Chicken or Turkey Broth from Lisa Peacock
(this is used in some of the recipes so here it is at the top)

1. Place bones with bits of meat from bone in pot with water and bring slowly to rolling boil:
   4 to 5 pounds chicken or turkey pieces
   4 quarts water
2. Add remaining ingredients, reduce heat, cover and simmer 3 to 5 hours adding water as needed to keep bones covered. The longer the stock simmers, the richer the broth will be:
   2 carrots, chopped
   1/2 teaspoon marjoram
   1/4 teaspoon sweet basil
   3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar or sliced lemon (releases calcium from bones)
   small onion, chopped
   handful of celery leaves, chopped
   few sprigs of fresh parsley (I use 1 teaspoon of dried because I usually don't buy fresh)
   1 bay leaf
   2 teaspoons salt, optional
3. For clearer stock, skim any gray foam off the top as stock simmers.
4. Strain, saving bits of meat. Refrigerate. When fat has risen to the top skim off. Freeze stock in desired portions, or use within 2 days.
5. If desired, cook in crock-pot on low 8-10 hours or on high for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours.

Middle Eastern Lentil Soup from Lisa Peacock
4 to 6 servings (9 cups if made in crock pot)

1. Bring to a boil for 3 minutes, reduce heat and simmer at very gentle boil until lentils are tender, about 30 to 60 minutes:
   1 1/2 cups lentils
   7 cups water or Vegetable Stock (see recipe below)
   1 medium onion, chopped
   1 large or 2 medium ribs celery, chopped
   1 large or 2 medium carrots, diced
   1 clove garlic, minced
2. Puree at least half the soup in blender and pour back into soup pot.
3. Blend in and simmer 15 minutes longer:
   6 Tablespoons Liquid Aminos (this is a salt substitute with kind of a soy sauce flavor)
   Juice of one lemon or 4 teaspoons bottled juice
   1 teaspoon ground cumin seed
   1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, optional for added flavor
4. Add 5 to 10 minutes before serving:
   1/2 cup minced fresh parsley or 1-2 Tablespoons dried parley
   grated cheddar, jack or Parmesan cheese, optional
   Variations:

1. Add 1 1/2 to 3 cups canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, juice or pasta sauce, to taste: in place of cumin add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon each of thyme and marjoram, to taste.
2. Add 1 bunch fresh or 10 oz. Frozen chopped spinach.
3. Add 1 or 2 cups cooked diced potatoes after blending soup.

Vegetable Soup Stock from Lisa Peacock
About 2 quarts

1. Measure 9 to 10 cups vegetables (scraps + additional vegetables as needed into large soup pot:
   saved vegetable scraps (see note below)
   up to 3 cups carrots (scrubbed, coarsely chopped)
   up to 3 cups onions (peeled, coarsely chopped)
   bunch of celery tops
   small zucchini and/or green pepper, optional
2. Add 4 quarts water, cover, and bring to a boil; boil 3 minutes.
3. Uncover, reduce heat to simmer and cook at very gentle boil until the water is about half the volume.
4. Pour stock through a colander into a large bowl. Discard vegetables and refrigerate stock in covered containers until well cooled.
5. Use stock within 2 days or freeze in desired portions.
   Variations:

1. For additional flavor, saute vegetables (not the scraps) in 1 Tablespoon olive oil in bottom of soup pot before adding vegetable scraps and water.
2. For a quicker preparation method just cover whatever vegetable scraps you have with water; bring to boil for 3 minutes, cover and simmer 2 1/2 hours to extract all the nutrients.

Split Pea Soup from Lisa Peacock
4 to 6 servings

1. Bring peas and water to a boil for 3 minutes; reduce heat to very gentle boil until peas are tender, 45 to 60 minutes:
   8 cups water
   2 cups split peas
2. Add and continue at a very gentle boil until vegetables are tender, about 15 to 25 minutes:
   1 medium onion, chopped
   3 medium carrots, diced or sliced
   3 ribs celery, chopped, or bunch of chopped celery leaves
   1 bay leaf
   up to 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, to taste
3. Remove bay leaf.
4. Puree part or all of soup in blender, as desired. Blending helps to thicken soup and increase flavor.
5. Garnish, as desired with:
   grated cheddar, jack or Parmesan cheese
   Spike Seasoning
   Variations:

1. Add 1 cup cooked brown rice or barley, or 1-2 cups cooked diced potatoes to soup after blending. If you do not plan to blend any or most of the soup, add 1/2 cup raw rice or barley, or the potatoes to cook with the split peas.
2. Add 10 oz. Frozen or 1 head chopped fresh spinach to soup after blending.

Creole Bean Soup from Lisa Peacock
12 cups (eight 1 1/2 cup servings)

1. Bring water to a boil, add black beans and boil for 7 minutes; add black-eyed peas and boil 3 minutes longer:
   4 cups water
   1 cup black beans
   1 cup black-eyed peas
2. Meanwhile, place in crock-pot:
   4 cups water
   1 chopped onion
   1 chopped green pepper
   1 bay leaf
   1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
   1 teaspoon sweet basil leaves
   1/2 teaspoon rosemary (crush between fingers)
3. Add boiled beans and water to ingredients in crock-pot, turn o n low and cook overnight.
4. Add and continue to cook on low 30 minutes or longer (this soup can be left to brew for many hours if needed):
   14.5 oz. Can stewed tomatoes
   8 oz. Can tomato sauce, no salt added
   10 oz. Package (2 cups) frozen corn
   2 Tablespoons honey
   1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste
   1/4 cup butter, optional for added flavor
5. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Navy and French Green Bean Soup from Lisa Peacock
8 servings

1. Soak beans in water during day or overnight:
   8 cups water
   2 cups navy or small white beans
2. Bring undrained beans to a boil and boil for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to keep at very gentle boil for 1 hour until beans are tender; or pour into crock-pot and cook on low overnight.
3. Drain the beans, reserving the bean liquid
4. Combine in soup or crock-pot:
   2 cups of the cooked beans
   2 cups Chicken Broth
   3 cups bean liquid (or add water as needed to make 3 cups total)
   1/2 cup Liquid Aminos
   1 large onion, chopped
   3 ribs celery, chopped
   2 cloves garlic, minced
   1 fresh or canned green chile, finely chopped
   1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
   2 bay leaves
5. In soup pot, bring soup to a boil, reduce heat and cook at very gentle boil until vegetables are just tender, about 15 to 25 minutes. In crock-pot cook on high 1 hour or low 2 hours or until ready to serve.
6. In blender puree remaining cooked beans with liquid. Add blended beans and French beans to soup, cooking 10 minutes longer:
   cooked beans remaining
   1 cup bean liquid + water or 1 cup water
   10 oz. Package (2 cups) frozen French cut green beans
   2 cups chicken or turkey, optional
7. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Corn Chowder from Lisa Peacock

4 to 6 servings

1. Heat in soup pot:
   1 quart lowfat or nonfat milk
2. Pour all but 1 cup frozen corn in blender. Set aside reserved cup of corn; puree corn in blender with enough of the hot milk to blend easily:
   20 oz. Package (4 cups) frozen corn (blend 3 cups only)
3. Add to hot milk in soup pot and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 to 30 minutes:
   pureed corn
   reserved 1 cup corn
   1 small red or green pepper, chopped
   1/4 cup chopped onion
   1 large or 2 medium potatoes, peeled and grated
   1 bay leaf
   1/4 teaspoon paprika
4. Add (optional for added flavor)
   1 teaspoon salt, to taste
   1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
   Spike Seasoning
5. Remove bay leaf before serving.
   Variations:

1. Saute onion and pepper in the 1 Tablespoon butter for added flavor.
2. Chop potato into small pieces instead of grating; soup will not be quite as thick. Leave potatoes unpeeled if desired.

Tortilla Soup from Laurie Moody

1 can fat-free refried beans
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup chopped chicken
1 can whole kernel corn, with liquid
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained (or 1 1/2 cups cooked beans)
3/4 cup chunky salsa
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
Tortilla chips

1. Combine first six ingredients in 3-quart pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the refried beans are completely mixed with the other ingredients. Turn down heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1 cup cheese and stir until melted. Remove from heat.
2. Crumble 3 to 4 chips in bottom of each serving bowl. Ladle soup over chips and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Butternut Soup from Laurie Moody

1 cup dry navy beans, cooked
2 tbl. butter
1 1/2 cups each: chopped onion and celery
1 large chopped butternut squash
2 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup chives, chopped for garnish

1. Saute onion, celery and squash in butter in a 1 quart saucepan for about 1 minute. Add chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.
2. With a large spoon, mash some of the squash pieces against the sides of the saucepan. Stir in beans and simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve with chives as garnish.

Red Bean Gumbo with Greens from Lisa Peacock

2 to 3 large bunches greens - stems removed and discarded
1/3 cup canola oil
6 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tbl. paprika
2 bay leaves
3/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
3/4 tsp. pepper
2 large onions, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
5 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
3 cups cooked red kidney beans

1. Cook the greens in a large pot of boiling salted water until they're tender, about 12 minutes. Scoop them out, reserving the water. Coarsely chop and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, make the roux: In a wide, heavy soup pot heat the oil over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour, reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring constantly with a flat wooden spoon, until the roux is dark reddish brown, 10 to 15 minutes. (This red roux is what gives the gumbo its distinctive rich taste.) Stir in the seasonings, then add the vegetables. Cook for 5 minutes, then stir in the garlic, 2 1/2 tsp. salt, and 2 quarts water or liquid from the greens or home-cooked beans. Continue stirring until the liquid comes to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the beans and greens and cook for 15 minutes more.
3. Taste test to see if you need more salt or pepper.
4. Serve over plain boiled or steamed white or brown rice, or mix rice into the gumbo.

Taco Soup from Laurie Moody

lb. Ground beef (I use ground turkey since it is leaner and less expensive)
small onion, minced
chili powder, garlic powder
1 (16 oz.) can diced tomatoes with green chilis, not drained
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 can kidney beans (drained and rinsed for less gas)
1 can black beans (drained and rinsed for less gas)
2.5 cups of water
1 pkg. Taco seasoning mix
1 pkg. Ranch salad dressing mix
***I usually use dry beans, which requires planning ahead by soaking them and a much longer cooking time (the crock pot is easiest). I always do an extra rinse for less gas.

1. Brown meat with onion and listed seasonings to taste. Drain grease and add rest of ingredients.
2. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer 15 minutes. Add more water if desired.
3. Serve with sour cream, cheddar cheese and tortilla chips.