{Creamy Baked Potato Soup}

It's been rather cold around here...no snow just cold!!  So I love to make soups this time of year.  My mom makes THE best baked potato soup.  My rather picky baked potato loving husband LOVED it - yay!!

Creamy Baked Potato Soup
4-5 baked potatoes - we used about 8 small red potatoes (already baked)
pkg diced ham
shredded cheese
white sauce recipe here
salt and pepper
chicken bouillon
carton half and half

Directions -
Make your white sauce except use milk and half & half.  I alternated the milk and then the half & half as I would cook it down and get it nice and creamy.  Then I salt and pepper to taste and added about 1-2 tsp of the bouillon or until I got the right flavor.  I diced my potatoes and added them to the soup along with the ham.  Then sprinkled shredded cheese on top before serving.
ENJOY!!

BROCCOLI SOUP

I also enjoy making fun festive GREEN meals for my family on St. Patrick's Day! 

So this year my husband requested Broccoli Soup in bread bowls:)

I remember seeing this recipe over on Cooking On Clover Lane and thougth I would give it a shot!  I never made broccoli soup before because I thought it would be hard, but believe me this was very easy!!:)

BROCCOLI SOUP:

1 box vegetable broth

1 c. water

1 sm. container half & half

4 oz. cheddar cheese (we added more cause we love cheese)

1/2 c. flour (I ended up adding about 1/4 more because it wasn't thickening up)

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. black pepper (or as my husband said "Honey grab the black powder" - Hahaha - sorry had to share)

4 c. fresh broccoli chopped

Bring to boil all ingredients except broccoli, reduce heat to low, add broccoli and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until broccoli is tender.  We served ours in bread bowls and sprinkled cheese over top:)

ENJOY!!

◘TORTELLINI SOUP◘

You are going to find that a lot of my recipes are going to be coming from the blog Our Family Treat...because she posts some really yummy ones, they are easy and my family is enjoying them:)  Especially this one!  It was so so easy (my kind of recipe) and a huge hit at our dinner table last night!!  Since the weather just isn't cooperating and we keep getting more snow it's great to serve warm, filling soup for dinner.  So try this one out, you won't be dissappointed;)

Tortellini Soup --
3 cans chicken broth
3 cans Progresso Tomato Soup
2 8 oz packages cream cheese
1 family size package of tortellini
1 tablespoon dried basil

Boil chicken broth. Then add tomato soup. Reduce heat. In a separate bowl, microwave the cream cheese until soft-for about 30 seconds. Remove and add about a cup of the soup. Whisk together to get the cream cheese all melted. Add cream cheese and tortellini to soup and let simmer for about 10 minutes-or until tortellini is cooked. Serve immediately!

~Cream Cheese Vegetable Soup~

This soup is REALLY GOOD...a new favorite at our house:)  I found the recipe once again over at Our Family Treat!!  I just LOVE their blog and check it regularly for fun new recipes...check it out!

Cream Cheese Veggie Soup --
2 chicken breasts (shredded-I actually used some frozen chicken that I had cooked up in the crockpot with Italian dressing and it was so good!)
4 potatoes-peeled and diced
1 cup of carrots-diced
1/2 cup of celery-chopped
1/2 of an onion-chopped
1/2 cup milk
4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons flour
1 8 oz block of cream cheese-softened
salt and pepper
Shred cooked chicken and set aside. Saute onion in a little olive oil. Then add carrots and celery. Saute for about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth chicken, and potatoes. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to low for about 30 minutes, or until potatoes are soft. In a bowl mix together flour and milk and then add to the soup. Then add cream cheese and salt and pepper. Let simmer for about 10 more minutes, or until cream cheese is all the way incorporated. Enjoy!

Tip: When it comes to chicken-I like to once or twice a month take a day and cook about 8 pieces in the crockpot in italian dressing. Cook it on low for 4-6 hours, then shred and freeze for when you need it.  (I have started doing this with my chicken too and LOVE it...I used it for enchiladas, chicken spaghetti, haystacks, etc. and it's delicious!!)

Taco Soup....

This has become a family favorite and great to have on a cold winter night. Hope you enjoy....

Easy Taco Soup -
1 lb. hamburger browned with small onion (I sprinkle 3-4 tbls. dried onion cause doug doesn't like real onion)
Drain meat and pour in remaining ingredients:
28 oz. stewed tomatoes chopped
16 oz. kidney beans with liquid
17 oz. canned corn with liquid
8 oz. tomato sauce
1/2 pkg. taco seasoning
Bring to boil and than reduce heat to medium/low and simmer - the longer the better (about 1/2 hour). Top with toppings similar to tacos, tomatoes, sour cream, cheese, olives, and use Fritos to scoop with or crumble in soup. Enjoy!!

This is great the next day...in fact we think it's better! I usually make it the day before and heat in crock pot the next day!