Creamy Ham and Wild Rice Soup

Call me crazy, but I jumped at the opportunity to host Easter less than a week after we moved in to our new house.  I was eager to show the house to everyone and it made for a great excuse to make sure my kitchen was painted ASAP.  I used this ham glaze from the Pioneer Woman and IT WAS AWESOME!!  Everyone really liked it, but as usual, I over-cooked so we had a good amount of leftovers.  Based on a Betty Crocker recipe, here's how I used some of the leftovers to make a soup for my mom, grandma, and aunt who came to visit a few days later.  It was a big hit, too!

Creamy Ham and Wild Rice Soup

Cook in a lined or greased slow cooker over low heat for 7 to 8 hours:

- 2 c. chopped cooked ham

- 1 c. chopped carrots

- 2-3 small red potatoes, sliced

- 1 medium onion, chopped

- 2 c. chicken stock

- 1 can low sodium cream of celery soup

- 3 c. water

- 1/2 c. wild rice

- 1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper

add last 15-20 minutes before serving:

- 1 c. half-and-half

- 2 T. dry sherry, optional

- 1/4 c. sliced almonds

- 1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley

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And here's some cute kiddo pics to look at while you're waiting for your soup to cook:

Homemade Garlic Parmesan Croutons

This week, my grocery store had a whole bunch of loaves of bread marked down to 25 cents apiece, so I decided to try my hand at making homemade croutons. How hard can it be, right? Not hard at all, my friends. Really simple, and so tasty!  One loaf of regular sliced bread made a whole gallon sized bag of croutons.  The best part was that everything other than the 25 cent loaf of bread, I had on hand already.  From what I've read, it looks like they will keep in a sealed bag out of the fridge for about 2-4 weeks, in the fridge for at least a month, or frozen for up to 3 months (although I haven't tried to freeze them, I'm skeptical that they'd stay as crispy).  I figure between all the holidays coming up, Annalyn snacking on them, and my obsession with salads lately (thanks to this raspberry vinaigrette recipe), we will have no problem finishing them within the month.  Here's how Mama makes it:

Garlic Parmesan Croutons

Ingredients:

- 1 loaf of day old bread (or leave the bag open overnight)

- 1/2-2/3 c. olive oil

- 1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese

- 1 t. salt (more or less, to taste)

- 1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper

- 2 T. minced garlic

- 1 t. dried rosemary

- 1/2 t. dried oregano

- 1/2 t. dried thyme

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Slice bread into roughly 1/2" cubes.  For me, it was easiest to make half a batch at a time.

2.  In a large bowl, combine half of the remaining ingredients. Add bread cubes and toss to coat.

3.  Place bread in an even layer on foil lined baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes, stirring every 10, until golden brown and crispy. (Mine were done around 25-28 minutes. Times will vary based on oven, type of bread, etc.) Allow to cool, then store in a sealed container until ready to use on your favorite salad or soup.

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Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili

Have you ever had chili with sweet potatoes in it?  Yea, me neither, but I couldn't help but try it! So without further ado, here's the recipe for the yummy, belly-warming, fill your house with the best smells ever, sweet potato chili. The recipe I originally used was from Taste of Home, but I'm going to include my changes for this post.  Although we really enjoyed it, Michael and I both agreed that it'd be better with beef or simply as a vegetarian chili.  For some reason, the combination of chicken and sweet potato just didn't do it for us. But, that is how the original recipe was written, so make it however you prefer.  Either way, it's the perfect Fall soup. Here's how Mama suggests making it:

Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili

Ingredients:
- 3-4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
**protein of your choice:  1 lb chicken thighs (cubed), 1 lb ground beef (browned), or a 3rd can of beans
- 3 c. chicken stock
- 1 jar salsa (24 oz.)
- 1 can diced tomatoes (15 oz.)
- 1 can corn, drained
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 T. chili powder
- 1 t. ground coriander
- 1/2-1 t. ground cinnamon (I like a lot!)
serving suggestions:  plain greek yogurt, shredded cheddar cheese, corn chips

Directions:
1.  In a greased and/or lined slow cooker, combine all ingredients.  Cook on low for 5-6 hours, until chicken and sweet potatoes are tender.  Serve with cheese, yogurt (or sour cream), and chips.

 

 

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Slow Cooker Shredded Flank Steak Stew

Here's a rich, flavorful stew (based on this recipe from EatingWell.com) that's super easy to make and only gets better as leftovers!  Sounds like a working mama win to me!  We ate it as soup the first night, wraps for lunch the next day, then over rice the third day (because who wants to eat the exact same meal three times in a row?).  There is a decent amount of prep work due to all the chopping/slicing veggies, but they can all be cut up the night before and tossed in the next morning.  It smells absolutely divine while it cooks and tastes great to boot.  Here's how Mama makes it:

Slow Cooker Shredded Flank Steak Stew

Ingredients:
- 3 lb. flank steak, cut into thirds
- 2 c. chicken stock
- 1/4 c. red wine vinegar
- 2 T. cumin
- 1 T. salt
- 1 t. black pepper
- 1/2 t. cayenne, optional
- 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
- handful baby carrots, sliced
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 oz. mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 T. minced garlic
- 1 can tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel type tomatoes - I didn't have on hand but I think it would've made a good addition)
- 1/2 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
- for serving:  jalapenos, sour cream/greek yogurt, fresh lime wedges, tortillas (it makes yummy wraps!), rice (also very good served over rice).

The Return of Chili Season!

For the first time in awhile, I actually waited until official Fall to make a big pot of chili.  Usually the first day under 70 degrees, I get excited and go for it, but with all the wedding craziness in the past month, I had lots to distract me.  So imagine my excitement over this delicious chili on the third day of Fall. 

In our house, we make all kinds of chili.  A couple of our favorite (and most frequently made) ones are chicken chilies (like this and this one), but this time I decided to make a good old-fashioned beef chili like both of our mamas always made.  Well, sort of...  I started with a good old-fashioned typical chili base - beef, tomato, beans, onion, and chili powder, but added some Eddie favorites, too.  We have unique tastes in our household, so green/black olives, garden jalapenos, and a little Cajun seasoning were also involved.  All three of us LOVED it!  Here's how Mama makes it for her loves:

Family Favorite Beef Chili

Ingredients:

(8 WW pts per 1 c. serving)

- 1 lb. ground beef (5% or less fat)

- 1 large onion, chopped

- 2 T. minced garlic

- 1 jalapeno, chopped and seeded

- 7 oz. can chopped green chilies

- 28 oz. can diced tomatoes

- 14.5 oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes

- two 15 oz. cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed

- two 2.25 oz. cans sliced black olives

- 1/3 c. sliced green olives

- 2 c. chicken stock

- 1/4 c. chili powder

- 2 T. Cajun seasoning

- 1 t. cumin

Serving suggestion:  top with small amount of reduced fat shredded cheese (may affect WW pt values)

Super Easy Tomato Soup

For whatever reason, I've been on a tomato soup kick lately (no, I'm not pregnant).  Maybe it's the yearning for summertime and fresh tomatoes, or maybe it's just a vehicle for my love of basil.  Either way, here's a super quick 'n easy recipe I've been tossing together lately.  Warning:  may induce afternoon naps and belly-warming happiness!   Here's how Mama makes it:

Super Easy Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

- 2 T. olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
- 15 oz. can tomato sauce
- 1-2 t. hot sauce, optional
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves or about 2 T. basil paste / dried basil
- 1 t. thyme
- 1/2 t. oregano
- 1/2 t. rosemary, crushed

- 1/2 t. Garlic powder
- 1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper (add more to taste)
- 2 t. salt (add more or less to taste)
- 1 c. milk, cream, half 'n half (really whatever you have onhand and depending on how creamy you like to make it and how many calories you want to add!)
- 1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

French Onion Soup

At Michael's request, I made a big batch of French onion soup to get us through this dreary, rainy week.  It's amazing just how comforting a pot full of onions can be.  Word of warning - though it tastes amazing, this soup will have you crying like a baby...  there's just no way around it when slicing 6 onions in a row!  But I think you'll agree that the warmth and richness of this delicious soup is worth a few tears.

French Onion Soup

Ingredients:

- 1 stick butter (yep, I even broke down and used the real stuff!)

- 4 to 6 yellow onions (depending on size), thinly sliced

- 1 cup dry white wine

- 4 cups chicken stock
- 4 cups beef stock
- 2 T. minced garlic
- 1 T. Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 t. dried thyme
- 1/4 t. freshly ground pepper

- french bread, or other crusty bread, thickly sliced

- about 1 c. grated Gruyere cheese (alternatives:  mozarella, swiss, provolone, etc.)



Super Simple Broccoli Cheese Soup

Looking over my last several posts, it's not hard to see what this mama likes to cook when it's chilly... soups, stews, and more soups!  With the super cold week we've been having, all I could think about was how badly I wanted a hot, creamy soup to warm me up.  Here's a super simple recipe for one of my favorite soups.  It's so easy to toss together, and with Mama's secret ingredient, it's packed full of nutrients.  Sure to be a hit with the whole family!

Super Simple Broccoli Cheese Soup



Ingredients:

- 2 (12 oz.) bags frozen broccoli
- 1 (12 oz.) bag frozen chopped onion
- 1 (32 oz.) carton chicken stock
- 2 c. low-fat milk
- 1 t. salt
- 1/2 t. black pepper
- 1/2 t. nutmeg
- 16 oz. Velveeta cheese (lite, if you can find it)
- 1 c. fresh or frozen spinach, optional
- 1 c. shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

**quick disclaimer:  by all means, use fresh veggies if you have them on hand or have the time to buy/wash/chop them... this mama's been working on figuring out how to pay taxes as an employer since our nanny is considered a household employee - very time consuming, super confusing, and all around not fun!  But I think I'm finally done - at least until our W-2's come and I have to do our personal taxes... *sigh*  In the meantime, there's no shame in shortcut cooking, my friends!

Slow Cooker Chicken & Kale Soup

Here's a special I'm going to be late for work if I don't make this in the next 15 minutes post.  The pictures are hurried, unorganized, and sporatic, but I didn't even take time to turn the lights on, so at least the natural morning lighting is really pretty!  But, never fear, Mama made it in time to open the pharmacy! (It's a good thing I have that cape.)  The life of a working mama! 

Slow Cooker Chicken & Kale Soup

Ingredients:

- 2 c. shredded chicken, cooked
- 1 c. chopped onion
- 2 T. minced garlic
- 1 (15 oz.) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
- 3 c. kale, washed and chopped
- 1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes
- 1 c. sliced carrots
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 6 c. chicken stock
- 1 t. cumin
- 1/2 t. dried oregano
- 2 t. dried tarragon
- 2-3 t. salt, to taste
- 1 t. black pepper

Comfort Food Classic: Ham & Bean Soup

Here's a comfort food classic for leftover ham.  I found this great dried bean mixture made specifically for ham soup, so I decided to give it a shot (you can also use the dried bean mixes for bean soup).  From there, add veggies and spices of your choice and you've got a perfect way to use leftover ham.

Ham & Bean Soup

Ingredients:

- 1/2 bag dried bean mix

- 1/2 lb. leftover ham or hambone with some ham left

- 1 onion, chopped

- 2 celery stalks, sliced

- 1 green bell pepper, chopped

- 2 T. minced garlic

- 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes

- 1 t. chili powder

- 1/2 t. black pepper

- 1/2 t. dill weed

- 4-6 cups water (I had to add a couple more cups while simmering because it cooked down so much)

Beef & Mushroom Stew

Hello, cold winter night!  I've been waiting for you with this beef stew recipe.  Based on a WW recipe, this stew is both hearty and healthy.  Don't like mushrooms?  Try tossing in some sliced potatoes or sweet potatoes instead!  It makes 6 servings at about 8 pts each.  Here's how Mama makes it:

Beef & Mushroom Stew



Ingredients:
- 1 T. olive oil
- 2 lbs. stew beef, cut into bite-sized chunks
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
- 2 T. minced garlic
- 1 c. red table wine
- 1 T. Worcestershire sauce (not pictured, late addition)
- 1 (12 oz) can tomato paste
- 2 c. water
- 1 beef bouillon cube, crumbled
- 1 lb. button mushrooms, sliced
- 1 small can chopped green chilies
- 1 t. fennel seeds
- 1 t. rosemary
- 1/2 t. black pepper
- 1/2 t. dill weed

Spinach Potato Soup with Tomato & Basil

As long as we have soup ingredients, I say let it snow! let it snow! let it snow!



Here's a warm delicious soup inspired by our recent snow day.  Using leftovers and items from my pantry, I came up with this creamy nutritious soup recipe.  We ate it alone for a light lunch, but it would also go great with grilled cheese sandwiches.  Once again, it turned out to be a great dish to share with Peanut - after eating some of her own lunch, we gave her some soup to try and she ended up eating a whole little bowl full of it!

Spinach Potato Soup with Tomato & Basil

Ingredients:

- 2 T. olive oil

- 1 small onion, chopped

- 2 c. leftover garlic mashed potatoes

- 1 carton chicken stock (4 cups)

- 3 c. packed baby spinach (I only had about 1.5 - 2 c., but I think it could use more)

- 2 T. basil (paste, dried, or fresh)

- 1 t. Italian spice mix

- 1 t. salt

- 1/2 t. black pepper

- 1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes

- 1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese

Robin's No-Chop Chicken Chili

Even if you don't make this now, do yourself a favor and keep it in the back of your mind.  This chili is mild but flavorful, super easy - NO CHOPPING AT ALL!! - and always a big hit with any crowd, from kids to adults.  This southwest style chicken chili uses jarred salsa for the onions, peppers, and tomatoes and is made with simple ingredients that are easy to keep on hand.  It's perfect for pitch-ins, meals to take new parents, holidays, game days, Tuesdays... you get the point. 

Courtesy of my dear friend and neighbor, here's

Robin's No-Chop Chicken Chili

Ingredients:
- 3 c. shredded chicken
- 1 large jar of chunky salsa
- 1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
- 1 can kidney or pinto beans, drained & rinsed
- 2 cans corn, drained
- 1 can tomato sauce
- 2 c. chicken stock
- 1 T. minced garlic
- 1 t. cumin
- 2 to 3 T. chili powder



Split Pea Soup

Here's an oldie but goodie courtesy of my favorite Betty Crocker cookbook.  This simple, delicious, and belly-warming soup is an Eddie family favorite on cool winter days.  It's by far my favorite thing to do with leftover ham (and the ham bone!), but I'll also make it with diced ham as I did this week.  Split peas are so high in fiber and protein, while low in fat, making this a hearty, healthy meal.  Pair it with corn bread or serve alone.  I even let Peanut try some, and she loved it (of course, it's green!).  I usually make it on the stove, but this time I tried it in the slow cooker.

Split Pea Soup

Ingredients:

- 1 lb. bag split peas, rinsed

- 8 cups liquid or 7 if using slow cooker (Betty recommends water, but I like to replace at least half the water with chicken stock)

- 1 c. chopped carrots

- 1 c. chopped celery

- 1 c. chopped onion

- 1 ham bone or about 1 c. of diced ham

- salt and pepper, to taste

Football Food Makeover #4: Bourbon Corn Chowder

The colder it gets outside, the better this soup tastes!  With the freezing rain outside, I found myself craving this delicious (and usually very high calorie) soup that Michael makes.  Rather than give in completely to the craving, I decided to give this colorful, creamy chowder a much-needed makeover.  I have to say, we were both surprised with the results.   Another football food makeover success!

Bourbon Corn Chowder



Ingredients:
(made over version)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 t. minced garlic
- 1 T. olive oil
- 1/2 jar (6 oz.) roasted red peppers, chopped
- 2 cans cream style corn
- 1 can whole kernel corn, drained
- 1 c. chicken stock
- 1 can fat-free evaporated milk
- 1 T. sweet chili sauce
- 1 c. cooked chicken, shredded or diced
- 1/4 c. bourbon
- 1 t. chili powder
- 1 t. cayenne pepper
- 1/2 t. paprika
- black pepper, to taste

(original recipe)
- 1 stick of butter
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 jar roasted red pepper
- 2 cans cream style corn
- 1 can whole kernel corn, drained
- 1 c. chicken stock
- 1 c. heavy cream
- 1 T. sweet chili sauce
- 1 c. cooked chicken
- 1/2 c. bourbon
- 1 t. chili powder
- 1 t. cayenne pepper
- 1/2 t. paprika
- black pepper, to taste

WW points comparison: (makes 6 servings)

-original is 17 points per serving

-makeover version is only 9 points per serving!

**The makeover version knocks off nearly half the points by substituting evaporated milk for cream, olive oil for butter, and using half the amount of bourbon.  Amazingly, the flavor is not changed much by these substitutions.  Even Michael approved!

Quick & Easy Beef & Barley Soup

Here's a simple and scrumptuous beef & barley soup recipe I made for Michael's family last weekend.  I like this recipe because the veggies can be chopped ahead and the soup comes together very quickly, say, after work when you have a houseful of hungry people waiting on dinner.  It goes well with crusty bread and a glass of red wine.

Quick & Easy Beef & Barley Soup

(this is a double version of the original recipe I found from www.eatingwell.com)

Ingredients:

- 16 oz. sirloin steak, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces

- 1 t. ground black pepper

- 3 T. olive oil, divided

- 1 T. minced garlic

- 1 large onion, chopped

- 2 large celery stalks, sliced

- 2 large carrots, sliced (I used some leftover carrot chips from a previous recipe)

- 1 c. tomato sauce

- 1 T. dried thyme

- 1 1/2 c. cooked barley

- 2 cartons (8 c.) beef stock

- 1/2 t. salt

- 1/4 c. red wine vinegar





Sausage & Kale Soup (Copycat recipe for Olive Garden's Toscana Soup)

This soup is adapted from a copycat recipe for Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana. Something about this flavor combination just warms you from the inside out. Michael always says he wishes he could just put the broth in a mug and drink it (not that I have ever told him he couldn't). I always make a huge pot of this soup because we love to have leftovers. You can easily halve this soup if you only want to eat it, say, 2-3 times in a row :) As I made it above, it makes 8 large servings, 7 points each.

Sausage & Kale Soup

Ingredients:
- 8 c. chicken stock (2 cartons)
- 1/2 c. fat free half & half (I used to use all cream, but decided to use some half & half to cut calories)
- 1/2 c. heavy cream
- 6 small or 2 large red potatoes
- 4 c. chopped kale (1 bunch)
- 1 lb. andouille sausage (or spicy Italian)
- 1 t. salt
- 1/2 t. black pepper
- 1/4 - 1/2 t. crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. In a skillet over medium-high heat, saute the sausage. You can either remove the casing and crumble the sausage, or cook in links, then cut into slices. I've tried it both ways, and they both rock!

this time, we removed the casing

and crumbled the sausage

2. In the meantime, combine chicken stock, half & half, and cream in a large soup pot over medium heat.

3. Slice the potatoes into 1/4" thick slices. Halve smaller potatoes, or quarter larger ones. Add to the soup.

4. Chop the kale and add to the soup. FYI - not all kale has the purple veins... this is an organic purple kale. I'm not partial to one or the other, this was just all they had at my store.

wash the kale - remove tough stems

roughly chop the leaves.

Don't be alarmed - it looks like a lot of kale,

but I promise it cooks down to a manageable amount of greens!

see, much better already!

5. Add sausage and spices to soup. Bring to boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

the cream will separate slightly, stir before serving

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