What You Need:

1 T canola oil

1 lb ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1 (19 oz) can minestrone soup

1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained well

1 (14.5 oz) can stewed tomatoes

1 (11 oz) can whole kernel corn

1 (4 oz) can green chilies, chopped

1 t salt

1/2 t garlic powder

1/2 t onion powder

How to Make It:

Place the oil in a skillet over medium heat. 

Break up the ground beef into the skillet and add the onions.

Cook 12 minutes or until the meat is completely browned.

Drain well and pat the excess grease off with a paper towel.

Place the meat and onions into the crock pot.

Pour in the minestrone soup, pinto beans, tomatoes, corn and the chilies.

Sprinkle in the salt, garlic and onion powder.

Stir from the bottom up to incorporate all the ingredients together.

Cover and cook on the low heat setting 6 hours.

Serving Size:  8

This great soup is made up of things everyone has in their pantry and refrigerator.  Try adding a few of your own ideas such as canned green beans, peas or carrots to see if you can come up with you very own this and that soup.

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What You Need:

2 (14 1/2 oz) cans fat free sodium free chicken broth

1 qt water

2 T fish sauce

1/4 t salt

4 T cornstarch

1 C cold water

2 eggs, beaten

1 scallion, chopped

1/4 t pepper

How to Make It:

Pour the chicken broth into a large saucepan and place over medium heat.

Pour in the 1 qt of water.

Stir in the fish sauce and salt and bring the mixture to a brisk boil.

Whisk the cornstarch and the cold water together in a separate bowl until smooth.

Stir the mixture into the soup.

Continue stirring continuously until the soup boils briskly again.

Turn off the heat under the sauce pan and remove the sauce pan from the stove.

Add the beaten eggs to the soup mixture but do not stir.

Use a fork and pull it through the soup using 2 strokes.

Pour the mixture into the crock pot.

Add the scallions and pepper.

Cover the crock pot and cook the soup on low for 1 hour.

Serving Size:  8

This soup is so very easy to make and it tastes great.  If after 1 hour of cooking on low you are not ready to eat it turn the crock pot to warm and leave it all day if you wish.

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What You Need:

1 lb. whole mushrooms, halved

1/2 C uncooked wild rice

1 stalk celery, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 (1.8 oz) envelope onion mushroom soup mix

1 T sugar

1 C water

1 (32 oz) can beef broth

1 C frozen sweet peas, thawed

How to Make It:

Layer the ingredients into the crock pot starting with the mushrooms.

Add the rice, then the celery and carrots.

Sprinkle in the dry soup mix and the sugar.

Pour the water over the top of the ingredients and do not stir.

Pour the can of beef broth over the top of all the ingredients and do not stir.

Cover and cook on the low temperature setting for 7 hours.

Uncover and stir in the thawed peas.

Recover and continue cooking on low for 15 minutes or until the peas are tender.

Serving Size:  6

Have a lot of leftovers?  That’s okay this soup can be place in airtight containers and frozen for up to 6 months and still remain fresh.    

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What You Need:

2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes with green chili peppers

1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 (10 oz) pkg. frozen corn

1 C onion, diced

2 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

1 (1 1/4 oz) envelope chili seasoning mix

1 C water

How to Make It:

Dump the cans of tomatoes with the juice into the crock pot.

Add the kidney beans and chickpeas into the pot.

Place the frozen corn and onions in.

Stir in both cans of tomato sauce until well combined.

Sprinkle in the envelope of seasoning mix.

Pour in the water and stir to incorporate all the ingredients together well.

Cover and cook on the low temperature setting 6 hours.

Serving Size:  6

This vegetable soup has a great chili taste due to the green chilies and seasoning mix.  Experiment with different vegetables until you find just the right ones for your taste.

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What You Need:

1 large head of cauliflower broken into florets

2 C chicken broth

2 T chicken bouillon granules

2 C half and half

2 C milk

1 carrot, shredded

1 bay leaf

1/4 t garlic powder

1/2 C instant mashed potato flakes

1 (8 oz) pkg. cheddar cheese, shredded

How to Make It:

Place the cauliflower, broth and bouillon granules into a large soup pot over high heat.

Bring the mixture to a brisk boil.

Place the heat on low, cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until the cauliflower is fork tender.

Remove the cauliflower from the pot and mash with a potato masher.

Pour the broth mixture into the crock pot and then add the mashed cauliflower.

Pour the cream and milk into the crock pot.

Add the shredded carrots, bay leaf and garlic powder.

Stir to combine the ingredients together well.

Cover the crock pot and cook on low for 3 hours.

Stir the potato flakes into the crock pot, cover and continue cooking on low for 40 minutes or until the soup is a thick as you like.

Remove the bay leaf.

Place the soup, in batches, into the blender and blend until very smooth.

Return the blended soup to the crock pot.

Sprinkle in the cheese and stir to incorporate.

Recover and continue cooking 15 to 20 minutes or until the cheese has completely melted into the soup.

Serving Size:  8

When winter cold hits there is nothing better than a warm cup of soup.  This soup not only warms you up but gives you that cozy feeling all the way through.  Other types of cheese can be used in this recipe.  If you like chunky soups, forego the blender, add the cheese and enjoy.

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What You Need:

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 (4.5 oz) jar sliced mushrooms, drained

1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth

1/4 t salt

1 large zucchini, sliced

1 small red bell pepper cut into strips

1 small yellow bell pepper cut into strips

1 t Italian seasoning

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with Italian herbs

How to Make It:

Place the onion, garlic and mushrooms into the crock pot.

Pour in the chicken broth and add the salt.

Stir to incorporate the ingredients together.

Cover and cook on the low setting for 10 hours.

Stir in the zucchini and bell pepper strips.

Sprinkle the Italian seasoning into the mixture.

Pour the diced tomatoes including the juice into the crock pot.

Stir to incorporate the ingredients together well.

Adjust the temperature to the high setting, cover and continue cooking 30 minutes or until the zucchini is fork tender.

Serving Size:  6

Want to make this soup vegetarian.  Use a vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth.  Dried garbanzo beans may also be added to this recipe.  They must be soaked in water for 8 hours to soften them enough for crock pot cooking.

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What You Need:

2 C onions, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped fine

5 cloves of garlic, mined

1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes

1 (8 oz) bottle clam juice

1/2 C water

1 T red wine vinegar

1 T olive oil

2 1/2 t dried Italian seasoning

1/4 t sugar

1/4 t red pepper flakes, crushed

1 bay leaf

1 lb. white fish, cut into 1 in pieces

3/4 lb uncooked medium shrimp, shelled, deveined and tails removed

1 (6 1/2 oz) can chopped clams with juice

1 (6 oz) can crabmeat, drained

1/4 C fresh parsley, chopped

How to Make It:

Place the onion, celery, garlic and tomatoes into the crock pot.

Pour in the clam juice, water, vinegar and oil. 

Sprinkle in the Italian seasoning, sugar and pepper flakes.

Stir the mixture to combine all the ingredients together well.

Add the bay leaf and stir again.

Cover the crock pot and cook on high 4 hours.

Add the fish, shrimp, clams with the juice and crabmeat to the crock pot.

Lower the heat to the low setting, cover and continue cooking 45 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Remove the bay leaf before serving and sprinkle the top with the parsley. 

Serving Size:  8

A dry white wine can be used in place of the water if you like. If you use a wine choose a dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or a Chardonnay.  

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What You Need:

1 lb Italian sausage

1/2 C onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 (4 oz) pkg. pepperoni slices

1 (16 oz) can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 (16 oz) can light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 (14.5 oz) can died tomatoes

1 (4 oz) can green chilies, chopped

4 t chili powder

1/2 t salt

1/8 t pepper

1 (15 oz) can pizza sauce

How to Make It:

Place the sausage, onion and garlic into a skillet over medium heat.

Brown the sausage until not longer pink about 8 minutes.

Drain well in a colander and pat off excess grease with paper towel.

Place into the crock pot.

Add the pepperoni into the mixture.

Place both cans of kidney beans into the crock pot.

Add in the tomatoes and the green chilies.

Sprinkle in the chili powder, salt and pepper.

Pour the pizza sauce over the top and stir to make sure all the ingredients are combined together.

Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

Serving Size:  8

This recipe is great for teenage parties.  The kids go crazy over the pizza taste in the soup.  Chop the pepperoni into small pieces if you prefer. Serve with an Italian blend shredded cheese sprinkled on top.

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What You Need:

3 C cooked ham cut into cubes

2 C water

1 C dried navy beans

1 C celery, sliced

1 small onion, chopped

2 carrots, sliced

1/4 t dried thyme

1/4 t liquid smoke

1/4 C parsley, chopped

How to Make It:

Place the ham into the crock pot and pour the water over the top.

Add in the beans, celery, onion and carrots.

Sprinkle the thyme into the crock pot.

Pour in the liquid smoke and stir the ingredients to combine well.

Cover and cook on the low temperature setting for 10 hours.

Sprinkle the parsley over the top just before serving.

Serving Size:  4

Any type of dry bean will work with this recipe.  Liquid smoke gives foods a great hickory smoked taste.  It can be found in the condiment section of your local grocery store.

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What You Need:

1/2 lb Italian pork sausage

1 C fresh carrots, sliced

1 large baking potato, peeled and cubed

1 garlic clove, minced

2 (14 oz) cans beef broth

1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained

1 (14.5 oz) can tomatoes

1 1/2 C water

1/2 t Italian seasoning

1 bay leaf

1 C zucchini cut julienne style

1/2 C Parmesan cheese, grated

How to Make It:

Place the sausage in a skillet over medium heat.

Brown the sausage about 7 minutes or until no longer pink stirring often for even browning.

Drain the sausage well in a colander and pat excess grease off with a paper towel.

Place the drained sausage into the bottom of the crock pot.

Add in the carrots, potatoes and garlic.

Pour the beef broth into the crock pot and stir to mix with the meat and vegetables.

Add in the chickpeas, tomatoes with the juice and the water.

Sprinkle in the Italian seasoning and add the bay leaf.

Stir again to be sure all the ingredients are combined together well.

Cover and cook on low heat for 8 1/2 hours.

Remove the bay leaf and stir in the zucchini.

Cover and continue cooking 25 minutes or until the zucchini is tender.

Sprinkle the top with the Parmesan cheese just before serving.

Serving Size:  6

Baking potatoes have low moister and high starch content.  Due to this they work well when cooking for longer periods of time. 

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