Cheeseburger Soup

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
• 1-3/4 cups milk
• 1 cup frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
• 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies
• 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
• 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• Coarsely crushed corn chips, shredded Monterey Jack cheese and chopped green onions, optional

Directions:
In a large saucepan, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the soup, milk, potatoes, chilies, taco seasoning, onion and chili powder until blended. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until heated through. Garnish with corn chips, cheese and green onions if desired. Yield: 4 servings.

(recipe and photo from tasteofhome.com)

Pot of Pinto Beans

Pinto beans recipe, Mexican-style, for the slow cooker or crockpot.

Ingredients:

• 1 small bag of dry pinto beans (1 pound)
• bacon
• onion
• cilantro
• small jar of salsa, or to taste

Preparation:

Rinse bag of beans and soak overnight. Next day put in crockpot or slow cooker covered with water, almost to the top; cover and cook on LOW heat 5 to 7 hours, until beans are tender. After about 5 hours, when beans are tender, fry up desired amount of bacon, onion and cilantro until bacon is cooked through and onion is clear; drain well. Add to beans, along with some of the drippings from bacon.(Before I add this to the beans, I scoop some of the water out of the beans.) Add salsa to taste. Cover and cook about 1 to 2 more hours.

In the last hour, I added salt, a bit of cayenne, a bit of black pepper and some garlic salt to taste...They were a hit at our house!

Served over rice, topped with sour cream, lime flavored tortilla chips, and cheese.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Loaded Baked Potato Soup
From: The Sisters' Cafe

12 oz Applewood smoked bacon

4 stalks celery finely diced

2 large carrots, peeled, finely diced

1 jalapeno, seeded, membrane removed and finely chopped

1 large onion, finely chopped

½ Cup red bell pepper, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup thinly sliced ham or Canadian bacon (or mini cubed ham)

32 oz chicken broth (or water & bouillon)

6 oz half and half (can use whole milk)

10 med/lg. potatoes, baked, peeled and mashed

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

½ Cup milk

4 oz sour cream

1 ½ Cups shredded cheddar cheese

Garnish

½ Cup sour cream

1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 Cup thinly sliced green onion (green part)

1. Heat large dutch oven over medium heat. Cut bacon into pieces and cook until browned and crisp. Transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Discard bacon grease, reserving 2 Tablespoons to sauté veggis. Saute celery, carrots, jalapeno, onion and bell pepper in bacon grease for 10 minutes, stirring often until softened. Stir in garlic and ham; cook for 3 more minutes. Stir in chicken broth and half and half.

2. Place mashed potatoes in a stand or electric mixer. Mix on medium speed adding salt, pepper and milk. Stir mashed potatoes into soup until combined. Heat for 10 minutes.

3. Stir in sour cream and cheese until smooth. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Simmer on low until ready to serve. Top with sour cream, bacon, cheese and green onion.

chicken tortilla soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:
4 uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2- 15oz cans black beans
2- 15 oz cans of petite diced tomatoes
1 cup salsa
1- 4 oz. can of green chilies, undrained
1- 14 1/2 oz. can of tomato sauce
1 large can of black olives, chopped
1 can of corn, drained
chopped onion, to taste (I do a whole medium sized one)
1-2 cloves garlic--to taste
handful fresh cilantro
2-3 tbsp. chili powder (however much you want to add)
2-3 tsp. tumeric
1-2 tsp. cumin
1/4 cup brown sugar or Splenda brown sugar mix--this cuts the acidic nature of the tomatoes which I don't care for.

Toppings:
Tortilla chips (The best are the Lime Tortilla chips)
Avocado
Sour Cream
Shredded Cheese
Chopped green onion

Directions:
Combine all ingredients, except toppings, in large slow cooker
Cover and cook on low 8 hours
Just before serving, remove chicken and chop into bite sized pieces. Stir back into soup.

Pizza Soup

** 16 oz. petite diced tomatoes
** 16 oz. beef consomme
** 1 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
** 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
** 1 small onion, diced
** 50 slices Reduced Fat Pepperoni
** 2 tsp. oregano
** 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
** grated Reduced Fat cheddar cheese
** grated mozzarella cheese

Add all ingredients except cheeses to crockpot.
Cook on medium for 8 hours.
Spoon into bowl, and sprinkle cheese on top.

Servings: 8
Calories: 137.1
Fat Grams: 4.4
Fiber: 2.2
Weight Watcher points: 2

Note: I will add some black or red beans to this which will change the nutrition numbers a bit--will definitely raise the fiber number.