Ingredients

4 large potatoes baked

2/3 C butter

2/3 C flour

6 C milk

4 green onions chopped

8 oz sour cream

2 C bacon cooked & crumbled

5 oz cheddar cheese, shredded

salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Slowly blend in flour with a wire whisk until thoroughly blended. Gradually add milk to the butter-flour mixture, whisking constantly. Whisk in salt and pepper and simmer over low heat, stirring constantly. Cut potatoes in small chunks (leaving the skin on, if desired). When milk mixture is very hot, whisk in potatoes. Add green onion, sour cream and crumble bacon. Heat thoroughly. Add cheese a little at a time until it is all melted in.

Ingredients

1 medium onion chopped

2 Tbl butter

2 Tbl cornstarch

4 tsp chicken bouillon -- instant

1 lb American cheese cubed

4 C milk

1/4 tsp pepper

1/8 tsp garlic salt

10 oz broccoli, frozen cooked

Saute onion in butter in saucepan until tender. Sprinkle with flour. Stir in bouillon dissolved in 2 cups hot water. Cook until smooth and thick stirring constantly. Add cheese stirring until melted. Stir in milk gradually. Add seasonings and broccoli with cooking liquid mixing well. Note: Prepare everything ahead of cooking time.

Ingredients

1/2 lb ground beef, lean

1 medium onion chopped

1 clove garlic minced

16 oz tomatoes, canned

1 C celery diced

2 medium carrot diced

1 large potato diced

16 oz frozen corn kernels

16 oz frozen mixed vegetables

1 C water

1 tsp salt or to taste

1/2 tsp pepper or to taste

In a 5-quart pan, over medium heat, saute the garlic and onion in a small amount of oil until tender. Add the ground beef and cook until brown, stirring to break up meat. Drain if necessary, then add the tomatoes, salt, pepper and water to the meat. Add the carrots to the pan and cook for 5-10 minutes then add the potatoes and celery. Simmer for 5-10 more minutes then add the frozen corn and vegetables and cook for about 10 more minutes or until vegetables are tender. Adjust seasonings to taste.

The wonderful aroma of this soup is just the thing to come home to on a cold winter's day. Not only does it taste great (even spinach-haters have gobbled it up!), but it's quick and easy to make. It keeps for up to four days in the refrigerator.

Ingredients

1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed

1 medium onion, chopped

1 large clove garlic, peeled and minced

1 can (28 oz) whole, peeled tomatoes, drained

1 qt chicken stock

2-1/2 qt water

1 lb farfalle (bow-tie pasta)

1 bag (10 oz) spinach, cleaned and finely chopped

1 can (15 ounces) cannellini (white kidney) beans, drained

Heat an extra-large soup kettle over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and brown, breaking it up with a spoon. Add the onion and garlic, and saute 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, breaking them up with the spoon. Stir in the stock and 1 quart of the water, and raise the heat to high. Bring to a boil, add the pasta, and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Then add spinach, beans, and remaining quart of water (add extra water, if needed), and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until spinach is tender. Add salt to taste. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Ingredients

A rich and deeply flavored soup--straight out of the North American forests and with a distinctly French hand. Serve hot as a robust first course or as lunch with a sandwich to 4-6 people.

1/2 C uncooked wild rice

1-1/2 C water

2 Tbl butter

1 onion, finely chopped

1 lb mushrooms, preferably a mixture of cultivated, wiped and thickly sliced

3 Tbl flour

4 C beef or vegetable stock

1 tsp paprika

salt and black pepper to taste

1 Tbl heavy cream

1 tsp Dijon-style mustard

Garnish: Finely minced green onions or parsley

Partially cook the wild rice in the water, bringing to a boil then reducing heat and simmering, covered, for 20 minutes. Meantime, melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium high heat, add the onion, and saut� until transparent. Add the mushrooms, with a bit more butter if needed, and cook over high heat until the mushroom juices have begun to evaporate. Turn down the heat and sprinkle in the flour, stirring, while there's still some liquid. Let cook until bubbly--to cook away the pasty taste. Then, gradually stir in the stock, then the paprika. Bring to a boil, stirring, and continue to stir at a full boil for one minute. Reduce the heat to low. When the wild rice has partially cooked, stir it into the soup with its cooking liquid; cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. When ready to serve, whisk the mustard into the soup. Ladle into bowls and top each with minced green onions or parsley.

Ingredients

Serve cold to 4-6 people as a meal, 6-8 people as a first course.

1 green pepper, seeded and chopped fine

3-4 tomatoes, skinned, seeded, and chopped fine

2 large cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and chopped fine

1 large bunch cilantro, chopped fine

1 large red onion, chopped fine

3 large cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp tabasco--or 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped fine

1 46-ounce can tomato juice

1/4 C olive oil

juice of 3 limes

2 tsp sugar

salt and pepper to taste

Garnish: cilantro leaves for each bowl

Carefully chop all the vegetables the same small size, then mix in with the tomato juice, oil, optional lime juice, sugar, salt, and pepper. Let chill and cure in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to serve, ladle into bowls and top each one with a cilantro leaf.

Ingredients

Serves 6.

2 Tbl olive oil

2 onions, thickly sliced

2 carrots, thickly sliced on a diagonal

1 red pepper, hot or sweet, thinly sliced

1/2 lb smoked ham, cut into a julienne

3 Tbl chopped fresh basil--or 1 Tablespoon pesto

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 tsp oregano

1 15-oz can of tomatoes

6 C chicken stock

2 1-lb cans of dark red kidney beans

2 and 1/2 C small rotelle pasta

salt and pepper

1/2 C mushrooms

1/4 C shredded basil leaves (or parsley, if you can't get fresh basil)

Garnish: 1 bunch green onions, sliced thinly on the diagonal, olive oil, parmesan cheese.

In a large saucepan, fry the onions, carrots, and peppers in the oil over medium heat--until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the ham, basil or pesto, garlic, oregano, and mint. Stir for a few minutes, then add the drained tomatoes (reserving juice). Cook at a fairly high heat, stirring, until the mixture is a thick sauce, crushing the tomatoes with the spoon as they cook. This always takes longer than you think--as much as 10 minutes. Add the reserved tomato juice, stock, and kidney beans. (with or without their sauce, your choice). Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. At this point, you can refrigerate until you are ready to serve. When ready to serve, degrease the soup and return it to a boil. Add the pasta and boil gently until it is al dente--about 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the mushrooms, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Then stir in the shredded basil or parsley, ladle into bowls, garnish with the green onions and a drizzle of olive oil. Pass the parmesan separately.

Ingredients

4-6 ears of corn (to make 2 C of corn and corn milk)

4 Tbl butter

1 jalapeno pepper, chopped fine

2 Tbl flour

3 and 1/2 C milk

chicken stock 2 C (either soup base or bouillon cube)

1 small onion, stuck with 3 whole cloves

1/2 C heavy cream

pinch of sugar

salt and pepper

Shuck and de-silk the corn. Cut the kernels of each thinly with a sharp knife into a bowl, then, with the flat of the blade, press out all the remaining milk of the cob into the same bowl. Set aside. Melt 2 Tablespoons of the butter in a saucepan, scrape in the pepper, and saute over medium high heat until the pepper is soft. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for several minutes. Gradually stir in the milk/stock combination and bring to a boil. Pop in the clove studded onion. Reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the corn mixture, stir in the cream and sugar, season to taste. Return to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently for about 30 minutes. When ready to serve, remove the cloved onion, stir in the remaining 2 Tablespoons of butter, ladle into bowls, and serve immediately.

Ingredients

3 Tbl butter

3 C sliced onions, heaping

3 cans (14 1/2 oz) Swanson's beef broth

1/8 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

6 very dry 1 1/2" thick chunks French bread

6 thick slices Swiss or Provolone cheese

6 oven-proof crock bowls

Melt butter in a 3 quart saucepan. Add onions and saut� gently over med-low heat until onion rings are limp and clear. This takes a while, but be patient and don't brown the onions. Add broth, garlic powder, and pepper. Bring to a boil and cover. Lower heat to a simmer for 1/2 hour. Set crocks on a cookie sheet, put bread chunks in the crocks, and cover with boiling soup. Top with cheese slices and slide under broiler until cheese is bubbly and brown.

Ingredients

1 lb Italian Sausage

1 Tbl olive oil

1 C diced onion

1 clove garlic finely minced

1 C sliced carrots

1 tsp crumpled basil

2 small zuccini, sliced

1 can (1 lb) italian tomatoes, undrained and chopped

2 cans (10-3/4 oz) beef boullion or 3 beef bouillion cubes

2 C finely shredded cabbage - salt & pepper

1 lb can great northern beans undrained

Chopped fresh parsley

Brown sausage, onion, garlic, carrots and basil for 5 minutes. Add other ingredients and simmer 1 hour. Add beans last and cook 20 minutes. Garnish with parsley.