Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup

• Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup
• Recipe from copykat.com
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• 1 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage links
• 2 large russet potatoes, peeled, cut in half lengthwise, then sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 (14.5-ounce) cans chicken broth
• 1 quart water
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup Oscar Mayer Real Bacon Bits (1/2 can)
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cups chopped fresh kale or Swiss chard
• 1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Put the sausages in a baking pan and roast for about 30 minutes, until cooked through. Drain on paper towels and cut into slices.

Place the potatoes, onions, chicken broth, water, and garlic in a pot and cook on medium heat until potatoes are done. Add the sausage, bacon, and salt and pepper to taste and simmer for another 10 minutes. Turn the heat to low. Add kale, the cream, and more water, if necessary. Heat thoroughly and serve.

Baked Potato Soup

Baked Potato Soup

Recipe from Our Best Bites

3 Tbsp butter

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 C. flour

4 1/2 C. Milk (low fat works great)

1 - 14 oz can chicken broth

4 Medium baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 lbs) baked (or microwave)

2 C. grated cheddar cheese, divided

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 1/2 C. Sour cream, divided

1/2 C. chopped green onions, divided

8 Slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, divided

Melt butter in a stock pot over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.  Add flour to pan.  Slowly add milk a little at a time while whisking constantly to eliminate lumps.  Whisk until smooth and then add chicken broth.  )Now, if you get to this point and don't have a smooth liquid. Stop! Save your soup by popping the mixture in the blender, then continue.) Bring soup just to a simmer and heat until thickened, stirring often, about 5 minutes.

Once soup is thickened, turn heat down to medium-low.  Cut potatoes in half length-wise and use a spoon to scoop out potato flesh into the pot.  Use a wooden spoon to smash potatoes, breaking up large clumps.  Add 1 1/2 C. grated cheese and salt and pepper and stir until cheese is melted.  Remove pan from heat and stir in 3/4 cups sour cream, 1/4 cups green onions, and 4 strips of the crumbled bacon.  Add additional salt and pepper to taste.  ladle into bowls and top with each serving with the remaining sour cream, onions, cheese, and bacon.

Classic Beef Stew

Classic Beef Stew

recipe from tasteofhome.com

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 to 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1-1/2 cups chopped onions
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can (10-1/2 ounces) condensed beef broth, undiluted
• 3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 cup sliced celery (1-inch lengths)
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Directions

1. In an oven-proof Dutch oven, brown beef in batches in oil; drain. Return all meat to the pan. Add onions, tomatoes, broth, tapioca, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Bring to a boil.
2. Cover stew and bake at 350° for 1-1/2 hours. Stir in carrots, potatoes and celery. Bake, covered, 1 hour longer or until meat and vegetables are tender. Discard bay leaf. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Mulligatawny Soup

Mulligatawny Soup
Serves 6-8

1 Small roasted chicken (rotisserie chicken works well)
1 Onion
Canola or olive oil
2 Carrots, peeled and chopped
2 Celery stalks, chopped
1 Jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
3 Garlic cloves, crushed or chopped
1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 Tbsp curry paste or powder
1 tsp ground cumin
2 Cups cooked chickpeas or 19 oz can rinsed and drained
1 tsp salt
14 oz can coconut milk (optional)
1 Tart apple (such as Granny Smith), cored and finely chopped or diced

Steamed rice, for serving
Chopped fresh cilantro and/or peanuts, for garnish (optional)

Pull the meat off the roasted chicken, discarding the skin and putting the carcass and bones into a saucepan.  Set the meat aside and just barely cover the carcass with water.  Peel the onion and add the outer layers of skin to the pan.  Bring to a simmer and cook for about half an hour.  Strain into a bowl or pot and set aside.  You should have 4-6 cups of stock.

Meanwhile, chop the onion and saute it in a drizzle of oil in a large soup pot set over medium high heat.  Add the carrots, celery, jalapeno, garlic, and ginger and cook for a few minutes, until soft.  Add the curry paste, cumin, and chickpeas and cook for another minute or two.  Add the chicken stock, salt, and chopped chicken and bring to a simmer.  Cook for about 10 minutes, then add the coconut milk and apple and heat through.

Put a scoop of rice into each bowl and ladle the soup over top.  If you like, sprinkle with cilantro and/or chopped peanuts.

Curried Sweet Potato, Carrot, and Red Lentil Soup

Curried Sweet Potato, Carrot, and Red Lentil Soup
Recipe from Spilling the Beans
Serves 6

Canola or olive oil
1 Onion, chopped
1-2 Garlic cloves, crushed
1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 Cup dry red lentils
1 Medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks]
1 Carrot, peeled and chopped
2 tsp curry paste or powder
4 Cups chicken or vegetable stock
Salt to taste
1/2 to 1 Cup half and half (optional)
Plain yogurt or sour cream, for serving (optional)
Cilantro, chopped, for serving (optional)

In a large saucepan, heat a drizzle of oil over medium high heat.  Saute the onion, garlic, and ginger for about 5 minutes, until the onion is soft.  Add the lentils, sweet potato, carrot, curry paste, stock and salt, along with a cup of water.  Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down, cover and simmer for 30 minutes or so until the vegetables are very tender.  Add the cream, if you are using it, and use a handheld immersion blender to puree the soup right in the pot.  Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.  Serve immediately or cool and refrigerate to reheat when you want it.  Serve hot, with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream and cilantro, if you like.

Chicken Gnocchi Soup (Olive Garden)

Chicken Gnocchi Soup (Olive Garden)

Recipe from CopyKat.com

4 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Cup onions, diced

2 Cloves garlic, minced

1/2 Cup celery (2 stalks), sliced

4 Tbsp flour

1 Quart half and half

1 14-oz Can chicken broth

1 Cup carrots (2 carrots), shredded

1/2 tsp Thyme

1/2 tsp parsley

1 Cup shredded cooked chicken

1 lb gnocchi cooked

1 Cup fresh spinach, coarsely chopped

Fresh ground Parmesan cheese (optional)

Saute onions, garlic, and celery with butter and oil over medium heat until softened and translucent. Add flour and let thicken for 1 or more minutes. Add half and half 1/4 at a time. Add chicken broth, carrots, thyme, parsley, and chicken. Combine. Then add gnocchi. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add spinach just before serving. Top with Parmesan.

Tortellini Soup (Two Recipes)

Tortellini Soup

Recipe from Breta Finlinson

2 Tbsp butter

1 Clove garlic

1 Medium carrot cut into julienne strips

1 Medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

I Medium stalk celery, sliced (1/2 cup)

6 Cups water

2 tsp vegetable bouillon granules

1 15-16oz Can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 10-oz pkg dried cheese filled tortellini (2 1/2 cups)

1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1/4 tsp pepper

6 Tbsp Pesto

6 Tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese

Melt butter in dutch oven or large pot over medium low heat. Cook garlic, carrot, onion, and celery in butter 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in water and bouillon granules. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Stir in beans and tortellini. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tortellini are tender. Stir in parsley and pepper. Top each serving with pesto and cheese (or mix in pesto). Serve immediately.

Tortellini Soup

Recipe from Liz Cox

2 tsp olive oil

1/2 Cup onion, chopped

1 Garlic clove, minced

2 Cans chicken broth

1 Cup dried tortillini

1 Can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 Dried basil leaf, 1 1/2 tsp

1 Pkg spinach (frozen chopped) or fresh

Grated Parmesan Cheese

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a 3 quart sauce pan. Add onion and garlic and cool until tender. Add broth and bring to a boil. Add tortellini and cook like directions say until tender, don't drain. Add tomatoes, basil, and spinach. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Sprinkle cheese on top.

Cheddar Chowder

Cheddar Chowder
Recipe from Liz Cox

2 c diced potatoes

1/2 c sliced carrots

1/2 c sliced celery

1/4 c chopped onion

1 1/2 t salt

1/4 t pepper

Place ingredients in 2 cups of water and simmer 15 minutes.

1/4 c margarine or butter

1/4 c flour

2 c milk

2 c grated cheddar cheese

1 c cubed ham

In a large sauce pan combine butter and flour. Whisk together and slowly add milk. Stir constantly until mixture is thickened. Add cheddar and whisk until smooth. Add ham. Combine veggies (do not drain) and cheese sauce. Do not boil.

Tortilla Soup

*When making this I'm always skeptical...but when I taste it I remember how much I love this dish. Eden even loved it. After every slurp she said, "MMM!!"

Tortilla Soup
Recipe from the Finlinsons

1-2 Medium tomatoes, cut up
1/2 Onion
1-2 Garlic cloves
8 Cups chicken broth (1 quart or 5 cans)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Toppings:

Tortilla strips or chips
Salsa (preferably with tomato chunks)
Shredded cheese
Avocado (optional)

Blend tomatoes, onions, and garlic in a blender until smooth. Put in a large pot and heat until boiling, stirring frequently. Simmer on low, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Add chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Heat to boiling. Turn down and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Add toppings.