Crock Pot Vegetable Beef Soup

Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup is a completely satisfying meal that gives you the best of the food groups. What's so great about this recipe is how easy it is. You start it in the morning and in the evening after two simple tasks you have a warm crowd pleasing meal. When I was young my grandmother used to can a soup mix that was similar to this.

Crock Pot Vegetable Beef Soup

28oz. an of chopped tomatoes with juices

2 14.5oz. cans of low sodium beef broth

2-1/2 cups of frozen vegetables (I like to use a vegetable mix that is carrots, green beans and corn then add frozen peas and edamame)

1 lb ground beef (any ground meat will work)

1 cup of water

6 oz. macaroni or other pasta, cooked according to package minus about 1 minute

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp garlic minced

1 tsp beef bullion (this can be omitted but I think it adds a little depth to the flavor)

Salt and Pepper to taste

In the a.m. add tomatoes, broth, frozen vegetables, water and bullion to a crock pot. Turn on high for 6 hours or low for 8 or more hours. Whatever temperature works best in your crock pot, each one is different and cooking times vary, if yours tends to run hot cook on low and vice versa. You really cannot go wrong.

At dinner time cook pasta according to package minus a minute or so (the pasta should still have a lot of bite to it) Drain and add it to the soup to allow it to finish cooking, approx 5 min or so.

Brown ground beef with garlic being careful not to burn garlic, drain and put back in the pan. Add Worcestershire sauce and simmer for one or two minutes. Add beef to soup mixture and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with corn bread muffins.

Sour Cream Enchiladas

If you like Tex Mex food, there is a blog you have to check out http://www.homesicktexan.blogspot.com/. She has some great recipes. Among them a recipe for Queso that is great and doesn't use the ever dreadful Velveeta cheese log (although deep down I do love a little processed cheese blob every once in a while). This recipe is an adaptation of her recipe with a few changes that make life a bit easier.


Sour Cream Enchiladas

For the Enchilada Filling

1 Rotisserie Chicken meat removed from the bone and shredded OR Place 4 frozen Chicken Breast in a Crock Pot, Salt and Pepper generously add 1/2 cup of water to the bottom of the Pot and cook on low 6-8 hours, then shred.

For the Sour Cream Sauce:

2 Serrano chilies, diced (jalapenos would be fine if you cannot find Serranos)
2 tbsp butter

2 cloves of garlic minced
2 tbsp flour
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups sour cream (regular or reduced fat)
1 tsp cumin
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
10 oz can of tomatillos (found in Hispanic section of supermarket)
Dash of Cayenne
Salt and Pepper to taste

For the Enchiladas

12 small corn or flour tortillas
2 cups of shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese

To make the sauce melt butter in a saute pan, add diced Serrano chilies and cook until soft, about three or four minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook another minute. Add the flour and cook another minute , whisking constantly. Pour in the chicken broth into saute pan with flour mixture while whisking constantly, cook until chicken broth has thickened. Probably a few minutes. Stir in sour cream, cumin, cayenne and cilantro. Remove from heat. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Drain tomatillos and add to a food processor or blender. Process until a chunky/smooth consistency. Add sour cream sauce and process for about 15 seconds or so.

To assemble the enchiladas, pour one cup of sour cream sauce in the bottom of a casserole pan. In each tortilla put approximately 1/3 cup of chicken and 1tbsp or so of cheese. roll up and place seam side down in pan. Repeat until you have a full pan. Cover enchilada with the remaining sauce and cheese and bake at 350 for 30 minutes until the top is brown and bubbling.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

A post from a favorite fellow blogger (staceysnacksonline.com) reminded me of this chicken dish that is crispy, delicious and kid friendly. This is an adaptation from a Fine Cooking recipe from 1998. Enjoy!

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

4 large chicken breasts

4 tbsp dijon mustard

2 tbsp white wine (chicken broth or water will do as well)

1 cup of grated parmesan cheese

2 english muffins, crumbled finely

4 tbsp melted butter

Salt & Pepper to taste

Mix together Dijon and white wine in one bowl/plate. In another bowl/plate mix together Parmesan cheese, muffins butter and salt and pepper to taste. Dip Chicken in Dijon mixture then carefully roll chicken in muffin/Parmesan mixture. Pat gently to adhere, this is the messy part.

Place on a baking sheet and put in a preheated 450 degree oven for 25 minutes. Check after 15 minutes to see if the chicken is getting too brown. If so, cover with foil for the last 10 minutes of cooking time. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before serving.