Mom's Potato Soup

3 cups potatoes, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
1/2 c celery, diced
1 med onion, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup water
2 cups milk
1 Tbs butter or margarine
1/4 tsp parsley flakes
shredded cheddar cheese
dash of pepper

Cook potatoes, carrots, celery, and onion in water. Boil then simmer until vegetables are tender. Mash vegetables and add milk, butter, parsley flakes, and pepper. Serve warm, sprinkled with cheese.

Autumn Soup

1 pound ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
4 cups water
1 cup carrots, cut up
1 cup celery, cut up
1 cup potatoes, cut up
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp drippings (from browned meat)
1 bay leaf, crumbled
1 pinch basil
6 whole tomatoes, cut into wedges

Brown beef and add onion. Cook five minutes. Add water, carrots, celery, potatoes and seasonings. Mix thoroughly. Bring to boil, cover, simmer twenty minutes. Add tomatoes. Cover and simmer 10 minutes longer.
Serves about six people.

Taco Soup

I was supposed to make "Taco Soup" for a Womens church activity and I couldn't find my recipe anywhere. So, I looked online, and found another family members version of it. None of them looked like the one I remembered or recognized as Taco Soup. So, I went through my cupboards and just kind of made up my own recipe! It turned out pretty well, I think. I liked it anyway... so here is what I did.

1 can Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 can tomatoes and green chilies
1 can condensed tomato soup
4 cans water (from soup can)
1/3 cup taco seasoning or 2 packets
2 cups salsa
1 pound ground hamburger
Shredded cheese, sour cream, taco chips (optional)

In frying pan, brown hamburger. Sprinkle about half of the taco seasoning or one packet onto the hamburger and stir. Remove from heat when hamburger is coated in seasoning. Pour soup into crock pot, along with water. Add beans, tomatoes and chilies, salsa, meat and remaining taco seasoning. Stir together. Cook on low 5 to 6 hours or high 3 to 4, stirring occasionally. Serve with taco chips, sour cream and shredded cheese.

Country Six-Bean Soup Mix

1/2 cup dried red beans
1/2 cup dried navy beans
1/2 cup dried pinto beans
1/2 cup dried baby lima beans
1/2 cup dried kidney beans
1/2 cup Great Northern beans
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp dried minced onion
1 Tbsp dried parsley flakes
2 Tbsp beef bouillon granules
1 tsp  dried minced garlic
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
4 to 5 cups water
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, with Italian seasonings
8 ounces smoked sausage links, sliced or 2 smoked ham hocks
hot pepper sauce or red wine vinegar (optional)

Place beans in a large bowl, cover with water.  Soak 6 to 8 hours, or overnight.  Drain beans and discard water.  Combine soaked beans, water, tomatoes, sausage, onion, parsley, bouillon, garlic, thyme, oregano, pepper, pepper flakes, and bay leaves into Dutch Oven.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Cover; reduce heat and simmer 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until beans are tender.  Serve.

***May also be cooked in a Crock pot.