2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
4 cups sliced onion
3 cups beef broth
1 1/2 cups water
1 Tablespoon cooking sherry
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 dash dried thyme
1 cup soft croutons
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

 Melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Add onions and cook 20 minutes,
stirring occasionally. Add beef broth, water, sherry, Worcestershire sauce,
pepper, and thyme to pot. Increase heat and bring to boil, then reduce
heat. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Divide into bowls. Top with
croutons, then mozzarella. Broil until cheese melts and begins to brown.

Broccoli-Cheese Soup

1 1/2 pounds broccoli, fresh
2 cups water
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cornstarch, mixed with 1 cup cold water
1 pint half and half
1 pound Velveeta
1/2 teaspoon pepper

 Steam or boil broccoli until tender.
 Place half-and-half and 2 cups water in top of double boiler.
Add cheese, salt and pepper. Heat until cheese is melted.
Add broccoli. Mix cornstarch and water in small bowl.
Stir into cheese mixture in double boiler and heat over
simmering water until soup thickens.

Tortilla Soup

1 - 2 1/2-3lb. chicken, cut-up and skin removed
2 ribs celery, cut into chunks
1 med. onion, quartered
1 large carrot, quartered
2 sprigs parsley
2 tablespoons. chicken soup base
1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoniong
1 large clove garlic or granulated garlic to taste

  Combine all the above in a large stockpot and cover with
water by about 2 inches. Bring to a rapid boil; lower heat to a
simmer and cook for about 1 hour until chicken is tender and falling
off the bone. Strain and reserve the broth. Tear pieces of chicken
into small pieces. Set aside.
  In 4 cups of the reserved chicken broth, boil about 1 1/2 lbs
peeled potatoes until tender. Remove from heat. Do not remove the
broth....mash up the potatoes and add the following:

  1 large can of creamed corn
  1 10 oz. can of Rotel tomatoes, crushed
  1 1/2 cups half & half cream
  2-4 tablespoons minced cilantro

  Add enough of the reserved chicken broth to thin out the soup to
the desired thickness. Simmer on low for about 15-20 minutes.
Taste and correct seasoning. Be careful of adding too much salt.
Moments before serving, stir in:

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
reserved cut-up chicken
4-6 corn tortillas, cut into 1/4" julienne strips

  Continue to simmer until cheese is melted and chicken is heated through.
To Serve: Ladle soup into deep bowls. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream.

Italian Sausage Soup 

    1 pound Italian sausage 
    1 clove garlic, minced 
    2 (14 ounce) cans beef broth 
    1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes 
    1 cup sliced carrots 
    1 (14.5 ounce) can great northern beans, undrained 
    2 small zucchini, cubed 
    2 cups spinach - packed, rinsed and torn 
    1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 
    1/4 teaspoon salt 

  In a stockpot or Dutch oven, brown sausage with garlic. Stir 
 in broth, tomatoes and carrots, and season with salt and 
 pepper. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes. 
  Stir in beans with liquid and zucchini. Cover, and simmer 
 another 15 minutes, or until zucchini is tender. 
  Remove from heat, and add spinach. Replace lid allowing the 
 heat from the soup to cook the spinach leaves. Soup is ready 
 to serve after 5 minutes.

Turtle Soup

    2 pounds turtle meat 
    2 tablespoons oil 
    2 tablespoons flour 
    1/2 cup minced green onion tops 
    2 tablespoons tomato paste 
    1 cup chopped onion 
    1 cup chopped celery 
    2 cloves minced garlic 
    2 quarts water 
    1/2 lemon, sliced thinly 
    salt and pepper to taste 
    dash of Worcestershire 
    dash hot sauce 
    2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced 
    parsley 
    1/2 cup sherry 

  Cut turtle meat into small pieces and lightly brown in hot oil in 
 large pot. Remove from pot and add flour to pot. Brown. To this roux, 
 add celery and onions. Saute until limp. Add tomato paste, green 
 onions, and garlic. Cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently so as 
 not to burn roux. Return meat to mixture, add 2 quarts of water, 
 seasoning, and lemon slices. Simmer in covered pot until meat is very 
 tender and broth is smooth, about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. 
  Just before serving remove lemon slices and add sherry, parsley and 
 Worcestershire sauce. Place slices of hard boiled eggs sprinkled with 
 paprika in soup plates before serving. Additional sherry and hot sauce 
 may also be added at table.

Black Bean Soup  

    1/4 cup Olive Oil 
    1/4 cup Yellow Onion, Diced 
    1/4 cup Carrots, Diced 
    1/4 cup Green Bell Pepper, Diced 
    4 Beef Bouillon Cubes 
    1 cup Boiling Water 
    1 1/2 quarts (3 pounds) Canned Black Beans, Not Drained 
    2 tablespoons Cooking Sherry 
    1 tablespoon Distilled White Vinegar 
    2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce 
    1 tablespoon Sugar 
    2 teaspoons Garlic, Granulated 
    2 teaspoons Salt 
    1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper, Ground 
    2 teaspoons Chili Powder 
    8 oz. Smoked Sausage, small dice 
    1 tablespoon Cornstarch 
    2 tablespoons Water 

 In a medium stock pot, place the olive oil, onion, carrot, and bell 
 pepper. Sauté the vegetables until they are tender. Bring 1 cup of 
 water to a boil, add the bouillon cubes, and allow to dissolve. Add 
 the bouillon, cooked beans, and the remaining ingredients (except 
 cornstarch and 2 tablespoon water) to sautéed vegetables. Bring mixture 
 to a simmer and cook approximately 15 minutes. In a blender, puree 
 1 quart of the soup, and put back into the pot. In a separate bowl, 
 combine the cornstarch and 2 tablespoon water. Add the cornstarch mix 
 to the soup and bring to a boil for 1 minute. Serve with cornbread, 
 white rice, or your favorite side dish.

Italian Wedding Soup

    1 pound lean ground beef 
    1 egg (or 2 egg whites) 
    1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs or cracker crumbs 
    2 tablespoons grated Parmesan or Romano cheese 
    3 tablespoons grated onion 
    1 crushed clove of garlic or 1 teaspoon minced garlic 
    1 teaspoon crushed basil 
    1/2 - 1 teaspoons salt 
    1/4 teaspoon pepper 
    6 cups chicken broth 
    2/3 cup of riso (tiny pasta shaped like grains of rice) 
    1 cup chopped spinach (cut up bok choy may be used) 
    1 loaf good Italian bread 
    extra grated parmesan cheese 

  Directions: 
   Combine first 9 ingredients and form into TINY meatballs, 
 about 1 cm, or 1/2 inch in diameter. 
   Bring to a slow boil in a 3-quart (liter) pan, the 6 cups 
 of well-seasoned chicken broth (homemade) or 3 - 14 oz. cans 
 seasoned with celery and onion. 
   Add the meatballs, and cook for a few minutes until done. 
 Remove the meatballs with a slotted spoon. 
   Add the riso and cook until almost done, about 5 minutes. 
 Add the meatballs and chopped spinach and cook a few minutes longer 
 until spinach is done. 
   Butter and toast thick slices of Italian bread. Place a slice in 
 each bowl and ladel soup over bread. Sprinkle each serving with 
 parmesan cheese and serve. 
   Serve remaining toasted bread with the soup.

Egg-Drop Soup

1 1/2 quarts chicken broth or clear soup stock
2 tbls. cornstarch, mixed in 1/4 cup cold water
2 eggs, slightly beaten with a fork 
2 scallions, chopped, including green ends

 Bring soup stock to a bowl.  Slowly pour in the corn starch mixture
while stirring the stock, until the stock thickens.  Reduce heat 
so stock just simmers.  Pour in  the eggs slowly while stirring
the soup.  As soon as the last bit of egg is in, shut off heat at once
Serve with chopped scallions on top. 

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

  4 tomatoes - peeled, seeded and diced
  4 cups tomato juice
  14 leaves fresh basil
  1 cup heavy whipping cream
  4 ounces butter
  salt to taste
  ground black pepper to taste

  Combine tomatoes and juice in stock pot. Simmer 30 minutes.
 Puree along with basil leaves in processor. Return to stock pot
 and add heavy cream and butter. Add salt and pepper to taste.
 Adjust seasonings to personal taste preference.

Minestrone

  3 tablespoons olive oil
  3 cloves garlic, chopped
  2 onions, chopped
  2 cups chopped celery
  5 carrots, sliced
  2 cups chicken broth
  2 cups water
  4 cups tomato sauce
  1/2 fluid ounce red wine (optional)
  1 cup canned kidney beans, drained
  1 (15 ounce) can green beans
  2 cups baby spinach, rinsed
  3 zucchinis, quartered and sliced
  1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
  2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
  salt and pepper to taste
  1/2 cup seashell pasta
  2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese for topping
  1 tablespoon olive oil

  Over medium-low heat, in a large stock pot, heat olive oil and saute
 garlic for 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion and saute for 4 to 5 minutes.
 Add celery and carrots, saute for 1 to 2 minutes.
  Add chicken broth, water and tomato sauce, bring to boil, stirring
 frequently. If desired add red wine at this point. Reduce heat to low
 and add kidney beans, green beans, spinach leaves, zucchini, oregano,
 basil, salt and pepper. Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, the longer the
 better.
  Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add macaroni
 and cook until tender. Drain water and set aside.
  Once pasta is cooked and soup is heated through place 2 tablespoons
 cooked pasta into individual serving bowls. Ladle soup on top of pasta
 and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. Spray with olive oil and serve.