Recipes

Here is a couple of soup recipes that my family loves and have been hits at holiday parties this year.



Taco Soup

1 Lb of ground beef, browned and drained (You may use ground turkey or a mixture of both for a lower calorie recipe)
1 large (26 oz) can of diced tomatoes
4 oz tomatoe sauce
1 (1.25oz) package of taco seasoning
1 can of corn ( or 1 cup frozen)
1 can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed (or 1 cup cooked kidney beans if using dried)
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed (or 1 cup cooked black beans if using dried)


Pour all ingredients into a large pot. You will need to add a couple of cups of water to make sure all ingredients are covered. Bring to a boil simmering about 30 minutes. You may also place in a crockpot on low for at least 2 to 3 hours. It could simmer all day if you needed it too.

Garnish with sour cream, corn chips and grated cheese.

One recipe will make enough for approximately 4 to 6 people. I usually double the recipe for family dinners.



Potatoe Soup

3lbs ( a little more a little less) of cubed potatoes (white or red) I usually fill about a 3 qt pan
8 cubes of Chicken Bullion
8oz cream cheese (any brand, variety) Let this sit out and warm up so it will melt better
2 cans of cream of chicken and/or mushroom soup (you can use both or for cost you can buy one large family size can)
1 stick of real butter
Milk (any variety)

Pour enough water over potatoes in a large 6qt pot to just cover potatoes.

Cook potatoes until tender and add bouillon cubes. They may start to fall apart.

Bring this mixture to a full boil and add cream cheese and butter. The cream cheese will not melt if the potatoes and water aren’t boiling.
You may need to scoop pieces of cream cheese up with a spoon and break them up with a knife or another spoon to aid in melting.

Turn down your heat and stir in the cream soups and add approximately 1.5 cups of milk.

If the mixture is not thin enough for your taste add more milk. If it is too runny you can add less milk next time or add dried potatoe flakes slowly and stir until thicker.

This soup will thicken as it cools so to rewarm add more milk.

Serve with cooked, crumbled bacon or bacon bits and shredded cheese.

To lower the calorie content use fat free or low fat cheese and soups but I would suggest to always use real butter because margarine could alter flavor.