Chicken and Potato Florentine Soup

This is a popular soup at Olive Garden and this is a pretty close copy-cat recipe. We actually made it with leftover turkey. Makes a FULL crockpot!

Ingredients:

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
32 ounces chicken broth
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon italian seasoning
1 tablespoon instant minced onion
2 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with juice
2 (28 ounce) cans water
2 (15 ounce) cans great northern beans, drained
10 ounces shredded carrots
6 medium sliced potatoes, peeled
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/4 tablespoon black pepper
1/2 tablespoon italian seasoning
1/2 tablespoon instant minced onion
1/2 tablespoon paprika
5 ounces fresh spinach, chopped
8 ounces cream cheese
8 ounces grated mozzarella cheese

Directions:

- Simmer first 6 ingredients until chicken breasts are tender; remove meat and let cool; drain the solids from the broth and put clear liquid back into the soup pot; chop up chicken into bite size chunks and put back into the broth.

- Add next 10 ingredients to the soup pot and simmer for 45-60 minutes. The potatoes should be fork tender but not mushy.

- Add the fresh spinach and stir; let it wilt into the soup for about 5 minutes.

- Add the cream cheese and the grated mozzarella to the soup pot. Stir frequently until the cheese melts. Be careful that it does not stick to the bottom.

- Ladle into bowls; serve with crusty bread.

 

Tips from a Kitchen of Reality:

- We made this in the crockpot and cooked it all day.

- Added the beans without about an hour left and the spinach about 5 minutes before serving.

- Instead of mixing in the mozzarella cheese we just topped the soup with it.

*** Original Recipe from: www.food.com***

Chicken~Mushroom and Rice Soup

2 large cans chicken
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 cans chicken broth
2 cups instant rice
2 tsp salt
2 tsp butter
4 cups water
2 Tbsp parsley (or chives or both)
2 cups half & half

Cook everything but half & half until rice is tender. Add half & half and heat through.

Tips:

• I do this in a crockpot for around 4 hours.


• I use "real" chicken instead of the canned.


• It's a wonderful way to use leftover poultry.


• When I do this at home I use low fat versions of the soup and cream. Still yummy!


• I've taken this to potlucks and family gatherings and it's always a hit!

Chicken Enchilada Soup

Got this recipe from Real Mom Kitchen blog, but of course I altered the recipe. :)
It's perfect soup weather!!

Ingredients:
1 small can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 small can diced tomatoes
1 10-ounce package frozen whole kernel corn
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped yellow, green, or red bell pepper
1 10-ounce can enchilada sauce
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup shredded Pepper jack cheese
2 chicken breasts (cooked and cubed) or 1 large can of chicken

Directions:
In crock pot, combine all ingredients and cook for 3 to 4 hours on low. Top with pepper jack cheese and serve. Can also be topped with avocado, sour cream, or crushed tortilla chips.

Tips from a Kitchen of Reality:
- I left out the onion, used canned chicken, and HOT enchilada sauce.
- Great EASY recipe... ENJOY!

Fiesta Chicken Corn Chowder

Another crock pot recipe for you. Great for a cold day!

Ingredients
1 can chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of potato soup
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups cubed chicken
1 can Mexicorn
1 jar sliced mushrooms, drained
1 can chopped green chilies
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Dump all ingredients, except cheese, into a crock pot and simmer until hot. Add cheese about 10 minutes before serving and stir well.

Tips from a Kitchen of Reality
- This recipe can be made on the stovetop but I love to throw it all in the crockpot and leave it awhile.
- I love the mushrooms, so I use two cans.
- Although I've made this with "real" chicken, I often times make it with canned chicken. It works fine either way.

Egg Drop Soup

I love egg drop soup and now know why it is so cheap to buy at the Chinese restaurant! This recipe worked great.

Ingredients:
4 cups chicken broth, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 eggs
1 egg yolk

Directions:
- Reserve 3/4 cup of chicken broth, and pour the rest into a large saucepan.
- Stir the salt and chives into the saucepan, and bring to a rolling boil.
- In a cup or small bowl, stir together the remaining broth and cornstarch until smooth.
- Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolk together using a fork.
- Drizzle egg a little at a time from the fork into the boiling broth mixture.
- Egg should cook immediately.
- Once the eggs have been dropped, stir in the cornstarch mixture gradually until the soup is the desired consistency.

Tips from a Kitchen of Reality:
- Be careful, you'll want to whisk or stir the soup when you drop in the eggs, DON'T! There is a reason it is called egg DROP soup.
- We added pepper to ours to enhance the flavor.

Potato Soup

Here is another easy crock pot soup, it is so easy and yummy!

4 cups diced potatoes
1/2 onion diced (or amount to your liking)
Combine potatoes and onions in saucepan, cover with water and cook until tender. Leave water on them.

In crock pot mix the following ingredients:
1 can cream of celery soup
2 cups skim milk (you can use any kind of milk, skim just makes it less fat)
1/4 lb. Velveeta cheese, cubed
1/2 tsp. garlic salt (I used minced garlic)
Tabasco sauce to taste
Salt and Pepper to taste

To this mixture add the cooked potatoes, onions and water.

I prefer thicker soups so I added about a tablespoon of cornstarch.

Black Eyed Pea Soup

Since it has been so cold, I've been making some new WARM recipes in the crock pot. Here is one that I got brave and made, wasn't sure I'd like black eyed peas... I am not the typical southern cook nor eater. However, Mark and I both loved it and have plenty of leftovers for lunches this week!

Ingredients:
-1 pound dried black eyed peas
-1 pound spicy sausage, I used Hillshire Farm Hot Smoked Sausage
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 cup diced celery
- 4 cloves garlic, diced
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions:
- Soak your beans overnight. Drain in the morning.
- Use a 5 to 6 quart crockpot. This will serve about 8 people.
- Dice the veggies, and dump them into your crockpot with the pre-soaked beans.
- Add sliced sausage.
- Pour in broth, and stir in Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for about 6.

Tips from Kitchen of Reality:
- I hate tiny diced up onions-- so I peeled and then cut the onion in half and put it in the crock pot. It left the flavor and then I took it out before serving.
- Mark and I both hate celery, so we left that out too.
- The spicy sausage was AWESOME!! Totally flavored the whole dish.
- This is a great dish to serve with cornbread.

Chicken and Rice Soup

I love the chicken & rice soup at Panera and this is the closest recipe I've found to it. This can be made on the stove but I make it in the crock pot. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do-- it's fabulous to come home to after a long cold day!

Ingredients:
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups chicken (cooked & shredded)
- 1 box quick cooking long grain wild rice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2 cups milk

Directions:
- In crock pot set on low-- combine broth, water, chicken and rice. (SAVE the seasoning packet.)
- On stove top in a large pan-- melt butter.
- Stir in seasoning packet.
- Reduce heat to low.
- Add flour, salt, pepper-- mix well. (This appears to make a clumpy mess-- if so, you have done it correctly. This will thicken your soup!)
- CAREFULLY whisk in milk- 1/2 cup at a time until smooth. Cook about 5 minutes.
- Poor cream sauce into crock pot.
- Stir occasionally-- ready to eat in a 3 to 4 hours.

Notes from a Kitchen of Reality:
- Whisking milk with flour mixture can make a huge mess-- believe me when I say large pan and CAREFULLY!! (Especially you, Rachel!)
- I often use off brand wild rice and canned chicken instead of cooking my own.
- I LOVE to add fresh mushrooms-- just slice them and throw them in the crock pot at the beginning.
- This recipe is easy to double but will fill a crock pot very full.

Shrimp and Corn Chowder

1 T. butter
1 bunch or ¼ cup chopped green onion
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans (10 ¾ oz) cream of potato soup, undiluted
2 cups milk
1 pkg. (3 oz) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 can (8 ¾ oz) corn (yellow or white) undrained
1 lb. fresh shrimp (small or medium), cooked, peeled and deveined

In Dutch oven or large saucepan, sauté first 3 ingredients until tender. Stir in everything except shrimp; bring to a boil stirring occasionally. Add shrimp, cover and reduce heat. Add ground black pepper and seafood seasoning to taste. Cook 5 to 7 minutes. Serve hot.
Serves 4-6.

Notes from Cindy: I use the E-Z Peel shrimp (which is already deveined) from Harris Teeter. I stock up on it when it is on sale.

This recipe doubles very well. When I double it, I use an entire 8 oz. pkg. of cream cheese. Yum!

Pasta Fagioli

1 pound Hot Italian Sausage
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 (19 oz.) can Cannellini beans (undrained)
1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes
2 (14 oz.) cans chicken broth
2/3 cup ditalini pasta (or any small pasta)
Salt and chili pepper to taste

Remove casings from sausage and cut into small bite-size pieces (I usually use ground Italian Sausage since it is easier and quicker to work with). Brown sausage (add olive oil if needed to brown); then add next 4 ingredients and sauté until soft. Add beans, tomatoes and chicken broth, bring to a simmer, add pasta and cook until “al dente”. Season to taste with salt and chili pepper. Add freshly grated Parmesan and serve with a crusty Italian bread. Serves 4-6. (You may add additional chicken broth if not soupy enough)

Note from Cindy: This recipe can easily be doubled if you have a large soup pot.