Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup Mix

Makes 3 "Cans"

1 cup nonfat instant dry milk

3/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup chicken bouillon (or finely ground bouillon cubes)

4 tablespoons onion powder

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon basil

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon pepper

Directions: 

For the equivalent of one can of condensed cream of chicken soup: Whisk 1/3 cup dry mix with 1 1/4 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until boiling and thickened.

You know those recipes that call for "cream of something" soup? Here's a healthier, cheaper version and you can make sure to always keep a canister of the dry mix in your cabinet so you never run out. It's so convenient and tastes SO much better than the canned stuff. I never buy canned soups anymore for cooking, I just make my own. I use cream of chicken the most, so that's what I always have on hand, however I've also used different seasonings to create different creamed soups. You can use chopped dehydrated mushrooms to make cream of mushroom, celery seasoning to make cream of celery, mix in some shredded cheese while cooking to make cheddar cheese soup, etc. There are a number of varieties you can make and all of them are very inexpensive to make--even cheaper than the canned stuff! And it tastes better and is so much better for you, so why not do it? It's a tiny bit more of a hassle than it is to open up a can of something to dump in the crockpot, but it literally takes 5 minutes to cook up in my tiny little saucepan on the stovetop and the flavor is so much better so it's completely worth the extra time and effort. I used my Brother label maker to put the measurements on the lid so I always know how much to measure out to make a can and can easily double or triple it if need be. If you're a couponer, you know you can get coupons on the dry milk, bouillon and cornstarch pretty regularly and these items frequently go on sale also. If you combine the coupons with the sale, you're only spending about .06 a can as opposed to 1.00 a can on average and again, it tastes so much better! Give it a try, I'm sure you'll be persuaded--I was! :)

Crockpot Baked Potato Soup

  Two things you can count on in Florida in the summertime:

   1) Rain

   2) Humidity

So you may think soup wouldn't necessarily fit in very nicely with those two things, but to me there's just something really comforting about a nice, warm soup on a rainy day. The other day it was actually a little chilly in the house with the A/C on and the gray skies outside. So it really was the perfect day for this soup! Also, the weather is so fickle here in North Central Florida that you can't turn your A/C way up in preparation for rain because the sunshine state will just change her mind and the sun will pop out and you'll be stifling. I call it yo-yo weather because it's just all over the place. Trust me, this is one that shows up quite frequently during the fall and winter too. It's so quick-cooking and doesn't get much easier than a crockpot, really. Since it does come together so quickly, you don't have to have it in there in the morning; if you forgot to toss something in there until lunchtime, this soup saves the day!

Makes 4 Servings

1 20oz package refrigerated shredded hashbrowns ~or~ 1 32oz. bag frozen shredded hashbrowns

3 cups chicken broth

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

8 oz. cream cheese

Shredded cheddar cheese

Cooked and crumbled bacon

Sliced green onions

Directions:

In a greased crockpot dish, stir together the hashbrowns, broth, cream of chicken, chopped onion and seasonings. Cook on low 2-3 hours. Place cream cheese in and cook another hour, then stir everything together and leave on warm until you're ready to serve. Serve with cheddar, bacon and scallions.

If you use frozen hashbrowns, you may need to adjust the cook time accordingly and you may also want to stir in another cup or so of chicken broth if the extra potatoes soak in all the liquid leaving it too thick. I don't use canned soups, I have a dry mix that I stir up as a cream of chicken soup substitute that is a lot better for you--no added preservatives or anything like that--and also a lot better tasting too! I'll be posting that recipe soon. It's also cheaper than the canned soups. I never buy them anymore. Hope you like the soup, it's a favorite in our house!

Hamburger Soup

Serves 6

1 lb. ground beef
1 28oz can stewed tomatoes
1 14oz can tomato soup
1 envelope onion soup mix
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon dried basil
2 cups macaroni
1/2 cup barley
3-4 beef bouillon cubes
2-3 cups water (depending on how thick/thin you want your soup to be)
Pepper

Directions:

Brown beef and onion and drain. Add all remaining ingredients except macaroni and simmer about an hour. Stir in macaroni and cook another 10 minutes until pasta is tender. Stir in basil and pepper to taste and serve. *Can also put everything in a crockpot and cook on low for 4 hours, adding cooked pasta at the last hour.*



This is one of those meals that you remember eating on a cool evening and since it's September and the fall weather is approaching, it's the perfect time for this recipe! I like to put mine in the crockpot because it's easier and I love my crockpot! I serve this soup with fresh bread or rolls and we like to dip ours in the warm soup. Quick and easy and delicious. :) You can also stir in other vegetables if you like. I've put in a cup or two of peas and/or carrots and it gives it a heartier texture and you feel like your kiddos are getting more veggies. Bonus!

Chicken Noodle Soup

Makes 8-10 Servings

8 cups water
8 chicken bouillon cubes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
4 chicken breasts, cubed, or one whole fryer chicken, cut-up
1 package egg noodles
4 carrots, sliced
4 celery stalks, sliced
1 onion, chopped
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Salt
Pepper

Directions:

Put chicken in a large sauce pan and cover with the 8 cups of water and add the bouillon cubes. Bring to a boil and continue boiling 10-12 minutes until chicken is cooked through. (If you used a whole chicken, remove the chicken, de-bone and cut-up and put it back in the pot). Add vegetables and seasonings and continue boiling another 5 minutes until veggies are almost fork-tender. Add egg noodles and boil according to package directions for time until noodles are al dente. Add more seasonings according to taste and serve.



*The noodles tend to soak up lots of the broth, so I usually have to add several more cups of water and equal amounts of bouillon to make up for it so I have enough broth. This is why I use a huge pot!* This is my favorite basic chicken noodle soup recipe. Nothing fancy or exciting, just plain down-home goodness and it hits the spot each and every time. I try to keep some frozen for those times when someone comes down with a cold and needs some of this soup right away. We like to eat ours with hot, buttered biscuits. Delicious!

Vegetable Tortellini Soup

Makes 6-8 Servings

4 cans chicken broth
2 cups uncooked cheese-filled tortellini pasta
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups frozen peas
2 tomatoes, cubed
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon basil
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
Dash cayenne
Salt
Pepper
Parmesan

Directions:

Pour chicken broth into large pot. Bring to boil and add tortellini, peas and tomatoes. Boil for 12-14 minutes, until tortellini is cooked through. Stir in remaining ingredients, except parmesan. Season to taste, adding more seasonings if needed. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle generously with parmesan. Serve hot!




This is a soup I just threw together the other night with ingredients I had on hand. My kids all had fevers and sore throats and all wanted soup, but of course this was the one time I was out of chicken noodle soup! This could easily be made into a one-dish meal if you wanted to add some cubed chicken, smoked sausage, cubed beef or even some meatballs if you like. You could also used canned diced, crushed or stewed tomatoes instead of the fresh. I know this can easily be tweaked with different pastas, veggies or seasonings. It's a very versatile base recipe. But it sure came in handy for my sick kiddos!

White Chicken Chili

Makes 6-8 Servings

3-4 cups cooked, cubed or shredded chicken
6 cans Great Northern or Navy beans
6 cans White Kidney beans (Canellini)
2 cans Rotel tomatoes
1 can green chilies
2 - 16oz. sour cream
2 tablespoons cumin
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder


Directions:

Put all ingredients in a crockpot and stir until well mixed. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. Taste and add more seasonings if needed. Serve with sour cream, tortilla chips and shredded or nacho cheese.



This is my favorite white chili recipe. I have tried several other ones and they are all delicious as well, but the added tomatoes in this recipe and the combination of ingredients is delicious. We always sprinkle shredded cheese on top or stir in nacho cheese and scoop the chili out with tortilla chips. I love this!

Crockpot Kielbasa & Cabbage

Makes 6-8 Servings

1 head of cabbage, washed and chopped
1-2 lbs kielbasa, sliced
4-6 cups water
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon Old Bay

Directions:

Place cabbage and kielbasa in a large crockpot. Pour water in, just until everything is covered. Usually around 4-6 cups, depending on the size of your crockpot. Sprinkle seasonings and stir well. Cook on low for 4-6 hours, until cabbage is cooked. Stir in additional seasonings to taste.



I usually have to sprinkle and stir several times until I reach the taste I want. I serve this with hot biscuits and butter...I like to put my buttered biscuit in my bowl and eat it with the soup. YUM! We had this last night. It's the perfect chilly evening meal!

Quick & Easy Chili

Makes 10-12 Servings

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 can spicy chili beans, drained and rinsed
1 can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 tablespoons sugar
shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream

Directions:

Brown meat & drain. Add onions and green peppers; cook 5 to 6 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Add both cans of beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili powder, sugar and red pepper; mix well. Reduce heat to low; cover &  simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve in bowls and top with cheese and sour cream, if desired.



I made this chili tonight when I was completely pressed for time and needed to make a quick dinner for all of us that my husband could eat and enjoy before leaving for work. I whipped this up in less than thirty minutes, and while my girls were kind of picky about the peppers and onions, and it has a little bit of a kick to it they did finish theirs. We like to eat ours with either tortilla chips or saltine crackers. I also have several other chili recipes, including a couple for the crockpot, so I'll be posting those probably when the weather gets cooler again.

Black Bean Soup

Makes 6-8 Servings

2 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 - 8oz. package cubed ham
1-2 packages Chorizo, sliced
2 cans Goya Black Beans (do not drain) or Black Bean Soup
1 packet Goya seasoning
1-2 cans water

Directions:

Saute garlic and onion in oil until onions are clear. Add ham and sausage and cook until heated through. Add black beans w/ liquid, water and seasoning. Bring to a boil and continue boiling until sausage is softened how you like it. Cool and serve w/ chopped scallions and sour cream if you like it!



You can boil this soup for as long as you like--I have simmered it on the stove for several hours before. It's great in the crockpot as well. Generally, you would use as many cans of water as you do beans, but it's all personal preference, whether you like it thicker or thinner. The seasoning is excellent, and very strong, so if I use 3 cans of beans and water, I only use 2 packets of seasoning, but if you do like 5 cans of each, I would use 3 packets. If you use the same amount of packets as beans and water, it may be too salty, but again, it's personal preference. Some people like it saltier. This is one of my favorite soups...it is DELICIOUS. I know the selection of Goya seasonings can be a little overwhelming, but don't sweat it--I've tried them all, and they are all good. I normally buy the orange box w/ the veggies on the cover, but they are all good. Also, I sometimes use fresh smoked or cajun sausage instead of chorizo...it's a little less greasy and the kids like it a little better. Easy and delicious...you can't go wrong.