Winter Soups

When it gets cold outside I always start thinking about soups, stews and chowders. Here are some of my favorites.

CHICKEN CHOWDER

4 chicken breasts (I use boneless)    6 cups water
1 tsp salt                                        2 potatoes, peeled and diced
3 carrots, peeled and chopped           1 lg can corn, drained
1 lg can cream-style corn                 1/4 tsp pepper

Place chicken and salt in water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, skim off the top, reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Remove chicken from pan and shred. Meanwhile, add potatoes and carrots to pan, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in corn, pepper and shredded chicken. Cook until thoroughly heated, about 10 minutes. If the chowder isn't thick enough for you, you can thicken with a little instant potatoes (I keep some on hand just for thickening stews) or thicken with corn starch.

This is one of my favorite recipes for a simple meal served with hot bread or add a salad for guests. I divide it into freezer containers so that I don't have to cook every day.

3 lb stew meat                                1/3 c flour
1 tsp salt                                        1/2 tsp pepper
Shake together in a large baggie and brown in a dutch oven. Add:
3 lg chopped carrots                        3 stalks sliced celery
2 lg cubed potatoes
1 can beef broth                              1/2 c dry red wine
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce             2 tsp brown sugar
1 can tomatoes, blended smooth
Cook over low heat for 3 hours. Thicken with corn starch mixed in water or with potato flakes. Add mushrooms if desired. 12 servings.

BEEF STEW

BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP

1 3/4 lbs fresh broccoli                  1 lg onion, chopped
1 stalk celery                                1 c water
3 Tbsp lowfat margarine               3 Tbsp flour
2 1/2 c skim milk                          1 1/2 c chicken broth
1/2 lb cubed lowfat Velvetta cheese (or to taste)
1/4 tsp salt                                    1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Trim, wash and chop broccoli, stems & all. Place in a large pan with 1 inch water. Bring to a boil, simmer 10 to 12 minutes or until tender. Drain & set aside. Combine onion, celery 1 c water in saucepan. Bring to boil, simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Cool and process in blender until smooth. Melt butter in large pan over low heat, add flour, stirring constantly until smooth, cook 1 minute. Gradually add milk and cook over medium heat until thickened. Add broccoli, pureed vegetables, broth & last 4 ingredients. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until cheese melts. Yield: 2 quarts.

THREE ALARM CHILI

This is the recipe for the Three Alarm Chili made with the mix you can buy in the grocery store.

Brown 3 lb ground meat                1 lg onion, chopped
Add:
2 tsp cumin                                    2 tsp oregano
2 tsp salt                                        2 tsp paprika
2 1/2 tsp onion flakes                   2 1/2 tsp garlic flakes
8 Tbsp chili powder                        1 can tomatoes, crushed
0 to 2 tsp red pepper (see below)

Cook on low heat for 1 to 2 hours, thicken with masa when done. For NO ALARM, add no red pepper. ONE ALARM, 1/2 tsp red pepper. TWO ALARM, 1 tsp red pepper, THREE ALARM, 2 tsp red pepper. Verrry Hot! Serves 6 to 8.

10 TO 15 BEAN SOUP

You can change this up by using different kinds of sausage, canned tomatoes and spices. It is easy to give it a Mexican or Italian flavor.

1 lb smoked sausage                      1 lg onion, chopped
1 1/2 c bean mix, * see note           1 lg can tomatoes, chopped
1 Tbsp crushed garlic                     1 green pepper, chopped
salt & pepper to taste
Wash beans; cover with water. Add salt; soak 3 hours and drain. Saute sausage, onions and peppers. Place beans in large pot; add rest of ingredients and enough water to cook (about 2-3 quarts). Simmer 3 hours.
* I have a one gallon jar that I keep my bean mix in, it looks pretty on top of the counter. I got tired of paying three prices for 15 bean mix so I bought a small package of all the dried beans I could find in the grocery store and dumped them in the jar. My bean mix consists of some or all of the following beans mixed together: Pinto, Navy, Red Kidney, Great Northern, Black, Lima, Speckled Butter Bean, Lentil, White, Garbanzo or Chick Pea, Black-eyed Pea, Green and Yellow Split Pea. When I cook other bean recipes I dump what's left of the dried beans in the jar.

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