Thai Lentil Chili

 This soup is so good!  Jane made it and shared some with me.  She didn't use red lentils, so any lentils will do.

Olive oil (1 teaspoon to 2 tablespoons, however much you feel like using)
1 large yellow onion, diced medium
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced medium
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 ½ lbs sweet potatoes cut into ¾ inch chunks
1 cup red lentils
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups vegetable broth
2 15 oz cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
1 15 oz can lowfat coconut milk
28 oz can diced tomatoes
½ cup fresh cilantro, plus extra for garnish
Limes for garnish (optional)
Preheat a 4-quart pot over medium heat. Saute onions and pepper in oil with a pinch of salt, for 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and saute a minute more.
Add chili powder, sweet potatoes, lentils, salt and vegetable broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Let it boil for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. When lentils are cooked and sweet potatoes are tender, add the remaining ingredients and heat through.
Taste for salt and seasoning, top with cilantro and lime and serve!

Creamy Wild Rice Soup

4 C Water
½ t salt
½ C uncooked wild rice
3 T chopped green onions
¼ C shredded carrot
3 T chopped pecans
6 T butter or margarine
1/3 C flour
2 cans (14 oz each) chicken broth
½ C diced fully cooked ham
¼ t pepper
1 C half and half cream
Green onion strips, optional

In a large sauce pan, bring water and salt to a boil. Add rice. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 50-55 minutes or until tender. Remove from the heat. Let stand for 10 minutes; drain and set aside. Can make white rice instead.

In a soup kettle, sauté the onions, carrots, and pecans in butter for 30 seconds. Stir in flour until blended. Gradually add broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat. Add the ham, pepper and wild (or white) rice. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until carrots are tender. Reduce heat. Add cream and heat through (do not boil). Garnish with green onion strips if desired. Yield: 4 large servings, 8 small servings.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I got this recipe when I worked at Sundance several years ago. It is a Davies family favorite.

3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 med. red onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. cumin seed
2 qts. chicken stock
3 cups chicken, cooked
3 cups Roma tomatoes, chopped
3 cups corn
2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro
avocado
lime wedges
tortilla strips

Saute onion, garlic, and jalapeno in olive oil. Add crushed cumin seed and heat through. Add chicken stock and remaining ingredients (chicken, tomatoes, corn, and cilantro). Simmer 30 minutes. Top each bowl with a lime wedge, chopped avocado, tortilla chips or strips and more cilantro.

Shanna's notes: I like to make this soup when I have chicken leftover from a Costco rotisserie chicken. If not, can broil chicken tenders or breasts sprinkled with seasonings in the oven. For the corn I use the frozen white corn and for the cumin seed usually just ground cumin.

Chili

Sue’s Chile


BROWN 2 lb ground beef with 2 med onions
ADD:
1 c beef bouillon
1 lg can (28 oz) and 1 sm can (16 oz) diced tomatoes
2 cans kidney beans
1 sm tomato paste
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp oregano, crushed leaves
1 tsp chili powder
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper
1-2 bay leaves
¼ c diced green pepper

Chili with turkey burger


SAUTE:
4 lg onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ c olive oil
½ c margarine

ADD:
6 green bell peppers; sauté 15” more; set aside.

BROWN:
4 lbs turkey burger

ADD:
6 cans crushed tomatoes
½ c catsup
1 TBSP tomato paste
3 TBSP salt
3 tsp white pepper
2 bay leaves

SAUTE and add:
4 TBSP butter
2 TBSP chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 TBSP hot pepper sauce

COVER & SIMMER 40-45”
ADD ¾ C HONEY AND 1 TBSP hot pepper sauce
ADD beans (3 – 14 oz cans of kidney or pinto) and cook 10”

Creamed Chicken Chili


Saute 1 tsp oil with 1 medium onion.

Add:
1 ½ tsp garlic powder or 2 cloves of garlic
1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth
2 cans chopped green chilis
2 (15 ½ oz.) can great northern white beans (rinse & drain well)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
¼ tsp oregano
½ tsp pepper
1 cup sour cream (I use fat free and it works fine)
½ cup whipping cream
1 lb cooked chicken breast, cubed
mix and simmer 2-3 hours in crock pot

Makes 6 servings