EASY WINTER SOUPS!
I love winter soups! Well, I love all soups. Soup for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Eh, that's a bit overboard. Here are two of our family favorite winter soups. ENJOY!
Pasta Fagioli
bacon (or proscuitto)
1 1/2 cups ditalini noodles
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
teaspoon minced garlic
1 can cannelli beans
8 oz tomato sauce
32 oz. chicken stock
32 oz. water
Brown bacon in a large stock pot in medium heat. While that's cooking, chop the carrots, celery and garlic. Remove the bacon to a bowl/towel and reserve as a topping. Toss the carrots, celery, and garlic into the pot (I use the bacon grease - it's not healthy, I know. But it's sooooo yummy that way.) Cook the veggies down for about 5 minutes while you rinse the beans, and prep the rest of the ingredients. Add the beans, sauce, stock, and water to the pot. Bring to a boil. Add the ditalini and cook for 12-14 minutes until the carrots, beans, and noodles are soft. Serve with parm cheese, bread, or salad. Sprinkle the bacon on top!
Beef Stew
1 pound stew beef
32 oz. beef broth
1 cup carrots, chopped
2 small potatoes, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
Italian dressing (packet + oil or bottle)
1 can stewed tomatoes
Marinate the beef in a bag with the Italian dressing overnight. Empty the bag of meat into a large stock pot on medium heat. Add stewed tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, onions, and broth. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on low for 90 minutes. Serve with salad and bread.
Watch me prepare these two recipes!
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CROCK POT RECIPES
Beef Stew: Campbell's Package
Ingredients:
2 pounds stew meat
2 potatoes
1 bag baby carrots
1 Campbell's beef stew mix
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Combine ingredients in your crockpot and cook on low for 7 hours. Serve with salad and bread.
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Sausage, Peppers and Onions
Ingredients:
10 links of sausage (mild or sweet)
2 peppers
2 onions
2 jars mariana sauce
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Combine ingredients in crockpot and cook on low for 7-8 hours. Serve with rice.
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Red Beans and Kielbasa
Ingredients:
2 cooked kielbasa (or chicken sausage)
32 oz. broth
1 pound red beans
2 cloves garlic chopped
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Soak beans per package instructions. Combine ingredients in crockpot and cook on low for 7-8 hours. Serve with rice.
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Chicken and Gravy
Ingredients:
1 pound chicken breasts
2 packets dry gravy mix
1 can cream chicken soup
2 cups water
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Combine ingredients in crockpot and cook on low for 7-8 hours. Serve with mashed potatoes and vegetables.
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Watch me prep all four recipes in this video about Dump and Go Crockpot Recipes.
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BATCH COOKING
Very excited to share two Lucas family favorite recipes! My kids gobble these up every time I make them. Plus, you can batch prep and cook both recipes so you have repeat meals ready for another week, or another month!
Best Lasagna Recipe: Chicken Lasagna Roll Ups
Ingredients for every 4 roll ups:
4 lasagna noodles
1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded
1 cup mozzarella
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
salt & pepper
2 eggs
12 oz. jar sauce
oregano, to taste
I prep the chicken the day before or morning of batch prepping chicken lasagna noodles. Slow cook in a crock pot for 4 hours on high or 6-7 hours on low. Shred, and set aside.
Cook the lasagna noodles to al dente. Create the chicken mixture while the noodles are cooking:
1 cup chicken
2 eggs
1/3 parm
1 cup mozz
oregano, to taste
Mix well in a bowl. Lay a cooked lasagna noodle on a plate or flat surface like your counter, and spread the mixture. Roll up, and finish seam side down. Spread some sauce on the bottom of a pan if baking immediately. If freezing, spread sauce on the bottom of a freezer safe container. Lay the roll ups seam side down on top of the sauce. Repeat as many times as you are making. Top with sauce and mozz.
Freeze for up to 90 days. You can cook this straight from freezer to oven at 350F for 30 minutes covered. If you are baking after prep, bake in the oven, uncovered, for 25 minutes on 350F.
This is my adaptation from an original recipe by Ree Drummond. FInd that here:
https://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/lasagna-rollups/
Meatballs!
5 pounds of ground meat
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
salt & pepper
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Fingers are easiest. Roll into 1" balls and place on parchment paper, and set into the freezer for 10 minutes to set the shape. Brown in a pan then bake at 400F for 5 minutes (or just bake for 10-12 minutes at 375F).
Drain on a paper towel and move a new sheet of parchment paper. Set them in the freezer for 45 minutes to set, then bag the meatballs and label for freezer. I bag about 20 meatballs and end up with 4 freezer batches from this recipe.
Makes 80 meatballs.
This is my adaptation from an original recipe by Ree Drummond. FInd that here:
Watch me cook these two recipes, and check out other recipes in this collaboration playlist.
Ree Drummond mixing bowl used in the video: https://amzn.to/2SakeK0
Pioneer Woman cookbook with her meatballs: https://amzn.to/2PFapSO
FTC Disclaimer: I may receive some products in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are my own and are not influenced by brand, person, or company. Please note that some links may be affiliate links, and I earn a commission from your purchase. These links share products at no extra cost to you.
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