CrockPot Vietnamese Pho Soup Recipe

Day 148.

Phee Phi Pho Phum.

this is good.

you should make some.

I think one of the best things about making this soup was the day of jokes. The jokes rock.

"You made this? Pho reals?"

"Pho sure I did."

Every Monday Adam goes out to lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant and has pho. I've never gone out for pho, and he has never brought me back any. After about the sixteenth week, I stopped secretly hoping he'd bring me some and started whining about it out loud.

I was thrilled when I discovered Erin's blog and read her Pho recipe. I could tell that it would transfer nicely to slow crockpot cooking, and was excited to have some pho of my own.

Although I used homemade beef stock for this recipe, it's okay to use a can or a carton.

The Ingredients.

adapted from The Skinny Gourmet

--6 cups beef broth or stock
--2 inch chunk of ginger (I just read that Erin said to use 1/4-1/2 inch of peeled ginger. oops. I didn't peel and just threw a hunk in)
--3/4 t anise
--1 cinnamon stick
--2 sliced green onions
--1 lb thin sliced beef (I used stir-fry meat from the butcher)
--package of rice noodles (usually in the ethnic aisle in the grocery store)
--1 t fish sauce (anchovies, salt, water. ethnic aisle again. it smells horrible.)
--1/2 t kosher salt
--1/2 t black pepper



The Directions.


Put all of the broth into the crockpot. Add the meat, green onion, ginger, fish sauce, and spices. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours, or on low for 4-6. It's done when the meat is fully cooked. I used a 6qt Smart Pot for this recipe and it took a good 4 hours on high for the large amount of broth in my crock to get hot enough to cook the meat.


15 minutes before serving, add the entire package of rice noodles to the pot. Push them under the liquid with a wooden spoon, and cover.


By the time you set the table, the noodles will be tender and glass-like. Serve in bowls. We didn't add any additional garnish, but you can add bean sprouts, fresh cilantro or basil, and lime wedges.



The Verdict.


This has a very nice mellow flavor. I loved the hint of anise (tastes like black licorice) and the cinnamon. I needed to add more salt because I used the homemade stock as the base. Adam said it tasted the same as the restaurant's, but not as oily or as salty.


The next day the flavors were even more pronounced (but the noodles got weird. Next time I'm not going to add all the noodles at once) and made a lovely lunch. The night I prepared this, we had company and the children were playing too hard to stop and give it a taste test. But the little one ate quite a bit the next day for lunch.



Thank you, Erin!

CrockPot White Bean and Sausage Soup

Day 146.

We went from a hundred million degrees to freezing in the course of about 4 days. Weird.

I get cold easily, and really felt like some soup. I'm making my way through the garbanzo bean surplus and threw together a soup with what we had on hand.

The Ingredients.

--1 can white kidney beans

--1 can pinto beans (I guess these aren't really white)

--1 can garbanzo beans

--1 t thyme

--2-4 spicy chicken or turkey sausage

--1/2 chopped yellow onion

--1/2 cup leftover rice pilaf (if you want to use raw rice, you should have enough liquid to add 1/4 to 1/3 cup without losing soupiness)

--2 cups chopped fresh vegetables (I had broccoli, carrots, asparagus)

--1 quart chicken or vegetable broth

The Directions.

Drain your beans (I didn't rinse, for no reason other than sheer laziness) and throw them into your crock. Chop up whatever vegetables you are going to use in tiny pieces. I used my Pampered Chef handy dandy chopper. Slice the sausage that you are going to use. I chose to use two spicy turkey sausage---if you would like your soup to have a kick, use more than two. Two just kind of gives flavor without spice.

Cook on low for 6-9 hours, or on high for 4-5. The soup is done when it's heated through and the vegetables are tender, but it's not going to hurt anything to cook it longer and give the flavors more time to meld.

The Verdict.

This was super easy to throw together, because I had everything on hand. I am usually tempted to throw tomatoes into soup, and was glad that I refrained this time. The broth was mellow and wasn't too spicy for the kids. I served it with shredded Parmesan cheese on top.

CrockPot African Peanut Soup

Day 149.

I was looking through All Recipes the other day and stumbled on African Peanut Soup. The ingredients were simple, and we happened to have everything on hand. I was excited to give it a go, as there were 111 positive reviews.

The result was delicious--a thick, hearty soup with a bit of spice and a beautiful peanut flavor.

The Ingredients.

--1 yellow onion, diced

--2 green onions, chopped

--2 red bell peppers, chopped

--4 cloves minced garlic

--1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes, with liquid

--8 cups vegetable broth

--1/4 t black pepper

--1/4 - 1/2 t chili powder

--1/2 cup uncooked brown rice

--1 cup peanut butter (to add later)

--dollop of sour cream and a bit of tabasco sauce (optional)

The Directions.

--wash and chop all of the vegetables, and put into the crock. Add the entire can of tomatoes, the uncooked rice, and the spices.

--pour in the vegetable broth.

--cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for about 4. The soup is done when the onions are fully cooked and are translucent.

--stir in peanut butter, and cook on high for 20-30 minutes, or until fully heated through.

add a dollop of sour cream and a touch of tobasco sauce

The Verdict.

I really liked this! I REALLY liked it the next day for lunch. It had thickened overnight, and the peanut butter flavor was much more pronounced. The original recipe asked for 2/3 of a cup of crunchy peanut butter, but I used a whole cup of creamy all-natural. I don't like the little pieces of peanut in crunchy peanut butter in a sandwich, so I was pretty sure the texture in soup would weird me out. The rice kind of disappeared, and just added to the thickness, which was okay with me, but is something to note.

My kids refused to try this. I tried, but they were pretty stubborn in their decision that peanut butter shouldn't be cooked unless it's in cookies or brownies.

CrockPot Broccoli and Three Cheese Soup Recipe

Day 169.

This is an amazing soup. I didn't want to stop eating it---my stomach was full, but my tongue wanted more and more. The kids each had thirds.

Put some cheese on your shopping list, you've gotta try this one.

The Ingredients.

--1 qt chicken broth (or vegetable)

--2 cups milk (I used 2% cow's)

--2 10 oz bags of frozen broccoli florets

--1/2 diced white onion

--1/2 t black pepper

--1/2 t kosher salt

--1/2 t ground nutmeg

--1 cup each of three different cheeses, I used jarlsberg, gruyere, and cheddar.

The Directions.

Mince the onion into really small pieces. I used my pampered chef chopper thingy. The onions are going to soften in the milk and the broth, and need to be quite small so you don't crunch on onion pieces when the soup is complete.

Add the onion to your crockpot, and top with the milk, broth, and spices. Stir in the two frozen bags of broccoli.

Cook on low for 7-9 hours, or on high for 4-6. The broth is done when the onion is cooked nicely.

20 minutes or so before serving, shred all the cheese you are going to use, and stir it in. The cheese will be stringy and will stick to the broccoli florets---that's okay!

Serve with your favorite rolls or drop biscuits.

UPDATED: so, um, some of you have issues with texture and HATE the way the broccoli and cheese collide. You should blend this a bit, then. Use a hand held stick blender to blend some of the large broccoli florets. In doing so, the broth will thicken without needing to add extra calories with a roux, and the texture will be more even. And no worries, there's no judgment from me... :-)

The Verdict.

This is the best broccoli and cheese soup I have ever had. That sounds like a big stretch or an exaggeration, but this so very much beats the canned soup, or the stuff I've had at Fresh Choice. And that's the only other broccoli and cheese soup I've had---so this wins.

I read about six different recipes before deciding on making up this one. I didn't like the idea of making a roux with butter and flour and stirring that in to thicken the broth. It seemed like an unnecessary step. This broth is thin, but very buttery in flavor. I am happy that I didn't mess with making a roux.

I sent Adam to the store to get the cheeses, and he went to a rather expensive grocery store. My heart skipped a bit when I read the price tags; if I was shopping myself, I wouldn't have bought them. This cheese combination is magical---it works better than I could have imagined, but since I'm me, I probably would opt for the 4-cheese blend of shredded cheese next time for two of the cups and then a cup of cheddar.

CrockPot Philly Cheesesteak Soup Recipe

Day 178.

mmmm. Philly Cheesesteaks. I made them earlier in the year, and they were delicious. But perhaps maybe you don't have bread in the house, or you don't want a bunch of carbs, or you don't want to chew a lot... guess what? I have a solution!

Make Cheesesteak soup! In the crockpot!

This was a nice weekday dinner for us. I got the soup prepped and plugged in by 9am, and we spent the day out and about and came home to a hot, flavorful, and hearty soup that we all enjoyed. We served it with two salads: spinach and potato.

This would be a fun (and memorable) dish to take to a pot-luck or recipe exchange.


The Ingredients.

--1 pound thinly cut beef strips (I used beef chuck steaks that I cut with kitchen shears)
--4 cups beef broth
--2 cups skim or 2% milk
--1 T butter
--1 yellow onion, cut in chunks
--2 bell peppers (I used one green, one red)
--2 t gluten free Worcestershire sauce
--3 cloves chopped garlic
--1/2 t black pepper
--1 t kosher salt
--8oz provolone cheese (to add at the very end)


The Directions.

Add the 1 tablespoon of butter to your crockpot and turn it on high to melt. Cut up your meat and add it to the crock, swirling it into the butter to coat. Add the chopped peppers, onion, and garlic. Add the Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Stir in the beef broth and milk.

Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours, or on high for 5-6. The soup is done when the meat has reached the desired tenderness.

Before serving, stir in the provolone cheese. It will melt in stringy chunks---yum.


The Verdict.

This is a delicious soup. I was very pleased with the flavor of the broth. The broth is thin, if you feel you'd like a thicker broth, you can make a roux on the stove with the butter and some flour before adding to the crockpot. I don't like cooking before cooking, and opted to not bother with this step. But I also don't care if the broth is thin. If thin broth bothers you --make the roux.

My kids really liked this. They didn't eat the vegetables, though. I garnished with a bit of shredded Parmesan before serving.

CrockPot Cream of Asparagus Soup

Day 184.

I took the kids to a little zoo and amusement park last week with my friend Jennifer, and her baby, Max. Jennifer went on and on and on and then on some more about cream of asparagus soup. She had some as a starter in a restaurant and was really impressed, and asked if I could try to make it in the crockpot.

So I did. There are two versions---one with cream and one without. The without cream is just as creamy, but doesn't leave a velvety film on your tongue the way the other one does. And the color is more forest-green than asparagusish.


The Ingredients.

--1 1/2 pounds fresh asparagus (although I'd imagine frozen would work just fine)
--4 cups vegetable broth
--1/2 white onion, chopped
--2 tiny red potatoes (or one med. brown)
--1 t black pepper (please don't use this much. it was a mistake.)
--1/2 t seasoned salt
--1/2 cup half and half (optional; to add at the end of cooking time)

The Directions.

Wash and trim the woody ends off of the asparagus, and feed to the guinea pigs. Cut the rest of the asparagus into 2-inch-or-so chunks.

Add the asparagus to the crock, along with the chopped onion and potato (I didn't peel the potatoes, by the way). Pour in your broth and add the seasoned salt and pepper. I chose seasoned salt because it sounded fancy, and I was in a fancy mood. Kosher salt would work just fine.

Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours, or on high for 3-5.

The soup is ready when the potatoes are tender.

CAREFULLY, seriously, BE CAREFUL: use a hand blender to soupify. If you don't have a hand blender, you can blend the soup in batches in your traditional blender.

Return to the crock and stir in the half and half, if using.

Salt and pepper to taste (I, um, didn't need to add more pepper...)

The Verdict.

This is a good soup; very asparagusy and creamy. Unless you add a whole teaspoon of black pepper. I got confused. I decided at the very last minute to double the spice after the curried potato experience, and the advice in Kalyn's Slow Cooking article. I think that it's good advice---but I took it a bit too far.

I'd start with 1/2 t of pepper, and then season accordingly to taste when finished. I like asparagus, and I like soup. So by default, this was a winner. Adam suggested adding some tobasco; I'm going to try that for lunch.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank you so much for all of your kind words yesterday; they were a joy to read and really warmed my heart. It means a tremendous amount to know that there are so many people on this journey with me. If you still feel like you want to read more---there is an an interview with me up at Parent Dish. Bethany did a fantastic job, and was so much fun to work with.
xoxox steph

CrockPot Blue Cheese Potato Soup with Olive Tapenade

Day 189.

I found a Swanson Broth recipe book at the grocery store a few months ago, and impulsively bought it. I like soup, and most soup recipes (I would say all, but they threw in some gazpacho) can be converted nicely to slow-cooking.

I thought the name of this soup sounded fancy and sheeshy, and folded the corner of the page down as soon as I read the title.

I finally had the chance to make it this weekend.

The Ingredients. --12-15 red baby potatoes (chopped, but not skinned)
--4 cups vegetable broth (I would have bought Swanson's to be supportive, but my regular grocery store didn't have any--just beef and chicken. So I went to Trader Joe's.)
--1 T balsamic vinegar
--1 chopped white onion
--4 cloves smashed and chopped garlic

for garnish: -

-1 T prepared olive tapenade (I needed to go to Trader Joe's for this, too)
--crumbled blue cheese

The Directions.

Wash and cube the red potatoes, and throw into the crockpot. Chop up the white onion and garlic, and add them, too. Cover vegetables with the broth, and stir in one tablespoon of balsamic vinegar.

Cover your crockpot with it's lid, and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or on high for about 5. This is finished when the potatoes and onion are tender.

Use a stick-blender to soupify. The soup will be a cross between a soup and chowder in consistency. Top with crumbled blue cheese and olive tapenade.

The Verdict.

This is not good soup. There is hardly any flavor at all, and the color was gross. I didn't like the consistency, either. The only somewhat redeeming value was the blue cheese and the tapenade, but you could put that on a boiled giraffe's tongue and it would taste good. I should have known when I couldn't find the recipe posted on Swanson's website. grr. The picture looked so good, though...




psst... Me! on TV! Wednesday, July 9th.

CrockPot Swiss Chard Soup Recipe

Day 202.

Swiss chard! In a soup!

I don't really have anything other than that to say.

This recipe came from my new friend, Astrid, who grows a lot of chard in her garden, and needed a way to use it up. So we crockpotted the chard.

The Ingredients.

--2 big bunches of swiss chard, chopped (I only chopped the green part and gave the stems to the guinea pigs)

--1 cup baby carrots, chopped

--1 onion, chopped

--7 baby red potatoes, or equivalent, chopped

--5 cloves of garlic, chopped

--1/4 cup fresh basil (hey! guess what? chop this, too!)

--5 cups broth (I used chicken, but if you want this to be vegetarian you should use veggie broth)

--1/2 t black pepper

--1 t kosher salt

(you might want to add more salt and pepper after cooking, to taste)

--garnish with Parmesan/Romano cheese, optional

The Directions.

Wash and chop all of your vegetables, and add them to the crockpot. This is a lot of stuff, so I'd stick to a 5qt or larger crockpot.

Add whatever kind of broth you are using.

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Soup tastes best the longer you cook it.

Serve with some cheese on top, and some crusty bread.

The Verdict.

This tastes like swiss chard. In soup. If you don't like swiss chard, you won't like this soup.

It reminded me a lot of the cabbage soup from the cabbage soup diet. And that soup kind of gives me nightmares.

It gives Amie nightmares, too.

We didn't save the leftovers.

But I really, really, really appreciate Astrid for sending me this recipe. I needed something like this in my repertoire, and I bet there are at least a dozen people out there who really like swiss chard.

:-0

CrockPot Pizza Soup Recipe

Day 218.

This is really good! Really, really, really good!

My kids' new-best-friend, Mallory, emailed me this recipe, and I was eager to test it out.

One, because it sounded awesome, and two, because I've always had a soft spot in my heart for the name Mallory. My youngest was almost named Mallory.

After Justine Bateman's character on Family Ties.

The Ingredients.

--1 jar (14 oz) of pizza sauce
--3 empty jars full of water
--1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
--1/2 red onion, chopped
--1 cup sliced mushrooms
--1 cup baby tomatoes, cut in quarters (or 1 can diced tomatoes, drained)
--2 already-cooked Italian sausage (I used chicken Italian sausage)
--1 cup sliced pepperoni, sliced in quarters (Hormel turkey pepperoni is labeled gluten free)
--8 fresh basil leaves, chopped (or 1/2 T dried)
--1 T dried oregano
--1/2 to 1/3 cup of dried pasta (if your pasta is tiny, use 1/3 cup. if it's big, do 1/2. I used 1/2 cup Trader Joe's brown rice penne)
--shredded mozzarella cheese (to add later)

The Directions.

Use a 5 or 6 quart crockpot for this recipe. Serves 4 hungry adults, or 2 hungry adults and 2 kids with enough leftovers to feed them all again.

Wash and prepare veggies. Dump them into the crockpot. Cut up the sausage into small pieces--I sliced, then cut the pieces in fourths. Add to crockpot. Cut up the pepperoni, add it, too. Add basil and oregano. Pour in the pizza sauce, and follow with three empty jars of water.

Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours. Everything in this is already cooked, so you are really only heating through and allowing the flavors to meld.

Thirty minutes before serving, add the dry pasta, and turn to high. My pasta only took 20 minutes to soften quite nicely.

Garnish/top with shredded mozzarella cheese.

The Verdict.

Absolutely delicious. This will definitely make it on the meal plan. Thank you so much, Mallory. You have a cool name.

Restaurant-Quality Crockpot Tomato Soup Recipe

Day 242.

I hate tomato soup from the can. I hate it. I think it looks gross, smells gross, and tastes like metal. It also has wheat starch in it for some stupid reason.

Hmm. It looks like I have rather strong feelings about canned tomato soup. I should probably talk to someone about that.

But I can't seem to get enough of fancy restaurant tomato soup. It tastes much different than canned soup---it's both sweet and tangy, and the bit of cream leaves a nice velvet layer on your tongue.

This is a great way to use up a tomato surplus from your garden.

The Ingredients.

--3 lbs of vine-ripened tomatoes
--1 med onion, chopped
--2 cups tomato juice
--1 cup cooking sherry
--3 T granulated white sugar
--1 gluten-free chicken boullion cube
--2 T chopped fresh basil

to add later:
--2 cups heavy cream
--salt and pepper to taste

optional:
sour cream and/or Parmesan cheese for garnish

The Directions.

Use a 5-6 quart crockpot for this soup.

Wash all of your tomatoes, and cut them in quarters. Nope, we're not going to peel the tomatoes, yay! To save your counter top from tomato gook, put your cutting board on a cookie sheet with sides. The juice will then stay inside the cookie sheet.

Put all the tomatoes in your crockpot.

Chop up the onion, and add it. Cover with the tomato juice and sherry, and drop in the boullion cube. Stir in the sugar and chopped basil.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

If you'd like your soup to have chunks, go ahead and stir in the cream. If you'd prefer a chunk-free soup, CAREFULLY use an immersible blender to soupify, or blend in small batches in a traditional blender. Then stir in the heavy cream.

Eat.
Smile.

The Verdict.

We ate this with some drop biscuits and licked our bowls. My tomato-loving child thought it was a "bit too tomato-y," but ate it and my tomato-hater lapped up tons.

This is an elegant soup, perfect for a starter at a fancy dinner, or to serve with sandwiches at a tea party. Or you can stand at the counter and eat it directly out of the pot.

I'm excited for lunch.

Moroccan Lentil Soup CrockPot Recipe

Day 262.

I found this lentil soup recipe earlier in the year, and bookmarked it to try. Yesterday I woke to a foggy sky, wet grass, and I contemplated turning on the heater. Soup season has officially begun.

I got the funniest email back in July from Kathy, who wanted me to cook with lentils. She forwarded this great article from the Seattle Times about how healthy and packed-full of protein lentils are. They're cheap, too.

I'm embarrassed to admit that I have never cooked or even bought lentils before the other day. When I emailed Kathy about not even knowing where to find them in the grocery store, she wrote back:

Stephanie…MUST I come THERE and accompany you to the grocery store?? :-) (How I would LOVE that! Any excuse to escape up-coming move.) You should be able to find “some” lentils on the same shelf as rice – look to the BOTTOM shelf, of course, as they are not particularly popular in this country. As the writer of the article I sent you clarifies, different types of lentils equal different flavors and textures, so you must experiment. Also, you might try the soup aisle, but, if you’re in a HURRY, ASK the sales clerk!

Kathy is a smart lady. The dude at Whole Foods brought me right to the display. I chose the green ones.

The Ingredients.

--1 cup dried lentils
--1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
--1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
--1 onion, chopped
--2 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
--1/2 cup chopped celery
--1/2 cup chopped carrots
--28 oz can of diced tomatoes (and juice)
--4 cups vegetable broth
--1 1/2 tsp garam masala
--1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
--1/2 tsp cumin
--1/4 tsp nutmeg
--1/4 tsp cinnamon
--1 inch ginger, peeled and grated

The Directions.

Use at least a 5 quart crockpot for this. It makes a lot.

Chop up all of your vegetables and add them to the crockpot. If you are rushed in the morning, consider chopping the vegetables at night---it took me longer than I wanted it to. Drain and rinse off the beans, add to the pot. Add the dried lentils. Grate your ginger, and add it along with the dried spices. Stir in the vegetable broth and tomatoes.

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Soup tastes best the longer you cook it, and it is even better the next day.

Before serving, use an immersible blender and pulse to blend some of the vegetables and beans together. This isn't necessary, but it really improves the texture of the soup and melds the flavors nicely.

The Verdict.

Adam and I really liked this a lot and are excited to have a bunch left for lunches throughout the week. This makes a lot of food, but I've learned through this year that many times soups, stews, and chili dishes taste better the next day than they do on cooking day.

The kids were not interested. They're kind of done with the crockpot.

Buffalo Wing Soup CrockPot Recipe

Day 258.

Even though I tried my hardest not to let it happen, football season has begun. The best thing about football season is the food, buffalo wings in particular. I love buffalo wings. LOVE them. The love affair started when I was pregnant with my second, and realized that all I needed to do was call a number and Dominoes would bring them right to my door. I've made hot and spicy wings this year---which is kind of a grown-up version of traditional buffalo wings, and I've made buffalo wing dip at least a dozen times.

But sometimes you (me) need something a wee bit different. This soup hits the spot and satisfies any wing cravings. I really enjoyed it.

The Ingredients.
adapted from Recipe Zaar

--2 cups cooked and cubed chicken
--1/2 yellow onion, chopped
--3 stalks celery, chopped
--1/4 cup unsalted butter
--1/4 cup flour (I used rice flour)
--2 cups fat free milk (no higher content than 2%, or it will curdle)
--3/4 cup chicken broth
--4 oz Velveeta
--1/2 cup hot wing sauce
--1/2 tsp celery salt
--1/2 tsp garlic salt

The Directions.

A 4 to 6 quart crockpot will work well for this soup.

Make a roux with the flour and butter. I usually use the stove top, but tried the microwave yesterday---it worked great. In a bowl, melt the butter on high for 45 seconds, then whisk in the flour. Set aside.

Chop up the onion and celery, and dump it into your crockpot. Add the cooked and cubed chicken. Pour in the chicken broth and milk. Add Velveeta. Add the salt (note: this is saltier than I am used to. If you are on a lower sodium diet, omit the salt all together. The cheese and the broth are pretty salty on their own. You can always season to taste after cooking.)

Stir in the flour and butter mixture. Add hot sauce.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4. The soup is done when the celery and onion reach desired tenderness and the flavors have melded.

The Verdict.

I really, really liked this. I first made the soup following the directions on Recipe Zaar, and was icked out at how salty it was. After adding a bunch more milk (reflected in my recipe) it was much more pleasing. I also needed to add more of the wing sauce after the milk. Adam and I were both happy with the finished result.

The kids aren't too big on the spice and tang of anything buffalo-flavored, but were overjoyed to have Velveeta in the house.

The Little Dipper for Canned Soup

Day 264.

An entire 18.5-ounce can of Progresso Clam Chowder can fit in at Little Dipper!

This is so exciting that when JeniJen calls you don't even say hello (you can see it's her through the Caller ID) and yell into the phone, "an entire 18.5-ounce can of soup can fit in a Little Dipper!" And because she is so wonderful and because she too understands how absolutely marvelous this discovery is, she will say, "that's great, honey."

I took the ingredients picture on the stove top because the counter was full of paper piles from school. You get too much paper from school. It bothers me.

The Ingredients.

Little Dipper
can of soup

The Directions.

Progresso is so nice that they now have pull-tops on their cans. I LOVE pull-tops.
Pour contents of can in Little Dipper.
Plug in.
Hide pretty much all of the work papers that have come home from school in the bottom of the recycling bin.
Go get kids from school.

The Verdict.

My kids really like clam chowder. I sort of re-created it earlier in the year with my fish chowder. If I'm remembering correctly, Mir's Monkey really likes my fish chowder, too. But you can't make fish chowder every day. That would just be crazy.

updated 9.23.08:

I received the following email today from a General Mills (they make Progresso soup) representative:

Dear Mrs. CrockPot,

Thank you for contacting Progresso regarding gluten in Progresso New England clam chowder soup.

It is our goal to help our consumers determine whether or not they can include our products in their diet. To accurately accomplish this, we believe it is best to refer to the specific ingredients listed on each product package.

However, we do understand that ingredients can be confusing, so we want to assure you if the ingredient label does not list wheat, barley, rye, oats or gluten containing ingredients sourced from these grains, then the product would be gluten-free. Sources of gluten are listed on the label even if the source of gluten is part of another ingredient (such as flavoring or spice). Because ingredients may vary from one package to another due to product reformulation, you should use the product's ingredient label to provide you with current and accurate information.

Additional information regarding gluten may be obtained by contacting your health care professional or:

Celiac Sprue Association/United States of America, Inc.

PO Box 31700

Omaha, NE 68131-0700

402-558-0600

Or toll free: 877-CSA-4-CSA (877-272-4272)

www.csaceliacs.org

We hope this information is helpful.
Sincerely yours,
[person from General Mills]

CrockPot Cheeseburger Soup Recipe

Day 267.

Good morning! I decided to take the advice given from Fortress of Awesome to make a soup with Velveeta to get my kids excited about the Crock-Pot again.

It worked.

Velveeta is wonderful.

I had a bit left over from the Buffalo Wing Soup, and was happy to use it up. That stuff is dangerous. I found myself cutting off a sliver here and there just because it was 10 am. Or 1 pm.

I've made this soup for years----I think Carmen is who first gave me the recipe, and it was before I had children. Adam and I were pretty much still kids ourselves, and I remember sitting together on a zebra "skin" rug in front of the TV eating this with a loaf of sourdough bread.

I have since lightened it up the best I can without losing the cheesy-goodness. I have also omitted the can of condensed cream-of-something soup.

The Ingredients.

--4 cups chicken broth
--1 T dried onion (or 1/2 of a white onion, diced finely)
--1 lb lean ground beef, browned and drained on the stove top
--1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
--2 potatoes, cut in 1-inch cubes (the photo showed 4, but after cutting 2, I saw it was plenty)
--2 small garlic cloves, minced
--1 cup milk (to add later, soy is fine)
--24 oz Velveeta, cubed (to add later)
--Tabasco sauce, optional
--crumbled bacon, optional

The Directions.

Brown the meat on the stove top with the onion, and drain fat. I have used 1/2 pound instead of a whole pound before, and we didn't miss the extra meat. Set aside to cool a bit.

In a 5-6 quart crockpot, pour in chicken broth. Add garlic, bell pepper, and potatoes (I didn't peel them), and add. Stir in the browned meat and onion.

Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or until onions are translucent and potatoes are tender. Stir in milk and Velveeta 20-30 minutes before serving. If you'd like the broth thicker, blend a bit with a hand held stick blender.

Garnish with Tabasco sauce and crumbled bacon if desired.

The Verdict.

Everyone liked this. Surprise, surprise.

We are now out of Velveeta. This is probably a good thing.

CrockPot Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Curry and Honey

Day 276.

I made an interesting soup yesterday. The base was cauliflower and broth, and it had both curry and honey---two flavors I have not had together before. I liked it. I got the recipe directly from Sunday Nite Dinner. Chuck and Hungry Bear made it last year, and I'm so glad that I bookmarked it to try in the crockpot.

The Ingredients.
adapted from Sunday Nite Dinner

--1 head cauliflower
--3 T olive oil
--1 tsp kosher salt
--1/2 tsp black pepper
--2 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
--2 cups water
--1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (1/4 was enough for me)
--1 yellow onion, chopped in chunks
--2 1/2 tsp curry
--honey

The Directions.

Cut the cauliflower into florets, toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until the cauliflower has begun to brown and turn crispy. You can also roast in the crockpot.

While the cauliflower is roasting, plug in your crockpot and turn to high. Use a 4 quart or larger size. Add the chicken broth and water. Chop the onion and add it along with the cayenne pepper and curry powder.

When the vegetables are finished, add them to the broth.

Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours, or on high for 3-4. This is finished when the onion and cauliflower are fully tender.

Carefully use an immersible blender to blend the cauliflower and onion. If you are going to use a traditional blender, go slow and blend small batches at a time.

Drizzle honey over the top before serving.

The Verdict.

I could not get the kids anywhere near this. They had bean burritos on brown rice tortillas.

It took Adam a few bites to get used to, but then he liked it. I found the flavor to be mysterious. It was not like anything I had ever had before. This would be fun to serve at a fancy dinner, where guests can squeeze on their own honey. I really like how rich and velvety it tastes without a drop of cream. I have no idea how Chuck and Hungry Bear got the picture they did at Sunday Nite Dinner----my honey sunk right away.

CrockPot Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

Day 280.

This is not the best picture. I took it quickly--we were expecting a house full of people. This is a creamy and full-of-flavor soup that tastes like it has a bunch of butter and cream in it. It does not.

The Ingredients.

1 large butternut squash
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 small medium onions, or 2 tablespoons onion flakes
4 cups broth, chicken or vegetable
2 small apples, peeled and cubed
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

The Directions.

Use at least a 5 quart crockpot for this soup.

Cut the squash in half long ways. This is terribly hard to do. If you microwave the entire squash for 2 to 5 minutes on high, the skin will soften, but you will still need to use a pretty powerful knife. If you can find already peeled and cubed butternut squash use that.

I couldn't believe how difficult it was for me to cut the squash. My knife got stuck. 

(reader tip by Carma S. Nov 20 2012: Hi,  I was just reading the crock pot butternut squash soup blog, about cutting the squash in half.  I used to do that, now I put foil on a cookie sheet and bake the washed butternut for about an hour--depending on the size--then cut it in 1/2 (much easier), and scoop out the seeds. Then I lay each half, cut side down onto foil, and  either cook more or peel off the skin and cut up as needed for my recipe.
I also love this soup!)


Scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp. Brush olive oil on the inside of the squash and roast it in the oven at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until you can peel the skin away from the flesh.

Plug in your crockpot and turn to high. Add the broth, and the onion and apple. Stir in the spices. Cover to let heat.

When the squash has finished roasting, add it to the pot. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or on high for about 4.

Blend in small batches with a stand blender, or carefully blend with an immersible wand.

The Verdict.

This is a comfort soup. I like to curl up with a mug and watch TV. My mom, grandma, and I all like squash soup, but we're the only ones who do in the family. This is what I'm going to have for lunch this week.

more squash recipes you might like:
candied acorn squash
harvest stew
no noodle lasagna
 
 

CrockPot Potato Leek Soup Recipe

Day 290.

Wow, the year is flying by. I meant to make potato leek soup eons ago, and never got around to it. My mom made some on the stove top over the weekend and brought over a container, and it egged me on to recreate it in the crockpot.

It was terribly easy. Especially because Adam was home for the day (I was on call for jury duty. I didn't have to go in, phew.) and did all of the chopping while I answered email.

I didn't add any heavy cream. You can, but I was pleased with the flavor and creaminess without a drop of cream.

The Ingredients.

--3 large leeks, cleaned and diced (you only use the white part)
--1 medium yellow onion, chopped
--1 pound brown potatoes (weigh them---you'll only need 2 or 3)
--5 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
--1/2 tsp thyme
--1/4 tsp black pepper
--2 cloves chopped garlic

--1 cup heavy cream (optional)

The Directions.

Have your husband do all the work.

He used the 6.5 quart eLume---peel the potatoes and chop everything up and toss it in with the broth and the spices.

If you are going to use heavy cream, you don't add that until cooking is complete.

Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours, or on high for about 4.

When the potatoes and onion are fully cooked and soft, use an immersible blender to soupify.
If you don't have an immersible blender, blend in small batches CAREFULLY in your traditional blender.

Stir in heavy cream, if desired.

The Verdict.

This is a light, creamy soup that is perfect for a starter course, or for sipping out of a mug on the couch. I'm going to have it for lunch this week.

Adam packed some to take for lunch at work. The kids didn't try it, and thought it smelled gross. It does have an earthy smell while it cooks. I opened a window and turned on a fan.

thank you, mom!

CrockPot Pumpkin Black Bean Soup Recipe

Day 294.

This soup recipe has been floating around the Internet the past few weeks----Yahoo linked to it on their front page as a good Halloween night dinner to eat before trick-or-treating. I had planned on making this soup anyway but last week I got a few emails pointing it out again, so I pushed it up a few days.

This weekend, Denise posted a pumpkin soup roundup on BlogHer and shared that Smitten Kitchen made a version of pumpkin black bean soup, which really inspired me to get cracking (those Smitten Kitchen people? They work with Martha. They know their stuff.)

So I did.

I made this soup.

I made 6.5 quarts of it. Anyone want any? Because it's still sitting here.

We didn't like it.

At all. It sort of made us gag. We gave it a valiant effort, and I even let it sit overnight, because a lot of times soup tastes better the next day.

This didn't.

The Ingredients.
adapted from All Recipes

--3 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
--1 can tomatoes and chilies (Rotel)
--1 tsp salt
--1/2 tsp black pepper
--4 cloves chopped garlic
--4 cups gluten free beef broth
--1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
--1 small yellow onion, chopped (didn't make it into the picture)
--1/4 cup sherry
--2 T butter
--crumbled bacon or cooked ham (optional, to add at end of cooking time)
--sour cream to garnish (optional)

The Directions.

I used a 6.5 quart crockpot. If you attempt this soup (you really shouldn't), use at least a 5 quart.

Chop up all the onion and garlic and add to the pot. Dump in the black beans. I used my homemade black beans!
Add the whole can of cooked pumpkin and the beef broth.
Stir in the salt and pepper. It seems like a lot of salt, but you're not going to end up eating it, anyway.
Add a pat of butter.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4. Stir well. If desired, use an immersible blender to puree about half of the soup. I did do this. If you don't have an immersible blender, scoop out about 2 cups and blend carefully in your stand mixer.

If desired, add crumbled bacon or diced ham.

Garnish with sour cream (this was the best part).

The Verdict.

The kids made me open a window in the kitchen and light a candle while this was cooking.

Adam and I tried twice to eat it, and we were not pleased. It reminded us of hot V-8 juice, which we both despise.

After I made it, I read all of the reviews on All Recipes. The positive reviewers added things like salsa, cumin, chili powder, and coriander. I wish I had, too. A few of the reviewers mentioned liking a Jamaican pumpkin soup. I do have a recipe for that, which I think I'll give whirl this week.