Taco Soup

Well the sun is out here in Seattle. It's supposed to be 70F by Saturday. Looks like soup season might be winding down. 

This soup... oh my goodness...I am not even sure what to say about it other than it was FAN-FREAKIN-DELICIOUS!! It's definitely going into the favorites category for this year. 

It's a simple soup, but it packs a lot of flavor and textures. It's definitely hearty.  And the best part I had almost everything in the pantry to make this soup. I didn't have diced tomatoes with green chilies. BUT I had diced tomatoes and a can of green chilis. Close enough. 

I didn't change anything in this recipe (well except the diced tomatoes) significantly. I added a hit of hot sauce and a bit more chili powder. I served it along side warmed up flour tortillas - great for dipping in the broth.

Taco Soup

Recipe from The Clean Couple

Serves 4

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 cup onion chopped (1 medium onion)
• ½ tablespoon garlic minced (about 4 cloves)
• 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles
• 1 quart beef broth low or no salt
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• 1 can black beans drained & rinsed
• 1 can pinto beans drained & rinsed
• 1 cup frozen corn thawed

In a soup pot, heat olive oil. Brown beef, onions and garlic for 10-12 minutes until cooked.

Add in tomatoes, broth, spices, beans and corn.

Stir together. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes to an hour.

The original website with this recipe has instructions for Instant Pot and Crock Pot.

Slow Cooker Chili (155 of 150)

Photo from Cafe Delites

It's a cold, wet December day here in Seattle. Perfect day for a nice cozy chili. I have a family chili "recipe" that I usually make. It's not really written down, it's just throwing chili stuff into a pot and letting it cook. That's how mom made it so that's how I make it. 

This recipe seemed really close to that recipe and in a slow cooker. The house smelled amazing and made me very hungry. 

I don't think 1 T of chili powder is enough for this my food, so I added another tablespoon. Add more (or less) if you like. 

And I didn't use green bell peppers because BLECH.

Everything else was spot on. Delicious and a recipe I'd make again. 

Slow Cooker Chili

Recipe from Cafe Delites

Serves 8

• 1 T olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 green bell pepper (capsicum), seeded and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped or minced
• 1 pound lean ground beef mince
• 1 pound beef sausage, (Angus beef or Italian sausage)
• 2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes 
• 1 (24 oz) bottle tomato sauce 
• 1 (4 oz) can green chilies 
• 2 cubes beef bouillon, crumbled
• 2 T chili powder (adjust to your tastes)
• 1 T Worcestershire sauce
• 3 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp cocoa powder (adjust to your tastes)
• 1 tsp each onion powder and garlic powder
• 1/2-1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 (15 oz) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed 
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed 

Toppings:

sour cream

cheddar cheese

green onions

fresh chopped cilantro

Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Sauté onions and green peppers for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant (30 seconds). Transfer mixture into a 6-quart slow cooker bowl.

Fry beef and sausage until browned. Drain off most of the fat, reserving about 2 tablespoons of fat with the beef; transfer meat into slow cooker bowl. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, green chilies, bouillon, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, paprika, cocoa powder, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and sugar. Season with pepper to taste.

Cover with lid and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours if time allows, (or high heat for 2 hours).

Stir beans through and allow them to warm through (about 2 minutes).

Serve with desired toppings and sides: cornbread, corn chips, tortilla chips, crackers.

Best Ever Baked Beans (106 of 150)

Photo from Dance
Around the Kitchen

Again with the "best ever". I tell ya, if you put that in front of any recipe, it had better bring it. 

Tonight was Sunday dinner. We had a small group so I opted to forego the theme (Peruvian) and do ribs instead. Ribs are much easier in a small group (and less expensive). I did my famous ribs for the crew and as usual they loved them. The only time this family seems to be silent is when we're eating ribs. All you hear is "mmmmm". 

Along side ribs, I usually do Mom's Mac Salad and buy canned baked beans. This time, I opted for this broccoli salad and these "Best Ever" Baked beans. 

Let's start with what went wrong. 

I, um, didn't get burger. So these beans didn't get the burger in them. Honestly, I didn't miss them. Bakes beans don't get burger to me. 

What went right? These reminded me of the beans my mom used to make! I'd make these again (without burger) again in a heart beat. Super easy to make. 

I did mine in a slow cooker since I had the oven taken over by ribs. 

Best Ever Baked Beans

Recipe from Dance Around the Kitchen

Serves 18 (so I cut this bad boy in half)

• 1 pound ground beef
• 8 slices bacon
• One 28 ounce can pork and beans drained
• One 8 ounce can homestyle pork and beans
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 teaspoon mustard
• 1 tablespoon vinegar

Brown the ground beef, drain and set aside.

Cook the bacon until crispy in the oven or in a skillet. Let cool then crumble or chop into small pieces.

In a large mixing bowl (or in the slow cooker), combine the beans, ground beef, bacon, onions, sugar, brown sugar, ketchup, mustard and vinegar.

Cook the beans:

In a slow cooker on high for 1 hour (stirring occasionally) or low for 2-3 hours OR

In a saucepan on medium-low heat for 30 minutes (stirring occasionally) OR

In a baking dish in a 350°F oven for 1 hour