{warm up your insides}

Yep. I just checked. It's still cold outside.

Ya know, I am not at all one to complain. I'm really not. Even you know that. I can be happy in any circumstance and in any weather. Life is simply too amazing to mope around for even a moment. But I have to be honest, I am kinda ACHING for spring. I don't know what it is about this winter, but it sure seems to be dragging. Jeff and I are so ready (as are the babies) to bask in the sunlight as we play outside all day long. I'm starting to feel a little bit like my kids on a "long" road trip (to my little ones, "long" is anything longer than about 15 minutes, by the way)..."Are we THERE YET???" Seriously, as happy as I am to cherish and live every moment of every day, I can't help but experience that rare whiny moment, thinking...."Hey Spring....are you HERE YET??"  Hmm. It's snowing today. Don't get me wrong - I actually don't mind the snow. I do choose to live here in Utah and I love the happy whiteness everywhere. I'm just saying that I wouldn't be sad if I woke up tomorrow to a 70 degree day with sunshine!

At any rate, despite my desires, it's still snowing. It's still cold, which means that we get to make our OWN "sunshine." YAY! My favorite way to warm up in the winter, is with SOUP!!! I love soup. Do you love it as much as I do? Goodness...Jeff and I both can't seem to get enough of it. I am fairly certain that our patronage of Zupas and Kneaders (for their soups) has provided at least enough to cover their utilities for the past few months (perhaps a slight exaggeration, but you get the idea). And here at home, we love soups as well. Therefore, I decided that I would share three of my all-time favorite soup recipes with you today. All three of these recipes are simply divine and MAJOR "crowd-pleasers."

Hey...if we can't bask in the sunlight together, we might as well warm up our insides together.  Enjoy!

WHITNEY'S CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

2-3 frozen chicken breasts
1 large can diced tomatoes
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 C. salsa
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 can black beans (drained - you can rinse if you'd like...but not necessary)
1 can mild green chilis

Add everything to crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours. Remove chicken from soup after 8 hours and shred. Return shredded chicken to soup and serve with cheese, sour cream and either tortilla chips or fresh salsa. (Adding 3 chicken breasts will make it a thicker soup...I like it that way).

AMBER'S CORN CHOWDER

1 stick butter
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 can cream of potato soup
1  14oz. can of chicken broth
8 oz. pkg of cream cheese
4 can white & yellow corn
1 pint of half & half
1 bunch of green onions
3 tsp. creole seasoning
 
Melt butter in pan add chopped green onions and saute. Add broth & soups to onions and cook on medium heat & stir until smooth. Add corn & heat until warm. Add half & half & chunks of cream cheese. Stir until cream cheese is melted then add creole seasoning.  Then Enjoy!

HEATHER'S POTATO SOUP PERFECTION

3 T butter
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 T flour
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can chicken broth
1/2 t Salt
1/4 t white pepper
1/4 t black pepper
1 t dried basil
dash of tabasco sauce
1/2 t garlic salt
1 C half & half
1-2 C frozen or canned corn
4-5 potatoes, cut into chunks

Garnish With:
Grated chedder cheese
Sour Cream
Crumbled bacon
Chopped green onions

Melt butter in 2-quart saucepan on medium heat. Add onion and saute for 2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the onions and cook about a minute, stirring often. Gradually add chicken broth. Add potatoes, corn, salt, white and black pepper, basil, tabasco and garlic salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes. Stir occasionally. Stir in half & half; heat through. Serve with garnishes. Serves 4,  but doubles easily.

*I like to give credit where credit is due ("...so thank the bank for the money, thank God for you.." [LOL! Sorry...that phrase made me think of that song]), so each recipe is titled with the name of the dear friend that passed it along to me. Thanks, friends! :-)

Comments

[Lynn]

I have been making Whitney's Chicken Tortilla Soup ever since you introduced it to me! It's SO famous up here now at our ward or stake suppers. ; ) Everyone loves it!

Now I can't wait to try the others. Thanks for sharing! Looking so forward to Spring as well! lol.