Did anyone out there know about the US Potato Board? See, you learn new things every day! Seriously though, there are quite a few recipes and even some videos on the site, and I was inspired to combine a few of the recipes to make this soup. The soup was thick but I liked the mix of vegetables and chicken, and it needed just a bit of salt and pepper at the table.

Potatoes are nutritious, and they are also good for the budget. Make sure you keep a few on hand, and next time you are snowed in, you can give a new potato recipe a try!

2 c. chicken broth
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 1/4 lbs. potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 c. skim milk
1 (10 oz.) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 chicken breast, cooked and cut into bite sized pieces
1 c. reduced fat cheddar cheese
1/2 t thyme
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper

Heat chicken broth in a large pot. Add vegetables, and simmer covered for 20-30 minutes. Mash vegetables in the pot with a potato masher. Add the remaining ingredients, and cook for 10-20 minutes more, or until heated through.

A coworker gave me her white chili recipe a few weeks ago, and this weekend’s snowstorm provided the perfect opportunity to give it a try. I modified the recipe a bit, mostly because I had two zucchini in my produce drawer that had to be used. The final result was great – a relatively mild chili, with nice chunks of chicken, beans, and veggies. The original recipe called for 2 small cans of jalapeno peppers, so feel free to add those in if you wish!

1 1/2 lbs. boneless chicken breast
1 T olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 medium zucchini, chopped
1 T minced garlic
1 T chili powder
Dash cayenne pepper
3 c. chicken broth
2 (15 oz.) cans small white beans, rinsed and drained
2 c. shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese

Simmer chicken breasts in water for 10-12 minutes. Remove from water and let cool, and then shred and set aside. (This can be done in advance.) In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, zucchini, garlic, and spices. Cook for 10-15 minutes, until vegetables are softened. Add broth, beans, chicken, and cheese, and simmer for 30 minutes.

I was craving tomato soup, and while I normally associate it with a Campbell’s can, I wanted to make my own. I intended to follow this recipe, except then I really didn’t, but the final result was great. A nice warm bowl of soup, ready to be paired with a grilled cheese.

2 T reduced fat margarine or butter
1 onion, chopped finely
1 carrot, chopped finely
1 T flour
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 c. water
1 t Italian seasoning
1 t garlic powder
1 c. milk

Heat margarine or butter in a large saucepan. Add onion and carrot, and saute for 5 minutes. Add 1 T flour and stir for a minute. Add tomatoes, water, and seasonings, and simmer covered for 20 minutes. Add milk, and heat through.

I have a new favorite recipe for leftover turkey! This soup from recipegirl is easy to make and you might even have most of the ingredients on hand. I left out the chilies and kept things mild, but you can certainly make this as spicy as you wish.

The first time I had cassoulet years ago, I remember being astounded by the amount of meat, so I was excited to try this vegetarian recipe from Smitten Kitchen. She admitted though, to adding some kielbasa to the pot and liking it. Writing as a non-vegetarian, I have to agree that just a little bit of meat would take this dish to a new level. Does this sound familiar? Yes, I made a similar dish just a couple of months ago. But regardless of what you choose to add meat or not, this is a great meal, actually many meals, since my largest soup pot was just about full!

I figured I would like this soup, but had no idea it would turn out so incredibly well. I used this recipe as a guide, but instead of the brats, I used 2 slices of thick cut bacon which lent plenty of flavor to the whole pot. I also skipped the caraway seeds and the beer, but by all means, put whatever you like into the pot. I kept things simple with salt and pepper.

Please excuse the Tupperware photo, as unfortunately I had to enjoy this soup at my office rather than an Irish pub. I’d definitely recommend you give this soup a try, and if you’re really in the mood to make an Irish meal, bake a loaf of Irish Soda bread too.

My Mom and sister asked me to try to replicate the pumpkin soup they enjoyed from Au Bon Pain, and Halloween night seemed like a good time to try. I used this recipe, and substituted half and half for the heavy cream. The result was still a rich and flavorful soup, with a smooth texture.

This soup isn’t just green, it’s three different shades of green (leek, chard, and yes, more spinach) accented by bright orange sweet potatoes. The recipe was posted by Heidi at 101 Cookbooks. As Heidi also pointed out, the original recipe indicated the soup should be blended at the end, but it’s really optional in this case. I am far too lazy to puree a soup that already looks this nice. The flavor is very light, and it definitely needed a bit of salt and pepper at the end, but the vegetables get a chance to shine here.

Another great crockpot recipe – I told you mine was now on the counter for the season! I used boneless chicken thighs, threw in some extra mushrooms, and cut the sweet potatoes into bite sized pieces. It cooked in about 4 1/2 hours, so even if you get a late start, you can have a nice Sunday dinner.

Here’s one for those of you who asked for more crockpot meals. Butternut squash is one of my favorite fall foods, and this recipe was fantastic! The vegetables simmered in the crockpot with lentils and broth to become a hearty soup. Towards the end of the cooking time, I mashed the squash with a fork to give the dish a thicker texture. And now that my crockpot is out for the season, I have a long list of things to try…