Broccoli Cheese Soup

1 small onion, chopped
6 tblsp. butter
6 tblsp. unsifted flour
3 c. water
5 c. fresh broccoli, cut into large bite-size pieces
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
4 c. shredded cheddar cheese
2 c. half & half

In a large pot, cook onion in butter until tender; stir in flour until smooth. Slowly add the water while whisking. Then add bouillon cubes, broccoli, and Worcestershire sauce. Don't worry, it will look like a lot of broccoli and not a lot of liquid. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to simmer. Cook and stir until slightly thickened and broccoli is tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and slowly add half & half. Then add cheese one handful at a time, stirring each addition until melted before adding the next handful. Return to the lowest heat setting possible until ready to serve, stirring occasionally. Be careful not to let the soup boil once you've added the cheese, or it will curdle and separate. Serves approximately 8 people.

From: Hillary McCormack

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2-3 frozen chicken breasts
1 large can diced tomatoes
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 c. salsa
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 can black beans (drained - you can rinse if you'd like...but not necessary)
1 can mild green chilis

Add everything to crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours. Remove chicken from soup after 8 hours and shred. Return shredded chicken to soup and serve with cheese, sour cream and either tortilla chips or fresh salsa. (Adding 3 chicken breasts will make it a thicker soup...I like it that way). I DOUBLED this recipe for our group of about 20..and had just enough leftover for lunch the next day! It's DIVINE!!!

From: Heather White

Chicken Taco Soup

6 c. water
6 chicken boullion cubes
4 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
1 tsp. cumin
1 or 2 tblsp. chili powder
1 (29 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 tblsp. sugar
1/2 cup rice
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, undrained
1 can corn
Corn chips
Grated cheese
Sour cream
2 limes, quartered

In large pot, bring water to boil; dissolve boullion cubes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in cubed chicken, cumin, chili powder, tomatoes, sugar, rice and garbanzo beans. Simmer for about 1 hour. When ready to serve, add remaining ingredients as toppings to individual servings. Makes about 8 servings.

From: ?

Chicken Chowder

5-6 chicken breasts
2-4 potatoes, diced
1 onion, diced
1/2 c. carrots, diced
1/2 c. celery, diced
1 can chicken broth
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 c. milk
1 cube butter
1 c. flour
1 c. water (from boiled chicken)

Boil chicken breasts till done. Pour chicken broth in a pot and add onion, celery and carrots. Bring to boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until tender. Peel and dice potatoes. Boil, and cook until tender. Drain and add to other vegetables. (You cook them separate from other vegetables to keep down the starch.) Dice chicken and add to vegetables. Melt butter in frying pan. Add flour, stir, then add both milks and 1 cup of water that was used to cook the chicken. Add slowly using a wire whisk to mix together, making a white sauce. Add to vegetables and chicken. Salt and pepper to taste.

From: Mom

Busy Day Vegetable Soup

Brown 1 lb. hamburger with some chopped onion.
Add:
1 can green beans, with liquid
2 cans corn, with liquid
1 can chicken vegetable soup
1 can vegetable beef soup

Mix everything together. Then add 1-1 1/2 cans full of water. Heat thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste.

From: Becky Lingard

Taco Soup

Brown 1 lb. ground beef with onion and 1 packet taco seasoning.

Add:
2 cans Italian stewed tomatoes
1 can corn
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

Simmer for 20 minutes. Serve with sour cream, cheese and corn chips.

From: Nikki Hooper

Clam Chowder

3/4 lb (or 3 - 6 oz cans) minced clams
1 c. onions, chopped
1 c. celery, diced
2 c. potatoes, diced
3/4 c. margarine
3/4 c. flour
1 qt. 1/2 & 1/2 cream
1 1/2 tsp. salt
Dash pepper
1/2 tsp. sugar

Drain juice from clams over vegetables in medium pan. Add enough water to cover vegetables. Simmer covered until potatoes are tender. (About 20 minutes.) In the meantime, melt margarine, add flour & blend together. Cook a minute or two. Add cream and cook & stir until smooth. Add undrained vegetables and clams. Heat through. Season with salt, pepper & sugar.

From: Mom