When buying stuff, you may want to figure out what cups = in oz before you buy. They usually don’t sell stuff “by the cup”, but in a can, which is liquid measure. For instance, 1 cup = 8 oz French Onion Soup Be sure you have some oven-safe soup bowls for this one. You'll have to broil it a bit before serving. 3 tablespoons olive oil 6 medium white onions, sliced 8 cups beef broth (Swanson is best, comes in a box here. Maybe in a can by you) 1 cup water 2 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 5 plain hamburger buns 10 slices provolone cheese 10 teaspoons shredded parmesan cheese 1. Add 3 tablespoons oil to a large soup pot or saucepan over medium/high heat. Add the sliced onions and sauté until the onions start to become translucent. You don't want them to brown. (the oil also helps in cleaning up the pot later, too) 2. Add the beef broth, water, salt, garlic powder and black pepper to the pan and bring mixture to a boil. When soup begins to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes. 3. Cut off the top half of each top of the hamburger bun so that the bread is the same thickness as the bottom half of each bun. Throw the rounded part away. Now you should have 10 round pieces of bread -- 5 bottom buns, and 5 top buns with the tops cut off. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place the bread in the oven directly on the rack and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until each piece is golden brown and crispy. Set these aside until you need them. 4. When the soup is done, spoon about 1 cup into an oven-safe bowl. Float a crouton on top of the soup, then place a slice of provolone cheese on top of the crouton. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of shredded parmesan cheese over the provolone. 5. Place the bowl into your oven set to high broil. Broil the soup for 5 to 6 minutes or until the cheese is melted and starting to brown Beef Barley 1 1/2 pounds boneless lean beef, cubed 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 teaspoons garlic powder 4 cups Swanson beef broth 6 cups water 4 stalks celery, chopped 6 carrots, chopped 6 green onions, chopped 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley 1 cup barley 1 teaspoon dried thyme In a skillet over medium heat, sauté the beef in the oil for 5 minutes, or until browned. Stir in the salt, pepper and garlic powder and place seasoned meat in a slow cooker. Add a little water to the skillet and stir to pick up the browned bits. Add to the slow cooker. Add the broth, water, celery, carrots, green onions, parsley and barley. Cover and cook on low setting for 6 to 8 hours, or until the vegetables and barley are tender. Add the thyme just before serving. Lentil Soup 1/2 cup red or green lentils 1 cup chopped onion 1 stalk celery, chopped 2 cups shredded cabbage 1 (29 ounce) can canned whole tomatoes, chopped 2 cups Swanson chicken broth 3 carrots, chopped 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon white sugar 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1/4 teaspoon curry powder Place the lentils into a stockpot or a Dutch oven and add water to twice the depth of the lentils. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Drain and rinse lentils; return them to the pot. Add onion, celery, cabbage, tomatoes, chicken broth, carrots and garlic to the pot and season with salt, pepper, sugar, basil, thyme and curry. Cook, simmering for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until desired tenderness is achieved. Smashed Pea & Barley Soup 2 cups split peas 6 cups water 4 cups Swanson chicken broth 1/3 cup minced onion 1 large clove garlic, minced 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon granulated sugar 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley 1/4 teaspoon white pepper dash dried thyme 1/2 cup barley 6 cups water 2 medium carrots, diced (about 1 cup) 1/2 stalk celery, diced (1/4 cup) Garnish chopped green onion 1. Rinse and drain the split peas, then add them to a large pot with 6 cups of water, chicken broth, onion, garlic, lemon juice, salt, sugar, parsley, pepper, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 75 minutes or until the peas are soft. 2. While the peas are cooking, combine the barley with 6 cups of water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 75 minutes or until the barley is soft and most of the water has been absorbed. 3. When the split pea mixture has become a thick soup, use a handheld blender to puree the peas until the mixture is smooth. You may also use a standard blender or food processor for this step, pureeing the soup in batches. Alternately, if you like, you may skip this step, keeping the soup rather chunky. It's still good this way, just not as smooth as the real thing. 4. Drain the barley mixture in a sieve or colander and add it to the split pea mixture. Add the carrots and celery and continue to simmer the soup for 15 to 30 minutes or until the carrots are tender. Stir occasionally. Turn off the heat, cover the soup, and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Garnish each serving with a little chopped green onion. Chicken Enchilada Soup 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 lb. of chicken breast fillets (approx. 3 fillets) 1/2 cup diced onion 1 clove garlic, pressed 4 cups chicken broth 1 cup masa harina (it’s a corn-type flour found in the ethnic section of your grocery store, use it Vicki, it makes the taste of the soup more authentic) 3 cups water 1 cup enchilada sauce 16 ounces Velveeta 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon cumin Garnish shredded cheddar cheese crumbled corn tortilla chips pico de gallo 1. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a large pot over medium heat. Add chicken breasts to pot and brown for 4-5 minutes per side. Set chicken aside. 2. Add onions and garlic to pot and sauté over medium heat for about 2 minutes, or until onions begin to become translucent. Add chicken broth. 3. Combine masa harina with 2 cups of water in a medium bowl and whisk until blended. Add masa mixture to pot with onions, garlic and broth. 4. Add remaining water, enchilada sauce, cheese and spices to pot and bring mixture to a boil. 5. Shred the chicken into small, bite-size pieces and add it to the pot. Reduce heat and simmer soup for 30-40 minutes or until thick. 6. Serve soup in cups or bowls, and garnish with shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled corn tortilla chips, and pico de gallo. Clam Chowder 4 (6 1/2 oz.) cans minced clams with juice 1/2 lb. salt pork or bacon, diced 1 cup chopped onion 6 to 8 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed 3 c. water 3 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper 4 c. half and half cream or milk 3 to 4 tbsp. cornstarch chopped fresh parsley, for garnish PREPARATION: Cut clams into bite-sized pieces if necessary. In skillet, saute salt pork or bacon and onion until golden brown; drain. Put into slow cooker with clams. Add all remaining ingredients, except milk, cornstarch, and parsley. Cover and cook on high 3 to 4 hours or until vegetables are tender. During the last hour of cooking, combine 1 cup of milk with the cornstarch. Add cornstarch mixture and the remaining milk and stir well; heat through. Top each serving with a little chopped parsley and serve with crackers or crusty French bread. Southwestern Vegetable 6 cups Swanson chicken broth 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, with juice 1 cup water 1 cup canned dark red kidney beans, with liquid 1 cup frozen yellow cut corn 1 cup frozen cut green beans 1 4-ounce can diced green chilies 1/2 cup diced Spanish onion 1/2 cup tomato sauce 6 corn tortillas, minced 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder dash garlic powder Garnish 1 cup grated cheddar/jack cheese blend 1 cup crumbled corn tortilla chips 1. Combine all the soup ingredients in a large saucepan or soup pot over high heat. Be sure to mince the corn tortillas into small pieces with a sharp knife before adding them to the soup. 2. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the soup has thickened and tortilla pieces have mostly dissolved. 3. To serve soup ladle 1 1/2 cups into a bowl. Sprinkle a heaping tablespoon of the grated cheddar/jack cheese blend over the top of the soup, and then a heaping tablespoon of crumbled corn tortilla chips over the cheese. Cream of Sweet Potato Soup 4 sweet potatoes (about 1 pound each) 8 cups water 1/3 cup butter 1/2 cup tomato sauce 2 tablespoons half and half 2 teaspoons salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper dash thyme 1 cup cashews (split in half) 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake the sweet potatoes for 45 minutes or until they are soft. Cool the potatoes until they can be handled. 2. Peel away the skin, then put the potatoes into a large bowl. Mash the potatoes for 15-20 seconds, but you don't need to mash them until they are entirely smooth. 3. Spoon the mashed sweet potato into a large saucepan over medium/high heat, add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. 4. When the soup begins to boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 50-60 minutes. Cashews should be soft. Homemade Chicken Noodle 2 pounds chicken breast fillets olive oil 2 tablespoons butter 1 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup diced celery 4 cups chicken stock 2 cups water 1 cup sliced carrot 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh parsley 2 cups egg noodles Garnish minced fresh parsley 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 2. Rub a little olive oil over the surface of each piece of chicken and arrange them on a baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven when it's done and set it aside to cool. 3. Melt the butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté the onion and celery in the saucepan for just 4 to 5 minutes. You don't want to brown the veggies. 4. Dice the chicken and add it to the pot along with the remaining ingredients, except the noodles. 5. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until the carrots are soft. 6. Add the noodles and simmer for an additional 15 minutes, or until the noodles are tender. Serve with a pinch of minced fresh parsley sprinkled on top. Chicken & Rice Soup 1/2 cup chopped celery 1 pound boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and diced 6 cups Swanson chicken broth 1/2 cup water 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables 3/4 cup converted long-grain white rice 1 tablespoon dried parsley 2 teaspoons lemon and herb seasoning Combine celery, chicken pieces, chicken broth, water, mixed vegetables, rice, parsley, and herb seasoning into a slow cooker. Cover, and cook on low 6 to 8 hours. If soup is too thick, add more water to dilute and allow 15 minutes of additional cooking time. Onion Soup 1/4 cup butter 3 medium white onions, sliced 6 cups Swanson beef broth 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 3 tablespoons Kraft grated parmesan cheese 6 to 12 slices French bread (baguette) 6 slices Swiss cheese 6 slices mozzarella cheese 6 tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese 1. Sauté onions in melted butter in a large soup pot or saucepan for 15 to 20 minutes or until onions begin to brown and turn transparent. 2. Add beef broth, salt and garlic powder to onions. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour. Add the grated parmesan cheese in the last 10 minutes of cooking the soup. 3. When soup is done, preheat oven to 350 degrees and toast the French bread slices for about 10 to 12 minutes or until they begin to brown. When bread is done, set oven to broil. 4. Build each serving of soup by spooning about 1 cup of soup into an oven-safe bowl. Float a toasted slice or two of bread on top of the soup, then add a slice of Swiss cheese on top of that. Place a slice of mozzarella on next and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of shredded parmesan cheese over the top of the other cheeses. 5. Place the soup bowl on a baking sheet and broil for 5 to 6 minutes or until the cheese begins to brown. Wendy’s Chili 2 pounds ground beef One 29-ounce can tomato sauce One 29-ounce can kidney beans (with liquid) One 29-ounce can pinto beans (with liquid) 1 cup diced onion (1 medium onion) 1/2 cup diced green chili (2 chilies) 1/4 cup diced celery (1 stalk) 3 medium tomatoes, chopped 2 teaspoons cumin powder 3 tablespoons chili powder 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper 2 teaspoons salt 2 cups water 1. Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat; drain off the fat. 2. Using a fork, crumble the cooked beef into pea-size pieces. 3. In a large pot, combine the beef plus all the remaining ingredients, and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook, stirring every 15 minutes, for 2 to 3 hours. Crab Bisque 4 pounds snow crab legs 4 quarts water (16 cups) 1 small onion, chopped 1 1/2 stalks celery, chopped 2 cloves garlic, quartered 2 potatoes, peeled and chopped 1/4 cup fresh chopped Italian parsley 2 teaspoons mustard seed 1 tablespoon chopped pimento 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground pepper 2 bay leaves 1/3 cup tomato sauce 2 tablespoons half and half 1/4 cup unsalted butter 1/4 teaspoon thyme 1/8 teaspoon basil 1/8 teaspoon marjoram 1. Remove all the crab meat from the shells and set it aside. 2. Put half of the shells into a large pot with 4 quarts of water over high heat. Add onion 1 stalk of chopped celery, and garlic, then bring mixture to a boil. Continue to boil for 1 hour, stirring occasionally (The white part of the shells will start to become transparent), then strain stock. Discard the shells, onion, celery and garlic, keeping only the stock. 3. Measure 3 quarts (12 cups) of the stock into a large sauce pan or cooking pot. If you don't have enough stock, add enough water to make 3 quarts. 4. Add potatoes, bring mixture to a boil, then add 1/2 of the crab and the remaining ingredients to the pot and bring it back to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer for 4 hours, uncovered until it reduces by about half and starts to thicken. Add the remaining crab and simmer for another hour until the soup is very thick. Mulligatawny 4 quarts water (16 cups) 6 cups Swanson chicken broth 2 potatoes, peeled & sliced 2 carrots, peeled & sliced 2 stalks celery, with tops 2 cups peeled & diced eggplant (about 1/2 of an eggplant) 1 medium onion, chopped 1 cup frozen yellow corn 2/3 cup canned roasted red pepper, diced 1/2 cup tomato sauce 1/2 cup shelled pistachios 1/2 cup roasted cashews 1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley 1/4 cup lemon juice 1/4 cup butter 3 tablespoons sugar 1/2 teaspoon curry powder 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/4 teaspoon thyme 1 bay leaf dash marjoram dash nutmeg 1. Combine all ingredients in a large pot over high heat. 2. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 4-5 hours or until soup has reduced by more than half, and is thick and brownish in color. It should have the consistency of chili. Stir occasionally for the first few hours, but stir often in the last hour. The edges of the potatoes should become more rounded, and the nuts will soften. Mexican Chicken Chili 1 pound chicken breast fillets (4 fillets) 1 tablespoon olive oil 10 cups water 2 cups chicken stock 1/2 cup tomato sauce 1 potato, peeled & chopped 1 small onion, diced 1 cup frozen yellow corn 1/2 carrot, sliced 1 celery stalk, diced 1 cup canned diced tomatoes 1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, plus liquid 1/4 cup diced canned pimento 1 jalapeno, diced 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley 1 clove garlic, minced 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder 1 teaspoon cumin 1/4 teaspoon salt dash cayenne pepper dash basil dash oregano On the side Sour cream Pinch chopped Italian parsley 1. Sauté the chicken breasts in the olive oil in a large pot over medium/high heat. Cook the chicken on both side until done -- about 7-10 minutes per side. Cool the chicken until it can be handled. Do not rinse the pot. 2. Shred the chicken by hand into bite-sizes pieces and place the pieces back into the pot. 3. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot and turn heat to high. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 4-5 hours. Stir mixture often so that many of the chicken pieces shred into much smaller bits. Chili should reduce substantially to thicken and darken (less orange, more brown) when done. 4. Combine some chopped Italian parsley with sour cream and serve it on the side for topping the chili, if desired. Broccoli Cheese Soup 4 cups Swanson chicken broth 1 cup water 1 cup half & half 4 slices Kraft Cheddar Singles 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon dried minced onion 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 4 cups broccoli florets (bite-size) Garnish 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese 2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley 1. Combine chicken broth, water, half & half, cheese, flour, onion and pepper in a large saucepan. Whisk to combine and to break up any lumps of flour, then turn heat to medium/high. 2. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat to low. 3. Add broccoli to soup and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until broccoli is tender but not soft. 4. For each serving spoon one cup of soup into a bowl and garnish with a tablespoon of shredded cheese and a pinch of parsley. Lone Star Steakhouse Chili 1 pound ground beef 1 diced onion 1 tablespoon diced fresh jalapeno pepper (optional) 1 15-ounce can kidney beans with liquid 1 14.5-ounce can peeled diced tomatoes 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce 1 cup water 1 tablespoon white vinegar 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1 bay leaf Garnish grated cheddar cheese diced onion canned whole jalapeno chili peppers (optional) 1. Brown ground beef in a large saucepan over medium heat. Drain fat. 2. Add onion and pepper and sauté for about two minutes. 3. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Serve one cup in a bowl with the optional cheese, diced onion and whole jalapeno garnish on top. Baked Potato Soup 2 medium potatoes (about 2 cups chopped) 3 tablespoons butter 1 cup diced white onion 2 tablespoons flour 4 cups Swanson chicken broth 2 cups water 1/4 cup cornstarch 1 1/2 cups instant mashed potatoes 1 teaspoon salt 3/4 teaspoon pepper 1/2 teaspoon basil 1/8 teaspoon thyme 1 cup half and half Garnish 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1/4 cup crumbled cooked bacon 2 green onions, chopped (green part only) 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake the potatoes or 1 hour or until done. When potatoes have cooked remove them from the oven to cool. 2. As potatoes cool prepare soup by melting butter in a large saucepan, and sauté onion until light brown. Add the flour to the onions and stir to make a roux. 3. Add stock, water, cornstarch, mashed potatoes, and spices to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. 4. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out contents with a large spoon. Discard skin. Chop baked potato with a large knife to make chunks that are about 1/2-inch in size. 5. Add chopped baked potato and half-and-half to the saucepan, bring soup back to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer the soup for another 15 minutes or until it is thick. 6. Spoon about 1 1/2 cups of soup into a bowl and top with about a tablespoon of shredded cheddar cheese, a half tablespoon of crumbled bacon and a teaspoon or so of chopped green onion. Repeat for remaining servings.