Pasta Fagioli in the Crockpot~

 

just like Olive Garden 
2 lbs ground beef 
1 onion, chopped 
3 carrots, chopped 
4 stalks celery, chopped 
2 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained 
1 (16 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained 
1 (16 ounce) can white kidney beans, drained 
3 (10 ounce) cans beef stock 
3 teaspoons oregano 
2 teaspoons pepper 
5 teaspoons parsley 
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (optional) 
1 (20 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce 
8 ounces pasta 
Directions: Brown beef in a skillet. Drain fat from beef and add to crock pot with everything except pasta. Cook on low 7-8 hours or high 4-5 hours. Add pasta the last 30 minutes. Serve with a nice crisp green salad and some garlic bread! Enjoy

Strawberry Soup

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 lb. frozen strawberries, thawed with any juice
• 1 cup half and half (can use fat free half and half)
• 1/8 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
• 1 tsp. sugar (optional)
• Fresh strawberries for garnish

Instructions

Blend frozen strawberries, half and half, sour cream, and yogurt in a blender until smooth. Taste for sweetness and add sugar if desired. Blend after any sugar is added to ensure smooth soup.

Chill soup before serving. Serve with fresh strawberries as a garnish.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

 
 From Mary Jo Tsimboukis


In a crock pot..
Green pepper-chopped
Med.onion-chopped
1lb. Velvetta cheese-cubed
Some cream of chix
1.5 cup milk
1-10oz. Frozen chopped broccoli
1.) sauté the green pepper & onion in 2tbs. of butter
2.) combine all ingredients and cook on 3-4 hrs...do Not add salt.

Easy Hamburger Soup

From Jill Bacon

Ingredients:
 
1# hamburger
1 C chopped onions
1 C peeled and diced potatoes
1 C diced carrots
1 c. shredded cabbage
1 can (28 oz) stewed tomatoes
1 can (46 oz) tomato juice
3 cups water
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup raw white rice
 
Instructions:  Brown hamburger in large soup pot, drain well and crumble.  Add rest of ingredients EXCEPT rice---Cook over medium heat until vegetables are soft.  Add rice and cook until tender, stirring occasionally.  Total cook time approx. 1 hour.

"No-Peek" Oven Stew

tenderized steak - cubed
potatoes
carrots
1 envelope onion soup
1 can cream of mushroom or celery soup

Put meat in pile in middle of casserole dish. Surround with vegetables. Cover with dry onion soup and spread can of soup on top. Cover and bake at 300º for 3 hours.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

From Mom Stefon

Butter for sauteing
1 cup each diced onions, carrots, potatoes, celery
2 or more cups diced broccoli
1/2 cup diced green pepper, optional
1 can (49-1/2 oz.) chicken broth
1/2 cup flour
2 cups milk
salt and pepper to taste
1 jar (16 oz.) Cheeze Whiz or any cheese

Melt butter in fry pan and add onions, carrots, potatoes, celery, broccoli and green pepper. Saute until tender. Then add broth. Gradually add milk to flour, then combine with broth and vegetables in a large pot. Bring to a boil and let thicken for 5 to 10 minutes. Add cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat and simmer another 10 minutes.
Makes 8 generous servings.

Harvest Vegetable Soup

From Maryedith

2 lbs. ground beef (I use a little less)
8 cups water (I just fill the pot with water, leaving enough room for the veggies!)
2 cups chopped onion
2 cups sliced carrots
2 cups sliced celery
2 cups cubed potatoes (probably add more like 4-6 cups)
4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. kitchen bouquet *see note
1/2 tsp pepper
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. basil
12 tomatoes or 2 (28 oz.) cans stewed tomatoes

In a large soup kettle or pan brown beef and drain. Add water and bring to a boil. (Whileit is coming to a boil, I chop my vegetables. I chop them fairly fine,except the potatoes. Spices/seasonings should be adjusted to your taste.) Add remaining ingredients except tomatoes. Cook on stove until potatoes are almost tender. Add tomatoes and cook a while longer.
Freezes well.
Serve with French bread or biscuits.

*Kitchen Bouquet is a bottled condiment sauce used to give food a nice brown color, especially crock-pot or microwave recipes that might not brown on their own. It has a mild beef taste. It's made from vegetables, water, spices, and herbs.

To substitute, you can use soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, or instant coffee granules to darken food. You can also make your own browning agent by melting 1/2 cup brown sugar in a saucepan until it turns a darker brown. Whisk in 2 cups water until sugar is dissolved. Simmer to reduce slightly. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Brush on meat or use in recipes in place of Kitchen Bouquet.

Vegetable Soup

From Mom

3 lbs. soup meat
2 qts. water
2 TBSP salt
Boil together until done. Cool and take meat out and cut into small pieces. Add water until pan is 1/2 full and add 3/4 cup uncooked rice or barley, 1 bunch celery, cut up, 1 large onion, cut up. Add meat and simmer. May add diced potatoes, corn, lima beans, or other vegetables, if you want. Better if you let set overnight or for a while.

Bean Soup

From Mom

1/4 cup each: Great White Northern beans, navy beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, split pea, and black-eyed peas
Any combination to make about 2 cups of beans. Wash beans thoroughly and place in a large kettle. Cover with water and add 2 TBSP salt. Soak overnight. Drain and add 2 qts. of water and ham bone. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 3-1/2 hours. Add 1 large onion, chopped, 1 pt. tomatoes,
1 tsp. chili powder, 1/2 cup carrots, chopped, 1/2 cup celery, chopped. Salt and pepper to taste. Simmer another 30 minutes or until veggies are done.

White Chicken Chili

From Amy

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced
16 oz. jar salsa
1 large jar of White Beans
2 cups Monterey Cheese (can use 2%)
1/2 tsp. cumin

Put salsa and beans in crock pot and heat. Add cut chicken to pot. After warm, add cheese and cumin. Serve with chips.

Baked Potato Soup

4 large baked potatoes
2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup flour
6 cups milk
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
4 green onions, chopped
12 slices bacon, fried and crumbled
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup (8 oz.) sour cream

1. Cut potatoes in half. Scoop out pulp and put in small bowl. Or, peel skin off cooked potatoes. Our family likes the potatoes to be mashed, rather than cut in small pieces.

2. Melt butter in large kettle. Add flour. Gradually stir in milk. Continue to stir until smooth, thickened, and bubbly.

3. Stir in potato pulp, salt, pepper, and three-quarters of the onions, bacon, and cheese. Cook until heated. Stir in sour cream. Optional: use all onions, bacon, and cheese at this point.

4. If not using onions, bacon, and cheese in last step: transfer to slow cooker and set on Low. Top with remaining onions, bacon, and cheese. Take to a potluck, or serve on a buffet table, straight from the cooker.

Variation:
Add several slices of Velveeta cheese to make soup extra cheesy and creamy.