Slow Cooker Chicken (and Alphabets) Soup

This is an old entry that I never put in "publish" status, so, don't mind the references to a much younger Miss Mia!

With the incredible cold spell we had going on during the early part of the week, I was ready for some warm soup.  Miss Mia and I decided a chicken noodle type soup would be perfect - especially if we used Alphabets instead of noodles.  This was also a good way to get some "school" in when I let her measure the various items for the soup . . . . It was nice having her home from school on those below 0F days, but at the same time, she was going a little stir crazy since she'd only just returned to classes after Christmas Break!

I actually made this recipe and split it in two so we could have a freezer meal for later this winter.  I'll give the measurements and you can dump 'em all in a 6 quart Slow Cooker - or be like me and split it between the slow cooker and a freezer bag.

Slow Cooker Chicken (and Alphabets) Soup

2 packages baby carrots, chopped bite size or smaller
1 head celery, chopped bite size or smaller
1 tsp minced garlic
2 onions, chopped
1 tsp rosemary
2-4 skinless boneless chicken breast (depending how chicken-y you want your soup)
2 32oz boxes chicken broth
2 cups water
2 tsp Italian Seasoning
1/2 of a small box Alphabets noodles (you could use more if you like lotsa noodles in your soup)

Dump everything but the Alphabets noodles in slow cooker.  Cook on low 6-8 hours (depending on which of my slow cookers I use, 6 hours might be long enough, but 8 hours might be better in the other, check your chicken to see . . . . Chicken should simply fall apart when poked with a fork).  Shred chicken using two forks (again, I am lazy and shred the chicken in the slow cooker.  My Hubster removes the chicken to a plate where he shreds it and then dumps it back in the slow cooker).  Dump in Alphabets noodles and cover.  Cook an additional 10 - 15 minutes, until noodles are cooked.

-frozen chicken can be use - the cooking time will be closer to the 8 hour time frame (again, depending on how hot your slow cooker cooks on Low).
- freeze soup in one gallon freezer bag.  lay flat in freezer.  when ready to cook, remove from freezer in am and place straight in slow cooker (take out of freezer bag), no need to thaw. 

Corn, Rice & Bean Burritos

This was really yummy ~ DH never once complained about it being a vegetarian meal!

1 1/3 cups fresh or frozen corn, thawed

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium green pepper, sliced

1 Tbsp canola oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice

8 flour tortillas, warmed

3/4 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese

1/2 cup reduced fat plain yogurt

2 green onions, sliced

1/2 cup salsa

In a large skillet, saute the corn, onion and pepper in oil until tender. Add the garlic, chili powder and cumin; cook 1 minute longer. Add beans, rice and salsa; heat through.

Spoon 1/2 cup filling off center on each tortilla. Top with cheese, yogurt and green onions. Fold sides and ends over filling and roll up.

Meatball Hash Brown Bake

Here is a "ME NEED MEAT" meal for The Husband. I'm guessing he was quite deprived of meat b/c he was ready to hug the casserole dish when it came out of the oven. I was able to freeze one serving. The rest of this meal - gone!

Ingredients:
cooked meatballs*
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed reduced fat cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 cup fat free sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 large onions, chopped
1 30 oz pkg frozen shredded hash browns, thawed**

Directions:
In bowl, combine soup, sour cream, cheese and onion. Pat hash browns dry with paper towels. Stir hash browns into soup mixture. Transfer to greased 13x9 baking dish. Arrange meatballs over top, pressing into mixture. Cover and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Uncover, bake 15 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender.

Yield: 8 servings

* I used 8 meatballs, but you could use more or less to taste. As for meatballs themselves, can use homemade, and bake the meal until meatballs are no longer pink or use frozen and just plop on mixture frozen.

** I made hash browns from potatoes had in house. Browned them with some Montreal Seasoning before mixing in the soup mixture and turning the potatoes into the baking dish.

Beef Picadillo

I am trying to mix up the menus each week. Sometimes, I seem to get stuck in a rutt where I'll only make pasta for an entire week, or the menu each night needs burger. This recipe does call for beef sirloin, but had it the night after a vegetarian meal, so that kept meat-lovin' hubby happy! I wasn't too sure I would like this recipe, but after having attempted it, I know I'll put this one in the recipe folder. Hubby really liked it as well. Miss Mia - well, she enjoyed picking out the olive pieces and eating them. She's going through a phase where she will only eat one or two bites of anything I place before her.

I suggest surving this dish with rice and a big, leafy salad.

4 Servings

2 T olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 small red bell pepper, finely chopped
8 large pimiento-stuffed olives, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound ground beef sirloin
2 T tomato paste
1 cup frozen peas and carrots
1 tsp chopped cilantro
salt and pepper

Brown ground beef sirloin. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add the onion, bell pepper, olives and garlic. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ground beef, using a wooden spoon to break up any large clumps. Increase the heat and cook until liquid is reduced. Stir the tomato paste into the meat mixture and simmer over medium low heat, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in 2 - 3 T water to loosen the sauce. Stir in the peas and carrots, cover and cook until just cooked through, 4 minutes. Stir in the cilantro; season with salt and pepper.

Adapted from Rachel Ray magazine