Creamy Reuben Soup

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Patty's Day countdown is on!   

It has to be one of my favorite food holidays, 

as I attempt to Americanize an Irish dish that holds a special place in my heart. 

I love all of the complimentary and contrasting flavors of a Reuben;

creamy, tart and tangy with some nutty cheesiness and meatiness,

slathered between two slices of rye.  

Why not bring all of those flavors together in a slightly different delivery, 

which is much less messy! 

Enter:

Creamy Reuben Soup

The  2# corned beef brisket cooked in the crock pot all day until it was perfectly tender

and then set aside until needed. 

Nothing says "Irish food "like leeks do,

they look like giant scallions and have a nice mild onion flavor. 

One leek was sliced up and added to the dutch oven with 2 tbsp butter, 

1 tbsp minced garlic and 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

for an initial browning.

Next 1/4 cup flour (I used soy) was added to start the build the body of the soup. 

Six cups of broth were added, 

I used chicken but I suppose beef would have been a logical choice.

Logic escaped me, apparently.  

The corned beef was chopped/shredded, 

yielding about 2 cups. 

The beef and 2 cups of cabbage were added…

now the soup is really starting to come together! 

Final addition, 

was 3 cubed potatoes, 

because it really isn't Irish if there aren't potatoes in it! 

Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, 

or until the potatoes are fully cooked. 

Finish with 1 cup of whole milk 

And it is ready to be served! 

Top with some shredded Swiss cheese, Thousand Island dressing and serve with Rye bread. 

Even my non-Swiss-cheese-fan husband 

couldn't deny that this was a pretty amazing combination! 

RECIPE:

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

2# corned beef brisket or 2 cups of cooked corned beef

One leek - sliced

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

1/4 cup flour

6 cups of broth

2 cups of shredded cabbage

3 potatoes - cubed

1 cup of whole milk

Shredded Swiss cheese

Thousand Island dressing

Rye bread

Directions:

• Cook brisket according to package. 
• Brown leek, garlic and crushed red pepper in melted butter over medium heat. 
• Next add flour and allow to cook for 3-5 minutes before adding broth. 
• Next add the corned beef, cabbage and potato, cover and simmer until potato is done. 
• Add 1 cup of milk. 
• Top with cheese and dressing and serve with bread, for the full Reuben effect. 

Potato Soup with Kale and Sausage

Happy Tuesday, 

so excited for another fabulous week to be underway! 

Always so many great opportunities in any given week, 

so much to pursue and accomplish. 

My weekly to-do list is always quite ambitious, 

thankfully I'm motivated by progress, 

so in a good week, my productivity will snowball by the week's end. 

Of course, feeding my family is always on my weekly to-do list.

Last night, 

we enjoyed a family favorite

Chicken Quesadillas

for dinner. 

Tonight will probably be another hearty soup, 

something along the lines of this soup, both comforting and scrumptious

Potato Soup with Kale and Sausage.

Sure, we all love the soups that simmer all day, 

like our moms and grandmas used to make….

But, I'm also a big fan of a soup that can be whipped up in just about 30 minutes.

especially when it is complete with 

protein, carb and vegetable. 

My favorite meals are always a one-dish wonder!

Otherwise, I must admit, 

I might get too lazy to serve a vegetable, 

who wants to dirty another dish

when you can throw it all in one pot!  

Start by browning up 1# of Italian Sausage.

Fat aside, I'm a pretty big fan of the flavor that sausage imparts and 

have been cooking with it more than ever. 

Set the sausage aside and brown up

1 onion - chopped, 1 tbsp minced garlic, 1 tsp of each salt and pepper. 

Maybe some butter to aid in the browning, 

but I thought there was enough fat left from the sausage, 

so I omitted that. 

Like spinach, this baby kale wilts down a ton!

So, in goes 2 large handfuls of baby kale….

And after just a few minutes, 

it is wilted down to this. 

Then add 4 medium potatoes - chopped.

The smaller the potato pieces, the faster they cook. 

Maybe I'd cut them smaller next time. 

Add back the sausage. 

And then add 4 cups of broth

and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are cooked.

I know I've said this a million times, 

but we like thicker soups, 

so feel free to add more broth if that is your preference. 

Finally, add 1 cup of whole milk

for the creamy-effect. 

Feel free to top with some

 freshly grated parmesan

for some delightful cheesy-nuttiness! 

RECIPE:

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1# of Italian Sausage

1 onion - chopped

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tsp of salt

1 tsp of pepper

8 oz baby kale

4 medium potatoes - chopped

4 cups of broth

1 cup of whole milk

Freshly grated parmesan

Directions:

• Brown sausage and set aside. 
• Soften the onion and garlic seasoned with salt and pepper. 
• Add the kale for wilting. 
• Add chopped potatoes, sausage and broth. 
• Simmer for about 15 minutes until potatoes are cooked. 
• Add milk, top with parmesan and serve. 

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup in a Slow Cooker

Here we are at the heart of winter…

would love just a bit more snow to be able to get out and enjoy the outdoors,

but if I can't give you that or a warm beach vacation somewhere,

at least I can provide some meal ideas 

which is slow-cooker-easy and oh-soooo-good! 

The inspiration for this soup was found on 

Creme de la Crumb

and of course, I changed things up as I went.  

This was made in a slow cooker, 

(because I love to throw everything in one pot in the morning

and feel like I've slaved over it all day)

but could certainly be converted to stove top

by cooking the chicken, 

adding the veggies and simmering to your heart's content.

It certainly doesn't look very pretty getting started, 

but in this vessel you will find

2 chicken breasts

2 cups of chicken broth (I always tend toward thicker soups)

1 can of enchilada sauce

2 cans of black beans (no need to drain for a dish like this)

1 can of green chilies

1 can of diced tomatoes. 

When I got home from work, after 8 hours on low and 

added 16 oz of thawed frozen corn,

it looked something like this. 

Took the chicken breasts out for shredding.

That's a lot of shredded chicken from just 2 breasts. 

While shredding the chicken,

8 oz of low fat cream cheese was added

for the beloved creaminess it brings!

By the time the chicken was returned to the soup,

the cream cheese was melting away. 

And, within minutes, 

the soup was rip-roaring, ready to go! 

Served with some diced avocado and a dash of chili powder,

this soup was gone in no time! 

Wish I would have made a double batch!

**Famous last words!**

RECIPE:

Prep Time: 10 minutes at the beginning and 10 minutes at the end

Cook Time: 8-10 hours on low, 4-6 hours on high

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts

2 cups of chicken broth 

1 can of enchilada sauce

2 cans of black beans

1 can of green chilies

1 can of diced tomatoes

16 oz of thawed frozen corn

8 oz of low fat cream cheese

*Garnish

Diced avocado 

Chili powder

Directions:

• Place chicken, broth, sauce, beans, chilies and tomatoes into pot and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. 
• Remove chicken breasts and shred. 
• Add corn and cream cheese, stir to melt and incorporate. 
• Return chicken to soup and combine well. 
• Serve with avocado. 

Roasted Red Pepper Quinoa and Hummus Chicken Soup

Here we are, in the midst of winter…

trying our best to enjoy the season,

which can be tough without snow on the ground.

I'd give anything to get out skiing, sledding, skating or snow shoeing this weekend, 

but there just isn't enough white stuff on the ground around here. 

Thankfully, 

we were able to travel north last weekend to enjoy

the fabulous outdoors on about a foot and a half of ice…

drilling holes and hoping for fish to bite. 

On these winter days,

nothing hits the spot like a Grilled Cheese 

(click on the link for the Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich)

and a hearty bowl of soup. 

Today I want to share with you a fabulous twist on 

traditional tomato soup….

Roasted Red Pepper Quinoa and Hummus Chicken Soup

which is good enough to eat on it's own…

or perfect for dipping a toasted cheese sandwich. 

Starting with some sautéed chicken…

although, 

slow cooker chicken is my favorite. 

like I did here! 

So tender, juicy and done when you need it. 

Next, 1 cup of quinoa is cooked in 2 cups of water (or broth).

And, if you haven't tried quinoa yet…

what are you waiting for?!?

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) is a huge hit in my house, 

even my kids prefer it over rice

and it is a superfood packed with both protein and fiber!  

One 12 oz jar of roasted red peppers is drained and added to the blender

along with 2 cups of chicken broth and

1/3 cup of hummus. 

Once blended, add it to a sauce pan over medium heat,

 as a future home for the rest of the ingredients. 

About 1 cup of cooked, chopped chicken

was added to the pan. 

And then the quinoa, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp garlic powder. 

The longer it sits, the more moisture the quinoa absorbs, 

so feel free to add more broth according to your preference. 

We like our soups thick around here! 

Serve it up with your favorite grilled cheese

and you might just start to appreciate winter a little more! 

RECIPE:

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked, chopped chicken

1 cup of quinoa

2 cups of water (or broth)

12 oz jar of roasted red peppers

2 cups of chicken broth

1/3 cup of hummus

1 tsp salt 

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

• Cook quinoa according to instructions. 
• Drain jar of roasted red peppers, add to blender along with broth and hummus. Puree. 
• Pour puree from blender into sauce pan. Add quinoa and chicken, salt and garlic. 
• Simmer until heated thoroughly. 
• Serve as meal or with your favorite Grilled Cheese.

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

Hello there…

Thanks for stopping by! 

If you are like me, 

you are also hoping for some normalcy to be restored this week.  

No holiday breaks. 

No days trapped in doors because it is something-crazy below 0. 

Just a nice, normal week of winter would be great!

Kids can be outside to play in the snow and come in

to warm up with a nice cup of hot cocoa or 

this scrumptious and hearty soup. 

Taco soup is another favorite in our house.

It received rave reviews at deer camp in the fall and 

Ryker requested it to take to school for his Holiday Open House. 

I invite you to give this soup a try for an easy weeknight meal

or maybe for the big Packer game coming up this weekend. 

Starts with 3# of ground chuck, a chopped onion and 1 tbsp of seasoning salt.

I usually go with the leaner option as my family like to top just about 

everything with cheese or maybe some sour cream!  

Have you noticed that the price of ground beef is really going up?

I am thinking of conducting a yield study to see which grade gives the best value.

Once the meat is browned, add it all to the slow cooker

along with 1 packet of Taco seasoning and 1 packet of Ranch seasoning. 

Then top with 1 can of black beans, 2 cans of diced tomatoes and 1 16 oz bag of frozen corn. 

Finally, add 4 cups of tomato juice and 2 cups of beef broth 

and give it a good stir. 

Feel free to adjust the liquids according to your preferences. 

We eat most of these soups as meals, 

so I generally keep them on the thicker side. 

Lastly, I use this as a home for any open jars of salsa or taco/enchilada sauce in the fridge. 

All to often they start to grow something furry before I get back to using them, 

so they make a great addition to this taco soup! 

After 4-6 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low, 

dinner is ready and 

this recipe will almost certainly leave you with some leftovers, 

which, as you know, are always welcome in our house!

Serve it up and top with some freshly grated parmesan cheese for a 

perfect finishing touch. 

RECIPE:

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Bake Time: 4-6 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low

Serves: 12

Ingredients:

3# of ground chuck

1 chopped onion

1 tbsp of seasoning salt

1 packet of Taco seasoning

1 packet of Ranch seasoning

1 can of black beans

2 cans of diced tomatoes

1-16 oz bag of frozen corn

4 cups of tomato juice

2 cups of beef broth 

OPTIONAL - any open jars of salsa or taco/enchilada sauce

Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

Brown hamburger and onion over medium heat. Add salt. 

Pour browned ground chuck into slow cooker. 

Add seasoning packets. 

Add black beans, tomatoes and corn. 

Add tomato juice and beef broth, as well as any open jars of Mexican in the fridge. 

Set the slow cooker according to the amount of time before eating.

• low for 8-10 hours
• high for 4-6 hours

Serve and sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese for the finishing touch. 

Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup with Sweet Potato

Hooray for December and all of the wonderful things that come along with it!  

The excitement of Christmas is alive in our house and 

I'm so thankful that so far

 (I know, it is still early!)

I am able to fend off being overwhelmed and just take a deep breath, 

add another item to my to do list and 

savor the joy that comes with each holiday activity.  

As we bounce from the tree to the lights, 

from the cookies to the decorations,

from the cards to the gifts…

there isn't much time left for cooking, 

so I'll try to help you out and

keep the meal ideas coming!  

This hearty, creamy chicken soup was a huge hit, 

the contrasting flavors and textures of the rice and sweet potatoes,

really hit the spot!  

It was even requested for deer camp, 

so I guess that means it is man-approved.  

First things first…

1# of chicken was cut into cubes, 

seasoned with 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning and

sautéed over medium heat in 1-2 tbsp of olive oil.

When the chicken was cooked thoroughly,

1 cup of white n wild rice blend

along with 1-2 cups of cubed sweet potatoes 

were added to the stock pot.  

Four cups of chicken broth 

were added and brought to a boil,

simmered for about 20 minutes

while the rice and potatoes softened.  

To be honest, 

you could stop right here and you would have a fabulous soup

in about 30 minutes. 

My family doesn't get creamy stuff very often, 

so when I offered to thicken this up, 

they didn't think twice. 

So, to make the roux, 

2 tbsp of butter were melted 

and 1/4 cup of flour was whisked together.

(I used soy, but you can use all-purpose, if you prefer)

One half cup of milk is also added. 

Whisk continuously over medium-low heat

until the protein in the soy flour is denatured, or cooked, 

and thickens to nearly a paste.

Add it to the stock pot,

when the rice and sweet potatoes are cooked.

Stir it all up and

there you have a nice creamy base for your soup. 

RECIPE:

Cook Time : 45 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1# of chicken 

1/2 tsp poultry seasoning

1-2 tbsp of olive oil

1 cup of White n Wild rice blend (any kind of rice will work just fine!)

1-2 cups of cubed sweet potatoes 

4 cups of chicken broth 

2 tbsp of butter 

1/4 cup of flour (I used soy, but all-purpose would work too!)

1/2 cup of milk

Directions:

• Heat 1-2 tbsp of cooking oil over medium heat. 
• Add cubed chicken and cook until no more pink. 
• Add rice, sweet potatoes and chicken broth. 
• Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is cooked. 
• To make the roux, melt butter and whisk in flour. 
• Then add milk and whisk constantly until the mixture thickens to a paste. 
• Add the roux to the soup. 
• Stir and serve!