Idaho Potato Broccoli And Mushroom Soup

(NAPSI)-There are few better ways to warm up than with a hearty helping of healthful homemade soup. At under 75 cents per serving, Idaho Potato Broccoli and Mushroom Soup is sure to please your wallet and your palate. This simple recipe serves up nicely as a light snack or wholesome main course. With less than 100 calories per serving, you can enjoy every bite of this classic comforting dish.

Idaho Potato Broccoli And Mushroom Soup

Serves 6

Active Time: 25 Minutes

Total Time: 40 Minutes

Ingredients:

Potato Soup Base

1 Idaho Potato, peeled, diced small

½ cup water

1 Tbsp. Butterbud Sprinkles (no-fat butter powder, butter sprinkles)

1 Tbsp. onion powder

1 tsp. chicken bouillon granules

½ cup low-fat evaporated milk

⅛ tsp. white pepper

Idaho Potato Broccoli And Mushroom Soup

1 pint Idaho Potato Soup base

1 small yellow onion, diced

8 oz. frozen cut broccoli, thawed

8 medium mushrooms, sliced

½ cup low-fat evaporated milk

1 tsp. chicken bouillon granules

1 tsp. garlic powder

¼ tsp. ground fennel

¼ tsp. thyme

Directions:

To Prepare Potato Soup Base

1. In a saucepan, bring Idaho Potatoes and water to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10-15 minutes.

2. Add remaining ingredients. Stir to blend. Reduce heat to low.

3. Using an electric hand mixer on medium speed, blend until smooth.

To Prepare Potato Broccoli And Mushroom Soup

4. Prepare Idaho Potato Soup Base.

5. In a nonstick skillet, sauté diced onion over medium heat until tender.

6. Add broccoli and mushrooms. Sauté until mushroom slices are tender.

7. Add mixture and remaining ingredients to soup base. Stir and simmer for 7 to 10 minutes.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: Calories, 78; Cholesterol, 3 mg; Sodium, 88 mg. Percent calories from: Protein, 5 g; Carbohydrates, 13 g; Fat, 1 g.

Hot and hearty soup can warm you up without giving your budget the cold shoulder.

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Create A Beautiful, Inexpensive Soup In A Few Easy Steps

CC Note: Butternut Squash is a favorite of our staff. This recipe has been given the coveted Fayette Front Page 4 chocolate covered strawberries award.

(NAPSI)-Cooking for a special occasion can take all day in a hot kitchen and require costly ingredients, which many of us on a budget can't afford.

This Butternut Squash Soup can begin a spectacular meal. The secret is in the easy-to-make mixture of chives and cooking oil. (Your food processor does all the work for you.) Chives taste like a sweeter, milder version of an onion. That hint of oniony flavor adds spark. If you prefer, leave the peel on the potatoes for a thicker, heartier soup.

Add a few slices of French bread on the side and you have a quick and easy low-cost starter for your special occasion.

Butternut Squash Soup with Chive Oil

Ingredients:

⅓ cup LouAna vegetable or canola oil

7 cups (½-inch) cubed, peeled butternut squash

1½ cups (½-inch) cubed, peeled russet potato

1½ cups chopped onion

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

2 cups half-and-half

Chive Oil:

½ cup vegetable or canola oil

1 (1-ounce) package fresh chives

Preparation and Cooking:

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven (or another thick-walled iron cooking pot with a tight- fitting lid) over medium-high heat. Add squash, potato, onion, salt, pepper and nutmeg to pan; sauté 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat; let stand 15 minutes or until cooled slightly.

Place half of potato mixture and 1 cup half-and-half in a blender; process until smooth. Pour into a serving bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining potato mixture and half-and-half. Cover and keep warm.

Combine ½ cup oil and chives in a blender; process until smooth. Strain mixture through a sieve over a bowl; discard solids. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon chive oil over each serving.

Serves six people.

Visit www.louana.com for more recipes and cooking tips.

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Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
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Campbell's Chunky Healthy Request New England Clam Chowder... m' m' bad...

I love New England Clam Chowder. Being on a perpetual low-fat, low sodium diet I was very happy to run across Campbell's Chunky Healthy Request New England Chowder. Until I got home and took a bite.

It is 97% fat free and has 45% less sodium, which is a good thing. However, either the can I purchased is getting ready to be on the recall list, or it simply tastes bad.

I tried a bite and grimaced. Knowing Campbell's soups I thought it must be MY taste buds. I sipped some water and tried again. Then I tossed the bowl down the disposal.

I can't begin to describe the taste. It was not good. I drank some soda to get the taste out of my mouth it was that horrible.

I know not to expect a taste that matches the 'real deal' which has so many calories just looking at it adds inches to my hips. But I did think it would be palatable. Especially since I've had other Healthy Request soups and thought they were great.

My suggestion if you're craving New England style clam chowder? Make it yourself and cut whatever corners you can or eat a smaller portion of the regular clam chowder.

Cabbage Roll Up

My mouth was watering as I read the recipe for the Onion Pie. It would be delicious using our very own Vidalia onions! I'm most definitely going to try the Corn and Shrimp Soup, too. I have a recipe for Confetti Soup which has a lot of the same ingredients but no shrimp. I may have to toss some seafood into the Confetti Soup to see what that would taste like. I'll share that recipe later since we already have one corn soup in County Cuisine for now.

Here's another idea for a side item to go with the Onion Pie:

Cabbage Roll Ups

1/4 stick butter (or margarine)
1 cup cooked rice (brown rice works well as does regular white rice)
1 large head cabbage
1 1/2 lb. ground round steak
2 Tbsp. minced fresh onion (I usually increase the amount of onions)
1 can tomato sauce OR 1 can tomatoes
garlic salt to taste

Cut around the core of the cabbage and remove. Put head of cabbage into boiling water. As leaves soften, remove and drain. Add cooked rice to raw meat in separate bowl. Saute onions in the butter. Add onions to meat and rice mixture. Mix well by hand; if the mixture feels too dry, add a little bit of the canned tomatoes or sauce.

Holding a cabbage leaf in hand, put a scoop of the meat mixture into center and fold the leaf around it.

Layer in foil lined baking dish. Cover with any remaining cabbage leaves. Pour tomato sauce or tomatoes over the top. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 275 degrees for approximately 2 hours. You'll need to watch it closely as the cabbage will burn. I usually end up adding more tomato sauce.

As a variation you might want to try some of the excellent canned tomato mixes (Italian, Mexican and others).

Putting a little sausage in the mixture (best to cook it just a bit first, although not completely) adds a nice bite.

Happy New Year!
Claire

I suggest Corn and Shrimp Soup!

Cindy, I've never tried onion pie but it sounds like something I might have to try. I may cut back some on the butter and try substituting egg beaters for the eggs. I'm always thinking of my cholesterol and calories.

I have a perfect suggestion for a soup that will set the onion pie off to a T. See what you think about this:

Corn and Shrimp Soup

4 - 3 green onions or scallions
1/2 green bell pepper
4 - 6 stalks celery

Chop the vegetables and then saute in butter or margarine. Set aside.

1 cup water
1 (46 oz) can V-8 Juice (hot or regular)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup*

Simmer water, juice and soup in large pot briefly, just long enough to heat and mix. Add sauteed vegetables. Bring to a boil.

When boiling add:

2 (10 oz) pkgs. frozen corn OR 2 cans niblet corn**

1 to 2 lbs fresh, peeled and deveined shrimp

Cook at medium to medium / low for 10 - 15 minutes (or until corn and shrimp are done). Do not overcook shrimp!

Add to taste any of the following (I suggest all):
salt
pepper
oregano
parsley
cayenne pepper (good for your circulation!)
thyme
sweet basil

Don't overdo it on the spices. Add a pinch or two of each. Simmer for a minute, then sample.

If you'd like to make a richer version add lump crab meat! You can also add chopped carrots and / or red bell peppers to liven up the colors (and the taste). It makes a beautiful presentation.

*Campbell's makes a low sodium and a Healthy Choice mushroom soup that works great if you're watching your health
**I highly recommend using frozen corn, it has a much better flavor and consistency

- Judy P.