INGREDIENTS
1 pound sliced turkey bacon
3 cups chopped celery
1/2 cup diced onion
4 cups corn
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups chopped carrots
3 cups cubed cooked chicken
4 cans creamed corn
2 cups fat free half-and-half
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS
In a large soup kettle or Dutch oven, cook bacon until crisp. Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings. Crumble bacon and set aside.
Saute celery and onion in drippings until tender. Add corn, broth and carrots; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in remaining ingredients and heat through.

INGRIDIENTS:

2 oz dried shitake mushrooms

10 cups chicken stock or low sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil

1/3 cup chopped fresh ginger

2 tablespoons fresh garlic (minced)

3/4 teaspoons crushed red pepper (add more if you want hot soup)

1/2 lb chicken or tofu (cut into bit size pieces)

1/4 cup line juice

3 tablespoons cornstarch

3 tablespoons soy sauce (optional)

1 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)

2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions

DIRECTIONS:  Combine shitake mushrooms and 3 cups of chicken stock in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.  Remove from the heat and let stand until mushrooms are tender and broth is flavorful about 30 minutes.  Remove mushrooms and discard stems.  Thinly slice caps and reserve.  Strain broth through a fine mesh sieve and combine with the remaining chicken stock and set aside.  In a medium sauce pan heat the vegetable oil adding ginger, garlic, crushed red peppers and cook for 2 minutes (if you don’t want to use oil then just sautee in broth until soft).  add the chicken or tofu and stir to combine.  In a small bowl or cup combine the lime juice and the cornstarch and bring to a boil and stir until smooth (if you don’t want a thick soup, then leave cornstarch out) then add mixture to the hot soup and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 5 minutes.  Add soy sauce and sesame oil (optional) and serve the soup.  Garnish with some sliced scallions.

COMMEMTS:  This soup is great.  If you want hotter soup then add more red pepper flakes.  This soup freezes very well also.  Don’t forget the broth is a liquid, so if you eat the tofu and vegetables, it is then considered a meal and you are limited to the amounts you can eat. 

SERVES: This amount of soup feeds about 8 servings, takes 30 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook. 

INGREDIENTS:

5 lbs butternut squash

3 tablespoons butter

4 large leaks (chopped coarse)

5 cups of chicken broth (low salt or homemade)

1/2 teaspoon white pepper (opt)

1/2 cup low-fat sour cream

3 tablespoons chopped chives

6 slices turkey bacon, crisp and chopped medium pieces

7 sprigs thyme or 1 teaspoon dry

1 1/4 tablespoons salt

DIRECTIONS:  Pre-heat oven to 350.  cut squash length wise, scoop out seeds.  Place squash cut side down on a baking sheet.  Cook for 40-60 minutes or until soft.  Let cool for a while, then scoop out flesh.  Melt butter in a stock pot, add leeks and thyme.  Cook at medium heat until leeks are soft and light brown.  Remove thyme sprigs if used.  Add squash and stock to pot.  Cook 20-25 min.  Blend with a stick blender or in batches in a regular blender until smooth.  Add more stock to thin to desired consistency.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish with a small dollop of sour cream and 1 teaspoon each of chives and bacon.

NOTE: Wash leeks well as they normally contain lots of sand.  The best way is to cut long way, then wash each part of the stem.  run under cold water at least twice.