Zuppa Toscana

If you have ever been to Olive Garden, you may be familiar with this soup. The sausage, bacon, potatoes, kale, and creamy broth meld into a heartwarming and satisfying bowl of goodness.

This soup comes together very easily, and is a great way to get in a serving of healthful greens! Trust me, you won't even notice them. The recipe is easily modified to suit your preferences; hot or mild, thick or thin, russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, heavy cream or half & half, bacon or no bacon...you get what I'm saying!

If you have never had this soup as Olive Garden, make this recipe and revel in the fact that you are probably eating a much healthier version; and it tastes just as good! If you have had this soup at Olive Garden, made this recipe and revel in that fact that you are saving a bundle of cash and that you have restaurant chef talent! You see, either way I have ordered you to cook this soup for your families. And do it quick, because cozy soup weather is pretty much gone. I seem to be behind on these seasonal food trends that all my fellow bloggers keep up with faithfully. Oh well, at least kale is in season.

Zuppa Toscana (Print)
adapted from America's Most Wanted Recipes
Prep: 40 minutes
Yield: 6-8 servings

1 pound sausage: spicy, mild, or Italian; ground or removed from casings
8 ounces smoked bacon, chopped (optional)
3 to 4 cups water
2 (14.5 ounce) cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cups cubed russet or Yukon Gold potatoes
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1/3 cup diced onion
2 cups chopped kale or swiss chard
1 cup heavy cream or half & half
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a skillet, brown sausage; drain and set aside. Meanwhile, prep vegetables as directed above. To prepare kale: hold the stem at the base. Using a knife, slash downward to remove leafy portion from either side of tough stem. Stack several washed leaves, roll into cigar shape and chop to desired size -Cook's Illustrated

2. If using bacon, cook it at this time in a skillet. Drain and set aside.

3. In a 4-quart pot, combine the water, broth, potatoes, garlic, and onion. Simmer over medium heat, uncovered,  until potatoes are tender; 10-15 minutes.

4. Add the sausage and bacon. Simmer 10 minutes, uncovered.

5. Add the kale and cream or half & half. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer until heated through, do not allow to boil.

Note: To address all of the options, here is what I used for all the the 'or' ingredients: mild ground sausage, bacon, 4 cups water (but I thought it was too much liquid), russet potatoes, kale, and half & half. I did not think the bacon added much flavor, which is why I left it as optional. The sausage really takes the stage here, and that's even using mild. Feel free to use any combination of the listed options to make your preferred soup!

My Review

mac n' cheese soup

You wouldn't believe how long it took for me to decide how to write mac n' cheese. I couldn't decide if it was mac and cheese, macaroni and cheese, mac 'n' cheese, mac n' cheese, or mac 'n cheese...you get the picture! Well I decided to go with mac n' cheese, but no capitals, because Mac n' Cheese looked funny to me. Anyway, my sister is coming into town tomorrow and I am super excited! I wanted to share one quick recipe with you before the weekend because I'm not sure that I will do much blogging in the near future.

This soup is very simple to make, velvety smooth, cheesy, and delicious. While I often prefer to make food from scratch, sometimes convenience wins the battle. And I know that this is likely going to make all my fellow purist food bloggers cringe, but this soup uses boxed macaroni and condensed soup! I know I know, gasp and shun me for a few days, but it sure was tasty!

I know this soup could easily be made from scratch, and that is my next endeavor. But the fact is, we are all human, and besides, a little processed food once in a while won't kill you! Have a nice weekend!

mac n' cheese soup (Print)
from Pampered Chef
Total time: 20 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

1 box macaroni mix
1 cup water
4 ounces broccoli, chopped small
1/2 cup white onion, diced small
2-1/2 cups milk (I used skim)
1 (10-3/4 ounce) condensed cheese soup
1 cup cooked ham, cubed

1. In a medium saucepan, cook macaroni according to package directions and set aside. Cook only the pasta, don't add the cheese pouch, milk or butter. Save the cheese pouch.

2. In the same saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add broccoli and onion and boil for 2 mintues.

3. Add the macaroni, cheese pouch, milk, condensed soup, and ham. Bring to a simmer for 5 minutes and serve.

Note: I actually didn't have any ham, so I left that out and it was still delicious!

NUTRITION FACTS: (1-1/3 cup equals) 380 calories, 14 g fat, 1438 mg sodium, 3 g fiber

My Review

Beef and Barley Soup

A bowl of soup served with some great homemade bread is one of my favorite meals. They are so warm and comforting; especially in the middle of an ice storm! Soup also makes for great leftovers, and can be frozen for later use. I have really begun to embrace freezing meals and I'm loving it!

This soup is hearty and reminiscent of eating a great Italian meal. The tomatoes and basil blend beautifully with the beef to form a delicious medley of flavors for you to enjoy. It's healthy too, which is always an added bonus! Part of the reason I chose this soup is because I had never cooked with barley. For barley and me, it was love at first taste; I think I may even add more barley the next time around for this soup. I halved the recipe, which is what you will see below, but it can be doubled to make 3 quarts and serve 12. Enjoy!

As a side note, my friend will be coming to visit us this weekend (yay I'm so excited!) so I will probably not be posting. She leaves Monday, I work 12-hour shifts on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and then my husband's family will be here Thursday to stay the weekend! Needless to say, I don't think I will have time to do some posting, but I hope you all have a great week!

Beef and Barley Soup (Print)
adapted from Taste of Home
Prep: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

1 pound lean ground beef
1 small white onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1-1/2 cups water
1 (14-1/2 ounce) can beef broth
1/2 cup quick-cooking barley
1 (14-1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes with garlic and onion, undrained
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1. In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, cook the beef, onions, celery, and garlic over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink; drain off excess grease.

2. Stir in the water and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and add barley. Cover and simmer for 10-20 minutes or until barley is tender.

3. Stir in the 4 remaining ingredients and heat through. Serve immediately or allow soup to cool and transfer to freezer containers. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months. To use frozen soup, thaw in the refrigerator and reheat in a saucepan.

My Review

Panera Bread Broccoli Cheese Soup

You'll have to excuse the pictures this time, as we had this for dinner and the lighting wasn't very good. I suppose maybe I could edit the pictures but I've never done that. Alas, don't be deterred, this soup is delicious! If you have ever eaten at Panera, you know that their soups are wonderful. This imitation version takes the cake and you won't be disappointed!

The first time we (my husband and I) made this soup, we followed the directions and pureed all of the soup in our blender. Well, let me just say that our blender is practically a maniac and we didn't know it. 3 pulses and we were left with broccoli cheese goop. Literally. I suppose it's a good thing that our blender works well, but we underestimated it's power. Needless to say, this time we made some changes to avoid the unappealing goop, which I have added in the recipe below. Enjoy!

**See that yummy bread there? It's a new french bread recipe I tried that I will be sharing with you soon! To see my first french bread post, click here.

Broccoli Cheese Soup (Print)
adapted from America's Most Wanted Recipes
Prep: 60 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

1 tablespoon canola oil
1/3 to 2/3 cup onion, chopped
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups half-and-half
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
8 ounces broccoli, coarsely chopped (I used 2 bunches)
1 cup shredded carrot
Salt and pepper, to taste
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1. Heat the oil in a small skillet. Cook the onion in the skillet on medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until translucent. Set aside.

2. In a 4-quart pot, whisk the butter and flour together. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 4 minutes.

3. Slowly add the half-and-half; continue whisking. Add 1-1/2 cups of the chicken broth, whisking constantly. Simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, puree the onion and carrot in a blender with the remaining chicken broth.

4. Add the broccoli, and pureed onion and carrots to the pot. Cook, uncovered, over low heat until broccoli is tender, about 20 minutes.

5. Add salt and pepper to taste.

6. Pour the soup in batches into a blender and puree. This is what we changed. We pureed the onion and carrot initially to avoid large chunks of onion. At this step (6), we used a ladle to take out about half of the broccoli and pureed just that. That way, there were still some broccoli chunks for us to enjoy and we didn't end up with goop like last time. You can do this however you would like.

7. Return the pureed portion to the pot and place over low heat. Add the grated cheese and stir until melted. Stir in the nutmeg and serve.

My Review

Taco Soup

It's fall now, or so they say. Here the temperatures continue to rise into the 80s on a daily basis, the trees have all their green leaves, and shorts are still in use regularly. Due to the lack of my annual dosage of autumn, I went ahead and made this comfort soup, and even dared to pull out my pumpkin tureen to serve it! My husband bought some pumpkins and gourds that are now on display in our apartment. I can make the inside feel like fall, even if the weather won't cooperate and continues to deny my wish!

Originally from my sister's co-worker, this Weight Watchers soup is a delicious spin off the old chili staple. Lots of legumey goodness, corn, and seasonings will make your taste buds smile. Cheap and easy to prepare, this soup will quickly be on your list of weeknight dinners. Go ahead and try this guilt-free comfort food!

Taco Soup
Prep: 10 minutes / Cook: 15-30 minutes
Serves: a bunch! maybe 8-10

1 pound ground turkey or beef
1 packet taco seasoning
1 can chili beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can corn (with no added salt)
1 can tomatoes with diced green chiles
1 can water
1 packet, or 3 T, ranch dressing mix/seasoning
1 small onion, diced, optional

1. Brown meat. Add taco seasoning according to directions. If you use an onion, add it to the meat and cook for a few additional minutes.

2. While meat is cooking, open all the cans and pour into a large pot. Do not drain any of the cans. Add a can of water, I usually divide the water among each of the bean cans, just to get all the juice. Add the ranch seasoning.

3. Add meat to the beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-30 minutes.

Nutrition Facts: 1 Weight Watchers point per cup

This soup is great with cornbread muffins! Bake them while the soup simmers, it's so easy! Try topping the soup with some shredded cheese, or add a dolop of sour cream to your bowl if you want a creamy flavor. Whatever you do, make some cornbread to go with it! Continue reading below for my review.

Autumn Chowder

Nothing says autumn to me like a delicious bowl of soup. This chowder is savory and delicious! Perfect for a cozy fall evening!

Autumn Chowder
adapted from Taste of Home online

1/4 cup chopped onion
1 large russet potato, peeled and cubed
1 large carrot, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2/3 cup water
1/2 chicken buillon cube
3/4 tsp rosemary herb seasoning mix*
1 cup milk
2/3 cup frozen corn
1/8 tsp pepper
2-1/2 tsp flour (optional)
2 T cold water (only if using flour)
3/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Saute onion with a small amount of cooking oil in a large saucepan, until tender. Add potato, carrot, water, chicken buillon and rosemary. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in the milk, corn, and pepper. Cook, covered, on medium for 5 minutes. If thicker soup is desired, mix flour and water until smooth, add to soup. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese until melted.
Yield: 2 servings

Nutrition facts: 473 calories, 30 g fat, 16 g saturated fat, 77 mg cholesterol, 810 mg sodium, 35 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 19 g protein.

My Review

• Preparation: 4
• This soup took about 40 minutes start to finish, very simple to make.
• Taste: 5
• I will definitely make this soup again! It was thick and savory. My husband loved the corn, he said it added a sweet pop to the soup!
• Cost: 5
• This is a budget-friendly recipe. Simple and inexpensive ingredients definitely will not disappoint your taste buds!
• Clean-up: 5
• This was an easy clean-up meal. All cooked in one pan and only a cutting board besides that!
• Changes
• I altered the soup from the original recipe. I did not have bacon but I read on the reviews that it didn't really add much to the soup. I also added more veggies and seasoning.
• *The rosemary herb seasoning mix is from Pampered Chef. I absolutely love it! I use it all the time in soups, broth, chicken, roasted vegetables, really anything! I honestly don't think I could live without it, and I'm not even being paid to say that! Click here to see it on their website.
• I baked some french bread a few weeks ago and had frozen a loaf. I set the bread out in the morning and it was thawed and ready by lunchtime. I stuck it in the oven at 350 for about 7 minutes, it tasted fresh and it was a great compliment to the soup!
• Summary
• This is truly a delicious chowder! It is super easy to make and it smells so good! I will definitely be making it again; give it a try yourselfand let me know what you think!