Slow Cooker Lighter King Ranch Chicken Soup

Yum

I'm back with another soup recipe today!

Work has been a bear these past two weeks.  I'm working on an enormous 2 month project and yesterday was the deadline.  I don't have time to even get up from my desk, which causes me to sit for long periods of time, eating lunch in front of the computer and not doing much else other that pushing this project through to completion.

Needless to say I come home after long, long work hours and I am too tired to cook.  As you can see from my lack of posts I'm too tired to blog as well!  The only cooking I'm actually doing is on the weekends, and then I'm still tired so the cooking has to be easy.

Today's soup recipe is just that...easy.  This is a slow cooker soup recipe that is to die for! It may take one additional step to make a roux, and some chopping of veggies, but it's pretty easy to throw together.  

SLOW COOKER LIGHTER KING RANCH CHICKEN SOUP

I'm sure you've heard of King Ranch Chicken Casserole right?  Well I came across a recipe that is a riff off of that infamous casserole in soup form.  You know I love a good soup, and with this long winter that just won't let go, a hot hearty bowl of soup hits the spot.  I was also drawn to this soup because of the word..."lighter".   King Ranch Chicken Casserole is filled with cheese and cream of chicken soup.  Two items that load up the calories in a dish.  This soup is lighter on the cheese and there isn't a can of cream of anything in sight!

With just 4-6 hours on low or 2-3 hours on high this slow cooker soup is ready when you are.  We typically go for a drive or over to Barnes and Noble's book store to relax on  Sunday's so making this before we leave is a great idea, because dinner is ready when we get home.

I have to say, I think this soup is my new favorite soup!  Imagine a bowl of steaming hot and hearty soup that is filled with shredded chicken, peppers, tomatoes, and southwestern flavors that pack a huge punch! Man! I'm getting hungry right now.....

Enjoy!





Slow Cooker Lighter King Ranch Chicken Soup

serves 4

3 Tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cloves garlic (minced)
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 Tablespoon cumin
1/2 Tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (to taste)
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 jalapeno pepper (minced and seeded)
1 red bell pepper (diced)
1 yellow onion (diced)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Tortilla chips

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add in the garlic and stir for about 1 minute. Whisk in the flour (whisking continually for 1 minute so that it does not burn).

Slowly pour in the chicken broth, whisking as your pour it in, and stir for a few minutes until the sauce has thickened up.

Remove the saucepan from the heat, and stir in the seasonings (chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper). Set the sauce aside for a minute.

Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker. Top them with the diced tomatoes, jalapeño, bell peppers, and onion. Pour the sauce over the top.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours (or high for 2-3 hours), making sure to not overcook the chicken.

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and stir the cheese into the slow cooker.

Using 2 forks, shred the chicken and add it back into the slow cooker, stirring everything together. Let the slow cooker cook on low heat for 15 minutes, allowing the cheese to melt.

Serve topped with crushed tortilla chips if desired.

slightly adapted from Six Sister's Stuff

Homemade Minestrone Soup

Yum

Happy weekend everyone!

I so enjoy my weekends lately.  It's a time for much needed relaxation after a grueling week at work.  We are seeing the first signs of spring here this weekend.  The weather is actually starting to warm up during the day and the sun is shining nice and bright.  But this is just a teaser of whats to come because they say there's rain in forecast again this week.

With all the cold weather and the rain I've been on a soup kick all winter.  I've made some of my old standards like Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup and Italian Chicken and Bean Soup and Cheesy Potato Soup and I've made some mouthwatering new ones.  So I going to bring you a couple of new soups to make before spring truly hits beginning with an Italian staple.

HOMEMADE MINESTRONE SOUP

This insanely easy dish will make your jaw drop.  It's that simple, and that GOOD!  The secret to a good soup is a good broth, and allowing the flavors to meld and develop a rich taste.  This soup is chock full of hearty vegetables and beans that are simmered in a chicken tomato broth and spiced just right with wonderful Italian herbs.  I also added a little kick to the soup by adding a pinch of red pepper flakes.  If you don't want the heat then you can certainly leave it out. 

What do I need to make this soup?  A good sturdy dutch oven such as this one is a must.  I just love mine and use it for so many soups and braised dishes.  A good knife like this one really makes chopping vegetables easy.  Wooden spoons such as these, make stirring a breeze.  To round this out some wonderful soup bowls such as these hold a nice portion of soup and are pretty too!

This soup cooks in about 1 hours which is ideal for weeknights and weekends.  We tend to cook them on Sundays after a day of running around.  They are perfect with a loaf of crusty bread and a nice salad.  This soup will is so tasty and filing it's sure to become a new favorite in your household.

Enjoy!

Homemade Minestrone Soup

serves 6


2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 small carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 small zucchini, diced
1 small yellow squash, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
6-7 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 bay leaves
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, with juices
1 (15 oz) can Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz) can Kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups chopped fresh baby spinach
1 cup Ditalini pasta
salt and pepper

Heat oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender.  Add the zucchini, yellow squash, and garlic and cook for 2 minutes.  Add 1/2 cup of chicken broth to deglaze the pan, using a spoon to scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. 

Add the remaining chicken broth, oregano, thyme, black pepper, red pepper flakes, bay leaves, tomatoes, and drained beans. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for at least 20-30 minutes.

Add the spinach and the pasta.  Cook for 10 minutes more until the pasta is al dente. Remove the bay leaves and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.

7 Up Biscuits (small batch)

Yum

I was digging through my mom's special recipe box the other day and came across an interesting recipe for biscuits.

Who doesn't love biscuits?  I grew up on them so I grabbed the recipe card to see what these were all about.  The title was a little strange...

7 UP BISCUITS

What?  Biscuits that have 7 Up in them?  Now I've heard of using soda in baking but have never heard of 7 Up Biscuits, so I looked them up on the internet and they are e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e!  This recipe has most likely been around for a long time.  I know my mom's recipe card is probably from the 70's.

Now I'm a biscuit lover, so I was very skeptical about these biscuits, but intrigued at the same time. I decided we needed to have a good biscuit to go along with our Spicy Beef and Macaroni Tomato Soup.  There's nothing better with soup that a hot piece of bread and these biscuits were going to get a trial run.  

Boy, I have to tell you....these biscuits...these hot, tender, buttery biscuits are AMAZING!  Plus they only have 4 ingredients!  The sour cream makes them tender, but the 7 Up makes them slightly sweet and tangy.  Only 4 ingredients, (I know, repeating myself...) make these quick to pull together and easy to make.

Take is from me, a biscuit aficionado, you NEED this recipe in your life!

Enjoy!








7 Up Biscuits (small batch)

2 c Bisquick
1/2 c Sour Cream
1/2 c 7 up soda
1/4 c melted butter

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.  Place the butter in a 9x9 inch square baking pan and place it in the oven to melt while the oven is coming to temperature.

In a large bowl, add Bisquick mix and sour cream.  Cut in sour cream using a pastry cutter.  Add the  7 up and stir, until just combined, to form a soft dough.  (NOTE: humidity may play a part in how dry or wet your dough turns out.  If your dough is too wet please add a little more Bisquick to get it to a better consistency that's easier to handle.  If your dough is too dry trying adding a touch more 7 up to the mixture.)

On a wooden board sprinkled with a little Bisquick, place dough on the board.  Pat dough out without kneading to about 1/2" thickness.  Using a biscuit cutter, cut dough into 9 pieces and place in the buttered pan.

Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve immediately.