Cancun Chicken Lime Soupa

Instant Pot Style

Serves 8

2 T butter

1 medium onion finely chopped

4 ribs celery finely chopped

4 garlic cloves finely chopped

* if not using diced tomatoes w/chilies -1 medium jalepeno, seeds removed

2 quarts chicken or vegetable broth + 1 quart water

2 14.5 cans diced tomatoes or diced tomatoes w/chilies*

2 Tbs Chicken bouillon

2 t oregano

¼ t cumin (we don’t want this to taste like chili or tortilla soup)

¾ cup orzo

½ cup juice from limes

3 cups cooked shredded chicken

½ bunch cilantro, chopped fine

2 or 3 avocados

Tortilla strips

Can garnish with seeded, chopped tomatoes, cilantro, avocado and tortilla chips

1. On saute mode, melt butter. Once melted add onion, celery, garlic and jalapeno.  Cook stirring occasionally until soft.
2. Add broth, canned tomatoes, chicken bouillon, oregano and cumin.  Add rice if uncooked.
3. Set Instant Pot to Pressure Cook - Soup mode for 10 minutes
4. Allow for natural release of Instant Pot
5. Add lime juice and chicken.
6.  Serve with garnished of avocado, cilantro and tortilla strips.

Soup Plantation Asian Ginger Broth

4 Tablespoons finely minced ginger

3 tablespoons finely minced garlic

2 Tablespoons canola oil

Combine ingredients in a pot and sauté for 5 minutes

6 Tablespoons corn starch

2 cups cold water

Whisk together the corn starch with 2 c cold water until dissolved

14 cups water

6 Tablespoons Vegetarian base

Add the corn starch mixture, base and remaining water to the pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  

Optional Toppings

Sliced green onions

shredded carrots

shopped spinach

sliced muchrooms

wonton strips

cubed tofu

Submitted by Shauna Oakes

Chicken Corn Chowder with Sweet Potatoes

Chicken and Corn Chowder with Sweet Potatoes

adapted from Cook's Country

From My Kitchen Cafe

Serves 6-8

3 cups whole milk (Can use 2 cups 1% and 1 cup cream)

1 cup yellow corn muffin mix (jiffy brand)

2 T. butter

1 onion, chopped fine

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

2 quarts low-sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 " cubes

2 sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

3 cups frozen corn (not thawed)

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

salt and pepper, to taste

Mix milk and muffin mix in bowl until well combined. Meanwhile, heat butter in large pot over medium heat until foaming. Add onion and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic, cumin and oregano and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add broth, chicken and sweet potatoes. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer until sweet potatoes are just tender, about 8 minutes.
Stir in milk and muffin mixture and simmer until soup thickens, about 10 minutes. Add cheese and corn and cook until cheese begins to melt, about 2 minutes. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Butternut Squash Soup

This is a recipe from the Alberts Restaurant in the San Diego Zoo, and was published in the newspaper as requested by a reader. I made it and we both really liked it. It is easy and fairly quick to make.

1 butternut squash, peeled
4 Tab. olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots, peeled & diced
1 cinnamon stick
2 to 3 whole cloves
3 sprigs fresh thyme (or 2 tsp. dried)
1 1/2 qts. chicken stock
1/4 tsp. nutmeg (freshly grated if possible)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup sherry (optional)
1 pint cream (I used half and half)

Cut squash in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds and cut sqash into 1-inch chunks. In a pot heat olive oil, adding onion, celery, and carrots Cook until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add squash, cinnamon stick, cloves. thyme and stock. Simmer until squash is tender.

Remove cinnamon stick and cloves. Puree in blender or food processor in batches. Return to the pot. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir in sherry and cream. Heat thoroughly but do not boil. Ladle into bowls. May garnish with fresh sage and candied walnuts. (I guess this is what they do at the restaurant in the zoo, but it was great without these extras).

Potato Soup

Ingredients

• 6 large potatoes, peeled and diced
• 6 c. water
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 Tbs. chicken stock base
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 6 c. milk
• 4 Tbs. flour
• 2 c sour cream

Toppings:

• 1 lb bacon, cooked and chopped
• cheddar cheese, shredded
• salt and Pepper to taste

Steps:

1. Cook potatoes and onion in water with chicken base until potatoes are tender 10 - 15 minutes.
2. Mash potatoes with potato masher.
3. Blend flour with milk and stir into soup.
4. Simmer 5 - 10 minutes.
5. Add sour cream and seasonings. Warm thoroughly, DO NOT BOIL.

Server topped with bacon crumbs and shredded cheese.

THE BEST TORTILLA SOUP

This recipe makes the best tortilla soup I have ever tasted. It is amazing!

1 1/2 tsp. butter
1 1/2 tsp. olive oil
1 large yellow onion (diced)
1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 jalapeno (diced and seedless)
1 6 ounce can mixed vegetable juice cocktail (V8)
2 T chicken stock
2 cups hot water
3/4 tsp. ground cumin
3/4 tsp. paprika
Pinch chili powder
1/2 tsp. white pepper
1 or 2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 1/2 T tomato paste
1 cup chopped cilantro
1 T cornstarch
6 corn tortillas
chicken breast (cooked and diced)
cheddar cheese



Heat butter and olive oil in heavy saucepan until butter melts. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add tomatoes and cook until soft. Add jalapeno and mixed vegetable juice. Bring to boil and add stock and hot water. Bring to simmer. Add cumin, paprika, chili powder, white pepper, and garlic and cook while stirring occasionally. Add tomato paste and 1/4 cup cilantro and cook. Add chicken breast. Mix constarch with 1 T water, then stir into soup and simmer until liquid is shiny- about 10 minutes. Fry tortillas into strips to put on top of your soup. Grate cheese. Garnish soup with tortilla stips, cheddar cheese, the reserved fresh cilantro, avocado slices, and sour cream. Enjoy!

Bill's Famous Chili

Kevin kind of "borrowed" this secret family recipe from a great family he met while serving a mission in New Jersey. This makes a delicious, sweet chili. We love it!

Ground Beef
2 medium onions
2 green peppers
1 clove garlic
1 can kidney beans
1 can whole tomatoes
1 small can tomato sauce
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
Red devil pepper sauce (Hot sauce)
Chili powder

Cook ground beef in skillet. In a separate skillet fry onions, peppers, and garlic with butter. Mix with beef. Add whole tomatoes and tomato sauce to pot. Add chili powder and brown sugar to taste. Add kidney bean juice and 1/2 cup of water. Bring to boil and let simmer for 25 minutes. Add kidney beans and thicken with flour as needed. Finish by adding Red devil pepper sauce according to taste. Enjoy!

Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

This is a quick and easy Chicken Soup recipe to cure whatever ails you. The emphasis is on quick because I usually do not know too far in advance that I need Chicken soup until it is too late to defrost the chicken. This recipe calls for deli chicken from the grocery store. I usually will buy one deli chicken, cut it up and freeze it until I need it. Deli Chicken is so easy to use especially in like chicken enchiladas, chicken caesar salad, etc.

• 1 whole deli chicken cut in to bit size pieces
• 2 extra large cans of Chicken Broth
• OR 6 cups water and 3 chicken bouillon cubes for flavor
• 2 c. diced carrots
• 2 c. diced celery - including the leaf tops
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 1 bag egg noodles
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• 5 drops or more of Tabasco Sauce

Boil broth, carrots, celery, onion until tender, approximately 1 hour. Bring stove temperature to low and add egg noodles. cook until tender. Add chicken. Add seasonings to desired strength.

Tortellini Soup

Quick, easy, and yummy. Good 'pantry' meal.

1 tsp olive oil
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic minced
4 cans chicken broth
1 can petite diced tomatoes
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dried basil
1 bag (14 oz) frozen tortellini
1 cup sliced mushrooms
fresh Parmesan cheese

Coarsely chop onion and cook in pot with oil. Add garlic and cook till tender (about 3 minutes). Add mushrooms and cook about 2 minutes.
Add broth and tomatoes, raise heat and bring to boil. Add Worcestershire sauce and basil. When broth comes to a boil add tortellini. Cook 5-7 minutes until tortellini is tender. Serve with Parmesan cheese

Zuppa Toscana

This is just like the soup they serve at Olive Garden- delish!

• 1 lb. spicy Italian sausage - crumbled
• 1/2 lb. smoked bacon - chopped
• 1 qt. water
• 2 (14.5 oz.) cans chicken broth (about 3 2/3 cups)
• 2 lg. russet potatoes - scrubbed clean, cubed
• 2 garlic cloves - peeled, crushed
• 1 med. onion - peeled, chopped
• 2 cups chopped kale or Swiss chard
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• salt and pepper - to taste

1. In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown sausage, breaking into small pieces as you fry it; drain, set aside.
2. In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown bacon; drain, set aside.
3. Place water, broth, potatoes, garlic, and onion in a pot; simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender.
4. Add sausage and bacon to pot; simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Add kale and cream to pot; season with salt and pepper; heat through.

Jodi's Butternut Squash Soup

aka- Tilly's Pirate Soup- "This soup is argh, good!"

Ingredients

• 2 cups canned broth (can use vegetable or chicken)
• 1 onion diced or 3 med. garlic cloves smashed --or both
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 lb. butternut squash peeled and cubed (1" pieces)
• l c whole milk or half and half

Steps

1. To large pan add broth, onion or garlic, ginger and squash. Cook until squash is tender
2. Add to mix milk or half and half.
3. When mixture is cool puree in blender.

Definition of puree: passed through a sieve or broken down in a blender or similar device.

Egg Drop Soup

Serves 4
Instant comfort. You could always add a little cooked chicken or some veggies - but you don't need to.

Ingredients

• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 2 large eggs
• 4 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions for garnish if you want to be fancy!

Steps

1. Beat eggs in small bowl - set aside
2. Heat the broth in a small pot and bring to a boil
3. Stir in soy sauce
4. Return to a boil then turn off the heat
5. While stirring soup in a fast circular fashion with a fork, slowly pour in beaten egg
6. Continue stirring until egg gets all cool and kinda stringy & that's it
7. Serve in a bowl with the green on top