[charla]

I LOVE soup.

Charla’s Chicken Noodle Soup

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 TBSP olive oil
½ lg onion, diced
2 carrots, halved and sliced
2 celery ribs, sliced
1 lg garlic clove, minced
2 qts chicken broth
2 cups water
1 chicken bouillon cube (optional)
1 bay leaf
1 large lemon
Salt
4 oz whole grain spaghetti, broken into bite-size lengths
Shredded parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken breasts on a sheet pan and roast in the oven for 20 minutes or until juices run clear.

Meanwhile sauté onion, carrots, celery and garlic in olive oil until soft. Stir in chicken broth, water, chicken bouillon cube if using and bay leaf. Season with salt and juice of the lemon. Bring to a boil and add broken spaghetti. Cube chicken into bite-size pieces and add to soup. Gently boil until pasta is tender about 8-10 minutes. Discard bay leaf and adjust salt. Ladle into bowls and top each serving with shredded parmesan cheese.

Don't be afraid of the lemon in this recipe. It really brightens the flavor of the soup.

Charla’s Navy Bean Soup

1 1b navy beans, soaked either overnight or by quick method, drained and rinsed
1TBSP olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 TBSP canned diced jalapeños
6-8 slices of ham, diced
1 qt chicken broth
2 cups water
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bay leaf
1 tsp thyme
Shredded Parmesan cheese to top each serving

Sauté the onion, celery, carrot and garlic in the olive oil until soft. Add the chicken broth, water, navy beans, jalapeños and ham and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover tightly and simmer for 1 hour. Add salt, pepper, bay leaf, and thyme and continue to simmer, covered for another hour or more until beans are tender. Check the seasonings. Ladle into bowls and top with Parmesan cheese.

Charla's Cream of Tomato Soup

1 48 oz can tomato juice
4 TBSP butter
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1-2 cups milk for desired creaminess

Heat tomato juice, butter, salt and pepper over medium heat. When hot, reduce heat to low and add milk, stir and heat just until hot so milk doesn't curdle.

Charla's French Onion Soup

This is my version based on a recipe I found in a cookbook that I've had for years.

4 large onions, sliced
1/2 stick butter
2-3 cloves minced garlic - my addition
6 cups beef broth
dried thyme (1/2 tsp ?) - my addition
salt & pepper

Sauté onions in melted butter in a large pot on medium heat until they turn a deep brown color. Stir often. Sometimes it helps to put the lid on for a little bit at a time or add a little salt to the onions to help them break down. When the onions are almost done add the minced garlic to sauté for a couple minutes. Add the beef broth and seasonings and stir well. Bring to a boil, lower heat and let it simmer for about 30 minutes. You can ladle into bowls or crocks and top each serving with a French bread slice and parmesan plus other white cheeses - mozzarella, Swiss, etc. and then place under broiler to make it all melty and oozy.

Charla's Chili

1 lb ground beef
1 chopped onion
1 chopped green pepper
1 minced garlic clove

Brown meat and soften veggies in a large soup pot. When browned add:

1 can beef broth
1 can rotel
2 cans black beans, undrained
1 can pinto beans, undrained
1 can kidney beans, undrained
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 TBSP or more to taste chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp granulated garlic powder
1 tsp granulated onion powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Heat through. This is a soupy chili because that's the way I like it. Serve topped with shredded sharp cheddar cheese and crumbled tortilla chips.

---------- Post added at 09:56 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:48 AM ----------

Potato Soup

3 lbs potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
1/2 large onion, diced
2-3 celery ribs, diced
1 TBSP butter or olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 qt chicken broth
1 qt half and half (could use cream or milk)
Salt

Melt butter in soup pot over medium heat, add onion, celery and garlic and saute until softened. Add potatoes, broth and salt and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover. Simmer until potatoes are for tender. Add half and half and heat just until hot. Remove from heat and serve immediately. Be creative with toppers: shredded cheddar cheese, bacon bits, sliced green onion, pepper, croutons, sour cream, etc.