Beef Barley Crockpot

Beef Barley Crockpot

2 lbs beef chuck cut into chunks

1/2 lbs carrots diced

3 celery diced

1/2 large yellow onion chopped

2 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 bay leaf

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

3/4 cup pearled barley

7 cups beef broth

I bag of small potatoes 24 oz cut in half if large

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  Add everything but the potatoes to the crock pot and cook on high for 4 hours

  The last 45 minutes add potatoes.

  If broth too thin add 1 TBLS corn starch to 1 TBLS cold water the last 30 mins of cooking.

  I did not thicken my broth the last 2 times I made it. It was fine.

  
  

Chicken Poblano Soup

Chicken Poblano Soup

2 large poblano peppers

1 Tbls butter

1/8 c diced onion

1 garlic clove minced

1/2 tsp ground cumin

salt and pepper to taste

3/4 lbs chopped chicken breast raw

2 cups chicken broth

1/2 can black beans drained and rinsed

4 oz cream cheese

6 oz pepper jack cheese shredded

Char poblano peppers over a gas stove or under broiler, blacked. Put in a plastic bag for them to steam. 

remove and cut out seeds and scrape off char, dice small dice. 

In a small pot melt butter and cook onions until soft

add in garlic, cook 30 seconds

add chopped poblano peppers, cumin and salt and pepper to taste, cook a few minutes

add broth bring to a boil, reduce temp and add chicken and black beans, cook around 5-10 minutes

take off heat and add cheese and cream cheese whisk until blended

check for seasoning: add more salt and pepper if needed.

This makes a small batch, if you need more just double the recipe then you can use a whole can of beens. 

Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

This recipe is from Allrecipes. makes a large sheet pan for the holidays. and it is so good

Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

4 large eggs

2 c white sugar

1 c oil

1 (15 oz) pumpkin puree

2 c flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 salt

FROSTING

2 sticks of unsalted butter soft

8 oz cream cheese soft

4 c powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a sheet pan, then line it with parchment paper and grease the paper.

Beat eggs in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer until foamy. Add sugar, vegetable oil, and pumpkin purée; beat on medium speed until incorporated, about 2 minutes.

Mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt together in a separate bowl. Beat flour mixture into egg mixture on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute. Pour batter into the prepared pan and spread out the edges.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

While the cake layer is cooling, make the frosting: Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in a bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually mix in confectioners' sugar until smooth.

Spread frosting evenly over cooled cake layer, then sprinkle with cinnamon.

Chili with Chipotle

 

CHILI WITH CHIPOTLE

2 lbs ground hamburger

1 yellow onion diced

1 green bell pepper diced

1 red bell pepper diced

4 cloves garlic minced

2 Tbls chili powder

1 Tbls smoked paprika

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp dried chipotle pepper powder (mild) add more for hotter next time I will do 2 tsp

3 tbls tomato paste

2 diced roma tomatoes (I used 2 large tomatoes diced, seeds removed)

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp brown sugar

4 c beef broth

2 cans beans drained and rinsed

brown hamburger until brown and crisp in spots

drain and add onion, peppers and salt and pepper cook for 10-15 minutes

add garlic and spices

cook 2-3 minutes

add tomatoes paste cook 2-3 minutes

add tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and beef broth and beans

simmer for 1 hour until blended

add cheddar cheese, onions and Sour cream on top

make cornbread to eat with it.

 

Lentil and Sausage Soup

 

16 oz Italian sausage uncooked

2 large carrots, minced (I used food processor to carrots and celery to mince)

4 celery stocks, minced

4 tsp tomato paste

1 carton kettle and fire mushroom chicken broth 16.9 oz 

1 can 14 oz fire roasted diced tomatoes or crushed ( I blended the diced with an emersion blender)

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt and pepper

1/2 c pearl couscous uncooked (see note below) 

1/2 c brown lentils uncooked (see note below)You might not use all the lentils add a little at a time to the soup.

Fry Italian sausage in pot until cooked and remove from pan leaving in drippings

add carrots and celery to sausage drippings and cook for 5 mins until soft

add in tomato paste cook 1 minute

add in fire roasted tomatoes, mushroom broth, cooked pearl couscous, cooked lentils, garlic powder, salt and pepper

simmer low for 15 minutes, until blended

Pearl couscous: follow instructions on package. or I used my medium deep anyway cookware. added 1/2 c pearl couscous with 3/4 c water, drizzle of oil and salt. microwave 3 mins, stir, microwave 3 more minutes. this will be aldente. 

Brown lentils: follow instructions on package if uncooked. or I put 2 cups water with 1/2 c lentils, 1 bay leaf in pot, bring up to a boil, simmer place lid on for 20 mins until cooked. 

PRINTABLE RECIPE

MAKES 4 SOUPER CUBES TO FREEZE FOR FOOD PREP

Easy Crockpot Italian Wedding Soup

 This is mostly a dump and go crockpot soup. I modified it from freezer family meals. 

Easy Crockpot Italian Wedding Soup

1 bag (20 oz) frozen grass fed meatballs (target brand good and gather)

1 yellow onion diced or 1 cup frozen diced onions

1 bag (12 oz) frozen crinkle cut carrots (target good and gather)

1 block (10 oz) frozen spinach

1 TBLS Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp Watkins brand steak seasoning or Montreal steak seasoning

6 cups water (or do chicken broth and skip bouillon)

6 tsp chicken bouillon clean Monday meals brand (or just do 6 c chicken broth) 

salt as needed if you don't use bouillon 

1/4 cup uncooked arcini tiny pasta (don't put in until last 30 mins of cooking)

Dump in all the frozen ingredients into a 4 Qt crockpot except the pasta.

set on high for maybe 3-4 hrs until onions and carrots soften

last 30 minutes decrease temperature to low and add pasta

Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. 

(I didn't need to add any more salt with my bouillon and steak seasoning had salt and pepper in it.) 

PRINTABLE RECIPE

SIMPLIFIED RECIPE

Easy Crockpot Italian Wedding Soup

1 bag (20 oz) frozen meatballs

1 cup frozen diced onions

12 oz frozen carrots 

10 oz frozen spinach

1 TBLS Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp Montreal steak seasoning

6 cups chicken broth 

1/2 tsp salt as needed 

1/4 cup uncooked arcini tiny pasta (don't put in until last 30 mins of cooking)

Dump in all the frozen ingredients into a 4 Qt crockpot except the pasta.

set on high for maybe 3-4 hrs until onions and carrots soften

last 30 minutes decrease temperature to low and add pasta

Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.