Crock Pot Irish Potato Leek Soup

 

This Irish Potato Leek Soup is not like the usual potato leek soup Americans are used to… very good and certainly hearty… but not the same.  So be warned it’s different.

What makes it different you might ask…. two things.  Most American potato leek soups don’t add cabbage.  And secondly, it is blander.  I do urge you to try it.. you can always adjust the seasonings to your liking.

TIPS

This soup is made in a crock pot … I was concerned about the long cooking time would make the vegetables mushy… the carrots and potatoes were perfect.. of course the cabbage and onions were soft… so the cooking times should be right on target.

The leeks and onions lose their flavor and the dominant flavor becomes the cabbage… until the bacon goes in.   The bacon is Irish bacon.. not the same as American bacon.  It’s most similar to Canadian bacon or Italian pancetta.  You can use either one to get a soup most closely like the one with Irish bacon.

You can use American bacon in this recipe… the original recipe says to cook and “crumble” the bacon… Canadian bacon would not “crumble”…. with that said… make sure you cut back the amount of bacon if you use American bacon and drain it well on paper towels. 

Pancetta usually already comes diced.. you usually can find it in the gourmet cheese section or by the deli in the supermarket.

I have used American bacon.  I cook it in the oven.. follow the link to get easy instructions on making bacon in the oven.. it’s easy and clean up is a snap.

When I use American bacon.. I use thick sliced smoked bacon… I like the flavors it adds to this soup… it makes it no longer as bland.  I cook it until it’s cooked but still pliable.. then I coarsely chop it.  The packages usually are 12 oz…   and ¾ of the package is about right.. you can adjust the amount to your liking.

You use the white and light green parts of the leek.  The stiff dark green parts can be added in large pieces that can be removed when cooking is done.  It adds flavor but that part is really not edible.

Lastly, while the name of this soup is potato leek soup… the leek is really are not that evident after all the long cooking.. you can add more leeks if you want.  You can add more later in the cooking to remedy that.  Sprinkling a bit of chopped green onion will also add a little subtle flavor to the soup.

Serve with crusty fresh bread.

With St. Patrick’s Day coming up… this soup is perfect to get you in the mood to celebrate the Irish way!

Recipe:  Crock Pot Irish Potato Leek Soup

All you need:

1 container (32 oz) chicken broth

3-4 medium size potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 ½ cups roughly chopped cabbage

1 leek, sliced *see TIPS

1 large onion, chopped

4 carrots, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1 bay leaf

1 cup sour cream

About ½ pound bacon, cooked and chopped *See TIPS

About ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley to sprinkle

All you need to do:

Place the chicken broth, potatoes, cabbage, leek, carrots, onions, bay leaf, salt and pepper in a crock pot.  Cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 5 hours. 

 

Fish out the bay leaf.  Ladle about ¾- 1 cup of the broth into a bowl.  Add the sour cream and stir until smooth.  Add that back into the crock pot.  Add the cooked chopped bacon.  Stir well.  Allow to cook on low for about 30 minutes.  Adjust salt and pepper to taste if necessary.

Ladle into bowls and sprinkle the parsley over the top.

Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup

This crock pot soup is chock full of flavor... healthy protein and fiber.... and very low fat... now how often can you find an easy recipe... oh?... did I mention how easy it is to make?... I didn't?... well, let me tell you... it takes minutes to prepare... in fact.. you don't even need to defrost the meat... that's right... it's best not to defrost the meat... it makes it all the more tender.

So ... after that epic run-on sentence... let's get down to business..

TIPS

No sautéing is necessary.. you don't need the additional fat.. and everything tastes spectacular when it's done.. so don't be tempted to do it.

As I mentioned earlier... you don't need to defrost the meat... plop it in frozen... it will slow cook all day to a very tender meat that is easily shredded with a fork.

I also added the corn frozen... it will cook just fine in the crock pot... didn't get mushy either.

As for the heat... I used Rotel Mild Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies.. they have a bit of snap to them.. nothing to worry about.. they make a hotter variety if you prefer more heat.

If you can't find Rotel Tomatoes or you prefer to use Hunts or another brand.. other brands cans of tomatoes usually are 14.5 oz... just use 2 of them... it will be fine... the taste will be fine.. I wouldn't adjust any of the other ingredient quantities... it just probably will add another serving... which shouldn't be a problem.

Likewise... if you prefer using tomatoes that are "with garlic and onion".. or green pepper... still keep the ingredients the same.. it will just add to the flavor .. in a good way!

Use cayenne sparingly.. you can always add more... if you aren't a spicy food person.. leave it out or use the smallest amount.. let it cook and add more later if you want more heat.

I make my own enchilada sauce... it is very very easy and quick to do... I'd say no more than 10 minutes.. tops... and that is being generous.. and well worth it... but if you want, you can use a commercial enchilada sauce... to get my recipe.. click here.

I served this as a meal in itself or sometimes I serve it with some cheese quesadilas.. and ... the leftovers are great... just a quick re-heat.. and you have a great meal.

This recipe will serve 6-8 depending on if you are serving anything with it.

Recipe:  Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup

All you need:

1 large onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 cans (10 oz.) Rotel Mild Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Pinch of cayenne

2 cups enchilada sauce

2 - 3(about 1 pound) frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 cans low sodium black beans, rinsed

1 cup frozen corn

2 cups chicken broth

Shredded cheddar cheese (garnish) optional

Chopped green onion (garnish) optional

All you need to do:

Place all ingredients (except shredded cheddar cheese and chopped green onion) in a crock pot.

Cook on LOW for 6-7 hours (it won't hurt it to cook a bit longer if you're at work) .... take the meat out and shred it.. put it back and continue cooking for 30 minutes - an hour before serving.

Serve in bowls and garnish with shredded cheddar cheese and chopped green onion.

Lasagna Soup

Soup...hmmm... a wonderful way to keep warm.

What could be better than a soup that tastes just like Lasagna?  It takes a fraction of the time to make than its famous counterpart… packed with fabulous flavors… even picky eaters will love it…. So why not try it? …. I guarantee you won’t be sorry!

I do have some tips to help you…

TIPS

I use extremely lean ground beef so you don’t have to drain off excess fat…. I recommend you buy the leanest ground beef you can find.

I love Hunt’s canned tomatoes.. they come in many varieties… all will work well… I personally like the Basil Garlic and Oregano variety…

If you don’t have fresh garlic.. you can substitute garlic powder… another option is using the Fire Roasted Garlic variety of Hunt’s tomatoes.. they have a nice potent garlic flavor.

Since the recipe calls for 2 cans of tomatoes… you can also mix the different varieties.

Hunt’s also makes canned tomato sauce in flavors.. and as with the canned tomatoes… pick and choose your varieties… it’s all good.. just use what you prefer.

The recipe calls for 2-3 cups of dried pasta (I prefer Rotini… but any will work)… even break up lasagna noodles… they all will be fine.

DO NOT be tempted to increase the amount of dried pasta… you will end up with a casserole… the pasta sucks up all the wet liquid… trust me.. been there done that.  It’s not a totally bad thing, mind you… it’s just not soup anymore.

A word about garlic and garlic powder… they lose there umphf over time.. always use the quantities listed as a guide.. if you have super fresh garlic or garlic powder use less at first and add more to taste… likewise.. if your garlic has been around a while.. use the quantities listed then adjust to taste.

I make a mixture of ricotta cheese with herbs and other cheeses… this is totally optional but highly recommended… it’s absolutely delicious!

Use a big soup pot to make this… it seems to need “space” to cook… much like homemade pasta sauce.

The last step of sprinkling shredded mozzarella and placing in a hot oven or under the broiler is also optional but highly recommended.

This serves approximately 8.

I served this with garlic bread and a salad.. it makes a fabulous supper… leftovers are divine!

Recipe:  Lasagna Soup

All you need:

For the Soup:

1 pound super lean ground beef

½ - 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning

1 medium onion, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cans Hunt’s canned tomatoes (Basil Garlic and Oregano variety…see TIPS)

1 can (15 oz) Hunt’s Tomato Sauce *see TIPS

1 carton (32 oz) chicken broth

2-3 cups dried pasta

¼ cup grated parmesan

For the Ricotta Mixture:

1 container (15 oz) ricotta cheese (whole milk or part-skim)

¼ cup grated parmesan

¼ cup shredded 6 cheese Italian cheese

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon chopped fresh parsley

¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning

For the Topping:

Shredded mozzarella cheese

All you need to do:

In a large pot, brown the ground beef over medium high heat.  Sprinkle with the Italian seasoning. 

Break the meat up into bite size pieces as it browns.  When the meat is almost browned, add the garlic and onions, stirring to thoroughly mix.  If you meat rendered little or no fat, add about a tablespoon of olive oil and cook for about 3 minutes until the onions begin to soften.

Add the canned tomatoes, tomato sauce and chicken broth.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat then reduce the heat and cook at a low simmer for about 20 minutes.

Add the dried pasta and cook for about 10 minutes or until pasta is soft.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the ricotta mixture ingredients.

Preheat oven to 450 or heat broiler.

When soup and dried pasta are cooked, add a dollop of ricotta mixture into oven safe bowls.

Add the soup into the bowls and sprinkle with a generous amount of mozzarella cheese.

Place bowls in the oven and bake or broil until cheese is melted and lightly browned and soup is bubbly.

Serve with garlic bread.

Minestrone Soup

This flavorful Italian soup is both hearty and healthy… what could be better? Minestrone recipes are all pretty similar… lots of veggies… sometimes with meat added… you can use vegetable stock or a meat (chicken or beef) stock or broth as a base…. a soup for everyone…

This soup cooks up in a jiffy.. so it’s definitely a weeknight meal… we made a meal out of it with some fresh bread.

TIPS

I used beef broth as a base… I found chicken broth to be too bland… but either will work.

I used frozen cut string beans and chopped spinach… you can use fresh… if you use fresh string beans, then add them when you add the beans so they cook well enough by serving time.

I used baby carrots that I sliced… they just look better in the soup.

I used a “quick’ cooking dried pasta from Ronzoni … they have long thin elbows that cook in 3 minutes… it worked perfectly with this soup.

This soup recipe makes about 8 servings.. there really isn’t a good way to cut it back… since you are using full cans of beans… unless you use a half can of each type of beans.. and save the remaining beans for another use.

I used red wine… a Cabernet Sauvignon .. this is an optional ingredient.. but in my opinion adds a lot to the soup.. it gives it a full bodied flavor…

Hearty and Healthy!








Recipe: Minestrone

All you need:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 small zucchini, peeled and chopped
1 cup cut green beans
1 cup baby carrots, sliced
5 cups beef broth
2 cans (14.5 oz)Hunts Petite Cut Diced Tomatoes
1 can (15 oz) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cans (the Hunts Tomato can) water
1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup frozen spinach
½ cup red wine (optional)
2 cups dried pasta
Salt and pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese (to serve with the soup)

All you need to do:

Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat.

Add the onions, garlic, carrots and zucchini and cook, stirring frequently until onions are soft and translucent.

Add the beef broth, canned tomatoes, kidney beans, cannellini beans, water and spices. (Also add the green beans if using fresh green beans..if using frozen green beans add them later… see below)

Bring to a boil then reduce the heat.

Add the red wine and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add the frozen green beans and spinach and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Add the pasta and cook until the pasta is cooked (use the cooking time on the pasta box).

Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

So full of robust flavor, the family will never know how healthy Tortilla Soup really is.

Perfect by itself or with a sandwich.

Tips

The chicken can be cooked in the crockpot and either shredded or diced.  You can also used cooked chicken.  You can also add more if you like.

Make this soup as spicy as you like... add more spices or add a chopped jalapena pepper or more canned green chilies.

You can use any brand canned tomatoes you prefer, Rotel canned tomatoes provide even more zip.

The quantity of black beans is 1 or 2 cans... we like black beans, so I add 2 cans.. you can add less if you prefer,

If you don't want to do the corn tortilla garnish.. you can sub crushed tortilla chips, just rough crush some and sprinkle them on top of the soup.

For a thicker soup you can add a small can of plain tomato sauce (not Italian) or tomato puree (about 1 cup) to the pot.

This soup is a delicious accompaniment to Smoked Turkey Quesadillas.

This is a great, easy to prepare supper that the whole family will love.

Recipe:  Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

You will need:

2-3 large boneless chicken breasts *See Tips
1 tbsp oil
1 onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 tsp lime juice
1 ½ cups frozen corn or fresh corn.
2 cans (14.5 oz) Del Monte Diced Tomatoes with Zesty Mild Green Chilies
About 4 cups chicken broth
1-2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 small can green chilies
1 small can plain tomato sauce (optional) *See Tips

Garnishes

4 corn tortillas * See Tips
Olive oil cooking spray
Chopped green onions
Chopped cilantro
Grated Monterey Jack and /or Cheddar Cheese

All you need to do:

In a small skillet, sauté onion and garlic in oil until soft.  Put the sautéed onions and garlic in the crock pot.  Stir in chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, lime juice, black beans, tomatoes and broth.  Cook on high for 4-5 hours or 8 hours on low. 

Note:   You can use either previously cooked chicken or cook raw chicken breasts in the soup.  If coking the chicken breasts in the soup, about an hour before the end of cooking, simply remove the chicken and dice or shred it and put it back into the pot.  If using previously cooked chicken, dice it and add it in the last hour of cooking.

Stir in corn, cilantro in the last hour of cooking.  Adjust seasonings to taste.

To crisp tortillas:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Spray both sides of the corn tortillas with cooking spray oil. Cut tortillas into fairly thin strips and spread on a baking sheet.

Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Ladle soup into bowls garnish with grated cheese, chopped green onion and tortilla strips.

Crock Pot Beef Noodle Soup

Delicious Beef Noodle Soup .. perfect for a cold night and easy too... a hearty dinner with only a few minutes of prep .... what could be better?  Let the crock pot do the work for you.

TIPS

A lot of people brown the meat in a skillet first... you certainly can do it.. but it isn't necessary...

I strongly recommend you cook it on low.. the longer cooking time lets the meat become tender... you can speed things up by cooking it on high but the meat may not be as tender.

Warren doesn't care for celery... and honestly.. I never cared for it much in stews.. it can become stringy... but it adds great flavor... you can cut your celery stalks in half.. and put it in that way... then fish them out before serving.

I wrote this recipe for 4 servings...

If you need more just adjust it by adding more ingredients.... the meat to veggie ratio is really up to personal taste... if you like carrots and want more.. add more. it's really that simple. 

As for the seasonings... I didn't measure... I sprinkled the garlic powder and onion powder heavily.. stirred it to get the pieces on the bottom.. and sprinkled more....just a quick sprinkle of salt and pepper... the only thing I measured was the paprika... just increase it by the same amount you increased the meat.. if you doubled the meat.. then double the paprika.

I used about 3/4 of a bag of Muellers extra wide noodles... add them by handfuls... and then stir.. if you want more or less.. do what you prefer.. it won't affect the recipe.

I cooked my noodles in the soup...you can cook them separately.. but I like to cook it in the soup.. the starch from the noodles thickens the soup ... in my opinion... perfectly.

I sprinkled a little fresh chopped parsley over the soup before serving.. it added a bit of color and flavor.. it's optional.

I used 1/2 can of tomato paste... I used the "plain" one.. they come in "flavors" now.. if you want to add a bit more of flavor to your soup.. you can use one of the other varieties... like basil, oregano and garlic.

I added quartered baby Portobello mushrooms to the soup... I love the earthy subtle flavor it adds.. it's totally optional.. you can use regular mushrooms or leave it out.

I added 1/4 cup dry red wine.. a Cabernat Sauvignon works well... it is optional.

Serve this with a crusty bread.. and you have a wonderful dinner chocked full of good things and flavor.

Recipe:  Crock Pot Beef Noodle Soup

All you need:

1 pound lean stew meat

Sprinkling of garlic powder

Sprinkling of onion powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Salt

Pepper

1 onion, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped *See TIPS

1 cup chopped carrots

1 bay leaf

1/2 can tomato paste

About 24 oz beef stock or broth

1/4 cup dry red wine (optional)

8 oz quartered baby Portobello mushrooms (optional)

Dried extra wide noodles

Chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

All you have to do:

Place the meat into the crock pot.  Sprinkle heavily with garlic and onion powder... and a light sprinkle of salt and pepper.  Stir the meat to coat all sides.

Add the chopped onion, celery, bay leaf, tomato paste and red wine.  Stir well.  Then add enough beef stock or broth to cover and have about 1/4 over the meat and vegetables.

Cook on low for 7 hours.  Then add the quartered Portobello mushrooms.  Cook for 1/2 hour... then add the noodles.  Cook until the noodles are soft about 25-30 minutes depending on the brand of your noodles.

Remove the bay leaf and serve in bowls.  Sprinkle with chopped parsley if desired.

Potage St. Germaine - Fresh Pea Soup

This is an excellent version of a Potage St. Germain (Fresh Pea Soup) recipe. As you can see by the ingredients, it is made from chicken stock only… the flavor of the soup is almost totally dependent on the quality of the peas.

TIPS

Using shelled fresh peas would be best… however, frozen peas make a good soup too. Make sure you thaw them first… if you cook them frozen… the soup will not be as flavorful. If you are using fresh peas, you will need about 5 or 6 pounds (before shelling).

This soup is filling, so I would serve it in small bowls or cups.







Recipe:  Potage St. Germain - Fresh Pea Soup

All you need:

4 tablespoons butter
6 shallots, finely chopped
6 cups shelled fresh peas or frozen peas, thawed and rinsed
4 cups fat free chicken broth
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
½ cup whipping cream
Salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Small dollop of sour cream…or Dash of Sherry

All you need to do:

Melt butter in a large pot.

Add the shallots and cook over medium high heat for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. You do not want the shallots to brown… if they begin to… lower the heat.

Add the peas and the broth and season with ¼ teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
Cover and simmer over medium high heat for about 15 minutes or until peas are cooked tender but still fairly firm not mushy. Do not over-cook the peas.

Remove pot from heat and allow to cool slightly.

Ladle the peas and a little liquid into a food processor and pulse until smooth. You may have to do this in batches… put the batches into a large measuring cup to hold them until all the peas are out of the pot.

Pour the pea-chicken broth that is still left in the pot in a measuring cup in case you need more of the broth later on to thin the soup.

Place a strainer on top of the empty pot and strain the processed peas, taking a cooking spoon and stirring vigorously to strain the peas. Press them firmly to get all the soup out of the peas… discard the mashed peas left in the strainer.

Return the pot to the stove and cook over low heat to heat the soup through.
Add the whipping cream, stirring to completely incorporate.

Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Serve with a small dollop of sour cream or crème fraiche; or a dash of sherry.

Crock Pot Taco Soup

This Taco Soup is a wonderful soup.. chock full of flavor.. loaded with healthy fiber…and so easy to make…  about 10 minutes of prep.. and let the crock pot cook dinner for you!

You can also make this on top of the stove, just follow the instructions except instead of slow cooking in a crock pot, simmer on top of the stove at least an hour.

TIPS

I love black beans.. and I think they add a nice variation in flavor and color to this soup.. but you can use red kidney beans if you prefer.

I wrote this recipe listing Taco Seasoning… I highly recommend you use my homemade Taco Seasoning… it has great flavor and you control the ingredients.. no artificial fillers.  Click here for my for my recipe.  Use 3 heaping teaspoons of the seasoning mix.  You will have leftover.. save it and use it to make Tacos. 

If you want to use a prepared Taco mix… use the whole packet.

I know the powdered Ranch dressing is an odd addition.. but it really is a great addition.. the spices add to the overall flavors of this.

I used Rotel tomatoes… they come mild or hot.. use whichever you prefer… I use the mild version.

This will make about 6 servings. 

I served this with cornbread.  Here is a fabulous recipe for Sweet Cornbread..

Recipe:  Crock Pot Taco Soup

All you need:

1 pound very lean ground beef

1 large onion, diced

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1 can (15,25 oz.) corn, drained

1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed

2 cans (10 oz. each) Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies

1 can (14.5 oz.) Hunts Diced Fire Roasted Tomatoes with Garlic

1 small can (4.5 oz.) Green Chilies

1 small can (2.25 oz.) black olives

1 can (10 ¾ oz.) Campbell’s Condensed Tomato soup

1 cup water

Taco Seasoning *See TIPS for quantity

1 packet dry Ranch Dressing

Garnishes:

Shredded Cheddar cheese

Chopped green onions

Sour Cream

Additional black olives

Corn Chips (optional)

All you have to do:

Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium high heat.  When the meat is almost cooked, add the onions and garlic.  Cook until the meat is cooked and the onions are soft.  Drain off any excess fat.  (You may not have much if you use very lean meat).

Add the mixture to the crock pot.  Add the remaining ingredients (except the garnishes) to the crock pot.  Stir to mix.  Cook on high 4-5 hours or on low for 7-8 hours.

Serve in bowls with garnishes.

French Onion Soup

This recipe for French onion soup is from my son, Erik’s friend, Hillary. It’s simple to make … it does simmer for a long time… so I started it a skillet… and put everything together in my crock pot and let it simmer for about 5 hours… so quick and easy… and the result was awesome…

TIPS

Her recipe calls for 8 onions… she didn’t specify the size… my onions were very large… I only used 5. She uses four garlic cloves… mine were extremely potent so I used only two.

The wine does not have to be expensive… as she put it… even cheap wine is okay…. but do not use cooking wine… it’s too acidic and salty.

Hillary never made mention of the bread in the soup… so I did it as I was taught… slicing a day old baguette … spread butter (or margarine) both sides and place in a hot skillet… lightly brown both sides and it’s ready for your soup. The light butter flavor really adds to the soup.

In traditional French onion soup you should use Gruyere … but Swiss will also work…

This is a truly wonderful soup. Thanks Hillary!

Bon Appetit!






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Recipe:  French Onion Soup

All you need:

8 onions, sliced thin
2 tablespoons butter
4 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup red wine (Cabernet is fine)
1 tablespoon flour
1 container (26 ounces) beef stock
16 ounces (½ container 32 ounce size) beef broth
Salt to taste
1 baguette
Butter or margarine for the bread
Gruyere or Swiss cheese, shredded

All you need to do:

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the 2 tablespoons butter.

Add the onions and cook until the onions are mushy and brownish in color.

Add the garlic when the onions are just translucent... allow to cook until onions are mushy.

Add ¼ cup (half the wine) to the onions and cook until the wine is absorbed into the onions.

Sprinkle the flour over the onions. Mix well.

Add some of the stock and make sure there are no lumps of flour.

In a crockpot, pour the beef stock and the remainder of the stock in.

Add the onion mixture.

Add the rest of the wine.

Turn the crock pot on high and let simmer for 4-5 hours.

If you want to make this on top of the stove…. Simmer on low for 1 ½ - 3 hours.

Slice the baguette into ¼ inch slices.

Spread butter or margarine both sides of the bread and place in a heated skillet.

Cook until lightly brown on both sides.

Fill oven proof bowls 2/3 full with soup…. Add the bread and add more soup. Put a handful of cheese on top.

Place the bowls on a baking pan and put into a 400 degree F pre-heated oven for about 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted and slightly browned.

Makes about 6 servings.

Crock Pot Irish Potato Leek Soup

 

This Irish Potato Leek Soup is not like the usual potato leek soup Americans are used to… very good and certainly hearty… but not the same.  So be warned it’s different.

What makes it different you might ask…. two things.  Most American potato leek soups don’t add cabbage.  And secondly, it is blander.  I do urge you to try it.. you can always adjust the seasonings to your liking.

TIPS

This soup is made in a crock pot … I was concerned about the long cooking time would make the vegetables mushy… the carrots and potatoes were perfect.. of course the cabbage and onions were soft… so the cooking times should be right on target.

The leeks and onions lose their flavor and the dominant flavor becomes the cabbage… until the bacon goes in.   The bacon is Irish bacon.. not the same as American bacon.  It’s most similar to Canadian bacon or Italian pancetta.  You can use either one to get a soup most closely like the one with Irish bacon.

You can use American bacon in this recipe… the original recipe says to cook and “crumble” the bacon… Canadian bacon would not “crumble”…. with that said… make sure you cut back the amount of bacon if you use American bacon and drain it well on paper towels. 

Pancetta usually already comes diced.. you usually can find it in the gourmet cheese section or by the deli in the supermarket.

I have used American bacon.  I cook it in the oven.. follow the link to get easy instructions on making bacon in the oven.. it’s easy and clean up is a snap.

When I use American bacon.. I use thick sliced smoked bacon… I like the flavors it adds to this soup… it makes it no longer as bland.  I cook it until it’s cooked but still pliable.. then I coarsely chop it.  The packages usually are 12 oz…   and ¾ of the package is about right.. you can adjust the amount to your liking.

You use the white and light green parts of the leek.  The stiff dark green parts can be added in large pieces that can be removed when cooking is done.  It adds flavor but that part is really not edible.

Lastly, while the name of this soup is potato leek soup… the leek is really are not that evident after all the long cooking.. you can add more leeks if you want.  You can add more later in the cooking to remedy that.  Sprinkling a bit of chopped green onion will also add a little subtle flavor to the soup.

Serve with crusty fresh bread.

With St. Patrick’s Day coming up… this soup is perfect to get you in the mood to celebrate the Irish way!

Recipe:  Crock Pot Irish Potato Leek Soup

All you need:

1 container (32 oz) chicken broth

3-4 medium size potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 ½ cups roughly chopped cabbage

1 leek, sliced *see TIPS

1 large onion, chopped

4 carrots, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1 bay leaf

1 cup sour cream

About ½ pound bacon, cooked and chopped *See TIPS

About ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley to sprinkle

All you need to do:

Place the chicken broth, potatoes, cabbage, leek, carrots, onions, bay leaf, salt and pepper in a crock pot.  Cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 5 hours. 

 

Fish out the bay leaf.  Ladle about ¾- 1 cup of the broth into a bowl.  Add the sour cream and stir until smooth.  Add that back into the crock pot.  Add the cooked chopped bacon.  Stir well.  Allow to cook on low for about 30 minutes.  Adjust salt and pepper to taste if necessary.

Ladle into bowls and sprinkle the parsley over the top.

Easy Chili Mac

Winter… the time of soups and stews… and Monday Night football…. Relax and watch the game and still serve a hearty meal… Chili Mac fits the bill perfectly!

You can either make my Crock Pot Chili… set it up in the morning…. And just make the macaroni in the evening….or make my  30 Minute Chili… have it one day .. and use the leftovers for this Chili Mac meal.

Chili is a great option.. since the leftovers seem to get even better.

TIPS

Not many tips here… since you will find them in the Chili recipes…. but one tip … which is probably the best tip of all… you can easily freeze chili in air tight containers….  So make a big ole pot of Chili and serve it one week…. Freeze the leftovers and serve Chili Mac a few weeks later… now how perfect is that?

Toppings are always welcome….and another great addition to your menu is corn bread.. it goes so well with Chili … I have a great recipe… comes out perfect every time… and makes a large 9 x 13 dish of it… perfect for feeding a crowd.  Click here for the Sweet Cornbread recipe.

Recipe:  Easy Chili Mac

All you need:

Any recipe for Chili *See Recipe Links Above

Macaroni, cooked according to package instructions

Sweet cornbread  (optional)

Topping Suggestions:

Shredded cheddar cheese

Sour cream

Sliced green onion

Corn chips or Tostitos

All you have to do:

Either layer the cooked macaroni on a large flat bowl with the Chili on top (See picture above) or mix the chili and macaroni and serve it in a large bowl or pot… *Crock Pots are good for keeping it warm while serving.

You could also make individual servings … all these options make a great presentation… are quick and easy and always a crowd pleaser.

Serve toppings along side.