Tried this one tonight. Yummy.

Kale and Roasted Vegetable Soup Recipe | Simply Recipes

Modify this by cubing the butternut squash in advance and then roasting time can be cut in half and you don't get shriveled carrots like I did...also, I didn't cook the kale as long as it said to. I didn't want to cook out all the goodness of the veggies! I didn't use half as much oil as it said, either, and didn't use any added salt. In other words, use common sense to make this healthier. It's already pretty healthy, so imagine how great it can be :)

Taco Soup-- new & improved

2 cans beans, drained & rinsed (any variety)
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can green chilies
1 cup water
1 pkg. guacamole seasoning mix
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. white pepper
1 tbsp. dried cilantro
1 cube beef bouillon
1/2-1 lb. ground beef, browned & drained

Mix ingredients together in a crock pot & allow to cook on high heat for 2-3 hours or on low heat for 3-4 hours. Topping suggestions: fresh cilantro, dollop of fat free sour cream, tortilla strips, green onions, olives.

Slow Cooker Creamy Corn Chowder

Some of my best recipes have come to me during the "What am I going to make for dinner?" moments. I look in the fridge, pantry, freezer, and just throw a bunch of ingredients together. This is also how my very worst concoctions have come to pass, but that's another topic for another day. Here is the chowder I came up with on a Sunday afternoon when it was almost time to leave for church & I realized I hadn't started anything for dinner. I liked it because it came out creamy in the end, but this was achieved through patience instead of through using heavy cream or something else I shouldn't be eating.

Slow Cooker Creamy Corn Chowder

1 bag frozen corn
1/2 cube margarine or butter (you can use light & you can also use less)
Baby carrots (as much as you want to add)
Milk (I used fat free; you just use enough to cover all the ingredients)
1/2 package ranch dressing mix (or more, according to your deepest desires)
Freshly ground black pepper
Dill weed to taste
1 tsp. or so paprika (I believe in precise measurements, as you can tell)
1 tsp. or so seasoned salt
Bacon (just add as much as your little heart desires)(sorry, I don't mean to suggest you have a little heart; your hearts are all very big, but not in an unhealthy way)

Dump everything except the bacon into the crock pot. Stir a little. Put the lid on & let 'er cook while you go to church (or, if you're a heathen--no offense to heathens-- let 'er cook from about lunch time to about dinner time). When you get home from church, add crumbled bacon & serve.

Sweet Potato-Peanut Bisque- BEST SOUP EVER!!! (*okay maybe it depends on your tastebuds)

Cindy made me think of this, i actually just had it at work the other day. AND.I.LOVED.IT.! My friend Katie showed me this website eating well. I would put a link on here, but i never can seem to get it right so... here goes:

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/sweet_potato_peanut_bisque.html

Ingredients

* 2 large sweet potatoes (10-12 ounces each)
* 1 tablespoon canola oil
* 1 small yellow onion, chopped
* 1 large clove garlic, minced
* 3 cups reduced-sodium tomato-vegetable juice blend or tomato juice
* 1 4-ounce can diced green chiles, preferably hot, drained
* 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
* 1 teaspoon ground allspice
* 1 15-ounce can vegetable broth
* 1/2 cup smooth natural peanut butter
* Freshly ground pepper to taste
* Chopped fresh cilantro leaves for garnish

Preparation

1. Prick sweet potatoes in several places with a fork. Microwave on High until just cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until it just begins to brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Stir in juice, green chiles, ginger and allspice. Adjust the heat so the mixture boils gently; cook for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, peel the sweet potatoes and chop into bite-size pieces. Add half to the pot. Place the other half in a food processor or blender along with broth and peanut butter. Puree until completely smooth. Add the puree to the pot and stir well to combine. Thin the bisque with water, if desired. Season with pepper. Heat until hot. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.

Tips & Notes

* Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Thin with water before reheating, if desired.


Nutrition

Per serving: 291 calories; 16 g fat (3 g sat, 8 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 30 g carbohydrates; 1 g added sugars; 10 g protein; 6 g fiber; 474 mg sodium; 1011 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (300% daily value), Vitamin C (100% dv), Potassium (29% dv), Magnesium (15% dv).

1 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 1/2 high fat meat, 1/2 fat

Chili?

I made this for my ward chili cook-off, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't really count as chili. It has beans. That's about the only similarity. HOWEVER, I did get lots of compliments and had a couple people ask for the recipe, and Eric liked it, so I guess it was a success. I didn't win, though. Haters. Just kidding :)

Warm Heart Stew

Pumpkin Curry Soup

1 small onion
2 large cloves of garlic
2-3 teaspoons curry powder
2 Tblspoons butter
3 cups chicken broth (you can use vegetable broth or bullion cubes with water)
15 oz. canned pumpkin (be sure you don't get pumpkin pie mix)
12 oz. evaporated milk
white pepper and salt to taste (you can use black pepper instead)

in a largish pot:
-saute onion and garlic in butter until onions are clear add curry (saute for 2-3 min)
-add broth and pumpkin and bring mixture to a boil reduce heat and simmer for 15 min
-add evap. milk and cook for another 2-3 min

cup soup into a blender and whip on high for a few min (make sure the garlic and onions get mixed well) don't put too much of the soup in at a time because it should fluff up a bit and because it's super hot--and it won't mix as well.

Beef Chili

1 can black beans, rinsed & drained
1 can dark red kidney beans, rinsed & drained
2 small cans tomato sauce (or 1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained & 1 can tomato sauce)
1/2 cup brown sugar (add more or less depending on how sweet you want it)
1 package McCormick chili seasoning mix
1 lb. ground beef, browned & drained
Dash of Tabasco sauce (optional)

Mix it all together & simmer over low heat for 20-30 minutes. Serving suggestion: top with green onions, shredded lettuce, a dollop of sour cream & a sprinkle of shredded cheese.

You can use any kinds of beans you like; these are just the two I like best.

Laura's White Chili Recipe

I know I'm not the only one who wanted this recipe! Laura (Michael's wife) made this for us when we were visiting in Nevada. I'm salivating just thinking about it.

White Chili

1 lb chicken; cooked, cubed (you can also use ground beef or ground turkey)
1 onion, diced
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 cans great white northern beans
1 can chicken broth
2 cans diced green chiles
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tsp white pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whip cream


Cook chicken, onion and garlic powder until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chiles, seasonings, whip cream. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer for 30 minutes. Mix in sour cream. Serve.

Spit pea soup

Do you guys remember that story that Mom always tells about how she accidentally called it spit pea soup? How embarrassing ;)

One night it was definitely time to go to bed, but Good Eats was starting and Alton Brown was talking about how to get people who don't like peas to eat their peas, and since my husband is one of those people, we decided to stick around.

I was glad we did, because he started out with a split pea soup recipe that sounded pretty easy--and would help me use up some of the split peas I'd gotten from WIC checks...anyway, it turned out really yummy, and even my dubious husband gulped down his share. Now the new mystery is how to make it look more appealing!

Click here for the recipe!

Winter Squash and Sage Sausage Chili

I came across this recipe while I was sitting in bed reading cookbooks, the only books I read ;) It's from Better Homes and Garden's new Annual Recipes 2009.

Start to finish: 20 minutes

1 lb. bulk sage saugage or other sausage
1 15 oz. can cannellini beans, drained (I used great northern beans)
1 12 oz. pkg. frozen winter squash puree, thawed (I cooked one of dad's squashes in the microwave and pureed it in a blender)
1 cup chunky chipotle salsa or other salsa
1 1/2 cup water
1 3-5 oz. pkg. herb flavored goat cheese, crumbled (I used feta)
Fresh sage, optional

1. In a large saucepan cook sausage over medium heat until brown and no pink remains, stirring to break up; drain fat. Stir in beans, squash, salsa, and water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve in bowls; sprinkle goat cheese and fresh sage. Makes 4 servings.

Each Serving: 385 calories, 14 g fat (7 g sat. fat), 119 mg chol, 1466 mg sodium, 34 g carbs, 7 g fiber, 39 g pro. Daily Values: 99% vit. A, 19% vit. C, 32% calcium, 23% iron.

Pumpkin Curry Soup

Because no one has been posting (including me) and this blog is so sad, plus I had the most amazing soup this last week, I'm going to share. I call this soup Happy Soup. That's because I'm so happy when I'm eating it. Call it a natural antidepressant. Call it comfort food. Call it whatever you want to, it's good. And even better: it's so easy! Make it tonight, and your family will wonder where that scowling, crusty, nagging old woman went and where this beautiful, smiling, happy person came from.

Here it is. In all its beauty.

First you need a medium yellow onion and 4 cloves garlic. Chop 'em up. Then saute them in 2 Tbsp butter until onions are clear.

Add3 tsp curry powder and 1/2 tsp salt and cook for 2 mins.

Now add:
3 cups chicken broth
15 oz pumpkin (one of the small cans)

Simmer for 10 mins.

Add one can of evaporated milk. Then, working in small batches, puree the soup in a blender. Pureeing makes it...indescribable. Frothy. Smooth. Divine.

Now eat it and love it.

**This recipe came from Betsy, a fellow interpreter. I will forever love her for bringing it into my life.