Souptacular Crockpotalooza

Oh, my!  Soup alert!  You MUST go check this out… right now!  Lots and lots of yummy soup recipes just in time for the briskly cool fall and freezing cold winter.  Ya gotta love a hot bowl of soup… simmering in the crock pot all day… smelling up your house with a rich, tasty aroma…  Definitely one of the Finer Things!

We’ve got a couple of favorites.  Taco soup is one.  We love this stuff!  It’s a snap to throw together in the morning and smells so good simmering in the crock pot all day.  Oh, and it’s healthy!

Taco Soup

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1/4 c. chopped onion
• 1 (16 oz.) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (16 oz.) can kidney beans – no need to rinse
• 1 (16 oz.) can corn – don’t drain
• 1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
• 1 can Rotel (diced tomatoes with green chilies)
• 1 pkg. taco seasoning

Brown the ground beef and onion.  Mix together with all other ingredients.  Simmer at least 1 hour, or all day in the crock pot!  I like it best served with cheese, sour cream, and corn chips on top.  So much for my healthy soup! *** Last time I made this (because I can never do it the same twice) I added a couple  tablespoons of ranch dressing mix, used 1/2 lb. of beef and two cans of beans.  Tasted great!  *** To cut the spice (it’s pretty spicy; my boy likes it but my big girl guzzles water with it) you could add another can of diced tomatoes.

Cheesy Potato Soup

• 5 cups diced potatoes
• water (to cover veggies)
• 3/4 cup diced celery
• 3/4 cup diced carrots
• 1/2 chopped medium onion
• 1 t. parsley flakes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 3 (or more if you like it thinner) cups milk
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Cook potatoes, water, celery, carrots, onion, salt and pepper until done.  Drain off water.  Add chicken soup, milk and cheese.  Cook until cheese is melted.

Optional: (and by optional, I mean you really should try one or more of these!) garlic, ham or bacon may be added.

Head on over to BooMama for more soup and other crock pot recipes, and to The Grocery Cart Challenge for the wonderful weekly recipe swap.  Add one of your own!