Tomato Cream Cheese Soup

I was able to use up some of my tomatoes from the garden in this soup. It's gluten free, and pretty darn healthy. I got my full day's worth of Vitamin A and about half my Vitamin C in one steamy, delicious bowl. Okay, two.

I'm having this for lunch here at the office today. I'm really shocked it lasted this long.

Ingredients-
2lbs. good tomatoes, chopped (you could peel and core, but since it gets blended at the end I say save yourself the trouble)

3 large carrots, washed, not peeled, and chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 medium sweet onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups vegetable or chicken broth- I used veggie

1/2t kosher salt

1/2t freshly ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1T agave nectar, honey or sugar

1 bay leaf

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped (if you don't have fresh, you could use dry, about a teaspoonful or so I'm thinking, but I'd add it when you add the broth and other seasonings)

2oz. cream cheese (yes, you could add more, but this was delicious with just a kiss of cream cheese to add creaminess. I was trying to be kind to my rear end.)

Chop tomatoes, sprinkle salt on them, and let sit for about 20 minutes. Then place on medium high heat and add your other veggies.

Add the broth, all of the spices except for the basil, and the sweetener of your choice.

Bring to a boil, stir, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30-4o minutes until veggies are tender. Add cream cheese, and stir to melt. Add half of the basil. Use an immersion blender (or a regular blender if that's what you have, just be CAREFUL! This is some hot soup!). Blend until smooth. Serve with remaining basil on top.

Enjoy. Be sure to look away if anyone licks the bowl. Of course I would never do that. :::Cough:::

This recipe is linked to the $5 Dinner Challenge. This was well under $5, and that includes using store bought organic vegetable broth. Homemade broth would make this even more affordable.

Chicken and Kale Soup

I altered yesterday's meal a bit after picking up some kale this week. I decided to try adding it to a chicken vegetable soup. I really liked the results.

8 cups chicken stock or broth (I make my own and freeze it)
3 large potatoes, peeled and diced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
2T olive oil
2 celery stalks, sliced
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
40z. mushrooms, diced
salt and pepper
2 cups cooked diced chicken breast
1 cup corn
1 head of kale, washed, dried, and chopped into small pieces
1t herbes de provence

In large pot on stove, heat 2T olive oil. Add celery, carrot, onion, garlic and mushrooms, and saute for about 4 minutes. Salt and pepper lightly. Add broth and potatoes, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, add chicken, and let simmer for 15-20 minutes until vegetables are soft.
Add kale, corn and herbes de provence, and let simmer for an additional 10 minutes, until kale is tender. Ladle into bowls and serve with crusty bread and a salad.

I just had a bowl of this today and it's even better reheated!

Souptacular!

Don't you love that name? So catchy! I'm not sure who had the idea, but for the next 4 weeks at work on Fridays, it's Souptacular. We have a sign up sheet for 5 people to each bring in a crockpot of soup each week, and then everyone else is asked to bring crackers, breads, other sides, etc.

Soup is my favorite thing to eat. Seriously. Especially in the Fall when it first starts getting cool and I start craving those awesome comfort foods that we haven't eaten over the summer.

I'm signing up---but I haven't decided what to bring! Have a favorite soup recipe? Let me know!

Chicken Alphabet Noodle Soup

Okay, Erin--I thought it was only fitting to submit a soup this week. After all of your blogging about soup week, and all of the recipes you've received, it just made me crave some! So this week, It's Chicken Alphabet Noodle Soup!

It is truly amazing what little things like special-shaped noodles can do for food consumption with kids! The boys haven't really been super eager soup eaters. I've been working on ways to improve that, and I decided I wanted to try the alphabet letters. The first challenge was finding the darn things! I visited 3 stores before I found them!

Fortunately a bag like this will only set you back about $1.20 here, and it will make a couple huge batches of soup! This went over HUGE! I kept this recipe pretty simple so it would be kid friendly. And it fits within budget!

8 cups chicken broth or stock ( I made mine Sunday from a chicken frame) .00

3 cups cooked, chopped chicken (again, from chicken over the weekend) .00

1TB olive oil

2 carrots, chopped .15

2 celery stalks, chopped .10

1/2 onion, chopped, .10

1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley .15

1 cup alphabet noodles .55

Heat olive oil in dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and celery for 5 minutes. Add broth and chicken, bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove lid, add pasta and parsley and continue simmering for 10-15 minutes until noodles are tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with oyster crackers as desired.

So...if you save your frame and leftover chicken, you too can make a big vat of yummy, kid friendly soup for $1.05!!!!