Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana...with a Misty twist

I got 2 bundles of Kale in my Bountiful Basket and found this recipe and decided to tweak it to my liking. I cut the recipe in half, so that's what I'll post. I also threw it in my crock pot- I LOVE my crock pot- and most everything gets tried in that!

Ingredients:

1 chicken breast

1 tsp. crushed red pepper

1/2 diced onion

2 tsp. garlic salt- or more to your liking

1 tsp. pepper

5 c. water

3 tsp. chicken bouillon or cubes

4 small potatoes; cubed

handful of kale; chopped

1 (8oz) fat free cream cheese

Place all ingredients- except the cream cheese- into a greased crock pot. Cook on high 4-5 hours; take out the chicken, cut into bite size pieces, then return to the crock pot. Add the cream cheese and turn to low; cook 1-2 hours. Stir before serving.

Chicken Taco Soup

Tiffany made this one night when they had us over for dinner, and it's definitely become a family favorite over here.  I sort of use the measurements as a guide, and just throw whatever amount I want in there.  It's pretty hard to mess this soup up.  (Keep in mind that the recipe says that these measurements make two generous servings.)

1/3 cup diced onions
1/3 cup diced green bell peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, rough chopped into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup salsa
2/3 cup corn, canned or frozen
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
1 cup refried black beans (I've used just regular refried beans before too and it's fine)
2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (I usually just use dried parsley)
3/4 cup shredded colby jack or sharp cheddar (I've always just used sharp cheddar)

Saute onion, green bell pepper and garlic in vegetable oil until softened.  Add the rest of the ingredients except the cheese.  Bring to a slow simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes.  Add the cheese and stir until melted.  Remove from heat.  Serve with tortilla chips, extra cheese, salsa, avocado, sour cream and/or tomatoes.

Creamy Chicken Soup

When you get a special request from Sheri, you know you've made it to the big times.

Saute:
3 T butter
1 large onion diced
3/4 cup celery diced

Add:
2 cans chicken broth
2 cups potatoes (I use the red kind and leave the skins on)
2 cups carrots (I put way more of all these veggies than the recipe calls for. For the kids.)

Simmer until tender (about 20 mins) then stir in:
1/4 t pepper
1 t seasoned salt
1/2 t thyme
1/8 sage
1 sprig of rosemary, chopped to bits
2 cups cooked chicken (I add about three breasts)
1 cup frozen peas

Cook 10 minutes. Add 2 cups of milk (I use non-fat, it works fine) and heat.

Spicy Tuscan Soup (Zuppa Toscana)

Just tried this knock off Olive Garden soup tonight....Yummy!
Soups scare me sometimes cause if you don't like it SO much goes to waste, I am very pleased with how tasty this was. Wish I had some yummy rolls to go with it.
(Oh, and I only used regular flavor sausage cause it's all I had, plus my kids don't like spicy so much....and no bacon) I realized after I added the cream that I could have reserved some creamless soup for the milk allergic folk and then poisoned it for the rest of us. Too late, pigs in a blanket for him....

Spicy Tuscan Soup

serves 6

1 pound Spicy Breakfast Sausage (I used Jimmy Dean Hot Sausage)

1 whole Medium Red Onion, Diced

2 slices Bacon, Diced

3 cloves Garlic, Minced

3 whole Medium Potatoes

1 quart Warm Water

3 cubes Chicken Bouillon

¼ bunches Kale, Roughly Chopped

½ cups Heavy Cream

Salt And Pepper, to taste

In a large stockpot or Dutch Oven, cook the sausage over medium-high heat, breaking it up as you cook it, until no longer pink. Drain and set aside.

Add diced onions and bacon to stock pot. Reduce heat to medium and cook until onions are clear.

Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Leaving the skins on, slice potatoes in half lengthwise and cut into 1/4″ slices. Cut the slices in half again, unless using small potatoes. Add warm water, bouillon cubes and potatoes to the Dutch oven and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until potatoes are almost done.

Add kale, cooked sausage and cream.

Simmer for 5 more minutes.

Southwest Turkey Soup

I have a giant zip lock bag stuffed with leftover turkey. (Cooked a turkey on Sunday) I am not even making a dent in it and it's going to go bad before we can eat it all. I will be making this recipe, in a day or so:

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/southwestern-turkey-soup/Detail.aspx

But that will only use a tiny bit of it. If anyone has a turkey recipe they want to make, please come get some turkey from me! I hate just throwing it out!

Tonight's Menu

Tonight I am making this tortellini soup for dinner. Kid friendly, Jimi friendly.

Lindsay I know you are a fan....

I've tried tortellini soup a few times. Once I used breakfast sausage - totally gross and mapley. Another time I used spicy hot sausage - not good for the kids, killed my taste buds.

Use mild italian sausage if you ever make this soup.

Taco Soup

I'll start us off with a simple recipe. My husband LOVES this, for some reason. It's nothing fabulous. Every time I ask him what he would like me to make, he always says taco soup. Here's my taco soup recipe:

1 lb ground beef
1 cup chopped onions
16 oz can stewed tomatoes (blend them up a little)
16 oz can pinto beans
16 oz whole kernel corn (undrained)
16 oz can tomato sauce (or 2 8oz cans)
1 pkg taco seasoning mix
1/4 cup sugar

Brown the beef with the cup of onion. Add the rest of the ingredients. Simmer for 15 minutes. Done!
We like to top it with cheese or sour cream (or both!) and eat it with corn chips. Mmmm...