Cheesy Chicken and Artichoke Soup

2 chicken breasts
1 yellow onion, chopped
enough red wine/apple juice to cover the chicken in a sauce pan

Brown the onion until tender in the sauce pan. Add uncooked chicken breasts and cover with liquid. Simmer slowly until chicken is cooked through. Discard liquid. Cool chicken and chop into bite size pieces. Add the chicken to:

1 can condensed cream of celery soup
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 can artichoke, chopped (not the marinated kind)
1/2 lb. Velveta cheese with jalapenos
1 can evaporated milk or an equal amount of half and half
2 1/2 cups chicken broth

Mix all ingredients together. Stir frequently until heated through. Watch the mixture does not burn on the bottom. Can be made or served warm out of a crockpot.

Vegetarian Chili

1 Tbls. olive oil
1 large yellow or white onion, chopped
1 Tbls. garlic, chopped
1 28 ounce can diced fire roasted tomatoes, very important do not substitute for other kinds of tomatoes MUST BE FIRE ROASTED
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. red chili flakes, optional (I did not use)
3 15.5 ounce cans beans, chickpeas, kidney, black and/or white beans or 4 1/2 cups cooked beans
4 cups fat free, low sodium chicken or vegetable broth (I used Knorr vegetable bullion cubes, 2 reconstituted with 4 cups boiling water)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
3 cups baby spinach leaves or 3 cups torn kale leaves (I used spinach, a great way to use spinach on the verge of going bad)


In a large sauce pan (4 quart), heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook about 5 minutes, until softened but not browned. Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Do not brown the garlic.
Add the tomatoes, cumin, chili powder and chili flakes (optional). Simmer 5 minutes. Add 3 cups (2 cans) of the beans and 3 1/2 cups of the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. (I dumped all 3 cans of beans and broth into the stew and ladeled out 2 cups (1 1/2 plus 1/2 cups seen next step) of the mixed beans, tomatoes, broth etc. into the blender eliminating the need to save some back when dumping. I then added the cilantro to this mixture and purred.)
Meanwhile, place remaining 1 1/2 cups beans and 1/2 cup broth in a food processor or blender. Add the cilantro and puree or blend until smooth. Add the puree to the stew. Just before serving add the greens and stir until wilted. Serve hot. Makes 10 1 cup servings. From "The Biggest Loser: 6 Weeks to a Healthier You" (cookbook by Rodale)

Nutrition information per serving: 160 calories, 8 grams protein, 26 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 7 grams fiber, 300 mg sodium (to further reduce sodium, I used low salt beans)

Garden Chowder

This comes from one of our favorite restaurants, ZUPAS cafe! 

Garden Chowder

Ingredients

      3 TBS butter

      2 medium zucchini, diced

      1 medium onion, diced

      2 T fresh parsley, chopped

      2 T fresh basil, chopped

      1/3 Cup flour

      3 Cups chicken broth

      1 tsp lemon juice

      2-3 tomatoes, diced

      1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk

      1 can (14.5 oz) corn

      1/3 Cup Parmesan cheese, grated

      2 Cup cheddar cheese, shredded

      1 tsp kosher salt

      1 tsp freshly ground pepper


Preparation

Over medium heat, saute the zucchini, onion, parsley and basil in butter until vegetables are tender. 
Add flour, stir until vegetables are coated. Slowly add chicken broth and lemon juice. Bring to a boil.

Add tomatoes, milk and corn. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for five minutes or until corn is tender.

Just before serving, stir in cheeses until melted. Season with salt and pepper.

* You can add in whatever other veggies sound yummy too! Zane also added some leftover rice to his bowl which made it nice and hearty :)

Chicken Corn Chowder

1 Tbsp margarine or butter

1 (8 oz) pkg sliced mushrooms

1/4 C flour

3 1/2 C 2 % milk

1 C chopped red potato

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 (16 oz) pkg frozen corn, thawed

1 1/2 C shredded cooked chicken breast

3 Tbsp chopped green onions, divided

Melt margarine in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add the mushrooms, and saute for 3 minutes.  Stir in the flour.  Gradually add the milk, stirring with a whisk.  Add the potato, thyme, salt, pepper and corn.  Bring to a boil.  Stir in the shredded chicken and 2 Tbsp green onions.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.  Ladle the soup into bowls, and sprinkle with remaining green onions.

Harvest Bisque Soup

This recipe is originally from Simply Classic.  It will serve 6-8 people, but we recommend that you double it.

3 C butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed (about 1 lb)

5 C chicken stock

4 Tbsp flour

4 Tbsp butter

2-3 tsp curry (start with 1 tsp, and flavor to taste)

3/4 C half & half (or evaporated milk)

3/4 C canned coconut milk (ptional, but it enhances the flavor)

3 Tbsp fresh lime juice (again, start with 1 Tbs, and add to taste)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Garnish with any combination of:

lime slices

pinenuts

shredded parmesan cheese

dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt

Cooke the cubed squash in the chicken stock for about 15 minutes.  Using a large slotted spoon, remove cooked squash into a blender, add 1-2 C of the cooking liquid and puree.  Add this back into the remaining liquid.

In a large pot melt butter, add flour and curry.  Cook, stirring often, about 5 minutes.  Be careful not to scorch.  Add squash and chicken stock puree.  Cook to thicken, stirring often, for about 10 minutes.  Add half & half, coconut milk and lime juice along with the salt and pepper to taste.  Heat through.  

Ladle into individual bowls and garnish.  Serve immediately.

Janalee uses about 2 tsp curry, 1-2 Tbsp lime juice, and garnishes with sour cream/yogurt and twisted slice of lime.

Recipes from Susan Tanner

Whole Wheat Bread
5 cups hot water
2/3 c. oil
2/3 c. honey
3 T. yeast
2 T. salt
5 cups whole wheat flour.
Mix until smooth

Add:
2-4 T. dough enhancer
8-10 cups whole wheat flour (until dough pulls away from bowl).
(Susan uses 1 c. white flour to help with gluten).

Put oil on counter and knead. Roll into loaves. (4 medium loaves)
Let rise in bread pans about 30 min in a warm place. (Putting in oven dries them out).
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. (Time depends on the size of the loaf).

Refrigerator Rolls
2 Tbsp yeast
1/4 c. warm water
1⁄2 c. butter or margarine
1 c. water
1⁄2 c. sugar
2 tsp. Salt
4 eggs
4 1⁄2 - 5 c. flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water (sprinkle a little sugar on top). Combine the butter, sugar, salt and 1 c. water; melt, then cool. Add the yeat to the cooled ingredients. Add the eggs; mix. Add the flour; mix. Cover till double in size (about 1 hour). Punch down and refrigerate overnight. Mold 3 hours before baking. Bake 8 minutes at 400. Yield about 4 dozen dinner rolls or 3 dozen orange rolls.

Orange Rolls
1⁄2 c. butter, melted
1⁄2 c. sugar
Rind of 1 orange, grated
1 Tbsp orange juice concentrate

Combine the ingredients. Roll the dough in 2 large rectangles. Spread orange mixture on dough and roll dough to look like a tube. Cut in one inch slices and put in greased muffin tins. Frost with orange glaze while hot.

Split Pea (or Sausage) Soup
3 quarts water
1 lb. Split peas
1 lb. Sausage
1 c. chopped celery
1 c. Chopped potatoes
1 c. sliced carrots
1 c. chopped onion
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of sage
pinch of rosemary

Cook peas until soft. Brown, drain, and rinse ground sausage. Add cooked sausage and vegetables about the last 30 minutes of cooking. You can add more water if it gets too thick.

Blond Brownies
1 c. butter, soft
2 c. brown sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1 1⁄2 c. flour
1/4 c. coconut
chopped pecans, optional

Mix in order given. Bake at 350 for about 24 minutes in greased and floured 9 x 13 pan.

Burnt Butter Frosting
1/4 c butter, melted till golden brown
1/4 milk or cream
about 3-4 cups powdered sugar
shake of salt
1⁄2 tsp vanilla