By Andy Bedwell
Cheering on a big game, applauding a good movie or just catching up with family and friends are all great reasons to host a get-together with a variety of yummy soups. Whatever the occasion, you are sure to get the trophy for “the hostess with the most-est.”
Ranch Bean Soup
1 to 1 ½ pounds ground beef
1 onion
2 cans Ranch Beans
3 cans Campbell’s Minestrone Soup
1 16 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 can Rotel tomatoes
Brown ground beef and onion together. Dump all of the ingredients in a CrockPot or stove pot. Cook for three hours on stove on low or five to six hours on low in CrockPot. Get it hot in CrockPot and turn down to low.
Andy’s Note: I garnish with shredded cheese sometimes. This is delicious and great for football parties. I keep it in my freezer in individual bags for anytime. Thank you, Milly Yother, for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Pepper Jack Cheese Potato Soup
7-8 potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 cans of Chicken Broth
1 can of cream of onion soup
1 can of cream of celery soup
8 ounces Pepper Jack Cheese (make sure that you grate the cheese)
8 ounces sour cream
Boil potatoes in chicken broth and do not add water. When potatoes are tender, mash them with a potato masher (not electric mixer). Add broth, soups, sour cream and grated Pepper Jack Cheese and stir until cheese melts. Add bacon bits, if desired.
Andy’s Note: Thank you for sharing this delicious soup recipe, Doris Collier.
Vegetable Beef Soup
1 pound ground chuck
1 onion, diced
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
2 can beef broth (14.5 ounce cans)
1 can condensed tomato soup
2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon sugar
Black pepper to taste
1 can of black-eyed peas
1 can of baby lima beans
1 can of Shoe Peg corn
Brown onion and ground chuck until no longer pink. Drain. Add potatoes, broth, tomato soup, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, sugar, peas, corn and beans. Bring to a slight boil and simmer for an hour or longer. Do not add salt.
Andy’s Note: Thank you, Mary Fielder, for this great soup recipe.
Mexican Cornbread
2 cups self-rising cornmeal
2 eggs
½ cup Parmesan cheese
Pimento, medium jar, drained and mashed
1 ¼ cup milk
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small can cream style corn
2 jalapeno peppers, chopped with the seeds
¾ cup Crisco oil
Mix all ingredients and pour into a greased and hot iron skillet. Bake at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes or until done.
Andy’s Note: All I can say is that this is the Bedwell, Fielder and Reddish family favorite. I have found that this cornbread is delicious with any kind of soup.
Happy Cooking,
Andy Bedwell
“Southern Cooking with Andy Bedwell” can be purchased at Alabama Gift Company in downtown Gadsden and The Messenger on Rainbow Drive.