Split Pea Soup

If you follow this blog, I'm sure you won't be surprised to hear that I had some split peas on hand that needed to be used up. (No, not opened peas... just a bag or so extra!) This is my very basic split pea soup recipe that both my husband and I love.

Directions:

Rinse entire bag of peas and put into a pot with:
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups water
1 ham bone

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Remove ham bone; cut meat from bone and put the meat back into the broth.

Add:
1/2 cup chopped carrots (these need to be either diced or parboiled since mine always end up a tad too crunchy)
1/2 cup diced potatoes (do not need to be parboiled)
1/2 cup chopped onion
salt and pepper to taste

Simmer for another 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Cauliflower Bisque

My friend Ali shared this recipe with me. She said it was so good, served with bacon and cheese sprinkled on top, that it tasted like potato soup without all of the carbs. I love cauliflower and I love potatoes... so it was game on!

I can't stop eating this! I just finished making it and we haven't eaten dinner yet and I'm already posting it. In fact, my husband isn't even home from work yet! It may be all gone by the time he gets home. If a tree falls in the forest and nobody is around to hear it....

The simple recipe:

1 tsp butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 head cauliflower, chopped
3 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup heavy cream
Bacon (optional)
Shredded cheese (optional)


Saute the onion in 1 tsp butter until tender (I'll be honest and say that I used probably a tablespoon of butter... only because I love butter).

To the onion, add cauliflower, broth, salt and pepper (I used probably 1/4 tsp of each).



Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until cauliflower is very tender, about 1 hour.

Add mixture to blender or food processor; blend until smooth.





Stir in heavy cream. Top with bacon and cheese before serving.

Cheesy Potato Soup

This is a recipe that my dear friend Carmel shared with me a few years ago. She gets a lot of flack from people about this soup recipe since it is not in any way healthy or good for you. People see the recipe and call it "Heart Attack Soup" or mention how their arteries are clogging just from scanning the ingredients list. BUT...... one taste of this soup usually stops the comments in their tracks. It's one of my favorite comfort foods. Everything in moderation, right?

Directions:



1 stick butter
1 med onion - minced
1 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup of chopped celery

Saute these together until tender. I usually just chop the onions and carrots.

Add: 4 cans cream of potato soup
1 lb Velveeta cheese, cut into small chunks
8 oz sour cream
4 cups milk
salt and pepper to taste

I usually put this in a big crock pot and just slow cook it all day, but you can make it in a pot on the stove, as well.

If you make it on the stove, just heat, stirring occasionally until hot and melted. The same goes for using the crockpot, just use the cover. And throw the "never open the lid of a crockpot" rule out the window with this soup. You'll find yourself checking, stirring and tasting often with this one!

Carmel's disclaimer- There are a lot of ways to make this healthier....reduced fat soups, sour cream, don't use as much butter/margarine, fat free milk, etc.

But who would want to do that? Make it the fatty way and enjoy it! I've been known to throw in broccoli, cauliflower and/or bacon and ham bits on occasion.

Bean's Bean and Bacon Soup

This is one of my favorite soups, not only because it tastes so delicious, but because it is so simple to prepare! I got the recipe from my friend Bean, who also has posted it on her blog, Coyote Craft. This is one of those foods that even after you've eaten as much as you could and are over-the-top full, you find yourself picking up the crust your daughter peeled off from her bread and left behind on her plate and dipping it into the remnants in the bottom of the soup bowl as you simultaneously clear the table.... and still taking yet one more spoonful to savor, as you put the lid on the Tupperware container that holds the leftovers.... it's that good.

Enjoy-

Ingredients:
1/2 lb bacon, cut up into small pieces
2 C. water
2 C. chicken stock
1 small onion, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 cans Canelli (white kidney) or Great Northern beans
2 tsp salt
2 bay leaves



Directions:
Cook bacon until crisp in large pot.

Drain off excess grease and reserve 1/3rd of your bacon for serving.

Add water to the bacon in the pot, and scrape the bottom of your pot with a wooden spoon, releasing any bacon that stuck during cooking into the soup.

Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low, cover and let simmer for for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve hot with biscuits or bread, and garnish with reserved bacon and a little shredded Parmesan if desired. Serves 4-6.

This recipe can be easily made in a crock pot, as well.