I had a yummy split pea soup for lunch yesterday from the cafe in my office building. It's not one of my favorites, but it was good a dreary first day of Autumn.

This is a great stew in the New Mexico tradition of cooking with green chiles. You can get green chiles in the canned goods section of the grocery store - they are usually the tiny little cans that are near the salsa. Some of you will be able to find the frozen Bueno green chiles.

Green Chile Stew
Oil
2 lbs of chicken - chopped
2 medium potatoes, diced
1/2 onion
2 cloves garlic - chopped
1/2 tsp cumin
4-6 cups water - can use 1/2 chicken broth
18 oz. chopped green chiles - use mild or hot, whichever you prefer
1 tsp salt
pepper to taste

Heat oil in dutch oven. Add chicken, potato and onion. Brown slightly. Add garlic and cumin and stir for one minute. Then add water/chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Add chiles and reduce to simmer. Simmer about an hour, longer if you want. It will taste better the next day. Serve with corn tortillas on the side.

I prefer beef or hamburger in my chili - but this is a lower fat alternative that is pretty good.


Chicken Chili
12 oz. boned/skinned chicken breasts diced
1 envelope chili seasoning
1 quart canned tomatoes
15 canned corn, undrained
15 oz canned kidney beans, drained
1 green pepper and 1 onion chopped
1/2 cup salsa

Sear chicken in non stick spray. Add to crockpot with remaining ingredients. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

This is a very rich, but very GOOD soup!!!

Tomato Basil Soup
4 cups of fresh tomatoes, cored, peeled and chopped or crushed canned tomatoes
4 cups tomato juice
12-14 fresh basil leaves
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 lb butter
salt and pepper to taste

Combine tomatoes and juice in pot and simmer for 30 mins. Puree tomatoes with basil leaves. Add cream and butter. Heat through. Serve with crusty french bread.

This is one of my favs! THanks for the recipes.

I know, I just adore it - but can't eat much due to calories - but a cup now and then is heavenly!!!

Your soup recipes look really yummy, Gayle!! I'm going to have to try them!!

That Tomato Basil soup sounds really good Gayle. I think there are fat free substitutes for the cream. We're at the end of tomatoes, so I have to pick up a bunch.

I used to make chicken soup with big, chunky pasta noodles. Yummy. That's an easy soup.

Onion, celery, carrots, salt, pepper, fresh parsley, dill, a couple of parsnips chopped, a turnip, a chicken, cut into pieces, and garlic if you want it.



Here's a cookbook recipe. It serves 8.

• 20 cups cold water
• 8 bottom chicken quarters
• 4 large carrots, cut to 2 . 5 "x. 5-inch pieces
• 3 stalks celery, cut like carrots
• 2 parsnips, cut like carrots
• 1 turnip, cubed (bite-sized)
• 2 large onions, cut in half
• 1 bunch parsley (tied up)
• 1 bunch dill (tied up)
• salt & pepper or chicken bouillon

1. Bring water to boil, add chicken, return to boil (covered).
2. Add all vegetables except for parsley & dill and allow to cook on medium to low heat, uncovered, until reduced by about half (2-3 hours). You may skim during the cooking or refrigerate the finished soup and remove the solidified fat.
3. Add parsley & dill and cook for 20 minutes, then remove the herbs and discard.
4. Season soup with salt & pepper or boullion powder to taste. If soup is too strong, add water. If it is too weak let it boil out longer (uncovered).
5. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

MMMM! Judy the chicken soup sounds wonderful - you mentioned pasta noodles, when do you add them?

This soup is delicious. I omit the avacado, not a huge fan of it. This recipe is by Rachel Ray, I make it several times in the fall and winter.

Chicken Fajita Tortilla Soup
2 tblsp. extra virgin olive oil
11/2 to 2 lbs chicken tenders
1 tblsp. coriander, a palm full
2 tblsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves, 5 to 6 sprigs
salt and pepper
1 large onion, quartered and thinly sliced
1 large bell pepper, quartered and thinly sliced
1 jalapeno, seeded and thinly sliced
1 (28 oz.) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 quart chicken stock
1 bag white corn tortilla chips
1 cup shredded pepper jack or white cheddar cheese
1 ripe avacado, diced
1 lime, juiced
4 scallions, chopped
Handful of fresh cilantro leaves or parsley, chopped

Heat a large skillet with extra virgin olive oil, over medium heat. Add chicken, brown 4 min. Add coriander, thyme, salt and pepper, to taste, add onions, bell pepper and jalapeno. Cook 8 to 10 min. Add tomatoes and stock, heat through.

While the soup is cooking, lightly crush some tortilla chips, a couple of handfuls per bowl. Top the chips with cheese. Toss the avacado with the lime juice, scallions and cilantro or parsley.

You can either cook them up separately al dente, or throw them in about 1/2 hour before the soup is done. I would cook them separately and just add them to the finished soup. I wouldn't want the starch to mix with the liquid.

Paula, the tortilla soup sounds yummy!! Glad you made it and liked it - I'm definitely trying it soon!

Mmmmmmm this thread is making me soo hungry

I'm getting the stuff to make Lindsay's mom's hamburger soup today! Well, probably tomorrow I'll make it.

I made the hamburger soup - it is delicious - just like Lindsay said! Thanks for the recipe, I know I will make it often! Also, for those of us who like spicy things, this soup could definitely be adapted to have a Mexican flair with the addition of corn, jalapenos, cumin, ground red peppers or the like.