crockpot beef and noodle soup

Ingredients:
2 onions, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 T tomato paste
1 T vegetable oil
2 tsp minced fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried
6 cups beef broth
1 lb cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced 1/2 inch thick
3 carrots, peeled and chopped medium
2 celery ribs, chopped medium
2 T soy sauce
2 bay leaves
1.5 lb beef blade steak, trimmed
salt and pepper
3 oz wide egg noodles (~2 cups)
2 T minced fresh parsley

Microwave onions, garlic, tomato paste, oil, thyme in bowl until onions are softened-about 5 minutes; transfer to crockpot.  Stir broth, mushrooms, carrots, celery, soy sauce and bay leaves into crockpot.  Season beef with salt and pepper and nestle into crockpot.  Cover and cook until beef is tender - 9-11 hours on low or 5-7 hours on high.  Transfer beef to cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred into bite size pieces.  Discard bay leaves.  Cook egg noodles in boiling salted water until tender, drain, and then stir into the soup along with the beef.  Stir in parsley, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

loaded baked potato soup for crockpot.

8 slices bacon, chopped
1 onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1.5 tsp fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried
2 T all purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth
3 lb russet potatoes (about 6 medium), peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese ( 2 cups), plus extra for serving
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper
3 scallions, sliced thin

Cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, 5-7 minutes.  Transfer to paper towel-lined plate and refrigerate until serving. Pour off all but 2 T bacon fat. Add onion, garlic, and thyme to ksilled and cook over medium high heat until onion is softened and lightly browned - 8-10 minutes.  Stir in flour and cok 1 minute.  Slowly whick in 1 cup broth, scraping up any browned bits; transfer to slow cooker.  Stir remaining 3 cups broth and potatoes into slow cooker.  Cover and cook 6 hours on low. Transfer 2 cups of the potatoes to a bowl and mash smooth.  Stir cheddar into soup until melted, then stir in the cream and mashed potatoes. Reheat bacon in microwave.  Season sop to taste and serve with scallions, bacon and additional cheese.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

olive oil
1 large or 2 small onions, small dice
3-4 carrots, large dice
2-3 celery stalks, small dice
chicken stock
Cut-up, cooked meat from one chicken (I roast a chicken and use the carcass - minus the meat - for stock)
1/2-2/3 package egg noodles
salt and pepper to taste
fresh thyme to taste


Instructions:

Heat olive oil in stockpot and saute onion, carrot and celery until softened, 10 minutes or so. Add stock, chicken, and seasonings to taste and let simmer until carrot is soft. Add noodles a few minutes before serving and simmer until soft.

Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients:

4 large russet potatoes
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
4 Tbsp flour
5.5 cups milk
1/2 cup sour cream
4 oz cream cheese
1/2 tsp onion powder
salt & pepper
chives
cooked and crumbled bacon
shredded cheddar cheese


Instructions:

Bake the potatoes. Let cool, then peel them, discard the skin, and dice. Set aside. Make a roux with the butter and flour. Add the milk and bring to a near-boil. Reduce the heat and let simmer until thickened. Add onion powder and salt & pepper to taste. Add the cream cheese and sour cream and stir until incorporated. Add the potatoes and cook until potatoes are reheated. Serve with chives, bacon, and cheese as garnishes.

Thick Corn and Vegetable Soup

1/4 c olive oil
2 T butter
2 medium onions, diced
4 large garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
4 whole cloves
dash cayenne
12 c vegetable stock
1 t salt
black pepper
1- 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1- 15 oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 medium carrots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 medium potatoes, cut into 1/2" dice
1 c 1/2" diced butternut squash
1 c finely chopped fresh parsley
2 c frozen corn

Heat oil and butter in large stockpot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute until tender, about 10 mins. Stir in the next 7 ingredients, bay leaves through tomatoes, and bring to a boil. Add beans, carrots, potatoes, squash, half the parsley, and return to a boil. Lower heat and cook at a lively simmer for 30 mins. Stir often. Mix in the corn and the remaining 1/2 c parsley, and cook for 5 mins. Discard bay leaf. (Optional- make dumplings on this soup. Serve with one dumpling in each bowl.)

turkey and rice soup

Stock:

turkey carcass
2 stalks celery w/leaves, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, coarsely chopped
1 onion, peeled and quartered
1 bay leaf
8 cups water

In large pot, combine carcass, celery, carrots, onion, bay leaf and water and bring to simmer for 2 to 3 hours. Strain and discard vegetables and bones. Reserve turkey stock.

Soup:

3 T butter
1 c chopped onion
1 c chopped celery
2 tsp dried thyme (I use 1 and 1 half tsp)
2 c chopped carrots
1 c rice
2 c chopped leftover turkey
1 c frozen or leftover corn- if frozen, add with rice
3 T fresh parsley
salt and pepper

In large pot, melt butter and cook onions until tender. Stir in carrots and rice and toss to coat. Stir in turkey stock and bring to simmer. Cook until vegetables and rice are tender. Stir in turkey, corn, and parsley.

mexican chicken soup

From the cookbook Barefoot Contessa at Home by Ina Garten

4 split chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
olive oil, salt & freshly ground black pepper
2 chopped yellow onions
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2.5 quarts chicken stock
1 28-oz can whole tomatoes in puree, crushed
2-4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander seed
1/4-1/2 cup chopped cilantro
6 tortillas

Place the chicken breasts skin side up on a sheet pan. Rub with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for 35-40 minutes, until done. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the meat. Cover and set aside.

Meanwhile heat 3 Tbsp of olive oil in a large pot. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook over medium low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions start to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes with their puree, jalapenos, cumin, coriander, 1 tbsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, and the cilantro. Cut the tortillas in half, then cut them crosswise into 1/2 inch strips and add to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and season to taste. Serve the soup hot topped with sliced avocado, a dollop of sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and broken tortilla chips.