Cream of Asparagus

Serves 4, please note that the soup we made doesn't have the cream.
Ingredients:
1 lb. asparagus, diced into 1" pieces
1 medium onion, diced
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 cups chicken broth
1 medium potato, peeled and grated
1 stalk celery, diced
1 sprig fresh thyme, or 1 tsp. dried thyme
1 cup heavy cream, or whole milk
kosher salt
freshly ground white pepper
lemon

Directions:
Rinse asparagus. Remove top 1 inch of each spear, discard tough lower part, reserving middle portion of stalks. In a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat, saute onion in butter for 3 to 5 minutes or until translucent. Add chicken broth, asparagus tips and stems, potato, celery, thyme, and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Remove from heat and let cool.

Remove the asparagus tips. Place the soup at a time in a blender container. Cover and blend at high speed for 20 to 30 seconds or until very smooth. Pass through a fine sieve and return blended soup to saucepan. Add reserved asparagus tips and cream (or half and half, or milk) and heat thoroughly, or refrigerate to be served cold.

Squeeze a few drops of lemon at the end to brighten the flavor in each bowl when serving.

Notes:
Half & half or milk may be substituted for the cream if fat content is a concern, although it won't taste quite as good. Be sure to adjust the seasoning after you add the cream (or half & half, or milk), especially if you plan to serve it cold.

Papa al Pomodoro

Serves 8
Ingredients:
4 ounces chewy bread, about 2 cups, 1/2 loaf dense tuscan like a
ciabatta or any other rustic bread
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 small onion, finely grated
1 cup chicken broth
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes, Hunt's Brand
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes, Hunt's Brand
1 cup fresh basil
1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated, or to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, for garnish

Directions:
I use leftover bread. Remove the crust of the bread and save them for
making breadcrumbs. Break the bread into small chunks no bigger then
1 1/2 inches and set aside.

Heat a medium pot over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup of olive oil, and then
add the rosemary and the garlic. Peel and halve the onion and grate
directly into the soup pot. Saute for a couple of minutes, then remove
the rosemary stem. When you smell the fragrance you will know it is
done.

Add the chicken broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add the bread
chunks and stir until the bread “melts” into the soup, giving it a
thick consistency. Tear or shred the basil, and stir into the soup.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, about 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher
salt.

Ladle the soup into bowls, and top with an extra tablespoon of very
good extra-virgin olive oil and however much parmesan or romano cheese
you want.

Bush's Best Three Bean Chili

2 (16-oz) cans Kidney Beans

2 (16-oz) cans Pinto Beans

2 (15-oz) cans Black Beans

2 Lb. Ground Beef

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1 small green pepper, chopped

1 (14-oz) can Diced Tomatoes

3 tsp chili powder

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp Garlic salt

1/2 tsp. Ground pepper

1/2 tsp. Cumin

1 pinch cinnamon

1 (6-oz) can tomato paste

In a large pan, cook beef, onion and green pepper until meat is browned.  Drain excess grease.  In a large pot, combine with remaining ingredients.  Bring to boil.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Top with sour cream.

Chicken mug pie

1 tube jumbo bake-off butter biscuits, from the dairy aisle of market (recommended: Grands by Pillsbury)
Sweet paprika, for sprinkling
1 1/2 pounds chicken breast pieces, diced
3 tablespoons butter
2 ribs celery and greens from the heart, chopped
1 medium yellow onion,
chopped 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup shredded potatoes, ready to cook hash browns, available in sacks on dairy aisle
1 pint half-and-half or cream
1 quart chicken stock, available in boxes on soup aisle
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg, a healthy grating
1 cup frozen green peas


Preheat oven according to package directions and arrange biscuits on cookie sheet. You will have 4 extra biscuits. Save them for ham and cheese or egg and cheese breakfast sandwiches the next morning. Sprinkle biscuits with a little paprika and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
In a medium pot over medium to medium high heat, cook chicken in butter 2 minutes then add veggies and season with salt and pepper and poultry seasoning. Cook 5 minutes more, add flour cook another minute. Add potatoes, then whisk in half-and-half or cream and chicken stock. Add nutmeg. Bring soup to a boil by raising heat, then turn heat back to simmer and cook soup another 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings. Add peas. Stir in to warm them through a minute.
Serve mugs of soup with biscuits on top to cap the mug: chicken mug pies!

Potato Cheese Soup

4 cubes chicken bouillon
3 c. hot water
5 c. potatoes, diced
1 c. celery, diced
1 c. carrots, diced
½ c. onions, chopped
¾ c. butter
¾ c. flour
1 (8oz.) jar Cheez Whiz
2 c. milk
2 c. half & half
1 to 2 c. Cheddar cheese (optional)

Dissolve bouillon cubes in 3 cups hot water.
Add potatoes, celery, onions, and carrots.
Cook 10 to 15 minutes. Melt butter and add
Flour. Stir into other mixture. Add half & half
And milk. Add the Cheez Whiz. If you like a
Lot of cheese, add 1 to 2 cups Cheddar. If
Soup is too thin, add more flour mixed with water.

Potato Leek Soup

2 c. chicken broth (I have also used vegetable broth to make it vegetarian)
3 med. potatoes
1 lg. leek
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 T chives
1 c. milk
1/2 t salt

cut potato into cubes & slice the leek. Put the leek, potatoes, broth & salt in the pan. Bring to a boil and take the heat down to a simmer. cook 15-20 mintues. With a hand mixer, puree ingredients. (or put in a blender. I like the hand mixer though because it leaves some chunks) Stir in sour cream, milk & chives.

Steakhouse Chili

1 Tbsp. oil
1 lb. beef top round steak, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 Tbsp. chili powder
2 cans diced tomatoes with chilies, liquid reserved
1/3 cup A1 Steak Sauce
2 cans kidney beans, drained
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 green pepper, chopped

Heat oil in saucepan on medium-high heat. Add meat, cook and stir until browned. Add to crock pot. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Cook on low 8 hours or high 4 hours. (the longer the better)

* You may substitute 1 lb lean ground beef for round steak