Zuppa Toscana

Submitted by Rebecca Thompson

4 cans chicken broth
1/2 med. onion, finely chopped
1 -1 1/2 lbs. Mild Italian sausage
1 bundle (about 8 oz.) rough chopped Kale
4 - 5 medium potatoes, well scrubbed quartered lengthwise and sliced thin
1 can Evaporated Milk or 12 oz heavy cream

Boil sliced potatoes in chicken stock for about 12 minutes, until just tender.
Meanwhile, sauté sausage and onion until nicely browned; drain and add to potatoes and stock. Season with salt and pepper to taste. I rarely have to add salt. Add canned milk and bring up to heat but don't boil. Add kale and give it all a good stir. Keep warm but again, don't let it boil. You may substitute spinach for kale, but it's a bit delicate and tends to turn the broth greenish.

Butternut Squash & Apple Soup

Submitted by Dixie Sloan

2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, thinly slice
1 jar (2 lb.) butternut squash puree
1 Bartlet pear, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 small bay leaves
3 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cream
1/4 tsp. ground coriander (optional)
1/4 tsp. grated, peeled, fresh ginger (optional)
Nutmeg to taste

In a Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and cook until soft but not browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the butternut squash puree, apple, broth, bay leaves and salt and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Partially cover the pot and simmer for 30 minutes.

Remove the bay leaves and discard. Add the cream. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup directly in the pot until smooth. Stir in the coriander and ginger.

Serve immediately.

Serves 6 to 8

Taco Soup

Submitted by Ashley Copas

2 pounds ground lean beef or ground turkey
1 medium chopped onion
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 envelope regular ranch salad dressing mix
2 - 10 ounce cans tomatoes with chilies
4 cups canned tomatoes, crushed or diced
1 can pinto beans (rinsed)
1 can black beans (rinsed)
1 can white corn (drained)

Brown meat, rinsing with water to discard fat. Add onion and finish browning. Stir the 2 dry mixes into the meat mixture. Add everything else and heat until well mixed. You can top with grated cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips.

Can be frozen.

Chicken Chowder

Submitted by Jean Bradley

1 large chicken (3 lb. fryer)
1 quart chicken broth
1 chicken bullion cubes
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup grated carrot
4 cups diced potatoes
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
dash pepper
1 tsp. Accent (optional)

Sauce:
1 cup margarine
1 cup flour
1 quart milk

Cover chicken with 4 quarts of water and simmer until done. Remove meat from bones, set aside.

To 1 quart of the broth add bullion cube, celery, onion, carrot and potatoes. Simmer vegetables until done, about 20 minutes.

Sauce: Melt margarine on low heat and then add flour and stir constantly until mixture bubbles. Add the milk and then stir on medium heat constantly until mixture thickens. Pour into undrained vegetables.

Add sugar, salt, pepper and Accent. Mix all chicken broth and meat with vegetables and simmer 10 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

Serves 15-20

Taco Soup

Submitted by Ty Nea Sorenson

1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped (I use dehydrated out of my food storage)
1 package mild taco seasoning
1 - 16 ounce can kidney beans (drain and rinse)
1 - 16 ounce can whole kernel corn
1 - 16 ounce can diced tomatoes (or stewed tomatoes)
1 - 8 ounce can tomato sauce

Brown beef, saute onion with beef. Stir in taco seasoning. Add kidney beans, tomatoes and tomato sauce. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Serve with grated cheese and tortilla chips. May be thinned if desired with a little water.

Serves 8

Fish House Clam Chowder

Submitted by Marie Burke

This is Bobby Flay's recipe. We were eating this at the Fish House in Key Largo and they gave us the recipe.

1/2 lb. bacon
1/2 bunch celery, chopped
1/2 Spanish Onion, chopped
1 (16 ounce can) diced potatoes(or I cook 2 large potatoes)2
6 - 1/2 oz cans of minced clams
1 - 35 ounce bottle clam juice (I can only find 8 oz. bottles, so I use four of them)
1 quart heavy cream

Chop bacon very finely, chop celery and onions. Brown bacon then add celery and onions. Cook until onions are clear. Add cooked potatoes and clam juice and bring to a boil until veggie's are tender.

Roux: 1/2 stick butter, melted over low heat
6 to 8 tablespoons flour and blend over low heat
1 quart milk, stir in slowly

Add heavy cream, clams, and stir in slowly. Cook and stir with wire whisk or wooden spoon until thickened and smooth. Salt and pepper to taste.

This soup wasn't at the Back to Basics meeting, but Sis. Burke thought we would enjoy it.

Christmas Breakfast Casserole

Submitted by Rebecca Thompson

(Make ahead!)

1 lb. Jimmy Dean Original recipe sausage
8 large eggs
1 24 oz. loaf of good, dense white bread, cubed
2/3 cup half and half
1 ½ cups milk
Maple Syrup
2 tsp. Mulling Spice
¼ tsp. Cinnamon
½ tsp good vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 8 oz. package cream cheese
Butter for baking pan

Place package of cream cheese in freezer for about 15 minutes, or while you prepare the rest of the ingredients for the casserole (makes it easier to cut). Brush sides and bottom of 11x13” baking pan generously with butter. Slice bread into cubes and set aside. Brown sausage and drain well; set aside. In a med. bowl, beat egg until well blended. Add cinnamon, milk, half and half, brown sugar, vanilla and 1 tsp of the mulling spice. Whisk together and then add about 3 Tbsp. of maple syrup. Whisk again. Place half of the bread cubes into your prepared pan followed by half of the sausage. Remove the cream cheese from the freezer and cube it into ½ inch cubes. Dot the bread and sausage in the pan with cream cheese, then add another layer of the rest of the bread, sausage and cream cheese. Give a final whisk to your wet ingredients and pour it over the entire pan, making sure you get the edges well. Press the bread cubes into the pan so that you can see there is custard in each bit of bread. Cover with plastic and set in refrigerator for 2 – 24 hours. When ready to bake, remove from refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Remove plastic wrap and bake in a *350 preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving. For serving, heat 2 C. maple syrup, stir in remaining 1 tsp. of Mulling Spice and enjoy!