Creamy Ham and Potato Soup

Perfect for fall! I doubled the recipe, for everything except the white sauce, so it would be healthier. It was thinner than the original recipe, but the entire family licked the pot clean. I'm sure it is even better made with the original recipe below. Found on: The Girl Who Ate Everything

Creamy Ham and Potato Soup
3 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
1/3 cup diced celery
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup carrot, diced (optional)
1 cup diced cooked ham (buy a ham steak in the deli section)
3 1/4 chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, or to taste
5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk

Note: I added some carrots that I had and Becky said she adds a can of corn too which would be good.

Directions:
1.Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, carrot, ham and chicken broth in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the salt and pepper.

2.In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk so that lumps don't form and until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.

3.Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through.

4. Top with cheddar cheese, chives, and bacon if desired. Serve immediately.

5. Makes 6 servings

Source: adapted from Allrecipes

Day 25 - Taco Soup

This is my favorite recipe for taco soup. I almost always have all the ingredients on hand. The whole family loves it -- except Ian gags on the corn!

Taco Soup

1 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pkg. mild taco seasoning mix
1 (16 oz.) can cut corn
1 (16 oz.) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (28 oz.) can stewed tomatoes (I chop these up really small)
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
tortilla chips
grated cheese

Brown ground beef in heavy saucepan. Drain. Saute chopped onions; add to ground beef. (I actually combine those steps and cook the onion with the beef). Stir in taco seasoning, corn, kidney beans, stewed tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Simmer for 20-30 minutes. Serve topped with tortilla chips and grated cheese.

Day 17 - Homemade Noodle, Chicken Noodle Soup

This is the kids' all time favorite meal! They love the homemade noodles!

Chicken Noodle Soup
1 pkg. chicken breasts, cooked & broken into pieces
2 c. chopped celery
2 c. chopped carrots
1 chopped onion
1 batch homemade noodles, or 1 pkg. grandma's homemade store bought noodles cooked and drained.

Boil vegetables until tender. Drain off water. Use broth off chicken or 1 can chicken broth. Heat together with 2 cans cream of chicken soup and 1/2 cup milk. Add the vegetables, chicken and noodles. Enjoy!!

Homemade Noodles

6 eggs, beaten
2 tsp. salt
about 2 cups flour to start with!
1/2 tsp. baking powder

Add baking powder and salt to 1 cup of flour and mix with the eggs. Put the other cup of flour on a board and make a well to pour the eggs into. Fold in the flour as you knead it. Add more flour to your dough until it's not sticky. (I use a lot more!) Roll out thin. Cut noodles with a pizza cutter. Add noodles to a pot of boiling water. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring as you add them. I always taste test the last ones I've added to make sure they are all done. Add the noodles to the above soup recipe. Yummy!!