Sausage, Kale, and Sweet Potato Soup

1 lb sausage, tasso, or cubed ham  (you may substitue chicken or turkey also)
1 onion chopped
1 cup celery chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
2 sweet potatos cubed
4 cups packed kale  (or spinach)
6 cups chicken broth
dash of pepper sauce - tabasco - if you like spicier food and more heat.

Combine all in crockpot and simmer on low for 8 hours, or high for 4.  Check occassionally to see if you need to add more liquid. 

Puerco Rojo Stew (Red Pork Stew)

1 (4-1/2- to 5-pound) boneless or bone-in pork shoulder (pork butt), twine or netting removed
1 tablespoon ground cumin
4 jalapeños, sliced
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
6 medium garlic cloves, smashed
1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1 (3-1/2-ounce) package Achiote Rojo, crumbled
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 pounds tomatillos, quartered
30 oz hominy
15 oz cut green beans
1 large sweet potato, dice  (I baked mine in microwave, diced and added last with the hominy and green beans)

Rub the pork with the cumin and the Achiote Rojo. Sprinkle with the salt.  Place it in slow cooker and then add the garlic, jalapenos, and onion. Pour orange juice over it.  Place the quartered tomatillos on top.  Cook on slow for 8 hours or high for 4 until pork pulls apart.  Take pork out and shred it.  Return to crockpot with the hominy, green beans and sweet potatoe.  Cook on low for another hour.

If you dice the raw sweet potato, add it to the roast along with the garlic, jalapenos, and onion.

Potato Soup with Italian Sausage and Spinach

4 large russet potatoes - app. 2.5 lbs.  quartered, boiled, and peeled
6 cups whole milk
2 cups whipping cream
1 1/2 stick butter
salt and pepper to taste
1 tb. Italian seasoning
3/4 cup flour
1/2 lb. Italian sausage
1/2 to 1 cup frozen spinach
fresh grated parmesian cheese for topping if desired.
1 onion chopped

Put milk and whipping cream out to come to room temperature.

Brown Italian sausage and drain well.  Set aside.  Saute onion in 1 tb of butter and set aside.

  In large dutch oven, melt the rest of the butter.  Then slowly add the flour to make a roux, keeping it as light as possible.  Do this over low heat, very slowly.  Now slowly add the milk and whipping cream, whisking it to make a nice sauce.  Add the Italian seasoning Italian sausage, salt, pepper, and potatoes.  Simmer until thick and bubbly, stir frequently so it doesn't stick.  put about 1 cup (try not to put the sausge in, just the potato and cream)  in your blender and blend it, add back to pot.  You can use your blender to make the soup as creamy as you like it.  We like our soup kinda chunky.   Now add the spinach and simmer more before serving.

Spoon into bowls and top with freshly grated paremsian cheese.

Gina's Firey Chili

1 large onion chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 lbs stew meat chopped into bite size pieces
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 TB Adams Southwest Seasoning (or Chili Powder of your choice)
1 TB cumin or to taste (I like cumin)
1/2 tsp chipolte chili powder (omit if you don't like hot and spicy, this is very hot)
1 tsp ground achioto molido
1 tsp ancho chili powder
6TB flour 
2 cans chopped Hatch green chili unless you have the fresh or frozen ones...then add 1 cup of the chopped. roasted ones,
3 - 4 cups of water

Saute onion and garlic, add meat and all the seasonings until meat is nicely browned.  Slowly stir in the 6 TB of flour to make a nice thick roux.  Add the 2 cans of chopped chilis.  Stir.  Slowly add water until you get the correct consistency you want for the gravy.

Simmer over low to let all flavors meld together. Check and stir often, adjusting liquid as needed.


**********  Additions and alterations ******************

Here I hang my head as this part deviates from the traditional chili.

You may choose to add the large can of Rotel tomatoes

And some people like to add beans.

For purists, neither of these are acceptable.  Beans may be served on the side.  If so, please use barracho beans!

++++++++++++++++++  Toppings ++++++++++++++++++++++++

Optional

Grated cheese
chopped onion
tortialla strips
 Pico da gallo  

Colorado Green Chili (Chili Verde con Cerdo)

Ingredients:
2-3 lbs pork stew meat
olive oil
2 tb. minced garlic
1 large onion chopped
6 tb. flour
5 cups water or chicken broth
1 15 oz can of tomatoes ( I use rotel), drained
4 tomatillos shucked and chopped
1 16 oz jar of a good Salsa Verde or 2 cups of roasted Hatch Chili Peppers if you have them.
2 tb. cumin
2 tb chili powder or Adams Southwest Reserve (my favorite)
2 tsp. of Adobe chili powder (optional)
2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped (totally optional and not traditional but I like them)

Brown onion, garlic, meat in olive oil.  Season with salt.  Add 6 tb  flour and make a thick roux.  Add in the rest of the ingredients and simmer over low heat stirring occasionally until done. 

Crockpot Tortellini Soup

1 bag of frozen tortellini - 1 small bag of fresh spinach - 2 cans of italian style diced tomatoes - 1 box or 4 cups or vegetable broth - 1 block of cream cheese - put all ingredients in crockpot, chunking up the cream cheese. Cook on low for 5-6 hrs

Green Chili Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

1 jar Cookwell & Company Green Chile Stew
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
12 oz shredded chicken
1 package of frozen rice


Preparation

Dump all of the above in a large pot.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce and simmer for 20 -30 minutes.

Crock Pot Taco Soup

 
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(this is very, very similar to Joanie Garza's Tamale Soup which I also have on this blog)

CROCKPOT TACO SOUP

Ingredients
1 lb Ground Beef, cooked and drained
1 can corn
1 can Great Northern Beans(white)
1 can Black Beans
1 can Red Beans
1 can Diced Tomatos
1 Hidden Valley Ranch packet
1 Taco seasoning packet
2 cups water
Tortilla Chips
Sour Cream
Shredded Cheese

Instructions
Combine all ingredients in Crockpot except Tortilla Chips, Shredded Cheese and Sour Cream.

**Do not drain any of the cans. Stir and cover with lid. Cook on low 6-8 hours. Serve with tortilla chips, cheese and sour cream.

Gumbo

 Source:  Beazell's Cajun Seasoning FB page
Shrimp & Crab Stew by David Triche

5 lbs. Shrimp, peeled
1 lb. lump Crab Meat
2 large Onions, chopped
1 bunch Green Onions, chopped
5 stalks Celery, chopped
1 head Garlic, chopped
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced Tomatoes
3 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
1 cup All-Purpose Flour
1 cup Cooking Oil
1 gallon Water
BeaZell's Cajun Seasoning
Cayenne Pepper to taste

In a pot, add oil and heat on medium heat. Add flour and make a roux to a dark brown roux. Add onions, green onions, celery and garlic and saute for 15 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, water. Bring mixture to a boil. Season generously with BeaZell's Cajun Seasoning and Cayenne Pepper. Cook uncovered for 1 hour. Add shrimp and crab meat, and continue cooking for another 30 minutes. Add additional seasoning if necessary. Serve over Rice.

Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

An easy and flavorful chicken soup made in the slow cooker, topped off with shredded cheese and seasoned tortilla strips.

Ingredients:

1lb chicken breast, trimmed
15oz can sweet whole corn kernels, drained
15oz can diced tomatoes, drained
5C chicken stock
3/4C onion, chopped
3/4C green pepper, chopped
1 serrano pepper, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp salt, divided
1 tsp ground pepper, divided
Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Seasoned tortilla strips

Directions:

To your slow cooker add first 9 ingredients plus 1 tsp salt and 3/4 tsp ground pepper. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.

Prior to serving, remove chicken breasts. Transfer chicken to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for easy shredding. Alternately you may shred chicken by hand. Season chicken with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Return shredded seasoned chicken to slow cooker bowl. Stir gently.

If serving immediately, divide among bowls. Top off with a generous helping of shredded cheese and seasoned tortilla strips. Soup may be stored in the fridge for up to several days. If freezing, label containers well with soup name and date.

This is an original recipe from bakedbyrachel.com

Iowa Machine Shed Potato Soup

Thanks to Loy Lange for sharing this recipe.  I got it from her first back in 2000 when we taught together, then she left for another school and at some point I lost the recipe.  Ran into her last year, and got the recipe back!! 

 

Iowa Machine Shed Baked Potato Soup

 

2 1/2 lbs. baby potatoes, quartered

1/2 lb. bacon, diced

1/4 bunch celery, chopped

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 qt. milk

1 qt. water

2 oz. chicken base(about 1/4 C.)

1 1/2 sticks margarine

6 oz. flour(about 3/4 C.)

1 C. whipping cream

1/4 C. chopped parsley

salt and pepper to taste(about 1 t. each)

 

Boil potatoes for ten minutes. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, in a heavy saucepan, saute onions and celery in bacon until celery is tender(this takes a while). Drain fat from mixture and return to pan. Add milk, water, chicken base, salt, and pepper. Heat on medium high heat until very hot (do not let boil). Meanwhile, melt margarine in a saucepan and mix in flour(make a roux). Heat until bubbly, stirring one minute more. Gradually add roux to large pan, stirring well. Cook until thick and bubbly. Add potatoes, parsley and cream. Serve while hot and garnish with shredded Colby cheese, green onions, and bacon bits, if desired.

 

Hope it gets cold enough this winter to really enjoy this!

Vegetable Soup

Best Ever Vegetable Soup Recipe

Ingredients:
2 cans diced tomatoes (undrained)
6 cups broth
1/2 large onion, chopped (more if desired)
2 to 4 cloves garlic (minced, pressed, or microplaned)
2 TB Olive Oil (divided)
2 large carrots, chopped
2 parsnips, chopped
1 turnip, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2 to 4 cups chopped spinach or kale
fresh herbs: rosemary, thyme, or sage (use a 1/2 teaspoon of your preferred dried herbs if you don’t have fresh herbs on hand)
salt and pepper
8 oz. small pasta such as orzo or ABC letters (if desired)
half a lemon
optional: Parmesan rind if you have one
Additional Vegetable Ideas (add your favorites!): leeks, peppers, peas, green beans, potatoes, cabbage
Directions:
Step 1. Chop all ingredients and have them ready before you begin.

Step #2: In a large saute pan or wok, heat one TB olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and saute until almost translucent. Add garlic, saute an additional minute. Add the rest of your chopped vegetables (except the spinach/kale). Saute for just two minutes or so. You don’t want to cook them all the way through, the slowcooker will do that for you.

TIP: Giving the vegetables a quick saute on the stovetop intensifies the flavor. Don’t skip this step!
Step 3. Now add the spinach or kale, the fresh or dried herbs, and your salt and pepper. Saute another minute or so.

Step 4. Add the tomatoes and broth to your crockpot, plus the sauteed vegetables. Give it a quick stir.

Step 5. Cook for 7-9 hours on low or 4-6 hours on high. About 20 minutes before it’s finished, cook up your pasta on the stovetop according to the package directions.

Step 6. Remove Parmesan rind if you used one. SECRET INGREDIENT —-> Squeeze the juice from one half of a lemon into the slowcooker and stir– this brightens the flavor. Add cooked pasta in individual bowls, and pour the soup on top. Serve with a crusty bread and let the healing power of warm vegetable soup wash over you!
Step 7. When you store the leftover soup, keep the pasta and soup in separate containers to prevent the pasta from soaking up all the broth.

Crockpot Gumbo

CROCKPOT GUMBO
3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons oil
1/2 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1/2 inch slices
2 cups frozen cut okra
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground red cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 can (14.5 ounce size) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 package (12 ounce size) frozen shelled deveined cooked medium shrimp, rinsed
1 1/2 cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice
3 cups water
In small saucepan, combine flour and oil; mix well. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat for 5 minutes.This is your Roux. Reduce heat to medium; cook, stirring constantly, about 10 minutes or until mixture turns reddish brown. Place flour-oil mixture in 3 1/2 to 4 quart Crockpot.

Stir in all remaining ingredients except shrimp, rice and water. Cover; cook on low setting for 7-9 hours. When ready to serve, cook rice in water as directed on package. Meanwhile, add shrimp to gumbo mixture in crockpot; mix well. Cover; cook on low setting for additional 20 minutes. Serve gumbo over rice.

Chicken Sausage Shrimp Perloo

Source: www.justapinch.com

Ingredients

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 fryer chicken cut in pieces

1 lb sausage links cut into 1/4

2 c onions chopped

1 red bell pepper seeded and chopped

1 datil pepper seeded and cut in half

3 Tbsp chopped parsley

koser salt season to taste

black pepper to taste

3 medium tomatoes peeled, seeded, chopped or 1 can chopped tomatoes with juices

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1 bay leaves

1 1/2 c yellow seasoned rice

3 c chicken broth

35 large large shrimp or 45-50 small

5 scallions chopped

Directions

1. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.

2. Add chicken parts and sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5-10 minutes remove meat from pot set aside.

3. Reduce heat to medium add onions, garlic, parsley, red bell pepper,tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 15 minutes, until liquid from the tomatoes thickens, add sausage bay leaves and datil pepper halves and cook about 5 minutes. Stir in chicken parts, rice, chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer covered, until rice is cooked through, about 35-45 minutes stir gently every few minutes.

4. With about 10 minutes to go stir in the shrimp and scallions, uncover and turn up the heat to medium until shrimp is pink.

5. Before serving remove the datil peppers halves. Guess will not enjoy biting into these peppers.

Joannie Garza's Tamale Soup

2 cans pinto beans
1 can creamed corn
1 can regular whole kernel corn
1 can black beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can rotel tomatoes
1 dozen tamales (cut to bite sized pieces)

** You don't need the best, most expensive tamales for these ** 

Dump all ingredients in one large pot.  Stir and warm to desired heat for serving.

Garnish with sour cream, diced avocado.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients

4 large baking potatoes (Idaho or russet)
12 slices thick-cut applewood smoked bacon
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups 2 percent low-fat milk, heated
5 ounces sharp Cheddar, grated
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces sour cream
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake potatoes either in oven or microwave.  Then peel and cut in chunks

Slice the bacon into lardons (thin strips) and cook in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the drippings in the pot.

Add the flour to the drippings in the pot and stir to combine. Cook, without adding color, until the flour and fat has combined, about 1 minute. Pour in the milk while you whisk to incorporate. Cook over medium heat until bubbly and thickened, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes.
 

 add the potato chunks  to the milk mixture. Mash with the back of a wooden spoon leaving it a little bit chunky.

Add the cooked bacon (leaving a little out for garnishing the soup), 1 cup of the cheese, and season well with salt and pepper. Stir until the cheese has melted. Remove from the heat.

Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with sour cream or just put a dollop on top, sprinkle with remaining bacon bits, grated cheese and chives.

Carribean Stew

Source:  htttp://www.justapinch.com
 

Ingredients

2 lb pork shoulder or thick pork steak

find more delicious recipes at www.porkbeinspired.com

3 can(s) coconut milk--careful not to get cream of coconut, it doesn't work nearly as well.

1 large box fresh mushrooms

5 medium tomatoes, diced

4-6 medium zucchini-green and yellow, if don't have access to them, butternut or acorn squash, oven cooked, then diced

2 large red bell peppers

2 large orange bell peppers

1 large green bell pepper

4 medium mangos, diced

3 can(s) pineapple chunks

1--3 medium anaheim peppers

1/3 c brown sugar, firmly packed

3 tsp sage, rubbed

1 1/2 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced

2-6 clove fresh garlic, minced

dash(es) salt and pepper to taste

1 Tbsp olive oil

3 can(s) canned mandarin oranges

1 large red onion chopped

1 bunch fresh basil to taste

Directions

1. Cut the pork into 1 inch squares. In a large pot, braise pork in the olive oil, along with chopped red onion. Brown pork. Dice tomatoes, squash, and mangos, add to pork. Add pineapple chunks, mushrooms, garlic, and mandarin oranges. For a thicker stew, drain, but keep, the juice from the pineapple chunks and mandarin oranges. Add bell pepper last so they will remain crisp.

2. Using plastic sterile gloves (the kind you can get at your drugstore) slice open the anaheim pepper(s), remove seeds, and mince into very tiny pieces. I like this recipe with only 1 or 2 peppers, but you may like it hotter. IMPORTANT: while wearing the gloves, do not touch your mouth, nose, or eyes.

3. Add brown sugar, slowly to taste until right amount of sweetness desired is achieved.

4. Add coconut milk and simmer for 20 minutes.

5. Add sage, fresh chopped basil, and salt and pepper to taste. Trying after each addition to ensure no over or under spicing occurs.

6. You can add 1 teasp nutmeg for a different taste. You can make this into a stir fry, I haven't tried it yet. I will put this together and have you a recipe for the stir fry within a few days. You can also use chicken with/instead of pork, or go meatless. You can also use 1-2 pounds of precooked, deveined shrimp, but add them last so the don't shrink.

7. Serve with rice. I like brown rice, but white, or wild rice does very well, too.

Potato Soup

Ingredients:
2 1/2 pounds baby red potatoes, sliced into small bite sized pieces
1/2 regular package uncooked bacon, finely diced
1 medium onion, diced
1/4 bunch celery, diced
8 cups milk
4 cups water
4 chicken bullion cubes (use a cup of the hot potato water to dissolve, then use the cup of hot water in place of one of the above cups of water)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup salted butter
3/4 cup flour
1/4 bunch freshly chopped parsley
1 cup whipping cream
***For garnish:***
Shredded cheese
fried bacon bits
chopped green onions

Directions:
In large pot, boil potatoes in water 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. In sauté pan, cook bacon until crisp. Drain bacon fat and place on paper towel over plate to drain more. Add onion and celery to bacon pan over medium-high heat until celery is tender, about 5 minutes. To the large potato pan, add milk, water, bullion, salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture is very hot, about 8 minutes, stirring often. Do not let mixture boil. In small, heavy saucepan melt butter. Add flour and mix well. Cook over medium-low heat until mixture bubbles, stirring 2 to 3 minutes to make a roux. While constantly stirring soup, add roux slowly until soup is thick and creamy, about 4 minutes. Stir in parsley, reserved potatoes, and cream. Garnish with cheese, bacon bits, onions or all three. Serve hot!

Summer Vegetable Chili

 

 Source: Food Network

 

Ingredients

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 poblano chile pepper, seeded and diced
2 portobello mushrooms, stemmed and chopped
2 cups frozen corn (preferably fire-roasted), thawed
2 14-ounce cans no-salt-added pinto beans
1 14-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and/or torn fresh cilantro, for topping (optional)
8 corn tortillas, warmed

Directions

Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add all but a few tablespoons of the chopped red onion. Stir in the garlic, chili powder and cumin and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the poblano, mushrooms and corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 3 more minutes. Add the beans, tomatoes, 1 1/2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then stir and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the chili is thick, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Divide the chili among bowls. Top with the cheese, sour cream and/or cilantro; sprinkle with the reserved red onion. Serve with the tortillas.

Per serving: Calories 504; Fat 13 g (Saturated 1 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 421 mg; Carbohydrate 79 g; Fiber 16 g; Protein 16 g

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/cda/recipe_print/0,1946,FOOD_9936_703568_RECIPE-PRINT-FULL-PAGE-FORMATTER,00.html?oc=linkback

Shrimp and Crabmeat Etouffee

SHRIMP and CRABMEAT ETOUFFEE

2 onions, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon Granulated Garlic
2 1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup flour
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper, or to taste
2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
1 1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 1/2 lb lump crabmeat
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley or 1 1/2 tablespoon Dried Parsley

3 cups cooked Basmati or brown rice

In a large stockpot, sauté onions and celery in olive oil until softened, about 10 minutes, stir in garlic granules.
Combine chicken broth and flour and stir until smooth. Add to celery mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 30 minutes.
Add lemon juice, cayenne and Tabasco sauce. Add shrimp and cook about 5 minutes.

Add crabmeat, green onions and parsley and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Serve over rice.