Baby Its Cold Outside

So we have gone from close to 100 degrees to 60!! Thought is would be a good day for soup! Here are couple of favorites.

Tortilla Soup

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 cans (14 oz) chicken broth
2 cans stewed tomatoes -- chopped & with liquid
1 C medium salsa
2 TBSP chopped cilantro

Cook in crockpot for 4 hours on low

Before serving shred chicken and return to soup. Garnish with corn tortillas cut into strips, cilantro, cheese, avocado, or sour cream.

Thanks to Natalie Anderson for the recipe!


Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli


Ingredients
1lb ground beef
1 small onion -- diced
1 C matchstick carrots
3 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2--14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
1--15oz can kidney beans (with liquid)
1--15 oz can great northern beans (with liquid)
1--15 oz can tomato sauce
12-24 oz V-8 juice
2 TBSP white vinegar
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp oregano
1 TBSP dried basil
1/2 tsp pepper 1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 lb ditali pasta ( I actually use about 1/2 of that, because the pasta seems to suck up all of the liquid in the soup! )

Method:
1. Brown ground beef in large saucepan over med heat. Drain off most of the fat. 2. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic and saute for 10 minutes. 3. Add remaining ingredients except for pasta, and simmer for 1 hour. 4. Cook past in boiling, salted water. Drain. 5. Add the pasta to the soup. Simmer for 10 minutes. Serve. Garnish with fresh basil and parmesan.