Posted on

Chicken Alfredo Lasagna Soup (Stephanie’s Recipe)

Ingredients

CHICKEN:
  • 1 pound chicken breast (about 2 large breasts)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for pan
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
SOUP:
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1½ cups half and half or heavy cream
  • 1½ cups whole milk
  • 1½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • Dash of nutmeg
  • Dash of dried mustard
  • Dash of cayenne, to taste
  • 8 to 9 ounces lasagna sheets, broken into pieces
  • 2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
  • ¼ to ⅓ cup freshly grated parmesan
  • 2 tablespoons basil, chopped
  • ⅓ cup shredded mozzarella, more to taste
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (optional, for thickening)

Instructions

MARINATE AND COOK CHICKEN
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, Italian seasoning, lemon pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
  2. Add chicken breasts to a large bowl, pour the marinade over them, and toss until evenly coated.
  3. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
  4. Sear the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes per side, until golden and fully cooked through.
  5. Transfer to a plate and let it cool slightly, then chop into bite-sized chunks. Set aside until ready to add later.
MAKE THE SOUP BASE
  1. In the same pot over medium heat, melt the butter and sauté minced garlic for 1 minute, until fragrant and lightly golden.
  2. Pour in chicken broth, cream or half and half, and milk, stirring to combine.
  3. Add Italian seasoning, oregano, salt, black pepper, nutmeg, dried mustard, and cayenne.
  4. Bring to a gentle simmer over low-medium heat to let the flavors meld together.
COOK THE PASTA
  1. Break lasagna sheets into smaller pieces and add them directly to the simmering soup.
  2. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and cook for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the noodles are tender and silky.
FINISHING TOUCHES
  1. Add the chopped chicken back into the pot along with parmesan, mozzarella, parsley, and basil.
  2. Stir until the cheeses melt and the soup turns creamy.
  3. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
  4. Serve warm and enjoy!
OPTIONAL: THICKEN THE SOUP
  1. If you prefer a thicker consistency, ladle out 1 cup of the soup into a separate bowl.
  2. Whisk in flour until smooth, then pour the mixture back into the pot.
  3. Stir and let it simmer briefly until the soup slightly thickens.
Tips & Notes

Q: Can I use rotisserie chicken?
A: Yes! Shredded rotisserie chicken works perfectly and cuts down prep time.

Q: Can I make this ahead?
A: For best results, store the soup and noodles separately. Combine before reheating to keep the noodles from soaking up too much broth.

Q: Can I use other pasta shapes?
A: Absolutely. Bowtie, broken fettuccine, or any wide noodles work great if you don’t have lasagna sheets.

Posted on

Butternut Squash Soup-Janet Brocklehurst (Alex’s Aunt)

Ingredients:

  • 1 package butternut squash-cut up
  • 1 onion, cut into pieces
  • 2 big carrots, cut into pieces
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and cut in half
  • 3 Tablespoons melted butter
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon honey
  • 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (I use more)
  • 1 teaspoon curry (I use more) (plus extra for after)
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 Apple, peeled, cored, and cut into pieces
  • 2 1/2 cup chicken broth, divided (plus extra)
  • 1/4-1/2 cup half and half (or 6 oz cream and 1/2 cup water) (plus extra)
  • 2 Tablespoons ginger (I don’t use that much. Can use ginger paste or ground ginger) (plus extra)

Directions:

Combine the first 4 ingredients (veggies) and toss with the spices and oils from melted butter down to lemon juice. Spread out on a sheet pan and roast at 425 for about 25-30 minutes. Let cool. Add one apple. Add it all to a blender with 1 1/4 cups chicken broth, blend until smooth. Pour it into a sauce pan. Add 1 1/4 cup chicken broth and 1/4-1/2 cup half and half. Add 2 Tablespoons ginger, then keep adding chicken broth, half and half, ginger, and curry until you’re happy with the consistency and taste.

Posted on

Hamburger/Veggie Soup-Janet Brocklehurst (Alex’s Aunt)

(I make this all the time)

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 boxes beef broth
  • 2 cans beef consume soup
  • 3 carrots, sliced
  • 3 celery ribs, sliced
    • (or I have used packages of frozen soup veggies)
  • 1 can fire roasted tomatoes, diced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 Tablespoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Brown beef and onion, drain. Cook everything together until soft.

I usually make it in a big stock pot on the stove, but could put everything in a crock pot.

Posted on

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup-Janet Brocklehurst (Alex’s Aunt)

I make this all the time! My “go to” chicken soup-Janet

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 1 small yellow onion-finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, thinly sliced or diced
  • 1 celery stalk, thinly sliced or diced
  • 2 Tablespoons minced fresh marjoram
  • 8 cups chicken broth
  • 3/4 cup orzo
  • 6 ounces baby spinach (I only use 2-3 oz)
  • 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded
  • salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
  • 1 lemon

Directions:

Saute onion in butter until translucent (3-4 minutes). Add carrots, celery, and marjoram and saute until softened. Add broth and simmer about 5 minutes to blend flavors. Add the pasta and cook about 3-4 minutes. Add chicken and spinach, stirring until spinach has wilted and chicken is warmed through. Squeeze juice from lemon into pot. Season with salt and pepper.

I use rotisserie chicken (either herb roasted or lemon pepper will add a lot of flavor)

Sometimes I make it without the spinach

The key is really the lemon juice and marjoram.

Posted on

Aunt Sandra’s “Chicken Dance” Chili #CookingWithAuntSandra-Alex’s Aunt Sandra Bottoms

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 Tablespoons butter
  • 3 pounds ground chicken
  • 1/2 pound sweet Italian style chicken sausage**, peel “skin” and crumble (brand-al fresco sweet Italian style chicken sausage with fresh red and green peppers)
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 3 celery stalks, finely chopped
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 3 carrots, finely chopped
  • 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
  • 1/2 red and 1/2 green pepper, finely chopped**
  • 3 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Chili powder to taste**
  • 10 ounces of beer (it cooks off)
  • 22 ounce can of tomato sauce (I use Hunts plain tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup cayenne pepper hot sauce (I use Frank’s Hot Sauce)

Directions:

Heat a large skillet over high heat (I just use a large enough stock pot to brown meat, and then continue cooking in it). Add the olive oil and the butter to melt together. Add the chicken and chicken sausage and cook, breaking up the meat until cooked. Add the garlic, celery, onion, carrots, jalapeno peppers, red and green peppers. Season with cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, and chili powder. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the beer and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Concentrate the flavor of the beer by reducing the mixture over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the hot sauce and the tomato sauce. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the chili for 15 minutes.

Toppings (optional to add when serving):

Green onions (finely chopped), fresh cilantro (finely chopped), corn chips (fritos), tortilla chips, crumbled blue cheese, shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese, cubed avocado, sour cream, hot sauce (extra Franks for more spice), lime wedges

**The base of this recipe is Rachael Ray’s Buffalo Chicken Chili…I made it Sandra’s “Chicken Dance” Chili by adding the extra ingredients noted with asterisks, and increasing the amounts of all the ingredients to fill up a crock pot (to keep warm for hosting football gatherings, or entering chili-making contests, or having leftovers to eat for several nights or for freezing for later)

Posted on

Avgolemono Soup (Greek lemon, chicken and rice soup)-Holly Morgenegg

Start the rice cooking first, good with leftover rotisserie chicken

  • 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 medium onion, chopped
  • 5 diced carrots
  • 5 stalks of celery, chopped
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)

Saute ingredients above for a few minutes. Add in:

  • 8 cups chicken broth (I like 1 tsp bouillon for every 2 cups of water or do 6 tsp bouillon)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons thyme
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • pepper

Boil for 20 minutes. In a separate bowl, whisk 3 egg yolks and 6 Tablespoons of lemon juice. Add 1 cup or so of broth to this mixture to not cook the eggs, then add to the pot.

Add in:

  • 3 cups cooked white rice
  • 3 cups shredded chicken
  • Dill to taste (I like extra dill on each soup bowl too)
Posted on

Slow Cooker Nacho Soup

  • 1 lb ground beef, cooked and drained of fat (Sausage works great)
  • 1 C  yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 C green bell pepper, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 jalapeño, seeds removed and diced
  • 15 oz corn, drained
  • 15 oz black beans, drained and rinsed well
  • 15 oz petite diced tomatotes, drained
  • 1 1/2 tsp chili powder (did not use as much chili powder)
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 3 1/2 C chicken or beef broth
  • 8 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 C heavy cream
  • 3-4 Tb all purpose flour* (can use corn starch to make gluten free, 1 1/2 to 2 TBS)
  • Green onions, chopped for topping (optional)

Instructions 

  • To the bowl of a 5-6 quart slow cooker, add cooked beef, vegetables, beans, seasonings and broth. Stir gently to combine. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours. 
  • When 4 hours is up, stir in shredded cheese. Whisk together flour and heavy cream until smooth. Pour into slow cooker, stir to combine. Cover and continue cooking for an additional 30 minutes. 
  • Serve warm with chopped green onions and tortilla chips. 
Posted on

Chicken and Dumplings

Soup base

  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 4 cups chicken stock (Dad did 2 cups with chicken bouillon and 2 cups with chicken base)
  • 1 chicken breast (or thighs if you prefer)
  • 1 can cream of chicken soup
  • 2 cups carrots (however much you want)
  • Frozen peas (however much you want)

Put all the ingredients EXCEPT the peas in an instant pot (set to slow cooker). Cook for about 3 hours.

After 3 hours open and shred the chicken.

Add some peas.

Dumplings (dad doubled the dumplings)

In a bowl mix:

  • 1 cup flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2TBS vegetable oil

Don’t over mix or it will get tough.

Open instant pot and turn it onto simmer.

Add the dough one spoon at a time.

Turn the instant pot back on slow cook and cover. Let cook for 15 minutes.

Posted on

Sandra’s Creamy Crockpot Potato Soup (Alex’s Aunt)

  • 1 32 oz. bag of frozen diced hash brown potatoes (We used about 6 medium fresh potatoes and it was the same recipe and directions and it worked great.)
  • 1 package of bacon
  • 1 32 oz. box chicken broth
  • 1 10.5 oz. can cream of chicken soup
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 8 oz. package cream cheese (must be full fat)
  • dried chives for garnish
  • bacon crumbles for garnish

Fix more than enough bacon for breakfast. Crumble the leftovers for this recipe.

Put the following ingredients in crockpot: hash browns, cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, chopped onion and handful of bacon crumbles. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook on low for 7-8 hours.

During the last hour of cooking cube the cream cheese and add to the crockpot. Mix well.

When serving add dried chives and bacon crumbles as a garnish.

Posted on

Chicken Tortilla Soup – Andrea Roskelley (Crock Pot or Instant Pot

  • 1 1/4 lb raw boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 3–4 Breasts)
  • 10 oz. diced tomatoes with green chilies
  • 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes (no salt added)
  • 1 cup frozen corn thawed (Andrea uses canned so that’s fine too)
  • 1 cup black beans (no salt added), drained & rinsed
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 jalapeno, diced (Andrea didn’t use because she didn’t have so whatever you have works)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups of organic, low sodium chicken broth or stock
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. Himalayan salt
  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper

Tortilla Strips:

  • organic corn tortillas
  • olive oil cooking spray
  • Himalayan salt

Optional toppings – avocado, cheese, lime, Greek yogurt, cilantro

Instructions for crock pot

  1. Toss all the ingredients for the soup into your crock pot. Stir, turn on low, and go about your day. Check back in 6-8 hours.
  2. Before serving, shred the chicken.

To make homemade tortilla strips:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 and cut the corn tortillas into strips. Spray with olive oil spray and sprinkle with Himalayan salt. Bake for about 10-15 minutes.
  2. Enjoy with toppings!

Instructions for Instant Pot

  1. Toss all the ingredients for the soup into your Instant Pot and give it a stir.
  2. Turn onto to manual setting for 15 minutes. It will take about 10-15 minutes to come to pressure. When the timer is up, carefully switch to quick release (I put a kitchen towel over the top to be safe). Once the the steam stops, carefully open the lid and shred the chicken with two forks.
  3. To make homemade tortilla strips:
  4. Preheat your oven to 350 and cut the corn tortillas into strips. Spray with olive oil spray and sprinkle with Himalayan salt. Bake for about 10-15 minutes.
  5. Enjoy with toppings!