Creamy Chicken and Corn Chowder

I haven't made a new post on this blog since AUGUST 5th, 2015!! Needless to say, this school year has kind of been out-of-control crazy. Between teaching a brand new grade level that is nothing like I'm used to, AND getting knocked up, I haven't had much time to do anything.

But this is SO DELICIOUS, it requires an entry in the blog. This weather is perfect for soup, so make this now!

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked and shredded (3 c)
• 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (I used real bacon bits)
• 1/4 c butter, diced into 1 tbsp pieces
• 1 large red bell pepper, diced (1 1/2 c)
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced (1 1/4 c)
• 1 - 2 jalapenos, seeded for less heat if desired, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 c all-purpose flour
• 6 c low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced slightly less than 1/2-inch thick (3 c)
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 1/2 c fresh or frozen corn
• 1 1/2 c half and half
• Green onions and seeded, finely chopped jalapenos (optional), for serving

• In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add red bell pepper, onions, jalapenos and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds longer. Stir in flour, and cook 2 minutes stirring constantly. While stirring, slowly add in chicken broth and whisk until well blended.
  
• Add potatoes, bay leaves and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring mixture to a boil stirring frequently, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, 10 minutes or just until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.
  
• Add in cooked chicken, corn and half and half and simmer, uncovered 10 - 15 minutes longer, stirring occasionally. Serve warm topped bacon, green onions, and optional jalapeno peppers.
  
  Original recipe found here.
  

Slow-Cooker Lentil & Veggie Soup

So delicious and easy! We loved it. The leftovers for lunch the next day were even better! Love SkinnyMs.

1 c frozen or fresh whole kernel corn*
1 large red potato, cut into 1” cubes
4 carrots, sliced*
1/2 c diced sweet onion
2 stalks celery, sliced into 1/2” pieces
1 c (fresh or frozen) green beans, broken into 1” pieces*
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp black pepper
salt to taste
1 1/2 c tomato juice, low sodium (optional V-8 Juice low-sodium)
3 c vegetable broth, low sodium (optional chicken broth)
1 c (dry) lentils

* I actually just used a big bag of frozen corn, green beans, and carrots
Add all of the above ingredients, except lentils, to the slow cooker, stir to combine. Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours. Add lentils the last hour of cooking time. Feel free to add or substitute your favorite vegetables. Adjust the liquid for less or more thickness. 

Original recipe found here.

Tomato & Spinach Tortellini Soup (WW Recipe)

Perfect for a cold day! This is easy and delicious! Good for you too. :)

12 oz. package cheese Tortellini pasta-dried, frozen, or fresh

3 c chicken broth
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 c water
1-14 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
3 carrots, chopped
1 small onion, diced
2 stalks celery
1 ½ c fresh spinach,chopped
¼ c Parmesan cheese
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp black pepper/salt
1 tbsp olive oil
3/4 c fat-free half-n-half (optional)

Saute olive oil, onions, carrots, and celery in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until onions start to become translucent. Stir in garlic until heated through. Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato paste, broth, water, basil, oregano, rosemary, and black pepper- simmer, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.

Add in tortellini pasta, spinach and Parmesan cheese (and half-n-half if using)- simmering for an additional 15 minutes, stirring several times during simmer.

Original recipe found here.

Skinny Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

You would never know this soup is "skinny"! I also had no idea making my own tortilla strips was so easy. I love my crock pot because I like to think about it sitting there cooking during the day. :) It was also super cold today, so soup was appropriate. Approved by Will - and he can be picky about his chicken tortilla soup.

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 c chopped onion
16 oz can black beans, drained/rinsed
16 oz can kidney beans, drained/rinsed
8 oz can tomato paste
10 oz pkg of corn kernels, frozen
2 -10 oz cans of diced tomatoes w/ chilies 

1 pkt reduced-sodium taco seasoning
1 tbsp chili powder
32 oz reduced-sodium chicken stock

6 corn tortillas, cut into strips
Salt and pepper to taste

Optional toppings: light sour cream, cheese, jalapeños, avocado, green onions, cilantro

For Soup:
Place chicken on the bottom of the slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients.
Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.

For Tortilla Strips:
Preheat oven to 350. Spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. If you don’t have 2 sheets than you will have to bake in shifts. Cut the tortillas into thin strips. Place strips evenly on baking sheets. Mist the tops with more cooking spray. Season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until the strips are golden brown.

Serve on top of the soup, along with any other toppings you like!

Original recipe found here.

Creamy Taco Soup

This is actually the second time I've made this recipe. The first time was earlier in the school year and Will actually made it for me! I remember being super tired when I got home, and we ate it without ever taking a picture. I had one bowl and Will literally ate the entire rest of the recipe. So, I've finally made it again and I got pictures this time!

Super healthy and only have 275 cal per serving. It's made creamy NOT with heavy cream, but with pureed white beans and Greek yogurt!

3/4 c nonfat Greek yogurt
1 15-oz can 
50% less sodium white beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 4-oz can diced green chills
1 15-oz can petite diced tomatoes
1 c reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 c frozen or fresh corn
1 lb chicken breast
2 tbsp fresh squeezed lime
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp dried cilantro


Place 1/2 cup broth and white beans in a blender and puree. Add yogurt and blend again. Pour liquid into slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients and stir well. Cover and cook on Low for 6-7 hours.

Original recipe found here.

Crock Pot Stuffed Pepper Soup

I noticed I hadn't posted since Nov 29. I've been cooking tons - just not trying many new recipes. But I did tonight and it was a success!! (Last night's Skinny Chicken & Dumplings was good, but not good enough to post!).

This is like a stuffed pepper, in soup form! VERY tasty. I browned the ground beef and put everything together in the crock pot the night before. So this morning all I had to do was move it from the fridge to the crock pot, and set the timer! So awesome.

1 lb lean ground beef (I used Laura's Lean Beef 96/4%)
1 small onion, diced
2 green bell peppers, chopped
29 oz (2 cans) tomato sauce
29 oz (2 cans) petite-diced tomatoes
3 beef bouillon cubes
2 c water
1/2 tsp salt/pepper, each
1 bag instant rice (I used the Success brand brown rice)
shredded part-skim cheese (optional)

Brown the ground beef. Add ALL ingredients --except rice-- to your slow cooker. Cook on Low 5 hours. Remove lid and pour in the bag of instant rice. Replace lid and let cook about 30 more minutes. Top with cheese if you'd like, and enjoy!

Original recipe found here.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

This was incredible! The recipe came from SkinnyTaste.... however, adding crescent rolls over the top was not part of the recipe. But we could spare some calories in order to have a warm delicious crescent crust over the top of our soup!

1/2 c flour
1/2 gallon skim milk
4 c water
2 large celery stalks, chopped
1/2 large onion, chopped
8 oz sliced baby bella mushrooms
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
16 oz bag frozen mixed veggies
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed small
1 lb cooked chicken breasts, shredded or diced

Create a slurry by combining 1 cup of the cold water with 1/2 c flour in a medium bowl and whisk until well blended. Set aside.

Pour remaining water and milk into a large soup pot and slowly bring to a boil. Add celery, onion, mushrooms, potatoes, chicken bouillons, thyme, fresh pepper, frozen vegetables and return to a boil. Partially cover and simmer on low until vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes. Add chicken, and slowly whisk in slurry, stirring well as you add. Cook another 10 minutes, until soup thickens, adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve.

If you want to put crescent rolls on top, get the reduced-fat ones, and make sure you have oven-safe bowls. Just lay a couple crescents over your soup and bake at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes. ENJOY!!

Original recipe found here.

Slow-Cooker Vegetable Beef Soup

It's been a while since I had used my trusty crock pot. With a 12 hour days today because of conferences, I knew it was time to break out the crock pot again. But I wanted to stick with something healthy and with plenty of veggies. I came across this healthy soup on Pinterest. It includes lean ground beef, and of course you could leave the beef out, but I think it really added to it! This was so tasty and I can't wait to take leftovers for lunch tomorrow!

The original recipe is doubled for a larger size crock pot. I halved the recipe and it still made plenty! So what I have posted below is the recipe halved - how I made it.

1 lb lean ground beef
½ medium onion, diced
1 (15-ounce) can mixed vegetables, drained
1 (15-ounc)e can Lima beans, drained
1 (15-ounce) can niblet corn, drained
1 (15-ounce) can carrots, drained
2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can tomatoes and okra
1 c water

Brown your ground beef in a large skillet. Combine beef, along with all other ingredients in the crock pot. I put everything together the night before, put the crock pot bowl in the fridge, so I just had to put it in the crock pot this morning. Cook on Low 5-6 hours.

Original recipe found here.

Japanese Onion Soup (Hibachi Soup)

YUM! In my opinion, better than the soup at hibachi restaurants! I'd also like to add that I sliced the mushrooms super thin myself...

4 c fat-free chicken broth
2 c water
1 white onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 rib celery, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
6 white button mushrooms, thinly sliced (I used baby portabellas)
French's fried onions
4 green onions, chopped

In a large saucepan or stockpot, combine the celery, onion, and carrot. Add chicken broth and water - I actually threw a beef bouillon cube in there for fun. Place the pot over high heat, and bring to a rolling boil. When the mixture reaches boiling, reduce heat to medium, and cook for at least 20 min. After it's cooked strain the cooked soup and discard all of the vegetables, leaving the broth. Serve the broth with sliced mushrooms and sprinkle french fried onions & green onions over the top. Delicious!

Original recipes found here and here.

Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup in the Slow-Cooker

This soup is DELICIOUS! So were the grilled cheese and tomato sandwiches we had with it - I made sure to include the sandwich in my pic. I lived off GC&T sandwiches for lunch last summer. They are amazing. But this is about the SOUP... which is awesome, creamy, and delicious.

2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, with juice
1 c finely diced celery
1 c finely diced carrots
1 c finely diced onions
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried basil
4 c chicken broth
½ bay leaf
½ c flour
1 c Parmesan cheese
½ c butter
2 c half and half, warmed
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Add tomatoes, celery, carrots, chicken broth, onions, oregano, basil, and bay leaf to a large slow cooker. (I finely diced my carrots, celery, and onions in the food processor). Cover and cook on LOW for 5-7 hours, until flavors are blended and vegetables are soft.

About 30 minutes before serving prepare a roux. (This was new for me...) Melt butter over low heat in a skillet and add flour. Stir constantly with a whisk for 5-7 minutes. Slowly stir in 1 cup hot soup. Add another 3 cups and stir until smooth. Add all back into the slow cooker. Stir and add the Parmesan cheese, warmed half and half, salt and pepper.  Add additional basil and oregano if needed.  Cover and cook on LOW for another 30 minutes or so until ready to serve.

Original recipe found here.

Creamy Tomato Orzo Soup

Healthy and tasty! We had this with french bread.

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 c chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
3-15 oz cans diced tomatoes
1-15 oz can vegetable broth
1 tsp brown sugar
1/4 c chopped fresh basil
dash of crushed red pepper flakes
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 c plain Greek yogurt (we use Chobani)
1 c cooked Orzo pasta

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the bay leaves. Add the tomatoes and vegetable broth. Stir in the brown sugar and fresh basil. Season with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper, to taste. Simmer on low for 15 minutes.

Remove the bay leaves from the pot. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup (or blend the soup in a standing blender and return to the pot). Stir in the Greek yogurt until well combined. Stir in the orzo pasta. Serve warm.

Original recipe found here.

Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup

What a tasty soup! I love tomato soup and I love tortellini, so this is a winning combo for sure. We had some french bread along with this and it was surprisingly filling! Took maybe 20 min to prepare. Must make!

2 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cans red-fat condensed tomato soup
2 tbsp sun dried tomato paste (or 1/4 c sun dried tomatoes)
2 c fat-free half-and-half
1 tsp onion powder
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt/pepper, each
9 oz pkg cheese tortellini
Parmesan cheese (optional)

In a large soup pot, saute the garlic and olive oil over medium heat until golden brown. Add all other ingredients except for tortellini and cheese. Bring to a simmer. Once simmering, add tortellini and cook according to package directions. Once tortellini are cooked, ladle soup into bowls and top with Parmesan cheese if desired.

Original recipe found here.

Cheesy Vegetable Soup

I took down our Christmas decorations outside today (not the ones on the roof, don't worry). It was freezing! I looked forward to making this all day while out in the cold. AND it's a Weight Watchers recipe! I did add a little extra cheese however. I actually saw variations of this on several websites and picked out what I liked about each one. Below is what I came up with!

Oh, I also made my honey beer bread to go with this. It was AMAZING.

42 oz fat-free chicken broth (1 big carton, and 10 oz of another)
1 large onion, diced
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 bag matchstick carrots, pureed (I just prefered them smaller and less stick-like)
2 (12 oz) bags frozen chopped broccoli
2 cans Rotel
12 oz red-fat Velveeta, cubed
4 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese, cubed
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsp cornstarch (to thicken if needed)

Seriously, this combination of ingredients was heavenly.

In large soup pot, saute onion & garlic over med-high heat about 3-4 min. Add carrots, frozen broccoli, and cans of Rotel. Pour chicken broth over veggies, add spices, and bring to a boil. Simmer about 20 minutes, then add cubed Velveeta and cream cheese. Stir well - I added about 2 tsp cornstarch to thicken it just a little bit. Serve hot and enjoy!

Vegetable and Cabbage Soup (Weight Watchers Recipe)

I found this recipe here, and then tweaked it a little bit. It's only about 25 cal for a whole cup of this stuff. I am trying to eat better now that the holidays are pretty much over (of course). This soup is perfect. I have had this as part of my lunches and as snacks. This recipe makes a big pot of soup that you can eat on for days. I doubled the recipe I found and this is how I made mine below.

64 oz fat-free beef broth (2 of those big cartons)
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tbsp tomato paste
4 c chopped cabbage (I used the bagged coleslaw kind)
1 whole onion, diced/chopped
1 can green beans, drained
1 can Rotel
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 c chopped carrot
1 c chopped zucchini
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning
2 beef bouillon cubes

I also threw in a tiny can of Spicy Hot V8, but that was just for fun.

Spray a big soup pot with cooking spray and saute onion, garlic, and carrots over med-high heat for about 5 min. Then add EVERYTHING else except for the zucchini. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and let simmer about 30 min. Add zucchini and continue simmering another 10-15 min.

Crock Pot Taco Soup

I prepared all of this the night before. Browned the ground beef, sauteed the onions, and put everything together in the crock pot. All I did in the morning was take it out of the fridge and turn it on! Delicious and perfect on a chilly day! Yum.

1 lb lean ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (15.25 oz.) can sweet corn, drained
1 (10 oz.) can green enchilada sauce
1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth
1 can tomato sauce
1 packet taco seasoning
Optional: light sour cream, cheese, chips

Brown ground beef, add onions, drain. Combine all ingredients on crock pot. Cover and cook on Low 6-8 hrs. 

Original recipes found here and here.

Spicy Chicken Taco Soup in the Crock-Pot

Yes, I'm on a soup kick. It's the cool weather! Anyway, DELICIOUS.

1 onion, diced
1 can of corn, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed/drained
1 can chili beans
1 can tomato sauce (8 oz)
1 can/bottle beer (12 oz)
2 cans Rotel, undrained
1 packet taco seasoning (or make your own, see below)
3 chicken breasts
Optional: Light sour cream, red-fat shredded cheddar, crumbled tortilla chips

Make your own taco seasoning!  I realized I forgot to buy a packet of taco seasoning, so I just made my own. Very easy and you probably have all the spices.

1 tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt and pepper, each

Place the onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, beer, and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for low heat, cover, and cook for 6-7 hours. Shred the chicken. Serve topped with shredded cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips!!

Original recipe found here. 

Turkey Kielbasa Stew

This is great! Perfect for this stormy and sort of cold night. New favorite for sure!

1 lb turkey kielbasa sausage, cut into slices
1 (14 oz) can beef broth
1 can tomato soup (10.75 oz)
1/2 c water
3 c shredded cabbage
1 onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 c lite sour cream

In a large saucepan over medium heat, spray with olive oil spray, and cook sausage until brown. Pour broth, tomato soup and water into pan with sausage. Stir in cabbage, onion and bell pepper and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes, or until flavors are well blended. Stir in sour cream and heat through before serving.

Original recipe found here.

Easy Crock-Pot Potato Soup

This is amazing! Heavenly. Fabulous. It's SO easy to make... SO EASY! We ate this really fast. This is another must-make!

1 (30 oz.) bag frozen hash-brown potatoes (I used the squared, southern style)

2 (14 oz.) cans chicken broth

1 (10.75 oz.) can cream of chicken soup

1/2 c chopped onion

1/3 tsp. ground black pepper

1 (8oz) package cream cheese

Garnish: green onions, turkey bacon bits, red-fat sour cream, cheddar cheese

Combine broth, cream of chicken soup, and onions in crock pot. Add frozen hash-browns and black pepper. Cover and cook on low 5-6 hours. Put in block of cream cheese and let cook for 30 more min. Stir in cream cheese and garnish however you like!

Original recipe found here.

Slow-Cooker Cream Cheese Chicken Chili

Oh my gosh! This is one of those you-must-make-it kind of meals. Perfect for a cold day (today was kind of cold) and delicious. We had cornbread with it. It's very filling and of course it couldn't be easier!

1 can black beans, drained/rinsed
1 can corn, undrained
1 can Rotel, undrained
1 package ranch dressing mix
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 8 oz package light cream cheese
2-3 chicken breasts

Place chicken breasts in crock pot. Add black beans, corn (undrained), rotel (undrained), ranch, and all the other seasonings. Mix together. Lay block of cream cheese on top. Cover and cook on Low 6-8 hours. Stir cream cheese into chili and shred chicken. YUM!

Original recipe found here.