You know me, I'm all about making soup from scratch. I wash and soak the dried beans, cook them with some root vegetables and bones for flavor, then add the rest of the ingredients: meat, vegetables, broth.

Sometimes, though, there isn't time for all that.

This is fast and a good way to dress up a can of soup:

Kielbasa Soup
1 Potato, peeled, diced
2 Carrots, sliced
2 Onions, chopped
1/2 c. Celery, chopped
3 c. Boiling Water
8 oz. Kielbasa Sausage, thinly sliced
1 (10-1/2 oz) can Bean ‘n Bacon Soup

Add diced potatoes, sliced carrots and chopped onion and celery to boiling water. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes or until veggies are tender. Add Kielbasa sausage and bean soup. Heat thoroughly.

Around here, green chile is a staple of Mexican dinner. You can eat it as a soup or stew, or use it as a gravy to smother burritos. The flour thickens it, and is optional. If you want it hotter, add black pepper.

Green Chile Stew

Vegetable Oil
1-1/2 lbs. Boneless Pork, cut into small pieces
1 to 2 Onions, chopped
(2 tablespoons flour)
1 (15 oz.) can Green Chilies, chopped
4 c. Water
Salt to taste
(Black pepper)

Coat the bottom of a large pot thinly with oil. Brown meat evenly over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons more oil and add onion. Cook until golden. If desired, stir in the flour and cook about a minute more. Stir in 4 small cans of chopped green chilies, 4 cups water and salt to taste. Cook stew half covered over very low heat for one hour or until the meat is tender.

Here is Jeri's excellent chicken soup recipe.

Jeri's Chicken Enchilada Soup

4 chicken breasts cooked and diced or you can use canned chicken.
1 can green enchilada sauce Large size can
1 can of corn
1 can green chilies
1 can black beans
1 pound of Velveeta or any American cheese
1 can of chicken broth
1 small carton of whipping cream added at the last and gently simmered.

Combine all the ingredients in a large pot and heat slowly. Stir in the cream and heat up again, without boiling.