Chili's Chicken Enchilada Soup

Chili's Chicken Enchilada Soup

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound chicken breast fillets
   -- (approx. 3 fillets)
1/2 cup diced onion
1 clove garlic -- pressed
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup masa harina
3 cups water
1 can enchilada sauce
16 ounces Velveeta cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin

GARNISHES (optional):
shredded cheddar cheese
crumbled corn tortilla chips
pico de gallo

METHOD:
Add vegetable oil to large pot over medium heat. Brown chicken breasts for 4-5 minutes per side. Set chicken aside.

Add onions and garlic to pot and sauté over medium heat for 2 minutes—or until onions begin to become translucent. Add chicken broth.

Combine masa harina with 2 cups water in medium bowl whisk until blended. Add masa mixture to onions, garlic and broth.

Add remaining water, enchilada sauce, cheese and spices to pot. Bring mixture to a boil.

Shred chicken into small, bite-size pieces. Add it to pot. Reduce heat. Simmer soup for 30-40 minutes or until thick.

Serve soup in cups/bowls and garnish with shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled corn tortilla chips, or pico de gallo.

Recipe Tips:
To save time, use 4 small cans of chicken breast (tuna can size) or 2 large cans instead of shredded chicken breast. You may then use the chicken juice to thin the soup—as it has a tendency to get pretty thick. The chicken juice also adds really good flavor.

If chicken is too dry, try boiling the chicken breasts instead of frying them.

This soup can be a dip for tortilla chips or sauce for nachos

Parmesan Potato Soup

Parmesan Potato Soup

8 medium chopped and boiled potatoes       
¾ c. chopped onion        
½ C. butter              
¾  C. flour                     
½  t. dried basil                     
½  t. season salt              
1/4 tsp.  celery salt                          
½  t. garlic powder                
¼  t. onion salt               
¼  t. pepper                    
¼  t. rubbed sage               
 ¼  t. dried thyme                 
2 cans chicken broth                          
3 C. milk                         
¾  C. grated, canned parmesan cheese                                   
10 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

In large pan over medium heat, saute onion in butter. Stir in flour and seasonings. Gradually add broth, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil, cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add potatoes, return to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 min. Add milk and cheese, heat through, stir in bacon.

Smokey Corn and Shrimp Chowder

Smokey Corn and Shrimp Chowder 

4 ears fresh sweet corn (or canned corn)      
 4 bacon slices                         
1 medium white onion, chopped
1 tsp. salt                                  
1 tsp. smoked paprika           
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper        
2 tbsp. flour                       
2 medium potatoes, chopped       
5 c. 2% milk                
1 pound shrimp (deveined, if large)                                
4 c. baby arugula or spinach

Cut corn from cob. Scrape cobs with back of knife to release milk. Set aside. Cook bacon in large Dutch oven. Remove from pan, drain and crumble. Add onions, corn, paprika, and cayenne pepper to bacon drippings. Saute 10 minutes. Add flour, whisking well and cook 2 minutes. Add potatoes and milk. Cook 10 minutes or until thick and creamy. Add shrimp. Cook until pink. Stir in arugla. Serve with crumbled bacon.

Hamburger Barley Soup

Hamburger Barley Soup 

1 lb. hamburger-browned and drained       
1- 16 oz can petite diced tomatoes                       
½ onion, chopped
5 carrots, chopped (or to your liking)                  
3 stalks celery, chopped                
1 tsp. dried b       
½ c. pearled barley                   
1 tbsp. beef bouillon                            
1-2 tsp. season salt 
5 c. water    

Combine all ingredients. Boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 40-50 minutes.

Aloha Chili

Aloha Chili

2 lbs. ground beef drained and rinsed    
2 cans kidney beans                             
1 can crushed or diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce                
1 can crushed pineapple                
1 onion chopped                                                        
1 bell pepper chopped            
1T. chili powder                    
1 t. red pepper                           
salt and pepper for flavor

Brown hamburger, drain and rinse. Sautee onions and bell peppers. Add tomatoes, and tomatoes sauce, crushed pineapple, and seasonings. Simmer then serve.

Can serve with cheese, sour cream, corn chips...whatever suites your fancy.

Sauerkraut Suppe/Soup

Sauerkraut Suppe/Soup

1 can sauerkraut—I use the bigger can-or two small ones—
20 plus ounces total
4 medium potatoes-peeled and cubed—the smaller the pieces the better –Add a few more potatoes if you need to feed more. 

1 lb. sausage-cut up and warmed—I like to fry mine up a little in a separate pan

1 cup sour cream—you can add what you like…makes it the creamy base

1 tablespoon flour

Dill weed                                                                                   
Caraway seeds

Cover potatoes with just enough water and boil until tender. Don’t drain water from potatoes. Add warmed sausage pieces and sauerkraut to potatoes that are still covered in the water they were cooked in. Add dill and caraway to mixture. This is where you add the amount that you like. I would say I start off with ½ tsp. of each and then add equal amounts of each until I get the flavor I like. The flavor will get stronger as it cooks. Boil for 5 minutes. In a separate bowl, mix together sour cream and flour. Add to mixture and heat on medium until warm.

Best served with black bread or rye bread. (Panera makes a really good rye bread for $3.00 a loaf. You can have it sliced for free and it’s a pretty big loaf.)

Zucchini Soup

Zucchini Soup

9 c. sliced zucchini       
1 ½ c. water       
3 tbsp. minced onion
1 tbsp. season salt       
1 ½ tsp. parsley       
2 tbsp. chicken soup base (or bouillon)

Cook above ingredients until tender and puree in blender.

6 tbsp. butter           
6 tbsp. flour       
1 ½ tsp. pepper      
 ¼ tsp. msg (optional)

Melt butter in pan. Add flour and stir. After well blended add the remaining ingredients. Cook until bubbly and thick. Stir in the zucchini mixture until smooth. Serve with sour cream and sprinkle with paprika.