Hashbrown Potato Soup-Crockpot

I LOVE potato soups.  I have tried several and pretty much all of them I have enjoyed, and I am pretty sure that I have blogged most of them.  Well, this one is getting blogged for 2 reasons: 1-it was awesome and 2-it was EASY. 

 

Here is what you need:

• 1-30oz. bag of frozen, shredded hash browns {I used Ore Ida}
• 3-14oz. cans of chicken broth
• 1 can of cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1/4 tsp. ground pepper
• 1 pkg. cream cheese (I used regular.  Supposedly fat free doesn't melt smooth...I don't know)
• any garnishes desired

1) Combine everything in a crockpot except for cream cheese.  Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours. About 30 min-1 hour before serving, add cream cheese and cook until melted. I personally used my warm setting for about 5 hours and then added the cream cheese.  I turned it up to high and let it cook about 45 minutes.

 

Serve with any garnishes you may like: sour cream, cheddar cheese, green onion, etc.

 

Enjoy!

Zuppa Toscana Soup

I found this recipe at the SteakNPotatoesKindaGurl blog.  It is supposedly an Olive Garden copycat recipe.  However, I have not eaten this soup at Olive Garden in forever, so I can not verify or deny that.  Now, that being said, I LOVE it!!!!  This was SOOO delicious and it can be made in the crockpot (which is what I did) so even better!!

Here is what you need.

• 4 slices bacon, diced
• 1 lb ground hot Italian sausage
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups (32 oz) chicken stock
• 3 cups russet potatoes, cubed
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups kale, in bite size pieces
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• parmesan cheese, grated

Directions for stove top cooking:

1) In a large pot, cook the bacon until crispy. Drain the grease. Add the sausage, breaking it apart as it cooks. Once sausage is browned and crumbled, drain off grease leaving a tbsp to saute the onion.

2) Push the sausage and bacon to the edge of the pot and add the onion to the center; saute until translucent; add garlic; saute until fragrant.
3) Stir in the stock and potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
4) Add kale and heavy whipping cream. Bring to a simmer. Top with parmesan cheese, when serving. 

Directions for crockpot cooking:
1) Cook the bacon until crispy.  Drain the grease.  Add the sausage, breaking it apart as it cooks.  Once sausage is browned and crumbled, drain off almost all the grease.  Push the sausage and crumbled bacon to the side and add the onion and saute until translucent.  Add the garlic.
2) Transfer contents of skillet to crockpot.  Add in the chicken stock and potatoes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook for 4-8 hours on low.
3) About 30 min-1 hour before serving, turn heat to high.  Add in the kale and whipping cream.  Stir and let cook.
4) Serve with grated parmesan.

Butternut Squash Soup

I admit right off the bat that I was very skeptical of this recipe.  I also knew that it was a recipe that little man would not eat.  I found this recipe from The Italian Dish blog.  It does have crumbled bacon listed on the recipe, but if you wanted to make this completely a meatless dish, just leave it out.  Anyway, as I said I was skeptical.  I like "things" in my soup-chicken, beef, tomatoes, etc.  When this one was just squash, I did not have high hopes.  I even told my hubby that we were going to give it a try but I was willing to run to town for pizza.  Well, we were pleasantly surprised.  This soup was SOOO good.  Granted you do have to like squash.

Here is what you need:

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, grated or minced

1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage (about 3 leaves)

2 to 2-1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into cubes

1/8 cup sherry (I left out)

4 cups chicken broth

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 ounces pancetta, chopped (pancetta is an Italian bacon...I just used real bacon crumbles)

1/3 cup cream

salt and pepper

Directions:

1) Melt the butter and olive oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion and saute until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and sage and saute one minute. Add squash cubes and saute 5 minutes. Add the sherry, broth and cayenne pepper. Cover and simmer on low for about 25 minutes.

2) Meanwhile, fry the pancetta in a little skillet until nicely crisped. Drain on a paper towel.

3) After the soup simmers, puree soup, either with an immersion blender right in the pot, or transfer to a food processor or blender. Return to pot and stir in cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4) Serve in bowls with pancetta on top.

 

Creamy Tortellini Soup

I found this recipe from the Better Home and Gardens website.  It is simple, fast, it is in the crockpot, it is tasty, and RJ loves tortellini.

Here is what you need:

1- 1/2 to 2 ounce envelope white sauce mix

4 cups water

1-14 ounce can vegetable broth

1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

1/2 cup chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp dried basil, crushed

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp dried oregano, crushed

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1- 7 to 8 ounce package dried cheese tortellini (about 2 cups)

1- 12 ounce can evaporated milk

6 cups fresh baby spinach leaves or torn spinach (I don't like cooked spinach so I used kale)

Ground black pepper (optional)

Finely shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

 

Directions:

1. Place dry white sauce mix in a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker. Gradually add the water to the white sauce mix, stirring until smooth. Stir in broth, mushrooms, onion, garlic, basil, salt, oregano, and cayenne pepper.

2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours or on high-heat setting for 2-1/2 to 3 hours.

3. Stir in dried tortellini. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 1 hour more or high-heat setting for 45 minutes more.

4. Stir in evaporated milk and fresh spinach/kale. If desired, sprinkle individual servings with black pepper and Parmesan cheese. Makes 4 servings.

Calories: 450 per serving

Wild Rice and Turkey Soup

Another yummy soup. I love soups especially when I can make them in the crockpot.

Here is what you need:
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
2 medium stalks celery, diced (1 cup)
2 medium carrots, diced (1 cup)
1 cup diced smoked turkey (6 ounces) ( I used 1lb ground turkey)
1/2 cup uncooked wild rice
1 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated fat-free milk
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup frozen peas

1) if using ground turkey, brown in skillet. Add the oil. Sauté the onion, celery, and carrots. Add to the crockpot.
2) combine all other ingredients except milk, flour and peas into the crockpot
3) cover and cook on low 6-8 hours.
4) during last 30 minutes of cooking, add the mix the milk and flour in a small bowl. Add to the crockpot and stir to incorporate. Add in the peas.
5) cook until the peas are done and the soup has thickened.

Enjoy!

Zuppa Toscana Soup

This was a super yummy soup. It is supposed to be a copycat to Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana. I have not had that at the Olive Garden for a long time so I can not say if it was a "true" copycat. I do know that this was super yummy and we LOVED it. And the best part is...I made it in the crockpot!!!

Here is what you need:
4 slices bacon, diced
1 lb ground hot Italian sausage
1 large yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups (32 oz) chicken stock
3 cups russet potatoes, cubed
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 cups kale, in bite size pieces
1 cup heavy whipping cream
parmesan cheese, grated

1) brown sausage in a skillet. Add the onion and sauté. Drain.
2) combine all ingredients except kale, parmesan and whipping cream into the crockpot.
3) cook on low 6-8 hours.
4) during the last 30 minutes to hour of cooking add the kale and whipping cream.
5) serve topped with Parmesan if desired.

Enjoy!!

Creamy Broccoli and Cheddar Soup

This is another Pinterest find and it was absolutely delicious!  It is from food.com and I thank them for the yummy recipe and for the picture. I admit that my 4-year old did not eat it, but he doesn't like soup unless there are noodles in it. 

Here are the ingredients that you need.

1 tablespoon melted butter
1/2 medium chopped onion
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup flour
2 1/2 cups half-and-half (I used evaporated milk as a substitute as I forgot to buy half and half)
4 cups chicken stock
1 lb. (16 oz.) fresh or frozen broccoli florets
1 cup grated carrot
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese

1) Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat, and sauté onion until soft, about 3 minutes. Add additional butter and flour, whisking for 3-5 minutes to create a roux. Whisk while adding the half-and-half and chicken stock. Simmer for 20 minutes.
2) Stir in the broccoli florets and grated carrot. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg. Simmer over low heat for 30-35 minutes.
3) Remove soup from heat and pulse with an immersion blender until smooth. Or, puree the soup in batches in a food processor until smooth, adding mixture back to the pot.
4) Return pot to low heat and stir in cheddar cheese. Simmer for 10 minutes, and serve.

That is all there is to it.  Enjoy! 

Sausage Corn Chowder

It is pretty much soup season again!!!! I am very excited about this.  This was a new soup for my family, and we all LOVED it! RJ, the picky 4 year-old, even ate 2 bowls.  Though the recipe is a stove top recipe and that is how I made it tonight, it can easily be adaptable for the crockpot too.

Here is what you need:
1 pound sausage
1 Cup chopped onion
3 Cups cubed red potatoes (I used 3 small Russet because that is what I had)
2 Cups water
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp marjoram, crushed
1/8 tsp pepper
1 15oz can whole kernel corn, drained
1 14oz can cream style corn
1 12oz can evaporated milk
***I also used about 1 cup chicken broth because it needed a little more liquid for my liking.

1) Cook sausage and onion until sausage is browned.  Drain off grease.
2) Return sausage and onion to dutch oven or pot.  Add in cubed potatoes, water, salt, marjoram, and pepper.  Bring to boiling; reduce the heat.  Simmer covered for 10 minutes. (I had maybe 30 minutes to an hour before the hubs came home, so I just turned the burner WAY down to the lowest setting and just let it simmer until he got home.  Then I did step 3.  This is also why I think I had to add the chicken broth.  I think the water just cooked off.)
3) Stir in the whole kernel corn, cream corn, and evaporated milk.  Cook and stir until heated through.

As I said, yummy!!!

Makes 6 servings; 491 calories per serving

Sausage Tortellini Soup-Crockpot

We LOVE soup at our house, so what's better then soup on a cold Sunday afternoon? Coming home on that cold Sunday afternoon from church to a soup that is all but finished. Now that being said, in order for my hubby to eat soup willingly and like it, the soup has to be interesting, different, and not bland. So, I am always on the look-out for "unusual" soup recipes. This was one. It is SO simple and straight forward, yet it is not one that I would have ever thought to "create" on my own. I am so happy that I stumbled upon this recipe!

Here is what you need:
2-14 oz cans of Italian style stewed tomatoes, undrained (I used Italian diced because it is what I had)
3 Cups water
2 Cups frozen green beans
1-10.5 oz can French onion soup
8 oz sausage of choice (I just used regular pork because it is what I had, but next time I want to use chorizo or Italian)
2 Cups shredded carrots and cabbage mix (coleslaw mix...I used the Broccoli slaw package mix in the produce section)
1-9 oz package frozen cheese-filled tortellini (I think mine was 12 or 16 oz package)
shredded cheese

1) In the crockpot, combine tomatoes, water, frozen green beans, water, soup, and cooked sausage.
2) Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours. (Again, know your slow cooker...I cooked mine on low for 4-6 hours-ish, and it was perfectly fine.)
3) 20-30 minutes before serving, add in the cabbage mix and tortellini. Stir to combine. Cover and cook the remaining 15-20 minutes.
4) Serve with shredded cheese, if desired.

Note: I did not have frozen green beans. I only had canned green beans. I drained them and added them in with the cabbage and tortellini at step 3. This tasted perfectly fine.

My hubby and 3-year old both LOVED this one and both devoured it! There were no leftovers or time for pictures.

Serving size: appx 6 servings

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Sundays and Thursdays for our house are "busy" days and I just find that I never have time to cook. Sundays we do not get home from Church until after 4 PM and Thursdays we always have meetings. Seriously, who wants to eat out ALL the time or eat PB&J ALL the time. I know that I sure don't. So, I have been trying harder on these two days to use the crockpot more. I LOVE crockpot meals because they are so easy and yummy. Plus, if you use the crockpot liners, there is little to no clean-up! Bonus!!!


So, here is our dinner for tonight. It is a Chicken Tortilla Soup. There are several variations, but this is the one I chose to use.


4 chicken breasts (I used 2 because they are big and we have a small family)
2 Cans Black Beans, undrained
2 Cans Stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 small can chopped green chilis
1 Cup Salsa (whatever your favorite is)
Tortilla Chips or Tortillas
Shredded Cheese
Sour cream

Place the first 5 ingredients in the crockpot. Cook on low for 5 or 6 hours. Serve with Chips/Tortillas, cheese, and sour cream, if desired.

Super yummy! (sorry no pictures)