Le Madeleine's Tomato Basil Soup

(Copied from the Skip to My Lou blog)

La Madeleine Tomato-Basil Soup

Ingredients

4 cups tomatoes, peeled, cored and chopped, or 4 cups canned whole tomatoes, crushed
4 cups tomato juice
12 - 14 washed fresh basil leaves, plus additional for garnish, chopped
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup sweet, unsalted butter, softened
Salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
Crusty bread (optional)

Directions

Combine tomatoes and juice in saucepan. Simmer for 30 minutes over
medium-low heat. Cool slightly, then place in a blender or food
processor. Add basil and process to puree; this will have to be done in
batches.

Return mixture to saucepan. Add cream and butter. Stir over low heat
until butter and cream are incorporated. Stir in salt and pepper before
serving. Garnish with more fresh basil and serve with fresh, crusty
bread. Makes 8 servings.

Per serving: Cal 237 Fat 22g Fiber 1g Chol. 67 mg Sodium 165 mg Carbs 10g Calcium 45g

Recipe by: La Madeleine French Bakery & Cafe, Dallas TX

Notes: When I don't have fresh basil I use 1 Tablespoon dried. When making this soup for my family for a quick meal I often use half and half in place of the the heavy cream and cut back on the butter. It is still yummy, but the real thing is divine!

Baked Potato Soup

Baked Potato Soup

From Mary Harke, from LCJ cookbook

• 2/3 cup butter or margarine
• 2/3 cup all purpose flour
• 4 large baking potatoes (baked, cooled, peeled and cubed – can use left over baked potatoes)
• 7 cups milk
• 4 green onions chopped
• 12 bacon strips, cooked crisp and crumbled
• 1 ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper

Melt butter in a large pot. Stir in flour and whisk until smooth. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly over medium heat until thickened. Add potatoes and onions. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Add bacon, cheese, sour cream, salt and pepper and stir until cheese is melted.

Baked Potato Soup Kevin & Joanie Style

1 cup butter or margarine

1 cup all purpose flour

12 cups raw potatoes diced (10-12 Russets)

10 ½ cups milk

6 green onions chopped

1 ½ - 2 cups cooked bacon

1 8oz package of Hoffman’s Super Sharp Cheddar Cheese Shredded

½ 8 oz package of Hoffman’s Vermont Cheddar Cheese Shredded

1 ½ cups sour cream

1 – 2 teaspoons garlic depending on your taste

Salt

Pepper

Peal and dice potatoes – rinse under running water for 3-5 minutes, then let soak in cold water for at least ½ hour.

Melt butter in a large pot, slowly add flour and stir until smooth. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly over medium heat until thickened (will have to boil). Remove from heat and add onions, pepper, garlic & bacon

Drain potatoes and put in bottom of crock pot

Pour hot milk mixture over potatoes, stir and cover.

Cook on high for 2 ½ - 3 ½ hours, depending on crockpot.

Once potatoes are done, stir in sour cream and cheese, add cheese slowing stirring constantly to make sure it melts. Let simmer for 10 minutes after cheese is melted.

Serve and enjoy.

You can garnish with bacon, green onions, and/or shredded cheese (garnish items are extra for above ingredients)

North Woods Wild Rice Soup

North Woods Wild Rice Soup

Recipe By : posted by Lisa W at cl bb
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Low-Fat Soup


Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion -- chopped (1/2 cup)
2 medium stalks celery -- diced (1 cup)
2 medium carrots -- diced (1 cup)
1 cup diced smoked turkey
1/2 cup uncooked wild rice
1 tsp dried tarragon leaves
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cans chicken broth -- (14 1/2 oz ea.)
1 can evaporated fat-free milk -- (12 oz)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup frozen green peas -- thawed
2 tbsp dry sherry -- if desired

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Cook onion in oil about 4 minutes, stirring occassionally, until tender.

Place onion, celery, carrots, turkey, wild rice, tarragon and pepper in 3 1/2 - 6 quart slow cooker. Pour broth over top.

Cover and cook on low heat setting 6-8 hours or until wild rice and vegetables are tender.

Mix milk and flour; stir into soup. Cover and cook about 20 minutes or until thickened. Stir in peas and sherry during last 15 minutes of cooking.

Calories 225 (Calories from Fat 2.5); Fat 3g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 25mg; Sodium 750mg; Carbohydrate 32g (Dietary Fiber 3g); Protein 21g10

Cinnamon-Beef Noodles

This is not mine at all - it is from Cooking Light Magazine, Jan/Feb 2001 and is just so delicious!

Cinnamon-Beef Noodles

In this classic version of red-cooking, the meat is simmered in a soy sauce-based mixture for a long time until tender. Seasonings such as ginger, garlic, and cinnamon provide extra flavor. This method can be used to cook a variety of meats, including pork, lamb, chicken, and duck.

Yield

8 servings (serving size: 1 cup beef mixture and 1/2 cup noodles)

Ingredients

• 5 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups rice wine or sake
• 3/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• 8 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 6 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 (1-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger, thinly sliced
• 1 (10-ounce) package fresh spinach, chopped
• 4 cups hot cooked wide lo mein noodles or vermicelli (about 8 ounces uncooked pasta)

Preparation

Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Set aside.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add half of the beef, browning on all sides. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining oil and beef. Return beef to pan; add water mixture, onions, garlic, cinnamon, and ginger. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours or until beef is tender. Discard ginger slices and cinnamon. Stir in spinach; cook 3 minutes or until wilted. Serve over noodles.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

403 (14% from fat)

Fat:

6.2g (sat 2.3g,mono 3.3g,poly 1.3g)

Protein:

30.5g

Carbohydrate:

50.4g

Fiber:

2.9g

Cholesterol:

44mg

Iron:

5.2mg

Sodium:

1080mg

Calcium:

80mg

Nina Simonds, Cooking Light, JANUARY 2001

Spicy Chicken Soup

Michael found the basis for this soup in the current Penzey's catalog. The original recipe is here: Spicy Hot Chicken Soup

I made a few changes, so here is my version.

2 large chicken breasts, bone and skin removed, cut into chucks
2 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
2 large carrots, chopped into small pieces
5 tea. minced garlic
1/3 tea. cayenne pepper
3 tea. powdered ginger
8 cups chicken broth
1/2 pound egg noodles

Heat oil in dutch oven, add chicken and saute for 5 minutes. Add minced onion and garlic and saute until the juices evaporate and the mixture begins to brown slightly. Then add the pepper and ginger and saute for 1 minute more. Add the carrots and chicken broth and simmer, covered for 45 minutes.

Uncover, bring the mixture to a hard boil, add the noodles and cook until done.

Notes: This soup has a nice kick to it, and the garlic and ginger give it Asian undertones. Very good with a side salad and some bread.

Pasta, Bean and Sausage Soup

Pasta Bean and Sausage Soup

6 cups chicken broth
2 T. minced garlic
1 tea. ground rosemary
1/4 tea. Penzey's Black and Red (could substitute 1/8 tea red pepper flakes and black pepper to taste)
1 15 ounce can white beans (navy, cannellini, etc) rinsed and divided
16 ounces canned diced tomatoes and juice
1 cup small dried pasta
2-3 cups fresh baby spinach
1 pound hot Italian sausage crumbled, cooked and drained
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Combine the chicken broth, garlic, rosemary and Black and Red in a stock pot. Bring to a boil and cook for 2-3 minutes. Mash 1/2 the beans and add to the pot with the tomatoes and pasta. Cook until the pasta is just done, then add the remaining beans, spinach and sausage. Cooked 5 minutes longer.

Serve topped with Parmesan cheese.

Notes:

• Adapted from EatingWell's Pasta and Bean soup
• I used our fresh canned tomatoes, yum.
• Don't skimp on the spinach, I only had about two cups, so that is what I used but it could have used more
• For the pasta, I used what I had: elbow macaroni, which worked fine. The original recipe says to use medium pasta shells or orecchiette
• I made this New Year's Day 2009 as a way to try our new Italian sausage that Micheal had made and was inspired by the Today show talking about beans! I had all of the ingredients to make it on hand.
  
• I served this with a salad, garlic cheese bread and pinot grigio.
• It was delicious, the only change I would make is to add more spinach.