Quick Clam Chowder (food storage version)

My kids are obsessed with clam chowder!  And frankly, I don't blame them.  Unfortunately, the cream doesn't please our tummies as much as our palates...  So I figured I'd experiment with coconut milk, because heck, it's pretty creamy.  Imagine my delight when it worked fabulously!  Now I have happy kids with happy stomachs :)

Adapted from My Food Storage Cookbook

Ingredients:

• 1/4 c. bacon bits
• 2 T. butter/oil
• 2 T. dried onions
• 2 T. flour blend
• 14 oz clam broth
• 2 cans clams, with liquid
• 1 can whole potatoes, drained and chopped
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1/4 t. celery seeds
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and pepper, to taste
• dash of nutmeg

Directions:

     In medium soup pot, saute bacon bits over medium heat until crisp.  Add butter and onions.  Once butter has melted, stir in flour and cook for a minute or two.  Add clam broth to roux and whisk until smooth.  Add in remaining ingredients and bring to a low simmer.  Serve warm with biscuits or cornbread.

Minestrone Soup II

Minestrone is one of my all-time favorite soups!  I can't get enough of it.  It's Italian, and full of yummy veggies.  It's like the best of both worlds ;) Unfortunately, I seem to be the only one who feels that way in my family...  So I don't make this as often as I'd like to.  Hopefully you get to enjoy it more than I do!

Ingredients:

     ·    1 small celery, diced -or- 1/4 t. celery seeds

     ·    1 can mushrooms, drained

     ·    Handful of frozen green beans -or- 1 small can, drained

     ·    1 carrot, chopped -or- 1 small can, drained

     ·    4 cloves of garlic -or- 2 t. garlic powder

     ·    1 T. dried onions

     ·    ½ large zucchini -or- 1/4 c. dried, rehydrated

     ·    1 can diced tomatoes

     ·    1 can Italian stewed tomatoes, pureed

     ·    4 c. chicken broth

     ·    1 c. beef broth

     ·    1 T. Italian seasoning

     ·    1 t. salt

     ·    2 t. brown sugar

     ·    ½ t. pepper

     ·    1 T. balsamic vinegar

     ·    ½ - ¾ c. pasta

     ·    2 handfuls spinach, chopped -or- 1 small can, drained (opt)

     ·    1 can white beans, drained and rinsed

     ·    1 c. water (opt)

Directions:

Combine ingredients, except pasta/spinach/beans, in medium soup pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until carrots are tender.  Add pasta and return to a boil.  Cook until al dente.  Add spinach and beans; stir well.  Add water to desired consistency.

Cream of Whatever Soup

I honestly can't tell you when the last time was where I bought a can of cream of mushroom/chicken/tomato soup.  Simply because I like to make my own.  It gives me a better handle on the ingredients, which means less MSG as well as some dairy-free options...

Ingredients:

   •  3 T. butter

   •  3 T. flour (about half if using a GF mix w/ xanthan gum)

   •  ¼ t. salt

   •  Dash of pepper

   • 1 ¼ c. liquid (milk/broth/juice)

   • optional mix-ins: mushrooms, celery, chicken (depends on what kind of soup you're making)

Directions:

     Combine flour and seasoning and set aside.  Melt butter in pan.  Add flour mixture and stir well, allow to cook for a minute or two.  Whisk in liquid and bring to a simmer until thickened.  Makes 1 can’s worth of soup.

13 Bean Soup II

I find this soup to be extremely filling and satisfying.  My family prefers the beans pureed (like split pea soup), whereas I like them left whole.  Either way, this soup is all sorts of hearty, tasty and never disappoints.

Ingredients:

• 2 2/3 c. dry bean mix
• 8 c. water
• 3 carrots, sliced -or- 1 can, drained -or- 1/2 c. dried, rehydrated
• 1/2 onion, chopped -or- 1-2 T. dried onions
• 1 ham bone, with meat -or- 1-2 cans of hams
• 2 ribs of celery, chopped -or- 1/2 t. celery seeds
• 2-3 t. brown sugar
• 1/4 t. chili powder
• 1 t. cumin
• 1 t. oregano/basil
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/4 t. pepper
• 1 can tomatoes, drained
• 2 T. ham bouillon -or- 1 T. chicken bouillon and 1 T. beef bouillon

Directions:

     Sort and rinse beans.  Place in a large soup pot and cover with water.  Allow to soak overnight; or bring to a boil for 2 minutes on the stove, then cover and let sit for 1 hour.  Drain beans well.  Add prepared beans and remaining ingredients, including the 8 c. clean water.  Stir well and bake in oven at 275 for 3 hours.  Carefully remove ham hock from soup and strip meat from bone.  Puree soup if desired.  Chop up meat before stirring back into soup.  Serve hot with cornbread and honey/maple butter.

Creamy Turkey & Rice Soup

This soup is such a great way to use leftover turkey or chicken.  I love to make this the day after Thanksgiving, but it's so good that I find excuses to make it throughout the year (using rotisserie chicken in place of turkey).  Filling and delicious, it's the perfect addition to your soup arsenal.

Adapted from The Farm Chicks

Ingredients:

• 5 T. butter, divided
• 2-3 carrots, sliced -or- 1 can carrots, drained
• 1-2 celery stalks, sliced -or- 1/2 t. celery seeds
• 2 T. dried onions
• 4 c. chicken broth
• 1 c. water
• 3/4 c. brown rice
• 5 T. flour (equal parts sorghum, brown rice and tapioca flour)
• 1/4 t. thyme
• 1/4 t. sage
• 1 1/4 c. milk (rice/coconut milk work well)
• 1-2 handfuls of leftover shredded turkey/chicken, chopped -or- 1 can turkey/chicken, drained
• 2 capfuls of apple cider vinegar
• 10 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled -or- 1/4 c. bacon bits
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/8 t. pepper

Directions:

     Heat a large soup pot over medium heat.  Add butter and allow to melt.  Stir in fresh carrots and celery and cook for a couple of minutes (if using canned carrots, do not add at this point).  Add chicken broth, water, onion, celery seed (opt) and rice.  Stir well and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until rice and veggies are tender.  In the meantime, melt 4 T. butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Combine spices with flour and add to butter to make a roux; cook for 1 minute.  Whisk in milk and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until thickened; remove from heat and set aside.  Once rice is cooked, stir roux and mix well.  Add in turkey/chicken, canned carrots if applicable, and remaining ingredients.  Stir well and heat through.

Split Pea Soup

I seriously LOVE soup!  All you need are a few ingredients to make an easy and filling meal.  And I love using ham hock for soups.  I've hardly had to even buy ham hocks, because I always end up going home from some large social gathering with a few ham bones.  I never understand why people throw out such a meaty bone after carving up a ham...  They add so much flavor and depth to a large pot of soup.  So the next time you find yourself with a large hock, don't throw it away!  Save it for something souper ;)

Ingredients:

• 2 c. split peas, sorted and rinsed
• 4 c. chicken broth
• 4 c. water
• 1 large and meaty ham bone -or- 1 c. bacon bits, or 1-2 cans of ham with liquid
• 2 T. dried onions
• 3/4 t. salt
• 1/4 t. pepper
• 1/4 t. thyme
• 1 t. garlic powder
• 1 t. brown sugar
• 3 carrots, sliced -or- 1 can carrots, drained
• 2 celery stalks, sliced -or- 1 t. celery seeds

Directions:

     Combine all the ingredients in a large soup pot.  Cover and bake for 3 hours at 275 degrees.  Remove from oven.  Carefully remove the bone, cut off the meat and dice; set aside.  Using a hand blender, blend soup until smooth.  Return meat to soup and stir well.  Serve warm with farmhouse cornbread and honey butter.

Quick Beef Stew

The first time I made this I was experimenting on guests...  Yes, I'm one of those people!  But I'm happy to say it turned out surprisingly well, and I will gladly serve this to my family, or guests, again.  And again.  And again.

Of course you can make this with fresh veggies and a chuck roast, and it would be super duper.  But if you're looking for a quick, filling, and food storage friendly dinner then this stew is it.

Ingredients:

•       6 T. butter

•       6 T. flour

•       4 c. beef broth

•       1-2 T. balsamic vinegar

•       1 T. dried onions

•       1 ¼ t. salt

•       ½ t. thyme

•       ¼ t. pepper

•       ¼ t. garlic & herb

•       ¼ t. sage

•       1/8 t. celery seed

•       1 bay leaf

•       2 cans whole potatoes, drained & quartered

•       1 can sliced carrots, drained

•       1 can sliced mushrooms, drained

•       2 cans beef, drained

Directions:

1.  Melt butter in large pot over medium heat.  Stir flour into browned butter and cook over low heat, stirring constantly for one minute.

2.  Add broth 1 cup at a time.  Bring to a boil and whisk for 1 minute. 

3.  Reduce heat and add balsamic vinegar, diced onions and seasonings; stir well.  Add vegetables and beef and heat through.

Balsamic Chicken w/ Quinoa

I love balsamic vinegar!  I don't know if it's due to my Italian heritage or not, but I could practically drink the stuff.  My husband is the complete opposite.  He doesn't care for tomatoes, or anything too acidic.  Makes me wonder about my pH levels...  Anyway, we both love this dish.  It does a great job of uniting all taste-buds ;)

Adapted from Dishing with Leslie

Ingredients:

• 2 T. oil (olive/coconut)
• 6-8 chicken thighs/breasts
• 1 T. brown sugar
• 1 T. Italian seasoning
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/4 t. pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 garlic cloves, minced OR 1/2 t. garlic powder
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 2 handfuls of spinach, chopped
• 1 can of diced tomatoes
• 1/3 c. balsamic vinegar
• 2 t. chicken bouillon
• 1 c. quinoa
• 2 c. chicken broth

Directions:

1. Add oil to crock pot and place chicken on top.  Combine spices and sprinkle over chicken.
2. Top chicken with minced garlic, sliced onion, chopped spinach and can of tomatoes.
3. Combine chicken bouillon w/ balsamic vinegar, and pour on top.
4. Cover and cook on high for 3.5 hours.  Reduce heat to low and cook for another 30 minutes.
5. While chicken cooks, prepare quinoa:  Bring chicken broth and quinoa to a boil in a medium saucepan; reduce heat and simmer until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy.
6. Serve chicken over prepared quinoa.  Enjoy!

This makes a lot of sauce, and the quinoa does a great job of soaking it up.  I like to save any remaining sauce and freeze it to use as a thin pasta sauce later.  I'm sure it would be an awesome addition to soup, too (think minestrone).   Or if you're like me, you could always just drink it.  *B

French Onion Soup

This soup is a labor of love...  It takes forever!  But it tastes great.  So don't let the amount of time involved scare you off permanently.  Because it really is worth it!  Unless you don't like onions.

Ingredients:

• 8 sweet onions, cut in half and thinly sliced
• 2 t. garlic
• 4 T. butter
• salt
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 T.apple cider vinegar
• 4 c. beef broth
• 1/4 c. unfiltered apple cider (opt)
• pepper, to taste (opt)
• crusty bread
• swiss cheese

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat.  Add a layer of onions and sprinkle with salt.  Continue layering onions and salt until pot is full.
2. Sweat onions for 15-20 minutes.  Do not cover, and do not stir.
3. Add bay leaves and thyme.  Cook until onions are significantly reduced, stirring occasionally.  It generally takes me about an hour and a half.  Onions will darken and start to fall apart, and will be sweet (almost syrupy).
4. Remove bay leaves and thyme.  Add chicken broth and apple cider vinegar and increase heat to medium high.  Reduce liquid to at least half, or until onions are back to a thick consistency.  Should take about 15 minutes.
5. Add beef broth and apple cider.  Reduce heat and simmer 15 to 20 minutes.
6. To make swiss crostinis: Heat oven to 425.  Slice bread into half-inch thick slices and place in a single layer on baking sheet.  Bake for four minutes, then flip bread slices and bake for another four minutes.  Top with slices of swiss cheese and bake for 4 more minutes.  Serve over hot soup.

Might I suggest you taste the soup right after adding the beef broth, but before adding the apple cider.  If you use sweet onions, your soup might have just the right amount of savory and sweet.  Any other onion will work, and you can add or omit the apple cider, depending on your taste.  The first time I made this, I used sweet onions and added four times the amount of cider.  It was way too sweet.  The second time I made it, I used a variety of onions and only added a little bit of cider.  It was perfect.  But then again, I like onions!  *B

Soup Sans Cheese (aka. Cheesey Cheeseless Soup)

This soup is smooth and creamy, without the dairy.  It's naturally nutritious, and deceivingly delicious :)

Ingredients:

• 5 medium-small russet potatoes, cut into 2 inch chunks -or- 1 2lb bag of country style hashbrowns (frozen/rehydrated)
• 3 smallish carrots, cut into 2 inch segments -or- 1 can carrots, drained -or- 1/2 lb carrots (frozen/rehydrated)
• 1/2 onion, chopped -or- 1-2 T. dried onions
• 6 c. water
• 1 c. milk (DF works fine)
• 2 T. chicken bouillon (MSG-free please!)
• 1/2 c. white beans, drained & rinsed (opt)
• 1/2 c. sweet potato puree -or- pumpkin puree
• 4 T. butter (1/2 stick)
• dash of nutmeg
• dash of paprika
• salt & pepper, to taste
• 1 small bag frozen vegetables, Normandy style (redhydrated in chicken broth)
• 2 handfuls of shredded rotisserie chicken -or- 1 can chicken, drained (opt)

Directions:

1. Place potatoes, carrots and onions into large soup pot.  Add water, then add salt until water tastes salty.
2. Bring to a boil, and cook until veggies are tender.  Add bouillon, then (s)mash potatoes and carrots.  Blend with a hand mixer until smooth.  Reduce heat to simmer.
3. In a food processor, add sweet potato puree and white beans and process until smooth.  Add puree blend to soup.  Blend with hand mixer until smooth.  Add spices and stir.
4. Add frozen vegetables and chicken and heat through.  Garnish with shredded cheese and green onions.

This is perfect for those avoiding or limiting dairy.  It looks and tastes cheesey!  But if you're wanting to cheat, you can top your bowl with a handful of cheese and only feel slightly guilty ;)  Change up your mixings and fixings and slurp to your heart's content!  *B

Ravioli Bisque

There's this DARLING tea house close to where I live.  Ooh, I love a good cuppa...  Can't wait until it gets cooler here!  Then it's tea (and soup) time, my favorite.  Anyone interested in a tea party?  Anyway, one day I went with my mom to this lovely tea house and was spoiled with tea, fresh fruit, tea sandwiches, scones, lemon curd, and pastries.  And soup.  They served this tomato bisque that was so lip-smackingly delicious that it was borderline rude.  Here we are, trying to be civilized and fancy-ish, and we're licking our bowls clean!  As you can imagine, the soup bewitched me and I vowed then and there to make something similar.  And I believe I have :)

Ingredients:

• 1 can tomato soup
• 1 can mushroom soup
• 1 can diced/crushed tomatoes
• 1.5 can of water
• 1 t. beef bouillon
• 2 T. brown sugar
• basil and garlic seasoning, to taste (about 1/2 t. each, if you must know)
• 2 handfuls of frozen raviolis (spinach & mushroom) -or- dried mini raviolis

Directions:

1. Combine soups, tomatoes and water in soup pot.  Bring to a boil.
2. Add bouillon, sugar and seasoning.  Reduce to simmer.
3. Add raviolis and cook until tender.  Remove and chop raviolis; return to soup and stir.
4. Serve with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

I'm sure the the tea house bisque was more refined.  And perhaps more complicated...  But, this soup is quick and easy.  And my entire family loves it.  Definitely a win-win in my book!  *B

Asian Fusion Soup

I also call this "poor man's fancy ramen."  I invented this soup a while ago, when money was tight and so was time.  Isn't that always the case, though?  Anyway, it's a great way to really stretch your wallet and use up what's in your fridge/pantry.  Super cheap.  Super easy.  It's super soup!

Ingredients:

• 4 c. chicken broth
• 1 t. garlic, minced
• 1 green onion, diced (opt)
• handful of spinach
• 1/2 c. fresh/frozen/canned mixed vegetables
• 1/2 can mushrooms, drained (opt)
• 2 T. soy sauce
• 2 T. honey/brown sugar
• 2 T. coconut oil
• 1/2 t. ginger
• dash of cayenne (opt)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 package of prepared pad thai noodles -or- handful of wantons

Directions:

1. Bring broth to a boil and add coconut oil.
2. Add garlic, onions, spinach and frozen veggies.  Reduce heat to simmer.
3. Add soy sauce, ginger and cayenne.  Stir.
4. While whisking soup, add beaten eggs.
5. Stir in noodles and heat through.

Tip: If you want more protein, add a handful or two of cooked, shredded chicken.  Add as much cayenne as you want spice.  Other yummy add-ins are mushrooms, celery, bok choy and brown rice.  I forget how much I like this soup until I make it, and then I wonder why I don't make it more often!  And believe it or not, my kids love it, too.  Family tested, budget approved soup for you.  *B

Awesome Meatless Chili

Here's the deal about protein: it all comes down to complete vs. incomplete.  A complete protein contains all the essential amino acids our bodies need.  An example of a complete protein would be meat or dairy.  An incomplete protein still contains amino acids, just not all of them.  So any of your grains, legumes, nuts/seeds would fall under that category.  But here's the magical part: by pairing certain incomplete proteins together (whether in a single meal or throughout your day), you create a complete protein!

What I love best about this chili is that it's full of flavor, complex carbs, protein and fiber (thanks to beans and lentils).  Serve it up with some crushed tortilla chips and a side of cornbread and voila! a complete protein.  It's a super powerhouse meal that makes for a happy mouth and a happy bowel ;) 

Ingredients:

• 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can worth of prepared brown lentils, rinsed & cooked (about 1/2 c. dry)
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can diced tomatoes, pureed
• 1 can worth of frozen corn (or drain a can of corn... I just prefer the flavor of frozen)
• 1 1/2 cans worth of water
• 1/2 onion, chopped -or- 1-2 T. dried onions
• 1 t. garlic, minced -or- 1 t. garlic powder
• 1 T. chili powder (1/2 t. if chili powder is spicy)
• 1 T. cumin
• 1 T. beef bouillon
• 1-2 T. brown sugar
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions:  Place all ingredients in a slowcooker and stir well.  Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.  Enjoy!  I know your heart will.  *B

Pizza Stoup

This stoup has everything you'll ever want or need in a pizza! Minus the crust. But the quick solution to that problem is to serve it with bread-sticks ;) Anyway, if there's a particular ingredient you would/wouldn't like on your pizza, then don't put it in the soup!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can mushrooms OR 8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 c. bell peppers, chopped
• 1 c. pepperoni slices, chopped
• 1/2 c. ham, chopped
  
• 1/2 c. sausage*
  
• 1 can Cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
  
• 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 2-3 c. beef broth
• 1 bay leaf
• Italian Seasoning, to taste
• brown sugar, to taste (depends on how sweet a sauce you want)
  
• Dried Basil, to taste
• Parmesan cheese
• olive oil
• salt & pepper, to taste
  

Directions:

1. Heat a soup pot to medium high. Add just a little (half T. at most) olive oil, and then add sausage and ham.
2. Brown meat and then add onion, mushrooms, and bell pepper.
3. Season with spices; add pepperoni and tomatoes.
4. Stir in broth and bring to boil; simmer 15-30 minutes.

*you can use ground Italian sausage, or slice sausage links. I like to use those specialty chicken sausages, like Amy's... low in fat but very high in flavor! *B

Italian Garden Veggie Minestrone

I loooove this one. It's my kind of comfort food. Who needs chicken friend steak and mashed potatoes when you can have this (and not the added inches to your waistline!)! Need I mention it's a slow cooker recipe! Yup, definitely a favorite...

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts
  
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1 can mushrooms OR 8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 yellow squash, chopped
• 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 2-3 c. chicken broth
• 1 c. bell peppers, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• Italian Seasoning, to taste
• Dried Basil, to taste
• Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Place all ingredients except dried herbs and cheese in crock pot; cook on low for 6 hours.
2. Stir in dried herbs into pot for last 15-20 minutes.
3. Cook pasta in separate pot. The point of this is for leftover purposes. You can cook pasta with the crockpot, but they may end up too soft or too hard upon serving. But if you let the pasta sit overnight inside the soup, they expand and you end up with goulash.
3. Serve; add pasta to each bowl and top with Parmesan.


VERSION 1.3

PS- this is minestrone people, so keep that in mind when you cook and add the pasta. However, if you're not concerned with the diet, then you could morph this into a pasta dish. Just omit the broth and make it into a sauce and serve on top of pasta. You may want to add some bouillon to the sauce; taste test it first.

Time Saver: as you cook the pasta, make enough for tonight and for tomorrow's pasta bake.

Italian Sub Stoup

The original version of this recipe (a la Rachel Ray) called for lots of bad for you yummy food (aka. Italian sausage, ham AND pepperoni). But will it kill any of us to be slightly healthier?! No. I should probably mention this now, since they’re sure to pop up frequently through this month’s meals: we have chicken sausage links. We sampled them at Costco and bought a couple: Chipotle Sausage and Sundried Tomato w/ Basil. They are absolutely awesome, in taste and healthiness, and I totally recommend them. So please, check out Sausage’s by Amy and please welcome them in their first Beth’s Mess debut!

Ingredients:

• 2 links ST-B Chicken sausage, chopped (or one/some of the original substitutes, see above)
• 2 ham slices, chopped
  
• 1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, chopped
• ½ small onion
  
• 1 can mushrooms (or fresh, my personal preference when “rich”)
• 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 4-6 c. chicken/beef broth (your preference: more stew-like vs. more soup-like)
• ½ spinach bunch
• Croutons (2 slices of bread, cubed; olive oil; small garlic clove, minced; Italian seasoning; Parmesan; red pepper flakes)

Directions:
1. Heat a soup pot to medium high. Add just a little (half T. at most) of olive oil, and then add sausage and ham.
2. Brown meat and then add onion, mushrooms and bell pepper.
3. Season with S&P and add tomatoes.
4. Stir in broth and bring to boil.
6. While stoup simmers, heat some olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; add garlic and cook for a minute.
7. Add bread cubes, toss and toast (about 5 minutes). Season with pepper flakes, seasoning and Parmesan while hot.
8. Stir the spinach into the stoup.
9. Serve with some shredded Mozzarella and floating croutons.


VERSION 3

Tortilla Soup

I've had many different variations of this soup, but this is my favorite. I guess I'm a little partial to my cooking! Who knew?! But honestly, the flavor is so good, and I love all the stuff in it!

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• 8 corn tortillas, coarsely chopped OR 2 handfuls of tortilla chips (stale works fine)
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced OR 4 t. garlic powder
• 1/2 c. fresh cilantro (opt)
• 1 onion, chopped OR 1-2 T. dried onion
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 2 T. ground cumin
• 1 T. chili powder
• 3 bay leaves
• 6 c. chicken broth
• 1 t. salt
• 1/2 t. ground cayenne pepper (opt)
• 2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped/shredded OR 1-2 cans of chicken, drained
• 1 can olives, drained
• 1 can's worth of corn (frozen/dehydrated)
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

Directions:
1. In a large stock pot heat oil. Add tortillas, garlic, cilantro and onion; saute till soft (aka sweat it out).
2. Stir in tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add cumin, chili powder, bay leaves and broth; return to boil.
3. Reduce heat to medium and add salt, cayenne, corn, olives, and black beans. Simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Remove bay leaves and stir in chicken; heat through.
5. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips/strips, salsa, etc.

13 Bean Soup

This is perfect for a cold and dreary day. You may want to take some beano, or some probiotics to help you digest the beans. We want to be nice to our tummies so that they'll be nice to us and actually lose weight when we tell them to (that's right, I said tell them. Forget working out! One of these days my stomach will listen and respond as it should, resulting in a womanly six pack!)! You can probably cook this in the crock, too. I remember reading something about a slow cooker and beans... and I just might try to make this with canned beans instead of dry beans. But for now, this recipe calls for the dried kind.

Ingredients:

• 2 c. of 13 bean mix
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tomato, puree (you can probably sub with some tomato sauce)
• 1 T. chili powder
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced OR 2 t. of garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• mustard to taste (Dijon is fine. Nay, it's grrrrreat!)
• ham/ham hock/bacon or just beef bouillon, to taste

Directions:
1. Wash and soak beans overnight.
2. Rinse in the morning and boil with 10 c. water.
3. Reduce and simmer with 2-3 pieces of choice meat or bouillon until beans are tender. I don't know how much bouillon I end up using. I just keep testing it until it's just right...
4. Add onion, puree tomato, 1 T. chili powder, garlic, salt/pepper and mustard to taste (start with a squirt, then another, etc.).
5. Simmer until everything is cooked to perfection and then blend until smooth (I use a hand blender).
6. Serve with cornbread muffin mix and honey butter (equal parts butter and honey), or make some muffins from scratch you over achiever! You may also top with cheese if you'd like, the soup that is, although I'm not sure if I have.

Italian Stew

First off, sorry that I didn't get this out sooner... how many times will I be apologizing, you may ask. As many as it takes to right the wrong I guess, so get used to it! Anyway, this is a slow cooker recipe, which is why I should have had this written earlier. But oh well, and perhaps you can switch it with another day. This will end up working quite well for us, because we had a large can of tomato sauce, which some of it went to the enchiladas and the rest I will dump in here. And I call this a stew, because that's how it turns out, before you doctor it up. So, it can be more soup based if you'd like, but I'm going to make mine more of a sauce. And this tastes best when served with tortellini (but since we're poor, we're just serving it with plain pasta). Oh, and one last note, I use an Italian seasoning mix from *Crockery Gourmet (they were on sale and I highly recommend them). So basically, just follow the recipe on the back. And if you don't have a packet, you'll just have to season it with some chicken bouillon and spices and it should be similar enough. Speaking of enough, here goes nothing!

Ingredients:

• 1 packet of Italian Seasoning Mix*
• 1 large can of diced tomatoes
• 2 c. water (or chicken broth if you don't have the mix)
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1/2 zucchini, chopped
• 1/2 yellow squash, chopped
• 1 small can olives, drained
• 1/2 pack of fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 2-3 chicken breasts (you can add more chicken, and less veggies; all to taste/sight)

Directions:
1. Mix seasoning packet with can of tomatoes and water. Add tomato sauce to thicken as desired (you may have to add brown sugar, salt, pepper, seasoning, etc. to make sure it tastes ok).
2. Add veggies and chicken.
3. Cover and cook on low, 6-8 hours.
4. Serve with pasta or serve plain as a stew. Garnish with grated Parm.

PS- You can add packaged tortellini for about the last 10-20 minutes of cooking... oh, and serve with crusty bread, which goes well with any version you choose!

Broccoli Soup

I have yet to make this. I already have another fabulous broccoli soup recipe, but it's not for the crockpot. And since this very recipe is for the slow cooker, we have to use processed cheese (which is unusual for me. But since my family left their Velveeta cheese in my fridge, I'm going to use it gosh dang it!). It should taste good enough though, and at least it's easy!

Ingredients:
2-3 lbs. fresh broccoli, chopped
1 T. butter
2 c. milk
1/2 c. cheese, cut into small cubes

Directions:
1. Place broccoli (no yucky tough stalks) and butter in slow cooker; cover with water.
2. Cover and cook on high 1-2 hours.*
3. Add milk and cook an additional 15 minutes.
4. Stir in cheese and continue cooking until melted into soup.
5. Serve with bread, like your Grandpa's sour-dough biscuits, mmmm.

* Since we're not cooking meat, which is better cooked on low for long hours, it's ok to cook on high. We're basically just cooking the broccoli. I hope our places don't stink...