Oh Boy! Soup!

My husband’s family loves to tell the story of his mother’s famous, or maybe infamous, Oh Boy Soup. She would make a huge batch of soup with whatever leftovers she had in the refrigerator.  These ingredients could be anything, but it would always make A LOT.  So when the oldest son was in school and would come home and ask “What’s for dinner?” ,  the response would be “Soup”.   Initially, his reply was “Oh Boy! Soup!”  but then it became “oh boy....soup.”   The name stuck.

  

I have not been brave enough to venture into creating an Oh Boy Soup of my own yet.   I stick with a rotation of a handful of recipes.  They are great meals for us – they are warm comfort foods and make enough for leftovers for a few days.  Unfortunately, I keep my recipes all over the place, so I thought that I would consolidate my favorites into a blog for my convenience.  Matched up with a pan of cornbread or a grilled pepper jack on wheat, all of these make a great meal.  

7 Can Soup  (from Big T’s Aunt Gail)

1 can Hormel chili with beans

1 can Hormel chili without beans
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can Campbell’s tomato soup
1 can Del Monte mixed vegetables
1 can whole kernel corn

Dump all cans into Dutch oven and warm on medium-low until thoroughly heated; about 30 minutes. Do not let boil.

Tomato Florentine(from allrecipes.com)

2 cans (14.5 oz) chicken broth

1 can chopped stewed tomatoes
12 oz (1 ½ c.) V8
1 can Campbell’s tomato soup
1 T. sugar
1 10 oz pkg frozen chopped spinach
1 pinch nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
½ c. cooked elbow macaroni (whole grain)

Combine broth, tomatoes, juice, and soup in a saucepan with a wire whisk over medium heat. Add sugar, spinach, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste, without thawing spinach. Allow to heat gently 20 minutes on medium-low until spinach is tender. Keep hot without letting it boil.  Add cooked pasta and cook for 10 minutes longer.

Easy Potato Soup

1 pkg frozen shredded hash browns (2 lb)
1 32 oz  container fat-free chicken broth
1 pkg Pioneer white country gravy mix
½ c. water
½ c. chopped green onions
Optional: bacon bits, cheese

Combine hash browns and chicken broth in Dutch oven.  Bring to boil, turn to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.  In a separate bowl, stir together water with gravy mix.  Add mixtures to potatoes, let simmer until thickened.  Remove from heat.  Serve hot with green onions and other toppings.  I have been known to add a package of cubed ham for a Ham and Potato Soup.

Chicken (sometimes noodle) Soup

1 can fat-free chicken broth
1 can Campbell’s Healthy Request cream of chicken soup
1 can water
1 boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked and chopped  (canned chicken can be substituted in a pinch)
leftover spaghetti or angel hair pasta, if available
½ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. garlic powder

Mix all ingredients in large saucepan.  Warm on medium-low until thoroughly heated.  I invented this recipe when I was single and sick with a terrible cold.  Not feeling like going to the store, I just used what I had on hand.  It was tolerable, so I kept it. 

Taco Soup

1 lb ground beef
½ c. chopped onions
1 can pinto beans
1 can chili beans
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes
1 pkg taco seasoning mix
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch dry mix

Brown ground beef with chopped onion and drain well.  Combine with other ingredients and warm on medium-low.  This can also be warmed in a crock pot on low heat for a couple of hours.

Update 12/27/13
Black Bean Chicken Soup 
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
3 10 oz cans white meat chicken, drained
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can corn
2 cans (or 4 cups) chicken broth
1 c. chopped onion
2 T. cumin
2 T. garlic powder
2 t. black pepper

Mix all and warm in large saucepan or dutch oven.