Turkey and Pepper Soup

So my love for soup grows every day so I'm trying all kinds of soups and tweaking here and there!  This is also made in the crock pot so it's a huge time saver :)  This soup is really high in protein and low in calories and extremely filling.  Makes for a great lunch or snack.

Turkey and Pepper Soup

*Makes 6 servings

1 lb. Ground Turkey
3 Bell Peppers, any color (chopped kinda big)
1/2 Onion (chopped)
2 cups Cauliflower (minced)
2 cloves Garlic (minced)
1 can Tomato Sauce
1 can Fire Roasted Tomatoes
3 cups Beef Stock
1/2 tsp. Basil
1/2 tsp. Oregano
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Brown the turkey in a pan.
2. Add all the ingredients to the crock pot.
3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Lazy Game Hens

I love chicken.  I could eat it 7 days a week!!!  (oh wait I almost do!)  I find my creativity is almost endless even with boneless skinless chicken breasts.  The boyfriend doesn't like bones in chicken so I never get to cook with normal chicken!  Such a shame and a lack of flavor!  But I've learned all the in's and out's of the boneless stuff to make all kinds of fancy stuff.

I have been DYING to make a cornish game hen because I love how small and cute they are!  They're perfect for one person!  I've been thinking of making one since the last time I was in Vegas and we got dinner and a show where they served game hens.  Very inspiring to my imagination!  So out of curiosity I decided to make them in a crock pot.

Lazy Game Hens

*makes 2 hens

2 Cornish Game Hens (still frozen)
1 Onion (chopped)
3-5 Tbsp Olive Oil (depending on how generous you want to be)
Salt, Pepper, Garlic (preferably fresh but powder works), Onion Powder, Rosemary, Thyme
3/4 C. White Wine

1. Sprinkle salt, and pepper on the bottom of the crockpot.  Drizzle 2 Tbsp oil on the bottom of the pot.
2. Add onion to the crock pot.
3. Put the hens on top of the onion.  Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil over the hens.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, onion powder, rosemary, and thyme.  If you're using fresh garlic, place several slices on top of the chicken and put the rest around it on the bottom with the onions.  If you're using powder, be generous on and around the chicken.
4. Pour in the wine but don't pour over the chicken or else all that seasoning will be a waste!
5. Cook on low for 6 hours.

6. Pull out and enjoy your fall off the bone chicken!

Chipotle Shredded Beef

I LOVE my shredded beef recipe, but I was in the mood for a different flavor.  So I started from scratch to make something different!  I love my crock pot WAY more than a stock pot so that's how this recipe is made just like the other one.  **This is NOT Chipotle the restaurant's beef, it just has chipotle peppers in it**

Chipotle Shredded Beef

*Makes 6-10 servings

Allergen Tips:


Check the bullion for gluten to keep it a g-free recipe!


1 2-3 pound Roast
1 Can Green Chiles
1/2 Can Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce
1/2 Medium Onion (chopped)
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1/2 tsp. Paprika
1 tsp. Seasoned Salt
1 tsp. Cumin
4 Cloves Garlic (minced)
2 C. Beef Stock (I use bullion cubes)

1. Rub the seasonings on the roast and place in the crock pot.
2. Put all the veggies and peppers around the roast.
3. Pour the beef stock in, don't pour directly on the roast! (so you don't knock all the seasonings off!!!)
4. Cook on low for 6-7 hours.
5. Pull out the beef and shred.  Before you put the beef back in, scoop out about 1 1/2 cups of the juice and veggies and set aside. (this is to make a sauce to pour on top)
6. Put the meat back in and cook for one more hour.  Serve however you'd like!

*For the sauce*
1. Put the set aside juice in a processor and pulse until all the solids are gone.
2. Put it in a sauce pan on med heat and add just a tiny bit of a flour paste to thicken it up.  Spoon over whatever you make!

 Yummy Enchiladas :)

Chicken Tortilla Soup!

As mentioned throughout my wonderful blog, I am a terribly picky eater.  Add tortilla soup to my list of things that have to be JUUUUUUUUUUST right.  I am in love with Cracker Barrel's tortilla soup and to be honest, nothing else compares!  I decided to take the jump into the wonderful world of soup making.  And my first soup, chicken tortilla!  It's not quite finished as I'm writing this but man is it tasty!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

*Makes 8 servings

Allergen Tips:

Check the bullion for gluten to keep it a g-free recipe!
Look for gluten free enchilada sauce, La Victoria is one option! 
Skip the cheesy toppings for a dairy free dish.

3 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (frozen)
6 C. Chicken Broth (I use bullion cubes)
1/2 Medium Onion (chopped)
1 Can Red Enchilada Sauce (15 oz)
1 Can Corn
1 Can Black Beans (15+ oz rinsed!!!)
1 Can Diced Tomatoes (15 oz mashed)
1 Can Green Chiles (4 oz)
2 Cloves of Garlic (minced)
Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder to taste
1 tsp. Cumin

1. Open everything.
2.  Dump in a crockpot! (low 6-8 hours, high 3-5 hours)
3. Near the end of it being done, pull chicken out and shred it.

4. Add cheese, tortilla strips, sour cream or whatever your heart desires and enjoy!

(Nutrition Facts do not include the extras!)

Green Chile Chicken

This is an offspring from my mother's Green Chile Burritos but it's made with chicken and you can use it for just about anything. Burritos, enchiladas, sopapillas,  even tacos if you like them messy!  The only picture I have is of finished enchiladas but this is just the base chicken concoction.  You can also just make the green chile sauce without any meat or use beef instead of chicken.

Green Chile Chicken

*Makes 8-10 servings depending on the dish

3 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (use the longer time if they're frozen)
1 small Onion (diced)
2 cans Cream of Celery Soup (prepared with only 1/2 can of water each)
Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Chili Powder (to taste, but at least 1/4-1/2 tsp each!!!)
2-4 cans Diced Green Chiles [dependent on how spicy you like it]  (or use 3/4 C. Diced fresh Green Chiles)
1 Can Black Beans
1 Can Corn

1. Add everything to the Crockpot and cook on low for 6-7 hours.

2. Around 5-6 hours, pull the chicken out to shred.
3. Put the chicken back in and cook for at least 30 more mins.  Don't forget to TASTE!  The chicken will change the level of seasonings in the sauce.
4. Proceed to make whatever dish you choose to use it in!

Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
*makes 12-16 enchiladas

1 20 pack of Corn Tortillas
1 Green Chile Chicken Concoction from above
1 C. Shredded Cheese (I use pepper jack)

1. Prep Green Chile Chicken above.
2. Preheat oven to 350°.
3. Spray a 9X13 pan with non stick spray.
4. Start stuffing tortillas with the chicken from the crockpot, and sprinkle some cheese into it.  Lay seam down into the pan.
5. Continue til the pan is full and then top with more of the sauce.
6. Add the rest of the shredded cheese to the top of the enchiladas.
7. Cover with tinfoil and cook for 20-25 mins.

What's a Taco Soup?

I still can't answer the question of what a taco soup is.  It's like a Mexican chunky chili of sorts.  Well, whatever it is, it came out tasting like heaven.

Taco Soup
*serves 6-8

1 1/2-2 lbs. Hamburger Meat
1 Onion (chopped)
1 Can Chili Beans w/ Liquid
1 Can Black Beans w/ Liquid
1 Can Corn w/ Liquid
1 Can Tomato Sauce
2 Cans Rotel Tomatoes (with Green Chiles or Habañeros)
1 Can Diced Green Chiles
2 Tbsp. Taco Seasoning
Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Chili Powder to taste
2 C. Water

1. Brown the meat in a skillet with the seasonings (not the taco seasoning), drain, and throw in a crock pot.
2. Add everything else to the crock pot, mix, and cook on low for 8 hours.
3. Serve with cheese on top and have tortilla chips or Fritos handy!

 The lighting in my kitchen kinda sucks for pictures.

Warning! This Beef is Not For Woosies!

After making this over and over and playing around with the recipe, I think I've found the perfect balance for the most spicy meat I make. :D  I would recommend using this for tacos.  I think using it for anything else just doesn't do the flavors justice.  But you can play with it and do what you'd like!  It also goes great with Scary's Salsa (soon to be sold for anyone interested)!

Shredded Beef

*serves 8-12

*NOTE: The seasonings are for a 2.5 lb. roast, so make adjustments accordingly to the size you buy! It's very important!

1 Roast 2.5-3.5 lbs

2 Garlic Cloves

½ Bell Pepper (chopped)

½ Onion (chopped)

1 Jalapeno (chopped)

1 Small bunch of Cilantro (chopped)

2 Tbsp. Hot Sauce (Tabasco, Chalula, Tapatio)

1 ½ Cans of Beer (or Beef Stock)

3 Chili Pods (seeded and ripped in to little pieces)

1 Tbsp. Seasoned Salt

2 tsp. Garlic Powder

2 tsp. Parsley

2 tsp. Pepper

1 tsp. Chili Powder

1 tsp. Cumin

1 Lime (juiced)

1. Start off with the hot sauce, ripped up chili pods and half the beer. Let it sit in a bowl so the pods start to reconstitute.

2. Take a sharp knife and cut 7-8 holes in the roast.  Stuff pieces of the garlic into these holes.

3. Combine all the seasonings in a bowl.  Sprinkle on the roast and rub it in so it sticks.  Turn over and repeat.  There should still be some seasonings left.  Pour the remainder into the bowl with the beer and chili pods.

4. Put the roast in the crock pot as centered as you can get it.

5. Proceed to chop all the veggies.  Sprinkle them all around the roast; try not to leave any on top.

6. Squeeze the lime juice on the roast.  Pour the beer mixture into the crock pot.  Add more beer to where the roast is almost covered.

7. Cook on low for 7 hours.  Shred and then return it to the crock pot for another hour.  Serve however you see fit!

 I'm still working on an after picture but here's just going into the crock pot.