This was good soup!

This recipe comes from the Gooseberry Patch 101 Slow Cooker Recipes cookbook and was called Tami's Taco Soup. I made several changes and am calling it Taco Soup. 

Taco Soup

1 lb ground beef, browned and drained

32 oz carton chicken broth

2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes 

1 4.5 oz can chopped green chilies, drained

1 15 oz can white beans, drained (I used navy beans as that is what I had on hand, but any canned white bean would work in my opinion) 

1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 15 oz can yellow hominy, drained

1 15 oz can white hominy, drained

Taco seasoning to taste

1 1 oz package fiesta ranch salad dressing mix

Combine all ingredients in a large stock and cook on medium low heat for 20 minutes or more to combine flavors.

 

Perfect for a gray, damp and cold April day! 

Beefy Nacho Potato Soup

This reminds me of a cross between Hamburger Helper and CCQ (which is what my family calls velveeta and rotel dip).   The recipe comes from Tales of a Kansas Farm Mom's web site.  If you're not familiar with her blog, please go check it out HERE  She's also on Facebook!

I made this Superbowl Sunday while it snowed cats and dogs outside though we were only to get a dusty.  Two days later when we were to get 2-5 inches, we got nothing!  Zilch!  The day before I made this soup, I was able to walk several miles outside.  I'll share some pictures from the trail at the end of this post.  Winter is hard and I try and enjoy the nicer days when we're blessed with them. 

So, this soup has a surprise ingredient!  A box of au gratin potatoes! 

Brown ground beef, add rotel, corn, water and...

The box of potatoes and the mix. 

There are three flicker woodpeckers on the tree picture above.  The windy was crazy strong as the snow came through and these woodpeckers took shelter on the south side of my tree. 

Back to the soup!  So, simmer the above ingredients until the potatoes are done.  Stir in milk and cubed Velveeta cheese.  Heat until cheese is melted and enjoy! 


Beefy Nacho Potato Soup


1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
1 pkg Au Gratin Potatoes
1 can (11 oz) whole kernel corn, drained
1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes w/ green chilies (Rotel), undrained
2 c water
2 c milk
2 c cubed Velveeta cheese


In a 3 qt saucepan, mix ground beef, potatoes, sauce packet that comes with the potatoes, corn, tomatoes and water.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat.  Cover and simmer for 15-18 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Add milk and cheese.  Cook and stir until cheese is melted. 

Public Service Announcement!  If you don't already collect these labels for an organization, Alpha Christian Children's Home in NE Kansas would gladly accept them from you.  They may be mailed to PO BOX 727, Perry KS 66073-0727.  

And finally some pictures from my walk Saturday February 3.  I encourage you to find a local trail and explore it! 

White Bean Chicken Soup

I suggested this soup for lunch with a friend recently. She was celebrating her birthday and striving to make healthy lifestyle changes. I thought this would be good, healthy and less tempting than choices at a restaurant. 

 

The recipe is from 

Gimme Some Oven

She has a lot of great recipes and is the daughter of cross stitch designer Lizzie Kate. 

 

It turned out really good. Comfort food. Not at all spicy. We added shredded cheese and crushed tortilla chips. 

 

Gimme Some Oven 

5 Ingredient Easy White Chicken Chili 

4 servings 

6 c chicken stock

4 c cooked shredded chicken (I used the breast meat from a rotisserie chicken) 

2 15 oz cans Great Northern beans, drained (I used 3 as 2 didn't seem to be enough)

2 c (16oz) salsa verde 

2 tsp ground cumin

Additional toppings; diced avocado, chopped fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, chopped green onions, sour cream, crumbled tortilla chips

Add chicken stock, chicken, beans, salsa and cumin to a large stockpot, stir to combine. Heat over medium-high heat until boiling, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for at least 5 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Serve warm with desired toppings. 

Visit Gimme Some Oven for instructions on making this in the crockpot or instant pot. 

Hamburger Chowder

Hamburger Chowder has been in my family for at least three generations.  The recipe has changed some over the years based on people's preferences. 




Hamburger Chowder The Original


1 lb. ground beef, brown until crumbles
2 c water
2 c tomato juice
1 pkg frozen mixed vegetables
1 c potatoes peeled and diced
1/2 c celery sliced
1/4 c onion diced
1/4 c barley


Mix together ground beef, water and tomato juice.  Add vegetables, potatoes, celery, onion and barely.  Cook until vegetables and barley are done (approximately 30 min). 

Hamburger Chowder my mother's version


1 lb ground beef, brown until crumbles
1 large can tomato juice
1 large tomato can full of water
1 pkg frozen mixed vegetables
peeled and diced potatoes

Hamburger Chowder my version!


1 lb ground beef, brown until crumbles
1 large can tomato juice
1 large tomato juice can of water
1 pkg frozen mixed vegetables
up to 5 lbs of peeled and diced potatoes!

My mother never had any use for the left over tomato juice, so she added the entire can and upped the amount of water.  She also likes a lot of broth in the soups she eats.  She also dropped the added celery, onion and barley probably for ease or because she's picky (its true).  I on the other hand, do not like a lot of broth in my soup and upped the amount of potatoes.  I've been known to peel and dice an entire 5 lb bag of potatoes for this soup. 

Of note!  Don't get the mixed vegetables with lima beans, though honestly I'd eat them.  They don't have much taste.

Above I my mother's bowl with a lot of broth and below is my bowl with little to no broth.

I made this Christmas day and served it to my parents with baked garlic rolls (store made) and a small fruit salad.  We had pie leftover from our holiday gather on Christmas Eve.

Other than having them over for lunch and doing a few chores that morning, I spent most of Christmas cross stitching with this big baby in my lap.  I think I'll repeat this for New Years Eve night and New Years Day, especially with highs only in the single digits and wind chills well below zero.