zesty potato cheese soup

This is one of the few recipes that I have actually made twice (when you have so many cookbooks and so little time... you don't very often get around to remaking a recipe)! It's been about a year and I remember that the soup was a big hit so I couldn't wait to try it again.

This is SUCH a simple recipe. It's just a few cans and a little sprinkle of cheese. Actually the little princess did half the work for me (she loves to pour opened cans into the pot and then stir everything around). I also love that the level of heat is adjustable bowl by bowl. My husband LOVES his food hot, I prefer just a little zip. And for the little princess - no zip at all. Since you sprinkle the cheese on each bowl, every person's meal is customizable for their tastes!

I am admittedly not a fan of creamy textures - in soups, pasta sauces, or just in general. However, with a bite of crescent roll for every spoon (yes, that means I ate four crescent rolls with my one little bowl of soup!) I am able to fully enjoy this meal! And my cream-loving husband slurped up all the extras!

The recipe didn't say to cook the fully cooked bacon... but when I took it out of the package it was a little limp for my tastes. So I microwaved it for about 20 seconds (according to the package direction) then snipped it into strips over each bowl. Bacon and cheese - what more could a girl ask for?



Zesty Potato Soup

3 cans (10 3/4 oz each) condensed cream of potato soup, undiluted
2 cans (12 oz each) evaporated milk
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (we didn't measure, just scooped what we wanted into our bowls)
3/4 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese (ditto)
6 slices ready-to-serve fully cooked bacon, crumbled

In a large saucepan, combine the potato soup and milk. Cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes or until heated through. Ladle into serving bowls. Sprinkle with cheeses and bacon.

Yield: 6 servings

Source: Taste of Home's Simple & Delicious Cookbook

leftover chicken tortilla soup

I have been redeemed! I found this recipe to reuse the chicken from last week's Cola Chicken disaster experiment. This soup was super-simple, quick and tasted amazing. My daughter and my husband both lapped it up, which doesn't happen very often!

This was also a great way to get the little princess involved in the kitchen. She helped me get each can out of the pantry and the stock pot out of the cabinet. She arranged each on the kitchen floor and could barely contain herself as she sat waiting for me to arrive with the can opener. I opened each can and then she poured its contents into the pot. Her favorite was the refried beans - I opened both ends of the can and let her push the bottom lid down as the contents squeezed into the pot. Such fun for an almost-three-year-old! After I squished the beans down a bit she stirred the whole concoction with fervor, then ran off to play while I finished the cooking.

I will definitely use this recipe again, and honestly I don't think I would make any changes. I used a can of "diced tomatoes with green chilies" rather than Rotel because the latter is just too hot for my tastes. If you like your food on the hot side you might try it that way. We crushed up some stale tortilla chips that I would have otherwise thrown away - this recipe was chock full of recycled foods! I actually found it on a blog called Making Do with the Not So New... what a perfect fit! MJ also suggests that you can freeze the leftovers, but after lunch today there won't be any! Next time I think I'll make a double batch, though, because this seems like a recipe that would freeze very well.



Leftover Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 can diced tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 can refried beans
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 to 1 cup corn (I used frozen)
1 lb leftover cooked chicken, shredded
Shredded cheese
Crushed tortilla chips

Stir tomatoes, beans, broth and corn in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add meat until heated through. Ladle into bowls and top with cheese and crushed tortilla chips.

Yield: 6-8 servings (this is my guestimate - the original recipe didn't state a yield)

Source: MJ at Making Do with the Not So New