Cheesy Cream of Potato Soup

From Michelle

3 medium potatoes
1 tsp. fresh dill or 1/4 tsp. dried dill weed
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 T. margarine or butter
1 T. flour
1/8 tsp. salt
dash pepper
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1/2 cup cooked and crumbled bacon pieces

Cook bacon.

Peel and cube potatoes and cook them until very soft. In a blender, combine the potatoes and 3/4 cup of the chicken broth. Cover and blend until smooth (add more broth if mixture isn't blending). Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt the margarine or butter. Stir in the flour, dill/dill weed, salt and pepper. Add the milk all at once. Cook and stir until slightly thickened and bubble. Cook 1 minute more. Stir in potato mixture and the remaining broth. Add cheese soup and bacon. If necessary, add milk to make of desired consistency. Cook and stir until heated through and cheese soup is fully incorporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper; although I find that with the bacon I do not need to add much more seasoning.

Lentil Soup with Beef

from Michelle

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1 -inch cubes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 large celery stalks, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
6 (14 ounce) cans beef broth
1 (28 ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
2 cups (about 11 ounces) lentils, rinsed
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper. Add half of the beef and cook until brown, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining beef. Add the celery, carrots, onion, garlic, rosemary, and oregano to the pot. Saute until the onions are translucent, about 8 minutes. Return the beef, and any accumulated juices from the bowl, to the pot. Add the broth and tomatoes with their juice. Bring the soup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the meat is just tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Add the lentils. Cover and continue simmering until the lentils are tender, about 40 minutes. Stir in the parsley. Season the soup, to taste, with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.

**I have made this recipe in a crock pot before and it turned out great. I followed the instructions for browning the beef and added the veggies and spices. Cooked on high for about an hour then added the lentils. In my experience, it takes longer for the lentils to cook, so allow plenty of time. I use about 1 1/2 cups lentils. I also omitted the celery and used dried spices. It makes quite a bit and freezes well.

Super Easy (and delish) Tortilla Soup

Who wants to eat the crumbled up tortilla chips at the bottom of the bag? They're too small to dip but you don't want to toss them... well this soup is your solution. (Do I sound like an infomercial?) I got this recipe from good ol' Martha Stewart.

The only changes I made were that I used RoTel tomatoes with green chilis in place of the diced tomatoes and I added some shredded chicken breast. The RoTel tomatoes definitely gave it a kick but that's the way we like it here in the Masias house. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Serves 4.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes in juice
  
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 cup crushed tortilla chips, plus more for serving (optional)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium. Cook garlic and chili powder until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes (with juice), beans, broth, corn, and 1 cup water; season with salt and pepper.
2. Bring soup to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Add tortilla chips; cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in lime juice, and season with salt and pepper. Serve soup with lime wedges and, if desired, more chips.