TEN SOUPS UNDER $10 - Mealsdaily

Pasta Fagioli with Ramen Soup

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

1 medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

2 cups water

1 cup no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes

½ teaspoon dried oregano

1 (3 ounce) package ramen-noodle soup mix

1 cup rinsed no-salt-added canned cannellini beans

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add water, tomatoes, oregano and 3/4 of the seasoning packet (discard the remainder or save for another use). Bring to a simmer.

Break noodles into bite-size pieces and add to the pan. Cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in beans; cook until warmed. Divide between 2 bowls and sprinkle with parsley.

Corn and Potato Chowder Soup

1 tablespoon butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 pound red potato cubed

1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn (about 7 ounces)

3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1-1/4 cups half-and-half cream, divided

2 green onions, thinly sliced1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

3 Tablespoon flour

In a large saucepan, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir 2-4 minutes or until tender. Add potatoes, corn, broth, 1 cup cream, green onions, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 12-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

In a small bowl, mix flour and remaining cream until smooth; stir into soup. Return to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in parsley.

Mushroom Barley Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

1/2 cup chopped carrot

1/3 cup chopped onion

2 cups water

3/4 cup quick-cooking barley

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 cups whole milk

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms, carrot and onion; cook and stir 5-6 minutes or until tender. Add water and barley. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 12-15 minutes or until barley is tender.

In a small bowl, mix flour, milk, salt and pepper until smooth; stir into soup. Return to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until thickened.

Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup

1 yellow onion

3 cloves garlic

1/2 lb. carrots (about 4 medium)

4 ribs celery

2 split chicken breasts* (2-2.5 lbs. total)

1 tsp dried basil

1 Tbsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

8 cups water

6 oz. wide egg noodles

1 Tbsp salt (or to taste)

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Dice the onion, mince the garlic, peel and slice the carrots, and slice the celery. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery to a 6 quart slow cooker or crock pot. Remove the skin from the bone-in split chicken breasts, then place them on top of the vegetables in the slow cooker. Add the basil, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, and pepper to the slow cooker.

Pour 8 cups of water over the ingredients in the slow cooker. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.

After cooking on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours, carefully remove the chicken to a cutting board and discard the bay leaf. Add the egg noodles to the slow cooker, stir to combine, and replace the lid, with the heat turned on to high.

Use two forks to remove the chicken meat from the bones, shredding the meat as you go. Return the meat to the slow cooker and stir to combine with the soup. The noodles should be tender after about 8-10 minutes of being in the soup (this may take a few minutes longer if the slow cooker was previously set to low).

Once the chicken has been returned to the soup and the noodles are tender, begin seasoning the soup with salt. The true flavor of the soup will not be pronounced until it is properly salted.

Start with 1 tsp salt, adding more until the soup is bold and flavorful. I use about 1 Tbsp (3 tsp). Finally, stir in a handful of chopped parsley for garnish just before serving.

Spinach Soup with Orzo

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 garlic cloves, smashed or minced

1 large onion, diced

1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess water

1 1/2 cups orzo pasta or long-grain rice

4 quarts (8 cups) chicken or vegetable broth

4 large eggs

Juice of 3 medium lemons

Salt

Chopped fresh parsley, for serving

Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven. Add the garlic and onion and cook over medium heat until fragrant and slightly translucent. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the red pepper flakes, spinach, and orzo or rice. Cook for about a minute, then add the broth. Bring to a light simmer, then turn the heat down and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the orzo is just barely tender. Take the soup off the heat and let it cool down for a moment or two. Whisk eggs vigorously in a large bowl, then whisk in the lemon juice. Whisk for a couple minutes; the mixture should be thick, pale yellow, and creamy. Add a small ladleful of the soup broth to the eggs and whisk vigorously. (If you want to be really sure not to curdle the eggs, take a ladle of soup and cool it a bit before tempering the eggs.) Whisk in two more ladles of soup broth, whisking each well and letting them cool.

Add the egg mixture to the soup pot, whisking very well. Return to very low heat, stirring the whole time. Cook carefully over low heat until the soup has thickened slightly. Taste and season with salt as needed. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley and Parmesan if desired.

Beef Chili

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 large onion, diced (about 4 cups)

2 large green pepper, diced (about 2 1/2 cups) (optional)

6 cloves garlic, minced

3 pounds ground beef or ground turkey

2 jars (24 ounces each) Prego® Chunky Roasted Garlic & Herb Italian Sauce

1 cup water

2 cans (15 ounces each) red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup chili powder (increase to 6 tablespoons for more heat)

4 teaspoons ground cumin

Heat oil in 8 quart saucepot over medium heat. Add onions, peppers and garlic and cook until onions are tender.

Season beef with salt and pepper. Add beef to saucepot and cook until browned. Pour off any fat.

Stir in sauce, water, beans, chili powder and cumin and heat to boil. Reduce heat to medium. Cook uncovered 20 minutes.

Taco Soup

1 lb. ground beef

15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

15 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained

15 oz can corn

2 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

2-3 cups chicken broth

Salt and pepper to taste

Optional garnishes: crushed tortilla chips, sour cream, shredded cheese, green onions

Using Saute mode, brown and drain the ground beef.

Add the ground beef back into the multi-cooker insert and add the remaining ingredients (except garnishes).

SLOW COOKER: Cook on low for 8 hours.

STOVETOP: Simmer at 300 F for 30 minutes, allowing flavors to mingle and marry.

Ladle into bowls and top with preferred garnishes.

Potato Soup

Olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 large Russet potatoes, cubed

1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped

5 cups water

2 chicken bouillon cubes

Garlic powder, to taste

Salt and pepper, to taste

Toppings: Chopped bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped red bell pepper, chopped jalapeño peppers

In a large saucepan, saute onion in olive oil for 2 to 3 minutes, until onions begin to soften. Add potato, jalapeño, and water. Cook until simmering. Add bouillon cubes, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cook on low for 15 to 20 minutes, until potatoes are soft.

Use an immersion blender to puree soup to a smooth consistency (alternatively, let the soup cool, transfer to a blender, and pulse until smooth). Serve soup with your choice of toppings.

Ham and Corn Chowder

1-1/2 pounds potatoes (about 3 medium), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

4 cups fresh or frozen corn, thawed (about 20 ounces)

4 cups cubed deli ham

2 small onions, chopped

4 celery ribs, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon pepper

3 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 cups whole milk

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup sour cream

3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Place the first 8 ingredients in a 6-qt. slow cooker. Cook, covered, on low 8-10 hours or until potatoes are tender.

In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and milk until smooth; stir into soup. Cook, covered, on high 20-30 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Add cheese, sour cream and parsley. Stir until cheese is melted.

Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 yellow onion

2 cloves garlic

3/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast

1/2 Tbsp chili powder *

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional) freshly cracked black pepper

1 15oz. can fire roasted tomatoes

1 10oz. can diced tomatoes with green chiles

1 15oz. can black beans

1 cup frozen corn kernels

6 cups chicken broth

Tortilla Crisps

8 6-inch corn tortillas

1 Tbsp cooking oil pinch salt

Optional Toppings

1 avocado

1/4 bunch cilantro

6 Tbsp sour cream

1 lime

Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add the onion, garlic, chicken breast, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne, some freshly cracked pepper (about 10 cranks of a pepper mill), the fire roasted tomatoes (with juices), diced tomatoes with chiles (with juices), black beans (drained), corn, and chicken broth to the slow cooker. Give everything a brief stir, place the lid on the slow cooker, and cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 8 hours.

After cooking on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours, carefully remove the chicken breast, shred it with a fork, then return it to the soup. To make the tortilla crisps, preheat the oven to 400ºF. Stack the tortillas, then slice them into strips that are approximately 1/4-inch wide and 2 to 3-inches long. Place the strips in a bowl, drizzle with cooking oil, and a pinch of salt. Gently toss the strips until they're completely coated in oil.

Spread the oil coated tortilla strips over a baking sheet in a single layer, overlapping as little as possible. Bake them in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, stirring once every five minutes, or until they are deeply golden brown and crispy. The total cook time will depend on the size of your strips and how crowded they are on the baking sheet, so watch them closely and adjust the cook time as needed.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls, top with a handful of the tortilla crisps, some chopped cilantro, a few slices of avocado, and a dollop of sour cream. Squeeze a wedge of fresh lime over top just before eating.