.... 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!

Slow Cooker Chicken and Vegetable Chowder

I don’t have a lot of witty commentary to say about this soup, only that it’s awesome, all American, easy, and that I tweaked it to be a bit healthier and loaded it with extra veggies (I’m sure no one is surprised by this). Both of my boys devoured it, which is the best recommendation that I can give.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Vegetable Chowder

• 1.5 pounds chicken breast meat cut into ½ in. pieces
• ½ onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 celery ribs, cut fine
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 2 c. frozen corn kernels
• 2 cans cream of potato soup
• 1 can low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tsp. dried dill
• 1 tsp curry powder (optional – this isn’t enough to make it taste like curry, but does add a depth and richness to the flavor that I love for chowder)
• pepper to your liking
• ½ c. fat-free half and half

Using a little cooking spray, brown the chicken breast pieces with onion and garlic in a skilled over med-high heat. Put in slow cooker. Next add celery and carrots to pan and sauté with a little water for a few minutes until just tender, then add to slow cooker. Next add corn, soup, broth, curry, pepper, and dill to slow cooker. Cook on low for 5-6 hours, stirring ingredients together after half the time. During the last 10 minutes, stir in half and half.

Happy Cooking!

Minestrone Soup

Oh my gosh, my house smells so delicious with Minestrone Soup on the stove! Here's the simple recipe:

2 cans of beans, drained (kidney, garbanzo, pinto, navy, whatever)

8 c chicken broth

1 16 oz can diced tomatoes

Baby carrots chopped in half length wise

2 stalks celery, chopped fine

2 medium or 1 large onion chopped fine

2 cloves of garlic

1 c whole wheat macaroni, uncooked

2 Tb parsley

2 tsp salt

1 tsp dried basil leaves

¼ tsp pepper

1 bay leaf

1 ½ c or 1 can of cut green beans, drained

2 zucchini, cut small

Grated parmesan cheese

Add all ingredients except green beans and zuchinni. Simmer until tender, then add remaining two vegetables and cook until tender. Remove bay leaf, then serve with cheese on top.

broccoli cheese soup

I got this from either Cooking Light or Martha Stewart magazines a few years ago, so you can make it a "lite" version (skim milk & 2% Velveeta).

Ingredients:
1 c chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 c chicken broth
1 (16 oz) pkg broccoli florets
2 1/2 c milk
1/3 c flour
1/4 tsp ground pepper
8 oz Velveeta, cubed

Heat large saucepan coated with cooking spray over medium high heat. Add onion & garlic; saute for 3 minutes or until tender. Add broth & 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 thick (stir often). Stir in pepper. Remove from heat, add cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Place 1/3 of the soup in a blender or food processor (or hand blender) and blend until smooth.

Yield: 6 servings (1 1/3 c each)