If You Give a Kid a Cooking Pot: One Pot Taco Soup

Over the next several weeks, we'll be bringing you recipes for beginning cooks designed to teach basic cooking skills. So be on the lookout for all the recipes in the series. Today's recipe is part of the Cooking Challenge series.

With only one pot needed to make this soup, it's an easy-to-make dinner!

As written, the recipe is a healthy, high protein meal that makes a BIG pot of soup. This is a great one for beginner cooks because you can get dinner on the table in 30 minutes and have plenty of leftovers for later in the week or to freeze for later.

One Pot Taco Soup

Soup Ingredients

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 large onion, diced

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 15 oz. can light red kidney beans, undrained

1 15 oz. can dark red kidney beans, undrained

1 15 oz. can canneloni beans, undrained

1 15 oz. can chili beans, undrained,

1 15 oz. can black beans, undrained

1 15 oz. can pinto beans, undrained

1 15 oz. can corn, undrained

1 15 oz. can Rotel, undrained

2 15 oz. cans diced tomatoes, undrained

1 28 oz. can tomato puree

4 cups water

1 1/2 1 oz. packets Taco Seasoning Mix, or 4 1/2 Tbsp. homemade taco seasoning mix

1 oz. packet Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning, or 3 Tbsp. homemade ranch dressing mix

1 1/2 pound ground beef (optional)

Garnishes

green onions, chopped

fresh cilantro, chopped

jalapenos, sliced for serving

avocados, peeled and diced

sour cream

hot sauce

shredded cheese

1. Heat olive oil in a large 8-quart pot over medium heat. Saute onion until soft and translucent. If adding ground beef, brown it along with onions, about 5-6 minutes. Drain grease before proceeding with the rest of the recipe as written.
2. Add the minced garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Add tomatoes and spices, stirring to combine.
4. Add remaining soup ingredients, and stir to combine.
5. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer covered for 25 minutes.
6. Serve topped with garnishes of your choice (optional).

You Can Get with This or You Can Get with That (Ingredient Substitutions):

• If interested in making a smaller quantity of soup, use only 3 cans of beans, tomato puree (omitting diced tomatoes), and 1 packet of Taco Seasoning Mix.
• Substitute garlic powder or jarred minced garlic for fresh minced garlic.
• All garnishes are optional.

This Is How We Do It (Kitchen Skills You'll Learn in This Recipe):

• Boiling vs. simmering
• Browning ground meat (optional)
• Chopping vegetables
• Measuring ingredients
• Reading and following a recipe
• Sauteing vegetables
• Setting a timer
• Using a can opener

Mama Said Knock You Out (Prep Ahead for Easy Dinners):

You can either freeze taco soup before cooking, or you can cook it first and then freeze to reheat later. (This works well with leftovers.) Either way, the flavors in the soup will remain the same. Taco soup can be stored in the freezer for 4-6 months.

If You Give a Kid a Cooking Challenge

This recipe is part of the three-part If You Give a Kid a Cooking Challenge recipe series. These recipes are designed to: 

• be easier to make
• have a minimal number of ingredients (minus pantry staples like oil and spices)
• be quick to prep 
• make enough for one person to have leftovers for a few days

If You Give a Kid a Cooking Pot: Easy Two Bean Chili

Over the next several weeks, we'll be bringing you recipes for beginning cooks designed to teach basic cooking skills. So be on the lookout for all the recipes in the series. Today's recipe is part of the Cooking Challenge series.

A package of chili seasoning is the secret to making this one pot meal simple enough to make for a weeknight dinner. With just 15 minutes of prep time, you'll get this quick and easy Two Bean Chili recipe on the table in no time. 

Serve this chili over pasta or with garnishes such as shredded cheese, fresh green onions, and sour cream.

Easy Two Bean Chili

1 lb lean ground beef

1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 cup white onion, chopped

2 15.5 oz cans Mixed Chili Beans (Kidney & Pinto), undrained

14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes, undrained

15 oz can tomato sauce

1/2 cup water

1 package original chili seasoning

1/2 tsp cumin

1. Chop bell pepper and onion and set aside.
2. In a large pot, brown the ground beef over medium high heat.
3. Add chopped bell pepper and onion. Cook for 3-5 minutes. Drain excess grease (if necessary).
4. Stir in the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover and turn heat down to low. Simmer for 20 minutes.

You Can Get with This or You Can Get with That (Recipe Substitutions):

• Reduce sodium by choosing a low-sodium chili seasoning.
• Substitute ground chicken or ground turkey for the ground beef.
• If Mixed Chili Beans are not available, use your favorite type of beans instead. They will not have spices incorporated into the sauce, so you may want to add more cumin to compensate.

This Is How We Do It (Kitchen Skills You'll Learn in This Recipe):

• Boiling vs. simmering
• Browning ground meat
• Chopping vegetables
• Measuring ingredients
• Reading and following a recipe
• Setting a timer

Mama Said Knock You Out (Prep Ahead for Easy Dinners):

If you have leftover chili you want to freeze, put the chili into individual airtight containers. It will keep well for up to three months.

When you are ready to serve, take the container out of the freezer and let it thaw. Reheat in the microwave.

If You Give a Kid a Cooking Challenge

This recipe is part of the three-part If You Give a Kid a Cooking Challenge recipe series. These recipes are designed to: 

• be easier to make
• have a minimal number of ingredients (minus pantry staples like oil and spices)
• be quick to prep 
• make enough for one person to have leftovers for a few days

If You Give a Kid a Crockpot: 15 Bean Soup

Over the next several weeks, we'll be bringing you recipes for beginning cooks designed to teach basic cooking skills. So be on the lookout for all the recipes in the series. Today's recipe is part of the Cooking Challenge series.

There’s nothing more cozy than a bowl of hearty soup, and this 15 Bean Soup fits the bill. Easy to make in your crock pot, this simple dump and go recipe makes the perfect meal for a chilly day. Make sure to save this recipe for later - it's sure to hit the spot!

Crockpot 15 Bean Soup

20 oz. bag 15 bean blend, sorted and rinsed, seasoning packet discarded

1 medium onion, diced

6 cloves garlic, minced

4 carrots, sliced into rounds (approx. 2 cups)

4 stalks celery, chopped (approx. 1 cup)

1 tsp cracked pepper coarsely ground

2 tsp dried thyme

2 bay leaves

1/4 cup soy sauce

6 cups vegetable broth

14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes

meat of choice (optional)

1. Wash the sorted dry beans. Place them into a pot and cover with 8 cups of water. Let them soak 8 hours or overnight. Drain and set aside.
2. Combine beans, onion, garlic, carrots, celery, black pepper, thyme, bay leaves, soy sauce, vegetable broth, and diced tomatoes in slow cooker. 
3. Mix well and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
4. Remove bay leaves from soup and discard. 
5. Serve soup with a side of bread or cornbread.

How to Quick Soak Beans

If you don’t have time to soak the beans in advance, you can rinse them, place them in a large pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil the beans uncovered for 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, cover, and then let the beans soak in the hot water for 1 hour. Drain the beans in a colander, rinse them under cold water, and proceed with steps 2-4 of the recipe.

You Can Get with This or You Can Get with That (Ingredient Substitutions):

As written, the 15 Bean Soup recipe is gluten free, vegetarian, and vegan, but this recipe is easy to change to suit your needs. If you don't want to make this as a vegetarian soup, you can add these types of meat to this recipe with the ingredients in step 2:

• 1 pound cooked and drained ground beef or turkey
• 1 pound cooked and drained sausage or kielbasa
• 2 cups cooked and diced ham 
• 2 cups cooked and shredded chicken or turkey

Since you only need a small amount of meat to add to the soup, this recipe is a good way to use up  leftover turkey or ham around holidays like Easter or Thanksgiving. If you're adding extra meat to the soup, you may want to add an extra 2 cups of broth.

This Is How We Do It (Kitchen Skills You'll Learn in This Recipe):

• Browning ground meat (optional)
• Chopping vegetables
• Measuring ingredients
• Reading and following a recipe
• Setting a timer
• Soaking beans
• Using a crockpot
• Washing and sorting dry beans

If You Give a Kid a Cooking Challenge

This recipe is part of the three-part If You Give a Kid a Cooking Challenge recipe series. These recipes are designed to: 

• be easier to make
• have a minimal number of ingredients (minus pantry staples like oil and spices)
• be quick to prep 
• make enough for one person to have leftovers for a few days

If You Give a Kid a Cooking Pot: One Pot Chicken and Dumplings

Over the next several weeks, we'll be bringing you recipes for beginning cooks designed to teach basic cooking skills. So be on the lookout for all the recipes in the series. Today's recipe is part of the Cooking Challenge series.

The ultimate comfort food, this Chicken and Dumplings recipe is easy to prep in 15 minutes or less! Fresh veggies and a few pantry shortcuts makes this Southern classic a doable meal for weeknight dinners. 

One Pot Chicken and Dumplings

3 tbsp olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

4 carrots, peeled and sliced

4 stalks celery, sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp pepper (or to taste)

32 oz chicken broth

2 10.5 oz cans cream of chicken soup

2 soup cans of water

2 cups shredded chicken

Flour

1 can of 8 Pillsbury Grands Biscuits

1. Heat olive oil in heavy stock pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft.
2. Add the chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, water, and shredded chicken. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer.
3. Flour a clean counter and roll out biscuits to desired thinness. Cut with a pizza cutter to
4. 1-inch squares. Repeat with each biscuit.
5. Drop biscuit pieces by handfuls into simmering soup pot, stirring after each addition.
6. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

You Can Get with This or You Can Get with That (Ingredient Substitutions):

2 cups of shredded chicken equals approximately:

• 2 chicken breasts cooked and shredded
• ½ rotisserie chicken, shredded
• 2 12.5 oz cans shredded cooked chicken, drained

You can substitute:

• 1 10.5 oz can of peas and carrots, drained or 1 bag of frozen peas and carrots for fresh, chopped carrots and celery
• 1 can of cream of celery soup for one of the cream of chicken soups

This Is How We Do It (Kitchen Skills You'll Learn in This Recipe):

• Boiling vs. simmering
• Chopping vegetables
• Measuring ingredients
• Reading and following a recipe
• Rolling dough
• Sauteing vegetables
• Setting a timer

Mama Said Knock You Out (Prep Ahead for Easy Dinners):

You can cook the chicken ahead of time for this recipe and assemble the rest of the recipe on a different day.

If cooking chicken breasts ahead of time, add them to a crockpot in a single layer. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours, checking at the earliest time. Use your meat thermometer to be sure the chicken has reached 165 degrees F. Let rest 10 minutes before transferring to a clean bowl or cutting board to shred. 

If you have more than the 2 cups of shredded chicken needed for this recipe after you're finished cooking it, it will last 3-4 days in the refrigerator and can be used in other recipes. If needed, you can let it cool, and then portion it out into freezer bags or reusable plastic containers to freeze for other recipes in the future. Make sure to label and date any food item that you freeze.

If You Give a Kid a Cooking Challenge

This recipe is part of the three-part If You Give a Kid a Cooking Challenge recipe series. These recipes are designed to: 

• be easier to make
• have a minimal number of ingredients (minus pantry staples like oil and spices)
• be quick to prep 
• make enough for one person to have leftovers for a few days

Old Fashioned Lima Beans and Ham

I am a fan of good old fashioned ham and beans.  It's a southern thing, and it just doesn't get much better.  So I cooked up a batch of these oversized limas with ham earlier this week, and they were PERFECTION.  Slow cooker meals are so easy, and there is just nothing better than a pot of beans on an early autumn evening.  

Old Fashioned Lima Beans and Ham

1 lb. dried lima beans- sorted, rinsed, and soaked

2-4 cups meaty ham hocks or leftover ham

2 onions, chopped

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp chili powder

Salt and pepper, to taste

4 cups chicken broth

Additional water

1. Place beans in your slow cooker.  
2. Add ham and onions.
3. Add broth and additional water needed to bring liquid 2 inches above beans. 
4. Stir in seasonings. 
5. Cook on high for 2 hours, then switch to low for an additional 4 hours, or until beans are tender.

Note: 

I followed this recipe exactly as it is written and it was hands down the best ham and beans I've ever tried.  Enjoy!  

How to Make Homemade Vegetable Broth

Vegetable broth (or vegetable stock) is a staple in vegetarian cooking, and it's so simple to whip up a big batch and freeze it to have on hand for all your upcoming recipes. And as an added bonus, when making your own, you can control all the ingredients, including any that you may be allergic to and/or any that you may want to limit (like additional sodium).

I have included a basic recipe below if you want to start today, as well as a Super Simple version that allows you to substitute leftover kitchen scraps you save from favorite recipes. 

Homemade Vegetable Broth

5-6 oz sliced mushrooms

4 Tbsp olive oil

4 cups chopped onion

2 cups chopped celery

3 cups chopped carrot or parsnips

1 cup chopped fennel bulb (optional)

Salt, to taste

2 large garlic cloves, smashed

2 Tbsp tomato paste

1 Tbsp fresh rosemary

2 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp black peppercorns

4 bay leaves (optional)

1/2 cup chopped parsley

approximately 4 quarts of water

1. Heat the olive oil over high heat in an 8 quart stockpot. Add the mushrooms and saute until they are lightly browned and have given off some of their moisture.
2. Add chopped onions, celery, carrots, and fennel (if using) and stir to coat. Sprinkle with salt. Cook over high heat for several minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook until the vegetables begin to brown. Considering there are so many vegetables with a high moisture content, it may take more heat and longer time to brown.
3. Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir to combine. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Add the rosemary, thyme, peppercorns, bay leaves (if using), parsley, and water. (Water should cover the vegetables and herbs.) Bring to a simmer and then drop the heat until you just get a bare simmer. The surface of the stock should just barely be bubbling. Cover and cook for 1 1/2 hours.
4. Using slotted spoon, remove all the big pieces of vegetables. Discard or compost. 
5. Set up a sieve over large bowl or pot. Line the sieve with a paper towel and pour the stock through it. When you have poured about half the stock through, stop and let what is in the sieve filter through. Then, change the paper towel and filter the rest of the stock in the same way.
6. To store, pour into quart-sized Mason jars and refrigerate for up to a week or freeze. If you freeze in glass jars, leave at least 1 1/2 inches of headroom so that the stock can expand without breaking the glass of the jars.

Super Simple Vegetable Broth

Every time you prepare a recipe, save your vegetable trimmings to store in a gallon-sized Ziploc bag in  the freezer until you collect enough to make this homemade vegetable broth from the saved scraps. 

Gallon-sized Ziploc bag of frozen vegetable scraps/end pieces and herbs

2 Tbsp salt (or to taste)

1 tsp whole peppercorns

2 bay leaves

4 garlic cloves, minced

approximately 4 quarts water 

1. Save the cut end pieces of vegetables and herbs in a gallon Ziploc bag in your freezer until the 

bag is full. Onions, carrots, and celery are the base of a good vegetable broth, but use these guidelines for which vegetables to save for your broth:

• Good vegetables to save include: onions (including papery skins), green onions, celery (including leaves), carrots, mushrooms, leeks, scallions, shallots, and zucchini. 
• Good herbs to save include parsley, thyme, rosemary, garlic (including papery skins).
• Do not save broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbage, turnips, rutabagas, collard greens, kohlrabi, and kale because they will make your broth bitter. 
• Do not save potatoes or sweet potatoes because they will cloud your broth.

2. Once the bag is full, add the frozen contents to an 8 quart stock pot and fill with water until the contents are covered by a few inches. You don't need to thaw the vegetables first.

• Add 2 tablespoons salt (or to taste), 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns, 2 bay leaves, and 4 cloves minced garlic (if you did not already save an abundance of garlic in your frozen vegetable bag).

3.  Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer the broth for 1 1/2 hours.

4.  Strain and store as described above in steps 4-6. 

Notes:

These recipes make about 5 quarts of vegetable broth.

You'll note that you remove all vegetables and herbs and then strain thoroughly before jarring and freezing. Because of this, there is no need to perfectly or finely chop any of the vegetables before you cook them. A rough chop just to get them to fit into the pot will do just fine.

Also, you'll note that the directions call for you to simmer. You'll want to make sure that you follow this closely. If you were to keep your broth at a rolling boil, much of it would evaporate during the cooking process!

Use either of these vegetable broths as the base for recipes, such as soups or risottos.

Some of Our Most Popular Recipes That Use Vegetable Broth

• Crockpot Broccoli Cheese Soup
• Roasted Tomato Soup
• Roasted Asparagus Risotto
• Tomato Risotto with Roasted Vegetables
• Crockpot Mexican Enchilada Orzo

Crockpot Vegan Chili

Spring is ALMOST here but we've still run into a few rough patches of cold and rainy days. And that has given me the opportunity to fire up the crockpot to make chili one more time until it gets cool again in the Fall.

And now that I'm thinking about it, even if it were to turn to full-Spring tomorrow (here's hoping), this is the perfect recipe to Pin now and revisit at the end of Summer when you've got all those garden fresh veggies piling up on you! It will certainly carry you straight into Fall and use up those veggies with ease.

This recipe is definitely a keeper!

Crockpot Vegan Chili

1 medium onion, minced

1 green bell pepper, minced

2 zucchini, minced

1 jalapeno, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 15 oz cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 15 oz can Northern beans, rinsed and drained

1 15 oz can corn, drained

1 4.5 oz can chopped green chiles

1 28 oz can pureed tomatoes

3 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp cumin

1/4 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1. Add all ingredients to crockpot.
2. Stir to incorporate.
3. Cook on low for 8 hours or overnight.

Notes:

Use a food processor to mince the fresh vegetables. They will cook down and provide a similar texture as regular chili.

Add more cayenne pepper if you prefer a spicier chili.

We chose to serve our vegan chili over pasta and topped with sour cream and shredded cheese (because we're not vegans and we like sour cream and shredded cheese.) However, the recipe as written without these additions is a vegan recipe, and you could easily swap those out for vegan cheese and sour cream if you're serving to vegan guests.

If you prefer a traditional chili, check out our Kicking Butt and Taking Names Chili recipe.

If you'd like to serve this up with some cornbread, check out these recipes:

Sweet Honey Cornbread

Cornbread Waffles

Cheesy Cowboy Cornbread

Enjoy!

Grandma's Old Fashioned Chicken Soup

Did you ever have a recipe that immediately takes you back to your childhood?  the good old days? For me this is that recipe.  It is comfort food at it's finest.  This recipe was created by our Grandma Elizabeth and Mama made it often when we were growing up.  Now it's still one of my favorites, and a seriously easy peasy recipe to pull off.  If you are hunkering down for this week's winter storm, here's the chicken soup that will do the trick.

Grandma's Old Fashioned Chicken Soup

3 or 4 chicken breasts

6 medium potatoes

2 medium onions

2 cans pork and beans

1 can white corn

3 cans tomato soup

1 tsp sugar (optional)

Salt and pepper. to taste

1. Boil chicken breasts until tender, reserve broth.
2. Shred chicken and set aside. 
3. Chop potatoes and onions and then boil in reserved chicken broth, cooking until tender.
4. Add chicken, pork and beans, tomato soup, and white corn, and simmer on low heat until thoroughly heated through.  
5. Season with salt, pepper, and sugar to taste.

Crockpot Broccoli Cheese Soup

THIS soup is a winner. Make sure you give it a try on a cold and blustery day like today. It doesn't disappoint. It's tasty and it takes almost no time to put together. Plus, it's a favorite for kids. (Cheese? Yes! Broccoli? Yes!) What's not to like?

Crockpot Broccoli Cheese Soup

4 Tbsp butter

5 Tbsp flour

3 cups half and half

3 cups vegetable broth

1/2 onion, diced

3-4 cups chopped broccoli florets 

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp Italian seasoning

2 oz cream cheese

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

extra shredded cheese for topping

1. In a large sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. 
2. When melted, stir in the flour until mixture begins to clump. 
3. Whisk in the half and half in very gradually until it all has been added and a thick white sauce forms.
4. Add onions, broccoli, garlic, Italian seasoning, and cream cheese to your crockpot. Add the white sauce and the vegetable broth. Stir to combine. 
5. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 4-6 hours.
6. Add the sharp cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper. Stir until the cheese melts into the soup. 
7. Serve warm topped with additional shredded cheese if desired.

This post contains affiliate links.

Crockpot Potato Leek Soup

Looking for a new crockpot recipe to try? Well, temperatures are dropping rapidly in these parts, so soup is on heavy rotation on the menu. This recipe was quick and easy to make and was quite tasty. Give it a try; it does not disappoint!

Crockpot Potato Leek Soup

3-4 leeks, sliced  - white and very light green part only (about 4 cups)

4 medium-sized baking potatoes, peeled and diced

6 cups vegetable broth

2 cups baby spinach, chopped

2/3 cup half-and-half

1 tsp salt (or to taste)

sour cream and sliced green onions for serving

1. Put the leeks and potatoes in the crockpot. 
2. Add vegetable broth (should cover the leeks and potatoes). 
3. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
4. One hour before soup is finished cooking, puree with an immersion blender. 
5. Add chopped spinach and continue cooking.
6. Before serving, add half and half and salt and mix thoroughly.
7. Serve with sour cream and sliced green onions.

FAQ:

"But I don't know what the heck a leek is! I've never cooked with one before!" It's very similar to a large green onion. It just gives a little oomph to the soup. Don't be intimidated. :-)

"But I don't like spinach!" Then, leave it out altogether, let the soup cook for a full 6 hours straight then after pureeing the soup, just skip directly from step 4 to step 6.

"Where's the bacon? I usually put that in my potato soup." I don't generally include directions for adding bacon in my vegetarian recipes, but you do whatever floats your boat. ;-)

Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup

We've recently had a few sickies in our midst. (Note: sickies are sick people and are QUITE different from sickos). Anyhoot, to make sure that they were up and at 'em as quickly as they could be, I broke down and made RBW's tried and true chicken noodle soup for them. (You see, RBW was one of the sick ones. Otherwise, I would have had him make it.)

Armed with some very large tongs in hand, I managed to wrangle the chicken into the crockpot just fine. The soup got rave reviews, and everyone is better now. I'd like to think the soup made a difference . . . 

Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup

2 1/2 to 3 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breast

4 cups water

4 cups chicken broth

1 tsp seasoned salt

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 small onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 Tbsp parsley flakes

1/2 tsp basil

1 bay leaf

8 oz egg noodles

1. Place all ingredients except noodles in crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours or high for 3.5 hours.
2. Remove chicken and bay leaf from pot. Dice chicken and return to pot.
3. During the last few minutes of cooking, cook noodles according to package directions until al dente (about 7 minutes) and add to soup.

Notes:

I did not have 2 stalks of celery on hand, so rather than using only carrots as the other main vegetable, I used a half bag of frozen mixed vegetables with the chopped onion.

Roasted Cauliflower and Cheddar Soup

I THINK my love of roasted vegetables has been well documented in these recipes: Garlic Roasted Asparagus, Garlic Roasted Green Beans, Roasted Pumpkin Puree, and Roasted Tomato Soup. 

BUT, just so that we're clear on the subject, I thought I would bring you Roasted Cauliflower and Cheddar Soup today. It's quick and easy (not to mention delicious)!

Roasted Cauliflower and Cheddar Soup

2 heads cauliflower

10 cloves garlic, minced

4 Tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, minced

1 tsp dried thyme

8 cups vegetable broth

1 cup milk

12 oz. sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded

salt and pepper to taste

parsley and croutons for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut cauliflower into bite-sized pieces and place on foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 Tbsp of olive oil. Cover in minced garlic.
2. Roast for 25 minutes until the cauliflower is golden in spots.
3. While the cauliflower roasts, heat the remaining olive oil and add the onion, cooking until the onion is translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add the thyme and cook for another minute.
4. Stir in the cooked cauliflower and broth. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
5. Carefully ladle batches of the soup into a food processor and puree until smooth. Stir the pureed soup back into the pot.
6. Add milk and cheese, stirring and cooking on low until cheese is melted.
7. Add salt and pepper to taste.
8. Garnish with Garlic Parmesan Croutons and parsley before serving.

Roasted Tomato Soup with Garlic Parmesan Croutons

I don't know about you, but as far as I'm concerned the 50 degree weather is proof that winter is here. ;-) And that means SOUP!

And I don't mean to brag or anything, but I happen to think that this recipe gives Panera's Tomato Soup a run for its money. It's that good.

It's a delicious soup with roasted tomatoes because if you haven't been paying attention, you know how I like to roast vegetables. Check out these posts to catch up if you're interested: Roasted Pumpkin Puree, Garlic Roasted Asparagus, and Garlic Roasted Green Beans. And in the meantime, here's today's installment of deliciousness:

Roasted Tomato Soup

3 pints (6 cups) cherry tomatoes

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 Tbsp butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, minced

1, 28 oz. can diced tomatoes

4 cups vegetable broth

1/2 tsp basil

1 cup whipping cream

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine cherry tomatoes, 2 Tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss ingredients to coat evenly. Spread on a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast tomatoes 35 minutes.
2. In a large pot, heat the butter and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes with their juice, vegetable broth, basil, and roasted tomatoes. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 40 minutes.
3. Using a food processor or hand held immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Return to the pot and stir in the cream. Without letting the soup boil, warm over medium heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Ladle soup into bowls and serve with Garlic Parmesan Croutons (recipe follows).

Garlic Parmesan Croutons

1 lb. French loaf, cubed

1/2 cup olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. Parmesan

salt and pepper

1. Heat oven to 275 degrees.
2. Puree garlic, Parmesan, and olive oil in a food processor.
3. Place the bread cubes in a mixing bowl and toss by hand with the mixture and a few generous pinches of salt and pepper.
4. Toss the bread cubes well with one hand and continue adding the mixture so that each cube is coated evenly. Be careful not to oversaturate the bread cubes.
5. Place the bread cubes on a baking sheet in a single layer.
6. Cook for 20 minutes, then turn with a spatula and return to the oven. Repeat after another 20 minutes. Continue to cook another 20 minutes. Croutons will be crispy and golden brown when finished.

And that's all there is to it! Both of these really are easy recipes, and they are delicious together. Perfect for warming you up on a chilly day!

Note: 

If your kids are not too keen on schmancy homemade croutons, they'll LOVE this soup with Goldfish crackers, I promise.

This post contains affiliate links.

Zucchini Hummus Soup

It's raining, and if you were to ask me (what with my expert meteorology opinions), I would wager that it is hovering near 1 degree outside (give or take). So, you get a soup recipe today.

Zucchini Hummus Soup

1 Tbsp olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, minced

3 small zucchini, minced

4, 14.5 oz. cans vegetable broth

1/2 tsp dried oregano

16 oz. hummus

salt to taste

pepper to taste

lemon juice to taste

8 oz. pasta

shredded Parmesan

1. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onion, and cook for two minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Add zucchini and cover. Cook for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the vegetable broth and oregano and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer for about 20 minutes.
4. Remove pot from heat, and puree soup mixture using an immersion blender.
5. After zucchini mixture is pureed, use the blender to mix in the hummus.
6. Return pot to the stove and gently heat over medium-low heat.
7. Add salt, pepper, and lemon juice as desired.
8. Add pasta and cook for 10 minutes.
9. Garnish with Parmesan before serving.

Notes:

If you are like me, you are overrun with zucchini in the summertime. This is the perfect way to use up the last bits o' shredded, frozen zucchini that you hoarded in your freezer last summer before this summer's garden abundance comes in. What? You don't shred and freeze your zucchini in one cup increments for use in recipes throughout the year? Well, you should.

This is also a good way to use up all of the hummus that you are compelled to buy when it goes on sale for buy one get one free. I'm the only one who does that? Darn.

Black Bean & Salsa Soup

With the recent cold snap and "winter weather event" that has blown through, a nice tasty soup is in order. This one is perfect because it only has a few ingredients and they are ones you likely already have on hand. And bonus! If you wanted to try the Crock Pot Black Bean Soup, but just weren't up for the extended time frame associated with crock pottery-ism, this recipe is for you!

Black Bean and Salsa Soup

1 medium onion, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp olive oil

3 15 oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups vegetable broth

1 1/2 cups salsa

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

sour cream

chopped green onions

1. In a stock pot, saute minced onion and garlic in olive oil.
2. In a blender or food processor, combine two cans of beans, broth, salsa, and cumin. Blend until smooth.
3. Add the bean mixture and third can of beans to the stock pot and heat over medium heat for approximately 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
4. Ladle soup into individual bowls and top each bowl with a dollop of sour cream. Sprinkle with green onions. Serve with your favorite bread.

Notes: 

This recipe is perfect to use up partial jars of salsa that hibernate in your refrigerator. I don't know about you, but I prefer chunky salsa, and my husband prefers runny salsa (I believe this is called "restaurant style"). Anyhootle, this means that we are usually stuck with two half-empty jars at any given time because one person can only eat so much salsa.

Also, I am not adverse to substituting the beans in this recipe. You will note that there are a few lighter colored beans in the photo above. That is because I substituted one can of black-eyed peas. With all of the spices and salsa in the recipe, you can't even taste the difference.

Spinach Mushroom Tortellini Soup

This recipe is super simple and now that the temperature has (finally) dipped into winter territory, this soup is sure to warm your bones!

Spinach Mushroom Tortellini Soup

1 envelope white sauce mix

4 cups water

1 14 oz. can vegetable broth

12 oz mushrooms, minced

1 small onion, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 7-8 oz. package dried cheese tortellini

1 12 oz. can evaporated milk

6 cups fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped

ground black pepper to taste

shredded Parmesan cheese to taste

1. Place dry white sauce mix in a 3 1/2 to 4 quart crock pot. Gradually add the water to the white sauce mix and stir until smooth. Stir in broth, mushrooms, onion, garlic, basil, oregano, and cayenne pepper.
2. Cover and cook on low heat for 5 to 6 hours or on high heat for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
3. Stir in dried tortellini, evaporated milk, and fresh spinach. Cover and cook on low heat for 30 minutes to 1 hour (check firmness of pasta at 30 minute mark to make sure it is not overdone).
4. Sprinkle individual servings with black pepper and Parmesan cheese.

Kicking Butt and Taking Names Chili

While I cannot personally endorse this recipe because I am a vegetarian, my husband was quite impressed with himself when he tasted it for the first time. He says that this chili recipe is a "sustained heat" rather than spicy chili recipes he's tried in the past that merely offer a pop of heat here and there. So, get your mind right if you want to give this one a go (and don't say I didn't warn you):

Kicking Butt and Taking Names Chili

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, minced

21 hot peppers of your choice*, chopped coarsely

1 lb. bacon

2 lb. lean ground beef

28 oz. crushed tomatoes

14.5 oz. diced tomatoes

10 oz. Rotel Hot

6 oz. tomato paste

1 tsp. red curry paste

3 Tbsp. chili powder

1 Tbsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning

1/2 Tbsp. cinnamon

1 Tbsp. Tabasco sauce

16 oz. black beans, drained and rinsed

16 oz. navy beans, drained and rinsed

16 oz. kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1. Cook bacon in a large chili pot to desired crispness, remove from pot, and crumble. Set aside.
2. Drain some of the bacon drippings, leaving enough to saute vegetables. Saute onion, garlic, and hot peppers over medium high heat until vegetables are tender.
3. Add beef and continue to cook until beef has browned.
4. Add crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, Rotel, tomato paste, red curry paste, chili powder, crushed red pepper flakes, Cajun seasoning, cinnamon, and Tabasco sauce. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
5. Add beans and crumbled bacon and continue simmering for another 30 minutes.

*Note: we used hot banana peppers because that's what we had on hand.

Crockpot Black Bean Soup

This slow cooker soup is delicious and easy to make. Considering the dip in temperatures we've had for the last couple of days, soup weather is definitely upon us! Pair this with an easy to make peasant  bread (or considering I'm from the South, I'm also inclined to say cornbread), and you have yourself a hearty meal.

Crock Pot Black Bean Soup

1 lb. dry black beans, separated and rinsed

6 cups boiling water

1 carrot, minced

1 stalk celery, minced

1 large red onion, minced

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 green peppers, minced

2 jalapeno peppers, deseeded and minced

1/4 cup lentils, separated and rinsed

1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes

2 Tbsp. chili powder

2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup uncooked white rice

Sour cream for garnish

Shredded cheese for garnish
Green onions for garnish

1. In a large pot over high heat, place the black beans in three times their volume of water. Bring to a boil and let boil 10 minutes. Cover, remove from heat, and let stand 1 hour. Drain and rinse.
2. In a crock pot, combine soaked black beans and 6 cups water. Cook for 3 hours on high. Stir in carrots, celery, onion, garlic, bell pepper, jalapeno, lentils, canned tomatoes, and rice. Season with chili powder, cumin, oregano, black pepper, red wine vinegar, and salt. Cook on high for 3 hours.
3. Taste to make sure vegetables and rice are cooked thoroughly and are seasoned to taste. Puree the soup as desired with an immersion blender or by transferring 1/2 of the soup to a blender or food processor and then pouring back into the pot before serving. 
4. Serve with sour cream and shredded cheese.

Notes

This recipe takes 6-7 hours cook time total, prep all other ingredients while the beans soak in step 1.

Also, if you want to eat this for dinner, start this right after breakfast. (Keep in mind that if you've had a bag of beans sitting in your pantry for a while, they might take even longer to cook, so it's always best to leave yourself a little wiggle room with the timing of a dry bean recipe.)

For those of you unfamiliar with cooking with dried beans, please do not dump the opened pack directly into the pot! Sort through the beans a handful at a time and remove any discolored or misshapen beans (or anything that looks suspiciously like rocks). Place them in a colander and rinse them before placing in a pot and cooking.

When chopping this many vegetables for a recipe, a Cuisinart food processor is your best friend. Especially if you are going for a fine chop for a soup or a salsa. Since all of them will be mixed together, you don't even need to rinse the bowl or blades between mincing. Save time and save yourself from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome!

I don't know about you, but I don't think you can purchase just one stalk of celery. But, there are countless recipes that call for just the one. My method is to just wash and chop the entire bunch at once. I find that if you put the rest of the bunch back in your fridge unchopped, you are likely to end up with wilted celery on your hands (even if you wrap it in foil) because there just aren't that many recipes that call for celery. If you chop it into snack-size sticks, however, you can foist it off on your kids or snack on it yourself!

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