Olive Garden Pasta Fagioli Soup

I made this for dinner last night. It was very yummy!

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, shredded
• 1 c. celery, chopped
• 2 (28 oz.) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (16 oz.) can red kidney beans, drained
• 1 (16 oz.) can white kidney beans, drained
• 4 cups beef stock
• 3 tsp. oregano
• 2 tsp. pepper
• 5 tsp. parsley
• 1 tsp. tabasco sauce
• 1 (20 oz.) jar Prego traditional spaghetti sauce
• 8 oz. pasta (I like using ditali pasta)

Instructions

• Brown ground beef in large skillet. Drain fat. Add beef and all ingredients except the pasta into a large crock pot. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.
• Before serving, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and add to soup.

You could also cook it in a large pot on the stove top. It would need to be a LARGE pot or a LARGE crock pot. This makes like 12 servings; it is A LOT of soup. I was able to feed my neighbors, our family and I even sent some home for Keaton and Emilie. I still had left overs! Super yummy though!

Recipe and picture from here.http://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/2012/08/olive-garden-pasta-e-fagioli-soup.html 

Chicken Sausage and Tortellini Soup

4 tsp. olive oil
1 pkg. Italian chicken(or turkey) Sausage links
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 14-oz. chicken broth
18 oz. refrigerated cheese tortellini
6 oz. baby spinach leaves
1 can diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp. butter
Shredded Parmesan cheese for garnish

Heat 1-2 tsp oil in a pot and saute sausage until browned.  Remove from pan and carefully slice into small pieces.  Set aside.

Heat remaining oil in pot.  Saute garlic for 30 seconds.  Stir in broth.  Bring to a boil. Cook for about 2 minutes then add tortellini.  Cook for another 3-4 minutes then stir in spinach and tomatoes.  Cook until spinach wilts, approximately 2 minutes.  Return sauteed sausage to the soup.  Heat throughout.  Melt butter into soup.

Zuppa Toscano

Most people probably have this recipe.  There are plenty of different variations.  I have never made it(or had it) until just this last week.  It is delicious. I got this recipe from Addelyn's kindergarten teacher.  It can be made in the crockpot or, if you are like me and forget to plan ahead, it can just be made on the stove top.  Either way, it is good.

Ingredients:
1 lb bulk Italian sausage, browned and drained
2 cans chicken broth
1 C water
1 garlic clove minced
3 large russet potatoes cubed
1/4 c onion finely diced
bacon bits to taste
1 C heavy cream
1 bunch fresh Kale- coarsely chopped
grated parmesan cheese for garnish

1. Place Italian sausage, chicken broth, water, garlic, potatoes and onion in slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-5 hours until potatoes are cooked and soft
3. Add bacon bits, cream and kale right before serving
4.Top with parmesan cheese and serve with fresh bread.
I had to add some salt and pepper too.

Lasagna Soup

My neighbor made this for me after Ella was born and we literally ate it daily until it was gone. It is super yummy!

Lasagna Soup

Ingredients:

1 pound Italian sausage (We use ground beef. Sausage makes Drew nervous)
1 onion, diced
2 cups carrots, chopped
1 cup mushroom (optional)
2 cups chopped spinach
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (14 ounce cans) chicken broth
2 (14 ounce cans) Italian stewed tomatoes, or Petite Diced tomatoes (with the seasoning in the can)
1 (8 ounce can) tomato sauce
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 box of pasta (we used the mini bow tie)
mozzarella cheese

On stove top, brown sausage. Add onion and and carrot and saute for about 2 minutes. If you are using the crock pot, add all ingredients (except pasta and spinach). Cook on low for 4 hours. Add pasta and spinach for the last 30 minutes of cooking time. If cooking on stove top, add all ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 30-45. Then add pasta and spinach for another 10 minutes, or until pasta is cooked al dente. Top with mozzarella cheese.

Recipe and picture from Our Family Treat. 

It is really yummy with the peasant bread recipe found here .

Vegetable Tortelini Soup

This is from Our Family Treat my neighbor does this blog and it has some super yummy recipes and fun giveaways too. You can cook this in a crock pot as well just don't add the tortellini until 10 minutes before you are ready to serve the soup otherwise it will be overcooked.

1 pound Italian Sausage
1 cup onion-chopped
2 garlic cloves- minced
1 cup carrots-diced
1 cup zucchini-diced
1 green pepper- chopped
3 13 oz cans beef broth
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 28 oz can whole tomatoes
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1/2 cup dry red wine (optional)
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon parsley flakes

Brown sausage. Set aside and cook saute onions and garlic, until translucent. Then add broth, red wine, tomatoes, carrots, and spices. I used a potato masher and mashed the whole tomatoes a little bit. Stir and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and let simmer for about 30 minutes. Then add pepper and zucchini. Cover and let simmer for another 20 minutes. Add tortellini for the last 10 minutes of simmering. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

A long time ago (like three years ago) I had some chicken tortilla soup from Cafe Rio.  It was so good.  I have never had it from there since because I always want the salad or the tacos.  I try and make up my own copy cat recipe all the time though.  I have no idea if this tastes like Cafe Rio or not because it has been so long since I have had the Cafe Rio.  Anyway, we had this version of Chicken Tortilla Soup the other night and it was delicious.  I am putting the recipe on here because I made it up and I will forget.  It was good.

2 chicken breasts cooked and shredded (or however much you want)
4 cups chicken broth
1 can of corn, undrained
1 can blk beans, drained
1 can pinto beans, undrained
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can green chilis
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
1 T lemon juice (lime would probably be better, but I had lemon)
cilantro

Put everything in a pot and cook for 30 min.

Serve with cheese, sour cream, and guacamole. I also cut up some corn tortillas into strips and baked them until they were crispy to serve with the soup, but you could use tortilla chips if you wanted.

Cheesiest Potato Soup

2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup diced onion
2 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp dried dill weed
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup diced ham
1/2 cup frozen corn

Over medium heat melt butter. Cook onion in butter until soft. Stir in potatoes and broth bring to a boil then cover and reduce heat and simmer 15 to 20 min until tender. Stir in cream, cheese, dill, pepper, salt & cayenne. bring to a low boil and cook stirring until thickened (abobut 5 min) Add ham and corn and cook until heated through,

Taco Soup #2

All of these posts are from the recipe exchange we had with my girlfriends at Christmas. Everything was delicious and I am really just doing this to keep them recorded for myself but figured why not share a good thing1

1lb cooked ground beef
2 cans dark red kidney beans
2 cans of corn (undrained)
3 cans of stewed tomatoes (Blend 2 cans in a blender and pour 1 can into soup whole)
1 packet taco seasoning

Add all ingredients in a pot including corn and bean juice and simmer for at least 15 min.
Serve with a dollop of sour cream, cheese & chips

Chicken Noodle Soup

I got this recipe from Campbell's kitchen. Chicken Noodle Soup sounded good to me for dinner last night so I got online to find a recipe. This recipe was super easy and really good.

4 cup Chicken Broth

Generous dash of ground black pepper

1 medium carrot sliced

1 stalk celery sliced

1/2 cup uncooked extra wide egg noodles

1 cup shredded cooked chicken or turkey

Heat the broth, black pepper, carrot ad celery in a 2 quart saucepan over medium high heat to a boil. Stir the noodles and chicken into the saucepan. Reduce heat to medium. Cook for 10 minutes or until the noodles are tender.

I like a lot of noodles and chicken in my chicken noodle soup so I upped the noodles to 1 cup and just shredded an entire chicken breast (not sure how much it ended up being) I also added 2 more cups of chicken broth. With the extra noodles I had to cook it for about 20 minutes once the noodles and chicken were added.

Ghost Chili

1lb boneless chicken, chopped into bite size pieces
1 onion, diced
1 T oil
1 1/2 t garlic powder
14oz can chicken broth
1 can chopped green chilis
2 15oz cans Great Northern beans drained and rinsed
1 t salt
1 t cumin
1 t oregano
1/2 t black pepper
Brown chicken and onion in oil until chicken is cooked and onion is tender. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes. Before serving, stir in 1 cup of sour cream and 1/2 cup of whipping cream.(I used regular milk. I also thickened it just a little with cornstarch)
I served it with corn bread muffins, but it would also be good with bread sticks.

Everyone in my family loves this. Even Addelyn likes it!

Baked Potato Soup

1T butter
¼ c chopped onion
¼ c chopped celery
1 can (14 ½ oz) chicken broth
1 ¼ c milk
2 med baking potatoes, baked and cut into cubes
¼ tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
8 slices of bacon cooked and crumbled
¾ cheddar cheese, shredded
2 T green onion slices
¼ c sour cream
Melt butter in saucepan. Add onion and celery cook until crisp-tender. Add broth, milk, potatoes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Slightly crush potatoes with back of spoon. Reduce heat to med-low, simmer 5 min, stirring frequently.
Save 2 T each of bacon, cheese and 1 T green onion for topping. Add remaining bacon, cheese, and onion to soup just before serving. Cook until cheese is melted.
Top with bacon, cheese, onion, and sour cream.
I usually don't use baked potatoes. I just peel, chopped and then boil potatoes. When they are soft I drain and then kind of mash them up. Then I put them in the soup. I also us a lot more potato than the recipe calls for.

No Cream Creamy Broccoli Soup

2 med. carrots, peeled, chopped
1 med. onion chopped
2 celery stocks chopped
3 T oil
2 cans (14 ½ oz each) chicken broth
2 cups water
2 small bunches of fresh broccoli trimmed into 3 inch lengths
½ cup minute rice
2 cups milk
¼ grated Parmesan cheeseCook and stir carrots, onions, and celery in oil in large saucepan on med-high for 3 min. Add chick broth and water, stir. Bring to a boil. Stir in broccoli and rice. Reduce heat to med-low. Simmer 10-15 min or until veggies are tender. Stir frequently. Add soup in batches to blender or food processor. Blend until pureed-return to pot. Add milk and cheese. Cook until heated.

Zucchini Soup

8-10 cups of cut-up zucchini
½ lb bacon
1 can chicken broth
½ tsp salt
1 tsp basil
1 tsp pepper
2 medium onionsCut up zucchini, fry bacon until crisp, remove. Cook onions in pan until transparent. Combine zucchini, bacon, onions, and remaining ingredients in large pot. Cook until zucchini is tender, adding water if needed. Allow to cool. Put everything in a blender and blend till smooth. Heat for serving. Top with croutons and Parmesan cheese. Leave out bacon to make vegetarian.

Taco Soup

You can make this vegetarian style without the beef and it is still really good. Just add the taco seasoning to the bean/corn/tomato mixture
1 lb ground beef
taco seasoning
1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
2 cans kidney beans
1 can white beans
1 can corn (or I use frozen and it's yummy)
I can tomato sauce
I can diced tomatoes
I can water (optional)
brown ground beef, then add taco seasoning. In crock pot add beans, corn, tomatoes, mix then add meat mixture. I cook it for at least a couple hours on low in crock pot. Serve with sour cream, cheese and tortilla chips.

Beef Stew: (or chicken stew or just pick out the beef

1lb stew meat browned
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can tomato soup
1 packet Lipton Onion Soup Mix
2 cans of waterpotatoes (I usually do about 3 big potatoes or 4 smaller ones)
carrots (just one of the small bags of the baby carrots works)
peas (one package of frozen peas is usually good)
1 onion chopped or sliced however you want to cut is great
Cook on low in crockpot and enjoy!

Chili

1 med. onion, diced
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
1 can kidney beans, with juice
2 cans chili beans, with juice
1 can pinto beans, with juice
3 cans chopped tomatoes
1 can black beans, drained
1 t pepper
1 T salt
1 T cumin
2 t chili powder
1 t basil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lb browned ground beef (It’s good without the meat too)
Combine all ingredients and simmer for 1 hour. Serve over Frito chips or tortilla chips with cheese on top a bit of sour cream.