Zuppa Toscana - Crock Pot

This is one of my favorite crock pot soups of all time.

1 lb country-style sausage

3 russet potatoes, cubed

1 onion, diced

3 Tbsp minced garlic

32 oz chicken broth

1 c heavy cream

2 Tbsp flour

3 or 4 stalks of kale, cut off the rind into bite-sized pieces

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Garnish: Grated Parmesan cheese

Brown sausage in frying pan. Add to crock pot with potatoes, onion, garlic, and chicken broth. Fill with water to cover meat and vegetables, if necessary. Cook on low for 5 - 6 hours or high for 3 - 4 hours. 30 minutes before serving mix flour into cream. Add cream mixture to crock pot. Also add kale and seasonings to taste. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese on top.

Tom Khar Gai Soup

This soup is delicious, even when it's leftover.

1 piece ginger, peeled and smashed or 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 Tbsp lime zest and 1/4 c lime juice
6 c chicken broth
1 lb chicken, cut into small pieces
8 oz mushrooms, cut into small pieces
13.5 oz can coconut milk
2 Tbsp fish sauce
2 Tbsp lemongrass paste or peeled and smashed fresh
1 tsp sugar

Bring lemongrass, ginger, lime zest, and lime juice to boil in chicken stock. Reduce to simmer for about 10 minutes. Strain and discard solids. Add chicken and return to boil. Reduce heat and add mushrooms. Simmer until chicken is cooked through (approximately 20 minutes). Skim top if necessary. Mix in coconut milk, fish sauce, and sugar.

Serve with chili oil and lime wedges.

Egg Drop Soup

This is the easy soup I like to whip up as a side to Chinese meals.

4 cups chicken broth
1/8 tsp ground ginger
2 Tbsp chopped chives
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp cornstarch
3 eggs
Vegetables, like corn, peas, or small pieces of carrots (optional)

Dissolve cornstarch in 3/4 c broth. Pour remainder in saucepan with spices (and vegetables). Bring to boil. Slowly pour in cornstarch mixture and stir until thickened. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs together. Stir the hot soup into circles and slowly pour in eggs, creating egg ribbons, if possible.

V8 Stew

The "V8 Stew" that we had as children came originally from the Betty Crocker cookbook with some adjustments. It's in there as Old-Fashioned Beef Stew. This is the recipe as adjusted by Cardine.

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 lb beef stew meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cups of carrots, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3 medium red potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 large onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
3 cups V8 juice
1 Tbsp or 1 cube beef boullion
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp pepper

Cook beef in oil in a pan for 4 to 6 minutes, until browned on all sides. Spray crock pot with cooking spray. Add all ingredients to crock pot. Cover. Cook on low for 9 to 10 hours.