Paula Deen's Creamy Roasted Pepper Soup

4 large red bell peppers, halved lenghtwise and seeded
4 large yellow bell peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
1/4 C butter
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (32 oz) box chicken broth
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
2 C heavy whipping cream
2 T minced fresh cilantro
1 T fresh lime juice
1 t ground black pepper
1/4 t salt
Garnish: fresh cilantro

(Note from Megan: I used orange instead of red bell peppers when I made this and it was excellent!)

Preheat Broiler:
Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place peppers, cut side down, on prepared baking sheet. Broil, 5 inches from heat, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until skins are charred. Place hot peppers in a zip-top resealable plastic bag; seal bag. Let stand for 10 minutes. Remove peppers from bag, and peel off charred skin, discarding skin. Coarsely chop peppers.
In a large Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or utnil tender. Add chopped peppers, broth, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool for 10 minutes.
In the container of an electric blender, puree mixture, in batches if necessary, until smooth. Return mixture to Dutch oven.
Stir in cream, cilantro, juice, pepper and salt. Return mixture to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired. Serve immediately.

Menu: Serve with Spinach and Black Bean Enchiladas

Miryam Bocanegra’s Venezuela Soup

Boil in water to cover until tender:
potatoes
carrots
zucchini
Puree including water.
Season with salt and butter
Serve with blocks of cheese for garnish

Variation:
Boil in water to cover until tender:
Auyama (Pumpkin or Squash)
Carrots
Red Pepper
Green Onion
Puree including water
Season with salt, butter.
Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

East Pasadena Ward Leek Soup like Ben Jonson’s Restaurant in San Francisco served

Carefully wash, finely chop & sauté:
6 medium leeks, (use white bottom part and about 3 inches of the green leaves and discard the middle.)
2 medium celery stalks
4 T. butter
Add & simmer 10 minutes:
2 C. water
Add:
2 cans Campbell’s Frozen Cream of Potato Soup
2 soup cans of milk
1 can chicken broth
Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until potato soup is melted and mixture is blended.
Season with:
Salt and pepper
Puree & reheat.
Before serving sprinkle with:
Chopped, fresh parsley

Julia Child’s Oyster Bisque

Sauté for 15 minutes in:
5 T. butter
2 large carrots
2 large onions
2 leeks
6 celery stalks
cut into julienne strips
1 ½ inches long.
Fold in & cook gently for 3 minutes:
¼ C. flour
Let cool 2 minutes then blend in by dribbles:
2 C. hot fish and or chicken stock
Gradually add:
6 more cups of stock
Add & simmer 10 more minutes:
1 large bay leaf
Salt and pepper
Drain:
32 fresh oysters
Heat until bubbling then add oysters:
4 T. butter
Add to oysters:
Salt, pepper
10 drops Worcestershire sauce
Fold oysters into soup base.
By driblets, whisk 2 cups of the hot soup liquid into a bowl containing:
2 egg yolks
2 C. sour cream
Stir this into the soup over no heat then fold the soup together over moderate heat until the liquid has thickened slightly but do not bring to the simmer.
Carefully correct seasoning and serve at once with a sprinkling of:
Fresh, minced herbs

Martha Helmandollar’s Carrot Potato Soup

2 cups chicken broth
3/4 cups chopped celery
3/4 cups chopped onion
2 cups diced fresh carrots
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
2/3 cup instant potato flakes
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Combine broth, celery, onion and carrots in a large saucepan and bring to
boil. Cover and simmer slowly until veggies are tender, about 15 minutes.
Stir in cream cheese and evaporated milk. Add potatoes (leftover mashed
spuds work too), parsley and pepper. Mix well to combine and continue
simmering until thickened, stirring often.
Puree in blender for a fabulous texture.
Garnish with a light sprinkle of parsley
flakes around the bowl rim and you'll feel like you're at Stanford's!

For a "healthier" version, you can use low-sodium broth, fat-free cream
cheese and evaporated skim milk.
This tastes better the second day

Shirley Humphries’s Easy Corn Chowder

Fry until crisp & remove from pan:
5 slices bacon
Sauté in bacon drippings & remove from pans:
1 sliced onion
1 C. fresh mushrooms, sliced (optional)
Stir together in same pan:
1 can potatoes, diced
1 can corn
1 can carrots (optional)
1 can cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup
2 cans milk (or half and half)
½ cube butter
Add:
Bacon & onions (and mushrooms, if using)
Heat through and serve.
Good served with:
green salad &
sour dough bread

Grandma Packer’s Friend Helen Lund’s Easy Alta Powder Chowder

Combine & cook 15 minutes over medium heat:
1 pkg. Knorr’s Leek Soup
4 C. water
2 cans clam juice
Add & cook 15 more minutes:
1 C. finely sliced celery
1 ½ C. chopped cooked potatoes
¼ C. butter
Add: 2 cans drained clams
Melt in a saucepan:
½ C. butter
¾ C. flour
3 to 4 C. milk
Add: ¼ C. red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper

Lori Smith’s Venezuela Cream of Broccoli Soup

Cook in microwave on high for 3 or 4 minutes, covered:
1 cube butter
½ C. finely chopped onion
Stir in to make a smooth paste:
6 T. flour
Stir in:
2 C. chicken broth
1 C. cream
½ t. salt
¼ t. pepper
pinch nutmeg
Cook on high for 8-10 minutes until thick and bubbly, stirring 3 times.
Pour into blender or food processor and add:
1 10 oz. pkg. frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
Puree until smooth.
Return to bowl, cover and cook on high for 4 or 5 minutes until hot, stirring once.

Bonnie Bridge’s Broccoli Cheese Soup

Sauté until soft:
1½ T. butter
¼ C. celery, chopped
¼ C. onion, chopped
Add:
2 C. broccoli, chopped
1 ¼ C. water
2 t. chicken soup base
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
Combine:
1/3 C. flour
1 ½ C. milk
pepper to taste
Stir into veggie mixture.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until it boils and thickens.
Add and stir in:
1 C. cheese whiz

Bonnie’s Home-made Noodles

Beat:
2-3 eggs
Add:
flour
Until almost stiff.
Roll on well floured counter until real thin. Keep sprinkling flour so it doesn’t stick.
Roll up and cut into noodles.
Spread noodles on counter to dry.
Add noodles to boiling broth.
May be frozen.

Bonnie Bridge’s Chicken Noodle Soup From Adam & Julie’s Wedding in Canada

Cook together in large pot
1-2 hours:
1 chicken
1-2 quarts water
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 t. salt
2 t. pepper
2 t. thyme
2 t. sage
2 t. poultry seasoning
2 chicken bouillon cubes
Remove chicken from bones and cut in pieces.
Strain broth and refrigerate.
Skim fat from broth.
Bring broth to a boil and add noodles.
Cook until noodles are tender, about 30 minutes.
Adjust seasonings.
Add chicken pieces and heat through.

Cheddar Cheese Soup

Melt:
3 T. butter
Add and stir:
4 T. flour
Remove from heat and add:
1 ½ quarts milk
Stir until creamy.
Return to heat and add:
2 C. chicken stock
2. C. grated cheddar cheese
Simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Sauté in skillet until soft:
1 T. butter
1/3 C. diced onions
1/3 C. diced celery
1/3 C. diced carrots
¼ t. minced garlic
Add vegetables to creamed sauce.
Add:
Salt and pepper to taste
Add: 1 T. red wine vinegar

Cream of Broccoli Soup

Melt: 6 T. butter
Add and cook until clear:
2 medium onions, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
Add: 2 cloves garlic
Add:
3 pounds broccoli, chopped
Blend in:
1 quart chicken stock
pinch marjoram
pinch thyme
pinch savory
1 bay leaf
Cover and simmer 1 hour.
Puree.
Return to saucepan and add:
3 C. whipping cream
10 T. quick cooking tapioca
salt and pepper to taste
Garnish with:
Garlic flavored croutons

Grandma Packer’s Split Pea Soup

Soak overnight in 12 C. water:
2 C. split peas
Add to peas and simmer 3 ½ hours:
Turkey carcass, ham bone, salt pork or 3 or 4 bouillon cubes
½ C. chopped onion
1 C. chopped celery
1 C. chopped carrot
1 clover garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
salt to taste
Puree in blender.
Serve with sour cream.

Cream of Tomato Soup

Melt in a deep saucepan:
2 T. butter
Add and cook slowly until golden:
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
Add and mix:
3 T. flour
Add:
1 quart chicken stock or water
1 small garlic clove
2 leeks, thinly sliced, (optional)
4 white peppercorns
1 t. salt
1 T. sugar
6 medium-sized ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 C. canned tomatoes
1 chicken carcass (optional)
Cover and simmer over low heat for 1 to 1 ½ hours.
Remove chicken carcass and strain.
Put soup into blender and blend to a smooth consistency.
Add and mix:
1 C. light cream
Correct seasonings.
Serve with croutons, rice or grated Parmesan cheese

Aunt Janet’s Minestrone Soup, that Grandma makes

Simmer covered 4-6 hours:
1 pound mild Italian sausage, browned
1 quart water
1 chopped onion
2-3 large carrots, sliced
2-3 stalks celery, chopped
4 C. (1 large can) tomatoes
2 C. tomato sauce
2 C. beef broth
1 T. parsley flakes
1 t. fresh or minced basil in a jar
1 t. leaf oregano
1 clove garlic
salt, pepper
Add:
1 can garbanzo beans
1 can green beans
1 C. broken spaghetti
Simmer 30 more minutes.

Mom’s Potato Cheese Soup that Megan’s friend Cathy Smith likes

Sauté until clear:
½ cube butter
1 C. sliced carrot
1 C. sliced celery
½ Chopped onion
Add and simmer until tender:
4 C. chopped potato
4 C. water
4 bouillon cubes
Mash vegetables
Add and heat through:
1 pint half and half
1 C. grated cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Thicken with potato flakes, if necessary or thin with milk or water.

Aunt Carolyn’s Creamy Potato Soup

Cook until tender:
diced potatoes
Pour off water.
Melt:
2 T. butter
Stir in:
2 T. flour
Add & let thicken:
2 C. milk
Add & heat till warm:
sliced cooked carrots
frozen peas
1 jar cheese whiz.

Mom’s Clam Chowder from San Jose 22nd Ward Visiting Teacher

Combine in pan:
1 C. chopped onions
1 C. chopped celery
2 C. diced potatoes
2 cans clam juice (reserve clams)
Add just enough water to cover.
Simmer until tender.
Melt:
¾ C. butter
Add & blend:
¾ C. flour
Add:
1 qt half and half
Thicken.
Add to vegetables along with:
2 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
2 T. red wine vinegar

Aunt Kathy’s Chicken Tortilla Soup

Sauté:
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic in
2 T. oil
Add and simmer one hour:
1 can chicken broth
2 cans beef broth
1 can water
2 10 oz. cans diced tomatoes
1 4 oz. can green chilies, diced
1-2 roasted red peppers, diced
2 cans corn, drained
2 t. cumin
1 t. chili powder
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
2 t. Worcestershire sauce
1 dash hot sauce
2 C. cooked chicken, chunked
Serve in soup or pasta bowls
Top with:
shredded cheese
sour cream dollop
tortilla strips
sliced avocado
wedge of lime
sprig of fresh cilantro