Creamy Potato Soup

Thanks to Heather we've been enjoying this soup during these cold winter months. It definitely fits in the category of comfort foods. This has been a great way for me to use up the cauliflower I stockpiled earlier when it was nearly free. The best part? Little do they know this soup contains a whole head of cauliflower! Enjoy.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 8-10
Cost: Approx. $2.50-$5.00

4-6 strips of (turkey)bacon snipped into pieces ($.50)
4 large or 8 small potatoes cut into cubes ($1.00)
1 head of cauliflower cut into bite sized pieces ($1.00-$3.00)
water
Chicken stock granules
2-3 cups milk
Cheese (optional)

Brown the bacon in the bottom of a stock pot. Removed bacon and add potatoes and cauliflower to the pot. Saute in bacon grease for one minute. Add enough water to cover vegetables and cooresponding amount of granules. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until vegetables are tender.

Place vegetables and liquid in a blender and liquify until smooth. Return soup to the stove and add milk until soup reaches desired consistency.

Serve topped with bacon pieces and cheese.

This recipe can also be found at The Grocery Cart Challenge's Recipe Swap. Go there to browse lots of great recipes!

....Out of Nothing at all- Egg Drop Soup

I have a habit of singing 80's songs to my own lyrics much to the amusement of my family. I guess it is the Weird Al Yankovic in me. For years I've been humming the tune to Air Supply's "Making Love Out of Nothing At All" while I'm searching through the pantry for lunch. "Making Lunch out of Nothing at All....makin' lunch."

To those you you too young to know this song I don't recommend that you learn it. It really is a sad commentary on relationships and one of those, "I can't believe I knew this song growing up." I must have learned it on the bus.

Anyway, here's the recipe for today MLOONAA. If all goes well, I plan to make MLOONAA a regular feature on this blog perhaps with a Mr. Linky for you to share if there was enough interest. Let me know one way or the other by the survey on the right or leave a comment. Thanks!


Egg Drop Soup

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: same
Serves: 8
Cost: approx. $1.00

10 cups of boiling water
3 Tbsp of chicken stock granules ($.50)
2 eggs ($.25)
soy sauce

Heat the water to boiling. Add chicken granules and stir well. Scramble eggs well in a small bowl. Stir boiling broth in one direction and add eggs slowly. Add soy sauce to taste and serve.

Disclaimer: I realize that there is little nutritional value here, but when we've had a big breakfast or someone is sick this is a perfect lunch.

Chili Cook Off

By the time my family gets together after the holidays we are about fooded out. This year to avoid having to prepare yet another big meal we had a chili cook off. This provided to be a very easy and tasty way to satisfy 24 people with enough leftover for dinner, too. There was white chicken chili, our family's traditional chili, skyline chili and Alaina's Southfork Chili. Providing toppings such as corn chips, crackers, Monteray Jack or Cheddar cheese, cilantro and sour cream allows everyone to make it their way.



What is your favorite kind of chili? Please do share your recipe or link.

Jerk Turkey Soup

I few months ago I pulled a turkey from the bottom of the freezer that had been hiding since last winter. I roasted it and then froze the turkey meat. It's been fun exploring new ways to use it. This was one of our favorites. Just in time for this year's Thanksgiving turkey leftovers!

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Serves: 8-10
Cost: Approx. $2.50 if made with leftover turkey

1 Tbsp olive oil
2-3 cups of turkey meat cut into chunks (leftovers)
3 Tbsp Jerk Seasoning
1 medium onion diced ($.25)
2 Tbsp diced garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 large can diced tomatoes undrained ($1.00)
1 small can black beans rinsed ($.75)
5 cups hot water
5 Tbsp chicken granules or 4 chicken bouillon cubes ($.25)

In a skillet heat olive olive oil. Add onion and garlic and cook until onions are translucent. Coat turkey with Jerk seasoning in a plastic bag. Add seasoned turkey to skillet and heat through.

Add all ingredients to crockpot and heat on low for 2 hours.

Like most soups this can be made into a double batch and half of it frozen. It makes for a quick lunch. We just had it today:)

White Chicken Chili

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 6-8
Cost: Approx. $6.25

1 small onion chopped ($.25)
2 t garlic powder
2T olive oil
2 jalapeno peppers minced (optional)
4 oz can chopped green chilies, drained ($.50)
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1 t dried oregano
1 t salt
3 C chicken broth ($2.00)
1 small can cooked northern beans, drained
16 oz cooked chicken breast, cubed (about 4 cups) ($3.50)
1/2 C chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Combined all ingredients and simmer on low for 30 minutes. Or combined all ingredients in a freezer bag. To reheat, place frozen chili in crockpot on low for 3 hours.

I like to top our chicken chili with 1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese and a few tortilla chips on the side.

**Cooking you own beans and making broth from chicken stock would be a great way to cut costs on this meal**

Great Depression Pork Stew

The manager's special on meat these days seems to be all about the pork chop. Looking for recipes I found this one and couldn't resist it simply because of the name. It was a tasty meal that I will be making again and again when the weather cools down.

Serves: 12
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Cost: approx. $7.00

5-6 pork chops ($5.00)
2 onions chopped ($.50)
6 stalks of celery with leaves chopped ($.50)
4 carrots chopped ($.25)
6 potatoes peeled and chopped ($.50)
1 gallon of water
1/2 cup of flour
2 chicken bouillon cubes
salt
pepper

Boil the pork chops until meat begins to fall off the bone. Remove meat and break into pieces. Add meat, vegetables, bouillon cubes and additional water to pot and boil until vegetables are tender. Season to taste. Add several cups of stew broth to 1/2 of flour until well mixed. Add this flour mixture back into stew and let simmer and additional 15 minutes before serving.

Cilantro Soup

This soup is warm and spicy- perfect for a cold February day! To make it stretch farther add rotini pasta.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Serves: 8-10
Cost: approx. $5.00
BU: 0

2 chicken breasts cooked and cut into small pieces ($2.50)
4-6 cans of chicken broth ($2.00)
1 onion diced finely ($.50)
1Tablespoon butter
1 bunch of cilantro ($.50)
1/4 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes/cayenne pepper
pasta (optional)

Saute onions in butter until translucent. Add chicken broth, diced chicken and red pepper (add more to taste). Add 6 sprigs of cilantro. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 15 minutes. Remove sprigs. Chop remaining cilantro and add to soup at this time.

Tips: Next time you're grilling out chicken add a few extra pieces, dice and freeze. This soup tastes great with grilled chicken!

This is easily frozen (w/o pasta) and stored in large freezer bag. Just place directly from freezer into crockpot for slow cooking until dinner.

Taco Soup

This is about the easiest meal ever to make and everyone eats it up!!

Prep time: 1 minute
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves: 8-10
Cost: approx $5.00


1 pound ground beef or turkey ($2.00)
Alaina's taco seasoning
1 can of corn drained or 1 cup frozen corn ($.50)
1 small can diced tomatoes ($.50)
1 large can tomato juice ($1.00)
1 bag of corn chips ($1.00)
shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
sour cream (optional)

Brown ground beef/turkey. Add seasoning. Mix in corn, tomatoes and tomato juice. Cook on medium until warmed through. Serve topped with corn chips, cheese and sour cream as desired.

*This is easily frozen and stored in a large freezer bag. Just place frozen soup in crock pot in the morning for dinner that night.*

Lentil and Sausage Soup

I had this soup recently at an Italian restaurant and loved it! I was thrilled to find this recipe and to be able to adapt it for our taste.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 3 hours
Ready in: 3 hours 15 minutes
Yields: 10 servings
Cost: approx. $4.75 (without pasta)

1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage ($1.75)
1 large onion, chopped ($.50)
1 stalk celery, chopped finely ($.10)
1 Tablespoon garlic chopped
16 ounces red lentils rinsed ($1.50)
1 carrot shredded ($.10)
14 cups water
4 Tablespoon chicken soup stock base ($.25)
1 small can diced tomatoes ($.50)
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
2 Bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1. Brown sausage in large pot. Add onion, celery and garlic. Saute. Stir in lentils, carrot, water, soup base, and tomatoes. Add all other seasonings. Bring to boil and reduce heat. Cover and summer for 2 /12 to 3 hours.
2. Add 1/2 pound of pasta if desired and cook 15-20 minutes longer.

This could be cooled and frozen in a zip lock. Unthaw at room temperature and reheat.

The results are in...

5 thumbs up. 3 neither up or down. 1 thumb down.

I really should work on presentation, I know.