Hamburger Soup

Jennifer S.

There are plenty of versions out there for Hamburger Soup, but this is the one that I made today in the crock pot for a sick friend of mine. Feel free to tweak it to your liking and enjoy it with some homemade bread or rolls.

1 lb ground beef
1/2 white onion, small dice
1 tbs garlic, minced (I use the jarred kind)
1 tbs Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

32-oz beef broth
2 10-oz cans of tomato soup
1 "can" of water
1 15-oz can corn, drained
1 15-oz can green beans, drained
1 15-oz can dark red kidney beans, NOT drained
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes (I used the kind with green chilies added)
1 12-oz bag frozen peas and carrots
1 tbs sugar (optional). I find it takes the bitter taste out of the tomato

1/2 cup alphabet noodles, dried and uncooked
Parmesan cheese (optional)

Brown beef, onions, and garlic together in a pan. Drain off extra grease and add seasonings to meat.
In a large crock pot set on high add the broth, soup, water, corn, beans, tomatoes, and peas and carrots. Add the meat mixture and stir. Add sugar, if using
Cover and let soup come to a boil, stir well and add in the noodles. Stir and turn down heat to low for about 30-60 minutes or until pasta is tender.

Serve topped with Parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy!

Additional add ins to tweak your recipe:
1/2 head of shredded cabbage (added when you add the pasta)
2 cups zucchini, chopped (added when you add the pasta)
Instead of the cans of veggies replace them with a giant bag of mixed veggies from the frozen food section
2 cups russet potatoes, peeled and diced. Added with the veggies
Make it vegetarian by not adding the beef
1 15-oz can white beans in the place of the red kidney beans
Use left over shredded roast beef in the place of the ground beef
Use Hot Italian Sausage in place of the ground beef
Use 2 cups of V8 juice in the place of the tomato soup
Add 2 cups of broccoli/cauliflower when adding pasta
What ever else your imagination comes up with!

Jenn's Banana Bread

Jenn's Banana Bread

Preheat oven to 300 degrees

Grease 3 large loaf pans

Mix together 1/4 C flour

2 tbs sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Coat loaf pans with butter and flour mixture and set aside

Use left over flour mixture with dry ingredients 

Liquid ingredients:

Cream together

3/4 C butter, softened

3 C sugar

3 eggs

1 TBS vanilla

3 ripe bananas, mashed

1 C applesauce

OR just use 6 ripe bananas and NO applesauce 

1 C  sour cream

Dry ingredients:

Whisk together

4 3/4 C flour using any left over from coating pans

1 TBS cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cardamon OR all spice

1 tsp salt

1 TBS baking soda

Add dry ingredients a little at a time to wet ingredients until well combined.

Divide between loaf pans. Place loaf pans on a baking sheet and place in the center of preheated oven.

Bake for 60-75 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean). Rotate baking sheet halfway through bake time.

Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes in pans. Remove from pans and place on cooling rack. Cover with towel until completely cooled. Wrap in plastic.

Enjoy!

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo on Spaghetti Squash

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo on Spaghetti Squash

I made this for a church potluck as I am not eating carbs right now and wanted to be sure to take something I knew that I could eat. Turns out all the gluten free peeps enjoyed having something to eat too!

1 large Spaghetti Squash- cooked and shredded.  Cut in half with the seeds scooped out. Bake at 375 degrees for 45-60. I drizzled mine with olive oil, salt and pepper.
1 Rotisserie Chicken, shredded
2 cups fresh or frozen broccoli florets
 Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce  
Or your Favorite Jarred Alfredo Sauce
 1 cup Italian Cheese Blend
salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.
In a 13x9 baking dish, sprayed with cooking spray add the cooked spaghetti squash, chicken, and broccoli.
Pour on Alfredo sauce.
Sprinkle with cheese.
Cover with foil and bake for 30-45 minutes or until bubbly and hot. If you like the top browned you can uncover the last 10-15 of baking.
Enjoy!