Buffalo Chicken Soup

I found this recipe on Pinterest, then made a few changes to fit our tastes.

1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast

2 cans Great Northern Beans

Half bag frozen corn

1 can diced tomatoes with garlic and onion

3 cups water

½ cup Otts Wing Sauce

1 package Ranch dressing mix

8 oz cream cheese

Spray crockpot with cooking spray and add all ingredients.  After 8 hours on low, take chicken out to shred then return to crockpot.

Crockpot Potato Soup

We tried a new potato soup last night.  I wasn't sure how well it might be received, since it has bacon for flavor and garnish, but isn't a really meaty soup.  I was pleasantly surprised though!  We both really liked it.  I found the recipe here, but made just a few changes and don't want to forget what I did.

Bag of frozen hashbrowns - cubed, not shredded
4 cups water
4 teaspoons Jamison soup stock
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
8 oz reduced fat cream of cheese
1 tablespoon bacon grease
Bacon, crumbled
Shredded sharp cheddar
Green onion

Combine the first 6 ingredients and cook on low for 5 hours.  Add cream cheese and bacon grease and continue to cook for another 30 minutes.  Serve with bacon, cheddar cheese, and green onion.

I already had a bag of hashbrowns, but we thought it would also be good with fresh potatoes if you'd like larger chunks of potato.

Ham and Potato Soup

I found this soup on Pinterest and made it today while I was home with a cold.  It was hearty, delicious, and received David's stamp of approval.  The original recipe is here:  http://www.wwrecipes.net/ham-potato-soup.html and includes nutrition information.  I altered it just slightly to fit our taste.

2-3 large diced yellow potatoes with skin on (about 1 inch pieces)
1/2 bag frozen carrots
2-3 c. ham, diced

1/2 bag frozen corn
Chicken broth or water to cover (Jamison's soup base if using water)
Pepper

Onion powder

Garlic powder

2 T butter

3 T flour

1/2 cup cooking liquid

1/2 cup milk

Combine the first 8 ingredients in a 3 quart crock pot.  Cook on low 8 hours.  Use remaining ingredients to create a "cream of" soup.  Add to soup in crock pot and continue to cook on low another 15-30 minutes.  We had ours with cornbread on the side.

Cheeseburger Soup

For Christmas Eve this year, I made my mom's Cheeseburger Soup. It's a lot of prep work, but it was certainly tasty! We think it should be our new Christmas Eve tradition!

Cheeseburger Soup

Makes 2 and 1/4 quarts

1/2 pound ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup diced celery
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
4 tablespoons butter,( divided, 1 T. and 3 T.)
3 cups chicken broth
1 can creamed corn
4 cups diced peeled potaotes (1-3/4 pounds)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups (8ounes) process cheese (Velveeta)
1-1/2 cups milk
3/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoons pepper
1/4 cup sour cream

Directions

In a 3 qt. saucepan, brown beef; drain and set aside.
In the same saucepan, saute onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1
tablespoon butter until vegetables are tender, about 10 min.
Add broth, potatoes, corn and beef; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt remaining butter (3 T.).
Add flour; cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly.
Add to soup; bring to a boil.
Cook and stir for 2 minutes.
Reduce heat to low.
Add cheese, milk, salt, and pepper; cook and stir until cheese melts.
Remove form heat.
Blend in sour cream.

Cheeseburger Soup

It will soon be time for warm cozy dinners again, and we love my mom's Cheeseburger Soup. I saw someone making it on Diners, Drive Ins, Dives and they were adding lettuce. That doesn't sound too good. But this does!

Cheeseburger Soup

Makes 2 and 1/4 quarts

1/2 pound ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup diced celery
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
4 tablespoons butter,( divided, 1 T. and 3 T.)
3 cups chicken broth
1 can creamed corn
4 cups diced peeled potaotes (1-3/4 pounds)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups (8ounes) process cheese (Velveeta)
1-1/2 cups milk
3/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoons pepper
1/4 cup sour cream

Directions

In a 3 qt. saucepan, brown beef; drain and set aside.
In the same saucepan, saute onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1
tablespoon butter until vegetables are tender, about 10 min.
Add broth, potatoes, corn and beef; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt remaining butter (3 T.).
Add flour; cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly.
Add to soup; bring to a boil.
Cook and stir for 2 minutes.
Reduce heat to low.
Add cheese, milk, salt, and pepper; cook and stir until cheese melts.
Remove form heat.
Blend in sour cream.

Coddle

On Christmas Eve, we went to Monett for dinner and church with my parents and Grandma. My mom made coddle for us, along with lots of other goodies. Most recipes, I am happy to try out on my own. But her coddle is so good, and David is so crazy about it, that I've never even tried. In case you'd like to try it though, here is the original recipe.

Emeril Lagasse's Coddle:
6 strips bacon, small diced - this time she used peppered bacon and it was delicious
1/2 pound andouille sausage - if you live nearby, Harter House has the best. And I think my mom uses more than 1/2 a pound
1 cup onions, diced
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp pepper
salt to taste
2 lbs baby red potatoes, diced into quarters
2 tsp fresh rosemary
2 c chicken stock

Render the bacon and sausage in a one gallon pot over medium high heat until the sausage is crispy. Add the onions to the pot and sweat for 3-4 minutes or until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the garlic to the pot and sweat for 30 seconds. (I will admit - this was the point at which I decided not to make this. Render bacon? Sweat onions? What? I still don't know what those things mean.) Place the potatoes in the pot and add the chopped rosemary. Then add 2 cups chicken stock to the pot and season with salt and pepper. Bring the pot to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Adjust seasoning if necessary and serve immediately.

This is one of those things that gets better with time. The only the better than fresh coddle is yesterday's coddle. Yum!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

4 Uncooked, boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 15oz. cans black beans, undrained
1 15 oz. can diced tomatos
1 15 oz. can Rotel
1 c. salsa
2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 cans cheddar cheese soup

Extras: tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream, or cilantro

1. Combine all ingredients (except extras) in a large crock pot.
2. Cover, cook on low for 8 hours.
3. Just before serving, remove chicken and slice or shed into bite sized pieces, add back to soup.
4. To serve, put a handful of chips in individual soup bowls. Ladle soup over chips. Top with cheese and or sour cream.

From About.com. This could easily be cut in half for two. My crockpot (a medium/large size) was full to the brim once all ingredients were added.

Turkey Chili

I was hoping this would be edible (and hoping to sneak a low-fat meal in) and was pleasantly surprised. It's low-fat, until you add the toppings, but ridiculously high in sodium. Can't have it all!

1 pound ground turkey, browned and drained
1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans mild Rotel with liquid (for a milder chili, use a can of diced tomatoes in place of one of the cans of Rotel)
1 small onion (I used purple, but any would do)
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 cup water

Combine all in pot and simmer for 2 hours. If chili gets too thick, add a little more water. Serve over tortilla chips or cornbread and top with sour cream, shredded cheese, and chopped green onion. I think a can of corn might be a tasty addition next time.