Crock Pot Monday: Chicken Enchilada Soup

THIS IS DELISH!! Probably one of my favorite crock pot recipes so far! It had the perfect amount of seasoning and spice. I loved that there wasn't too much chicken or too many veggies- it was just right!  It was so easy, too. Essentially just throw everything in the pot and turn it on. I cannot wait to make this again. This recipe is definitely a keeper- try it soon!


Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup chopped onion and celery
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 3 cups of chicken broth
- 8 oz. tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons of adobo sauce from chipotle peppers, along with 1 pepper
- 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro
- 15 oz. can of black beans, rinsed and drained
- 14.5 oz. can of petite diced tomatoes
- 1 can Mexican corn
- 1 teaspoon of cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
- a sprinkle of black pepper and Greek seasoning
- 1 large chicken breast (or 2 smaller ones)

Directions:
1) Put everything in the crock pot and cook on low 4-6 hours!  Seriously, it's that easy. Mine actually cooked longer because I got home from school a little later than usual and it was fine.
2) Remove chicken and shred with two forks. Add chicken back to the pot.
3) Serve in bowls and top with sour cream, avocado slices, sour cream, tortilla strips, whatever really!

  Get Cookin'!

Seafood Bisque

A good friend of mine found this recipe online and raved about it--- so of course I had to try it for myself! Stacey, you are right! This soup is so easy and way better than most I've had in restaurants!


Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons of butter
- 1/2 cup each, chopped: celery, onion, bell pepper
- handful of chopped green onions
- 3 tablespoons of flour
- 2 1/2 cups of milk
- 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
- 1 cup of heavy whipping cream
- 8 ounces of crab meat
- 1/3 pound of small shrimp
- 2 tablespoons of sherry
- 1 can of corn, drained
- seasoning: Tony's, pepper, garlic powder, Greek, Old Bay

Directions:
1) Heat butter over medium-low heat. Add veggies and saute until tender.
2) Blend in flour. Cook, stirring with a whisk for about 1 minute. Slowly stir in the milk.
3) Add seasoning, tomato paste, corn, and cream.
4) Add in the crab and shrimp and bring to a simmer.

  Get Cookin'!

Potato Soup

I know there are tons of recipes out there for potato soup. I've tried lots of different ones and I like this one the best. It's not too thick or too runny, and it's quick, easy, and delish!

Ingredients: 
- 1 ham steak, cubbed (or about 1/2 pound of bacon)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cups of diced potatoes
- 1 can of evaporated milk
- 2 cups of chicken broth
- 1 can of cream of potato soup
- sour cream, green onions, and cheese for topping
- seasoning

Directions:
1) Saute the ham and onions.
2) Add chicken broth, potatoes, and seasoning. Cook until potatoes are tender (15-20 mins.)
3) Reduce heat. Use a potato masher to mash up some of the potatoes. Stir in soup and evaporated milk until desired consistency is reached.
4) Top with sour cream, green onions, and shredded cheese.
5) Voila!

What's your favorite recipe for potato soup? I'd love to try it!!

  Get Cookin'!

Crock Pot Monday: Ten Bean Soup

This was easy and so delish! It was hearty and perfect for a cold and cloudy day. I used a Ragin' Cajun bag of dry beans. I love all of the Ragin' Cajun products!  You can find it at any grocery store by the other dry beans. The best part is that it also comes with all the seasonings! So all you have to do it dump it in and you're ready to go. I added some extra veggies and herbs because I'm an over achiever :-).

Ingredients:
- 1 bag of Ragin' Cajun fixin's
- 1/2 cup each: chopped carrots, onion, and celery
- small handful of chopped sage
- fresh rosemary- off the stem and chopped
- 1 can of Rotel (to make it a little spicy- if you can't stand the heat then just add about a tablespoon of tomato paste)
- 16 oz. of chicken broth
- 1/2 pound of bacon

Directions:
1) Soak the beans in water over night.

2) The next day, fry the bacon and then chop into pieces. TIP: always cook bacon before putting it in a crock pot-- if you don't it becomes stringy and gross. I'm from Louisiana so I added the bacon grease into the crock pot to cook with everything. Every Southerner uses bacon grease is a secret ingredient!!! But you don't have to and it will still be good. You could easily add ham or sausage instead, too. Or leave it meatless. The possibilities are endless!

3) Combine everything in a crock pot (with the seasoning packet) and cook on high 6-8 hours, or until beans or soft.

4) You might want to add a little more liquid, depending on how "soupy" you want it.

5) Serve over rice. Voila!

  Get Cookin'!

Crock Pot Monday: Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup

A little late... I know! Jason and I (well, mainly Jason) have been working on a little D.I.Y. dining table project so we haven't been trying anything new in the kitchen. I got this recipe idea and picture from Pinterest.

The results....The soup was okay. Not my favorite but it was edible. I was really excited about it because it only called for  a few ingredients and in the original post the blogger gave this recipe 5/5 stars. I would give it about 2.5 stars. But I'm a tough critic! I've said this many times before but I want to eat things that are full of flavor and spice. This had neither of those things. And my soup didn't look like this picture either--- that always makes me so mad!

Here's the link for the recipe. It's Wednesday and I'm too exhausted to type! Next week I'm hoping for an amazing crock pot dish...I'm on the look out for a good one!

  Get Cookin'!

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

  I have seen tons of recipes for broccoli cheese soup- but we had never tried to cook it until recently. We used a mock version of Panera Bread's recipe. Next time I won't put the carrots and I think I will cut down on the amount of broccoli used. We added extra seasoning and extra cheese.  It was really good and fairly easy- perfect meal on a cold evening!

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups half-and-half
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 pound fresh broccoli
1 cup carrots, julienned
salt and pepper, to taste
8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese


Directions:
Saute onion in butter. Set aside. Cook melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly and slowly add the half-and-half. Add the chicken broth and keep stirring. Simmer for 20 minutes. 
Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat until the veggies are tender for 20-25 minutes. Add salt and pepper. The soup should be thickened by now. Add the grated cheese; stir until well blended. Voila!


Get Cookin'!

Crock Pot Monday: Minestrone Soup

Back to school means back to planning meals and overworking my crock pot! Yesterday I dreamed up this idea to have "Crock Pot Monday" every week...until further notice. Mondays are usually long and tiring for me (especially during the first few months of school). So every Monday I'll be using my crock pot, trying a new recipe, and sharing the results here with you! So many great friends have sent me recipes using a crock pot and I'm dying to try them all!

I know it's still summer and WAY too hot to eat soup...But Jason and I both love minestrone soup and so I had to try this. It was super easy! I decided to add a pound of lean ground beef to the soup to make it a little more hearty. It was a great addition! This stuff is GOOD! It's going to be even better this Winter.

Ingredients:
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 1 cup carrots, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 can of diced tomatoes
- 1 can of rotel
- 1 can of white beans (drained and rinsed)
- 4 cups of chicken broth
- 1 fresh rosemary sprig
- 3 bay leaves
- 3 teaspoons of chopped fresh basil
- 1/2 cup of chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
- 1 medium zucchini, chopped
- 2 cups of cooked small pasta (I used elbow)
- salt and pepper
- parmesan cheese to top

Directions:
1) Combine broth, can tomatoes, beans, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper in crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
2) Forty minutes before the soup is done, add zucchini.
3) Cover and cook for 30 more minutes.
4) Add cooked pasta and cook for 10 more minutes.
5) Remove bay leaves and rosemary sprig and season to taste.
6) Top with parmesan cheese.
7) Voila!

    Get Cookin'!