WW Potato Soup for the Crockpot

I didn't mark where I got this from off  Facebook (sorry).  I made this soup this  summer for work and they scraped the crock-pot clean! This is a keeper and will be made again (actually was just requested - prompting this post)

1 26-30 oz frozen hash browns/Potatoes O'Brien/Country potatoes

2 cans chicken broth

1  can fat free cream of chicken soup

1/4 c chopped onion

1/4 tsp pepper

8 oz low-fat cream cheese

1 c milk

Add first 5 ingredients to crock-pot and cook on high for an hour.  Stir and then turn to low for another hour.  Add cream cheese, and cook another 1/2 hour or until cheese can be stirred into mixture. Add milk and cook 10 - 15 minutes longer.  Optional: Garnish with chopped green onion and bacon bits. (Add 1 pt for garnish).  Makes 8-10 cup servings   WW Points+:  2 pt no garnish - 3.5 per cup with garnish.

OK, so once again I can't follow a recipe.  I added the hash browns to the broth, soup, and onion, and cooked until tender on the stovetop.  I used my immersion blender and "blended" a small amount.  Then I added the cream cheese and milk, I added this to the crock-pot the next day for work and it was hot when we were ready to eat!  

Venus De Milo Soup

Got this from a friend so I don't know where credit goes -  but this is good!

1 ½ lb. ground hamburger                          
1 med onion
2 cans chicken broth                                  
4 c water
2 cans petite diced tomatoes (with juices)              
1 pkg onion soup
1 TBS Worcestershire sauce                
1 c Orzo pasta
16 oz bag mixed vegetables (corn, green beans, peas, carrots)
salt and pepper to taste                              
Grated Parmesan cheese
Brown hamburger with chopped onion in bottom of large stock pot. Add water, broth, tomatoes, onion soup, and mixed vegetables and simmer with cover for 1 hour. Add Worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper to taste. Cook the orzo separately for 9 minutes (al dente) and add to soup. Serve with Parmesan cheese on top and warm bread.  Serves 6-8

You need 60 ounces of liquid.  I used 5 cups beef broth,  2 cups chicken broth and 1/2 cup  water. I usually cook this in the evening for work the next day, and put it in the crock-pot.  I add the cooked orzo about 30 minutes before we want to eat.

Freezer Friendly Broccoli Cheese Soup

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cup half and half

2 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 1/2 cup frozen chopped broccoli

1 cup chopped carrots

1 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

In a large stock pan over medium heat, melt butter and add flour.  Whisk together while it cooks for 3-4 minutes.  Slowly stir in half and half and chicken stock, and continue to whisk together.  Cook over medium heat until it begins to simmer.  Once simmering, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.  After simmering, add onion, broccoli, and carrots.  Cook over low heat for another 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Add salt, pepper, and cheese.  As the cheese melts, make sure to stir well to combine.  Once cheese has melted, add nutmeg and remove from heat.  Soup will be have vegetable chunks.  If you prefer your soup smoother, use an immersion blender to get desired consistency.

We always double this and get 16 cups for lunch.  So that means 8 each.  

Freezer Friendly Broccoli Cheese Soup

This has become our favorite soup.  We bought the disposable soup cups and lids from our local restaurant supply.  A double batch gives us each 12 cups. Basically 2 weeks of lunches (if our stash isn't found :)) Thanks to Tricia for a great recipe.

¼ c butter

¼ c flour

2 c half and half

2 c chicken stock

½ c chopped onion

1 ½ c frozen chopped broccoli

1 c chopped carrots

1 tsp pepper

½ tsp salt

2 c shredded cheddar cheese

¼ tsp nutmeg

In a large stock pan over medium heat, melt butter and add flour.  Whisk together while it cooks for 3-4 minutes.  Slowly stir in half and half and chicken stock, and continue to whisk together.  Cook over medium heat until it begins to simmer.  Once simmering, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.  After simmering, add onion, broccoli, and carrots.  Cook over low heat for another 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Add salt, pepper, and cheese.  As the cheese melts, make sure to stir well to combine.  Once cheese has melted, add nutmeg and remove from heat.  Soup will be have vegetable chunks.  If you prefer your soup smoother, use an immersion blender to get desired consistency.  Freezing Directions: Prepare soup as directed above and allow to cool.  Divide into quart or gallon freezer bags, label, and freeze.  To serve: reheat in microwave for 1-2 minutes or on stove top for 10 minutes until warmed through.   Servings: 4

Beef Stew in the Pressure Cooker

This is sooo good and quick and easy.  This has become a family favorite!

1 ½ lb beef stew meat
3 TBS oil
2 large potatoes
4-5 large carrots
1 large onion
1 can green beans with liquid
2 cans diced tomatoes with liquid
Salt
Pepper
2 TBS cornstarch
1/3 c cold water or beef broth
Cut the beef stew meat into bite size pieces. Do the same with the potatoes, carrots and onions. Heat the pressure cooker over medium high heat. Add the oil and stew meat. Stir and cook until the meat is well browned all over. Add the potatoes, carrots, onion, beans with their liquid, and tomatoes with their liquid. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place the lid and weight on the pressure cooker according to your manufacturer’s instruction. Heat on medium high setting until pressure is achieved (weight begins to rock gently and steadily). Continue cooking for 15 minutes. At the end of the 15 minutes cooking time, reduce the pressure immediately by running cold water on the top of the pressure cooker. When pressure releases, open the top of the cooker and place it back on the stove. Combine the cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl. Bring the stew back up to the boil, add the cornstarch and water and stir until thickened. Serve over rice or noodles.

I found this at http://www.lanascooking.com

I did add a couple of shakes of worchestshire sauce to the meat as it browned.

Super Easy Chili - 3 Ingredients

This came from At Home My Way, it was quick, easy and good!  Thanks Gina!  This is so easy, a friend's high school son even made it and liked it.

1 ½ lb browned hamburger (drained)
2 cans "chili beans"(not kidney beans or pinto beans but the cans that say "chili beans")
30 oz tomato sauce

Dump all the ingredients in the pot or crock-pot, give it a good stir. You can cook this on top of the stove for 30 minutes to an hour, or cook in the crock-pot on low however long you want (up to 8-10 hours). You can add a packet of chili mix, but this chili is a little more tomato-y and it works fine. The "chili" beans have plenty of seasoning in them and the chili will still be seasoned and taste strongly of "chili".

Hamburger Stew

A military friend shared this and we have made it for years!!

1 - 1 1/2 lbs hamburger, browned
3 cans tomato soup
4 – 5 med Potatoes, cut into sm cubes
1 bag baby carrots, cut up into rings
Brown hamburger. In large soup pot, add soup and fill half way with water (probably 5 cans worth). Add potatoes, carrots, and pepper. Simmer until veggies are tender.  Probably could put in the crock pot in the morning and cook all day.  mmm -- may have to try that next time.

Quick Chicken & Dumplings

I made this tonight for a friend who is in labor and she'll have it this weekend when they get home. So good and what a great comfort food!

This is from my SIL Terri.  We do splurge on name brand biscuits.  My guys prefer no peas, so I serve this with a salad instead.  Enjoy.

4 c water
3 c chicken, cooked and shredded
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 tsp chicken bouillon granules
1 tsp pepper
1 – 2 cans buttermilk biscuits
1 c frozen peas, thawed (optional)

Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil over med heat stirring often. Cut biscuits in quarters and roll each into a ball. Drop biscuit pieces one at a time into boiling mixture stirring gently. Reduce heat to low and cover. Allow to simmer 15 to 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Add peas during the last 5 minutes.

Easy Tortellini Soup

Wish I could give credit to the rightful owner for this - but I've made it for YEARS and shared so many times.  This is one of my "go to" meals if I need to take a meal in the winter.

4 c chicken broth
1 pkg refrigerated cheese tortellini (can use dried, 1 ½ - 2 c)
1 can cannellini or white kidney beans
1 can Italian seasoned diced tomatoes
1 ½ tsp dried basil (usually the tomatoes have enough seasoning)
In large saucepan bring broth to boil, add tortellini reduce heat & cook until tender, 5 minutes. Add beans and tomatoes and basil (if adding - I usually taste and add if too bland); heat another 5 minutes or so until hot. Serve with Parmesan cheese on top. (Great for a crowd)  *Browned hamburger or Italian sausage can be added if someone in your house misses meat!!

Homemade Chicken, Ranch and Rice Soup

2 TBS olive oil
1 med onion, finely chopped
2 lg carrots, peeled and sliced
3 stalks of celery, chopped
3 TBS minced garlic
2 lg blsl chicken breasts
1 c dry rice, steamed….comes out to about 3 cups cooked
64 oz chicken broth
1 TBS dry Ranch Dressing seasoning
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
2 TBS Dijon Mustard
1 tsp hot sauce, like Tabasco

Heat oil into a large dutch oven over medium heat. When hot, saute onion, carrots and celery for 7-10 minutes or until softened slightly. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in chicken breast and rice then pour in chicken broth. Stir, then season with ranch seasoning, salt, pepper and add in Dijon and hot sauce. Reduce heat to low and simmer until serving. Taste and season accordingly. 8 servings

We doubled this recipe, but did not double the Dijon mustard (used 2 TBS). We didn't use the Tabasco either. In taste testing we couldn't decide what it needed, so we ended up adding a can of cream of chicken soup, and that gave it the consistency it needed.

Comforting Chicken Noodle Soup

6 c water
1 qt Chicken Broth
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
8 oz uncooked Extra Wide Noodles
2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
16 oz cubed cooked blsl chicken breast
1 c sour cream
fresh parsley (dried works in a pinch)
fresh ground black pepper

In large pot, bring water and stock to a boil. Add carrots and celery and cook about 10 minutes. Add noodles; cook, uncovered until tender, about 10 minutes. Do not drain. Add soup and chicken, heat through. Remove from heat, stir in sour cream. Sprinkle with parsley and pepper to taste. Servings: 15 one cup servings.
 
OH MY!!!  We used our seasoned chicken broth from our cooked chicken instead of the water and broth.  We missed the sour cream in the recipe when we shopped, but it is awesome without it!!  We had to sit down and sample this as the aroma was divine.  This is just like what Grandma would have made. 

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2 chicken breasts cut into chunks
2 TBS cilantro or (1 TBS dry)
2 TBS taco seasoning
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 sm can green chilies
1 can corn drained (or frozen)
1 c water
1 c sour cream

Combine everything into a saucepan except sour cream. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes or until chicken is done. Take 1 cup of liquid from saucepan and combine it with 1 cup of sour cream-mix and return to saucepan and heat through. Makes 5 cups.

We used cooked chicken and added a can of black beans.