1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the stock, tomato sauce, tomato juice, tomato paste and sugar. Whisk these ingredients together, then add the celery, carrots, spinach, zucchini and pasta.

2. Simmer over medium low heat for 30 minutes, or until all vegetables are to desired tenderness. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 4 - 6 Servings

Creamed Broccoli Soup

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter

1 onion, chopped

4 large carrots, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

4 cups water

4 tablespoons chicken bouillon powder

1 pound fresh broccoli florets

2 cups half-and-half

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 cup ice water

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 cup chopped parsley

Instructions:

1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat; add chopped onions, carrots, and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened.

2. In a medium-sized cooking pot, add 4 cups water and chicken bouillon granules and bring to boil. Add precooked onion mixture to soup pot. Add broccoli florets, reserving a few pieces to be added near the end of cooking time. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes or until broccoli is just tender.

3. In a blender or food processor, puree soup in batches and return to pot. Stir in half and half cream and remaining broccoli florets.

4. In a cup, mix flour with 1/4 cup cold water to form a thin liquid.

5. Bring soup to boil; add flour mixture slowly, stirring constantly to thicken soup as desired. Add soy sauce, black pepper, and stir well. Garnish with chopped parsley (or carrot curls) when serving. Serve soup hot or cold.

Makes 6 Servings

Bachelor's Soup

Ingredients:

2 pounds lean beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1 inch cubes

1/3 cup dried bread crumbs

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 yellow onion

3 carrots, cut into thick strips

4 stalks celery, chopped

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/3 cup quick-cooking tapioca

1 (4.5 ounce) can sliced mushrooms

1 teaspoon soy sauce

2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed tomato soup

1 cup beef broth

Instructions:

Combine bread crumbs with salt and pepper and toss with beef. Place coated beef cubes into a slow cooker and add onion, carrots, celery, basil, tapioca, mushrooms, soy sauce, tomato soup and broth. Stir well, cover and cook on low for 10 to 12 hours, or on high for 3 to 5 hours.

Makes 6 Servings

Cheeseburger Soup

Ingredients:

1/2 pound ground beef

3/4 cup chopped onion

3/4 cup shredded carrots

3/4 cup chopped celery

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried parsley

4 tablespoons butter

3 cups chicken broth

4 cups cubed potatoes

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups cubed Cheddar cheese

1 1/2 cups milk

1/4 cup sour cream

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, melt 1 tablespoon butter or margarine over medium heat: cook and stir vegetables and beef , until beef is brown.

2. Stir in basil and parsley. Add broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10-12 minutes.

3. Melt the remainder of butter and stir in flour.Add the milk, stirring until smooth.

4. Gradually add milk mixture to the soup, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Stir in cheese. When cheese is melted, add sour cream and heat through. Do not boil.

Makes 6 -8 Servings

Chicken & Dumplings

Ingredients:

7 boneless chicken thighs

2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of celery soup

1 (12 ounce) package buttermilk biscuits

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. In a large pot over high heat, combine the chicken and enough water to cover and boil for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain some of the water, reserving 3 cups in the pot. Remove chicken and allow it to cool, then pull it apart into bite size pieces; return to pot.

2. Reduce heat to medium and add the cans of soup. Roll the biscuit dough into tiny balls and add to the soup. Continue simmering over medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the dough balls are coooked through. (Note: Do not allow dough to cook too long or the balls will start to get somewhat hard.)

Makes 6 - 8 Servings

Beef Stew 1

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 pounds cubed beef stew meat

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

6 cups water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 cups cubed potatoes

2 cups chopped carrots

1/2 teaspoon browning sauce

2 teaspoons dried rosemary

1 cup fresh corn kernals

1 cup cut green beans

1/4 cup instant rice

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in large pot. Add beef and flour, stirring to coat beef; brown.

2. Add water, salt, and pepper. Heat to boiling; reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour.

3. Stir in potatoes, carrots (or turnips), browning sauce, and rosemary. Simmer 1-2 hours.

4. Add corn, green beans, and rice; simmer for 30 minutes longer.

Makes 8 Servings

Beef Stew 2

Ingredients:

1 pound cubed beef stew meat

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons shortening

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 cups water

1 onion, finely diced

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 bay leaf

3 carrots, quartered

3 potatoes, peeled and quartered

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup frozen corn kernels

Instructions:

1. Dredge beef in flour and then, in a medium stock pot, brown beef on all sides in shortening. Add salt, pepper, water, onion, paprika, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and bay leave. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 2 hours or until meat is tender.

2. Add carrots and potatoes and simmer for 45 minutes or until tender.

3. Remove bay leave and meat from stew, add 1 tablespoon flour or cornstarch and mix, in order to thicken stew. After mixing let sit for a few minutes to thicken, if not to desired thickness add more flour or cornstarch and repeat.

4. Once thickened return meat and add corn to stew, heat through and serve.

Makes 6 Servings

Beef Stew 3

Ingredients:

1 pound cubed beef stew meat

1 small onion, chopped

1 pinch salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 cloves garlic, crushed

2 (14 ounce) cans beef broth

3 1/2 cups water

1 cup peeled and diced tomatoes with juice

1 potato, cubed

2 carrots, chopped

1/4 medium head cabbage, shredded

1/3 cup quick-cooking barley

1 (14.5 ounce) can great northern beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds

Instructions:

Coat a large pot or dutch oven with cooking spray. Place over medium heat and cook beef until brown. Stir in onion and cook until translucent. Drain fat. Stir in salt, pepper and garlic and cook 1 minute. Pour in beef broth, water and tomatoes. Stir in potato, carrots, cabbage, barley and beans. And season with oregano, basil, rosemary and caraway. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes

Makes 8 Servings

Clam Chowder

Ingredients:

3 (6.5 ounce) cans minced clams

1 cup minced onion

1 cup diced celery

2 cups cubed potatoes

1 cup diced carrots

3/4 cup butter

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 quart half-and-half cream

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons

salt ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Drain juice from clams into a large skillet over the onions, celery, potatoes and carrots. Add water to cover, and cook over medium heat until tender.

2. Meanwhile, in a large, heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Whisk in cream and stir constantly until thick and smooth. Stir in vegetables and clam juice. Heat through, but do not boil.

3. Stir in clams just before serving. If they cook too much they get tough. When clams are heated through, stir in vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.

Makes 8 Servings

Country Soup in a Jar

Ingredients:

1/2 cup barley 1/2 cup dried split peas 1/2 cup uncooked rice 1/2 cup dry lentils 2 tablespoons dried minced onion 2 tablespoons dried parsley 2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper 2 tablespoons beef bouillon granules 1/2 cup uncooked alphabet pasta 1 cup uncooked twist macaroni

Instructions:

1. In a wide mouth 1 quart jar, layer the barley, peas, rice and lentils. Then layer around the edges the onion, parsley, salt, lemon pepper, bouillon and the alphabet pasta. Fill the rest of the jar with the twist macaroni.

2. Seal and attach a gift card. The gift card should read: Add contents of jar to 3 quarts of water, 2 stalks of chopped celery, 2 sliced carrots, 1 cup of shredded cabbage (optional) and 2 cups diced tomatoes. Over medium low heat, cover and simmer about 1 hour, or until vegetables are tender.

Makes a 1 Quart Jar

Love Soup in a Jar

Makes a wonderful gift for a new bride-to-be, a friend under the weather, or just to say thanks! And it tastes great, too! Decorate the jar with a fabric lid and/or a bow tied around the neck. Be sure to attach the cooking instructions to the jar.

Ingredients:

18 cubes beef bouillon

1/4 cup dried minced onion

1/2 cup dried split peas

1/2 cup uncooked twist macaroni

1/4 cup barley

1/2 cup dry lentils

1/3 cup long-grain white rice

1 cup uncooked tri-color spiral pasta

1 wide mouth 1 quart canning jar

Instructions:

1. Use a canning funnel or any funnel that has about a 2-inch neck. This will make it easier to fill the jars with the ingredients. Be sure to use a wide-mouth, 1-quart canning jar.

2. Layer ingredients in the order given: bouillon, onion flakes, split peas, small shape pasta, barley, lentils, rice, and enough tricolor spiral pasta to fill jar.

3. Attach tag with cooking instructions: In large kettle, brown 1 pound ground beef or stew beef cut into bite-size pieces in a little olive oil. Remove tricolor pasta from top of jar and reserve. Add the rest of the jar contents to the kettle with 12 cups water. Let come to a boil and simmer 45 minutes. Add tricolor pasta and simmer 15 minutes more. Serve with your favorite bread or rolls and a tossed salad.

Makes 1 jar which equalls 12 servings

Gumbo

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons melted butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup margarine

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup water

1 pound chopped okra

2 cups chopped onion

3/4 cup chopped celery

1 (16 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1/2 pound cubed beef stew meat (optional)

3 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 pinch salt

1 pinch ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1 sprig fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar

1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/2 lemon

1 pound andouille sausage, diced

1/2 pound crabmeat, flaked

1 pound medium shrimp - peeled and deveined

Instructions:

1. In a small saute pan, saute garlic in 2 tablespoons of butter, stirring constantly until golden brown. Set aside.

2. Over high heat combine 1/4 cup of butter and flour in a large, heavy bottomed stock pot. Stir constantly until the roux becomes chocolate brown.

3. Stir in 1/2 cup water, okra, onions, celery, tomatoes and beef into roux. Stir constantly and cook until the vegetables are tender.

4. In stock pot add 3 1/2 cups water, parsley, salt, black pepper, red pepper, thyme, bay leaves, sugar, hot pepper sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Remove seeds from lemon and squeeze juice into stock pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2 1/2 hours stirring occasionally.

5. Add shrimp, crabmeat and andouille to stock pot and simmer an additional 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. Remove bay leaves and serve.

Makes 6 Servings

Pumpkin Bisque

Ingredients:

Olive oil or canola oil

1 medium white onion (diced)

1 garlic clove diced

2 cups pumpkin puree

4 cups chicken stock

Bay leaf

Pinch sugar

1/3 tsp curry powder, or to your taste

Pinch nutmeg

2 cups half-and-half

Salt and pepper

Toasted coconut

Instructions:

1. Slowly saute onion and garlic in oil until transparent, about 5 minutes.

2. Add pumpkin puree and chicken stock, bay leaf, sugar, curry, nutmeg and mix well.

3. Bring to boil, then lower heat to simmer. Cook 20 - 30 minutes.

4.Taste for seasoning.

5. Add half-and-half and simmer another 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

6. Blend in batches in blender. Strain through a fine strainer. Reheat gently, and serve with toasted coconut.

Makes 4 Servings

Creamy Potato Soup w/ Swiss

INGREDIENTS:

4 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered

1 small carrot, peeled and finely chopped

1/2 stalk celery, finely chopped

1 small onion, finely diced

1-1/2 cups chicken broth

1 tsp. salt

2-1/2 cups milk

3 tbsp. butter, melted

3 tbsp. flour

1 tbsp. parsley

1 tsp. pepper

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

DIRECTIONS:

In a large saucepan, bring potatoes, carrot, celery, onion,

chicken broth and salt to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and

simmer until potatoes are just tender. Do not drain; mash

slightly. Stir in milk. In a small bowl, blend butter, flour,

parsley and pepper; stir into potato mixture. Cook and stir

over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat;

add cheese and stir until cheese is almost melted. Let soup

stand for 5 minutes.

Yield: 6 Servings

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