Fave soups & main dishes

This is about part three in a four-part series recapping my favorite recipes from our church's annual progressive dinner. You can read the first two posts here (appetizers and drinks) and here (breads and salads). Today I bring you soups and main dishes. You for sure need to try the two chilled berry soups. They are delish! Soup's on!


8 Can Soup
1 can (14 oz.) Veg-All
1 can (14 oz.) diced tomatoes
1 can (14 oz.) diced potatoes
1 can (14 oz.) vegetable soup
1 can (14 oz.) kernel corn
1 can (14 oz.) green beans, sliced
1 can (14 oz.) Hormel chili with beans
1 can (14 oz.) Hormel chili w/no beans

Mix all together and heat thoroughly. Serve w/grated cheese, sour cream and nacho chips.


Chilled Raspberry Soup
1 (32 oz.) nonfat raspberry yogurt
2 cups sour cream
1 cup Cran-Raspberry juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 whole cloves

Set yogurt and sour cream to the side and chill. Stir together remaining ingredients. Cook in crock pot for 15 min. and sugar dissolves. When done, strain out whole cloves and put juice on ice. Add the yogurt and sour cream just before serving. Whisk together until smooth. op with berries when serving.


Cool Berry Soup
1 (32 oz.)plain or vanilla yogurt
1 - 1 1/2 cups sour cream
1/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup pineapple juice
1 cup powdered sugar
Frozen berries

Combine all ingredients, whisk until all sugar is dissolved and is smooth. Serve with frozen berries on top.


Spicy Tomato Bisque
1 (28 oz.) can chopped tomatoes or tomato puree
1/3 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup milk
4 oz. cream cheese, cubed

In saucepan over medium heat, stir together tomato puree, red pepper flakes, black pepper, basil and sugar. Bring to a simmer, and cook 10 - 15 minutes. Whisk in cream cheese until well blended, then stir in the milk. Heat through without boiling. Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches!


White Chicken Chili
1 tablespoon. oil
1 lb chicken, cooked and diced
1 med. onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans great northern beans
1 can chicken broth
2 cans chopped green chilies
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup. sour cream
1/2 cup heavy cream

Sauté chicken, garlic and onion in oil in a skillet. Place in stock pot or crock pot with remaining ingredients except sour cream and heavy cream. Simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and add sour cream and heavy cream. Stir and serve. Serves 6. For a lighter version, add 1 cup of Fat Free sour cream instead and omit cream. Still just as yummy!


Oven Kalua Pork
4-5 lbs pork roast (pork or shoulder)
1 T liquid smoke
2 1/2 tablespoons sea salt, divided

Preheat oven to 325. Rub pork with liquid smoke and 1 ½ T. salt. Wrap pork several times with foil and seal completely. Place pork in roasting pan and bake for 5 hours. After baking, shred pork, sprinkle with the remaining salt. Serve with rice.


Parmesan Chicken
4-8 chicken breast halves
1 pkg. Ranch dressing mix (dry)
1 cup crushed cornflake crumbs
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup butter, melted

Rinse chicken and pat dry. Mix all dry ingredients together. Melt butter in separate bowl. Dip chicken in butter and then in dry ingredients. Place in greased baking dish. Sprinkle remaining dry mixture on top. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until done.


Spinach Ravioli Lasagna w/Pesto Bread Crumbs
Note: all these ingredients can be found at Costco

1 (23 oz.) Alfredo Sauce, divided
1 (38 oz.) pkg. spinach & cheese ravioli, cooked according to directions
1/4 C. basil pesto
1 C. roasted red peppers, sliced into ½ inch strips

Pesto Bread Crumbs:
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup basil pesto
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350. Coat a 13x9 inch baking pan with cooking spray. To prepare the bread crumbs, mix all ingredients in a small bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside.

Smooth 1 1/2 cups of Alfredo sauce over the bottom of the pan. Layer 18 of the ravioli in slightly overlapping rows - 3 across and 6 lengthwise. Tuck any extra ravioli into this layer. Smooth 1/2 cup Alfredo Sauce over the Ravioli. Place red pepper strips evenly across the top. Sprinkle with Pesto Bread Crumbs.

Cover with foil and bake until the sauce is bubbling, about 35 minutes. Remove the foil and broil until the bread crumbs are lightly browned. Let the Lasagna rest for about 5 minutes.


Taco Pie
1 can crescent rolls
1 lb. ground beef
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1/2 onion, chopped
1 sm. can tomato soup
1 cup sour cream
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cups crushed corn chips

Press crescent rolls into bottom and sides of a 9" pie dish for crust. Brown and drain ground beef. Add taco seasoning, onion and tomato soup. Layer into crust 1 cup crushed corn chips, meat mixture, sour cream, cheddar cheese and remaining corn chips. Bake at 375° for 20 - 25 minutes. Serve with chopped lettuce and tomatoes.

The only man who is really free is the one who can turn down an invitation to dinner without giving an excuse. ~Jules Renard

Image by Carol's Lines, shared via Flickr.