Lasagna Soup

Another Pinterest find! This one I consider fully dumped in the "score!" category. It. was. awesome. What makes this recipe stand out, by far, is the "cheesy yum" (the original recipe creator's term, not mine - but isn't it fun to say? cheesy yum, cheesy yum.) at the bottom of the bowl. It really does make the soup taste like lasagna.

I'll be making one big change next time I make it, though. The red pepper flakes have got to go. Even just a teeny little half teaspoon made this sucker spicy. My kids wouldn't even touch it after the first bite because, as my 3-year old kept saying, "it makes my throat hot!" And my husband and I agreed that heartburn is definitely in the forecast tonight. I guess we're all just wimps at our house. :) If you like a little heat in your food, by all means, add away!

I also made a few adjustments from the original recipe. I didn't have some of the ingredients, so I had to make do a bit. Still tasted awesome. So whether you decide to stick with the original recipe or go with my (let's admit it, cheaper) adjustments, you're definitely in for a treat.


Lasagna Soup

2 tsp. olive oil
1 lb. Italian sausage
1 C chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
2 T. tomato paste
1 28-oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes (I used regular)
2 bay leaves (didn't use, 'cause I couldn't find them :))
5 C chicken stock
8 oz. mafalda or fusili pasta (I used farfalle, a.k.a. bow tie!)
1/2 C finely chopped fresh basil leaves
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the "cheesy yum:"
8 oz. ricotta
1/2 C grated Parmesan cheese (I used the powdered stuff and it was still awesome)
1/4 tsp. salt
Pinch of pepper
2 C shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking up into bite-sized pieces, and brown for about 5 minutes. Add onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes (optional). Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.

Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add uncooked pasta and cook until al dente (about 10-15 minutes). Don't over cook or pasta will get mushy! Stir in basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the "cheesy yum." In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.

To serve, place a dollop of the cheesy yum in each soup bowl, sprinkle some of the mozzarella on top, and ladle the hot soup over the cheese. Sprinkle a bit more mozzarella over the top and serve.

Chicken Noodle Soup

I have really been slacking off on this recipe-posting thing! I'm hoping to do better in the coming months. It is officially the holiday season, after all. And that means one thing...GOOD FOOD!

This recipe is my go-to recipe for fast homemade chicken noodle soup. It's really, really simple (and that's how we do things around here!) but really good. I'm sure there's fancier versions out there, but I'm all for throwing a few ingredients in the Crock Pot to get the job done.

This recipe comes from my 101 Things To Do With a Slow Cooker book, but I've adjusted it - mostly because the full recipe doesn't actually fit in my slow cooker. This feeds the four of us perfectly, though, with leftovers.


Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup

3 cups hot water
1 Tbsp. instant chicken bouillon granules
1 large can (46 oz.) or 3 (14 oz.) cans chicken broth
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken
1 tsp. salt
15 baby carrots, cut in thirds
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cups egg noodles, uncooked

Combine all ingredients except egg noodles in greased slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat 4-6 hours. 15-20 minutes before serving, stir in egg noodles. Cover and cook on low heat until soft. Do not overcook or noodles will be mushy!

Chicken Enchilada Soup

This probably lands a spot as my #1 favorite soup recipe right now. I couldn't say it tastes exactly like an enchilada, but it's still amazing in its own creamy, mexican-styled soup way. It's also another easy, throw-it-in-the-Crock-Pot recipe - always nice on those Sundays when I need to let something cook while we're at church for three hours.

My mom recommended the recipe to me (I think she may have gotten it from Studio 5?), and I'm pretty sure Real Mom Kitchen has a version close to, if not exactly like it.


Chicken Enchilada Soup

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can diced tomatoes (better with the "petite diced" version, in my opinion)
1 pkg. frozen corn OR 1 can corn, drained
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped (I think red tastes better, but green is prettier :))
2 chicken breasts
1 can red enchilada sauce
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups milk
Shredded Pepper jack cheese

In a slow cooker, combine beans, tomatoes, corn, onion, and pepper. Place the two chicken breasts on top of mixture. In a large bowl, whisk together enchilada sauce, soup, and milk until smooth. Pour sauce mixture over ingredients in slow cooker.

Cover; cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high 3 to 4 hours. Remove chicken and shred into bite-sized pieces. Add chicken back into soup and stir.

Serve and sprinkle individual servings with Pepper jack cheese. Also good with avocado, sour cream, and/or crushed tortilla chips.

Clam Chowder

I don't have a picture for this one. No good excuse, I just forgot. But you've all seen clam chowder, right?

This is a family recipe. Not sure where my mom got it, but I love it. There's nothing like a hot bowl of clam chowder during cold weather, if you ask me.


Clam Chowder

1 cup onions, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
2 cups potatoes, cubed
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup flour
1 quart half & half
2 small cans minced clams, with liquid
2 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

Combine onions, celery, and potatoes in medium saucepan, add water, and boil until vegetables are tender. Drain half of liquid and set aside. In large saucepan, melt butter. Slowly wisk in flour to form a roux. Cook for 2-3 minutes until thick. Slowly add cream; cook and stir until thick, stirring constantly (about 10 minutes). Add vegetables along with undrained water, clams, salt, and vinegar.

Great in bread bowls!

Slow Cooker Chili

This recipe comes from the 101 Things To Do With A Slow Cooker cookbook. It's definitely my favorite chili recipe. And, once again, I love that it's so easy. The only real cooking comes in browning the hamburger. After that, you just dump a bunch of ingredients in. Awesome!

The original recipe was way too big for our little family. So this is my modified version, cut down to fit in my smaller slow cooker. It probably still serves 4-6 people and we always have leftovers. (Which, by the way, are awesome on Navajo Tacos the next day!)

Slow Cooker Chili

1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
1/4 cup dried minced onion OR 1/2 large onion, chopped
1 14-oz. can diced tomatoes, with liquid
2 8-oz. cans tomato sauce
1 16-oz. can kidney beans, with liquid
1 4-oz. can diced green chilies, with liquid
1 cup water
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Combine all ingredients in greased slow cooker (mine is about 4 quarts and it fits perfectly). Cover and cook on high heat for 2-3 hours or on low heat for 4-6 hours. Garnish with sour cream, chives, and/or grated cheese.

Crock Pot Beef Stew

Mmm... is there anything that says fall and cold weather like beef stew? This recipe is about as easy as they get, but my husband loves it. We've tried the recipes that have more of a tomato flavor, and he's not as much of a fan. But he requests this one all the time. The thing that makes it simple? We use a package of Western Family seasoning mix. It's only about $0.70 at the store (or cheaper if it's on sale), and it's the perfect blend of beefiness and spiciness. And this way, I don't have to worry about if I have the right spices!

Crock Pot Beef Stew

2 T oil
3 T flour
1 pkg. stew meat (I just buy the ones that come pre-cut from the store. I probably should be more frugal and cut up my own, but I'm all for easy when it comes to this recipe!)
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
3 stalks celery, sliced
1/2 onion, diced into small pieces
1 package beef stew seasoning mix
3 cups water

Add oil to medium skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add flour to resealable Ziploc bag, then stew meat and shake until meat is completely covered. Add meat to oil and cook for 5-7 minutes or until no longer pink in the middle.

Add cooked meat, cut-up vegetables, water, and seasoning mix to crock pot. Stir then cover and cook on high for 3-5 hours or low for 5-7 hours.

*This could also be cooked over the stove. Just bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about an hour or until vegetables are tender.

Dish it up and enjoy a yummy, hot bowl of stew.