Taco Soup

This week our Crock Pot Tuesday consisted of Taco Soup, an all-time favorite in our household.  Sam’s even old enough to love the beans, meat, and corn that are a part of this delicious soup.  The only thing I do differently from the original recipe is that I add 2 quarts of chicken broth or stock to make it more soup-y.  The original recipe has more of a chili consistency, but we like a good hearty soup, so I tried the change and we’ve never gone back!  You can't really mess up this recipe. Enjoy!

Taco Soup

1 lb browned and drained ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cans of kidney beans

2 cans of pinto beans

2 cans of corn with their juices

1  28oz. can of diced tomatoes with the juices

1  14oz. can tomatoes and chiles (Rotel), with the juices

1 packet taco seasoning

1 packet ranch dressing mix

1-2  32oz. cartons Chicken Stock (optional, this makes it more soup-like rather than chili-like; I always add this.)

Shredded cheese and sour cream for topping (optional)

The Directions:

Use at least 6-quart slow cooker.  Put the meat and onion into the slow cooker.  Drain and rinse the beans, and add to the cooker.  Add the corn and tomatoes.  Stir in contents of the seasoning packets.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.  I think the longer you cook soup, the better, so if you have the time, opt for cooking on low.  Ladle into bowls.

        Add a handful of cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream to each bowl before eating.  Other topping possibilities:  soda crackers, corn chips, Sriracha

Adapted from this recipe.

Potato Soup

So it's Tuesday which means it's a Crock Pot day in our house.  We haven't made this soup in quite some time, and it's chilly outside, so what better time to revisit a family favorite?  I can't wait until dinner time and it's only 10am!

Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

6 large baking potatoes, peeled, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
1 large onion, chopped
1 quart chicken broth
3 cloves garlic, minced (or pressed)
1/4 cup butter
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 cup cream or half-and-half cream
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 cup sour cream (optional)
8 slices bacon, fried & crumbled
cheese, for sprinkling

PREPARATION:

1.      Combine first seven ingredients in a large Crockpot; cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours (potato should be tender).

2.      Mash mixture until potatoes are coarsely chopped and soup is slightly thickened.
Stir in cream, cheese and chives.  (I let this bake for 30 mins. more after adding cream.)

3.      Top with sour cream (if used), sprinkle with bacon and more cheese.

Now, here are a few things I do differently:

·         I usually cook on low for 8ish hours.

·         I use green onions if I don’t have chives available, which is most of the time.

·         Instead of making bacon, I use a whole bag of Oscar Meyer/Kroger real bacon bits.  I add this in  about ½ way through the cooking time so the bacon flavor cooks in well. 

·         To make a whole crock pot full (approx. doubling the recipe), I use a whole bag of potatoes, 1-2 onions, 2-2.5 quarts chicken broth, 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, and more salt/pepper as desired.

Adapted from www.cdkitchen.com.

A Little Slice of Me

A Little Slice of Me

My little life is a very busy one, but it’s a life that I’m completely blessed by having.  I’ve been married since May 2008 to my best friend Joe, we have our energy-filled dog Libby, and we welcomed Samuel into our family in October 2011.  {Update:  We welcomed Camille to the family in June of 2014.} With all of those things, I’d say I have my work cut-out for me.  Before becoming a stay at home mom, I taught for 7 years.  I started with kindergarten, moved up to first grade, then settled on second grade for the last 5 years of my teaching life. 

Growing up in the Chicago suburbs, we always had plenty to do, so when I moved to Atlanta I wanted to check out all of the places around here.  I love getting out and exploring the area.  There is a lot more “outside” time here than back in Chicago, so we like to take advantage of that.  I hope to use this blog as a way to keep in touch with friends and family, while also sharing some of my endeavors in crafting and cooking.  These are two of my favorite hobbies, along with photography, so this has become a great venue to share what I do.  

In time I may add a page/tab to this blog to help with organizing resources for our preschool co-op.  We meet weekly and it's been a great place to learn and meet new preschool moms and kids.

All in all, it's a little of this and a little of that.  Nothing too specific.  I hope you enjoy!