Category: SOUPS & STEWS & CHILIS

CREAM OF POTATO SOUP PLUS!

This easy, full of flavor, rich and creamy potato soup recipe is truly the best!  It’s quick and easy and always so cozy and deliciously comforting.

CREAM OF POTATO SOUP
6 slices bacon, diced
3 tablespoons bacon grease
1 LARGE sweet onion, diced
1 1/2 cups chopped red, orange and/or yellow peppers
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup WONDRA flour
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups WHOLE milk, warmed
1 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, diced
1 cup shredded SHARP cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, or to taste

GARNISHES
Thinly-sliced green onions or chives
extra shredded cheese
extra bacon
A dollop of sour cream

  • Sauté bacon in a dutch oven until well rendered and crispy.
  • Transfer bacon pieces to a plate lined with paper towels.
  • To the reserved bacon grease sauce the onions until softened.
  • Add pepper pieces and sauté a couple minutes more.
  • Add garlic and saute’ until fragrant.
  • Stir in flour until smooth to create your roux.
  • Stir in milk and chicken broth, bringing to a SLOW simmer.
  • Add in potatoes, cooking and stirring often 20-30 minutes until potatoes are softened and tender. The smaller diced your potatoes are, the faster your soup will cook.
  • Taste and season to taste with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Fold in chicken pieces.
  • Stir in cheese, sour cream and crispy bacon pieces.
  • Serve warm with desired garnishes.

FLAVOR VARIATIONS
This soup makes an AWESOME base for all sorts of flavor variations! Just add 1 tablespoon of your favorite flavor of seasoning.

Some of my favorites are:

  • ITALIAN seasoning blend or FRESH chopped Basil, Parsley, Oregano
  • TEX-MEX seasoning blend or FRESH chopped jalapeno or similar type pepper
  • CAJUN – I like SLAP YOUR MAMA and/or chopped Okra
  • Or make it LOADED with sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped green onions
    Or add in your favorite veggies!

Changing up the type of potatoes is another way of amping the flavor – try sweet potatoes or baking the potatoes first.

NOTES:

  • I only use center cut bacon for ALL recipes because it has less fat, cooks up nice and evenly and usually tastes the best too!
  • I also use WONDRA for my flour because it is much finer so it makes a much smoother roux and creamier soup base.

PORK GREEN CHILI ala CROCK POT

PORK GREEN CHILI ala CROCK POT
1 tablespoon avocado oil
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
2 pound pork loin, cut into large chunks
3-4 LARGE garlic cloves, minced
1 large yellow onion, diced
8 ounces taco sauce
8 ounce chopped green chilies
1 can ROTEL original fire roasted tomatoes with green chiles
2 teaspoons cumin
1 bunch green onions, chopped or sliced thin (reserve some for garnish)
1 can Bush’s black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can S&W Cattle beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup FRESH chopped Cilantro + a few sprigs for garnish
sour cream, for garnish
shredded cheese, for garnish
GRANDMA Ware’s skillet corn bread

  • Heat oil in skillet.
  • Generously season pork roast with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Add pork pieces to skillet and sear on all sides.
  • Transfer pork pieces to slow cooker.
  • Add onions to skillet and saute’ until softened.
  • Add garlic, green chiles, taco sauce, cumin, 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, ROTEL tomatoes and most of the green onions to the skillet, blending well and cooking until fragrant. Add to slow cooker and stir well with pork pieces.
  • Cook on HIGH 90 minutes.
  • Lower to LOW and cook 6 hours more until pork is tender.
  • Add beans and cook another 30 minutes.
    Serve with a dollop of sour cream, fresh chopped cilantro, chopped green onions and shredded cheese PLUS your favorite corn bread!

CHICKEN CORN CHOWDER – CROCK POT STYLE

CHICKEN CORN CHOWDER – CROCK POT STYLE  serves 8-10

1/4 cup butter
3 pounds golden potatoes, washed and diced
1/2 LARGE Vidalia onion, diced
FRESH ground black pepper, to taste
4 cups chicken broth, preferably FRESH made
20 ounces frozen corn
3 tablespoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons water
3 cups heavy cream
3 cups diced rotisserie chicken pieces
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled for garnish

  • Spray LARGE crock pot with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Cube butter into bottom of crock pot.
  • Add potatoes and corn, stirring to combine.
  • Pour in chicken broth, cover ad cook on high 4 hours.
  • Whisk together cornstarch and water to form a slurry. Stir slurry into soup.
  • Gently stir in cream, recover and cook another 20-30 minutes until soup has thickened.
  • Fold in chicken pieces cooking another 10-15 minutes until warmed through.
  • Serve warm with Parmesan Cheddar biscuits.
  • Garnish with green onions, bacon pieces and shredded cheese.

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CABBAGE ROLL SOUP aka WAGON WHEEL SOUP aka WINTER SOUP updated

Years ago my niece “renamed” or “nicknamed” my winter soup to Wagon Wheel because I used a round pasta that resembled wagon wheels.  Whatever you call this soup, it’s a hearty rib-sticking soup that makes you want to sop up the very last drop with a warm bread.

CABBAGE ROLL SOUP aka WAGON WHEEL SOUP/STEW
1 1/2 pounds coarse ground hamburger, ground pork or combination of both
1 cup cooked rice or uncooked pasta of your choice
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large Vidalia onion, FINELY chopped
2 cups V-8 juice
8 ounces tomato sauce
2 cans original Rotel tomatoes with juice
+/- 8 ounces beef broth
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
FRESH ground salt and pepper, to taste
1 small head cabbage, chopped

  • In a large dutch oven, brown hamburger.
  • Drain hamburger in colander over a paper plate and paper toweling to catch grease.
  • Add onion and garlic to dutch oven, sautéing until soft and fragrant.
  • Add V-8, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and broth, stirring to blend.
  • Salt and pepper to taste.
  • Simmer over low heat 1-2 hours.
  • Add cabbage and simmer 1 hour more.
  • Add  pasta and simmer 20 minutes more until pasta is tender or add cooked rice and simmer 5 minutes until rice is heated through.

NOTE: If you like it thinner like soup, add more broth.

ORIGINAL POSTINGS: CML 1-20-2015, 1-28-2018 SKT 1-20-2015 3SOC much earlier, but no longer accessible

BRAISED PORK POSOLE + WEEKNIGHT SHORT CUT

Pozole or Posole can be prepared in many ways, but all variations include a base of cooked hominy in broth. Hominy is produced from dried maize (corn) kernels.

Typically pork, or sometimes chicken, is included in the base. The traditional spelling with the “z” is the Mexican spelling and the Americanized spelling is usually with the “s”.

The three main types of pozole are white, green and red. White pozole is the preparation without any additional green or red sauce. Green pozole adds a rich sauce based on green ingredients including tomatillos, cilantro, jalapeños or pipits. Red pozole is made by adding a red sauce made from a combination of chiles like ancho, piquin or guajillos.

BRAISED PORK POSOLE + WEEKNIGHT SHORT CUT
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon Mexican Oregano
2 teaspoons FRESH ground sea salt
1 4 pound boneless pork shoulder, cut into 7-8 pieces
2 tablespoons avocado oil
8 cups chicken broth (I like homemade bone broth)
7-8 Chiles de Arbol, stemmed (seeded if you like)
1 large white onion, chopped
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 14.5 ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 large can white hominy, chopped (you don’t have to chop this if you like the large pieces – we don’t though so I chop them smaller)
1-2 cans white shopeg corn

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Whisk together the cumin, oregano and sea salt.
  • Rub pork with seasoning mix, pressing into the meat.
  • In a large dutch oven (cast iron if you have it), heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat.
  • Sear pork on all sides until browned.
  • Add 1 cup of the broth.
  • Cover and bake 2 hours.

 

  • Remove pork from broth and strain liquid, discarding solids and skimming fat from the top.
  • Shred pork with 2 forks.
  • Add chiles to the now empty pan and cook over medium heat until they puff up.
  • Transfer chiles to blender and add 2 cups of broth. Process until smooth.

 

  • Add remaining oil to the pan.
  • Add onion and garlic, stirring occasionally until tender.
  • Add pork, reserved cooking broth, pureed chiles, tomatoes, shoepeg corn, chopped hominy and remaining broth.
  • Simmer 45-60 minutes.
  • Garnish as desired.

GARNISHES:
chopped avocado
shredded cheese
chopped cilantro
chopped green onions
sour cream

WEEKNIGHT SHORT CUT

  • Substitute the pork for shredded rotisserie chicken. This step saves 2 1/2 hours!
  • Substitute the individual spices for a Taco Bell Pork Carnitas or Carne Asada seasoning package.

CREAMY RUSTIC TOMATO SOUP with GRILLED CHEESE ROLL-UPS

CREAMY RUSTIC TOMATO SOUP with GRILLED CHEESE ROLL-UP DIPPERS

ROASTED TOMATO MIX
2 large zuchinni peeled and slices
8 cups tomatoes (I used garden grown Roma, Cherry and Blue Indigo tomatoes)
1 bulb garlic, peeled and sliced
1 large bunch green onions, halved and roughly sliced diagonally

CREAMY RUSTIC TOMATO SOUP
3 cups chicken broth
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup chopped Italian parsley
2 tablespoons chopped FRESH Basil
2 tablespoons chopped FRESH Oregano
1/2-1 cup heavy cream

GRILLED CHEESE ROLL-UP DIPPERS
12 egg roll wrappers
12 Tillamook medium cheddar cheese snack sticks
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 stick butter
1/2 cup avocado or canola oil

  • Start cheese stick on the corner of the egg roll wrapper and roll cheese stick twice.
  • Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and wrap 2 more times folding in the corners as necessary.
  • Brush remaining open edges with water and continue rolling until well sealed.
  • Heat butter and oil (1/2 inch deep) to 375˚.
  • Fry sticks a few at a time until golden brown all the way around.
  • Drain on paper towels.

CHILI STUFFED ZUCCHINI BOATS

CHILI STUFFED ZUCCHINI BOATS serves 6
6 medium zucchini or 3 LARGE, depending on type
2 tablespoons avocado oil
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1 3/4 pounds QUALITY ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 poblano chile pepper, seeded and chopped small
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons QUALITY tomato paste
1 cup tomato sauce
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 handful cilantro, chopped
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
Sour cream, for garnish
Green onions, chopped for garnish
Chopped Cilantro, for garnish

  • Preheat oven to 400°.
  • Cover baking sheet with foil or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Wash zucchini and cut off ends.
  • Cut zucchini in half and remove seeds to hollow out centers.
  • Spread oil on zucchini and sprinkle with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Place zucchini on baking sheet. Set aside while you prepare chili.

 

  • Heat oil in large cast iron skillet.
  • Add ground beef to brown. Drain off excess grease.
  • Add onions, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. Cook 4-5 minutes until onions soften.
  • Whisk together tomato paste, chicken stock and tomato sauce.
  • Add tomato mixture to meat, stirring to combine and cooking 8-10 minutes until VERY thick.
  • Stir in cilantro.
  • Fill zucchini boats with chili and sprinkle with cheese.
  • Cover with foil and bake 15-20 minutes.
  • Uncover and bake 10-15 minutes more until cheese is golden.
  • Top with sour cream, green onions and cilantro.

INSTA POT BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP

This is a super creamy comfort food bowl of soup!  Don’t forget to add some Antique cornbread or some yummy beer bread.

INSTA POT BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP
4 cups chopped broccoli florets
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 cups (1 large onion) diced onions
1 cup diced (2 medium) carrots
1 cup diced (2 stalks) celery
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons salted butter
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Paprika, for garnish
shredded cheddar cheese, for garnish

  • Select the saute mode for medium heat.
  • Add butter and stir until melted.
  • Add diced onions, carrots, and celery, cooking for about 5 minutes until onions are soft, stirring frequently.
  • Turn off the saute mode.
  • Add chopped broccoli and 2 cups of water, and stir.
  • Secure the lid and seal the vent.
  • Cook for 5 minutes at high pressure, immediately followed by a manual pressure release.
  • Uncover and select the saute mode.
  • Add heavy cream and garlic, and stir.
  • Gradually add shredded cheddar cheese, stirring in until melted and well-mixed.
  • Turn off the saute mode.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve in bowls, top with additional shredded cheddar and sprinkle with paprika for garnish.

FIESTA DROWNED EGG SOUP

This is one of those recipes that became COMPLETELY altered by the Corona virus pandemic because I had to work with what I had on hand.  And I am so glad!!!!  This turned out fantastic and NOTHING like the original. 

FIESTA DROWNED EGG SOUP serves 4
14.5 ounce can Hunt’s fire roasted tomatoes with garlic
1 small can chopped green chiles
10 ounce can Green Chile Enchilada Sauce
2 cups chicken broth
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon butter
4 LARGE egg yolks
Bread bowls (optional)
Grated Cheddar Cheese (optional)
Chopped green onions (optional)

  • Combine fire roasted tomatoes, green chiles, chicken broth and enchilada sauce in slow cooker.
  • Using an immersion blender, blend until the bigger chunks are reduced to amanageable size.
  • Set slow cooker to low and cover for 4 hours.

 

  • At the 4 hour mark, generously season the chicken breasts with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Melt butter in cast iron skillet over medium heat.
  • Add chicken breasts and sear each side 4 minutes or until cooked through.
  • Shred chicken and add to slow cooker.
  • Gently drop egg yolks evenly into soup.
  • Cover and cook for 30 minutes.
  • Serve in bread bowls with shredded cheese and green onions.  I added a dollop of Daisy too 😀

INSTA-POT TEXAS BEANLESS RED CHILI

Between the weather and the isolation of the sheltering in place, we were craving some comfort food last week on a cold, rainy, windy day so I decided to make chili and cornbread. I went in search of a new beanless recipe and found this! Personally, I’m wimpier than they are and have made it MUCH milder, but we LOVED the results! I borrowed and altered, trading for what I had on hand from BUTTER-N-THYME who fantastically shared the recipe for their award winning Texas Red Chili. Any good Texan knows there are NO beans in chili! 😀
INSTA-POT AWARD WINNING TEXAS BEANLESS RED CHILI
serves 6 and only 45 minutes total time

2 poblano peppers, diced
2 1 Serrano Peppers, diced
1 Fresno chile
1 Habanero Pepper
2 Thai Chiles
1 large Jalapeno Pepper
1 Anaheim pepper, diced
1 large red bell pepper, diced
1 Guajillo or Mexico Dried Pepper
1 Dried Ancho Chile, crushed

The level of HEAT will be controlled by how you handle the fresh chile peppers. I ALWAYS remove the seeds AND the ribs most of the time. YOUR 3 HEAT Options are:

  • Low/Medium Heat – remove the seeds and the ribs
  • Medium – only remove the seeds
  • HOT – Only remove the stem from the chili pepper

CREATING YOUR BASE
1 tablespoon San Antonio Chili Powder
1 Large Vidalia Onion, chopped – reserve 1 tablespoon
6 cloves garlic, minced
2+ cups Beef stock
1.5 tablespoon Chipotle Chili Powder
1 tablespoon Ancho Chili Powder
1.5 tablespoon New Mexico Chili Powder
2 tablespoons Ancho chili powder
2 tablespoons smoked paprika

  • Using food processor pulse the garlic and onions several times until you have a finely diced mixture.
  • Add peppers, pulsing again to your desired consistency.
  • Add dried pepper, but cover with a dish towel to prevent any mess.
  • Reserve several tablespoons for garnish.

SEASONINGS
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon granulated onion
1 tablespoon FRESH Ground black pepper
1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons dried oregano
Shaved Mexican chocolate – amount of your liking – OPTIONAL
6 ounces Shiner Bock beer – OPTIONAL

MEAT MIXTURE
1 pound cubed chunks of quality beef (I used chuck roast)
FRESH ground kosher salt
1/2 pound ground pork
2+ tablespoons of avocado oil

ASSEMBLY

  • Turn the Instant Pot Saute feature on.
  • Sprinkle kosher salt all over the beef and rub into meat.
  • Add 2 tablespoons avocado oil to insta-pot and allow to heat up.
  • Add beef chunks to insta-pot.
  • Sear the beef then remove from Instant Pot and reserve in a bowl.
  • Clean out the Instant Pot pot.
  • While still on saute, add the BASE to the pot and cook.
  • Add the seared beef and ground pork to the pot with the cooked BASE, stirring to coat.
  • Cook for around 5 minutes or you can see that the BASE has tightened up/thickened UP.
  • Add the dry seasonings, spices and chocolate if using.
  • Add the beef stock and beer if using.
  • Stir everything together and cook for 3 minutes.
  • Place the Instant Pot cover on. Make sure the plastic circle ring/gasket is installed on the cover.
  • Turn to exhaust value to sealing.
  • Press the Pressure Cook button and set the timer for 30 minutes. Make sure the Heat setting is set to “Normal” and the pressure setting is set to “High Pressure”.
  • After 30 minutes
 do a quick release until the small metal PIN drops the pressure has left the Instant Pot.
  • Garnish and Enjoy!

INSTA-POT CHICKEN & DUMPLINGS

INSTA-POT CHICKEN & DUMPLINGS

DUMPLINGS
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup FRESH finely chopped Parsley
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons chopped FRESH chives
1 tablespoon baking powder
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
3/4 cup WHOLE milk
3 tablespoons butter, melted

  • Whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt together.
  • Stir in milk, butter, Parsley and chives JUST until the batter comes together.
  • Set aside.

CHICKEN
2 tablespoons avocado oil
2 tablespoons butter
3 carrots, sliced thin
2 stalks celery, sliced thin
1 LARGE shallot, sliced thin
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons WONDRA flour
2 sprigs FRESH thyme, leaves only
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders, cut into 1 inch pieces
3 1/2 cups chicken broth

  • Set insta-pot to saute’.
  • Add avocado oil and butter.
  • When butter is melted, add carrots, celery and shallots.
  • Season with salt and pepper, cooking 3-4 minutes until softened.
  • Stir in flour and thyme.
  • Add chicken, stirring to coat.
  • Stir in chicken broth and press cancel.
  • Place 12 scoops of batter evenly into pot.
  • Lock lid into place. Be sure the vent is in the sealed position.
  • Pressure cook for 3 minutes.
  • Turn steam valve into the venting position an allow steam to release naturally for 15 minutes.
  • Unlock lid and remove.
  • Ladle the chicken and dumplings into bowls.

SPAGHETTI SOUP

SPAGHETTI SOUP
1 pound ground sweet Italian sausage
3/4 pound ground beef
4 cups beef stock
1 jar (24 ounces) marinara sauce
3 cups water
1 teaspoon dried basil
Parmesan cheese
8 ounces spaghetti, broken into 1 1/2 inch pieces

  • Brown sausage in cast iron skillet.
  • Drain grease.
  • Add sausage to stock pot.
  • Add stock, marinara sauce, water, garlic powder, pepper, salt and basil.
  • Cook, covered, on low 4-6 hours to allow flavors to blend together.
  • Stir in pasta; cook, covered until pasta is tender, 15-20 minutes longer.