Mom’s Chili

1 lg can of crushed tomatoes (prefer Hunts because they don’t use chemicals to peel them)

1 lg can of tomato sauce

1 can tomato paste

3 cans of dark red kidney beans

2 Cubanelle peppers (or Anaheim if you can’t find cubanelle)

1 onion diced

2lbs ground beef (at least 20% fat)

Chili powder and Cayenne to taste

 Brown ground beef. When done, remove meat from frying pan (leaving grease behind) and place in slow cooker. Brown onions and peppers in frying pan with grease from meat. When done, put them in the slow cooker. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato paste.  Add beans (including liquid) and some chili powder and cayenne.  Cook for an hour or so and taste.  If needed, add more of the spices.  Cook for about 6 hrs.

I usually cook the meat, onions and peppers the night before and put them all in a bowl and refrigerate.  Saves time the next day.

Crockpot potato soup - weight watchers

1. WW Pts+: 3.5 per cup
   ...

1. 1 26-30 ounce bag frozen hash browns (plain)
   2 14 ounce cans non-fat chicken broth
   1 10-3/4 can 98% fat free cream of chicken soup
   1/4 cup chopped onion
   1/4 tsp pepper
   1 - 8 ounce pkg lowfat (1/3 less fat) cream cheese
   1 cup fat free milk
   
   Directions:
   
   Add first 5 ingredients to crockpot and cook on high for an hour
   Stir and then turn to low for another hour.
   Add cream cheese, and cook another 1/2 hour or until cheese can be stirred into mixture.
   Add milk and cook 10 - 15 minutes longer.
   
   Optional: Garnish with chopped green onion and bacon bits. (Add 1 pt for garnish)
   Variation: Use frozen Country potatoes or Potatoes O'Brien in place of the hash browns.

Cheesy white chicken chili

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, shredded or finely chopped
• 2 quarts chicken broth
• 3 - 15.5 ounce cannellini beans
• 2 - 15.5 ounce navy beans
• 2 - 11 ounce corn with red and green peppers
• 2 - 4 ounce diced green chilies
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 heaping tablespoon cumin
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1-1/4 teaspoons salt
• 2 cups pepper jack cheese, shredded
• 2 cups jack cheese, shredded
• 1 cup sour cream
• 6 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded

1. In a large pot, heat oil and add onion, cook for 4 to 5 minutes until tender.
2. Add chicken broth, beans, corn, green chilies, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and salt.
3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Add cheeses and sour cream; stir until cheese is melted.
5. Add chicken; cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until chicken is heated through.

FRENCH ONION SOUP CASSEROLE!

1. FRENCH ONION SOUP CASSEROLE!!
   
   Ingredients:
   2-3 Tbs butter or margarine
   3 large sweet onions or 4 medium white or yellow onions
   2 c. shredded Swiss cheese (8 oz.)...
   1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted**
   2/3 c. milk
   1 tsp. soy sauce
   8 or so slices of French bread
   **You can substitute cream of mushroom soup for cream of chicken to make vegetarian.
   
   Directions;
   -Slice onions and try not to cry. With this many onions, its hard.
   
   -Melt butter in a saute pan over medium heat, and add onions. Saute onions until clear, a little brown is ok. In a shallow 2 qt. casserole pan, layer onions, 2/3 of cheese and pepper to taste.
   
   
   -In a sauce pan, heat soup, milk, and soy sauce, stirring to blend. Pour soup mixture in a casserole and stir gently to mix. Top with bread slices. Bake at 350 uncovered for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, top of bread should be nice and toasted.
   
   -Push bread slices under the sauce and top with the remaining cheese
   -Place casserole back in oven and finish baking for 15 more minutes.See More

Potato soup

Ingredients:
2 1/2 pounds baby red potatoes, sliced into small bite sized pieces
1 regular package uncooked bacon, finely diced
1 medium onion, diced
1/4 bunch celery, diced
8 cups milk
4 cups chicken stock or broth
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup salted butter
1 cup flour
1/2 bunch freshly chopped parsley
1 cup whipping cream
***For garnish:***
Shredded cheese
fried bacon bits
chopped green onions

Directions:

1. In a Nonstick 12-Quart Stockpot , boil potatoes in water 10 minutes. Drain and set the potatoes aside until the end. 

2. In sauté pan, cook bacon until crisp.  Drain bacon fat and place on paper towel over plate to drain more.  

3. Add onion and celery to bacon pan over medium-high heat until celery is tender, about 5 minutes. 

4. To the large pan that you boiled the potatoes in, add milk, broth, salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture is very hot, about 8 minutes, stirring often. Do not let mixture boil. 

5. In small, heavy saucepan melt butter. Add flour and mix well. Cook over medium-low heat until mixture bubbles, stirring 2 to 3 minutes to make a roux. 

6. While constantly stirring soup, add roux slowly until soup is thick and creamy, about 4 minutes. Let simmer for about 30 minutes or until flavors are incorporated. 

7. Stir in parsley, reserved potatoes, bacon (reserve some for garnish if desired), celery, onions and cream. 

8. Garnish with cheese, bacon bits, green onions or all three. Serve hot!

Chicken Stew

You know how you get some dish in your mind and you obsess over it until you eat it? Well, I started obsessing over chicken noodle soup or chicken & dumplings, but with Tom being on a low-carb diet, I can't make them. So, I got creative and came up with this concoction. It was delicious and Tom loved it, too!

 Ingredients:
1 whole chicken, at least 5 lbs.
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 pkgs. (16 oz/1 lb) packages Tuscan-Style vegetables (I used Safeway Kitchens brand) with broccoli, red peppers, mushrooms & onions
1 yellow onion, chopped
6 ½ cups chicken stock & broth
½ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon thyme
2 Tablespoons parsley (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Roast chicken in a cooking bag following cooking directions for the cooking bag (necessary to generate lots of chicken stock). Boil the gizzards and either toss or give to the dogs. Shred cooked chicken. Retain stock, mix with the water that you boiled the gizzards in, and add canned chicken broth to make 6 ½ cups.

Sauté chopped onion and Tuscan vegetables in butter and olive oil over medium heat. Stir in thyme then pour in chicken broth. Add shredded chicken. Bring to a boil. Cover pot and simmer for 20 minutes.

Pour heavy cream into the pot. Add minced parsley if using. Cover pot and continue to simmer for 15 minutes.

Serve with fresh baked bread (but don't let Tom eat it).  

Substitutions:
You can use a rotisserie chicken instead of a fresh chicken, but you will lose the tasty stock. You can use canned chicken stock instead, but it really is not as good. But, it's a lot easier and faster, so go for it!

Sherri's Favorite Chili

Not my chili. Will take a picture when I
make it again.

Ingredients:
1 1-pound can of pinto beans (drain liquid)
1 1-pound can of pinto beans with jalapenos (drain liquid)
2 cups water
2 1-pound cans tomatoes
1 pound ground chuck or turkey (browned)
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
1 green pepper, coarsely chopped (opt.)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2-3 tbs. chili powder
1 1/2 tbs. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. apple cider-vinegar (opt.)--I have never used this


Directions:
Put all ingredients in crock pot in order listed. Stir once. Cover and cook on Low for 10 to 12 hours. (High: 5 to 6 hours, only if canned beans are used).

NOTE: Recipe calls for 1/2 pound dry pinto or kidney beans, soaked in water overnight. I prefer to use the canned beans.