainy day, like today! I didn't add zucchini, but it would be good with or without it! Yummy!!

Ingredients:
2 TBS Olive Oil
1 Garlic clove(crushed)
1 Medium Onion (chopped)
8 cups water
2 TBS chicken Bouillon
3 cups salsa
1 cup cilantro(chopped)
3 small Italian zucchinis
4 cups Tortilla Chips (broken)
3 chicken breasts (cooked, cooled and diced)
*Sour cream, Cheddar cheese, tortilla chips and sliced avocado

Directions:
In a large pot add: olive oil, garlic clove, and onion and cook

Add water, chicken bouillon, salsa, cilantro and zucchinis and simmer for 30 minutes

Add 4 cups Tortilla chips and chicken and simmer for 10 minutes

Spoon into bowls and add sour cream, cheese, more chips and avocado slices on top

{ Roasted Garlic Tomatoe Soup }

Submitted by Chelsey
Recipe from book, ten things you need to eat

This is really yummy!!! I made this on a rainy day last week! This goes perfect with the cream biscuit recipe!!

Ingredients:
2 heads of garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1-26 ounce can diced or crushed tomatoes
2 bay leaves (instead I added 1 Tablespoon of basil leafs)
1 quart chicken or vegetable stock
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon sugar

Preheat the oven to 375F

Cut off very tops of garlic heads and place the heads on a double layer of aluminum foil. drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the garlic for about 30 minutes, until soft and the tops start to darken. set aside to cool.

Heat the remaining 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a 4-quart pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, partially covered, until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the bay leafs (or Basil), stock, salt and pepper to taste, and the sugar and then squeeze the roasted garlic pulp out of the skins into the soup. Bring the sauce to a simmer. reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer partially covered for another 30 minutes.
Remove the bay leafs and pour into a blender and puree the soup until smooth!!
Yummy enjoy!!

{ Yummy Vegetable Soup }

Submitted by Chelsey
From the Real Simple Cook book!!
makes 4 servings
Total time 40 minutes

This is the best vegetable soup! Make this with the cream biscuits on an earlier post by Mal!!



2 Tablespoons Olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3-14.5oz cans chicken broth
1/2 pound potatoes, chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1-14.5 oz can died tomatoes
1/4 pound green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces (I didn't put this in)
1 cup chopped broccoli
Grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook until softened but, not browned, about 5 minutes. Add broth, 1 cup water, the potatoes, thyme, and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover partially, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add tomatoes, beans, and broccoli, return to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Serve with Parmesan on top!