Oven Baked Stew

I had been wanting to make beef stew for awhile now! I know, it's like practically summer where I am right now, but I have just been craving some major comfort food lately, and well, Beef Stew fell right into that category for me.  You'll come to realize with me that when it comes to food, Well, there really are no rules.

Like for example, I could eat pumpkin crumble any time of the year! It doesn't have to be Fall time for me to break out pumpkin desserts.  And as far as soup goes, well, I like a good soup now and again even if it is in the middle of the summer.

So when I came across this recipe over @ The Girl Who Ate Everything I knew at once that my craving was going to be fulfilled. And fulfilled fast too, cause boy, was this recipe a cinch to throw together!

GIFT CARD WINNER ANNOUNCED HERE!

Recipe:

1 (1oz) pkg of Dry Onion Soup Mix (I use the Lipton brand)

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Paprika

1 pound of lean Beef Stew Meat (cut into bite sized pieces)

1 can Cream of Celery Soup

1/2 cup Ketchup

2 medium sized potatoes (peeled and diced into bite sized pieces)

3 large carrots (peeled and diced)

1/2 of an onion (diced)

In a large bag, combine the seasonings and stew meat and shake until all the meat is well seasoned.  Place into a lighlty greased casserole dish and top with the sliced potato, carrots, and onion. Next mix together the ketchup and soup and pour over the top of the stew.  

Cover the casserole dish with a lid if it comes with one (if not, then just cover with foil) and bake @ *325 for 2 hours.  Serve with warm bread or a roll for dipping! 

(recipe source: The Girl Who Ate Everything)

Ham and Cheese Soup

Ham-A-Rama Recipe #2!

This recipe is one that we usually only have once a year, and thats at Halloween when my mother-in-law makes all of her amazingly yummy soups!  I remember the first time I had this soup, I couldn't stop thinking about how yummy it was and when we would get to eat it again.  That's when I decided I HAD to have this recipe so I could make this soup in times as special as Ham-A-Rama week! He he :)!  So my sweet mother-in-law was kind enough to share her recipe with me so I am going to be extra kind and share it with all of you!  

Recipe:

2 cups Potato (peeled and grated)

1 cup Carrot (peeled and grated small)

1/2 of an Onion (minced)

1/2 cup Celery (diced in to small pieces)

3 (14 oz) cans Chicken Broth

1/2 cup Water

2-3 cups of Ham (chopped into small pieces)
1/4 cup Butter (melted)
1/2 cup flour

1 quart Half & Half

1 pound of Velveeta Cheese (cut into small cubes)

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large pot, bring the broth, water, potato, carrot, celery, onion, and ham to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 30 minutes.  

After 30 minutes, whisk together the melted butter and flour and add it into the soup mixture. Next, stir in the half & half, salt and pepper, and the cubed velveeta cheese and stir over low heat till the cheese is melted and well incorporated. Serve in either a bread bowl or with rolls for dipping.

*Note: if you haven't already noticed from the list of ingredients, this recipe is super rich and now I know why we only have it once a year at Halloween.  I hope you enjoy!

(recipe source: My dear mother-in-law Teresa)

White Chili

 

So I know this is the second soup recipe I have posted this week, but with my husband being sick and all  and the weather nearly freezing temperatures outside, I felt it was only necessary. Serve this soup with bread for dipping and you've got yourself some good ole comfort food.

Recipe:
1 lb. Chicken Breasts (shredded)
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 small white onion (diced)
6-8 garlic cloves (minced)
1 (7oz) can diced green chilis (drained)
2 (15oz) cans white beans (undrained)
4 cups Chicken Broth
1 chicken bouillon cube
2 tsp. ground Cumin
2 tsp. dried Oregano
1 cup Sour Cream
3 cups Monterey jack Cheese (shredded)

For topping (optional):
Chopped Cilantro
fresh Tomato (chopped)
Tortilla chips

Cook chicken by desired Method. (For this recipe I boil 3 Frozen Chicken Breasts for 25-30 minutes) When chicken is done cooking. Shred and set aside. Next, dice up the onion and mince the garlic cloves.  Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic to oil and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Now add to the pot, the chicken, broth, beans, chilis, seasonings, and bouillon cube. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Lastly, add in the sour cream and shredded cheese. Stir till well combined. Keep warm till ready to be served.
(Recipe source: Food nanny)

My Mom's "Miracle" Chicken Noodle Soup

So this soup gets it's name for many reasons. Not just because it is so yummy, but because, well, it helps heal people when they are sick. I know that may sound weird, but it is so true! Anytime any of us ever had the flu growing up, my mom would make this soup, and no joke, within hours we would start feeling better. We had a very dear neighbor who passed away a few years ago due to pancreatic cancer, that my mom would make this soup for her every time she would have her Chemotherapy treatments, and it was usually one of the only things she could eat that she could hold down, and make her feel better for the time being.  I made this soup last night for my husband because he was feeling like he was coming down with the flu, and even he said it made him feel a lot better (and that's saying something when my husband says it made him feel better, he usually likes to take advantage of the whole "I'm not feeling well" so he can get extra treatment :) I love you Lew) Anyways, I thought this would be a good recipe to post with flu season and this lovely weather we are experincing right now.  Hope this recipe gives you some miracle healing powers like it has in our families! Enjoy!

Recipe:
3-4 Chicken Breasts
6-8 cups water
1 small onion (diced)
2 large carrots (diced)
2 stalks celery (diced, I didn't use it this time cause I had none on hand and it was still delicious)
2-3 garlic cloves minced
7-8 Chicken Bouillon cubes (If you don't have bouillon, than replace the water and cubes with 6-8 cups chicken broth)
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 potatoes (diced, optional. I actually don't use potatoes if i am putting noodles in it. I feel like it gets to heavy)
1 package "Fideo" noodles (found in the mexican isle in your local grocery store. They look like skinny spaghetti noodles that have been chopped into tiny little pieces)

Bring the water and Bouillon cubes to a boil over medium heat in a large cooking pot. Toss in remaining ingredients and simmer 35-45 minutes. I cook the noodles as directed on package, and I actually just place a couple of spoonfuls in each bowl of soup instead of throwing them into the whole pot because they will get soggy.  You can serve with crushed crackers on top or a nice roll for dipping.

Tortelinni Soup

This soup is a definite crowd pleaser. Well, at least in my house it is! My husband requests this soup on a very frequent basis and I wouldn't be surprised if he asked for some on a hot summer day. (and I'm not gonna lie I would probably make it on a hot summer day cause it's that good!)

Recipe:
1 lb. sausage (we use jimmy deans hot sausage cause we like things a bit spicy in our house)
1 small onion diced
2 cloves minced garlic
5 cups beef broth
1 cup water
2 15oz cans diced tomatos (do not drain)
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
8 oz. tomato sauce
3-4 cups frozen tortelinni
1 green pepper diced
1 zucchini diced
salt and pepper to taste
3 Tbsp. parsley

Brown sausage in pan. Remove meat and drain any excess fat. Saute onion and garlic for a few minutes in the same pan you cooked the sausage in. Now, transferring to a large stock pot, add the garlic, onion, meat, broth, water, basil, oregano, tomato sauce, diced tomato's, green pepper, and zucchini and bring to a boil. Then turn the heat down to low and simmer for 25-30 min.  Lastly, add the tortelinni and let simmer for another 15-20 more minutes. Serve with bread for dipping. (Recipe adapted from an old co-worker)