Potato Soup (Freezer Meal)

I make my freezer meals 2 ways.  One way is to just make them all in a 2 day process.  Compile my list, shop, and do meat prep.  Then the next day I assemble them.  The other way I like to do it is over the course of a week or two.  I buy the ingredients enough to double the recipes, then I make one for dinner and just double it and put one away in the freezer.  Then by the end of about 2 or 3 weeks, you have 10 meals frozen in the freezer ready to go for later.  Your meals will do well in the freezer for 2-4 months. 
Potato Soup
30 oz bag of frozen, shredded hash browns
32 oz container of chicken broth.  Veggie broth works fine too
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
8 oz cream cheese (not fat free, it wont melt in)
1. In a large freezer bag, combine everything except cream cheese.  Double up on your freezer bag and squeeze out any air to avoid freezer burn.  Label it and put a date on it. 
Cooking instructions: Thaw soup and place mixture in crock pot.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.  About 1 hour before serving, add in the cream cheese and heat until thoroughly melted. 
This is great with toppings of cheese, bacon, green onions, and sour cream
*note- I buy the cream cheese and just keep it in the fridge ready to go….it will keep for a long time

Traditional Beef Stew

I have known for 6 years that my husband likes stew.  Fall would start to set in and he would say, “I just want a big bowl of meaty, hearty, stew.”  Unitl now, I have never made it for him.  Wife of the year (or past 6 years), I know.  But, we had stew meat and I figured I should show the guy some love. 
I was actually very very surprised.  It was so so good.  So good, in fact, that I will be eating leftovers for lunch today.  That says a lot.  First, I don’t usually eat lunch, and there are very few things that I like enough to have the next day for lunch.  (I do however, eat leftovers for dinner regularly….is that weird)
I got this recipe from my Taste of Home slow cooker book.  It is a real gem.  (naturally, I made a few changes)
Traditional Beef Stew
1 lb beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 lb carrots, cut
2 medium baking potatoes, cubed with skin on
1 medium onion, cut in to small wedges
1 15 oz can, stew tomatoes.  Do not drain. 
1 cup beef broth
1 celery rib, chopped
2 tablespoons quick cooking tapioca
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1. Combing all ingredients in a 3 to 5 qt slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, until meat and veggies are tender.
Enjoy!

Minestrone Soup (slow cooker style)

Serve this sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and a slice of garlic bread.  Loaded with healthy veggies and warm for a cold, snowy day.

This recipe I was leery of.  I didn’t like Minestrone soup growing up, so I was not sure I would like this one.  But the picture in the cook book looked really yummy, and I had most of the ingredients on hand.  And let me tell you, I have already called dibs on this for lunch and I will be making it again for sure.
Don’t be afraid that it calls for chopped cabbage.  It really did taste good.  I didn’t get to add in the zucchini, there was none to be found.  I couldn’t even find chopped, frozen zucchini.  If you add this in, I am sure it is good.
This recipe comes from my Taste of Home Slow Cooker book.  400 recipes that are totally worth the $14 I spent on the cook book.
Forgotten Minestrone Soup

• Prep: 15 min. Cook: 7-1/2 hours
• Yield: 8 Servings

15 450 465

Ingredients

• 1 pound beef stew meat, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced dried parsley
• 2-1/2 teaspoons salt, optional
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground thyme
• 1 beef bouillon cube
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 6 cups water
• 1 medium zucchini, halved and thinly sliced
• 2 cups chopped cabbage
• 1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Directions

• In a 5-qt. slow cooker, combine the first nine ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until meat is tender.
• Add the zucchini, cabbage, beans and macaroni; cover and cook on high for 30-45 minutes or until macaroni and vegetables are tender. Sprinkle servings with cheese if desired. Yield: 8 servings (2 quarts).

Hello Slow Cooker!

I have two slow cookers, and I would have 2 more if I had a place to put them.  I love making a full meal with entree, side, and soup all with my slow cookers. 
This week, I am devoting my blog and recipes to slow cooking.  Seems like a lot of you are like me and don’t have a ton of time to stand at the stove making a meal.
So, stay tuned.  Tomorrow, I am making Minestrone soup. 
A trick that I use, is to prep everything at night after I put my girls to bed,   I get everything loaded in to my crock pot and stick the ceramic in the fridge.  Then, in morning, I can just pop it in the slow cooker shell and turn it on.  Sometimes, breakfast time is so busy that chopping veggies and cutting meat is not even going to happen.
See you all tomorrow for pictures, a recipe, and the review.
Here are all the ingredients you will need to make the 3 dinners this week that I will post
Forgotten Minestrone
1 lb beef stew meat
1 can (28oz) diced tomatoes
1 medium onion
2 Tbsp minced dried parsley
salt
pepper
1 1/2 tsp ground thyme
1 beef bouillon cube
1 medium zucchini
1 cups chopped cabbage
1 can (15 oz) garbanzo beans
1 cup elbow macaroni
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Slow Cooker Fajitas
1 each: green, red and yellow bell pepper
1 sweet yellow onion
2 lbs beef top sirloin steaks
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
salt & pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 flour tortillas
salsa
cheddar cheese, shredded

Sweet and Sour meatballs
16 oz fully cooked meatballs
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp + 2 tsp cornstarch
1/3 cup white vinegar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 green bell pepper
8 oz pineapple chunks
cooked brown or white rice

Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup (Crock pot)

This is my very first loaf of bread from my new bread machine.  YUM!

I wish you could smell my kitchen.  It is mouth watering.

Delicious basil and sweet tomatoes
I really like tomato soup.  When I was pregnant with my first daughter, I ate grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup for lunch nearly every day.  I couldn’t get enough of it.  When I was pregnant with my second daughter, I couldn’t as much as look at a tomato or tomato product without getting sick.  Now that she is 7 months old, I am over indulging in the tomatoes.
It is still early winter for us here in Montana.  That means we have a LONG soup season.  This one will surely be added to the rotation as it was easy, very creamy, and loaded with good veggies.  It is a keeper for sure.
Tomato-Basil Parmesan Soup
28 oz diced tomatoes.  Do not drain them
1 cup finely diced celery
1 finely diced carrots
1 cup finely diced onions
1 tsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp dried basil
1/2 basil leaf (or one small leaf)
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 cups warmed 1/2 & 1/2 (fat free works just fine if you are cutting calories)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1. Add tomatoes, celery, carrots, onion, oregano, basil, bay leaf, and broth to a large crock pot.
2. Cover and cook on low 5-7 hours.  Until the veggies are soft and the spices have really melded in.
3. About 30 minutes before serving, make a roux.  Melt the butter in a sauce pan over low heat and add the flour.  Stir constantly with a whisk about 5 minutes.  Keep it on low!
4.  Stir in 4 cups of soup very slowly alternating with stirring until smooth.
5. Return the roux to the slow cooker and stir.  Add in the parmesan cheese and warmed 1/2 & 1/2.  Add some extra basil and oregano if needed.  Slow cookers really do a number on spices, so give it a taste test.
6. Season with salt and pepper, stir, and heat through. 

Creamy White Chili

Doesn’t this picture make your mouth water?  I wish you could smell my kitchen right now.  It is very “drool worthy”

I got this recipe out of my Taste of Home Cookbook from 2007.  It is definitely one of my husband’s favorites.  In fact, he told me tonight, “if this recipe doesn’t go viral, there is something wrong with the world” 

The prep for this dish is easy and the ingredient list is nothing overwhelming.

It takes about 10 minutes of standing at the stove and then after that, it is all just simmer time and then ready to eat.

I mostly only cook things that are quick and easy to whip up with a 2 year old and a 6 month old. 
*Look at the magic in these next two pictures!*

That is 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1 cup sour cream.  You can almost guarantee that if I see a recipe that calls for cream and sour cream, I will try it.  With those two things, you can’t go wrong.

I added slow cooker instructions at the bottom of the post

Creamy White Chili (Taste of Home 2007 pg. 67)

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch pieces.
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
*I like to chop my meats and veggies at nap time and stick them in the fridge just ready to dump in the pot at dinner time.  Really cuts down the dinner time stress*
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cans ( 15.5 oz each) great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth
2 cans (4 oz each) chopped green chilies
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
*I also measure out all my spices and stick them in a Tupperware on the counter at naptime)
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1. In a large saucepan, sauté chicken, onion and garlic powder in the olive oil until the chicken is no longer pink.  Add the beans, broth, chilies, and seasonings.  Bring to a boil.

2. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.  Don’t cover it if you want that thick chili consistency.  If it is covered, it will be a bit more soupy.  And, your house will smell amazing this way.

3. Remove from heat, stir in cream and sour cream.  Serve immediately.

NOTE: If you liked the Chicken Enchiladas, you will also like this recipe

Happy Eating!

*Here are the instructions for using the slow cooker for this.  Thank you Mel's Kitchen Cafe*

Slow Cooker Option:

In a medium round slow cooker, place 1 pound chicken breasts (fresh or frozen) without cubing them.

Add the chopped onion, garlic powder, beans, green chiles and all of the spices.

Do not add the sour cream or whipping cream yet!

Reduce the chicken broth to 12 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) and pour in over the other ingredients.

Stir the mixture around a bit to incorporate the dry spices.

Cook on low for 5-7 hours (if using frozen chicken you’ll cook on the longer end of that spectrum, fresh chicken will cook in less time).

Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred in bite-size pieces. Stir back into the slow cooker.

In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the sour cream and whipping cream until smooth. Whisk the cream mixture into the crockpot with the other ingredients. Let the soup cook until heated through.

Serve.

Chicken and Rice Soup

My husband and I love to get fresh veggies from the local hutterites here in Montana.  This week they also brought frozen chickens to sell.  I bought 4.  1 to cook and then 3 to have in the freezer for later in the winter.
My sweet friend has really been struggling with some morning sickness, so I wanted to take her a meal.  This is mellow enough for a sensitive tummy, yet tasty and filling enough for the rest of my family at home.

I simmered this bad boy for about 4 hours.  And SWEET GLORY!  My house smelled so yummy.

Chicken and Rice Soup.
*I choose to simmer on the stove top because I would be home, but if you have a monster size crock pot, you could do the first step in there as well.*
5 lb whole chicken
10 cups water
1 onion chopped
3 celery stalks with leaves, chopped
1/4 cup dried parsley flakes
5 black peppercorns
7 chicken boulion cubes
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp celery seed
pinch dried thyme
1 tsp salt
Bring to a boil, then simmer for 4 hours until the chicken begins to fall off the bone.
Strain the stock, remove chicken from the bones.  Reserve chicken and broth.
Return stock, chicken and following ingredients to large pot
2 cups sliced carrots
1 cup sliced celery
1/4 cup minced fresh onion
1 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 cup uncooked white rice
Boil, then simmer for 30 minutes. 
Enjoy!!

Lasagna Soup

This soup was so yummy!  As soon as it was ready, we gobbled it up so there are no pictures.  But, trust me.  You will want to add this to your list of soups for the fall. 
I found this recipe on Pinterest of course.  You can see the original recipe here.  I adapted it to cook it in my crock pot. I also changed some amounts.  I did not want 3 cups of onions and I don’t like sausage.  So I used ground beef and just one onion.  The original recipe calls for fresh basil leaves chopped, but I used dry so I changed the amount there as well.  And I didn’t want it to spicy so I just used regular diced tomatoes.  I also prefer cottage cheese over ricotta….so of course, another adaption.  So really, I just used this as a guideline and did my own thing.  But thank you pinterest for the inspiration!  I cooked it for just 4 hours on high and it was perfect.  But you can also cook it on low all day if you are out of the house all day.

Lasagna Soup
1 1/2 lb ground beef
1 onion chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp tomato paste
28 oz diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
6 cups chicken stock
3 Tbsp dried basil leaves. 
8 oz mini fusilli pasta, cooked al dente
8 oz cottage cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp salt
pinch ground black pepper to taste
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Mix the cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, salt and black pepper in a bowl and put in fridge until ready to serve.
Brown the ground beef and onion and add to crock pot.  Add remaining ingredients except pasta and mozzarella cheese.
Cook on low  6-8 hours or on high 3-4 hours.   Add the cooked noodles very last and let heat through. 
Now just wait…..you will be drooling over how good this smells, but…..IT GETS BETTER!!
Scoop a spoon full of cheese mixture into bottom of your bowl.  Top with soup, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.  Stir that dreamy goodness up and devour.  Garlic bread and a side salad is great to add with it. 
You can thank me after you finish gobbling up a bowl 

Cheese Tortellini Soup

This is another delicous soup recipe from my grammy.  Our family loves soups. 

Cheese Tortellini Soup
6 cups water
6 beef boulion cubes
6 oz tomato paste
2 Tblsp basil
pepper to taste
1 Tblsp crushed garlic
1/2 # bacon cut up
1 green onion stalk (green part only)
1 cup chopped zucchini
1 cup chopped yellow squash
2 pkg fresh cheese tortellini
fresh parmesan for garnish

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer while you cook the bacon and green onion.  Drain the bacon and onion and add to soup pot.  Bring to a boil and then turn down to simmer.  Add the zucchini and yellow squash.  Boil slowly until tender.  Add the fresh tortellini and boil for just 3 minutes.  Serve with parmesan cheese.

Salmon Chowder

It's soup season!  My aunt cooked tonight and made a family favorite.  I know it might not "sound" yummy, but trust me, I have not met anyone who does not like this yummy fall soup.  My grandma gave all of us this recipe after she and my grandpa had this soup on their Alaskan cruise. 

Salmon Chowder
1/2 cup each: chopped celery, onion, green pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
3 Tblsp butter
1 can chicken broth (14.5oz)
1 cup uncooked diced, peeled potatoes
1 cup shredded carrots
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3/4 tsp dill
1 can cream style corn (14 3/4 oz)
2 cups fat free half and half
2 cups cooked salmon, flaked

Cook first 4 ingredients in butter until tender.  Add potatoes, carrots, and seasonings.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 40 minutes or until vegetables are done.  Stir in corn, half & half, and salmon.  Simmer 15 minutes.
Note:  do not use canned salmon for this recipe.  I buy frozen salmon and bake it until it flakes apart, about 20 minutes on 350 degrees.