CrockPot Split Pea soup

INGREDIENTS
16 ounce bag green split peas, rinsed well and drained
2 carrots peeled and chopped small
2 ribs celery chopped small
1/2 cup finely chopped white or yellow onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian flat leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt plus additional as needed
Fresh ground pepper to taste
1 meaty ham bone
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water, as needed to cover

INSTRUCTIONS
Layer the ingredients, through the ham bone, in a slow cooker in the order listed. Add about 4 to 5 cups of chicken broth, just enough to cover ingredients. Reserve remaining chicken broth for later. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours.
Stir occasionally during cooking time. When peas are tender, remove ham bone to a cutting board. Pull off tear the ham into small pieces and return it to the slow cooker. Discard ham bone and bay leaf. Use a spoon to lightly mash some of the peas against the side of the slow cooker and stir until nice and creamy, adding more broth, if needed, to reach desired consistency. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, as needed.
This soup freezes exceptionally well. Freeze cooled soup in freezer containers. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat in microwave or in a saucepan on the stove. When reheating, thin with a little water or chicken broth, if desired.

Mom's Chili

1 pound hamburger cooked
2 cups pinto beans (soaked and drained)
1 onion (chopped)
3 garlic cloves (diced)
i cup sofrito
2 cans chopped or stewed tomatoes
1 can mexican tomato sauce (yellow duck)
1 small can tomato paste
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 TBS sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Bring all ingredients to a boil then simmer for about 1 or 2 hours
or put ingredients in crockpot and let simmer all day

add more liquid or chili powder as desired

Black eyed peas soup

16 oz bag dried black eyed peas (soaked and cooked) or 2 cans cooked
2 lbs smoked sausage, sliced
2 Tbsp bacon drippings
1 onion diced
1 whole fresh jalapeno, minced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can rotel, mild or original
1 quart chicken broth
3 cups water

If using dried peas - Soak peas in cold water overnight.Drain the next day.

In a dutch oven or large soup pot, brown smoked sausage in oil over medium high heat for 5 minutes.

Add onion and cook for 5 more minutes

Reduce heat to medium and add jalapeno and garlic and cook stirring constantly for 2 minutes.

Add soaked or canned

peas, rotel with juice, chicken broth and water.

Bring to a hard boil.

Reduce heat to medium/medium low and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally for 2 hours or until peas are tender.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with Tabasco sauce and cornbread

Jenna's Olive Garden Soup

This recipe i collected from my sister, It was super delicious on a cold winter day when I went to visit her and have made it a few times since.
serve with warm french bread and butter


1 lb Italian sausage
2 large russet potatoes (peeled and cubed)
1 onion chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
2 cups kale or swiss chard
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
1 cup cream
bacon bits (optional)
salt and pepper to taste


cook sausage and onion in bottom of soup pot and add the onions, then garlic then potatoes. Add broth and water and cook till potatoes are done, add bacon, kale, and cream. Season to taste and let simmer 1 hour.

Easy Fast Shrimp Chowder

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons butter
1 medium Onion Chopped
2 celery stalks chopped
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 potatoes chopped small
2 cans cream of potato soup
4 cups milk
1/4 t ground red pepper
1 1/2 pound raw medium sized shrimp peeled
1 cup shredded Jack or mozzerella cheese
optional: chopped parsley for garnish

Melt Butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook onions till soft add other vegetables and red pepper
cook for 5 more minutes. Add soup and milk, bring to boil. simmer till potatoes are soft. Add shrimp reduce
heat and cook until shrimp pink
Stir in cheese until melted. Serve with parsley garnish and crackers or french bread

Chicken Tortilla Soup

4 bone in chicken thighs
olive oil
6 corn tortillas, chopped or tortilla chips
1 cup Sofrito
2 tablespoons. ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder

1 28 oz cans diced tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste

For Garnish:
1/4 cup Grated Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup Cilantro leaves
sour cream
2 Avocados, cubed
Tortilla pieces, fried crisp


In large pot, Boil 4 thighs in about 6 cups of water with garlic salt till done. Separate chicken and let cool. Empty pot of liquid. Set aside.this will be your chicken stock. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high until hot. Add corn tortilla strips and fry until crispy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add sofrito,cumin, chili powder. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add stock and tomatoes and cook 45 minutes to 1 hour. Add salt and pepper to desired taste. Serve hot and add garnish as desired. If using pre-made tortilla chips, add them last,, just crumble in the soup. save crispy ones for garnish

Puertorican Chicken/rice Soup

I learned this recipe from years of watching my mother in law make it. It is the soup my husband craves when he is sick.....so it was a necessity to learn for me.

Chicken (1 whole or 1/2 cut in pieces),
6-8 cups water
1 onion chopped
2 T salt

In a large kettle, heat all ingredients to a boil till chicken is cooked and chicken broth is made. I do this part a little different then my mother in-law..she just puts the chicken pieces in her soup directly, but I don't like picking bones out my soup. I boil my chicken first then pull it out of the broth and debone. at this point I strain the broth to get the yuckys out. and start adding the veggies..

1/2 to 1 cup cut carrots
1/2 to 1 cup cut potatoes
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup of Sofrito (recipe in blog under seasonings)
1 packet Sazon Goya
1/2 can tomato paste or 1 can tomato sauce
1 cup rice
bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
add chicken back to pot
and about 4 more cups of water

let ingredients come to a boil and then simmer..enjoy with rolls

Chicken Noodle Soup

The home made noodles make this recipe extra special. My kids always request this soup when they are sick. Sometimes I will throw in a fresh herb if I have it on hand. i.e. cilantro, tarragon, or basil, etc.

Chicken Pieces - or 1 cut up chicken
water (6 to 8 cups)
salt
pepper
2 cloves garlic minced
1-1/2 cup chopped onion
1-1/2 cup chopped Celery
1 -1/2 cup chopped potatoes
1 - 1/2 cup chopped carrots
home made noodles (recipe follows)

Place chicken pieces in water in al large kettle to create broth and cook chicken. add teasppon salt. Remove chicken when cooked, let cool, then debone and remove meat. To water, skim fat off top if desired. then add veggies and let cook. Add noodles, then Add chicken back in pot, salt and pepper to taste, and let simmer till noodles get fluffy. serve with garlic bread or crackers.


Home made noodles:
2 cups flour
3 egg yolks
1 egg
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 to 1/2 cup water

I use my kitchen-aid for this recipe. but I have done it by hand as well
kitchen aid - use kneading arm. put flour in bowl, make well in center - put yolks, egg and salt in well. Turn on knead on med high till mixed thouroughly, then add water a tablespoon at a time till ball is formed. then knead 10 more minutes. let rest. Roll dough out on floured surface and cut noodles. Dry about 2 hours. (sometimes i dont have time to let them dry and it still works fine)

By hand - measure flour into bowl, make well in center, and yolks, egg and salt in well, mix by hand until thouroughly mixed, and water tablespoon at a time till ball is formed. roll dough onto floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic. let rest 10 min. Roll dough, cut into noodles and dry about 2 hours. (sometimes i dont have time to let them dry and it still works fine)