Soups and Stews

[Ruff Justice]

WILD WEST CHICKEN CHOWDER

2 tablespoons oil
1 cup onions, chopped
1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into bite sized pieces
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk
16 ounce can sweet potatoes in syrup, drained, rinsed and coarsely chopped
9 ounce package frozen corn
4.5 ounce can chopped green chilies
1-1/4 ounce package less sodium taco seasoning mix

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium high heat until hot. Add onions and bell pepper, cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes or until crisp tender. Add chicken, cook and stir 2 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients, mix well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, simmer 10 minutes or until chowder is thoroughly heated and chicken is no longer pink, stirring occasionally.

[Ruff Justice]

ST. LOUIS HAM CHOWDER

1-1/2 tablespoons butter
1/2 pound lean bacon
1 large white onion, chopped
6 stalks celery, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced diagonally
1-1/2 cups water
3 cups new potatoes with skin, cubed
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1-1/2 cups milk, cream or yogurt
1/2 cup water
4 tablespoons flour

In dutch oven, sauté bacon in butter until bacon in browned. Add onion, celery, garlic, potatoes, 1-1/2 cups water and milk. Bring to boil and simmer 30 minutes uncovered. Combine sherry, water and flour. Whisk sherry mixture into chowder and simmer until thickened. Add salt and fresh black pepper to taste.

[Ruff Justice]

ROASTED CORN CHIPOTLE CHOWDER

5 ears fresh corn, husked
2 red bell peppers
3 jumbo russet potatoes, peeled
6 slices bacon, cut in small dice
3 tablespoons butter
1 onion, cut in small dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 cups chicken broth
2 canned chipotle chilies, removed from their sauce, seeded and finely diced
2 tomatoes, seeded and cut into small pieces
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Roast corn either on a grill, in a heavy cast iron pan over low heat or directly over a gas burner, turning until all kernels take on a smoky hue. Cut kernels from cobs, reserving 2 cobs. Roast bell peppers on grill or under broiler, turning as skin blackens on each side. Place roasted peppers in a plastic bag, seal and let steam while you prepare other ingredients. Cut 2 potatoes into small dice, set aside. Quarter remaining potato and cover it with water in a small saucepan. Cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Mash this potato coarsely with a fork, set aside. Fry bacon in a large heavy stock pot until almost crunchy, about 5 minutes. Drain off most of the bacon grease. Melt butter in the pan. Add onion, sauté until translucent, 7 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, sauté a few more minutes. Deglaze pan with the broth. Add reserved corn cobs, diced and mashed potato, chipotles and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, season with salt and pepper. Simmer until potato pieces are cooked through, about 25 minutes. While soup is cooking, peel peppers. Discard seeds and membrane and cut flesh into small dice. Remove cobs from soup and add corn kernels, roasted red pepper and cream. Simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes. Adjust for seasoning. Serve with warm tortillas or cornbread and a green salad.

[Ima Schofield]

Cowboy Stew

Get out the crock pot for this one ladies.

1 to 2 pounds of stew meat in bite size chunks. Raw

1- 8 oz can of red chili beans ( seasoned )

1 small can kernel corn drained
4 medium potatos chunked to bite size
3 carrots in chunky slices
3 stalks of celery sliced
1 softball size onion diced or however you like your onions.
1t garlic powder or diced garlic
1t cumin
1T of chili powder
2T of A1 steak sauce
salt to taste
2 cups of water

Mix onions and meat with seasonings, add water, beans and veggies. Cook on low most of the day 4-6 hours Can be sped up on high for about 4 hours.

You may want to season to taste with other seasonings like marjoram, tumeric or such. You can also add green and red peppers, drained green beans, or other veggies if you'd like.

If you want a thicker base. Remove some of the liquids and make a flour "rue" and add back into the pot for about 20 minutes stirring throughly when you add it in.

When I find the "true" recipie I'll post it too, but this is the way we like it.

[Ruff Justice]

SPANISH CLAM PRAWN AND CHORIZO STEW

1-pound yellow potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inchinch cubes
1/4-cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion chopped
1/2-cup sliced garlic
1-teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
2-teaspoon paprika
1-teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
2-teaspoon salt
8-cup chicken stock see note
2-cup ripe tomatoes seeded and chopped or 14.5-ounce recipe ready tomatoes with juice
3/4-pound chorizo sausage casings removed
2-pound small clams scrubbed
1-pound large prawns peeled and de-veined
1/4-cup chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste
Stock: or shellfish stock,-canned low-salt chicken broth, bottled clam juice or water, etc.

Cook the potatoes in a large pot of boiling, salted water until tender. Drain. Set aside. Heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, fennel seeds, paprika, oregano and salt. Cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the stock and tomatoes and their juices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. Cook the chorizo in a large skillet over high heat for about 10 minutes, breaking it into pieces with a spoon. Add the clams and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add to the broth mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until the clams open, about 2 minutes. Discard any that do not open. Add the prawns, potatoes and parsley. Simmer until the prawns are just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Season this with salt and pepper and serve.

[Ruff Justice]

SPICED RED LENTIL STEW

1 cup red lentils picked over
1 carrot coarsely chopped
1 onion coarsely chopped
2 cups cubed peeled butternut squash
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 small garlic cloves crushed
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon chopped parsley or cilantro (to 2)

Cover the lentils with water in a bowl and stir. Drain, rinse and repeat the process until the water is clear. Drain. Place the lentils in a pot with 3 cups of water and bring to a boil, skimming off any foam that develops on top. Reduce the heat and add the carrot, onion, squash, salt, cumin, garlic and turmeric. Partially cover and cook over low heat until the stew is thick and the lentils are soft, 45 to 60 minutes. Garnish with the parsley or cilantro and serve.

[Ruff Justice]

SOUTHWESTERN STEW

1-tablespoon vegetable oil
1-cup chopped green bell pepper
3 cloves garlic minced
1-tablespoon chili powder
1/4-teaspoon ground cumin
1/4-teaspoon ground cinnamon
14 1/2-ounce whole peeled tomatoes undrained
1-1/2-cup black beans drained
1-cup corn kernels drained
1/4-cup water
1-teaspoon sugar
1/4-teaspoon ground sage
1/4-teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4-teaspoon tabasco sauce optional
1-cup diced carrot
1/3-cup chopped fresh cilantro

In a 3 quart pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers and garlic. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, and cinnamon until absorbed. Add the tomatoes, breaking them up with the back of a spoon. Add the black beans, corn, water, sugar, sage, salt, and Tabasco. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Stir in the carrots and cilantro. Cook, uncovered, 10 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender and stew is slightly thickened.

[Ruff Justice]

KIDNEY BEAN CHOWDER

1/4 pound bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup celery including leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon flour
15-1/2 ounce can red kidney beans, undrained
1/2 cup carrots, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1 bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon dry thyme, crumbled
2 beef bouillon cubes
2 cups water
salt and pepper

Sauté bacon in 2-1/2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove and set aside. Drain all but 3 tablespoons fat from pan. Add onion, green pepper and celery to pan and sauté over medium-high until soft, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in flour. Add beans, carrots, parsley, bay leaf, thyme, bouillon and water and blend well. Bring to boil over mediumhigh heat. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer 40 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with reserved bacon, or if desired, add bacon to soup when ready to serve.

[Lady Fleur]

1 0r 2 packages of cheese filled or tri colored tortellini
1-2 packages of frozen creamed spinach
1 package of spring vegisoup mix (knorr)
fresh grated parmesan cheese to garnish

Add 2 times the water as directed on the soup mix bring to a boil
Add spinach from package allow to break up and melt
add tortelllini boil as package directions
You can add more water as this soup thickens up alot
Top with cheese
Enjoy!

You can experiment with other tortelllini or add chunks of cooked chicken etc!
I never have leftovers!:chick

[Cinnamon Teal]

Pumpkin Vegetable Soup

1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter or stick margarine
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (you can substitute Veggie Broth)
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 large carrots, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 cup cooked fresh or frozen lima beans
1 cup fresh or frozen corn
1 can (15 oz.) solid-pack pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

In a large saucepan, saute onion in butter until tender. Add the broth, potatoes, carrots, celery, lima beans and corn. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in the pumpkin, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Cook 5-10 minutes longer or until heated through. Yield: 7 servings.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving (1 1/2 cups) equals 153 calories, 4 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 9 mg cholesterol, 583 mg sodium, 27 g carbohydrate, 7 g fiber, 7 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1/2 fat.