Cheesy Ham Chowder

Ingredients

• 10 bacon strips, diced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 2-1/2 cups cubed potatoes
• 1 can (15-1/4 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
• 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
• Pepper to taste
• 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 cups cubed fully cooked ham

Directions

• In a Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels to drain. In the drippings, saute onion and carrots until tender. Stir in flour until blended. Gradually add milk and water. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
• Add the potatoes, corn, bouillon and pepper. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add cheese and ham; heat until cheese is melted. Stir in bacon.

Nutrition Facts

1 cup: 418 calories, 28g fat (14g saturated fat), 76mg cholesterol, 1056mg sodium, 21g carbohydrate (8g sugars, 2g fiber), 19g protein.

Originally published as Cheesy Ham Chowder in Quick Cooking September/October 2000

Jesse’s Chili

Jesse’s Chili

3 pounds ground beef
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3    28-oz cans diced tomato
2    small cans diced green chiles
4    16-oz cans kidney beans
4    roasted red peppers, diced
2    16-oz cans corn
2 cups onion, diced
1 Tablespoon garlic, minced
Chives
2 cups brown sugar
cumin and chili powder to taste
cayenne pepper, optional

Saute garlic in butter or oil. Add onion, and saute more.  Add peppers, corn, and chiles and cook until peppers are soft.  Add tomatoes.  Add ground beef, seasoned with cumin and garlic powder.  When all is hot and bubbly, add seasonings .  When seasoned as desired, add beans and heat through.

Serve with chips, cheese, and sour cream if desired.

Taken from observation of Jesse Draper, 12/2007.

Jesse roasted the peppers over the flame of the gas stove until they were slightly charred on the outside.

Jesi’s White Chicken Chili

Jesi’s White Chicken Chili

2 TBSP butter
12 oz chicken breasts, chopped (or 1 12-oz can chicken)
½ cup chopped onion

In a large saucepan, cook chicken and onions in butter until lightly browned.  Break chicken into small pieces.

Add:
3 16-oz cans Navy or Great Northern beans (drained and rinsed)
3 cups water
1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes with chiles
2 16-oz cans black beans
4 tsp chicken flavored bouillon granules
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

Heat to simmer for 10-15 minutes.  Serve with sour cream.  Makes 8 servings.

From Jesi Ostrowsky-Williams

Wild Rice Soup

Wild Rice Soup

6 Tbsp margarine (I, Sandy, used about half this)
½ cup onion, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
½ cup flour
2 cans chicken broth
2 cups wild rice, cooked (One box Zataran's wild rice)
½ cups grated carrots
1 lb cooked chicken, cubed
¼ cup slivered almonds (optional)
2 cups half and half
½ - 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Parsley

In a large saucepan, melt margarine; sauté onions and celery. Stir in flour and gradually add chicken broth then half and half. Stir in carrots, chicken and rice. Stir until slightly thickened and carrots are cooked. Add cheese and stir until melted. Add almonds and parsley.

I (Jamie) don't use the cheese or the almonds. Kim (Miller) said, originally it didn't call for cheese, but they added it for more flavor. I used the boxed Zataran's Wild Rice, so I think it had enough flavor. I am sure you could use Uncle Ben's too. If you use plain wild rice, you just may need to season it more!

From Jamie Schaefer / Kim Miller / Sandy Marquez

Chicken Zucchini Soup

Chicken Zucchini Soup

1 med onion, chopped
1/4 C butter or margarine
1/4 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 C chicken broth (I have used "Better than Bullion" and it works fine)
5 small zucchini, peeled and diced, or 6 cups
    (I have even used the big ones but seed them when they are very large)
2 C chicken, cubed
1/2 C rice (1 C if instant)
2 Tbs lemon juice
1 C light cream or half and half

Use 3 Qt saucepan. Cook onion in butter until tender. Blend in flour, salt and pepper. Stir in broth, cook and stir until thick and bubbly. Add zucchini, cover and simmer 10 min til soft. Blend 1/2 in Blender 30 seconds. Blend remaining half, return all to saucepan. Stir in chicken, rice, lemon juice. Return to boil. Reduce heat, cover, simmer 20-25 min. Stir in cream. Heat thoroughly.

From the files of Yvonne Oliphant

Note: If I use regular rice I prefer to cook separately and add when it asks for it. You can also cook the cubed chicken in the chicken broth, drain, and then add each when the recipe asks for it. Then you don't have to worry about the rice or the chicken being fully cooked or having either burn on the bottom of the pan.

I have cubed zucchini, measured and put in freezer for this soup. GREAT way to use any sized zucchini and with it osterized the kids don't even know they are eating ZUCCHINI!

Mie’s Note: I always double this recipe.

Taco Soup

Taco Soup

1 pound ground beef           
1 medium onion, chopped           
1 pkg taco seasoning              
1 16 oz can corn               
1 16 oz can kidney beans, drained
1 28 oz can tomatoes, diced
1 8 oz can tomato sauce


Condiments:
Tortilla Chips
Shredded Cheese
Sour Cream


Brown ground beef and onion.  Add taco seasoning and all other ingredients.  Heat until warmed through and spices have blended.  Serve with chips, cheese, and sour cream.

From the files of Laurie Bartholomew, acquired by Mie Oliphant 1999

Jesse's Red Pepper Soup

Jesse’s Red Pepper Soup

2 Tbsp olive oil or butter
5 red bell peppers, roasted then chopped
1 ½ cups chopped onion
2 quarts heavy cream
salt & pepper to taste

Saute peppers and onion in oil, until carmelized.  Add cream and cook until peppers are very soft.  Allow to cool, and puree all chunks.  Heat to thicken soup.  Serves 10, side dish.

From Jesse Draper