Creamy Italian Sausage and Bean Soup

We love soup at our house. I mean, really, what's not to love about a belly-warming bowl of goodness, especially on a frosty night like tonight? Soup has all the simplicity and versatility of a casserole without turning up any noses by its name. Even though I love my old standbys--taco soup, lasagna soup, baked potato soup, broccoli cheese soup, and white chili--I'm always on the lookout for a new favorite. Made in one pot, in under 30 minutes, and chock full of delectable flavor (plus a healthy serving of vegetables), this soup is definitely going at the top of my list.

There is one thing a little, well, strange about this recipe. It calls for an undrained can of beans.

I know, I know--I freaked out a little bit, too. I've never used a can of beans without draining it! What even is that cloudy goop I normally drain and rinse away? The first time I made this recipe, I reread it at least three times to make sure I understood correctly, and then I crossed my fingers and prayed I wasn't ruining the whole batch when I dumped in the can, goop and all. But it came out great!

Turns out, that goop is just salt, water, and the starch generated by the beans themselves, so it's actually quite useful for thickening and flavoring. Who knew? Well, now we both do, and I'm sure I'll be experimenting with bean goop more often from now on.

BTW, this soup was extra yummy served with some Ritz crackers crumbled on top.

Creamy Italian Sausage and Bean Soup

Prep time: 10 min Cook time: 15 min

Serves 5

1 lb ground Italian sausage

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup onion, diced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

2 celery stalks, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup flour

1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk

1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth

1 (15.5 oz) can undrained cannellini beans

Salt and pepper, to taste

In a stockpot, cook sausage. Drain and set aside.

Melt butter in the stockpot. Add onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Season lightly with salt and pepper then cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent.

Stir in flour.

Slowly add the evaporated milk and chicken broth while stirring constantly. Once the mixture comes to a complete boil, add sausage and beans.

Heat through, and season with salt and pepper.

526 calories per serving. Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Chili Mac

• I love a good bowl of chili, and I love a good bowl of mac and cheese. When you put them together, you get something totally different but just as good! This simple-but-delicious one-pot dish calls for ingredients I always have on hand, is ready in less than half an hour, and makes a full meal all by itself. Sure, you could serve a salad on the side, but I prefer a second helping of this instead! You could easily sneak in some green peppers or zucchini if you really want some extra veggies.
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• Chili Mac
• Cook time: 20 min
• Serves 6
• 
  
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes (I used Italian seasoned)
• 1 (14.5-oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
• 4 tsp chili powder (or to taste)
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 8 ounces elbow pasta
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (plus more for topping, if desired)
• 
  
• Season ground beef and onion with salt and pepper. Cook in large pot until beef is browned, about 3-5 minutes. Add in garlic and cook 1 minute more. Drain off excess fat.
• 
  
• Stir in chicken broth, tomatoes, beans, tomato sauce, chili powder and cumin. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and stir in pasta. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until pasta is cooked through, about 13-15 minutes. Add a little water if mixture gets too dry.
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• Stir in cheese until melted. Sprinkle each serving with additional cheese, if desired.

554 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Cheeseburger Soup

Everybody in my family loves a hot, hearty soup to warm them up on a cold winter day. Whodathunk it would be 75 degrees on December 27th? No worries, with the A/C on it was nice and chilly inside and the soup went down just fine.

This has all the yummy flavors of a cheeseburger, with a few veggies thrown in for good measure.  I served it with some fresh baked rolls and everybody went back for seconds.  Next time I'll serve it with pickle spears on the side!

Cheeseburger Soup

Prep time: 10 min  Cook time: 30 min
Serves 8

1 lb ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup diced celery
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried parsley flakes
4 Tbs butter, divided
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups diced peeled potatoes
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup flour
8 oz Velveeta cheese, cubed
1-1/2 cups milk
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup sour cream

In a 3-qt. saucepan, brown beef; drain and set aside. In the same saucepan, saute the onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1 tablespoon butter until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the broth, potatoes, tomatoes and beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt remaining butter. Add flour; cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly. Add to soup; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in the cheese, milk, salt and pepper; cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from the heat; blend in sour cream.

432 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Stuffed Pepper Soup

I felt the need to don a chunky sweater and closed-toe shoes for the first time since last winter today, so I guess fall has officially, well, fallen. I'm not too excited about having to trade my shorts and tees for heavy jeans and sweaters, but I am definitely ready for some hearty fall food! All my friends are doing this extreme diet challenge and I'm over here like: need more carbs!  Carbs are my favorite. Next to cheese. And chocolate. Wait, I think that's a carb, too. But I digress.

This recipe isn't exactly health food, but it's got all the major food groups so it can't be that bad. I suppose if you wanted to lighten it up a little you could swap the beef for ground turkey and leave off the cheese. I might try the ground turkey next time, but you'll have to pry my cheddar from my cold, dead hands.

If you like stuffed peppers, this tastes exactly the same, just in belly-warming soup form, and although it's not really any quicker, it is a little easier and it makes a ton so you can feed an average size family a couple times or invite over all your friends and tempt them off their diets.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Prep time:5 min  Cook time:45 min
Serves 10

2 pounds ground beef
2 quarts water
1 can (28 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
2 cups uncooked long grain rice
3 chopped green peppers
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp beef bouillon granules
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
2 cups shredded cheddar

In a Dutch oven, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in all remaining ingredients except for the cheese; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until peppers are tender.  Sprinkle with cheese before serving.

430 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Creamy White Chili

I am a summer girl. I like warm weather, shorts and flip flops, lying on the beach, and cold, fresh dinners that don't heat up the oven. Everybody else is all like, "Oohh, fall is so wonderful!" and I'm just like, "No, don't leave me, Summer!"

Fortunately, I live in the south, so even though it's mid-October it's still a lovely 82 degrees and sunny outside. Unfortunately, the fresh fruits and veggies that made such bright, crisp summer suppers are no longer in such ready supply, and my Pinterest feed is full of soups and roasts and crusty baked breads that almost make me wish it was cool enough to turn on the fireplace.

I started out slowly, with some frozen chili I microwaved and scooped onto cheese fries. Pretty darn tasty and it reminded me of summer food, something you'd get at the fair or a ballgame. Surely I wasn't inviting in winter with an innocent plate of chili cheese fries?

But then the clouds rolled in and it began to drizzle and the temps dropped by ten degrees. So I gave in and dove headfirst into fall cuisine with a hot, bubbly pot of deliciousness--my favorite creamy white chili.  Maybe I'll turn up the air conditioner tomorrow so I can have another bowl.

Creamy White Chili
Prep time: 10 minutes  Cook time: 30 min
Serves 6
 
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1-1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbs canola oil
2 cans (15-1/2 oz each) great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14-1/2 oz) chicken broth
2 cans (4 oz each) chopped green chilies
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

In a large soup pot, saute the chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add the beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and cream.  Sprinkle with cilantro before serving.

435 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Better-than-Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup

I know this might alienate me from half my readership, but I have to admit that I do not like Panera.  Gasp!  I know, I know, everybody loves Panera, but I find it annoyingly pretentious and irritatingly complicated for what I consider an overpriced Subway.  All those suburban housewives in riding boots and silk scarves eating grilled fontina cheese sandwiches on toasted focaccia with a harvest wheatberry salad on the side- gag me with with a spoon!  If I have to eat at Panera, I skip the fancy salads and cold-cut sandwiches served on too chewy bread and go straight for the broccoli cheese soup.  That stuff is pretty darn tasty.  But, I try to avoid Panera as much as possible, so I sure am glad I have this fabulous recipe for broccoli cheese soup that's just as good as theirs.  Better even, because I don't have to spend 6 bucks for a bowl of it!

Broccoli Cheese Soup
Total time: 20 min
Serves 6

3 Tbs butter
1 cup diced onions
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp thyme
3 Tbs flour
3 cups chicken broth*
16 oz broccoli, finely chopped (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar

Melt butter in a large saucepan and saute onions with salt, pepper, and nutmeg till tender, about 3 minutes.  Add garlic and thyme and cook 30 seconds.  Add flour and cook 2 minutes  Slowly add broth, whisking constantly.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer till thickened, about 5 minutes.  Add broccoli and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.  Stir in the cream and cheese and cook on low till melted.

*I used my homemade turkey stock for this and it tasted great, too.  I always simmer my Thanksgiving turkey carcass in a big pot of water for a few hours to make a fabulous stock.  Then I freeze it in ice cube trays so I can thaw just the amount I need.  You can do this with leftover chicken bones, too!

304 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Lasagna by the Ladle

We all love lasagna at our house, and I've posted my favorite lasagna recipe on here before, but sometimes I just don't have the time and energy to fuss with making it.  But soup - now soup is easy!  It takes a little time to simmer, but the hands-on time is minimal, and since I'm making dinner for 50 teenagers tomorrow and Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, I really need simple today.  Besides, I'd rather devote my energy to the dessert I have planned!  Plus, Uncle Johnny just arrived and he loves soup, so what better time to try out the recipe.  Lasagna is great for company, and this variation did not disappoint in the least.  Everybody thought it was fabulous, even the kid, who doesn't like any of the ingredients in this recipe, but scarfed down a big bowlful before I even had a chance to insist she give it a try!

Lasagna Soup
link to original recipe
Prep time: 5 min  Cook time: 55 min
Serves 7

1 lb Italian sausage
1/2 cup diced yellow onion
1 green pepper, seeded and diced
4 cloves garlic, pressed
1 carton (32 oz) chicken broth
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 Tbs Italian seasoning
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp dried basil
12 lasagna noodles, broken into small pieces
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

In a large soup pot, brown sausage with onion, green pepper and garlic. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and seasonings. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Boil 2 minutes, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, covered (I might try reducing this next time because I'm impatient!) Stir occasionally.

Add bite sized lasagna noodles to soup and cook until tender (about 15 minutes).
When ready to serve, mix in the grated Parmesan cheese. Ladle into individual bowls and sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese.

517 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Cheesy Sausage Pot

You know what happens when you put a whole bunch of yummy things in a Crock-Pot and let 'em simmer together for a half a day?  You get a super yummy supper, that's what!  The magic ingredient in this dish is definitely the smoked sausage, but it's the Crock-Pot that turns it into something truly magical.  Slow cooking causes the delectable flavor of the sausage to permeate all the other ingredients, turning plain potatoes and vegetables into a creamy, smoky pot of deliciousness.  This turned out quite saucy, so I served it with some crusty dinner rolls to sop up the extra because I didn't want to waste a drop.

Crock-Pot Cheesy Sausage Pot
Prep time: 5 min  Cook time: 6 hrs
Serves 6

1 (16 oz) bag frozen mixed vegetables
3 large potatoes, diced
2 (14 oz) pkgs smoked sausage, sliced 1/4 in thick
1 (10 oz) can cheddar cheese soup
1 (10 oz) can cream of celery soup
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Mix all ingredients together and pour into the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

760 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Liquid Taco Love - Taco Soup

We love tacos at our house. Of course, who doesn't like tacos, right? I mean, seriously, what's not to love about spicy beef and cheese, wrapped up in a crispy shell. Tacos are pretty easy, too. Brown some meat, put out some fixings, and let the fam assemble their own dinner. Sounds like a winner to me!

When we first adopted our daughter, Rachel, I remember how excited she would get whenever we were having tacos for dinner, and any time I asked her what she wanted me to make her face would light up with a great big, cheesy grin and she'd yell, "Tacos!!!" But, just like her taste in music has matured from Justin Bieber to One Direction, tacos have lost some of their specialness and we're on the lookout for something new and exciting that will rekindle the thrill of our weekly taco night.

The weather turned a little cooler this week, and I felt the need to break out my fuzzy socks and flannel pj's, so a thick, bubbly soup seemed like just the thing to warm me up. I wasn't planning on making this soup, but when I saw how easy it was and knew I had all the ingredients already in my pantry, I dumped all my taco fixings in a pot and voila! my new favorite form of tacos was born!

Cheesy Taco Soup

Total time: 25 min.

Serves 6

Meat Mixture:

1 lb lean ground beef

Salt & pepper, to taste

1/2 cup diced onion (optional)

1/2 cup diced green pepper (optional)

1 (1 oz) envelope taco seasoning 
1 (10 oz) can tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
1 (15 oz) can of pinto beans or black beans (or a combo)
2 cups frozen corn

1.5 cups milk

Cheese Mixture:

2 Tbsp butter 

2 Tbsp flour
1 cup milk
Salt & pepper, to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cayenne pepper, to taste

Topping suggestions: Mexican blend shredded cheese, sour cream, diced green onions, corn chips (Fritos)

Season ground beef with salt and pepper to taste (I use about 1/2 tsp each) then brown in a large soup pot over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Add onions and peppers, if using, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain off grease and return to pot.

Add taco seasoning, tomatoes, beans, corn, and 1-1/2 cups milk into beef mixture and stir well to combine. Cook over medium-high heat until almost boiling (you should see just a few bubbles) then turn heat down to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat then whisk in flour and cook for one minute. Slowly whisk in 1 cup milk. Switch to a rubber spatula to cook and stir mixture until thickened, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat then stir in shredded cheese until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste (I use about 1/4 tsp each).

Add cheese sauce to meat mixture and simmer a few more minutes until heated through. Add cayenne pepper to taste, if desired (I use about 1/2 tsp.)

I serve this with Mexican blend shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions, and corn chips for topping.

442 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Benn-agains Baked Potato Soup

I remember the first time I tried baked potato soup.  It was probably 15 years ago and they had just opened up a Bennigan's in my town.  Their soup was so delicious it instantly became my favorite dish at my new favorite restaurant.  Sadly, no one else in my family developed such an intense appreciation for Bennigan's cuisine, so I figured if I wanted to have baked potato soup more than once a year or so, I better figure out how to make it myself.

I don't remember where I found this recipe, it was so long ago, but it tasted so much like the Bennigan's version I knew it was a keeper, and I've been making it ever since. With this recipe, I can have Bennigan's again whenever I want it.  In fact, I don't think I've even been back there since then, which is sad because they have some great southwestern egg rolls, too, but that's another blog post!  I've made this for friends, family, even important company, and everybody loves it, but the best part is, I don't think any of them would ever guess just how easy it is!

It does require a tiny bit of pre-planning since it's made with baked potatoes, but I've even microwaved the potatoes in a pinch and they tasted fine.  For best results though, lube up your taters with some olive oil, prick them all over with a fork, season with salt and pepper and bake them for about an hour at 350. Don't wrap them in foil - that just traps in the steam and makes them mushy.  You can bake them ahead of time if you need.  When you add them to the soup they'll warm right up.

I always serve this with a nice salad, but I never eat the salad, opting instead for a second bowl of soup.  Actually, I usually make a double batch because I know I'm gonna want some more for lunch the next day.  This makes 5 servings, but that's never quite as much as I want to eat!

Baked Potato Soup

Prep time: 1 hr (to bake potatoes)
Cook time: 15 min
Serves 5

1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup flour
1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
3 baked potatoes
Salt & pepper, to taste
4 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
1/3 cup green onion, chopped

Melt butter in a large saucepan.  Add onions and saute 1-2 minutes, till tender.  Whisk in flour.  Gradually whisk in broth and evaporated milk till smooth.  Scoop pulp from one baked potato and mash.  Add to pan.  Cook over medium heat till boiling.  Dice remaining potato skin and potatoes and add to soup.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Top each serving with bacon, cheese and green onions.

476 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

A Mouthful of Mmmm

Sometimes, a girl just needs a break from the kitchen. Organized mama that I am, I tend to plan my breaks well in advance--like last night, for instance. I get home from work around 5:15 on a good day, and yesterday we had to be at Rachel's school by 6pm for a back-to-school orientation meeting that could last till 9 for all I knew.  Practically no time to even eat, let alone cook a meal. So I wrote "grab fast food on the way" on my menu and expected to scarf down burgers and fries in the car.

We don't go out to eat a lot, but more than my frugal husband would like, so I should have known he'd have something to say about this grand plan, especially since we just went out to eat like, a month ago and all! Sure enough, he says, "Can't you make a Crock-Pot meal or something?"

Sigh.

"I suppose," I say, dreaming of a nice, juicy McDouble. So, instead of making a run for the golden arches, I scoured my Pinterest Crock-Pot page looking for a recipe I could make without having to go to the store again.

Cans of corn, beans, and tomatoes? Check, check, and check. Cream cheese? You betcha. Boneless skinless chicken breasts? Always. I tell ya, it pays to keep your pantry stocked with the basics! Even better, Allen just happened to bring home a bag of Fritos the other day, and I knew they'd add the perfect touch of crunchiness at the end.

So I tossed it all in the slow cooker and came home that night to a gorgeous bowl of yumminess. I didn't miss the drive-thru even a little bit. Crock-Pot Cream Cheese Chicken Chili is the original name of this recipe, but that is one humdinger of a name, so I prefer to just call it a mouthful of mmmm.

Crock-Pot Cream Cheese Chicken Chili 
Prep time: 5 min  Cook time: 5-8 hrs
Serves 5

2-3 chicken breasts, still frozen
1 (10 oz) can tomatoes with green chilies
1 (15 oz) can corn kernels, undrained
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (1 oz) pkg. Ranch dressing mix
1 Tbs cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, cubed

Serve over rice and topped with Fritos and chopped fresh cilantro, if desired. (And, yes, my cilantro plant is still alive and kicking!)

Pour all ingredients (except rice and Fritos) into Crock-Pot and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.

427 calories per serving.  Click here for shopping list and nutritional info!

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Today was a ladies' brunch day at my church, and like usual, I was responsible for making oodles of delicious edibles for the lovely ladies of Word of Life Family Church.  Also as usual, I wanted to do this as quickly and easily as possible because set up and clean up for these events is enough work for one day, especially a Saturday!

Enter the ever useful Crock Pot. I mean, seriously, why spend all day stirring a simmering pot of stew on the stove, when you can just dump the stuff in the Crock Pot and come back a few hours later to a perfectly cooked meal? Unlike most of my favorite slow cooker meals, this one does require you to spend a few minutes browning the meat before you add it to the pot, but the extra flavor is totally worth it. Thank you Maillard Reaction! So, if you didn't get the pleasure of trying this dish at today's Girlfriends Brunch, do yourself a favor and make it at home. There's nothin' to it!

Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Prep time: 15 min  Cook time: 6 hrs
Serves 8
 
1 1/2 lbs stew beef
32 oz. frozen stew vegetables
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can tomato soup
1 envelope onion soup mix

In a large skillet, fry beef in a little oil till nicely browned.  Put beef and veggies in slow cooker.  Combine all other ingredients and pour into slow cooker.  Stir well.  Cook on low for 6-7 hours.