Julia Child's Potage Parmentier

I tried my first Julia Child recipe, and it did not disappoint! I am still trying to get my hands on an actual copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking, so I can't guarantee that this recipe is exactly right, but it was simple and fantastic. You could easily add other veggies or spices to create your own variations of this soup. However, you don't need to, because the simplicity of it is excellent.

Ingredients

1 lb potato, peeled and diced

3 cups leeks, thinly sliced (white and tender green parts only)

2 quarts water

1 tablespoon salt

4-6 tablespoons whipping cream or 2-3 tablespoons softened butter

2-3 tablespoons minced parsley or chives

Directions

1. Simmer vegetables, water and salt together, partially covered, 40-50 minutes until vegetables are tender.

2. Mash the vegetables in the soup with a fork. Correct seasoning.

3. Off heat and just before serving, stir in cream or butter by spoonfuls. Pour into a tureen or soup cups and decorate with the herbs.

4. Good hot, cold or room temperature.

Savory Cheese Soup

Ingredients

• 3 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) chicken broth
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 1 celery rib, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cold water
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cubed and softened
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 can (12 ounces) beer, optional
• Optional Toppings: croutons, popcorn, crumbled cooked bacon, sliced green onions

Directions

• In a 3-qt. slow cooker, combine the first eight ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours. Combine flour and water until smooth; stir into soup. Cover and cook on high 30 minutes longer or until soup is thickened. Stir in cream cheese and cheddar cheese until blended. Stir in beer if desired. Cover and cook on low until heated through. Serve with desired toppings. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Spicy Lentil Soup

This is a recipe from my dear friend, Autumn.

Glad you liked my little soup. It's great as a meatless soup, or you can add sausage. And yes I cooked the sausage fully before putting it in the soup...you have to put the sausage in at the very last due to the fact that you puree the soup. I would add that it is spicy and I wait until the last to put the seasonings in and then just separate some out for my little munchkin. It makes enough for two meals for us and a leftover lunch, so I always freeze half of it. I started with cooking a light recipe and have modified it to my liking, so enjoy.

Spicy Lentil Soup
Ingredients:

1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 cups chopped onion
1 large parsnip, or two carrots
2 celery stalks
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 1/3 cups water
2 1/3 cups dried lentils
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
42 ounces chicken or potato broth
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
Sour Cream (you can also use kefir)
Cilantro sprig (optional)

Preparation:

Soak lentils overnight, drain and rinse.
Heat oil in a large pot oven over medium-high heat. Add the vegetables; sauté for 3 minutes. Add the cumin and the next 6 ingredients (cumin through garlic); sauté for 1 minute. Add water and next 4 ingredients (water through diced tomatoes); bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 1 hour.
Reserve 2 cups lentil mixture. Place half of remaining mixture in blender; process until smooth. Pour pureed soup into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with other half of remaining mixture. Stir in reserved 2 cups lentil mixture. Garnish with 1 tablespoon sour cream and a cilantro sprig, if desired.
11 servings. (serving size: 1 cup)

White Chicken Chili

As the crispy fall weather arrives (we're feeling it a bit prematurely here in Michigan), so does the craving for the comfort of hot, tasty soups, stews, and chilis. Here's one of my faves. I admit, it's not the healthiest recipe ever, but really easy and delicious.

*tip: Be careful that your salsa isn't a hotter variety than your taste, because the pepper jack cheese already causes the chili to be spicy.

White Chicken Chili

Chopped chicken (I don't have a measurement -- I just usually do a few chicken breasts)
1 jar of salsa
8 oz grated pepper jack cheese
48 oz northern beans

Cook chicken with can of salsa. Add the rest of the ingredients, heat through -- ENJOY!

Chicken Taco Soup

1 whole chicken
1 chopped onion
1 large can tomato sauce
2 large cans diced tomatoes
1 large can kidney beans
1 package Taco seasoning
1 can whole kernel corn
rice (optional)
grated cheddar cheese
tortilla chips
sour cream

Boil and debone chicken. Reserve 5-6 cups chicken broth. Saute onion. Add chicken,
tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, beans, taco seasoning, and corn. Add 5-6 cups chicken
broth (may substitute 3 soup cans of water). Simmer 30 minutes.

Serve: Crush tortilla chips in bottom of soup bowl. Add soup, sprinkle cheese and add
sour cream.