Zesty Tortilla Soup

Ingredients
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 pounds stew meat, cut into 1″ cubes
2 C water
1 (14 1/2 oz.) can stewed tomatoes
1 (10 oz.) can diced tomatoes with green chilis, undrained
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can condensed tomato soup, undiluted
1 (10 1/2 oz.) can beef broth
1 (10 1/2 oz.) can chicken broth
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon-pepper seasoning
1/2 tsp hot sauce
10 (6″) corn tortillas
shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and sliced green onions, optional

Directions
1. In a Dutch oven or large soup pot, saute onion and garlic in oil until onion is tender. Add the next 13 ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until beef is tender.
2. Tear tortillas into bite-size pieces; add to soup. Simmer uncovered, for 10 minutes; let stand for 5 minutes. Garnish individual servings with cheese, sour cream and onions, if desired.

Indiana Spicy Corn Soup

Ingredients
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 C red bell pepper, diced
1/2 C onion, diced
1/2 C celery, diced
1 C potato. diced
2 C tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 1/2 C corn kernels
2 C chicken or vegetable broth
2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 C red pepper flakes
1/2 C green peas
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

Directions
1. In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the peppers and onion and cook for 4 minutes. Add the celery and cook for 3 minutes.
2. Stir in potato, tomatoes, corn, broth, Old Bay, salt, pepper and red pepper. Bring to a simmer and let it cook for 25 minutes. Add peas and cook another 10 minutes.
3. Adjust seasonings if necessary and stir in lemon juice.

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small celery stalk, chopped
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
4 C chicken broth
1/2 tsp. dried marjoram, crumbled
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp pepper
1 C buttermilk
parsley sprigs, optional

Directions
1. In a large heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion, garlic and celery and saute for 5 minutes or until onion is softened.
2. Add squash, stock, marjoram, bay leaf and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 20 minutes or until squash is tender when pierced by a fork. Remove from heat, remove bay leaf and let cool 5 minutes.
3. Transfer the soup in 4 batches to a blender or food processor, cover and puree until smooth. Return to pan, stir in buttermilk and cook until heated through. Do not boil. Ladle into bowls and top with sprigs of parsley if desired.

Cabbage and Beef Soup

Ingredients
8C water
1 C celery, chopped
1 med. onion, chopped
1 med. head of cabbage, shredded
1 beef bouillon cube
2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 pounds hamburger, browned and drained
2 (15 oz.) cans tomato sauce
1 Tbs. brown sugar
1/4 C ketchup

Directions
1. In large Dutch oven or soup pot, combine 8 C water, celery, onion, and cabbage. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 6 minutes or until tender.
2. Add bouillon, salt, pepper and tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered, for 10 minutes. Stir in brown sugar and ketchup and simmer and additional 10 minutes or until heated through.

Goulash Soup with Jerusalem Artichokes

Ingredients
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 small Jerusalem artichokes, peeled and diced
1 small carrot, sliced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 knackwurst or sausage of your choice
1 1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp dill weed
salt and pepper to taste
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) whole tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
1/2 C medium width egg noodles

Directions
1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, artichokes, carrot and garlic. Saute 10 minutes or until carrots are softened. Add knackwurst, paprika, dill, salt and pepper and stir until well mixed.
2. Add 4 C water and tomatoes. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer; covered, 10 minutes. Increase heat to high and return to a boil. Stir in noodles and cook for 5 or until the noodles are just tender.

Note: Knackwurst is the German version of a hot dog. It has more spices and has better quality meat than the traditional American hot dog. You choose the sausage or hot dog you would like in this soup.

Manicotti Cordon Bleu

Ingredients
1 pkg. (12 oz.) String cheese
12 slices deli ham or turkey
12 manicotti shells, uncooked
1 jar pasta sauce
3/4 C water
1/2 C parmesan cheese, shredded

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place one unwrapped string cheese onto a meat slice and roll up. Slide each of these cheese wraps into a manicotti shell.
3. Combine pasta sauce and water; mixing well. Spread 3/4 sauce mixture onto the bottom of a 9×13 pan. Arrange the manicotti shells over the sauce an. Spread the remaining sauce over the shells.
4. Cover with foil; bake for 50 minutes or until the pasta is tender. Remove from oven and top with cheese.

Hominy Pork Stew

Ingredients
1/2 pound pork loin, cut into 1/2″ cubes
1 can chili, without beans
1/2 can hominy, drained
1 bay leaf
1/2 Tbsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp, dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. parsley flakes
1/2 tsp ground cumin
warmed flour tortillas
shredded Monterey jack cheese
sliced green onion

Directions
1. Combine all ingredients except tortilla, shredded cheese and green onion, in a slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours.
2. When finished cooking, remove bay leaf. Spoon mixture into warmed tortillas and top with cheese and green onions

Creamed Dried Beef

Ingredients
2 (2.25 oz.) pkg, thinly sliced dried beef, chopped
3 Tbsp. flour
2 1/2 C hot milk
pepper to taste
toasted bread

Directions
1. In a skillet, spray with butter spray. Fry dried beef until crisp.
2. Stir flour into the fried beef and stir to coat. Slowly add milk and cook until mixture is thickened, stirring continuously. Add pepper
3. Serve hot over toasted bread.
4. The beef is so salty that no extra salt is needed.

Baked Chicken Reuben

Ingredients
4 C chopped chicken, uncooked
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 (16 oz.) sauerkraut, drained
4 slices swiss cheese
1 1/4 C Thousand Island Dressing

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease a 9×13 baking dish.
2. In prepared pan, layer the ingredients as follows: chicken, salt, pepper, sauerkraut, cheese then dressing. Cover with foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours. Remove from oven and remove foil. Switch oven to broil and lightly brown the top of the casserole.

Cheesy Puff Bake

Ingredients
1/2 C butter
8 eggs
3/4 C flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2 C small curd cottage cheese
3 C Monterey Jack or Swiss cheese, shredded

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a 2 quart baking dish, in oven, melt the 1/2 C of butter. Do not brown.
2. Beat eggs until foamy, whisk in flour and baking powder. Mix in cottage cheese and shredded cheese.
3. Pour into dish with melted butter and mix well. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until lightly browned.
4. Cut into squares and serve. Or you can serve as an appetizer and cut into small cubes and serve on toothpicks.