Chuck Roast Crock-Pot Chili

9-18 garlic cloves, minced

2 large onions, chopped

1 bunch celery hearts, finely chopped

2 green peppers, chopped

2 red peppers, chopped

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced

2 tsp salt

2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

2 cups corn

2 TBSP chili powder

2 tsp chipotle chili powder

4 tsp cumin

2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp black pepper

25 oz jar garlic tomato pasta sauce (OR 15 oz tomato sauce + 7 oz tomato paste)

beef broth

shredded chuck roast

Cook a small chuck roast with 4 cups of water in a crock-pot on low for 6-8 hours the day before making chili. Shred the roast into bite-sized pieces and save the broth to use in the chili.

Combine all ingredients in a large crock-pot and cook on low for 4-6 hours, until heated through and bubbling. Serve with grated cheddar cheese.

Crock-Pot Split Pea Soup

leftover lamb bone

4 cups green split peas

1 diced onion

8 cups chicken broth

2 cups water

1 tsp pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large crock-pot. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. Remove lamb bone, add salt to taste (if needed), and serve.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

2 large bunches broccoli, chopped

4 stalks celery, chopped

1 onion or 4 green onions, chopped

1 TBSP sea salt

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

4 cups whole milk

2 cups grated Cheddar cheese

3 dashes Tabasco sauce

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp paprika

2 tsp dried parsley

1 tsp dried dill weed

Place vegetables in stockpot and cover up to 2/3 of them with water. Bring to a boil and add salt. Reduce heat and boil until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat and when cool enough to handle, puree in a blender or food processor. Melt butter in a small saucepan and whisk in flour until smooth. Return pureed vegetables to the stockpot over medium heat and slowly blend in butter and flour mixture. Add milk, stirring constantly, then gradually add cheese. Stir until smooth. Add Tabasco, pepper, paprika, parsley, and dill, and salt to taste if needed. Heat thoroughly and serve.

Taco Soup

1 lb ground beef

1 chopped onion

2 cups frozen corn

1/2 cup water

2-3 chopped tomatoes

1 can kidney beans (with goop)

8 oz tomato sauce (optional)

1 TBSP taco seasoning mix

Brown beef, add all other ingredients, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips.

Simple Gazpacho

1 diced green pepper

1 diced onion

3 peeled, diced cucumbers

8 diced tomatoes

64 oz (or more) V8-style tomato juice

1 TBSP cumin

1 TBSP black pepper

2 TBSP seasoning salt

1 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup evaporated cane juice

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients and marinate in the refrigerator for several hours before serving.

Vegetable Lamb Stew

2 lbs. leg of lamb (or beef stew meat), cut into bite-size pieces

28 oz. low sodium beef broth

2 12 oz. bottles Irish Stout (or other dark beer, or substitute beef broth)

3 cups cubed, peeled baking potato

2 cups thinly sliced leek (about 2 large leeks)

2 cups carrots, sliced 1/2 inch thick

6 thyme sprigs or 2 TBSP dried thyme

2 bay leaves

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup flour

2 TBSP fresh lemon juice

2 tsp sugar

1/2 cup (or less) chopped fresh parsley

Brown meat in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then add beef broth and all ingredients through pepper, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaves and thyme sprigs.

Combine water, flour, lemon juice and sugar, stirring well with a whisk. Add to the stew and bring it to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook 3 minutes or until slightly thick, still stirring constantly. Remove from heat and mix in parsley before serving.

Stone Soup

Start with a stone; not too big, not too small; a nice, solid stone...

Put the stone in a large pot (or just pretend you did), and add:

4 cups of beef broth (I used the broth left over from cooking a roast)

3ish cups of vegetable broth

1 pkg of stew meat (browned and drained) and/or leftover chuck roast

rosemary/garlic-roasted tomatoes

leeks, sliced

potatoes, diced

baby carrots, chunked

a can of corn

pepper and garlic salt to taste

Bring it to a boil, then simmer for at least 2 hours over medium-low heat.

(Visit Tammy's Recipes for more inspiration!)

Black Bean Soup

6-ish cups cooked black beans 

3-4 chopped tomatoes

1-2 cups corn

1 small onion, chopped

1-2 cloves of garlic, minced

Heat to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add chopped cilantro and salt to taste, and garnish with sliced avocados.

Faster version:
6 cans black beans (3 drained)
2 black beans cans filled with frozen corn 
1 16 oz package fresh salsa

Heat over medium-heat until heated through.

(We add a spoonful or two of sour cream to each serving and stir it in – cools it off faster for the kids to eat, and takes a little bit of the picante out too.  We also like to eat it with tortilla chips.) J

Crockpot Ajiaco

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 c. no-salt chicken stock

4 tsp minced garlic

1 TBSP sea salt

2 TBSP onion flakes

2-3 diced unpeeled potatoes

Cook on high for about 2 ½ hours, then remove chicken, cut it into bite-size pieces and return it to crock-pot. Add:

4 c. no-salt chicken stock

2 cups green beans

2 cups corn

1 ½ tsp basil

¾ tsp pepper

¾ tsp paprika

Cook until potatoes and chicken are cooked through. Mash some of the potatoes and stir to distribute, and add additional salt (to taste) if needed. Add ½ c. fresh cilantro just before serving.

Optional toppings per individual serving: capers, sliced avocados, sour cream