Barley & Lentil Soup

2 32 oz. boxes beef broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano leaves
4 large carrots, peeled & sliced
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 c. dried lentils
1/2 c. uncooked barley

Add all ingredients to a crock pot and cook on low 8-9 hours, or until tender.

Tortilla Stew

2 chicken breasts
2 c. water
1 tsp. Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 16 oz. can Mexican stewed tomatoes
1 4 oz. can green chiles
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cumin
tortilla chips
shredded cheese
sour cream

In a large pan, place chicken, water and bouillon. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and shred. Return to pan and add paprika, tomatoes, chiles, onion, chili powder, garlic powder & cumin. Simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Serve with chips, cheese & sour cream.

Chili

1 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can black beans, undrained
1 can pinto beans, undrained
1 can kidney beans, undrained
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1/8 - 1/4 c taco seasoning
1 c black olives, chopped (optional)

Brown the meat with the onion and seasoning. When cooked, add the remaining ingredients and heat through.

*Taco seasoning substitution:
1 tbl. cumin
1 tbl. paprika
1-2 tsp. chili powder

Sometimes, taco seasoning can be a little overwhelming. At least to me. ☺ Cumin has a nice smoky flavor and the paprika and chili powder give it just enough heat to have it still be palatable and not too hot for most kids.

Potato Chowder

1-1 1/2 c crumbled bacon bits (NOT the freeze dried, crunchy kind)
6-8 potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 c onion, chopped
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 or 2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 12 oz. can evaporated milk
1 c sour cream
1 can whole-kernel corn, drained
1/4 tsp. thyme
Salt and Pepper to taste

Boil the peeled and chopped potatoes until tender. Drain water. In a large pot, heat about 1 tbl. of olive oil. Saute onions until translucent. Add the bacon and garlic. Stir and saute for 1-2 minutes longer. Add the potatoes to the pan, stir. Add the remaining ingredients. (You might want to add a little extra milk if it's extremely thick.) Heat through.

Creamy Vegetable Soup

4 potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp. butter (I use olive oil. I prefer it because butter can sometimes scorch and go brown. A combination of 1 tbsp. butter and one tbsp. of olive oil would work well.)
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 16-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 tsp. Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
2 c water
1 12-oz. can evaporated milk
1/2 c sour cream (I use the homemade kind and this is optional. Add if you want to up the creamy factor.)
1 tbsp. butter (this in an additional tbsp. of it and is optional)

Combine bouillon, water, garlic and potatoes in a large pot and cook until the potatoes are tender. Pour in a food processor or blender, add 1 tbsp. of butter (optional) and blend until smooth. In a skillet, heat the butter (olive oil). Saute the carrots, pepper and onions until lightly browned and softened. Add the diced tomatoes to the vegetables. Return the potatoes to the pot. Stir in the vegetables, milk and sour cream. Heat through.

*Frozen corn or peas added when stirring the vegetables in with the potatoes would work well too.

Lentil Sausage Soup

1 pound lentils (1 bag)
1/4 c. olive oil, plus extra for serving
4 c. diced onion (3 large)
1 tbl. garlic, minced
1 tbl. kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tbl. thyme
1 tbl. ground cumin
3 c. medium diced celery (abt. 8 stalks)
3 c. medium diced carrots (abt. 4-6)
1/4 c. tomato paste
1 32 oz. box of chicken broth (you may want to add more if it seems really thick, or just add some water)
2 tbl. red wine vinegar
1 pound kielbasa, cut into chunks or 1 lb. ground Italian sausage
grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

*At times, I've also added 1 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes in addition to the tomato paste. If you feel like cleaning them, you can add 4 cups of chopped leeks, white and light green parts only, (abt. 2 leeks), but I never add them.

In a large bowl, cover the lentils with boiling water and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drain.

Brown and drain the kielbasa/sausage.

In a large stockpot over medium heat, heat the olive oil and saute the onions, leeks if desired, carrots and celery until tender/translucent. Add the garlic, salt, pepper, thyme and cumin. Saute for a few minutes longer. Add the chicken broth, tomato paste (diced tomatoes if wanted) and drained lentils. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, or until the lentils are cooked through and tender. Check the seasonings. Add where needed. Add the kielbasa/sausage and vinegar and simmer until they are hot. Serve drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese.