Cheeseburger Stew

It's windy and snowy and beautiful outside this morning.  The kid's were hoping for a snow day.  Gotta admit...I was too!:)  But we didn't get enough snow here to warrant one apparently cause they're on their way in the freezing blowing snow!  But this weather is what helped me decide what recipe to share with you all today!  There's nothing quite like a nice hot bowl of soup when the weather outside if frightful (yes, I've been listening to A LOT of Christmas music!).  It'll warm you right up from the inside out!

This is one of those soups that if you take anywhere you will get request after request for the recipe!  Make it for your family tonight...they will love it!

 

Cheeseburger Soup

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1/2 pound of ground beef (you could also do ground turkey)

1 medium onion, chopped

3 large carrots, shredded

3 celery stalks, diced

1 teaspoon basil

1 teaspoon parsley flakes

4 tablespoons butter, divided

2 cans (14.5 oz each) chicken broth

4 cups peeled and diced potatoes

1/4 cup flour

8 oz. of velveeta cheese, cut in 1" cubes

1 1/2 cups milk

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

 

Brown beef in large saucepan, drain any excess grease and then pour into a small bowl and set aside.  In your saucepan, saute onions, carrots, celery, basil & parsley in 1 tablespoon of the butter, for about 7-9 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Add the broth, potatoes and the ground beef and bring to a boil.  Turn heat to low and simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

 

Melt remaining butter (3 tablespoons) in a small saucepan and then add the flour.  Stir while cooking over medium heat until it starts to bubble.  Add it to the soup and stir well.  Now add the milk and stir to combine.  Last add the cheese and salt and pepper and cook until cheese is melted and stew is warm.

 

Makes about 8 1 cup servings.



Creamy Corn Chowder

I saw a squirrel this morning on my way to work.  (I just had to shout "squirrel" to my kids out of the blue...we love UP!:))  It was just sitting on a post basking in the sun.  Made me all giddy inside...I'm hoping that's a good sign that spring is right around the corner!

BUT...before spring gets here, and all you want to make is sandwiches, salads, wraps & quesadillas (anyone? anyone else??) you've got to give this chowder a try.  It's one of my favorite soups...it is so creamy you'd never know it is made with skim milk!  And it has potatoes & bacon in it...pretty much perfection right there!

(You may recognize this recipe...it is one I shared over at Or So She Says last November...I needed it here as well!!!:))

Creamy Corn Chowder

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1 package (12 oz.) bacon

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup flour

2 cups water

5 cups milk (I use skim...still creamy!)

4 large red potatoes, diced into bite size pieces

1 large onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced

1 package (16 oz.) frozen sweet corn kernels

Tabasco sauce

salt and pepper

Cook the bacon until crisp and then transfer to a paper towel lined plate to cool.

Melt butter in a large stock pot or sauce pan.  Add the flour and stir until it starts forming little balls of dough.  Slowly add the water while whisking.  Whisk until there are no clumps.

Add the milk and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently.

Turn heat down to low and then add the potatoes, onions and garlic.  Let simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender, stirring frequently.

Crumble the bacon and then add it to the soup along with the frozen corn.

Stir all together and heat through.  Add a few drops of Tabasco and salt and pepper to taste. 

Serve with extra bacon & cheddar cheese on top if desired.

Lasagna Soup

My family loves all things Italian.  Two of our favorites are lasagna and ravioli's.  They are requested often!  I was a little hesitant in trying this recipe because I was afraid it would fall flat compared to traditional lasagna.

I. WAS. TOTALLY. WRONG!!

This soup is every bit as good and hearty as your traditional baked lasagna.  We loved it and ate every last bite.  It will certainly be a regular on our dinner menu!

Lasagna Soup

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1 pound ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, pressed
1/2 teaspoon thyme
2 cans (14.5 oz. each) Italian stewed tomatoes
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
2 cans (14.5 oz. each) chicken broth
7 lasagna noodles, broken up
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

In a large sauce pan cook beef, onion, pepper and garlic until meat is browned.

Add the thyme, tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, and chicken broth.  Bring to a boil and then turn to low and simmer for 20 minutes.

Break the 7 lasagna noodles into chunks and add them to the soup.  Let simmer until noodles are tender, about 10 minutes.  Add the grated Parmesan cheese and stir until melted.

Ladle into bowls and top with grated mozzarella cheese.

Creamy Corn Chowder

Can't believe Thanksgiving is only 13 days away!  Hope you liked the couple of Thanksgiving recipes we shared this week (The fabulous Herb Brined Turkey & Not Your Mama's Green Bean Casserole!)

AND...

We are so excited about next week because it will involve PIE...lots of pie!!  We're gearing up for our annual "We're Thankful for Pie Night" and so we're going to have a week full of pies starting Monday.  

CAN NOT WAIT!!

In the meantime...we've got another awesome recipe over at Or So She Says today.

Check out this Creamy Corn Chowder!

See you Monday....for PIE!!!!:)

Cream of Broccoli Soup

As everyone knows, it's the season for soup....and I've got one of my favorite cream soup recipes to share with you today.  It is absolutely wonderful.  Especially if you serve it in a bread bowl...that's a perfect fall dinner right there!

I got this recipe from my best friend & neighbors Mom years ago.  It's a true test of a fabulous recipe if it gets made year after year after year.  And this is one of those!

There are just so many things to love about this recipe!  I love that it is so easy to make.  That it is super inexpensive (but doesn't taste like it!).  And that you can keep it in the crock pot until ready to serve!  The only thing that would make it better is if I had a maid to clean up after dinner for me!

Cream of Broccoli Soup

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2-3 heads and stalks of broccoli, cut up

1 cup grated carrots

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 can (14.5 oz.) chicken broth

1 can water

3 teaspoons instant chicken bouillon granules

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup margarine or butter

1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk

Bring water, broth, and bouillon to a boil. Add vegetables and simmer until tender.

 Melt butter/margarine in the microwave.  Add the flour and whisk until smooth.  Slowly add the evaporated milk while whisking until smooth & combined.  Stir mixture into the vegetables and broth.

Simmer on low 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, being careful not to scorch.

Or you can warm in crock pot on LOW after you have combined all ingredients.

Serve in bowls or bread bowls (my personal preference).  Take a serrated knife and cut a "lid" off of the bread bowl (or large roll).  Scoop out the "guts" of the bread bowl and place them to the side.

Use the "lid" and "guts" of the bread bowl to dunk into soup.  Yummmmmmy!

  Serves approximately 8.

Chicken Enchilada Chili

IT'S SOUP & CHILI SEASON!!

 

Yes, I just yelled that at you. 

 

I'm so excited (in case you couldn't tell from all the yelling!).  I love soups & chilies.  That's my one top reason why I like the Fall season so much.  This recipe is so easy to throw together...literally, just dump everything into the crockpot and 4-8 hours later you've got yourself an awesome dinner!

 

Chicken Enchilada Chili

Budget Dinner Total: $9.00 (without toppings) that's about .75 cents per serving!
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2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can (28 oz.) prepared enchilada sauce (or 1 recipe of my homemade stuff)
2 cans (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes (I used fire-roasted...yum!)
2 cans (15 oz.) pinto beans, undrained
1/4 cup dried onion peices (or 1 raw onion, diced)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
monterey jack cheese, for topping
sour cream, for topping
cilantro, for topping

Pour enchilada sauce, tomatoes, beans, onion and spices together in a 6 quart crockpot.  Place chicken on top of soup (yes raw!).  Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 7-8 hours.

Pull out the chicken and shred.  Return shredded chicken to chili and stir to combine. 

Serve with shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of cilantro.  Divine! 



Bean with Bacon Soup

It's amazing what a couple days of rest will do to a girl!  I feel so much better today...nice and relaxed (and not in pain!!) and ready to enjoy the rest of the holiday season!  Tony keeps telling me to take it easy and not do too much so as not to create too much tension and bring the pain back again...so I'M TRYING!  Good thing he looks after me!

I have a piano recital tonight and one of my favorite things about my recitals is getting to decide what refreshments to serve and being able to spend the whole day (and usually day before as well) cooking!  My kitchen pays for it, but it's so worth it!  I was going to do a cookie theme with hot chocolate and peppermint candy canes dipped in chocolate for stirring sticks, BUT on order from the hubby I have decided to take it a little easy, sooooo...it's store bought donuts and plain old hot chocolate tonight!:(  And oh, did I have some wonderful cookie recipes that I was so looking forward to trying!  But in the end it's not worth the stress, especially if it's going to beat up on my body!

So anyway, that has nothing to do with today's recipe.  Soup is something great that you can just throw together and let simmer...I LOVE that, especially when life is busy, and it's cold outside!  Perfect time for soup! 

We loved this soup so much, we made it twice last week, and the second time we made it I 1 1/2 times'd the recipe so we could have some leftovers for lunch!  YUM!  This one is a keeper!

Bean with Bacon Soup

Recipe from Jamie Cooks It Up!

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12 oz. package of bacon

1 small onion

4 large carrots

4 15 ounce cans Great Northern Beans

4 C water

2 bay leaves

1/4 t pepper

1 T beef bullion

3 T tomato paste

1 t liquid smoke (Mesquite or Hickory...we tired both and like both!)

2 t Worcestershire sauce

2 T apple cider vinegar

1 t salt

1/8 t basil, dried

1/4 t thyme, dried

2 T sugar

pinch red pepper flakes

 Chop up your bacon into about 1 inch chunks.  Toss them into a large soup pot and cook the bacon over medium high heat, just until the edges start to crisp. Do not over cook!

Chop your onions and carrots up into little small pieces and add to the bacon and cook for about 5 minutes longer or until the veggies are a little tender.  

Drain the juices of just 1 can of the beans and discard.  Add the drained beans to the soup pot along with the other 3 cans of beans WITH their juices.  Add all other ingredients and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and let it cook for about 30 minutes. 

Enjoy...I know we did!

Italian Minestrone Soup

It seems all we've posted lately is soup or baked goods of some kind.  It must be the "it's almost winter and I better start packing on the pounds to help me make it through" mentality, at least the baked good part of it anyway.  And I guess it's just the warm comfort of soup that I love that has me making a new kind at least twice a week! 

I love this soup because it is made with ingredients I almost always have on hand, it's made in the crockpot (love having dinner ready at the beginning of the day!), and it is so perfectly spiced and wonderful!  You'll be asking for another bowl...trust me!

Italian Minestrone Soup

Recipe slightly adapted from 365 Crockpot

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1 pound lean ground meat (pork, beef, or turkey...I used turkey)

4 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 yellow onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, chopped or pressed

3 stalks celery, sliced

1 cup chopped carrots

1 can (14.5 oz.) stewed tomatoes (or diced)

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 box (32 oz.) beef broth

1 cup dried penne pasta

Kosher salt

Brown the meat, mushrooms, onion and garlic on the stove top and drain the fat.  Add the meat to the slow cooker (6 quart size) along with your vegetables.  Add the tomatoes, oregano and broth and then stir to combine.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.  30 minutes before serving, add the dry pasta.  Turn the cooker to high and cook for 30 more minutes or until the pasta is tender.

Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Florentine Chicken Soup

I know I've probably mentioned this fact a dozen times or so, but I LOVE SOUP!!  I get so excited when it finally starts cooling down so we can enjoy soup more often!  It's a definate perk to the cold weather!  This particular soup is out of this world good!  The flavors are so wonderful and it's so easy to throw together.  My kid's didn't even complain about the spinach....SCORE!!!:)

Florentine Chicken Soup

Adapted from Taste of Home

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3 cups uncooked penne pasta (whole wheat is great!)

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces

1 bag (10 oz.) fresh spinach

1 jar (12 oz.) roasted sweet peppers (found by the pickles)

2 Tablespoons dried rosemary, or 3 fresh rosemary sprigs, chopped

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons butter

2 cans (14.5 oz.) chicken broth

1 jar (15 oz.) prepared Alfredo Sauce

1/3 cup prepared pesto

Cook the pasta according to package directions.  Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, cook the chicken in the butter along with the garlic powder, rosemary, and pepper until chicken is browned and cooked through.  Add the red peppers, and spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted.  Stir in the chicken broth, alfredo sauce and pesto; cook for 4-5 minutes or until heated through.  Drain pasta and add it to the soup.  Sprinkle with pinenuts and shredded parmesean cheese if desired.  Makes 10 servings...perfect for our family, just enough leftovers for lunch the next day!

Roasted Tomato Soup

I have a pretty nice sized sweet tooth, but these last 2 weeks have left me with a big ol' cavity! (metaphorically speaking, I don't really have a huge cavity, although it is time to go to the dentist, so I guess maybe I could)  So anyway, when my friend was telling me about this recipe she had made I knew it would be the perfect solution to counter-act all the sweets we've been consuming at our house lately! (i.e. Kyla's Birthday cake (Peanut Butter Cup Cake), Kyla's Birthday Cupcakes (Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes), celebrating Halloween not only on Halloween but on the Saturday before Halloween as well=loads of candy and party treats!)

This soup was AMAZING!  I loved all the spices and flavor it had goin' on in it!  And it just felt so good to eat something so good for you! 

Roasted Tomato Soup

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7 large tomatoes, halved

4 cloves garlic, unpeeled

1 green pepper, without seeds, halved

salt & pepper to taste

Olive Oil

5 Tablespoon butter, divided

1 medium onion, diced

1 teaspoon dry basil (or 2 teaspoon fresh)

1/2 teaspoon dry oregano (or 2 teaspoons fresh)

3 cups chicken stock

2 cups milk (skim is fine)

1/4 cup flour

Place tomatoes, garlic, and green pepper on a large cookie sheet cut side facing up.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

Cook at 350 degrees for 1 hour.  Remove from oven and let cool.  Peel the skins off of the tomatoes and garlic; set aside.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a small saucepan.  Add in the onion, oregano, and basil and cook until the onions are transluscent. 

Puree tomatoes, green pepper, garlic, chicken stock, and onion mixture in a blender.  You will probably need to do half at a time unless you have a huge blender!:)  Place the pureed mixture into a large pot on the stovetop and bring to a simmer.  Simmer for 20 minutes. 

While the tomatoes are simmering, make the white sauce.  Melt 4 tablespoons of butter (you can do this in the microwave or stovetop) and then whisk in the flour to make a thick paste (roux).  Slowly add the milk, whisking as you go.  We don't want any lumps in our white sauce!:)  Heat until sauce thickens.  If doing this in the microwave, heat at 2 minute increments, whisking inbetween until thickened.  (you can substitute heavy whipping cream instead of making a white sauce.  Just use about 1 1/2 cups cream instead!)

After the tomato puree has simmered 20 minutes add the white sauce.  Stir to incorporate and salt and pepper to taste.  Serve.

We tried some Grilled Cheese Crutons with ours, they were good, but think they could have been better with some sturdier bread instead of the really soft stuff I used!:)  I'm going to perfect those and let you know!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

This has become our favorite soup these last couple of weeks...we've actually had the soup twice and just the chicken 2 other times!!  I've got the page number in the cookbook memorized, if that tells you something!  The chicken is so tender and flavorful...it's hard not to eat it all before it goes into the soup!  This one is a new family favorite!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Recipe from Our Best Bites

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Grilled Taco Chicken:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2-3 juicy limes (we left this out because of diet restrictions, but bet it would be even better with it!)

1-2 tablespoons red wine vinegar (we also used apple cider vinegar with success!)

3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place chicken breasts in a heavy duty zip-lock bag.  Squeeze limes over chicken.  Add vinegar and the minced garlic.  Seal the bag and shake to distribute juices.  Marinate for 4-8 hours (we even just marinated for 2 hours and they turned our great)...I'm telling you, you just can't go wrong with this recipe!

Preheat grill to medium-high heat (about 400 degrees).  Combine chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.  Remove chicken from the bag and discard the used marinade.  Rub the spices into the chicken.  Place the chicken breast on the hot grill.  Grill for about 7 minutes and then turn and grill for another 5-7 minutes.  (or check it with a meat thermometer...chicken should reach at least 160 degrees in the middle of the thickest part of the breast.)  Remove from the heat and let set while you prepare the soup.

1 recipe Grilled Taco Chicken (above:))

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1-2 jalapeno peppers, minced

4 (15 ounce) cans of chicken broth

1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1/4 cup fresh lime juice (3-4 limes)...again we left this out!

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Garnishes: crumbled Cotija or shredded pepper jack cheese, additional cilantro, avocado, lime wedges, and tortilla strips

In a large stockpot, heat oil over medium heat.  Add chopped onion and saute for 3-4 minutes.  Add the garlic and jalapeno and cook a few minutes more until pepper is softened and garlic is fragrant.  Add chicken broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and allow to simmer 15-20 minutes.

While soup is simmering, juice the limes and set aside.  Start preparing the toppings: grate or crumble the cheese, chop the cilantro, and cut up the avocado.  Also, cut the chicken into cubes.  Right before serving, add lime juice, cilantro, and chopped chicken to the soup.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Ladle soup into bowls and add desired toppings.

I know it's a longer one, but it really comes together quickly and is SO WORTH IT!!!

White Chicken Chili

As promised....we bring you SOUP!!:)  You will just love this one!  I love all the wonderful flavors in this soup that just mesh together perfectly!  A great variation from the "normal" chili!  Serve with some Twisty Breadsticks & you've got yourself a wonderful meal!

White Chicken Chili

Recipe from Our Best Bites

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1 tablespoon extra-virgin Olive Oil

1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)

2 (15 oz.) cans Great Northern Beans

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed (about 3-4 breasts)

3-4 garlic cloves

1 (3.5 oz.) can green chilies

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon coriander

1/2 teaspoon salt

black pepper to taste

1 (32 oz.) box chicken broth

1 lime, juiced

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Toppings:  sour cream, extra cilantro, shredded pepper jack or monterey jack cheese, avocado, tortilla chips, lime wedges.

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the chopped onion and cook for about 1 minutes, just until it starts to become translucent.

While the onions are cooking, drain the beans and rinse with cold water; set aside.  Sprinkle the chopped chicken with a little salt and pepper and add to pot.  Add the garlic.  Cook for 4-5 minutes or until there's no more visible pink on the chicken.

Add green chilies along with all of the juices in the can.  Add the beans, cumin, oregano, coriander, salt, and black pepper.  Stir to combine and then add the chicken broth.

Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer.  Simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes.  Remove from heat and add the juice form one lime and 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle into bowls and top with desired toppings. 

Black Bean Soup

This soup is so hearty and filling I absolutely loved it!!  Don't let the look of it throw you, it is an excellent dish!  The whole family really enjoyed this one!

Black Bean Soup

Recipe from Our Best Bites

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1 tablespoon Olive Oil

3/4 cup diced carrots 

3/4 cup diced celery

1 cup diced onion

4 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped

2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (3.5 ounce) can diced green chilies

2 (15 ounce) cans low-sodium beef broth

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon dry oregano leaves

1 bay leaf

1 lime, juiced

Optional toppings: sour cream, tortilla chips, shredded cheese (or crumbled feta!), chopped cilantro, etc.

Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium heat.  Add carrots, celery, onion, and garlic and saute for 4-5 minutes.

Add the black beans, chilies, and beef broth.  Stir to combine and then add the salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and bay leaf.  Simmer uncovered for about 20-25 minutes or until carrots are tender.  Remove from heat.  Remove bay leaf from soup.

Transfer the soup to a blender.  Place lid on blender but remove the stopper in the lid to let heat escape.  Cover the hole with a paper towel to avoid splatters.

Puree soup until desired consistency is reached.  Squeeze in the juice from one lime and pulse to combine.

Ladle into bowls and top with desired toppings. (We topped ours with either feta or mozzarella cheese and cilantro.)

Cheesy Potato & Ham Soup

Do you have leftover ham lurking in your fridge and are you wondering what in the world you are going to do with it (besides Ham sandwiches!)?  This is such the perfect answer!  This soup is so cheesy & creamy & wonderful!!  My kiddo's all gave it a 10! 

Cheesy Potato & Ham Soup

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This is Tony's (hubby) bowl...I thought it looked really pretty with all that pepper on it!  But don't think you have to add that much to your bowl...I wouldn't be able to handle it myself!:)

2 cups diced peeled potatoes (5-6 small to medium sized potatoes)

2 cups water

1/2 cup sliced carrot (or matchstick carrots...much easier!)

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cups milk (any variety...I used skim)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 to 1 1/2 cups cubed cooked ham
1 cup frozen peas, thawed

Boil the potatoes, carrots & onion in the 2 cups of water. When it reaches a full boil, reduce the heat and cover. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until tender. (This is Kyla's picture...she actually peeled all the potatoes and cut them and then added the carrots and onions and boiled them and got that part all ready for me!  She's becoming a pretty good photographer too!)

While the vegetables are cooking, in another saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour until smooth and then slowly add the milk while stirring. This will ensure you have not yucky lumps in your soup!! Add the salt & pepper. Bring to a boil and cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese until melted.

Pour cheese mixture in with the undrained potato mixture and stir until combined. Add the ham and peas. Heat through & serve!

This soup made just enough for family (of 6) to all have one large bowl full.  If you're feeding more than that or would like to have leftovers I would suggest doubling the recipe!

In case you didn't notice...I finally figured out how to add a PRINT RECIPE link so you can print our recipes right from our site without all of the pictures and other "junk":) to run out all your ink!!  We will be adding the PRINT RECIPE link to all of our recipes, but that will probabaly take me days...weeks...I'll just say a while!:)  Hope this new little perk helps you out!:)

Soups for the sickly!:)

Since I've been sick (I'm feeling so much better...thank you!) I haven't been cooking. If there is anyone else out there who's not feeling well or has family that isn't feeling well...this post is for you! There's something about warm soups that just make you feel so much better! Here are some of my favorites that are sure to warm the cold right out of you!

Baked Potato Soup

Black-eyed Pea Soup

The yummiest Taco Soup

Roasted Chicken Noodle Soup

And delicious Clam Chowder (I apparently deleted the photo cause it was so bad...but trust me when I say, the soup is delicious!!)

Enjoy some soups...hope to be back to cooking and posting more recipes by next week!

Black-eyed Pea Soup (for crockpot!)

I wish I used my crockpot more...I always feel so good when I've got dinner ready and cooking by noon! Nothing better than being asked at 5:30 what's for dinner and actually having a response...takes my hubby and kids by surprise every time I don't say "I don't know!" So with that here's an AWESOME recipe that even my kids enjoyed.

Black-eyed Pea Soup

 (by 365 Crockpot!)

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1 pound dried black eyed peas

1 pound spicy sausage (I used some kielbasa sausage)

6 cups chicken broth

1 yellow onion, diced

1 cup diced carrots

1 cup diced celery

4 cloves garlic, diced

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Tabasco sauce (to taste...or omit!)

Soak your beans overnight. (This is the hardest part for me to remember...don't forget!:)) Drain in the morning.

Dice the veggies, and put them into your crockpot with the beans. Add your sliced sausage and then pour in the broth, italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for about 6.

Ladle into bowls, and add Tabasco sauce to taste...or if you're a wimp like me, just don't even go there!:)

Easy Peasy Beef Stew

Be prepared for a really easy and scrumptious dinner!! Just make some homemade rolls (or cheat like I did and do some Rhodes Rolls...or even just buy your favorite kind) and you've got an instant hit! Perfect for these wonderfully cold winter days!

Beef Stew

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1 1/2 pounds beef stew meat

5 potatoes, cubed

3 cups cubed carrots (I just halve my baby carrots)

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

1 envelope onion soup mix

2 cups water

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup frozen peas (optional)

1/2 cups frozen corn (optional)

In a dutch oven (or skillet) sear meat in a little oil. (I like to boil my meat in water for a few hours before I do this to help tenderize the meat...there's nothing worse than gnawing on a piece of meat for 10 minutes, and this works like a charm!) Add potatoes, carrots, soups, water and pepper. Mix well. Cover. Bake in 300 degree oven for 2 hours or until veggies are tender or bake 250 degrees for 5-6 hours. Or use your crock pot...this is what I usually do and it takes about 2 hours on high and 4-5 on low.

Add the frozen peas and corn the last 30 minutes of cooking if desired...I usually don't just because I forget, but I really like them in there. The kids and hubby could do without the peas but they all really like the corn in there!

Cream Cheese Chicken and Vegetable Soup

After our last Soup debacle (read about it HERE!) I figured I'd go for something I knew would turn out good! I found this recipe and when I read that it had cream cheese in it I knew it would be good...cream cheese makes almost anything better, don't ya think? Anyway, I was not disappointed. Both the hubby and the kids LOVED this soup. It makes quite a bit, so we had some left over, but it was eaten up the next day for lunch, so it's all good! The cream cheese helps make the soup super creamy and gives it a nice rich flavor. I will definately be making this one over and over!

Cream Cheese Chicken and Vegetable Soup

from My Kitchen Cafe adapted by Me!

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4 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 yellow onion, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

4 stalks celery, diced

1 cup diced carrots (about 4 regular carrots or a couple handfuls of baby carrots)

6 cups chicken broth

6-7 potatoes, peeled and finely diced

2 cup milk

8 tablespoons flour

1-2 (8 oz. package) regular or light cream cheese

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced

In a large pot, melt the butter and add the onion, garlic, celery and carrots. Saute, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes, until the veggies are slightly tender and the onions are translucent. Add the chicken broth and potatoes. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 10-15 minutes. In a liquid measuring cup, vigorously whisk the flour and milk together until smooth. Whisk the mixture into the soup, and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until the soup begins to thicken slightly. Stir often to ensure the soup doesn't burn. Soften the cream cheese in the microwave until it is very soft/melty. I placed an unwrapped cream cheese on a plate and microwaved it for one minute and 30 seconds at 30% power. Add the cream cheese to the soup in small tablespoon-size pieces. (the original recipe calls for 2 8oz. packages of cream cheese, but I just put in one and it looked-and tasted-good so I left the 2nd one out, but you could most certainly add it...it would probably just make it all the more creamy and delicious!) Let the pieces sit in the soup and warm through then whisk or stir the soup until the cream cheese melts and mixes in well. Add the cooked chicken and heat through. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Corn Chowder with Chillies

I can't remember where I found this recipe but I knew when I saw it that it would be something Tony (the hubby) would really like. Well, I finally got around to trying it out last night.

I wasn't familiar with one of the ingredients (the Chipotle peppers in Adobo Sauce), but it was easy to find by the diced green chillies. After I opened the can and started dicing my eyes started watering like I was cutting an onion. I just figured it would have heat like an onion does or something so I kept going. (Usually if it's something that's really hot I feel it in my throat when I'm cutting them and I start to cough...like Jalapeno's) Anyway, while it was cooking it smelled really good and looked really yummy, but my son Caleb (who was reading at the counter) had to leave because his eyes were hurting him...I figured he'd just been up too long and was tired!

Well, the time came to sit down for dinner and I ladeled some soup into eveyone's bowls. Caleb came to the table still complaining about his eyes so I looked at them and they were so red and bloodshot! I started wondering if it wasn't from the soup because mine were still watering and burning a little as well. Tony was the first to taste the soup while I was getting everyone some buttered bread to go with it. I knew we were in trouble when I saw him start panting like a dog. His words "It's got a little kick!" And he's not a baby when it comes to this stuff either...he likes some heat and a little kick. Me and the kids...not so much! I decided to give it a try not knowing if he was just messing with me...he wasn't! I took one bite and it was actually really good for the first 2 seconds! Then the heat hit! I'm a wimp anyway, but this was the hottest thing I've ever tasted! The kids all tried it and immediately went to their drinks. So, the kids and I had sandwiches for dinner last night, but Tony ate 2 bowls of the soup!:)

I will definately make this one again...but I will change it up a little. Tony thinks it would be really good with some potatoes in there too, and I would most definately NOT put in the chipotle peppers! Anyway, if you like to have a burning mouth like my hubby give this one a shot...if you actually want to TASTE the soup I'd recommend leaving out the chipotle peppers so you have some taste buds left to enjoy the flavors of the chowder!

So without further ado (sorry about the LONG introduction!) here's the recipe:

Corn Chowder with Chillies

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2 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2 Tablespoons butter

1 1/2 whole yellow onion, diced

4 cups frozen corn or 5 ears of corn shucked with kernels off the cob

2 whole Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce, finely diced (found in the mexican isle)

1 can (4 oz.) diced green chillies

32 ounces low sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream (I used skim milk...trying to watch our calories...and it worked just fine!)

1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

3 tablespoons corn meal or masa (I used corn meal)

1/4 cup water

Add bacon pieces to a pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Cook for a couple of minutes. Throw in diced onion and stir, cooking the onion for 3 to 4 minutes. Add butter and melt. Add corn. Stir and cook for one minute. Add both kinds of chillies and stir.

Pour in chicken broth and cream (or milk). Add salt. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low.

Combine cornmeal (or masa) with water. Stir to combine, then pour into the chowder. Cover and cook for 15 minutes over low heat. If chowder needs more thickening, add another tablespoon of cornmeal mixed with water. Or just use some cornstarch which is what I did, but I'm thinking if you use the cream instead of milk you probably won't have to do this at all.

Serve with your choice of bread or in a bread bowl...or with saltines...and A LOT of milk to drink!!

Let me know if you try this and if your tongues survive!:)

Baked Potato Soup

I found this recipe over at Our Best Bites (one of my favorite cooking blogs!) and knew I had to try it! I've got to say this will become a regular at our house. Everyone really liked it and it was really easy to throw together. If you like baked potatoes you'll like this soup!

Baked Potato Soup

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2 Tbs butter

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 C flour

4 1/2 C low-fat or skim milk

1 14oz can chicken broth

4 medium baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds) baked (you can "bake" them in the microwave by just piercing them with a fork a few times and then cooking them for 5 minute intervals until a knife easily pierces through them. Mine took about 15 minutes all together.)

2 C grated cheddar (or sharp cheddar) cheese, divided

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 1/2 C light sour cream, divided

1/2 C chopped green onions, divided

8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, divided

Melt butter in a stock pot over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 30-60 seconds until fragrant. Add flour to pan. (mine was pretty lumpy because there was too much flour and not enough butter, so next time I would probably double the butter and use 4 Tablespoons) Slowly add milk a little at a time while whisking constantly to eliminate lumps. Whisk until smooth and then add chicken broth. Bring soup just to a simmer and heat until thickened, stirring often, about 5 minutes.

Once soup is thickened, turn heat down to medium-low. Cut potatoes in half length-wise and use a spoon to scoop out potato flesh into the pot. Use a wooden spoon to smash potatoes, breaking up large clumps. Add 1 1/2 C grated cheese and salt and pepper and stir until cheese is melted. Remove pan from heat and stir in 3/4 C sour cream, 1/4 C green onions, and 4 strips of the crumbled bacon. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and top with each serving with the remaining sour cream, onions, cheese, and bacon.

(I didn't have any green onions so just left them out and then when we were eating dinner my hubby Tony told me "you know what would make this better?" His answer was green onions...so next time I'm going to make sure I have some before I make this soup!:))