Our International Collection top seller, this Hearty Meal Soup recipe is adapted for families. Tiny meatballs made with our whole grains seasoning and pastini make this favorite Italian soup meal a treat for weddings or everyday.

Ingredients:

Acini de pasta, whole grain bread crumbs, onion, carrot, celery, parsley, 5 pepper blend, oregano, nutmeg and bay leaf. No added salt, preservatives or MSG.

Additions:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped, optional
• 1 pound turkey Italian sausage, about 4-5 links
• 2 egg whites, or 1 egg, beaten
• 10 cups chicken broth
• 1 head escarole, chopped, about 4 cups (may substitute 1 box frozen spinach)
• Shredded parmesan cheese, optional

Directions:

Preparing the meatballs:

1. Push the turkey sausage out of the casings, discard casings.
2. Use two knives and chop the whole grain breadcrumb/herb mixture and egg into the ground turkey.
3. Form small meatballs by hand, about 60. Set aside in refrigerator, or freezer, until ready to add the soup.
4. To form meatballs easily, keep a bowl of cold water nearby and dip fingers between rolling meatballs.

Preparing the soup:

1. In a 6-8 quart pot, saute’ onion in oil for 3-5 minutes or just stir in Little Italy Wedding Soup larger soup vegetable seasoning packet in oil for about 30 seconds.
2. Add broth and bring to boil.
3. Add meatballs and simmer 20 minutes covered, Bring soup back to boil and add the tiny pasta, and escarole.
4. Bring heat back to a simmer, cover and cook 10-15 minutes.
5. Serve with Parmesan cheese and crusty bread for a fine family dinner.

The peaches have been superb this summer in the Midwest. The local farmers at Farmers Markets are saying there’s about two weeks left of the best peaches. Our recipe for Peach Crisp features a thick crunchy layer of crisp on top made with oatmeal. The large size recipe below fills a 9 x 13 pan; serve it for dessert with ice cream and the leftovers for breakfast with cream. Use our Colorado Morning Oatmeal Breakfast mix for a short cut to the following recipe.

Peach Crisp Recipe Ingredients:

(Ingredients for 9 x 13 pan: See below for adaptation to fit an 8 x 8 inch pan.)

• 1 ½ cup flour
• 1 ½ cup oatmeal
• ½ cup white sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cup softened unsalted butter
• (If you are using our Colorado Morning Breakfast Oatmeal mix, use the contents of the streusel packet and you won’t need the following additions.  Add the dried cranberries into the sliced peaches.)
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
• ¼ cup walnut nibs, optional

Recipe Directions:

1. Peel and slice 10 to 12 fresh peaches into baking pan.
2. Add 2 Tablespoons sugar, stir and set aside.
3. Place all dry ingredients into a medium bowl and stir to blend.
4. Use two knives and scissor slash the softened butter into the oatmeal mixture. Keep cutting until the mixture clumps and turns brown from the cinnamon.
5. Pat the mixture onto the top of the peaches.
6. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.
7. Serve hot with ice cream.

For a smaller crisp use the following proportions: 5 to 6 peaches, 1 cup flour, 1 cup oatmeal, 1/3 cup sugar, ¼ tsp. salt, ½ cup softened butter. Use the Colorado Morning streusel mixture or the same measurements above for brown sugar and cinnamon. You’’ll have a nice thick oatmeal crisp topping! We love it for cold for breakfast!

Peach Crisp

July’s heat calls for an easy summer salad.  This recipe is a variation on the classic Waldorf salad.  Orange dressing substitutes for the original mayonnaise, avocados make it summery, sunflower seeds add crunch and fit with the Mediterranean eating plan.  Chicken is optional, if having salad as the main course.  The following recipe will make ample portions for two main dish servings or 4 side salad servings.

Salad Ingredients:

• 1 large, crisp apple, cored and diced
• 3 stalks celery, sliced
• 4 to 6 ounces mixed greens
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 cup walnuts, slightly chopped
• 4 ounces Blue cheese, crumbled
• 2 tablespoons sunflower seed
• About 1/2+ cup Orange Salad Dressing
• Optional: 1 to 2 cups chopped grilled chicken breast

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 2 teaspoons grated orange rind
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon each: dry mustard, salt
• 1 cup oil, either vegtable or canola

Dressing Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a 1 pint glass jar, make sure lid is securely attached and shake.
2. Use as needed to lightly coat salad greens.
3. May keep in refrigerator for weeks.

Salad Directions:

1. In a large bowl mix together, diced apple, celery and lettuce.
2. Cut avocado in half, scoop out green meat of avocado and cut up.  Add to apple mixture.  Toss lightly with dressing.
3. Toast walnuts for 3 minutes in skillet over medium heat until slightly browned and crisped.
4. Cool and add with blue cheese and sunflower seeds.
5. Toss and serve.

Recipe Ingredients:

• 1 package Roasted Garlic Spinach Dip
• 1 package of frozen chopped spinach
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Roasted Garlic Spinach Dip Recipe Directions:

1. Thaw and drain spinach, press out excess moisture through a strainer and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, blend cottage cheese, mayonnaise and Parmesan cheese with electric mixer until smooth.
3. Add contents of Dip Mix Seasoning packet.  Add thawed and drained spinach and stir well.
4. Cover and refrigerate one hour or longer.  Serve cold with fresh vegetables.

For a hot dip, spoon mixture into a small baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Serve warm with crackers or pita chips.  MAKES 2 1/5 CUPS.

Optional Variation:

For a creamed spinach vegetable dish, follow recipe directions for a spinach dip but add 1/2 cup of milk or cream and bake in an 8-inch Pyrex or ceramic casserole for 30 minutes.

Spinach Dip

Recipe Ingredients:

• 1 package Horseradish Shrimp Dip
• 1/2 pound cooked shrimp, chopped
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream

Horseradish Shrimp Dip Recipe Directions:

1. In a medium bowl blend softened cream cheese and mayonnaise with electric mixer until smooth.  Stir in the contents of Dip Mix Seasoning packet.
2. Add shrimp and refrigerate for 1 hour or longer before serving.
3. Place Dip Mix into serving bowl surrounded by crisp wheat or rye crackers.

For a hot shrimp dip, bake mixture for 25 minutes at 350 degrees and serve immediately.  MAKES 2 1/2 CUPS.

Inventive Variations:

1. Substitute 1/2 pound deli sliced and shredded corned beef instead of shrimp.
2. For a BIG GAME DAY hors d’oeuvre, follow directions above for making dip.  Lightly broil rye bread rounds on a baking sheet.  Turn all rounds over and add 1 tablespoon of Dip Mix and broil again for 2 to 3 minutes until puffed and a little browned.
3. Place open face rounds on a platter and serve!

Shrimp Dip

Recipe Ingredients:

• 1 package Curried Cheddar Chutney Dip
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 8 ounces chutney
• 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
• Optional: Cook 4 slices of bacon until crisp and crumble on top of either hot or cold mixture

Curried Cheddar Chutney Dip Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, blend mayonnaise and cream cheese with electric mixer until smooth.
2. Add chutney, cheddar cheese and contents of Dip Mix Seasoning packet.
3. Spoon mixture into serving bowl and surround with pita chips or crackers, or may refrigerate until ready to use.

For a hot appetizer, spoon mixture into a small oven proof dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  Place bowl in center of hors d’oeuvre platter.  Surround with chips and serve.  MAKES 3 CUPS.

Inventive Variations:

1. Use 1/4 cup of this dip with sliced chicken breast to make a Panini sandwich filling.
2. For a fabulous passing hors d’oeuvre, lightly broil cocktail bread rounds on a baking sheet.  Turn over bread and add 1 tablespoon of the dip mix to tops.  Broil again for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly browned and puffed.  Serve at once.

A great summer side salad or main dish with high fiber chick peas. Using the dried chick peas (also called garbanzo beans) in the New Mexico Mesa Spicy Fiesta Soup mix will give premium bean results with none of the salt in canned beans.

Recipe Ingredients:

• 1 package New Mexico Mesa Spicy Fiesta Soup
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 2 tomatoes diced
• 1 small purple onion diced
• 1 box frozen artichokes, cooked in microwave
• 1/2 cup sliced black olives
• 1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• Optional: 8 ounces diced salami

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad Recipe Directions:

1. Soak beans 4 to 8 hours at room temperature in plenty of water. Drain beans, place into cook pot with 2 quarts of fresh water and simmer for 2 full hours. Drain again and place into large salad bowl.
2. While beans simmer, bring 1 1/2 cups chicken broth to a simmer and add the contents of the Spicy Fiesta seasoning packet. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes. Turn off heat and stir to fluff the saffron rice mixture.
3. Add in and stir tomatoes, onion, artichokes, olives, Feta cheese, salt and pepper and salami (optional).
4. In separate small bowl mix lemon juice, red wine vinegar and olive oil.
5. Toss all ingredients together and serve or refrigerate until ready to dine. Serve at room temp.

With spring and warmer weather we like to eat lighter and spend less time in the kitchen.  Starting a slow cooker with soup in the morning is one time saver for a nutritious dinner.  Another great convenience meal is sandwiches.  We’ve been making paninis, hot grilled sandwiches, in the Frontier Soups kitchen for the past week.  Here’s some of our best ideas and tips for successful fixin’s!

The BREAD matters. A 1/4 inch slice of good Italian or whole grains bread works best. We tried skinny bread and it’s tasty, but it gets soggy and falls apart. Open two slices of good quality bread and layer on the ingredients.

The INSIDES offer a great blend of flavors. Here’s our formula for sandwich success:

1. Something solid like chicken, turkey, grilled mushrooms or tomatoes.
2. Cheese, choose from so many; it melts and holds the sandwich together.
3. A sandwich spread from mayonnaise to chutney. See our dip mix/sandwich spread suggestions below from our Party Starter Dip collection.
4. A bit of greenery, like arugula, is always good.

The OUTSIDE makes the crust. Lightly spread softened unsalted butter on both top and bottom outsides. Olive oil works too, but the butter browns better.

The GRILL or GRIDDLE makes it easy. We used a Breville Panini Maker that holds 4 sandwiches and you don’t have to flip them. They’re done in about 3 minutes, so attractive with the grill marks on them. Or, you can place sandwiches on a flat griddle or frying pan, flip them, cooking about 3 minutes a side.

We started with classics like the Reuben and Tuna melt and had fun getting creative. Try any of the following combinations and let us know your favorites.

• Reuben: corned beef, gruyere cheese, cranberry mustard, and sauerkraut or arugula.
• Tuna Melt: tuna salad made with Pesto Tomato spread, fontina cheese, arugula, and Pesto Tomato spread.
• Chipotle Chicken:  sliced cooked chicken breast, Monterey jack cheese, avocado, and Chipotle bread spread.
• Vegetarian: baked sliced eggplant, tomatoes, brie cheese, and Green Onion bread spread. Or, sliced grilled Portobello mushrooms, hummus, cheddar cheese and Lemony Dill bread spread.
• BLT: bacon, lettuce, tomato and Swiss or cheddar cheese, with any of above spreads.
• Turkey or Chicken: with cucumbers, Gruyere or Jarlsberg cheese, and Lemony Dill bread spread.
• Summer Chicken: chicken breast with pesto (homemade or buy a jar), fontina cheese and arugula.

Panini

This month with spring on the way we are looking for fresh ideas for adding nutritional punch to any Frontier Soups mix. Customers can submit their own ideas for inventive variations by replying below or posting them on the Frontier Soups Facebook page.

Winning ideas will be posted here on our recipes blog and receive a free sample of a new product we will be introducing later this year. You will be the first to try it and give us feedback on this new soup supper!

Here’s one healthy cooking variation on the Illinois Prairie Corn Chowder recipe.  Substitute pureed corn, carrots or cauliflower, or mashed potatoes as thickeners instead of cream!  Delish dish!

This dish is quintessential comfort food and the bonus is leftovers make soup for another meal.  Preparing this dish also gives the cook a chance to be creative by choosing which ingredients appeal most for this meal in bowl.  You can easily omit some of the vegetables, pick what you like best.  The more vegetables added, the more people can be served. Basic recipe will serve four nicely.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 medium to large eggplant, cut up into 1 inch chunks
• 1 purple onion, sliced into semi circles
• 1 red pepper, cut up into 1-inch pieces
• 1 yellow pepper, cut up into 1-inch pieces
• 2 medium zucchini, diced
• 1 pound to 20 ounces turkey Italian sausage
• 1 14-ounce can tomato pieces
• 1 box frozen spinach
• 1 pound small white potatoes, cut up into 1-inch pieces
• 8 ounces mushrooms, cut into quarters (Optional)

Topping Options:  Grated Parmesan cheese and/or crumbled feta cheese

Sausage Ratatouille Casserole Recipe Directions:

1. Place eggplant chunks in a medium bowl.  Toss with 1/4 cup of the olive oil.  Spread on a baking sheet in a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes.  With a metal spatula turn over all pieces midway in the cooking.
2. While eggplant bakes, place 2 tablespoons olive oil and onion slices in heavy casserole or 4-quart cook pot.  Saute onion about five minutes, add peppers, toss and cook five more minutes.  Add zucchini, toss and cook 5 minutes.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet and push turkey sausage out of casings, crumble and brown about 10 minutes.  Add mushroom pieces, if desired, and cook five minutes longer.
4. Combine eggplant and sausage with the peppers and onion.  Stir well.
5. Add tomatoes, and spinach and/or potatoes, if desired.  Stir well and simmer on low 30 to 45 minutes.
6. Serve with cheese on top and crusty cracked wheat bread.

We like to make plenty of this satisfying dish and refrigerate leftovers. Step one is already done for a great soup.  The next day reheat in medium saucepan adding chicken broth as needed for liquid and add any other left over vegetables in the refrigerator such as green beans or cauliflower to make this two step soup.  Serve again with grated cheese and crusty bread.