Slow Cooker Ground Beef Stew

Slow Cooker Ground Beef Stew
1 lb ground beef
1 onion, finely diced
1 t salt
5 Yukon Gold potatoes, diced into 1" pieces
1 lb bag sliced carrots
1- 10.75 oz can tomato soup
1 - 6 oz can tomato paste
3 c beef broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T beefy onion soup mix
1 t parsley
1 t Italian seasoning
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 c frozen peas

1. In a large pan over medium-high heat, cook ground beef, onion and salt until beef is cooked through. Drain and place in slow cooker.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients (except peas); cook on low for 6-7 hours.
3. Stir in peas one hour before serving.

Wild Rice Soup - Pressure Cooker

Wild Rice Soup
5 carrots, chopped
5 ribs celery, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 c uncooked wild rice (do not use blended rice)
8 oz fresh mushrooms
4 c chicken broth
1 t salt
1 t sage
1/2 t thyme
1/2 t rosemary
6 T butter
1/2 c flour
1 1/2 c milk

1. Put everything from the carrots to the rosemary in the pressure cooker and cook on manual for 45 minutes; release the steam.
2. Melt the butter in a small pot; whisk in the flour. Let the roux cook for a few minutes; whisk in the milk a little at a time.
3. Stir milk mixture into soup and serve hot.

Cauliflower Chowder

Cauliflower Chowder
1 T butter
1/2 c diced onion
5 cloves garlic, minced
4 carrots, diced
1 head cauliflower, chopped
1 1/2 c chicken broth
1/2 t oregano
salt and pepper, to taste
1 c water
8 oz cream cheese, softened
olive oil, opt
bacon, chopped, opt

1. In a large pot, heat butter, onions, and garlic; saute until onions are soft.
2. Add carrots, cauliflower, chicken broth, oregano, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, until cauliflower is soft.
3. Using an immersion blender, blend soup to desired consistency. Stir in water and cream cheese.
4. Simmer for 5-10 minutes; top with olive oil and bacon.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Loaded Baked Potato Soup
1 lb bacon, roughly chopped and slightly frozen
1 yellow onion, diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
3/4 c diced celery
4 large potatoes, peeled and diced
4 medium red potatoes, diced
1/4 c flour
2 c chicken broth
salt and pepper, to taste
4 c heavy whipping cream
green onions, Cheddar cheese, sour cream (opt)

1. In a large pot over medium heat, fry bacon until crispy; remove bacon and set aside on paper towels to drain.
2. In bacon fat, cook onions, carrots, and celery until onions are clear; add potatoes and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Whisk in flour and stir constantly over low heat until the flour is cooked and the mixture has thickened slightly, about 5-7 minutes. Add chicken broth, salt, pepper, and half of the bacon.
4. Over medium-high heat, simmer for 25 minutes, or until potatoes are soft. At this point, you could mash some (or all) of the potatoes. Add cream and simmer for 5 more minutes.
Serve in a bread bowl topped with remaining bacon, and other toppings.

Peas & Carrots

Peas & Carrots
3 carrots, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and cut into 1/2" chunks
1 t salt, separated
1/2 t pepper
4 cups frozen peas, thawed
1/2 c water
5 T butter, cut into 5 pieces
2 T minced onion

1. In a small bowl, toss carrots in 1/2 t salt and set aside.
2. In a food processor, process 1 cup peas, water, and 1/2 t salt until smooth; set aside.
3. In a medium pan over medium heat, melt 1 T butter; add onion and the carrots with any liquid. Cover and cook until carrots are just softened, about 7 minutes.
4. Add remaining 3 cups peas and cook, stirring occasionally, until peas are heated through.
5. Stir in pea puree and 1/2 t pepper, bring to a simmer, and cook until sauce starts to thicken.
6. Take off heat and stir in remaining butter until melted.

Meat-Stuffed French Bread

Meat-Stuffed French Bread
1 loaf French bread
1 lb ground beef
2 T finely diced onion
1/2 c chopped celery
1/2 c chopped carrots
1 t minced garlic
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 T milk
2 t Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper, to taste
1 1/2 c Cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350*. Slice French bread in half, lengthwise, and tear out as much of the middle of the bread as you can. Place the torn pieces in a large bowl, making sure that they are pretty small pieces. Set the bread crusts on a large baking sheet and set aside.
2. In a large pan, brown ground beef and onion together over medium-high heat. Drain grease and add celery, carrots, and garlic; cook a few minutes until vegetables are tender.
3. Add soup, milk, and Worcestershire sauce, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
4. Toss beef mixture with bread pieces and spoon in to one bread crust, sprinkle with cheese, and top with other bread crust.
5. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is melted; remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Sopa de Albondigas

Sopa de Albondigas
3/4 + 1/2 t salt, separated
1 c white rice
8 oz lean ground beef
8 oz ground pork
5 T cilantro, minced, separated
1 egg
3 cloves garlic, minced, separated
1 t oregano
1 t pepper
1/4 t cumin
2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
1/2 jalapeno, roughly chopped
1 T vegetable oil
8 c chicken broth
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 zucchini, chopped

1. In a large pot, bring 4 cups water and salt to a boil; add rice, return to boil, and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain rice, rinse with cold water, and drain again.
2. In a large bowl, mix half of the rice with the beef, pork, 3 T cilantro, egg, 1 clove garlic, oregano, 1 t pepper, remaining 1/2 t salt, and cumin until thoroughly combined. Roll into 1" meatballs and place on rimmed baking sheet.
3. In a food processor, process tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, and remaining 2 cloves garlic until smooth.
4. In the original pot, heat oil over medium-high heat; carefully add tomato mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes.
5. Stir in broth and carrots, bring to simmer, and cook until carrots are almost soft, about 10 minutes.
6. Stir in zucchini and remaining rice, then gently add meatballs and simmer until meatballs are cooked through, about 10-12 minutes. Stir in remaining 2 T cilantro and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Minestrone Soup

Minestrone Soup
1/4 lb ground pork
1 lb lean ground beef
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 onion, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
2 t oregano
1 c beef broth
1 c water
1 1/2 t basil
3 carrots, sliced
2 T parsley
2- 14 oz cans stewed tomatoes, chopped
1- 14.5 oz can green beans, with juice
1- 15.5 oz can garbanzo beans, with juice
1 c macaroni noodles, cooked
2 zucchini, diced and precooked until softened
Parmesan cheese

1. In a large skillet, brown pork and hamburger with garlic, onion, salt, and pepper.
2. Drain meat and place in a slow cooker with oregano, beef broth, water, basil, carrots, parsley, and one can of tomatoes.
3. Turn slow cooker on high heat for 6 hours.
4. Turn slow cooker down to low, add green beans, garbanzo beans, macaroni, zucchini, and the other can of tomatoes, and cook for another hour.
5. Season with salt and pepper; serve topped with Parmesan cheese.

Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin Soup
2 T butter
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 (red delicious) apple, peeled and diced
1 1/2 T sage
1- 15 oz can pumpkin
3 c chicken broth
1 c whipping cream
salt and pepper, to taste
Parmesan cheese, to taste

1. In a large pot, over medium heat, melt butter; add onion, carrot, apple, and sage; saute until tender, about 10 minutes.

2. Puree the vegetables (add some of the broth if necessary) and return them to the pot.

3. Add the pumpkin and broth and simmer for 15 minutes; stir in the cream and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

4. Season with salt and pepper; serve topped with Parmesan cheese.

Minestrone Pasta

Minestrone Pasta
3 c small pasta shells, cooked
2 carrots, sliced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1- 15.5 oz can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1- 15.5 oz can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1- 14.5 oz can Italian-style stewed or diced tomatoes, drained
2/3 c Italian dressing
1/2 c Parmesan cheese

1. Toss all ingredients in a large bowl and serve warm or cold.

Pot Roast

Pot Roast
2 T olive oil
2 onions, roughly chopped
2 lb (or about 10) carrots, roughly chopped
3-5 lb chuck roast
salt and pepper
3 c beef broth
2 t rosemary
2 t thyme

1. In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat; add onions and, covered, brown.
2. Remove onions to a plate and set aside; add carrots to pan and heat for about 2-3 minutes, covered, until browned. Reserve the carrots with the onions.
3. Generously salt and pepper roast; turn burner up to high heat. If needed, add some more olive oil to the pan before adding the roast.
4. Sear roast for about a minute on each side until it's brown all over; place in slow cooker.
5. Combine broth, rosemary, and thyme in a small bowl.
6. Deglaze the pan by adding about cup of broth mixture (it may smoke a bit) and scraping the bits off of the bottom; pour contents over roast.
7. Add vegetables to slow cooker and then pour in remaining broth mixture.
8. Cook on low for 8 hours, or until fall-apart tender.

Carrot Cake

Carrot Cake
2 c flour
2 c sugar
2 t baking soda
1 T cinnamon
1/2 t allspice
1/2 t ginger
1 t salt
4 eggs
1 c vegetable oil
1/2 c milk
3 c grated carrots (about 6-8 carrots)
1 1/2 c chopped pecans (opt)
Frosting:
2- 8 oz pkgs [light] cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 c butter, room temperature
4 c powdered sugar
2 t vanilla
1/2 c chopped pecans (opt)

1. Preheat oven to 350*; grease and flour 3- 9" round pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and salt; add eggs, oil, and milk.
3. Use a hand mixer to blend everything well; fold in carrots and pecans.
4. Pour into pans and bake for 40 minutes; let cool for 5 minutes, remove from pans, and place on waxed paper to cool completely.

5. For the frosting, add everything except the nuts into a medium bowl and beat with a hand mixer until fluffy; fold in pecans.

6. Layer the cakes with frosting in between each and then cover the outside with frosting as well.

Slow Cooker Tomato Basil Soup

Slow Cooker Tomato Basil Soup
2- 14 oz cans diced tomatoes
1 c diced celery*
1 c diced carrots*
1 c diced onions*
4 c broth (vegetable or chicken)
1 t oregano
1 T basil
1 bay leaf
1/2 c butter
1/2 c flour
1 c Parmesan cheese
2 c warm half & half
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Place tomatoes, celery, carrots, onions, broth, oregano, basil, and bay leaf in a large slow cooker; cook on low for 6-8 hours.
2. About 45 minutes before you plan on serving, melt butter in a pan and add flour; stir until well mixed. This is called a roux.
3. Slowly add a cup of the soup to the roux; add more soup until the roux is well incorporated.
4. Add roux mix in to slow cooker; stir in cheese, and half & half.
5. Cook on low for another 30 minutes before serving. Salt and pepper as desired.
*Cut all vegetables about the same size so that they cook at the same rate.

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

I got this yummy recipe from my sweet sister. Enjoy.

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
6 T butter
3 carrots, diced
1 onion, diced
1/2 stalk celery, diced
1/4 c flour
1 1/2 c half & half
6 c chicken broth
2 t thyme
3 c cooked chicken
2 c uncooked egg noodles
salt and pepper, to taste

1.In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat and then add vegetables. Cook for about 8 minutes, until veggies are soft.
2. Stir in flour and mix well; add half & half, broth, thyme, chicken, and noodles. Stir well.
3. Turn heat up to high and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until soup thickens and noodles are soft, about 10 minutes.
Feeds 6.

Carrot Soup

Carrot Soup
1 onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 lb (about 10) carrots, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
1- 32 oz box vegetable (or chicken) broth
2 c water
2 T brown sugar
1 1/2 t ginger
2 T heavy whipping cream
1/4 t salt
3 T instant potato flakes (opt for thicker soup)
cashews (opt)
cilantro (opt)

1. Place onions, garlic, and carrots in slow cooker; add broth and water.
2. Cook on high for 4 1/2 hours or low for 8 hours.
3. Stir in brown sugar, ginger, cream, salt, and potato flakes.
4. With a blender, food processor, or immersion blender, carefully puree until you achieve desired consistency.
5. Garnish with cashews and/or cilantro.
This entire recipe is only 464 calories!

Beef Stew

Beef Stew
2 1/2 c chuck beef, cut into bite-sized (or smaller) pieces
1- 750ml bottle of red wine*
6 cloves garlic, minced and separated
3 bay leaves
3 T olive oil, separated
2 onions, chopped
1 lb carrots, peeled and chopped into 1 1/2" pieces
1/2 lb mushrooms, de-stemmed and halved
1 lb small potatoes, chopped
2 c chicken broth
1 T rosemary
2 T Worcestershire sauce

1 T salt, plus more to taste
2 t pepper, plus more to taste
1- 10 oz pkg frozen peas

1. Place beef in a large bowl with a lid; add wine, 3 garlic cloves, and bay leaves.
2. Seal and refrigerate overnight.

3. Place 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot and heat to medium heat.
4. Lift half of the beef out of the marinade with a slotted spoon and place in pot to brown for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once browned, transfer to slow cooker on "keep warm" or "low". Repeat for the rest of the beef. Discard bay leaves, but save wine marinade.
5. Pour out any remaining liquid in pot; heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil to medium heat and add the onions, carrots, mushrooms, and potatoes.
6. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally; add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes; transfer all of the vegetables to the slow cooker.
7. Add the reserved marinade to the empty pot and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. It will start to "foam"; let it foam pretty high and add a little bit of chicken broth; repeat until it no longer smells like alcohol and all broth is added.
8. Add rosemary (rub between fingers as you sprinkle in so it releases its oils), Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables in the slow cooker and turn up to high heat.
9. Cook for about 2 hours, until the meat and vegetables are all tender, stirring once during cooking. If the stew is boiling rather than simmering, lower the heat.
10. Stir in peas just before serving, season to taste, and serve hot.
*If you don't like the taste of wine, or would rather not cook with it, skip the marinating and start with step 3.

Roasted Chicken

Let me preface this by telling you that I do not eat meat off of bones. Like ever. But my sister convinced me to try this easy recipe and I did. And I loved it (as long as hubby cuts it off the bone first).

Roasted Chicken
1 whole (6-7lb) chicken
about 4 T kosher salt
2 white onions, 1 sliced in to rings and 1 diced
1 c diced celery
1 c diced carrots
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 T black pepper
2-3 lemons, sliced into rings

1. Pull all of the guts and grossness out of the bird and rinse inside and out. Liberally apply salt to outside of bird and throw some (about a tablespoon) in the hole, too.
2. Place on a dinner plate, wrap bird and dinner plate in saran wrap, and refrigerate overnight, or at least for a few hours.
3. Preheat oven to 400*; line a roasting pan well with foil and grease.
4. In a small bowl, combine the celery, carrots, garlic, pepper, and chopped onion; stuff bird with mixture.
5. On the bottom of the pan, lay a layer of sliced onion and then a layer of lemon slices.
6. Place the bird in the pan and cook, uncovered, for 2 hours.
I'm not a huge fan of the stuffing, but I do like to serve the meat with a drizzle of the lemon juices from the bottom of the pan.

Orzo Primavera

Orzo Primavera
2 T olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 zucchini, shredded or chopped
1 cup carrots, shredded or chopped
3 c chicken broth
1 c uncooked orzo pasta
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
2 T parsley
1 c frozen peas
salt and pepper, to taste
3 roma tomatoes, diced

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; add olive oil.
2. Throw garlic, zucchini, and carrots into skillet and saute for 5 minutes.
3. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil; add orzo and bring back up to a boil.
4. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook until most liquid is absorbed and pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes.
5. Uncover and stir in cheese, parsley, and peas; season with salt and pepper.
6. Toss in tomatoes just before serving.

Steak Sauce Meatloaf

Steak Sauce Meatloaf
2 lb ground beef
1/3 c Heinz 57 sauce
1/3 c + 2 T Worcestershire sauce, separated
1 c plain bread crumbs (or 2-3 pieces of bread left out to dry and then crumbled)
1/3 c onion, finely chopped
1/4 c celery, finely chopped
1/4 c carrots, finely chopped
2 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350*.
2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients (just 1/3 c Worcestershire sauce).
3. Form into loaf and place in the middle of a 9x13 pan.
4. Brush remaining Worcestershire sauce over top and sides of loaf.
5. Bake, uncovered, for about 1 hour, or until cooked all the way through.
Allow to sit 5-10 minutes before serving.

Cheesy Potato and Carrot Casserole

Cheesy Potato and Carrot Casserole
5 c potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
2 medium onions, diced
4 carrots (or 10-15 baby carrots), in thin strips (I just buy the pre-cut ones)
6 T butter
4 T flour
2 t salt
.5 t black pepper
2 dashes ground red pepper
2.5 c milk
2.5 c shredded Cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375*.
2. Place vegetables in a large saucepan and add enough cold water to cover them.
3. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cook 8-10 minutes, or until tender.
Meanwhile:
4. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan on medium heat. Add flour, salt, and peppers; mix well. Cook and stir for 1 minute.
5. Gradually add milk while stirring. Bring to boil over medium heat; cook for 5 minutes, or until thickened, stirring constantly.
6. Stir in cheese; reduce heat to low. Cook 1 minute, or until cheese is melted, stirring constantly.
Then:
7. Drain vegetable mixture and spoon half of it into a lightly greased 9x13 pan.
8. Cover with half of the cheese sauce and repeat layers.
9. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes; remove foil. Bake for another 15 minutes, or until heated through.