Soups and Stews 7

This is soup set 7 we have 5 more remaining... If you'd like to see all the soups, stews and chowders in this series please check out the soup index, here.

Wild Rice Mushroom Soup
¾ cup wild rice, rinsed
1 lb mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: 1 cup milk or cream (for creaminess)
Optional: chopped parsley for garnish

To make: in a large pot, heat oil or butter over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery; sauté for 5 minutes. Add garlic and mushrooms; cook until mushrooms are browned and have released their juices, about 8 minutes. Stir in rice, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Next add the broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 45–50 minutes, until rice is tender. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in milk or cream if using, and heat through (do not boil). Taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with parsley if desired.

Black Bean Soup
2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, drained and rinsed (or 3 cups cooked black beans)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
4 cups vegetable broth
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice of 1 lime
Optional: 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Optional toppings: sour cream, cilantro, avocado, chopped green onions

To make: heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, and bell pepper; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, chili powder, and paprika; cook for 1 minute. Stir in black beans, diced tomatoes, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20–25 minutes. Use an immersion blender to partially puree the soup for a creamy texture, leaving some beans whole. Stir in lime juice, salt, and pepper. Adjust seasoning as needed. Serve with desired optional toppings.

Pinto Bean Stew
2 cans (15 oz each) pinto beans, drained and rinsed (or 3 cups cooked pinto beans)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice of 1 lime
Optional: 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced (for heat)
Optional Garnish: chopped cilantro

To make: heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, and jalapeño(if using) and sauté until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and oregano; cook for 1 minute. Stir in pinto beans, diced tomatoes, and broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 20–30 minutes. If desired, use a potato masher to mash some of the beans for a thicker stew. Stir in lime juice, salt, and pepper. Adjust seasoning. Garnish with cilantro if desired.
 

Easy Chicken a la King and Rice by Dollar Tree Dinners
1 can chicken a la king or any chicken vegetable soup
1 packet knorr chicken and rice

To make: mix your soup with the knorr rice mix and add 3-3 ½ cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the rice is cooked.


Ham and Bean Soup
1 lb dried navy beans or great northern beans, soaked overnight and drained (or 3 cans, 15 oz each, drained and rinsed)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 ham bone or 2 cups diced cooked ham
8 cups chicken broth or water
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes

Note: if using dried beans, place them in a pot with fresh water, bring to a boil, then simmer for 60–90 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside.

To make: in a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, and bay leaf; cook for 1 minute. Add beans, ham bone or diced ham, broth, and tomatoes if using. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour (if using ham bone), or 30 minutes (if using diced ham). Remove ham bone, shred any meat from the bone and return the meat to your soup. Discard the bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper.

💗 Jo