Jalapeño Chili
Ingredients:1 lb ground beef2 cans 16 ounces each kidney beans, rinsed and drained2 cans 14 ½ ounce diced tomatoes with garlic and onion1 cans 14 ½ ounce beef broth1 cans 8 ounces tomato sauce2 T. chili powder1 Jalapeño pepper choppedDirections:Use large sauce panCook beef over medium heat until done and drainStir in the remaining ingredientsBring to boilReduce heat cover and simmer for 20 minutesServe topped with sour cream and sliced jalapeñosServings 10 – 12
 Creole Jambalaya
Makes:Â 10 servings
Ingredients:
2 onions, chopped
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
4 tablespoons butter
1 (14-oz.) can tomatoes, chopped (reserve juice)
1 (6-oz. can tomato paste
2 oz. water
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1/4 bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf
3 cloves, chopped
2 lbs. raw shrimp, peeled
1 lb. bulk hot sausage, cooked and drained
3 1/2 cups chicken, cooked and diced
Garnish:Â snipped parsley
Directions:
Saute onions in butter for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, juice, tomato paste and water. Cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add garlic, celery, bell pepper, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, and cloves. Stir well.
Add shrimp and sausage. Cook 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove bay leaf. Stir in rice. Season to taste.
Gently stir in chicken. Bake in buttered casserole dish at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Garnish with parsley.
 Creamy Tomato-Bean Soup
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 large red onion, diced
Salt and pepper
1 quart low-sodium organic vegetable or chicken broth
One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
One 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon fresh chopped tarragon
Directions:
Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a soup pot. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant. Add the onion and salt and pepper, and saute until the onion is tender and translucent. Add the broth, tomatoes, and beans.Â
Allow to simmer for about 20 minutes, then stir in the tarragon and remove the soup from the heat.
Cool for 15 minutes, then puree with a blender, adding a little more broth or water to thin as necessary.
Reheat the soup and ladle into bowls.
Makes 6 Servings
 Pasta E Fagioli
Prep:Â Â Â Â 6 hours – soak beans
Cook:Â Â Â Â 65 minutes
Makes:Â 6-8 servings
Ingredients:
1 pound dried white beans, such as cannellini or navy beans
4 quarts low-sodium organic vegetable or chicken broth
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
4 celery ribs, with leaves, sliced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/4 cup coarsely chopped basil
1 pound whole wheat farfalle or penne noodles, cooked according to package directions
Salt and pepper
Soak the beans in cold water covered for 6 hours or overnight.
Discard the water, and cook the beans in the broth in a large pot with bay leaves until tender, about 45 minutes, skimming off any foam as it forms.
In a small skillet, heat the olive oil and saute the onion and garlic until fragrant and golden. Add to the beans along with the crushed tomatoes and celery with leaves, and simmer for 5 minutes. Skim foam as necessary. Stir in the oregano, basil, and salt and pepper, to taste.Â
Divide the cooked pasta among bowls and ladle in the soup.
 Italian Sausage Soup
Prep:Â Â Â Â Â 20 minutes
Cook:Â Â Â Â 40 minutes
Makes:Â 6-8 servings
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. mild Italian sausage, cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 large onions, chopped
1 (28-oz.) can Italian seasoned tomatoes
3 cans beef broth
1 1/2 cups dry red wine (could use water)
1/2 teaspoon dry basil
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 medium bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch slices
3 cups dry pasta bow ties
Grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Cook sausage in deep 5-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring often until lightly browned. Lift out sausage with slotted spoon and set aside. Discard all but about 3 tablespoons of fat.Â
Add onions and garlic; cook over medium heat until onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Cut up tomatoes and add with their liquid to pan. Add sausage, broth, wine and basil. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes. Stir in parsley, bell pepper, zucchini and pasta. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes longer, or until zucchini and pasta are done.
Garnish bowls of soup with cheese.
 Picante Black Bean Soup
Prep:Â Â Â Â Â 15 minutes
Cook:Â Â Â Â 20 minutes
Makes:Â 6-8 servings
 
Ingredients:
4 slices of bacon, diced
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cans (15 oz. each) black beans, undrained
1 can (14 oz.) beef broth
1 1/4 cups water
3/4 cup Pace Picante Sauce
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt, as desired
1/2 teaspoon oregano leaves crushed
Dairy sour cream or you can substitute plain yogurt for a healthier topping.
Directions:
Cook bacon in 3-quart saucepan until crisp. Remove to paper towels with slotted spoon. Add onion and garlic to drippings; cook and stir 3 minutes.
Add beans, broth, water, Pace Picante Sauce, salt, and oregano.Â
Cover and simmer 20 minutes.Â
Ladle into soup bowls, dollop with sour cream (or plain yogurt), sprinkle with reserved bacon.
 Two Bean Turkey Chili
Prep:Â Â Â Â Â 15 minutes
Cook:Â Â Â Â 50 minutes
Makes:Â Â 6 servings
Ingredients:
Use canned beans for a quick meal on the table. Mix and match varieties – kidney, pinto, black, and so on.
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large Spanish onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 red and 1 yellow pepper (or 2 red peppers), chopped
2 pounds freshly ground turkey
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 1/4 cups cooked kidney or pinto beans, drained, or 1 can (15 ounces)
2 1/4 cups cooked white beans, drained, or 1 can (15 ounces)
1 can (28 ounces) plum tomatoes, chopped, with liquid
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Tabasco sauce or cayenne pepper, to taste
Chopped black olives, scallions, and 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan or Romano cheese per serving
Directions:
In a 5-6 quart soup pot, heat the olive oil and saute the onion, garlic, and peppers for 10 minutes over medium heat.Â
Add the turkey and saute for another 5 minutes. Add the cumin and chili powder and cook for 5 minutes more.
Add the cooked beans, chopped plum tomatoes and their liquid, and balsamic vinegar. Cook, covered, for 15 minutes.
Add Tabasco or cayenne to taste and cook, covered, for another 15 minutes. Serve piping hot garnished with chopped olives, scallions, and grated cheese.
Hearty Chicken Soup
Prep:Â 15 minutes Cook:Â 50 minutes Makes:Â 4 servings
Ingredients:
6 cups low-salt chicken broth
1 cup uncooked whole oats or barley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried, crumbled thyme
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 scallions, thinly sliced
3 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 pounds diced cooked chicken breast
Salt and pepper
Chopped fresh parsley
Directions:
In a large stockpot or dutch oven, bring the chicken broth to a boil. Add the oats or barley and thyme. Return the soup to a boil.Reduce the heat to medium and simmer the soup, uncovered, until the oats are tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Saute the onion, celery, scallions, and garlic over medium heat until translucent. Transfer the vegetables to the chicken broth.Add the chicken and simmer until heated through, thinning with additional broth if desired. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley and serve.
 Lentil and Turkey Sausage Soup
Prep:Â about 15 Minutes
Cook:Â about 40 Minutes
Makes:Â 6 Servings
Ingredients:
2 cups lentils
8-10 cups vegetable broth or water
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
1 pound all-natural turkey or chicken sausage
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped (or 1 can, 15 ounces, chopped or crushed tomatoes)
1 teaspoon turmeric, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Leaves from 1 sprig fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Pinch of dried red pepper flakes
Sea salt, to taste
Plain yogurt, for garnish
1/2 cup chopped parsley (flat-leafed, if available), for garnish
Wash and pick over the lentils (to make sure there are no stones) and bring to a boil in the broth or water in a large soup pot. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Saute the garlic, onion, celery, and sausage for 5 minutes over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and saute for another 5 minutes.
Add the vegetable-sausage mixture and seasonings to the lentils. Simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender but not mushy. Serve with a dollop of plain yogurt and chopped parsley for garnish
 Tradicional™ Tequila Tortilla Soup
A Mexican favorite and a delicious precursor to your entree, it’s told this soup will keep you safe from evil spirits. Whether that’s true or not, it will most definitely keep you safe from your hungry, demanding party-goers. It starts with a heart-warming chicken soup base and finishes with a hint of Jose Cuervo® Traditional Tequila and fresh lime.
Recipe courtesy of thebar.com
Ingredients:
4 corn tortillas
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 14.5 ounce cans chicken broth
2 cups water
1/2 cup Jose Cuervo® Traditional Tequila
1 14.5 ounce can stewed tomatoes, broken up
1 bay leaf
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch wide strips
2 scallions, sliced
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Preparation: Preheat oven to 350°. Brush olive oil on one side of tortillas. Cut the tortillas in half then cut them crosswise into strips. Spread the strips on a non-stick baking sheet. Bake until they are Light golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely. In a large saucepan, combine chicken broth, water, Tequila, tomatoes, bay leaf, garlic, cumin, and red pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add chicken, simmer until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the scallions, cilantro and lime-juice. Season with salt and pepper. Serve soup sprinkled with tortilla strips. Serves 4.