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SOUPS

The Black-eyed Pea's Cheese Broccoli Soup

INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS

1  1/2 lbs fresh broccoli
1 pint half-and-half
2 cups water
1 lb pasteurized process cheese spread loaf,   
      cut in cubes (Velveeta)
3/4 tsp salt
1/2  cup cornstarch mixed with 1 cup cold  
      water

 

  1. Steam broccoli until tender (microwave on high 6 minutes per lb with florets toward the center of the dish)

  2. Combine Half-and-half and 2 cups water in the top of a double boiler; add cheese, salt and pepper

  3. Heat until all cheese is melted

  4. Add broccoli

  5. Stir dissolved cornstarch into cheese mixture in the top of double boiler and heat over simmering water until soup thickens

​

       Makes 10 cups

The Black-eyed Pea closed all but one of its Texas restaurants in 2016. This soup was one of their most-loved menu items. This recipe was printed in The Houston Chronicle on March 20, 1991.

​

Chicken Gumbo

from Aunt Elsie Farris

INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS

2 cups flour
1 cup shortening or vegetable oil
2-3 bunches green onions
1 large onion
bell pepper
celery
garlic
1/2 jar Trappey’s file’ (optional)
2 Tbs red pepper (at least)
1 boiled chicken
1 link sausage
salt / pepper
 

  1. Combine flour and oil in cast iron and cook slowly until roux is dark brown (chocolate color) stirring often - be patient, it takes a while

  2. Have a pot of water boiling to cook chicken

  3. Slowly add the roux to the hot water (with chicken removed), OR add the hot water slowly to the roux depending on your pot

  4. Add remainder of ingredients, except file’, using a LARGE pot - it boils over easily

  5. Simmer for about an hour - if adding file’, do it 15 minutes prior to serving or let everyone add their own

  6. Serve over rice

​

       NOTE: This recipe freezes well!

Spicy Potato Soup

INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS

1 lb lean ground beef
4 cups cubed, peeled potatoes
1/2 small onion, chopped (or more to taste)
3 cans (8-oz) tomato sauce
4 cups water
1 tsp salt - or more to taste
1  1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 - 1 tsp hot pepper sauce

  1. In Dutch oven or large pot, brown ground beef & onion

  2. Season meat with salt and pepper (Drain excess grease)

  3. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil

  4. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour or until potatoes are tender and soup has thickened. Makes 6-8 servings.

Note: This is SPICY. May be a little hot for some people. You can also add a small amount of frozen mixed vegetables, if desired. This soup is easy to make and very good.

7-Can Soup

INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS

All cans are 15-oz cans unless noted otherwise
1 can meat-only Wolf Brand Chili
1 can kidney beans 
1 can pinto beans
1 can black beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can whole-kernel corn
1  1/0-oz can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies
Salt and pepper, to taste
8 oz cubed Velveeta cheese

  1. Without draining the cans, empty all the ingredients into a large pot over high heat

  2. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes to bring all the flavors together

  3. Add salt and pepper as needed

  4. Stir cheese into soup until cheese melts

  5. Serve immediately

Note: I use 2 cans of beans instead of 3 which makes it a 6-can soup.  I do not like black beans or kidney beans, so I use 2 cans Ranch Style Beans instead.  Since Ranch Style Beans are pinto beans with seasoning, I eliminate the pinto beans in favor of these.

DeeDee's Homemade Soup

This makes a large amount. Cook in a 12-qt pot.
2-3 lbs lean stew meat
2 Tbs cooking oil
1 medium onion, chopped 
salt
black pepper
garlic powder

Brown stew meat and onions in oil. Generously salt and pepper meat as it begins to cook. Sprinkle with garlic powder.  Cook until meat begins to brown and caramelize on the bottom of the pan. Keep stirring and watch closely. When the juices in the bottom of the pan begin to brown, add a little water and scrape all the brown drippings loose to make a good broth. 

Add: 
4 quarts of water and cook at a rolling boil for an hour.

Add: 
2 cans cream style corn
1  16-oz pkg fresh carrots, sliced    
      (I use baby carrots)
1 large 28-oz can whole tomatoes with juice, 
     puree in food processor
1 large 46-oz can tomato juice

Note: You can use several large cans of tomatoes if you do not have tomato juice; OR you can mix tomato juice and canned tomatoes in the proportions you choose.

Add seasonings to taste:
Cayenne pepper
Chili powder (at least 1-2 Tbs)
Additional salt and black pepper, if needed
Sugar, 1/4 to 1/2 cup (or more)

Cook for an additional 20-30 minutes. At this point, taste check to see if you need additional seasonings. 
Add any of the above to suit your taste.

Add: 2 quarts potatoes, peeled and cut in chunks.

Add water, as needed, a little at a time

Cook until potatoes are nearly done.

Add:  approximately 1 cup macaroni

Boil for a couple minutes. If you have an electric stove, turn burner off and leave pot on heat. If gas stove, cook until macaroni is done. Do not overcook.

Serve with:  
Dixie Cornbread
Jalapeno Corn Muffins
Crackers
Red pepper flakes

Note: There are no precise measurements to this recipe. Cook to suit your taste. Add water during the cooking process, if needed.  Keep tasting and adding seasonings as needed.

This recipe has always been a family favorite, and it showcases the way good cooks become great cooks. Trial and error!  There is no longer error when DeeDee makes soup. Years ago, her children and grandchildren surprised her by deciding this would be our standard Christmas dinner from “now on”...and it has been for decades now.  ~ Karen

Smoky Corn and Potato Chowder

INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS

​1  1/2 cups milk
1  15-oz can cream style corn
1 cup cooked ham or smoked sausage (or both)
1  15-oz can whole new potatoes, drained and
    chopped
1  15-oz can whole kernel corn, drained
1 cup shredded smoked cheddar, Swiss, or
    Gouda cheese

  1. Stir milk into cream corn in large sauce pan

  2. Add the remaining ingredients except for the cheese

  3. Heat thoroughly

  4. Remove from heat

  5. Stir in cheese until melted

Wild Rice Soup

from Janice Fraley

INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS

1 large 18.8-oz can potato soup
1 lb Velveeta cheese
1  6-oz box Uncle Ben’s Wild Rice, cooked
1 pint (16-oz) Half and Half
1 pint (16-oz) milk
1/2 onion, chopped finely (more if you choose) 
6 slices bacon, crumbled

  1. Fry bacon, remove from pan

  2. Saute onion in bacon grease to add to soup mixture

  3. Crumble bacon and save to garnish soup

  4. Combine remaining ingredients including onion when done

  5. Cook on low heat until all blended and hot

  6. Top with bacon crumbles

Taco Soup

from Kelli Stevens

INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS

2 lbs ground beef
large onion
1 pkg taco seasoning (we use Lawry’s)
1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch mix
1/4 tsp chili powder
2 cans stewed tomatoes (original)
1 can Ranch Style Beans
1 can pinto beans with jalapeno
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 small can corn
2 cups water

  1. Brown mean with onion, then drain

  2. Add remaining ingredients

  3. Cook on medium heat for 30 minutes

  4. Serve with your choice of: shredded cheese, avocado, corn chips or tortilla strips

  5. Serves 12

Creamy Tortellini Soup

from Karen Stevens Altom

INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS

1 Tbs olive oil
1 lb Italian sausage, casing removed
3 cloves minced garlic
1 medium sweet onion, diced
2 tsp Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbs all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken stock
1  8-oz can tomato sauce
1  9-oz pkg refrigerated three cheese tortellini
1/2 bunch kale, stems removed, leaves chopped
1/3 cup heavy cream
3 Tbs chopped fresh basil

  1. Heat oil in large pot over medium heat, add sausage and cook until browned; drain excess fat

  2. Add garlic, onion and Italian seasoning cooking until onions are transluscent, then salt and pepper to taste

  3. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute

  4. Gradually whisk in chicken stock and tomato sauce

  5. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until slightly thickened

  6. Add tortellini; cover and cook until tender, 5-7 minutes

  7. Stir in kale until wilted, 1-2 minutes

  8. Stir in heavy cream and basil until heated through

  9. Salt and pepper to taste

  10. Serve immediately

Corn Chowder

INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS

4 strips of bacon 
onion                                                            
green pepper                                   
garlic
3 cans cream corn
2 cans whole kernel corn, drained
1 pint half and half
2 cups milk
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup                 
1 soup can water or chicken broth                                   
6-7 cups cubed potatoes             
1 Tbs butter
salt / pepper
red pepper
small wedge of Velveeta cheese
1 slice American cheese

  1. Fry bacon until crisp, crumble and set aside

  2. Saute onion, green pepper and garlic in olive oil and a little butter

  3. Add remaining ingredients

  4. Cook slow until really hot and flavors have time to meld and potatoes are done

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