Grandma's Green Bean Soup

My Grandma Jeffers has been making this soup for I don't know how long. She doesn't have an exact recipe for it so I just had her tell me what's in it. I've made it several times and I think I finally have it about the way she makes it. (More or less)

Ingredients:

1 lb FRESH green beans (I actually always guesstimate the amount)
1-2 cloves chopped garlic
1 Tbs butter
1/2 lb (more or less) chopped bacon
1-2 onions chopped
milk (I really don't know how much I put in. Maybe 2-3 cups.)
tsp garlic salt or whatever salt

I usually use the kitchen scissors to chop up the bacon. Toss it in the pan with the onion on about medium. Saute until the onions are tender. (5-8 minutes) Cut off ends of green beans and chop into bite-sized pieces. Put in boiling water for about 4 minutes so that they are a bit tender. Peel and cut potatoes in half. Toss them in boiling water for about 5-8 minutes. Don't let them get mushy. Then pull them out and cut them into bite-sized cubes. Put garlic, butter, green beans and potatoes in the pan. Saute a few more minutes before adding the milk. Put in enough milk so that it is soupy. Sometimes I add a little chicken broth. Toss in the salt. Heat 5 or so more minutes and... voila! Grandma's green bean soup. I usually have it for dinner the first night and freeze the rest for later. Hope you like it.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

This is a staple at our house especially during the winter months. What I usually do is have a roast chicken the first night. Then boil the remainder the next night, let it cool, and tear off all the meat. Then I use the water that I boiled the chicken with in the soup. This is a bit of work but you really get a lot out of your chicken that way. If you want it to go faster I have also simply boiled chicken breasts or thighs and then cut them or tore them into strips.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

In a large saucepan, saute:

• 1 chopped medium onion (about 1 cup) and
• 2 minced garlic cloves (about 2 tsps) in
• 2 tbsps vegetable oil

over low heat for 5 minutes until onion is softened.

Add:

• one 4 ounce can green chiles -- chopped,
• a 15-ounce can italian-style stewed tomatoes (chopped and with their own juice),
• 4 cups chicken broth,
• 1 tsp lemon pepper, (I've never made it with this just because I don't have any.)
• 2 tsps worcestershire sauce,
• 1 tsp chili powder,
• 1 tsp ground cumin (I haven't used this either but now that I have some I should try it.)
  
• 1/2 tsp hot sauce.
• Salt and pepper to taste
  

Simmer for 20 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine 4 tbsp flour with 1/2 cup water and whisk into soup. Bring the soup back to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add 1 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into small cubes. (I've used left over chicken from a whole baked chicken before)

Simmer for 5 minutes.

You can put a dallop of sour cream in each bowl. Sometimes we put sliced avocado and cilantro in our bowl of soup too.

Cut 4 store-bought corn tortillas into 1/4 inch strips. Lay them on a baking sheet with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes or until they are lightly toasted and crispy. Sprinkle lightly with salt if desired. Garnish strips across the top of the finished soup with fresh coriander. (Again I haven't used the coriander)

You might also like this chicken breast dinner or this chicken and stuffing dish.  I make them both about once every month or so.