Izzy’s Black Bean Soup

In a food processor:

Chop: 1/2 cup White Onions
Chop 56 oz of Black Beans (rinsed) Chop until 1/2 beans are chopped

In a pot add:

Chopped Onions
Black Beans
32 oz of broth (Vegetable or Chicken)
2 Cups of Izzy's Salsa (or Chunky Salsa)
2 TBS Lime Juice
2 Cloves of Garlic/ Chopped (or 2 tsp of pre-chopped garlic)
1-2 TBS Frank's Hot Sauce (depending on how hot you like it)
1 TBS Salt
1tsp Cummin
1 tsp Corse Black Pepper

Mix it all up and bring to a boil. Turn down and simmer. For thicker soup, let it simmer for a while until it is where you like it!

Top with a spoonful of Sour Cream & Chopped Cilantro.

Enjoy!

Restaurant-Quality Baked Potato Soup

• 2 potatoes
• 3 tablespoons margarine
• 2 cups chopped white onion
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 1/2 cups instant mashed potato flakes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 8 ounces bacon - cooked and crumbled
• 2 green onions, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Bake potatoes for 1 hour, or until done. Set aside to cool.

2. Melt butter in a 3 quart saucepan over medium heat. Saute onions until tender and golden brown. Stir in flour, and cook 5 minutes to make a roux. Pour in chicken stock and water. Add cornstarch and mashed potato flakes. Season with salt, pepper, basil and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Remove the skin from the cooled potatoes, and discard. Dice the potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes, and stir into soup, along with the half-and-half. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until thick. Spoon into bowls, and garnish with shredded cheese, bacon and chopped green onion.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 504
Total Fat: 29.6g
Cholesterol: 70mg

Cheeseburger Soup

• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup shredded carrots
• 3/4 cup chopped celery
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3 cups chicken broth (or beef broth)
• 4 cups cubed potatoes
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups cubed Cheddar cheese (or velvetta)
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup sour cream

Directions

1. In a large pot, melt 1 tablespoon butter or margarine over medium heat: cook and stir vegetables and beef , until beef is brown.

2. Stir in basil and parsley. Add broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10-12 minutes.

3. Melt the remainder of butter and stir in flour. Add the milk, stirring until smooth.

4. Gradually add milk mixture to the soup, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Stir in cheese. When cheese is melted, add sour cream and heat through. Do not boil.

Chicken Stock

Ingredients

• 4 pounds chicken
• 7-10 cups water (cover chicken)
• 1 large onion, halved peel included
• 3 stalks celery
• 3 carrots, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• salt to taste

• Place the chicken in a large pot over high heat. Add water to cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 1 hour.

• Remove chicken from pot. Leave water in pot. Cool chicken. Remove skin and bones from meat. Return bones and skin to pot. Add onions, carrots, celery, bay leaf, ginger, and salt. Continue simmering for 3 to 4 hours.

• Strain and cool the stock, uncovered.

• Use the meat for soups, salads, sandwiches, or other dishes where cooked chicken is needed. After stock has been defatted, use or freeze immediately. I freeze the stock in one-cup amounts and use instead of water for cooking rice or vegetables or making gravy.

**Best chicken stock i have ever made! The smell of your chicken in the winter time is amazing. We put them in muffin pan's and freeze them. When they are frozen we pop them out and put them in a ziplock bag. They will stay fresh for 6 months and you can easily add them to other recipes.

You can add or take away ingredients depending on your tastes. Sometimes I add a leek to add flavor to the broth. All of the flavor of the stock is definatley from returning the bones to the pot.

***I also added a few whole peppercorns

Vegetable Broth

• 1 pound celery
• 1 1/2 pounds sweet onions
• 1 pound carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 pound tomatoes, cored
• 1 pound green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1/2 pound turnips, cubed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3 whole cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 whole black peppercorns
• 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 gallon water

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).

2. Remove leaves and tender inner parts of celery and set aside.

3. Toss onions, carrots, tomatoes, bell peppers and turnips with olive oil. Place vegetables in a roasting pan and place them in the 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) oven. Stir the vegetable every 15 minutes. Cook until all of the vegetables have browned and the onions start to caramelize, this will take over one hour.

4. Put the browned vegetables, celery, garlic, cloves, bay leaf, pepper corns, Italian parsley and water into a large stock pot. Bring to a full boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Cook uncovered until liquid is reduced by half.

5. Pour the broth through a colander, catching the broth in a large bowl or pot. The liquid caught in the bowl or pot is your vegetable broth it can be used immediately or stored for later use. Although the vegetables are no longer necessary for your broth they are delicious to eat hot or cold, don't waste them!

Super-Delicious Zuppa Toscana (Soup)

• 1 pound bulk mild Italian sausage
• 1 1/4 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 4 slices bacon,  crumble
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 5 (13.75 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 6 potato, thinly sliced
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 bunch fresh spinach, tough stems removed

• Cook the Italian sausage and red pepper flakes in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crumbly, browned, and no longer pink, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.

• Cook the bacon in the same Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain, leaving a few tablespoons of drippings with the bacon in the bottom of the Dutch oven. Stir in the onions and garlic; cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

• Pour the chicken broth into the Dutch oven with the bacon and onion mixture; bring to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes, and boil until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the heavy cream and the cooked sausage; heat through. Mix the spinach into the soup just before serving.

Calories: 555
Total Fat: 32.7g
Cholesterol: 99mg

Tips:  Use kale instead of spinach (the famous restaurant uses kale). I also added 1 teaspoon of fennel as I think that it is crucial to the flavor of the soup. My Italian sausage was hot enough without the added red pepper, also. Still, I think this recipe is pretty forgiving and you can add or subtract to your taste.
Instead of heavy cream I use milk with about 3 tbsp cornstarch.

This soup freezes great, too!
You can substitute cauliflower for the potatoes for a lower carb diet and it is just as delicious.

All-You-Can-Eat Soup Diet Basic Recipe

Our recipe for the Basic Soup yields such a large quantity -- to make sure you have enough to enjoy all week -- that it calls for a 12-quart stockpot for preparation. If you don't have one, not to worry -- the ingredients divide easily in half and the soup can be prepared in 2 large saucepans or Dutch ovens, depending on what you have in your kitchen cabinet.
 Nutritional Info:
Calories 45

Total Fat 1g
Saturated Fat 0
Cholesterol 0
Sodium 410mg
Total Carbohydrate 9g
Dietary Fiber 4g
Sugars --
Protein 2g
Calcium --

Yields: 28 cups
Total Time: 1 hr 10 min
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 50 min

Ingredients
• 1 pound(s) carrots , sliced

• 3 medium (1 1/2 pounds) onions, chopped
• 4 stalk(s) celery , sliced
• 2 large cloves garlic, crushed with press
• 2 can(s) (28 ounces each) whole tomatoes in juice
• 1/2 small (1-pound) head green cabbage , thinly sliced
• 3/4 pound(s) green beans , trimmed and each cut into thirds
• 1 can(s) (48-ounce) chicken broth
• 6 cup(s) water
• 1 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) ground black pepper
• 3 medium (1 1/4 pounds) zucchini, sliced into half-moons
• 2 bag(s) (6 ounces each) baby spinach leaves
________________________________________

Directions

1. Coat 12-quart stockpot (or 2 large saucepans) with nonstick cooking spray. Over medium-high heat, add carrots, onions, celery, and garlic; cook 8 minutes or until vegetables soften, stirring occasionally.

2. Add tomatoes with their liquid, breaking up tomatoes with side of spoon. Add cabbage, green beans, broth, water, salt, and pepper; heat to boiling over high heat, stirring occasionally.

3. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Increase heat to high; stir in zucchini and spinach and heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes or until all vegetables are tender.

Nutritional information is based on 1 cup of soup

Chicken Chili Stew

From: Paula Deen

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small jalapeno, seeds removed and chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
4 cups chicken broth
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed
2 cups salsa verde, store bought
12 ounces leftover roast chicken meat, skinned and shredded into large pieces
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 avocado, diced, for garnish
Sour cream, for garnish

Directions

Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, and jalapeno and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Add chili powder and season with salt.

Stir in the chicken broth, sweet potato, and salsa verde, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potato is just tender, about 10-12 minutes.

Stir in the shredded chicken and beans. Reduce heat to moderately low and simmer, covered, 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro at the end of cooking. Ladle into soup bowls and top with some diced avocado and a dollop of sour cream.

Paula’s Note: You can find Salsa Verde in the Latin Foods section of your grocery store.

Servings: 6
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 20 min
Difficulty: Easy

Roasted-Vegetable Stock

• 1 whole head garlic
• 4 carrots, cut into chunks
• 4 stalks celery, cut into chunks
• 3 onions, cut into chunks
• 1 green pepper, quartered
• 1 tomato, quartered
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 8 cups water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 2 bay leaves

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

2. Cut the top off the head of garlic. Arrange the garlic, carrots, celery, onion, pepper, and tomato on a large baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle the olive oil over the vegetables; season with salt and pepper.

3. Roast the vegetables in the preheated oven, turning every 20 minutes, until tender and browned, about 1 hour.

4. Combine the water, thyme, parsley, and bay leaves in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Squeeze the head of garlic into the stock pot, and discard the outer husk. Place the carrots, celery, onion, pepper, and tomato in the stock pot. Bring the water to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 1/2 hours; strain and cool.

Potato Soup

This hearty, creamy soup recipe from Montague's Texas-Style BBQ in Hermann, MO, is topped with crunchy bacon and sharp Cheddar cheese.


• 6 slice(s) bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 pound(s) (about 5 large) russet potatoes
• 3 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1 cup(s) sour cream
• 1/4 pound(s) (1 stick) butter
• 2 2/3 cup(s) whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) black pepper
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup(s) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
________________________________________

Directions

1. Cook the bacon pieces over medium heat in a medium skillet until crisp. Transfer bacon to paper toweling to drain and set aside. Peel, rinse, and cut the potatoes into thirds. Place them in a large pot with water to cover, add 2 teaspoons salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are very soft -- about 45 minutes. Drain the potatoes, discarding the water, and return them to the pot. Mash them with a potato masher until smooth. Add the sour cream and butter and stir until melted. Add the milk, pepper, and remaining salt and bring the soup back to a simmer. Divide among 8 bowls and serve the soup hot, garnished with scallions, cheese, and bacon.

Chili

Killer Chili

Ingredients:
• 1 (1 pound) package bacon

• 3 pounds ground beef
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups red wine
• 3 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
• 2 (14 ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 3 green bell peppers, chopped
• 4 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 (19 ounce) cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 (19 ounce) cans white beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (19 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 6 tablespoons chili powder
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup ground cumin
• 3 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons dried basil
• 2 tablespoons dried minced onion
• 3 tablespoons dried parsley
• 2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 4 teaspoons dried oregano
• 12 dashes hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco®)
• salt and ground black pepper to taste (optional)

Directions

1. Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate. Crumble and set aside.

2. Heat a large stock pot over medium-high heat and cook and stir the ground beef until the beef is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink. Drain and discard any excess grease. Stir in the bacon and minced garlic. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the red wine, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce.

3. Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the green bell peppers, celery, and chopped onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir onion mixture into the stock pot. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a near boil. Mix in the kidney beans, white beans, and black beans. Season with chili powder, brown sugar, cumin, paprika, Italian seasoning, vinegar, basil, dried minced onion, parsley, red pepper flakes, oregano, hot pepper sauce, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring often.


Award Winning Chili Con Carne

Ingredients:
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
• 2 beef bouillon cubes
• 2/3 cup red wine
• 2 (16 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, chopped, juice reserved
• garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 (12 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 12 drops hot pepper sauce (e.g. Tabasco™)
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 3 tablespoons corn meal
• 1/2 cup water

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook green pepper, and onion, until softened. Add the ground beef and cook until browned. Crumble over bouillon cubes, and stir in wine; continue to cook for a few minutes. Stir in chopped tomatoes, garlic, and tomato paste. Season with paprika, chili powder, cayenne pepper, basil, oregano, and parsley. Stir in salt and pepper.

2. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium low. Cover, and simmer for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Stir in kidney beans, and hot pepper sauce. You can add the reserved tomato juice if more liquid is needed. Continue to simmer for an additional 30 minutes.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, corn meal, and water until smooth. Stir into chili, and cook for a further 10 minutes, or until chili has thickened up.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

This tortilla soup tastes better than anything you can get at a restaurant. And it's healthy too! Don't let the long list of ingredients fool you. All you do is dump everything into the slow cooker and walk away. Garnish with grated Cheddar, avocadoes, cilantro, and a splash of fresh lime juice


Ingredients:
• 1 pound shredded, cooked chicken
• 1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
• 1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups water or chicken broth
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 7 corn tortillas or bag of prepared tortilla chips
• vegetable oil

Directions

1. Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

3. Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into strips, then spread on a baking sheet.

4. Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. To serve, sprinkle tortilla strips over soup.

** can place the chicken breasts in frozen and shred before serving

Beef Stew with Potatoes and Carrots

From: www.epicurious.com
Yield: Makes 12 servings


This full-bodied stew will bring the crowd running when you lift the lid. First, pieces of chuck are browned to develop their flavor, then they're braised in a red-wine beef broth. Adding the potatoes and carrots toward the end of cooking keeps their character and color bright.


For Braised Beef:

• 5 pounds boneless beef chuck (not lean), cut into 2-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 carrots, quartered
• 3 celery ribs, quartered
• 2 medium onions, quartered
• 1 head garlic, halved crosswise
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 (750-ml) bottle dry red wine (about 3 3/4 cups)
• 2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 3 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
• 3 cups water

For Potatoes and Carrots:

• 2 1/2 pounds small white boiling potatoes
• 1 1/2 pounds carrots

• Equipment: a wide 6-to 8-quart heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid

Chicken and Rice Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 boxes of chicken broth
• 1 cup of uncooked brown rice
• 1 cup of water
• 1 cup cooked, shredded chicken
• 1 1/2-2 cups of vegetables (I used celery, carrots, brocolli, cauliflower, a red bell pepper, and green onion)
• 1 t herbs de provence (sounds fancy)

• salt and pepper to taste after cooking

Directions:
using a food processer, blender or hand chopper, chop up all the vegetables into whatever sized pieces your family likes.

Dump all ingredients into your crockpot stoneware insert cook on low for as long as you can--the longer the better.

Beef Stew

From: Paula Deen ~ Food Network

Ingredients
• 2 pounds stew beef
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• 1 or 2 bay leaves
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• Dash ground allspice or ground cloves
• 3 large carrots, sliced
• 3 ribs celery, chopped
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions

Brown meat in hot oil. Add water, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, bay leaves, onion, salt, sugar, pepper, paprika, and allspice. Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours. Remove bay leaves and garlic clove. Add carrots and celery. Cover and cook 30 to 40 minutes longer. To thicken gravy, remove 2 cups hot liquid. Using a separate bowl, combine 1/4 cup water and cornstarch until smooth. Mix with a little hot liquid and return mixture to pot. Stir and cook until bubbly.

Chicken & White Bean Soup

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces, or shredded
• 3 cups Swanson® Chicken Broth • 1 cup Pace® Thick & Chunky Salsa
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 (16 ounce) can small white beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
• 1 large onion, chopped
Directions
1. Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until it's well browned, stirring often.

2. Stir the chicken, broth, salsa, garlic, cumin, beans, corn and onion in a 3 1/2-quart slow cooker. Add the chicken.

3. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours* or until the chicken is cooked through

Optional add in’s: extra salsa, green chiles, cayenne, top with cilantro, sour cream, jack cheese, tortilla chips


Keith Byrd's Version

4 chicken breasts. Boiled and shredded

1 medium onion. Chopped fine.
4 cans Great Northern White Beans
1 can of chopped green chilis (4 oz.)
2 cans of chicken broth. (May not use all of broth, depending on desired thickness).
1 tsp Cumin
2 tsp Oregano
Chili Powder (to taste)
***I also add some Chipotle Chili Pepper seasoning.
Little bit of Salt

Chicken Enchilada Chili

• 1 1/2 pounds chicken (boneless & skinless)
• 1 1/2 cups prepared enchilada sauce
• 2 chopped celery stalks
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans tomatoes with seasoning (your choice)
• 2 (15 oz) cans pinto or kidney beans, undrained
• 1 onion, diced (or 1 tablespoon dried, minced onion flakes)
• 1-2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin

Directions

Pour enchilada sauce and canned tomatoes into the bottom of a 6 quart slow cooker. Add beans, celery, onion and spices. Stir to combine. Place chicken on top.

Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or until flavors have combined. If you are using dried beans, you may need to cook longer to fully soften the beans. Since I was using the chicken quarters I got on sale, I fished out the chicken after about 4 hours, and removed the bones. I then stirred the chicken back into the pot.

Serve with shredded cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream, if desired.

Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo

• 1 pound(s) hot Italian sausage links, pricked several times with fork
• 3 tablespoon(s) vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• 1 medium green pepper, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 clove(s) garlic , finely chopped
• 2 medium stalks celery, chopped
• 1 can(s) (14 to 14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth
• 1 can(s) (14 1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes
• 1 cup(s) water
• 1 package(s) (10 ounces) frozen sliced okra, thawed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) dried thyme
• Salt
• 1 1/2 cup(s) regular long-grain white rice
• 1 1/2 pound(s) shelled and deveined shrimp, with tail part of shell left on if you like
______________________________________

Directions

1. Heat 6-quart Dutch oven on medium-high until hot. Add sausage links and cook 8 minutes or until well browned, turning frequently. Transfer sausages to plate to cool slightly, about 10 minutes. When cool, cut sausages into 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices.

2. While sausages cool, discard all but 1 tablespoon drippings from Dutch oven. Add oil to Dutch oven and heat on medium. (If your sausages are very lean and you do not get 1 tablespoon drippings, add enough additional oil to drippings to equal 1/4 cup fat total.) Gradually stir flour into drippings until blended, and cook 4 to 5 minutes or until flour mixture (roux) is deep brown, stirring constantly. Add green pepper, onion, celery, and garlic, and cook 5 to 6 minutes or until all vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.

3. Return sausages to Dutch oven; stir in broth, tomatoes, water, okra, bay leaf, oregano, thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; heat to boiling on high. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 30 minutes to blend flavors.

4. Meanwhile, prepare rice as label directs. In medium bowl, toss shrimp with 1/4 teaspoon salt.

5. Add shrimp to Dutch oven; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until opaque throughout.

6. To serve, discard bay leaf. Serve gumbo in large bowls. Top each serving with a scoop of rice. Makes about 10 cups.

Baked Potato Soup

• 4-5 baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds)
• 2/3 cup all purpose flour
• 6 cups of 2% reduced fat milk
• 3/4 cup reduced fat extra sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• Salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
• 1 cup reduced fat sour cream (I used non fat)
• 1/2 cup green onions, chopped

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Pierce the potatoes with a fork; bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Peel potatoes; coarsely mash. Discard skins

Lightly spoon the flour in a large Dutch oven; gradually add the milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 8 minutes). Add mashed potatoes, cheese, salt and pepper, stirring until cheese melts. Turn the heat to low. Stir in the sour cream and the green onions. Cook for 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated - DO NOT BOIL.

Toppings:

• 6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
• Green onions, chopped
• Cheddar cheese, shredded
• Sour cream with chives

Ladle soup into serving bowls and top with bacon crumbles, green onion and shredded cheddar cheese. Enjoy!

Corn and Fingerling Potato Chowder with Bacon

• 3 slices lean bacon
• 1 3/4 cups diced onion
• 4 cups fresh corn kernels (about 7 ears)
• 1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 16 oz fingerling potatoes, diced
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; crumble. Add onion to drippings in pan; cook 8 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add corn, chopped thyme, and garlic to pan; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in broth, milk, half-and-half, and potatoes; bring to a simmer. Cover and cook 20-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.

Transfer 2 cups potato mixture to a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth; return pureed mixture to pan. Stir in salt and black pepper; sprinkle with crumbled bacon. Enjoy