Joni's Reuben Soup!

This warm, comforting soup could be served with traditional corned beef, but I like the convenience of the turkey kielbasa.

2 tbsp canola oil
1 small onion chopped fine
1/4 tsp thyme
1tbsp caraway seeds
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups beef broth
7 oz chopped turkey kielbasa
1 peeled, grated carrot
1 cup sauerkraut, slightly drained (not rinsed)
1 tbsp corn starch
2tbsp water
4 wedges Laughing Cow Light Swiss Cheese
1/2 cup fat free evaporated milk

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed soup pot. Add onions, thyme and caraway seeds. Heat and stir for 2 minutes until onion soft and spices fragrant. Add the broth, kielbasa, carrot and sauerkraut and simmer for 30 minutes. Mix the corn starch and water and add to simmering soup. Stir for a minute to thicken. Break up the cheese and stir in until melted. Add the evaporated milk and heat through, but don't boil.

A New Toy and It's Not Even Christmas Yet!

I don't think I'm the only person with a pressure cooker in the basement, too afraid of the explosion that's sure to happen if I place it on my stove. Well, a friend of mine told me about and then demonstrated her brand new electric pressure cooker. "A new kitchen appliance I do not own?" my brain pondered. Well the next day I got a refurbished Wolfgang Puck 7 cup electric pressure cooker. It arrived yesterday, but I worked late so didn't get a chance to use it. Unable to sleep knowing this little baby was in the kitchen, by 4 AM I was awake and reading the instruction manual. By 5AM I had this luscious soup ready to go. It is amazing and I do love my soup! Here's the ingredients - Enjoy!

Joni's Insomniac Lentil Curry Soup

1/2 cup chopped carrots
1 container sliced/cleaned fresh mushrooms
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp curry powder (adjust to taste)
1 cup lentils
4 cups chicken broth
(Six ingredients- Gotta love that!)

Turn the pressure cooker on and spray some olive oil on the bottom. Once it heats up, saute the carrots and mushrooms until soft. Add the garlic and saute another few minutes. Add the curry powder and stir until fragrant. Then add the lentils and broth. Shut and secure the lid and put on "Soup" setting for 20 minutes.  Carefully release the steam before taking off the lid.
(If you are doing in a soup pot, just simmer about 40 minutes until the lentils are soft.)

Tomato Soup That's REALLY MMM MMM GOOD!

I was so surprised last night at the New Weigh meeting how many people have NEVER tried to make their own tomato soup. It's so easy and versatile. You can used canned tomatoes, garden tomatoes, roasted tomatoes... and don't get me started on the variety of vegetables and herbs you can throw in there! Here is the very basic recipe I use. Feel free to do whatever you want to this - herbs, garlic, salsa, hot sauce, roasted red pepper, sun-dried tomato, cheeses - you name it.

First off - this is a list of the ingredients in a bowl of Campbell's Tomato Soup (c)

Ingredients

Tomato Puree (Water, Tomato Paste)Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup,Wheat Flour, Salt, Vegetable Oil (Corn, Cottonseed, Canola and/or Soybean)Flavoring, Ascorbic Acid, and Citric Acid.

Seriously???? You want to feed this to your family?

Let's try this easy peasy recipe.

Joni's Basic Tomato Soup

1 small onion diced

1 tbsp canola or olive oil

2 14 oz cans diced tomatoes (or about 2 pounds fresh)

2 chopped carrots

2 c chicken broth

1 tsp dried parsley flakes

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1/2 cup fat free half and half (fat free evaporated milk would work too)

salt and pepper

Parmesan cheese for topping (optional) 

Heat oil in a stockpot and add the onion, cooking until soft. Add the spices and cook until fragrant. Add the tomatoes, carrots and broth. Bring to a boil and then cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender or carefully transfer to a blender to process in small batches. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the FF half and half to make as creamy as you desire. Top with cheese.

Mexican Chicken Chowder

This was a satisfying soup. It came together quickly. My only ispiration was the contents of my pantry!

Mexican Chicken Chowder

2 Cups cooked, shredded chicken

2 cans chicken broth

1 can diced chiles

1 cup frozen corn

1/2 cup salsa

1 cup half and half (I used fat free)

1 cup Taco Cheese (Mine was a mixture of cheeses w/ some taco seasoning)

Simmer the chicken in the broth and add the chiles, corn and salsa (I wanted to use black olives too, but the family isnt keen on them). Simmer for about 15 minutes, turn off heat and add the half and half and cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Serve immediately. Top w/ cilantro, sour cream, olives or nothing at all. It's all good.

Soup's on - Tomato Basil

I wanted soup and sandwiches because it's a fall thing to me. So, I came up with my version of tomato basil soup based on what I had on hand. Sub out whatever tomato products you happen to have. I dont think you can mess this up and whatever you do will put Campbell's to shame!

Joni's Tomato Basil Soup

6-8 medium tomatoes

2 T tomato past

1 can chicken broth

1 can water

1/2 medium onion

1 clove garlic

1 sweet red pepper

1 T canola oil

1 cup basil leaves

Salt/pepper to taste

1/2 cup fat free half and half (any milk product would work)

1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese (plus extra for topping)

1/4 cup butter (I used Smart Balance)

Saute onions, garlic and peppers in canola oil until soft. Add broth, water, tomatoes, tomato paste and basil. Simmer 30 minutes. Using a blender, food processor or immersion blender, blend until smooth. (If using a blender or food processor, make sure you vent the top a bit and only blend in small batches - don't burn yourself!). Return to pot and add half and half, butter and cheese while on LOW heat. Take off heat, garnish with more cheese and serve.

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The sandwich part of "soup and sandwich" was really good and used up some leftovers.

Stack the following:

1/2 Arnold's bread round (just use one circle - this is open-faced)

2 tsp Alfredo sauce

1tsp real bacon bits

shredded chicken

cheddar cheese

I put these in my convection oven at 375 degrees until the top was browned. If you dont have a convection oven, I would broil for a few minutes to get the top browned. These were YUM!