Tortellini Vegetable Soup

This soup is fairly quick and easy. It is flavorful and colorful. It smells so delightful as it's cooking. Add some garlic bread or a crusty baguette for an easy and delicious meal. 

Makes about 5 servings.

Ingredients: 

2 Tablespoons olive oil 

1 medium onion, chopped 

1 small zucchini, diced 

1 medium carrot, peeled and diced 

1 Clove garlic, chopped 

1 quart (4 cups) chicken stock

1 teaspoon dried basil 

1 teaspoon dried oregano 

1 bay leaf 

1 can (14 ounces) crushed tomatoes 

8 to 9 ounces fresh or frozen tortellini (cheese or meat filled) 

2 to 3 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 

1/2 teaspoon Black pepper 

Instructions: 

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium soup pot or large saucepan. Add the onion, zucchini, and carrot. Saute over moderate heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and saute 1 more minute.

2. Add the chicken stock, basil, oregano, bay leaf, and tomatoes to the pot. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a low boil. Add the tortellini and bring the soup back to a low boil. Cook it for 2 minutes, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 5 to 6 minutes longer. Gently stir in the parsley and pepper during the last minute. Remove the bay leaf before serving. 

3. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of grated cheese, and/or some fresh parsley.

Hamburger Soup

I love this soup! It's delicious and very filling. I've been making it for so many years, I can't remember how I came up with the recipe. I've given it to other people who also like it a lot. I make it in my pressure cooker. Very fast that way. It's kind of my "go to" recipe since I always have the ingredients and it's quick and easy.

1 lb hamburger
¼ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder, divided
¼ tsp lemon pepper
½ tsp seasoned salt
2 medium potatoes, diced
4 medium carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 quart tomato juice
¼ tsp sweet basil
½ tsp oregano
salt and pepper to taste
Put hamburger in dutch oven. Sprinkle with onion powder, ¼ tsp garlic powder, lemon pepper, and seasoned salt. Stir and fry until browned.
Add potatoes, carrots, and celery. Cover with water and cook until vegetables are tender.
Drain the water off. Add the tomato juice, sweet basil, oregano, the rest of the garlic powder, and the salt and pepper. Heat through.
Serve. You can garnish with shredded cheese, sliced green onions, or fresh Basil leaves.

(You could cook it in the crockpot all day in the water. Then drain the water, add the tomato juice and heat through after the vegetables get cooked.) 1 point for a 1 cup serving.

Brattens Boston Clam Chowder

My niece called yesterday for this recipe, so I decided to post it here. It is easy to make but very good tasting.

2 (6 1/2 oz) cans minced clams
1 cup chopped onion (chopped fine)
1 cup diced celery
2 cups diced potatoes
3/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup flour
1 quart half & half cream
1 1/2 tsp salt
white pepper to taste

Drain juice from clams and pour juice over veggies. Add enough water to barely cover. Simmer until tender. Melt butter. Add flour and blend. Then add cream, cook until thick and smooth. Add undrained veggies and clams. Heat thoroughly. Enjoy!! I like vegetables so I added 2 cups diced carrots.

Nacho Chicken Chowder

This is an easy soup to put together and cooks while you're doing whatever else you need to do. It tastes delicious. You would never guess it's as easy as it is. Wonderful on a cold day.

Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 (14.5 oz) cans Mexican-style tomatoes
1 (10.75 oz) can condensed nacho cheese soup
1 (10 oz) pkg. frozen whole kernel corn (2 cups)
Shredded Mexican-style or cheddar cheese
Directions:
In a 3 1/2 to 4 quart slow cooker, stir together chicken, undrained tomatoes, soup, and corn.
Cover and cook on low heat for 4 to 5 hours or on high heat for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
Sprinkle each serving with shredded cheese.

Prize Winning Cheese Soup

This is the soup recipe that I made on Good Things Utah and won the runner up prize with. It is all done in the microwave. It is filling and delicious. We always have soups for dinner on Christmas Eve. This one is a tradition. It's nice to do in the microwave and free up the stove for other things.

4 cups cubed potatoes (3-4 potatoes), raw
2 cups carrots (2-3 carrots), cut diagonally
1 pkg frozen broccoli, thawed
1/2 cup margarine
2 cups milk
2 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
3 cups water
6 chicken bouillon cubes
1 Tbsp dry mustard
2 lbs(1Pkg)processed American Cheese (Velveeta), cubed
1/2 cup flour
2 tsp black pepper

Microwave:
Combine water, celery, onion, carrots, and potatoes in a 4 quart casserole dish. Cook on HIGH 15 min. until the vegetables are crisp, tender.
Stir in broccoli, bouillon, margarine, dry mustard, pepper, and Velveeta.
In a small bowl mix milk and flour. Add milk mixture slowly to the cheese and vegetable mixture and stir well. Cook on MED HIGH (70%) 20 min. until the vegetables are done.
Serves 12

Chicken Noodle Soup

2 cups chicken cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning, optional
4 Cans fat free chicken broth
1 Tablespoon Better Than Bouillon
1 broth can water
4 cups fresh or frozen vegetables (I like peas and carrots and/or broccoli and cauliflower. I usually use frozen.)

1/2 bag noodles
Salt and pepper to taste (It depends on the sodium in the broth.)

Rub chicken with spices. Saute in a skillet sprayed with cooking spray. Cook 3-5 minutes until browned on outside and no longer pink inside.
Put the broth, bouillon, and water into a large saucepan. Add the chicken. When the water comes to a full boil, add the vegetables and the noodles. Bring back to a boil and cook for 8 to 12 minutes until the noodles are done.
Makes about 14 servings 1 cup each.

(Optional brown 1/2 onion in the skillet and added it to the broth and water with the chicken.)

Beef Barley Soup

2 Tbs each chopped carrot, onion and celery
1 tsp butter
1 cup water
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup chopped cooked roast beef
1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes
1/4 cup quick cooking barley
2 Tbs frozen peas
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp pepper

In a small saucepan, saute the carrot, celery and onion in butter until tender. Add the remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until barley is tender, stirring occasionally.
Makes 2 servings.

Chili Pasta Soup

This is excellent. Very easy to make and very yummy. It's a filling soup and is only 3 points for a 1 and 1/2 cup serving.


1 pound ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 can Stewed tomatoes, 15 oz.
1 can Beef broth
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon Parsley
1 cup Spiral pasta, uncooked

in large sauce pan, brown ground beef, garlic, and onion. Add water, stewed tomatoes, beef broth, chili powder, and parsley. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes. Add pasta and simmer until pasta is tender.

Black Bean Soup

1 can black beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
1 small jalapeno pepper, sliced
1/2 cup frozen okra

Throw together into pot with about 1/2 cup water. Do not drain liquid off black beans or tomatoes. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Very filling and very tasty.

Makes about 4 cups. Each cup is 1 point.

Dump Can Soup

I can Progresso minestone soup
1 can veg-all (Western Family Mixed Vegetables)
1 can stewed tomatoes (cup up)
1 can black beans
1 can cream corn
1 to 1 1/2 cups water

Dump all cans and water in a soup kettle, do not drain any liquid off. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, for about 25 minutes. Can add red chili flakes or red pepper flakes to spice it up.

Makes about 8 cups for 1 point for each cup.

Can be served with fat free sour cream and fat free cheddar cheese. Add the points if you add the cheese or sour cream.

Hearty Lentil Soup

3 cups water
2 cans vegetable broth
3 medium carrots, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup dried lentils, rinsed
2 celery ribs, sliced
1 small green pepper, chopped
1/4 cup uncooked brown rice
1 tsp dried basil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 bay leaf
1 can tomato paste
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup frozen peas

In a large saucepan, combine the first 11 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until lentils and rice are tender. Add the tomato pase, corn and peas, stir until blended. Cook, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes or until corn and peas are tender. Discard bay leaf before serving.

Can be frozen to reheat later.
Each cup is 2 points.

Quick Turkey Soup

I make this after Thanksgiving every year. I really like it and it is quick and easy.

2 cups cooked cubed turkey
2 cans chicken broth
1 can stewed tomatoes (cut up)
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup sliced carrots
1/4 tsp dried basil leaves
1/2 cup cooked macaroni

Combine broth, tomatoes with juice, carrots, celery and basil. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium, simmer 10 to 20 minutes or until veggies are tender. Stir in turkey and pasta. Continue heating until turkey is hot. Makes 4-6 servings.

1 1/2 cups is 2 points.