When temperatures dive, the soup recipes come out

Soup's on! It's time to open your recipe files and pull out all of those wonderful soup recipes that you have clipped and torn from magazines and newspapers. Some of us enjoy soup all year long, but for some, they reserve only the cold winter months for a bowl of steaming hot soup.

I have several recipes I am anxious to try, so I decided to pass those along to you.

Famous French Onion Soup

• 2 1/2 pounds onions, unpeeled
• 1/4 cup butter (1 stick)
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1/2 bay leaf
• 7 (8-ounce) cans beef broth, divided
• 1/2 cup dry white wine, optional
• 3/8 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon or to taste Kitchen Bouquet
• 1 teaspoon salt
• French baguette
• Swiss cheese or gruyere cheese

Peel onions and slice 1/8-inch thick, preferably in a food processor. Melt butter in a 6-quart (or larger) stockpot. Add onions; cook, uncovered, over low heat for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Stir in pepper, paprika and bay leaf; sauté over low heat 10 minutes more, stirring frequently. Pour in 6 cans broth and wine. Increase heat and bring to a boil.

Dissolve flour in remaining 1 can broth. Stir into boiling soup. Reduce heat and simmer slowly for 2 hours. Season with salt. Refrigerate overnight. To serve, heat soup in microwave or on stove top. If desired, pour into ovenproof crocks or bowls. Top with a slice of bread and a sprinkling of grated cheese. Heat under the broiler until cheese melts and bubbles, about 5 minutes. Leftover soup may be frozen.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Sweet Potato Chili

• 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into *½ -inch cubes (about 6 cups)
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, well rinsed and drained
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cubed
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 jar (16 ounces) salsa
• 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn, thawed
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips

In a greased 6-qt. slow cooker, combine the first 12 ingredients. Cook, covered, on low 5-6 hours or until chicken and sweet potatoes are tender. Serve with cheese, sour cream and chips.

Vegetable and Pasta Soup

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 large carrots, diced
• 2 celery ribs, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• Salt & pepper
• 1 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 3 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 (15-ounce) cans low sodium chicken or vegetable broth, or 4 cups
• 2 1/2 tablespoons Idahoan Buttery Home-style Mashed Potatoes, optional
• 8 ounces shell pasta
• 1 1/2 tablespoons salted butter
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for soup garnish

Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or large stock pot on medium high heat for 2 minutes. Add carrots, celery, onions, salt and pepper and cook until softened, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and tomatoes and cook until tomatoes are broken down, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add beans, 1 tablespoon parsley and the oregano. Mix thoroughly and then add chicken broth. Mix again and increase heat to high. Bring to boil and then add potato flakes, optional. Reduce heat and bring to a simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes. While the soup is simmering, boil pasta but set the timer to about 2 minutes less than the instructions on the package. Drain pasta once it's done cooking and then add butter, pepper and parmesan cheese. Serve soup with pasta and top with remaining pasta and parmesan cheese.

Creamy Tomato and Balsamic Vinegar Soup

• 1 cup less-sodium beef broth, divided
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 cup coarsely chopped onion
• 5 garlic cloves
• 2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes, drained
• Cooking spray
• 3/4 cup half-and-half
• Cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Combine *½ cup of broth, sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce in a small bowl. Place onion, garlic, and tomatoes in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Pour broth mixture over tomato mixture. Bake at 500 degrees for 50 minutes or until vegetables are lightly browned. Place tomato mixture in a blender. Add remaining *½ cup broth and half-and-half, and process until smooth. Strain mixture through a sieve into a bowl; discard solids. Garnish with cracked black pepper, if desired. Add a grilled cheese sandwich and you have a complete meal.

Italian Dinner Soup

• 1 pound (about 4) uncooked Italian sausage links, casings removed
• 3 cups chicken stock or broth
• 3 cups beef stock or broth
• 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano
• 1 (9-ounce) package refrigerated ravioli or tortellini
• 2 cups baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
• 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated

In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until no pink remains. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven combine chicken and beef stock and undrained tomatoes; bring to boiling. Add ravioli and cook 7 minutes. Add sausage and return to boiling. Stir in spinach to wilt, then add basil. Divide among soup plates and top with cheese.

Have a great week, and until next time, happy cooking.