Buffalo Chicken Soup

1 pkg of chicken breast (3-4 breasts)
1 container chicken stock (from Trader Joes) (about 3-4 cans)
½ bottle of Frank’s Red Hot BUFFALO sauce
1 whole celery heart, chopped fine (including leaves)
4 large carrots, shredded
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ white onion, chopped
1 container sour cream
2 small cans cream of chicken soup
3-5 cups milk, depending on the consistency you want
Juice of 1 lemon
Celery seeds 1 tsp
Celery salt to taste, 1-2 tsp
Smoked paprika to taste (start with 1/8 tsp, I used about ¼ tsp)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 packages of frozen Jasmine rice (from Trader Joes) microwaved for about 2 minutes or about 4 cups       cooked jasmine or basmati rice.
1 wedge blue cheese, split in half
Green onions, chopped

1. Place chicken, stock, celery seeds and hot sauce in stock pot and simmer on low for 1-1.5 hours until chicken is cooked through and you’re able to shred it with a fork. Leave all of the broth in the pot.

2. While the chicken is simmering, chop celery, onion and garlic and set aside.

3. After chicken is shredded return it to the pot with the cooking broth and add celery, onion, garlic, paprika and celery salt. Set heat to medium. When the soup starts to boil, add milk (start with 3 cups, add more to desired consistency), cream of chicken soup and sour cream. Crumble ½ wedge of blue cheese. Return to low boil and add lemon juice and crumbled blue cheese. At the end of cooking time, add cooked rice and stir.

4. Top with crumbled blue cheese and chopped green onions.

Mama B's Tomato Basil Soup

6lb canned, crushed tomatoes (I used the industrial sized can from Sam's Club - it was only $2)
1 pint half & half or cream
1 stick butter
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 bunch fresh basil -OR- 3-4T pesto
1/2 can of OJ concentrate - DO NOT add water
1C chicken stock
1/2C milk
salt and pepper



1. Chop onion and garlic, saute in stock pot with butter until onion becomes translucent. Meanwhile, get out your blender or food processor.


2. Puree the onions, garlic and butter. Start adding tomatoes 1 C at a time to the blender, puree until smooth and pour into large stock pot. Continue working in batches until all of the tomatoes are pureed. Be sure to toss in your fresh basil or pesto with some tomatoes and puree as well.

3. Place on stove top over low heat. Add cream, OJ concentrate (just the concentrate, do not add water), chicken stock and milk. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Let simmer for 2-3 hours, the longer the simmer at the lowest heat makes the best soups.

5. Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches - My fav uses the No-knead bread recipe I have posted here - topped with smoked gouda and apple slices.

**Add apples to the puree mixture for a sweeter soup.
**Add 2C of cooked, pureed carrots for a heartier soup.

This soup freezes very well.

Fuji Mama's Sopa Pollo

Makes approximately 8 servings
From La Fuji Mama

1 Tbsp. oil
1 large onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
8 cups chicken broth
3 cups cooked chicken, shredded
1 can (4-oz./113 g) green chilis, diced
2 cups cooked long grain rice
juice of 2 limes
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
3 roma tomatoes, diced
2 avocados, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
sour cream, to taste
lime wedges, for garnish

1. In a large pot, saute the onion, garlic, jalapeno pepper, and cumin in the oil until the onion is soft and translucent.

2. Add in chicken broth, shredded chicken, and green chilis. Heat over medium-high heat until chicken is heated through. Remove from heat.

3. Stir in rice, lime juice, tomatoes, and cilantro.

4. Garnish with avocado, a dollop of sour cream, and a lime wedge.

Corn Chowder

From: Good 2B Me

1/3 cup butter
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup flour
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
3 large potatoes, cooked, peeled and cubed (I used 2-1/2 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes and cubed them small enough to cook in the soup)
1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 large package frozen sweet corn, thawed
4-1/2 cups milk
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup sour cream
In a large saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté onion until it is clear. Add chicken broth.
Whisk in flour, salt and pepper. Stir until smooth. While stirring, gradually add milk.
Add in potatoes, bacon, corn and parsley flakes.
Continue to heat over medium to low heat, stirring frequently until chowder has thickened, about 30 minutes.
Remove from heat. Whisk in grated cheese and sour cream, stir until cheese has melted.
Serve in hollowed out bread bowls.

Not your Mama's Potato Soup

From one of my FAV blogs, La Fuji Mama

4 cups peeled and diced potatoes
2 stalks celery, diced
1 onion, finely chopped
1 cup diced cooked ham
1 quart chicken stock
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
8 slices bacon, cooked to a crisp
crumbled goat cheese, finely sliced green onions, salt, and pepper--for garnishing

1. Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham and chicken stock in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon.
2. In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk, as not to allow lumps to form, until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through. Top each bowl of soup with one slice of crumbled bacon, a tablespoon (or more!) of crumbled goat cheese, some sliced green onions, and salt and pepper to taste. Take a bite . . . swoon . . . enjoy!

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

1 rotisserie chicken or 1lb chicken breasts, cooked and diced
3C wild rice, cooked
1/4C white wine
2C carrots, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small onion, minced
3-4T fresh parsley, minced
1 container (16oz) sour cream
2 family sized cans cream of chicken soup
20-24oz chicken stock
6-8 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled
salt and pepper to taste

Simmer carrots, garlic and onion in chicken stock and white wine until carrots are soft and onions are translucent. Add chicken, wild rice, parsley, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, bacon, and salt and pepper. Simmer for 20-30 minutes on medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent burning on bottom of pan. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. If soup is too thick, add milk or more chicken stock to achieve desired consistency.

Split Pea Soup

Adapted from the Barefoot Contessa

1C chopped yellow onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8C good olive oil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1-1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2C medium-diced carrots (4 carrots)
1-2C Ham, diced small
1T fresh lemon juice
Rind from 1 lemon
1C medium-diced red boiling potatoes, peeled (3 small)
1 lb dried split green peas
10 cups chicken stock

In a large stockpot on medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with the olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper until the onions are translucent, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the carrots, ham, potatoes, split peas, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 60 minutes, or until peas are soft. Stir frequently to keep the solids from burning on the bottom. Taste for salt and pepper. Blend with hand mixer if desired. Serve hot.