Ham and Potato Soup

This recipe is one of the most raved about at Allrecipes.com.  My family and I love it too.  Once again, the picture is lacking, but it really is so good!  Recipe found at Allrecipes.com

• 3 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
• 1/3 cup diced celery
• 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
• 3/4 cup diced cooked ham
• 3 1/4 cups water
• 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper or to taste
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk

1. Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt and pepper.
2. In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately.

Cheesy Potato Soup

6 cups potatoes, peeled and diced

5 cups water

2 cups chopped onions

4 chicken bouillon

6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

1(12 ounce) can evaporated milk

2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Directions: Combine the potatoes, water, onions, and bouillon in a greased 5- to 7- quart slower cooker (I love slow cookers). Cover and cook on high heat for 3-4 hours on until the potatoes are tender. Stir in the bacon, milk, and cheese. Cover and cook 20 minutes more, or until cheese is melted.

DELISH!

Hearty Chili

Our family loves this recipe for Chili, especially when accompanied by this recipe for corn bread. Sorry once again about the mediocre picture. I am usually trying to quickly snap a picture before my family gobbles down whatever I make. At least there is one right? Found in this cookbook.

1 pound ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped red or green pepper (optional)
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (30-ounce) can dark red kidney beans, undrained
1 (15 ounce) can chili
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced or 1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup ketchup

Brown ground beef in a large, heavy pan. Add onions and peppers and cook until tender. Add remaining ingredients and simmer uncovered over low heat for at least 1 hour. Chili can be made the day before and reheated. Makes about 8 cups.

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 large carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 (10.75 ounce) cans Campbell's Cream of Chicken Soup
2 cups milk
1 cup cubed cooked chicken

1 cup cooked medium egg noodles

Heat oil in 3-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Add carrots and celery and cook until tender. Stir soup and milk into pan. Heat to a boil. Add chicken and noodles. Reduce heat to low. Cook and stir for 5 min. or until vegetables are tender.

Cream of Broccoli and Cheddar Soup

Okay not the best picture but I am just trying to give you a general idea of what it is supposed to look like when you are done. Don't want you cooking blind here (and for a long time, I could not cooking anything without a picture!). This recipe comes from a cookbook that I LOVE. My MIL gave it to me for Christmas a few years ago and I cook a lot out of it. Especially the soups. It is called "Favorite Brand Name Best Loved Recipes of All Time." Yes it is a LONG name, but good recipe book.

I made this for Halloween dinner this year. We had already had chili at our ward party and pizza the night before at our family get together so I couldn't think of anything "Halloweeny" to make for dinner. I decided just to have a nice comforting soup and broccoli cheese is one of my favorites.

1 pound fresh broccoli
1 can (14 oz) chicken broth
2 TBS butter or margarine
2 TBS all-purpose flour
2 cups of milk
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups (8 oz) cheddar cheese

Chop broccoli florets; thinly slice stems. Combine broccoli and broth medium saucepan; heat to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer about 7 minutes or until broccoli is fork tender (if you want it chunky like I do, leave 1 cup of broccoli pieces out and add later to soup with the puree)

Transfer in thirds to food processor or blender. Process until fairly smooth. Melt butter in same saucepan; add flour. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until bubbly. Add milk and pepper; heat to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium; add broccoli puree. Stir in Cheddar cheese; heat just until cheese melts (do not boil), stirring constantly. Serve.

Hearty Beef Stew

My sister in law, Amy made this stew for me once and I had to have the recipe. It is heavenly! I am posting it for her. My SILs have some serious cooking skills. I am trying to get them to post on here...we will see.

4 cups water
5 beef bouillon cubes
1tsp pepper
2 cups cubed cooked beef (sometimes I used leftover roast, it is good)
6 carrots, peeled, thickly sliced
3 potatoes cubed
1 med onion chopped
1 tsp garlic salt
1 small bay leaf
2 T flour

Bring water and bouillon cubes to a boil in a large saucepan, stirring until bouillon dissolves completely. Add Worcestershire sauce and pepper.

Stir beef, carrots, potatoes, onion and garlic into bouillon mixture. Return to boil. Place bay leaf on top; cover tightly and reduce heat.

Simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove about 1/2 cup of the liquid to a small bowl. Blend with flour.

Increase heat to boiling point. Stir flour mixture into stew. Cook, stirring continually until juices are thickened, about 15 minutes. Discard bay leaf.

This is a very thick stew. If you don't want it so thick, add more water or beef stock.