Tag Archives: Slow cooker

Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup

Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup (vegetarian!)

Our family doesn’t usually eat meat-free meals just because we always a meat/protein. If your family aren’t big meat-eaters or they are willing to try a vegetarian meal, slow cooker black bean soup is a good one! I will say we used chicken stock but it could be swapped for vegetable stock easily. Also, I used grilled chicken thighs as a topping so be forewarned when you see the pic!

Also, I am drawn to this recipe since it uses dried beans instead of canned. I love the idea of using dried beans but I can never seem to remember to soak them the night before. This is why I usually cook with canned beans. I guess you can call it laziness or just busy, you decide!

BBsoup

Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup

Ingredients:

  • 2 TBL olive oil
  • 2 large onions
  • 3 stalks celery
  • 3 carrots
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 1 1/2 TBL cumin
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (i didn’t use since my kids don’t like the heat)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 cups water
  • 3 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
  • 1 lb dried black beans, rinsed (about 2- 2.25 cups)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • Shredded cheese
  • Sour cream
  • Chopped fresh onion
  • Chicken (optional of course! Could be rotisserie or grilled, which I have a great recipe for grilled thighs BTW!)

slow-cooker-black-bean-soup-ingredients

Directions:

Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Chop onion, celery, and carrot.

chop-onion-celery-carrot

Add the chopped vegetables to the pan and then minced (or garlic-pressed) cloves of garlic with cumin, pepper flakes and salt.

black-bean-soup-spices-seasoning

Cook until everything has softened and lightly browned, 10-12 minutes.

cook-veggies-black-bean-soup

Add the vegetables, water, broth, black beans, and bay leaves to the slow cooker.

black-bean-soup-slow-cooker

Stir to combine everything. Cover and cook on low for 9-10 hours or on high for 6-7 hours.slow-cooker-black-bean-soup

After the time is done, remove bay leaves.

black-bean-soup-remove-bay-leaves2-cups-black-bean-soupLadle out 2 cups of soup and puree in a blender or with immersion blender until smooth. Stir back into rest of soup.

stir-slow-cooker-black-bean-soupseason-slow-cooker-black-bean-soup

Season with cilantro, and also salt and pepper if needed. Serve and top with toppings as desired. Enjoy!

toppings-slow-cooker-black-bean-soup

Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup
Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup
Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup (vegetarian!)
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 8 servings
 
Dried black beans become a delicious hearty soup in this slow cooker recipe.
Ingredients
  • 2 TBL olive oil
  • 2 large onions
  • 3 stalks celery
  • 3 carrots
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 1½ TBL cumin
  • ½ tsp red pepper flakes (i didn't use since my kids don't like the heat)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 cups water
  • 3 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
  • 1 lb dried black beans, rinsed (about 2- 2.25 cups)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • Shredded cheese
  • Sour cream
  • Chopped fresh onion
  • Chicken
Instructions
  1. Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Chop onion, celery and carrot.
  2. Add the chopped vegetables to the pan and minced cloves of garlic with cumin, pepper flakes and salt.
  3. Cook until everything has softened and lightly browned, 10-12 minutes.
  4. Add the vegetables, water, broth, black beans and bay leaves to the slow cooker.
  5. Stir to combine everything. Cover and cook on low for 9-10 hours or on high for 5-6 hours.
  6. After time is done, remove bay leaves. Ladle out 2 cups of soup and puree in a blender or with immersion blender until smooth. Stir back into rest of soup.
  7. Season with cilantro, salt and pepper. Serve and top with toppings as desired.
 

My kids love this kind of stuff! Each one asks for more cheese or more sour cream, whatever they like!

eat-slow-cooker-black-bean-soup tasty-slow-cooker-black-bean-soup

It gets a little messy there for the little guy so he eats his dinner topless 😉

For those of you that have been wondering, ‘why haven’t I been receiving the post emails?’ Well, I haven’t been posting much, that’s why! Lots of changes have been happening in our household and we’ve been traveling and visiting family quite a bit. Thankfully, I feel like I’m finally getting my groove back! Thanks for the continued support!

Please let me know what you think about the Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup! I’d love to hear what you think!

Easy Turkey Chili

Easy Turkey Chili

I hope everyone has recovered from Halloween! Now that my sugar high has worn off and our jack o’lanterns have burned out, I’m looking to have a nice relaxing weekend before things get crazy for Thanksgiving!!

Here is my version on a classic, easy dish. It can’t get much easier than throwing everything in a slow cooker and leaving for the day. There is nothing better than coming home to dinner already ready! I’ve also made it where I leave it all on the stove for an hour as well. Works great either way!

I love making this to bring to a couple who just had a baby and even for a large crowd over at my house. There are so many ways to add flavors and then when you add toppings, it makes it all that much better!

Easy Turkey Chili

2-3 lbs ground turkey, browned
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 cup chicken broth
2 1/2 TBL chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp onion powder
8 oz can tomato sauce (not pasta sauce!)
28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 cup frozen corn, defrosted
15 oz can each black beans, kidney beans, both drained
15 oz can diced tomatoes & chilies

Easy Turkey Chili

Add meat, onion, bell pepper, broth, tomato paste and sauce, diced tomatoes, and seasonings to slow cooker. Mix together.

Easy Turkey Chili

Add black and kidney beans and corn.

Easy Turkey Chili

Turn on low for 6-8 hours.

Easy Turkey Chili

5.0 from 1 reviews
Easy Turkey Chili
Author: 
Recipe type: Dinner
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 8 servings
 
Super Easy Turkey Chili is a simple answer to a cool day. All the ingredients cook together in a slow cooker, making dinner a snap.
Ingredients
  • 2-3 lbs ground turkey, browned
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • 2 cup chicken broth
  • 2½ TBL chili powder
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • 8 oz can tomato sauce (not pasta sauce!)
  • 28 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup frozen corn, defrosted
  • 15 oz can each black beans, kidney beans,
  • 15 oz can diced tomatoes & chilies
  • *Cornbread and sour cream make a great addition. And don't forget the shredded cheese!
Instructions
  1. Add meat, onion, bell pepper, broth, tomato paste and sauce, diced tomatoes, and seasonings to slow cooker. Mix together.
  2. Add black beans, kidney beans and corn.
  3. Turn on low for 6-8 hours.
  4. Serve with toppings!
Cornbread (obviously!) makes a great accompaniment to this dish but I like just a dollop of sour cream and sprinkling of shredded cheese.

Enjoy!

Easy Turkey Chili

Please let me know what you thought of the Easy Turkey Chili! I would love to hear from you!

Savory Beef Stew

Savory Beef Stew

About a year ago, my grandparents came to visit and I was given a few of my grandmother’s old cookbooks; some were 40-plus years old. After sitting on my shelves for most of that year, I finally got them out a few weeks ago and started sifting through the recipes. Some of them I sounded just perplexing (Creamed Chicken in Zesty Corn Ring; Asparagus-Peanut Casserole?) and some sounded down right delicious. This is one of the awesome ones, it has so much great flavor.

So I made this stew in my slow cooker instead of on the stove (which you could do!) and I added a few more vegetables but I think it made it even better! Its perfect for autumn evenings since it just sticks to your ribs!

Savory Beef Stew

1 1/2 lb. beef chuck, cubed
2 TBL olive oil
salt & pepper
2 cloves garlic
1 med onion
3 stalks celery
3 parsnips
4 oz mushrooms
3 carrots (or handful of baby carrots)
1 can (15 oz.) diced tomatoes
1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
1 1/2 cup chicken broth, divided
1 tsp basil, thyme and sage, each
1 lb gold potatoes
parmesan cheese for finishing

Savory Beef Stew- Ingredients

Begin by seasoning beef with salt and pepper and brown in olive oil in a Dutch oven for 3-4 minutes. (I tried to avoid my non-stick pan for this to get all the extra flavor on the bottom to scrap off later!) Remove with slotted spoon to a plate.

Savory Beef Stew- Browned beef

Chop all vegetables and add onion, celery, parsnips and garlic to pan with beef juices. Saute on medium low until transparent, 3 minutes or so, stirring often.

Savory Beef Stew- Onion, Parsnip, Celery, GarlicSavory Beef Stew- Into the fire!

Add carrots and mushrooms and saute for 3 minutes more. Add herbs and a good amount of salt and pepper. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth to scrap up all brown bits from bottom of pan.

Savory Beef Stew- Mushrooms and Carrots Savory Beef Stew- Browning Vegetables

Add tomato sauce and diced tomatoes to vegetables and warm through. Take off of heat.

Savory Beef Stew- Tomatos added

Chop potatoes and add to slow cooker.

Savory Beef Stew- Potatoes

Add veggie/tomato mixture, remaining chicken broth and beef to potatoes in slow cooker. Stir to make sure everything is mixed thoroughly.

Savory Beef Stew- Crock pot turned on

Turn slow cooker on Low for 4-6 hours or High for 3 hours.

Savory Beef Stew- LOW

We had my daughter’s soccer practice in the evening so this was awesome to come home to and just dig right in!

Savory Beef Stew- Dinnertime!

We added a little grated parmesan cheese to the top, just to give it another layer of flavor! Even Calvin, the baby loved this hearty stew!

If you wanted to do it on the stove, just add everything into the Dutch Oven with the vegetable mix (instead of slow cooker) and set on low for 1 hour.

Savory Beef Stew
Author: 
Recipe type: Dinner
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 8 servings
 
Rich, hearty beef stew is cooked low and slow with delicious beef chunks with carrots and potatoes.
Ingredients
  • 1½ lb. beef chuck, cubed
  • 2 TBL olive oil salt & pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 med onion
  • 3 stalks celery
  • 3 parsnips
  • 4 oz mushrooms
  • 3 carrots (or handful of baby carrots)
  • 1 can (15 oz.) diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
  • 1½ cup chicken broth, divided
  • 1 tsp basil, thyme and sage, each
  • 1 lb gold potatoes
  • parmesan cheese for finishing
Instructions
  1. Begin by seasoning beef with salt and pepper and brown in olive oil in a Dutch oven for 3-4 minutes. (I tried to avoid my non-stick pan for this to get all the extra flavor on the bottom to scrap off later!) Remove with slotted spoon to a plate.
  2. Chop all vegetables and add onion, celery, parsnips and garlic to pan with beef juices. Saute on medium low until transparent, 3 minutes or so, stirring often.
  3. Add carrots and mushrooms and saute for 3 minutes more. Add herbs and a good amount of salt and pepper. Add ½ cup chicken broth to scrap up all brown bits from bottom of pan.
  4. Add tomato sauce and diced tomatoes to vegetables and warm through. Take off of heat.
  5. Chop potatoes and add to slow cooker.
  6. Add veggie/tomato mixture, remaining chicken broth and beef to potatoes in slow cooker. Stir to make sure everything is mixed thoroughly.
  7. Turn slow cooker on Low for 4-6 hours or High for 3 hours.
  8. If you wanted to do it on the stove, just add everything into the Dutch Oven with the vegetable mix (instead of slow cooker) and set on low for 1 hour.
 

Please let me know what you thought of the Savory Beef Stew! I would love to hear from you!