Chili

Chili is great for a number of reasons.  According to my husband, you can eat chili all year around, compared to soup that you can only have in the winter.  Another great thing about chili is that you can eat it in so many different ways.  You can eat it with rice, noodles, baked potatoes, oven fries, french fries, Doritos (according to my husband), fry bread, or hot dogs; you can serve it with all kinds of toppings, such as cheese, sour cream, plain yogurt, chopped onions, tomatoes, lettuce, etc.
Here is a very basic recipe.  You can add chopped celery and/or green peppers if you like.  The recipe calls for pinto beans, but I have also used kidney, black, and great northern beans.  I like using multiple kinds in the same recipe to add variety.  This recipe freezes well.

Chili

1 lb dry pinto beans OR 3 cans beans
1 lb ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
3 cans (14.5 oz) chopped tomatoes
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 1/2-2 1/2 tsp salt
1/2- 1 Tbs chili powder

Cook dry beans.  When beans are recipe-ready, cook ground beef and onions until meat is cooked, and onions are soft.  Drain excess fat.  Add remaining ingredients.  Cover and simmer 1-2 hours.

Vegetable Soup

This recipe is adapted from "Cook's Country" magazine.

Very Yummy Vegetable Soup

Printable Version


2 Tab. vegetable oil
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch pieces
2 small onions, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
6 garlic cloves, minced
8 cups broth (I use water and bouillon-both chicken and vegetable work well)
3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 tsp EACH thyme and rosemary
2 slices bread, lightly toasted (white is best, but wheat is okay; try not to use something with too much flavor)
Spinach (I usually use frozen-just cut off a hunk of a block; fresh chopped up works great, too)
1 can white beans (2 cups)
10 oz. frozen peas
Balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

1.  Heat oil in heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.  Add carrots and onions, and cook until browned and softened, 5-7 minutes.  Add garlic and cook until it smells wonderful, about 30 seconds.  Add broth (or water and bouillon), potatoes, thyme, and rosemary.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until vegetables are soft, 10-15 minutes.
2.  Transfer 3 cups solids (estimate), 1 cup broth, and bread to blender and puree until smooth.  Stir puree back into pot.  Add spinach, beans, and peas.  Cook over medium heat until spinach is tender, and peas are heated through, about 8 minutes.  Stir in 1 tablespoon vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve, passing extra vinegar at table.

Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup

I have tried a number of homemade cream of chicken soup recipes.  This recipe from USU Extensions is my favorite and the easiest.  I have used both non-instant powdered milk (from the LDS cannery), and Morning Moo's milk alternative for the powdered milk.  I have used both chicken and vegetable bouillon.  All of these have produced good results.  I have used this recipe in chicken enchiladas, white chili, stroganof, and several other recipes that call for cream of chicken soup that I just can't think of right now.  The great part of making your own soup instead of using a can, is that you can season it the way you like.  When making stroganof, for example, I season it with parsley, dry mustard, oregano, pepper, and sugar.  Use your imagination!
This is also very cost effective.  When using a #10 can of non-instant dry milk that cost $7.90, a 16 oz. container of cornstarch that cost $1, and a mega-huge 35.3 oz. container of chicken bouillon that cost $4.98, a can of cream of chicken soup costs 18.66¢. 
USU extensions says this recipe can also be used as a soup by mixing the recipe below with cheese, potatoes, broccoli and cheese, etc.  I've never tried this.


Basic Sauce Mix (Cream of Chicken Soup)

2 cups powdered non-instant milk (see note above)
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup bouillon (see note above)


Combine all ingredients in a plastic bag.  Seal and shake to mix well.  Yield:  Equal to 9 cans of cream soup.
To substitute for 1 can of cream soup:  Combine 1/3 cup of dry mix with 1 1/4 cups cold water.  Stir well.  Season to taste (depending on recipe).  Cook and stir on stove top until thickened. Add thickened mixture to recipe as you would a can of soup.


Use your imagination!

White Chili

White Chili

Printable Version

½ medium onion, chopped
½ cup green pepper
1 4 oz. can green chilies
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tab butter or margarine
2 Tab flour
2 cups chicken broth
½ cup milk
2 cups navy beans
2 cups corn
1 cup cooked chicken, chopped
¼ cup sour cream
1 tsp poultry seasoning (or combination of thyme and rosemary)
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper
cilantro, if desired
cheese
tortilla chips

Sauté onion and green pepper 1 Tab oil until just tender, adding chilies and garlic for the last minute. Set aside. In soup pot, melt butter; blend in flour and cook briefly. Remove from heat, and stir in broth and milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until sauce thickens. Add remaining ingredients and vegetables. Heat through. Season to taste with cilantro, salt, and pepper. Serve with cheese and tortilla chips.

Salsa Variation:  Omit green chilies.  Add 1/2 cup salsa when putting all ingredients together at the end.

Tortilla Soup

Here's what I had for dinner:

 Note:  The picture does not do it justice. 

Tortilla Soup
Printable version 

2 tsp oil
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp ground cumin
7 cups water
7 tsp chicken bouillon
2 cups corn
4 cups white beans (2 cans)
2 tsp chili powder
2 cups salsa
2 tab lemon juice
tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream

In a large pot, warm oil over medium heat.  Add chicken and onion.  Cook until chicken is cooked through and onion is tender.  Add garlic and cumin and mix well.  Add water, bouillon, corn, beans, chili powder, salsa, and lemon juice.  Cook until warm.  To serve, break chips into bowl.  Pour in soup.  Top with cheese and sour cream.