Potato Cheese Soup
Karen Petersen

½ cup chicken broth
¼ cup onion
5 cups diced potatoes
½ tsp. salt
Pepper
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
2 cups milk
1 8-ounce jar cheese whiz (or just grated cheddar cheese)

Cook broth, onion, potatoes, salt and pepper for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. In a separate pan melt butter; add flour and stir. Add milk and stir until smooth. Add to potatoes. Add cheese; stir. Cook on low until cheese is melted so it won’t curdle. We also like to add cooked bacon.

Taco Soup
Jennifer Hyde

1 pound ground beef
½ cup chopped onion
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 12-ounce can corn, undrained
1 15-ounce can kidney beans, undrained
1 15-ounce diced green chilies (optional)
Tomato juice (optional)
Grated cheddar cheese
Sour cream
Brown ground beef and onions. Add tomatoes, corn, kidney beans, chilies, and taco mix. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes. Add a little tomato juice if soup seems too thick. Top with cheddar cheese and sour cream. Serve with tortilla chips.

New England Clam Chowder
Brattens of Salt Lake

1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onions
3 cups chopped potatoes
2 6 1/2 –ounce cans minced clams
¾ cup flour
¾ cup butter
1 quart half and half
1 ½ tsp. pepper
1 ½ tsp. salt
½ Tbsp. sugar

In a small saucepan place vegetables (celery, onions, potatoes); drain clams and pour the clam juice into the saucepan with vegetables. Add water to cover and simmer 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt butter, add flour and blend with whisk. Add half and half and cook until smooth and thick; being careful not to let it brown. Add vegetables with water to the large pot; add clams, stir. Add seasonings and heat through about 20 minutes.

Minestrone Soup
Janee Walker

1 28-oz. can tomatoes
1 recipe ground beef mix (see below)
1 qt. water
2 large carrots, peeled, sliced
2 8-ounce cans tomato sauce
2 cups beef broth
1 tsp. dried oregano leaves
¼ tsp. pepper
½ tsp. garlic salt
1 Tbsp. dried parsley leaves
½ tsp. basil leaves
1 15-oz. can garbanzo beans, drained
1 16-oz. can green beans, drained
1 15-oz. can kidney beans, drained
1¼ cups mostaccioli macaroni, uncooked
Parmesan cheese for garnish

Puree tomatoes in blender. In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine beef mix, pureed tomatoes, water, carrots, tomato sauce, broth, parsley, basil, oregano, pepper, and garlic salt. Bring to a boil. Cover; simmer over low heat about 20 minutes. Add all beans. Bring to a boil; add macaroni. Cook 15 to 20 minutes until macaroni is tender. Garnish with parmesan cheese. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Ground Beef Mix
This basic mix can be used in most casseroles that call for a meat mixture. Make a whole batch and freeze. For above recipe use 2 cups of mixture.
5 lbs lean ground beef
1 Tbsp. salt
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup diced green pepper

In large pot or Dutch oven, brown ground beef over medium-high heat, stirring to break up meat. Drain; discard drippings. Stir in salt, celery, onions and green pepper. Cover; simmer over low heat until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; cool on rack. Freeze in 2 cup quantities. Makes six packages. Use within 3 months.

Manhattan Clam Chowder
Malinda Walker

2 slices bacon
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup potato, chopped
½ cup carrots, diced
½ cup celery, diced
1 chicken bouillon cube
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
2 cups water
1 16-oz. can tomatoes
1 8-oz can whole clams, drained, reserve liquid

Dice the bacon very fine, and cook in 3 quart saucepan. Drain all but 1 Tbsp. of drippings. Add onion and celery and cook until transparent. Add 2 cups water, reserved clam liquid, carrots, and potatoes. Simmer until vegetables are tender. Add tomatoes, bay leaf and thyme. Simmer slightly, and then add clams. Do not let chowder boil after you have added the clams. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Creamy Potato Soup
Patti Walker

6 cups potatoes, diced
2 cups carrots, shredded
5 cups water
5 tsp. instant chicken bouillon
2 ½ tsp. onion salt
½ cup butter
2 Tbsp. flour
1 cup cream

Mix potatoes, carrots, water, bouillon and onion salt; cook until potatoes are tender. Melt butter and add flour. Stir until smooth. Add to soup and cook until thick and bubbly. Add cream. Heat through and serve.

Baked Potato Soup
Rachel Walker

4 potatoes
2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup flour
1½ quarts milk
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
4 green onions, chopped
1 cup sour cream
1 cup bacon, crisp cooked and crumbled

Heat oven to 350 degrees and bake potatoes until fork tender. Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Slowly blend in flour with a wire whisk until thoroughly blended. Gradually add milk to the butter-flour mixture, whisking constantly. Whisk in salt and pepper and simmer over low heat, stirring constantly. Cut potatoes in half, scoop out the meat and set aside. Chop half the potato peels and discard the remainder. When milk mixture is very hot; whisk in potato. Add green onion and potato peels. Whisk well, add sour cream and bacon. Heat thoroughly. Add cheese a little at a time until it is melted.