Hearty Fall Soups

While I live in a warm climate where it is still in the 80's and 90's out side, I still feel the need for some hearty fall flavors. Here are two soup recipes I recently fell in love with.

Potato Cheese Soup
3 tbsp butter
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 tbsp flour
1 (14.5 oz can) chicken broth - (I always add a little more than this, also depends on how thick you want it!)
4 medium baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper (I've never used this because I don't have any...)
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried basil
dash of Tabasco sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 cup half/half
1 1/2 cups shreaded Sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 lb. of bacon cut in squares and cooked in sauce pan


Garnish with grated cheddar cheese, sour cream, crumbled bacon or chopped green onions


Melt butter in a 2-quart sauce pan on medium heat. Add onion and saute for 2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the onions and cook about 5 minutes, stirring often. Gradually add chicken broth. Add potatoes, salt, pepper, basil, tabasco and garlic salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes. Stir occasionally. Stir in half and half, cheese and bacon; heat through. Serves a generous portion for four people and can easily be doubled or tripled!


Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder

1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 to 2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tbsp butter
2 chicken bouillion cubes
1 cup hot water
1/2 to 1 tsp ground cumin
2 cups half and half
2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese
1 (14.75 oz) can creamed corn
1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies undrained
1/4 tsp tabasco sauce
1 medium tomato, chopped (or you can used a can of diced tomatoes, drained)
fresh cilantro


In a saucepan, brown chicken, onion and garlic in butter until chicken is no longer pink. Dissolve the bouillion cubes in hot water. Add to pan along with cumin; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for five minutes. Add half and half, cheese, corn, chilies and tabasco sauce. Cook and stir over low heat until the cheese is melted. Stir in chopped tomatoes and serve immediately. Garnish with cilantro if desired.

Black Bean Soup with homemade breadsticks

Sorry for another soup recipe, but like Becca says, I embrace Fall too and all I want to eat during the cool, fall/winter months is yummy soup with some sort of bread! This one is one of my family favs. Not only is it good, but healthy.

Black Bean Soup
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 T. cumin
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 T. veggie oil
1 can chicken broth
3 cans black beans, undrained
1 medium jar of salsa (I used my homemade recipe because I am not a fan of store bought-recipe below)
3 T. lime juice

In a 4 qt. sauce pan, heat oil and put garlic, onion, cumin and red pepper flakes in. Then in a blender, blend 1 can black beans with 1/2 of the chicken broth and then add to the garlic and onion mix. Add the other 2 cans of black beans and broth to mix and then add salsa and lime juice.

Homemade Salsa (we all have our own salsa recipe, but I thought I would list my brother's rendition.)
This was the perfect way to use up the rest of my garden tomatoes!
5-6 tomatoes, chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
2-4 jalapenos, remove seeds and finely chop
1/2 bunch cilantro
2 large limes juiced
1-2 T. olive oil
salt to taste
I am not a huge fan of chunky salsa, so what I do is chop my tomatoes and onion, then throw them in the blender to sort of puree them.

Thirty-Minute breadsticks (I know we all have our own breadstick recipe too, but I just thought I would add this one from my Pinch of Salt Lake cook book)
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1 T. honey
1 1/2 C. warm water
1 tsp. salt
3-4 1/2 C. flour
1 egg, beaten

In a large mixing bowl soften yeast and honey in warm water. Add salt; blend. Add flour gradually, blending in until dough pulls away from sides of bowl and forms a ball. Divide dough into 24 pieces. Roll each piece between hands to make sticks about 10 inches long. Place crosswise on 2 large greased baking sheets. (dough can be divided into 12 pieces and placed on one pan to make thicker and softer sticks). Brush with beaten egg; sprinkle with desired seasonings (sesame seeds, poppy seeds, Parmesan cheese, salad supreme).
Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy!