cream of anything soup

**disclaimer: I have NOT made this soup, but every woman in my family has made this over & over & over again.... using different vegetables. I subscribed YEARS ago to this "receive a new recipe every day" via email, and this was one of the recipes. My aunt & my grandma both say this is THE best recipe they have ever tried, and have thanked me over & over & over again for this recipe.

I have yet to try it, but if these awesome ladies who are amazing cooks love this recipe, chances are, it's a winner!

In a soup pot melt & brown: 4 tbsp butter & 4 tbsp flour

Add: 1 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper, dash cayenne pepper

Add: 1 1/2 c milk, 2 c chicken broth, 1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash, 1 tsp onion powder or chopped onion

Choose & add one of the following vegetables (pureed or chopped) & the corresponding seasonings:

*2 c asparagus + 1 tsp lemon juice, dash of ground nutmeg or mace

*1 1/2 c green beans + 1/2 tsp thyme, dash garlic powder, 1 bay leaf

* 1 c carrots + 1 Tbsp parsley, 1/2 tsp basil

*2 c cauliflower + 1/2 tsp curry powder

*1 1/2 c zucchini + dash nutmeg

*1 1/2 c mushroom + dash nutmeg

If you try this recipe out, let me know which vegetable you tried, and what tastes the best!!

Cheddar Chowder

I had this years ago at a bridal shower, and it was so divine! So fattening too! Serve this with warm bread and a salad on the side!

Ingredients for soup:
2 c diced potatoes
1/2 c diced carrots
1/2 c diced celery
1/4 c chopped onion
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 c water

Ingredients for white sauce:
1/4 c butter
1/4 c flour
2 c milk
2 c grated cheese
1 c cubed ham

Mix all vegetables except white sauce ingredients and bring to boil. Boil for 10-12 minutes while making the white sauce.

To make the white sauce: melt butter in a saucepan and add flour to make a paste. Add milk and stir constantly over low to medium head. Heat until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and add cheese. Pour sauce into vegetables (do not drain the water!) and add ham. Heat thoroughly and serve!

Amy's Notes: I buy the small packages of diced ham found in the meat department by the bacon & lunch meats. It's the perfect size!

Potato Soup

I love a good, warm, hearty soup on a cold winter night! This is definitely hearty!

Ingredients:
5+ potatoes
1 small onion
2-3 stalks celery
1 1/2 c milk
1/2 c evaporated milk
2 tbsp margarine
1 can cream of chicken soup
a little water & a lot of salt & pepper
Mrs. Dash
shredded cheese (optional)

Peel & cut potatoes. Dice up onions & celery. Boil potatoes, onion, & celery until tender. Drain and mash a little. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook until warm. I add Mrs Dash because it gives it a little bit of a different taste! Top with cooked bacon, chives, cheese, etc if you'd like!

The key here is to add until it tastes perfect! (and I'm talking about the salt, pepper & Mrs Dash).

{broccoli cheese soup}

Broccoli Cheese Soup

1 c chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups chicken broth

1 (16 oz) pkg broccoli florets

2 ½ c milk1/3 c flour¼ tsp pepper

8 oz Velveeta

Heat large saucepan coated w/ cooking spray over medium high heat. Add onion & garlic, saute for 3 minutes or until tender. Add broth and broccoli. Bring mixture to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes. Combine milk & flour, stirring until well blended. Add milk mixture to broccoli mixture. Cook 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in pepper. Remove from heat, add cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Place 1/3 of soup in a blender or food processor (or hand blender) and blend until smooth.

Yield: 6 servings (1 1/3 cup each).

Both of my girls eat this…. and one of them HATES vegetables (Katie). VERY yummy with fresh bread or rolls on the side.

{chicken tortilla soup

I have been dying to try my friend Calli's recipe of Chicken Tortilla Soup. I finally gathered all the ingredients for this soup, and after serving it to my family, it is a WINNER! Enjoy this recipe that will for sure keep you warm! Couple it up with my recipe for sweet cornbread, and you'll be in heaven!

Cindy's Famous Tortilla Soup

2 Chicken Breasts

5 Cloves of Garlic

1 Large Can (I think I used 3 normal sized cans) of Green Enchilada Sauce

3 (8oz) Cans of Tomato Sauce (I used 2-15 oz cans)

2 Cans of Corn (drained)

2 Cans of Sliced Olives (drained)

1/2 Teaspoon of Cumin

1/2 Teaspoon of Salt

Cook the chicken breasts in enough water to cover along with the garlic, cumin, and salt. Take breasts out, cool, and shred. To the chicken water, add all the other ingredients. Bring to a slight boil, then turn down to medium and add chicken. Cook on med-low for about 10 minutes, or until chicken has had a chance to reheat. Put in a bowl and serve with cheese, sour cream, and shredded tortilla chips. I also didn't use sliced olives... I used chopped olives, but it still turned out very yummy!