• Black Bean Soup with White Rice
• Cajun Five Bean Soup
• Cheese Tortellini Soup
• Cream of  Tomato Soup
• Cheddar Baked Potato Soup
• Chicken Curry Soup
• Italian Toscana Soup
• Stuffed Green Pepper Soup
• Italian Pasta Fagioli
• Betty's Wedding Soup
• Yam and Apple Soup

Salads

• Best Ever Chicken Salad
• Frito Salad
• Layered Lettuce Salad

Salad Dressings

• Roquefort
• French

Soups

Cajun Five Bean Soup

1 pound bag of mixed dried beans (or about 1/2 cup each of black, red kidney, navy, black-eyed peas and baby limas)
3/4 pound spicy sausage (such as smoked kilbasa, Polish sausage, etc.)
1 ham bone with some meat left on (or one ham hock) or 1 cup ham, cubed
1 large unpeeled carrot, cut into several large chunks
3 stalks celery, cut into several large chunks
1 large onion (about 3/4 pound), coarsely chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons each: paprika, cumin, chili powder
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
28 oz. can whole or diced tomatoes in juice
2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Soak beans overnight (or quick method: cover beans with 1 inch water, bring to a boil for 5 minutes, remove from heat and let stand until most of the liquid has been absorbed). Rinse, drain and set aside.

Into large stock pot put 6 cups water, ham bone and whole sausage link. Add carrot and celery pieces. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook 30 minutes, removing the sausage after 15 minutes; set aside to add later. In skillet, add olive oil and heat. Add onion and saute until golden brown. Stir in garlic and immediately remove skillet from heat.

Remove ham bone and vegetables from stock. Discard vegetables. Add beans to the pot. Add 2 cups water and the onion mixture. Reduce to a simmer. Add seasonings, stir well. Simmer mixture for 1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender. Meanwhile, slice sausage into 1/4 inch slices and remove ham from bone and cut into bite size pieces.

Add tomatoes (if using whole tomatoes, break into pieces before adding), chicken broth, sausage and ham pieces and vinegar. Simmer about 30 minutes. Can add more water if too thick.

Cream of Tomato Soup

28 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup chicken broth
¼ cup butter
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon chopped onion
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups heavy cream

In saucepan, combine all but cream. Cover and simmer 1 hour. Heat cream in microwave. Add to soup; do not boil. Makes about 1 ½ quarts.

Cheddar Baked Potato Soup

5 medium potatoes, baked and diced but not peeled
1/2 stick butter
1 cup finely diced onions
1/4 cup flour
2 cups hot water
5 chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 cup instant potato flakes
1 cup cream or half-n-half
1 cup milk
Salt and Pepper to taste
Garnish: crumbled crisply cooked bacon, finely chopped green onion tops, shredded cheddar cheese

Melt butter in 4 quart pan. Add onions and saute until onions are soft (5-10 minutes). Add flour and stir until flour is mixed in.
In separate container combine hot water, bouillon, potato flakes; whisk until smooth. Stir into pot. Add cream and milk, stirring until well blended. Reduce heat to low. Add salt and pepper and diced potatoes. Simmer to heat through.
Place soup in bowl and top with shredded cheddar cheese, bacon and green onions.

Chicken Curry Soup

1 pound cooked chicken (or pork), cut into bite-size pieces
2 quarts chicken stock (or pork stock if using pork)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 rib celery, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 1/2 teaspoon curry powder (can use 3/4 tsp. mild and 3/4 tsp. hot curry powder)
2 Tablespoons flour
2 Tablespoons honey
1 large apple (McIntosh is best), peeled, cored, chopped
1 pound (about 8) small new red potatoes, scrubbed and chopped (leave skins on)
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
1 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup whole milk

Heat stock in soup pot over medium-low heat. In skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrot and thyme. Cook, stirring for about 5 minutes, until onions are clear (do not brown vegetables). Stir in curry, flour, honey and cook for 5 more minutes. Add apples, stir to coat then add some hot stock to the skillet gradually, stirring until smooth and thickened. Pour mixture from skillet into the soup pot. Add potatoes, parsley, salt and pepper. Simmer 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat and slowly stir in milk. Makes 3 quarts.

Black Bean Soup with White Rice

½ cup olive oil
1 cup diced onions
½ cup diced green pepper
2 lbs. Dry black beans, cooked, drained
4 cups ham stock*
3 Tbsp. Cider vinegar
3 ½ cups water
1 lb. Polish sausage, sliced
garlic to taste
cayenne pepper to taste
bay leaf
Cooked white rice

In Dutch oven, heat olive oil and saute onion and green pepper. Cover and cook about 20 min.
or until vegs. are tender.
Puree 6 cups of the beans. Add water if needed. Add to pot with remaining beans, ham stock, vinegar,
water. Bring to boil and add sausage.
Simmer 45 min. - 1 ½ hrs.
Pour soup into bowl and garnish with rice.

*Ham stock - To several cups of water add ham bone, fat, and pieces left over from the ham. Boil down to make rich stock. Commercial ham base is hard to find but it can be added to water to make 4 cups stock.

Stuffed Green Pepper Soup

1 pound lean ground beef, broken into small pieces
14.5 oz. can beef broth
46 oz. can V-8 Juice
28 oz. can diced or stewed tomatoes (do not drain)
1 cup chopped green peppers
1 cup diced onion
1 cup instant rice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon each: thyme and cumin

Combine everything but rice in large pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add instant rice, cover for 5 minutes.

Italian Toscana Soup

3/4 cup onion, diced
2 slices bacon, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
5 cups chicken stock (or substitute 5 cups water and 1 ounce chicken bouillon)
2 medium potatoes with skins, quartered then sliced 1/4" thick
5 oz. fresh kale (about 5 cups loosely packed after chopping)
1/2 cups spicy precooked sausage
3/4 cup half and half or cream

Cut sausage lengthwise then into 1/2" slices. Brown in skillet; drain and set aside.
Place onions and bacon in large saucepan and cook over medium heat until onions are tender. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add chicken stock, water, potatoes and bring to a boil. Simmer 15 minutes.
While potatoes are cooking, rinse and drain fresh kale. Remove tough stems. Chop into small strips. Bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add salt and kale. Cover and cook 10 minutes or until tender. Drain. Place on chopping board and dice.
Add sausage, kale and cream to potato mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer then remove from heat and serve.

Italian Pasta Fagioli Soup

1 lb. ground beef

1 cup diced onion

1 cup julienned carrot

1 cup chopped celery

2 cloves garlic, minced

29 oz. can diced tomatoes

15 oz. can red kidney beans (with liquid)

15 oz. can great northern beans (with liquid)

15 oz. can tomato sauce

12 oz. V-8 juice

1 Tablespoon white vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/2 lb. ditali pasta

 

Brown ground beef in large pot. Drain.

Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic and saute 10 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients except pasta and simmer for 50 minutes.

Bring pan of water to boil and cook pasta, al dente. Drain

Add pasta to soup and simmer for 5-10 minutes.

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Cheese Tortellini Soup (courtesy of Mary Jo Hanna)

 

1 large clove garlic, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 Tablespoon olive oil

10 oz. frozen, chopped spinach

28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

2 qts. chicken broth

8 oz. pkg. fresh cheese tortellini (found in the dairy case) or one 7 oz. box dried cheese tortellini (cook according to pkg. directions)

1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning (or to taste)

Red pepper flakes (to taste)

No salt or pepper needed

 

Saute garlic and onion in olive oil until soft; do not brown. Add spinach and cover to thaw. In separate large pan put tomatoes and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add seasonings and onion/spinach mixture. Add tortellini and simmer, uncovered 45 minutes.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese when serving.

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Yam and Apple Soup

1 medium onion, chopped
4 Tablespoons butter
2 cups peeled, chopped yams
1 cup peeled, chopped apple
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon dried whole thyme
1/4 cup maple syrup
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a pot, melt butter then saute onions about 3 minutes or until tender. Add the chicken broth, yams, apples, thyme, maple syrup, salt and pepper. Bring to boil then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until yams are tender, about 30 minutes.

Betty's Wedding Soup
Betty Hilgert

2 large cans of chicken broth
3 large chicken breasts with ribs and skin

Boil for about 1 hour.

Dice celery about 6 stalks
1 med. Diced onion
about 6 little carrots sliced thinly
1 cup of diced kale

Cook until veggies are tender. Add 1 chicken breast chopped finely.
Add meatballs, slowly (1 lb. Italian sausage, 1 lb. lean beef, ½ cup bread
crumbs, ½ med. Onion diced finely. Cook about ½ hour.

Turn heat off and then ½ hour before din-din time add about 4 handfuls of
pasta and cook until tender.

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Salads

Best Ever Chicken Salad

1 small can pineapple chunks, drained (reserve liquid)
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
¾ teaspoon curry powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 cups chicken breast, cooked, cooled, cubed or torn into bitesize pieces
½ cup celery, thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons sliced green onions
1/3 cup slivered almonds (optional)
1/3 cup raisins (optional)

Combine 2 Tablespoons pineapple juice with mayonnaise, Dijon , curry powder and salt. Set aside.  Combine remaining ingredients. Add mayonnaise mixture and blend well. Refrigerate at least one hour before serving.

Serve on a bed of lettuce.

Just before serving add coarsely crushed Fritos (about half a regular size bag).  Pour most of a large bottle of Kraft Catalina dressing over salad and mix well. Serve immediately (does not keep long).

Layered Lettuce Salad

Can be made the day before.
Place in clear bowl in layers in the following order:
Lettuce, chopped
Onion, chopped
Celery, sliced thinly
Green pepper, chopped
1 box frozen peas that have been cooked
according to directions, drained, and
cooled
Carefully spread a generous layer of mayonnaise over the peas.
Sprinkle a generous layer of shredded cheddar cheese.  Layer bacon that has been crisply cooked, cooled and crumbled.
Cover with plastic wrap and store in refrigerator.

Roquefort Dressing

1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise (NOT Miracle Whip)
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
3 oz. Roquefort cheese (can use Bleu Cheese but Roquefort is milder)
1/8 teaspoon celery salt

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate at least one day before using.

French Dressing

1 can Tomato soup
1 1/4 cups salad oil
3/4 cup vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon dry mustard
1 Tablespoon salt
1 clove garlic, minced

Combine all ingredients in blender or food processor and blend. Refrigerate.