Category Archives: Soups and Stews

Chicken or Turkey Chili

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Chicken ChiliChili , for me, is a perfect meal. one of my favorites for sure. Easy, plus as an extra bonus you really don’t use that many dishes making it. This particular recipe was very good, I usually make the standard ground beef recipe, this one switched it up a bit, using ground chicken instead. Actually the original recipe called for ground turkey, but while at the store ground chicken was quite a bit cheaper so I decided to go with that. Really you could use any kind of ground meat in this recipe which makes it perfect for a last-minute meal. Ground beef, or pork, or of course the turkey, they would all be good. Chili, so tasty, so versatile, gotta love it!

Recipe from Southern Living What’s for Supper

  • 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound ground chicken (or turkey)
  • 2 Tbsp. chili powder
  • 2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 3 Tbsp. tomato paste
  • 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 can red kidney beans
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup beer
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro ( I did not use this, as my family does not like it)

1. Heat oil in large pot. cook onion for 5 minutes over medium heat. Add garlic cook 1 more minute. Add meat of your choice, chili powder and cumin. Stir and cook until meat has cooked through. Stir in tomato paste and cook for about 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients.

2. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cover cooking for 30 minutes.

3. Eat and enjoy!

 

Slow Cooker Tuscan Chili

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Slow cooker tuscan chiliI think winter is actually over. Heat is where it’s at now. I like to use my slow cooker a lot when the temperatures soar, it doesn’t heat up the house as much as having the oven on, plus it is oh so nice to not be cooking over the hot stove top come dinner time. I still like eating hot dinners though, so that leaves slow cooker or BBQ. Another thing that has come back with the heat is swimming lessons, which I booked exactly at supper time. This means that we have to have a really early supper or a really late one. I don’t want to send starving children into the pool so early it is, makes slow cooker even a bit more enticing. And so I made this delicious chili recipe, that actually contains not one speck of chili powder in the whole thing, oh well, it was yummy anyways.

Recipe from What’s Cooking Magazine Festive 2011

  • 1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1 green and yellow pepper, chopped
  • 1 can diced tomatoes, ( 19 ounce)
  • 1 can tomato paste (5.5 ounce)
  • 1 can white kidney beans ( 19 ounce)
  • 1/2 tsp each dried basil and oregano
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1. In large skillet crumble sausage, add onion and cook until meat is cooked through and onion is tender. Place in slow cooker.

2. Add next 4 ingredients and stir. cook on low for 4 hours. Add spices. cook on high for additional 10 minutes.

3. Serve into bowls and top with cheese.

4. Eat and enjoy!

Tasty Tomato Soup (Slow Cooker)

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Tomato SoupAh the crock pot. Truly a great thing. One of my “busy” days is definitely Thursdays. A lot of running around, shuttling kids around to activities so it makes it extra nice to have dinner ready when we get home. Last night was a quick and easy family favorite. Although my family is still partial to Campbell’s, this soup was pretty good too. I would describe it as tangy, and was delicious accompanied by grilled cheese for a quick kid friendly meal.
Recipe slightly modified from  Fix-It and Forget-It Kids Cookbook

  • 1 sprig celery leaves
  • 46 ounce can tomato juice
  • 8 oz can tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 Tbsp bouillon granules
  • 1/2 tsp dried basil
  • 2 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves

1. Rip up celery leaves with hands. Place all ingredients in slow cooker. Mix well. Set on low and cook for 5-8 hours.

2. Eat and enjoy!

 

 

Sweet Potato & Lentil Stew

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Vegetarian StewWhat crazy weather we are having. My meal plan was just perfect for yesterday, as the snow flurries were whirling away outside I had a lovely vegetarian stew simmering away in the crock pot. Served with a fresh batch of hot buttered biscuits it was the perfect meal to serve on a cold spring night.

Recipe from Betty Crocker

  • 3 cups peeled and diced sweet potatoes
  • 3/4 cup lentils
  • 1 1/2 cups baby carrots
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp vegetable oil
  • 1 Tbsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1 3/4 cup vegetable broth
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen green beans, thawed
  • plain yogurt for serving

1. Mix together sweet potatoes, lentils, carrots and onion. Place in a 3-4 quart slow cooker.

2. Heat oil in medium-sized skillet. Add all spices and cook one minute. Pour in vegetable broth. Pour this mixture on top of vegetables in slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours. * This is a good time to take out green beans to thaw.

3. After 6 hour time has passed increase heat to high, add green beans. Cook for 20 minutes.

4. Scoop into bowls and top with a dollop of plain yogurt.’

5. Eat and enjoy!