Easy Crockpot Soup

Justin ate two bowls and has requested it twice now so it must be good!! It comes from Pearls, Handcuffs, and Happy Hour as do the pictures....it links to all her soups!! 

1 30 oz. bag of frozen, shredded hash browns 

3 14 oz. 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 {don’t use fat free.  It WON’T melt!!!}

In a crock pot, combine everything EXCEPT for the cream cheese.  Cook for 6-8 hours on low heat.  About 1 hour before serving, add cream cheese and keep heated until thoroughly melted.  Serve with cheese, sour cream, bacon bits, or green onions.

This was a really good, comforting, easy to make soup!! It comes from Chef Mommy {who sited 365 Days of Crockpot as the source on her blog}! The picture is hers too! Doesn't it look yummy? Well it is/was! The girls loved it, John loved it, Jace thought it was ok {he spotted the celery and it kinda went down hill from there ~ picky kid}, and Justin didn't try {which he wouldn't anyway I'm sure ~ again cause of the celery, little brat}!



4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 package of Rice-a-Roni long grain and wild rice
1/2 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
1/2 tsp pepper
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup butter
2 cups half and half (I used fat-free half and half)
1 cup grated carrots (I diced mine) ~ I used the shredded one they have in the bag
1 cup diced celery

Directions:
Combine broth, water, carrots, celery, chicken and rice (along with seasoning packet) in a large slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours. Take out chicken and shred with two forks and then add back into slow cooker. In a small bowl combine salt, pepper, and flour. In medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in flour mixture by tablespoon to form a roux. Whisk in cream, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth. Stir cream mixture into slow cooker and then let cook on low for 15 more minutes. Served with quick baking biscuits! And I usually double recipes but this made enough to feed the family and have a little leftover for John's lunch!

Turkey Noodle Soup over Mashed Potatoes

Used up some left over turkey and made a comfort food favorite!!! My Grandma Fillmore makes the best Turkey Noodle Soup over mashed potatoes!!! I haven't ever gotten her recipe yet but I found this from Tyler Florence and it was "down-home good"!!!! {There are potatoes under all that soup...little, fluffy, pillows of yummy goodness}!!

8 cups chicken stock
     * Tip if you use store bought chicken stock, add 1 tsp chicken base to it to make it extra rich. Chicken base is available at the grocery store near the chicken bouillon. It is similar, except it contains less salt and has a more intense flavor. A little goes a long ways.

2 cups cooked shredded turkey
1 batch dumpling noodles (roughly 10 oz of store bought egg noodles)
1 medium onion {left this out due to the kiddos}
3 garlic cloves {left this out due to the kiddos too} 
2 carrots (cut into 1/4 inch rounds)
2 ribs celery (sliced lengthwise and cut into 1/4 inch slices)
2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
4 sprigs of thyme or 2 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Mashed potatoes ~ you can make from scratch or use instant

Place a large pot over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, thyme and bay leaf and cook till the veggies soften, but are not browned. Roughly 6 minutes. Once the veggies are softened add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. When boiling add the noodles and cook for about 5 minutes. Fold in the chicken and cook for another 3-5 minutes to heat up the chicken. Right before serving I make just a little thickening out of water and flour. I like it a little thicker and not so soupy!! Not too much, about 2 T. of flour and some water. Add a nice helping of mashed potatoes in a bowl and add soup on top!!! Season with salt and pepper! It's a very filling meal in itself but I baked up some small biscuits ~ the one ones that come in the can that "pops" open {and scares me half to death EVERY time} and there are about 10 of them in a can!!! That and some leftover Raspberry Whip Salad and ya got yourself a real good, feel good meal!!!

Cheeseburger Soup

1/2 lb. ground beef
3/4 c. celery
3/4 c. carrots
3/4 c. onions
1 t. basil
1 t. parsley
4 T. butter (divided)
4 c. potatoes
1 1/2 c. milk
4 oz. Velveeta Cheese
1/2 t. salt
3/4 t. pepper
1/4 c. flour
1 c. chicken broth
Brown hamburger, drain and set aside. In same pot saute carrots, onions, celery, basil, parsley, and 1 T. butter. Cook until veggies are tender ~ about 10 min. Then add potatoes, chicken broth, and hamburger. Boil for 10 - 15 min ~ until potatoes are soft.
In a small pan melt remaining butter and add flour stir until bubbly then add to soup. Cook for 10 min. Add Velveeta Cheese, milk, salt, and pepper. Cook until cheese is melted.
Garnish with green onion, sour cream, and chopped bacon. As always doubled this and had plenty for leftovers. Served it with some jello and homemade bread.

Chick~Pot Pie w/ Puff Pastry

This recipe comes from "Back To The Cutting Board"...

"Chicken Pot Pie Soup" - Made from scratch ~ adapted from this recipe on RecipeZaar.com

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked chicken, cubed

Small onion, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
2 cups potatoes, cubed
1 can green peas, drained
1 can corn, drained
6 tbsp. butter or margarine
1/2 to 1 cup flour (see note below)
2 tbsp. chicken bouillon, ground up
2 cups chicken broth
4 cups of milk
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
Puff pastry dough (I use Pillsbury Cresent Recipe Creations)

The Process
1. Put potatoes in a pot with 1 cup of chicken broth and enough water to cover them. At the same time, put your carrots in a pot with enough water to cover them. Cover and cook both vegetables until fork tender, about 15-20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, saute onions in a few teaspoons of oil until soft and translucent, about 5-8 minutes.
3. In a large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add in bouillon, pepper, garlic, broth and flour (see note below). Stir until smooth.
4. Gradually add milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until it boils, simmer for a minute, stirring constantly.

Note: I like this soup to be thick, more like actual chicken pot pie. You may want it to be soupier, though. My recommendation is to start with 1/2 cup of flour and 1/2 cup of broth and bring to boil with milk (don’t skimp on the milk) like instructed. If you think it’s too soupy add more flour about 1/4 cup at a time until it thickens. If you add more flour, add another tablespoon of the ground up bouillon, too, or else it’ll taste too flour-y. If it’s too thick for your liking, add in chicken broth, about 1/4 cup at a time until it gets to the right consistency.

5. Add chicken and then each vegetable one at time and stir carefully between each addition.
6. Roll out your pastry dough about 1/4 inch thick and cut into 3×3 inch squares. Bake in 375 degree oven for 7-10 minutes, until puffy and slightly browned on top. Serve on top of soup.

As always I double or triple my recipes so we have leftovers! This really did taste like a chicken pot pie and the kids loved the puff pastry on top! They haven't had puff pastry before and thought it was quite great stuff!

Mimi's Cafe Corn Chowder

I got this recipe from "Eat It and Weep".

I doubled it...most always double my recipes for leftovers and John's lunches.

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp butter or margarine

6 Tbsp onion, chopped {I used minced onion so they wouldn't be detectd ;)}

3/4 cup celery, diced {I used celery seed so the kids wouldn't complain}

2 1/2 cups hot water

2 cups raw potato, peeled and cut in 1/2" cubes

1 quart Half & Half

3 cups frozen corn, thawed

2 T. sugar

2 t. salt

1 pinch white pepper

3 T. flour
Directions:
Melt butter in large saucepan on medium heat, then simmer onion and celery for 5 minutes until soft, but not brown. Add water, potatoes, corn and seasonings. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until potatoes are barely tender. Whisk the flour into 1 cup of the Half & Half, and stir into the soup. Add the remaining 3 cups of Half & Half. Simmer for about 15 minutes until the soup has thickened to a creamy consistency. If needed, add additional salt and pepper to taste. To thin soup add milk; to make it thicker, simmer another 5-10 minutes.
Yields 2 1/2 quarts.

I served it with a little cheese on top and cornbread on the side with honey butter!

Bacon, Cheese, and Potato Chowder

3 c. milk
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) condensed cream of potato soup
2 c. southern style hash browns
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
2 slices bacon ~ cooked and crumbled
2 green onion ~ thinly sliced
Additional cheese, onions, and bacon for topping soup.

Mix everything together and simmer till hash browns are done ~ 10 minutes or so stirring frequently. Serve topped with cheese, onions, and bacon.

I doubled the recipe and added 1 can of cheddar cheese soup. I also used the pre-cooked bacon, cooked it in the microwave, and crumbled it up. it made quite a bit so we had some leftovers that were even better the next day! It is so yummy!!
Recipe from Kraft Food website.

Tomatoes & Macaroni

Very easy, very fast!!!

1 pkg. elbow macaroni
Boil in salted water until done.
Drain leaving about inch of water in pan.
Add:
1 lg. can of tomato sauce
1 small can of petite diced tomatoes
salt - to taste
pepper - taste
You may want to add a little more water to make it like soup consistency.

Bring to simmer and warm through.
Make some grilled cheese sandwiches and you have a feel good, comfort food.

Baked Potato Soup

2/3 c. butter
2/3 c. flour
7 c. milk
4 potatoes (baked, cooled, peeled, and cubed)
4 sliced green onions
12 slices of bacon - cooked ( I use the bacon in the packages, not bacon bits, 1 pkg. of the cooked bacon)
1 ¼ c. shredded cheese
8 oz. sour cream

Melt butter in large soup pot, stir in flour, add milk, stir constantly until it starts to thicken. Add potatoes and onions. Bring back to boil, stirring constantly. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add rest of ingredients, stir until cheese is melted.
Garish with additional sour cream, cheese, onions, and bacon.
Soooooooooo good, so good, so good !!!!!!!!!!!