Soup's on!

My meeting was nice today, we talked about Soup! I love soup! Fall is a great season for soup and there's nothing like a big pot of something yummy simmering on the stove. Eli (my six-year-old) will be the first to tell you that Split Pea Soup is his favorite food. We've been known to have it in the middle of summer just to satisfy him.

Here are some of my favorite recipes:

White Bean Chicken Chili(I usually omit the butter or use just a couple of teaspoons)

Beef Macaroni Soup

Smoky Pinto Bean Soup (I add 1 c. chopped carrots, 1 c. chopped zucchini and 1/2 cup honey barbecue sauce at the same time as the tomatoes--and I only use half or even less of the bacon it calls for. You don't need much bacon to get all the flavor.)

Nana's Pea Soup
1 ham bone or 2 smoked ham hocks
4 quarts water, more if needed
1 bay leaf
1 medium onion, whole and unpeeled
1 Tbsp salt
2 lbs split peas
2 large carrots (I sometimes use more)
3 medium potatoes
1 Tbsp salt
Cubed ham (optional--well, not in my family)

Combine bone, water, bay leaf, onion,salt and peas in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently for 2-3 hours. Once the peas are mushy and the soup is thick, remove the ham hock, onion and bay leaf. Add the carrots, potatoes and salt. Simmer until the vegetables are very tender. Add some leftover ham if you have it and heat through. Makes a huge pot and freezes well.

Broccoli Cheese Soup
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 can 98% fat-free broccoli cheese soup
1 pkg frozen broccoli, thawed
3 1/2 cups 1% milk
2 cups frozen hashbrowns
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup low-fat cheddar cheese (optional)
cubed ham (optional)

In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until broccoli reaches desired tenderness. Add cheddar cheese as desired. Serve with croutons and additional cheese or bacon bits. YUM!

I have figured out the points values for most of these soups, but I'm not including them because sometimes I'm lazy and I just round the numbers--I don't want to upset anyone if they get different numbers. If you want the points values that I use or have any questions about the recipes, please email me: benandluella@netzero.net. Enjoy!