It's the first day of FALL! So I made EASY STEW!

I LOVE the FALL! It is my FAVORITE season! Hoodies, snuggling under a blanket, the leaves turning color... AND SOUP! I use my Crock Pot almost every day in the FALL! So, why not start Fall off with some stew (who cares if it is going to be 84* today! LOL! This stew is one of our staples. The kids LOVE it and it reminds me of HOME! My used to make this stew when I was growing up and, of course, I had to steal it too! YUMMO! So here it is! ENJOY!

EASY STEW

1 1/2- 2 pounds Raw Potatoes cut into 1 inch cubes
4 Carrots, sliced into circles
2 Celery (I am not a fan of celery...so I sometimes add celery puree)
1 Onion, chopped
1 Pound stew beef
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
4 cans Tomato Soup (I use Campbells. I am sure you could use a can of tomato juice too!)
1 T Tapioca (this thickens the broth)


Put all ingredients to the stew beef into the crock pot. Sprinkle the meat with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Then stir is all up. Add the 4 cans of tomato soup over the top and sprinkle the tapioca over the top. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours! EASY PEASY! It makes 6-8 servings!

This recipe is GREAT! If you want, you could add other veggies. Green Bean, tomatoes from your garden! When I was little we would add a little barley too! AND If you want it more like a soup... use beef broth instead. I usually use a whole box of Swanson's Beef Broth (48oz).

ENJOY your stew!

Giada's Minestrone and Navy Bean Soup

Giada's Minestrone and Navy Bean Soup Revamped (6 servings- 7 WWP+)  adapted from Weeknights with Giada
 

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 carrot, peeled and diced into 1/4 in pieces
1 onion, diced into small pieces
1 celery stalk sliced into pieces
1 pound ground beef (she only used 8 ounces...I guess it would be less points, but she also only had 4 servings!)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 28oz can petite diced tomatoes
4 cups beef broth
1 can navy beans rinsed and drained
1 bay leaf
1 cup small noodles (I added this, but can be omitted for one less point)
salt & pepper
Parmesan Cheese

Heat oil in a dutch oven or a large pot over medium heat. Throw in the onion, carrot and the celery with some salt and pepper. Heat vegetables for five minutes stirring frequently. Turn heat to high and add the ground beef and minced garlic. Brown beef with the vegetables for another 5 minutes or until the meat is no longer pink. Add the tomato paste and incorporate it into the beef mixture. Then add all the other ingredients. Bring these all to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. The last 7 minutes of simmering add the noodles and cook until they are al dente.
Serve with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

I think next time I will add more beef broth and make it 8 servings! Mmmmm...

This is a great cookbook! BUY it!

Easy Farmhouse Chicken Chowder

This recipe was fabulous! I adapted it from a Cooks Country Recipe (again!) and it was a hit at our house! go ahead and wipe the drool off your laptop or computer desk...it is really as delicious as it seems!

Easy Farmhouse Chicken Chowder
adapted from "Farmhouse Chicken Chowder" in the April/May 2011 Cook's Country Magazine

6 slices bacon, chopped
6 scallions, white parts chopped fine and green parts
2 carrots, peeled and sliced thin
1 celery rib, cliced thin
salt & pepper
6 tablespoons flour
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 pound red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3 cups cooked and shredded chicken breast (I boiled mine first, then shredded it)
1 cup half and half

Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel lined plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot. Cook scallion whites, carrots, celery and 1/2 teaspoon salt in bacon fat until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add flour and cook until golden, 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir in broth and potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. Add chicken and half and half. Simmer for about 2 minutes until the chicken is heated through. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with bacon and scallion greens and serve!

Creamy Dreamy Potato Soup

Oh dear! This recipe is YUMMY! and not that good for you, but I did use low-fat creme cheese! The leftovers were fabulous! My husband thought it was too cheesey (that is not really in my vocabulary because I think all things should be topped with cheese!), so maybe next time I won't add as much cream cheese, or add more chicken broth...BUT I thought it was perfect!
Creamy Dreamy Potato Soup
4 pounds of red potatoes, chopped into chunks
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
8 cups low sodium chicken broth
16 oz low-fat (or regular) cream cheese (don't use no fat!!!)
optional toppings (as shown above):
crumbled bacon
shredded cheddar cheese
chopped green onion or chives

You can either make this soup on the stove-top or in your crock pot...it just depends on your day!

Stove-Top Directions: Place chopped potatoes, garlic, salt, pepper and broth in a large pot. Boil until you can stick a fork in the potatoes and they are soft (NOT mushy), about 15 minutes. Then slice the cream cheese into chunks and add to the broth. Mix into the soup and let melt, takes about 5 minutes. (These 5 minutes are a good time to get all of the rest of your toppings finished!)

Crock Pot Directions: Place chopped potatoes, garlic, salt, pepper and broth in your slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8. About 30 minutes before it is finished add the sliced cream cheese chunks. Replace the lid and let cook for another 20 minutes. Stir the soup frequently to allow the cream cheese to melt and blend completely.

EASY Split Pea Soup (in the Crock Pot!)

This recipe is so easy! Our whole family loves it and the best part is the leftovers! The soup is fantastic the first day and phenomenal the second day. I got this recipe from Fix It and Forget It (if you don't have it, you need it!). It is a great cookbook for the busy Mom (or Dad).

Split Pea Soup
2 1/2 quarts of BOILING water (boil the water in a pot while you cut the veggies!)
1 pound split peas (rinsed and looked over)
3-4 carrots, chopped (I like mine in little squares)
1 onion, chopped
1 pound of ham (I buy mine already cut in little squares, or you can buy ham steaks and cut them up in little chunks, or you can use a ham hock, but I found that this is too fatty for my taste and more work)
salt & pepper

Mix all ingredients in a crock pot on high for 4 hours. And WALLAH, you have amazing soup packed with fiber and protein! So HEALTHY!

Beef Lentil Soup (by Giada)

We LOVE lentils at our house! We have tried many lentil soup recipes and this one definitely takes the top spot! It is by Giada and it is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. on a cold night! There are always plenty of left over too and of course it tastes even better the next day! Click here for the original recipe.

Lentil Soup with Beef
Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 large celery stalks, chopped (I always puree my celery...)
• 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves (I used crushed dried rosemary)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 6 (14-ounce) cans beef broth (I like to use the boxed broth and it is 3 regular boxes)
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
• 2 cups (about 11 ounces) lentils, rinsed
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves (I omit this) 
  
  

  Directions:

  Heat the oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper. Add half of the beef and cook until brown, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining beef. Add the celery, carrots, onion, garlic, rosemary, and oregano to the pot. Saute until the onions are translucent, about 8 minutes. Return the beef and any accumulated juices from the bowl to the pot. Add the broth and tomatoes with their juice. Bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the meat is just tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Add the lentils. Cover and continue simmering until the lentils are tender, about 40 minutes. Stir in the parsley. Season the soup, to taste, with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.

Taco Soup: Crock Pot Style!

This lovely is a family favorite! The whole family devours this one (even the little ones!). It is really easy too. Just dump all of these ingredients in a crock pot and go! There is a little prep (you have to brown the hamburger and saute the onions) but it is amazing!

Taco Soup
1 pound of hamburger
1 onion, chopped
2 cans of black beans
1 can tomato juice (32 oz...it's the bigger can)
1 can tomato soup
1 cup frozen corn
1-2 packets of taco seasoning (depending on desired spiciness)


cheese and sour cream for garnishing
Doritos or tortilla chips for added crunch


Brown pound of hamburger with the chopped onion. Drain.
Place all of the ingredients (not the garnish or the chips) into a large (4qt) crock pot and stir until combined. 
Cook for 4-6 hours on Low. (Mine is ready in 4!)
Serve hot with cheese and sour cream (and chips)