Crock Pot Posole

Posole (or pozole) is a traditional Mexican soup made with pork shoulder and lots of hominy. The first time I ever had posole was at a restaurant/hotel in Telluride, Colorado. I can’t remember the name of the restaurant, but it was good. Of course anything in Colorado tastes good when your fingers are numb from the wind and snow, and your hand warmers have worn off!

Since having posole in Telluride, I have been meaning to find a recipe to try and copy. This is the closest one I found. While the pork wasn’t as good as Telluride, the flavors of this crock pot posole soup were very good.

It’s just about the easiest recipe you can make. With a 3 month old, I’m always looking for simple recipes, and this one can be prepared in less than 30 minutes.

Top with tortilla chips and cheese, and you’ve quite the meal!

crock pot posole

Crock Pot Posole

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 7 hours

Total time: 7 hours 10 mins

Serves: 6-8

Adapted from Big Giant Food Basket

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 lbs. boneless pork loin roast, cut into one-inch cubes
flour for dedging
2 (14.5 oz) cans enchilada sauce
2 (15.5 oz) cans yellow hominy, drained
1 cup chicken broth
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup canned chopped green chilies
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tsp. oregano
cayenne pepper, to taste
1/3 cup fresh cilantro

Instructions

Dredge meat in flour and place in pan with hot oil. Brown the meat with a good sear and place in a 4-quart crock pot.
Pour the enchilada sauce over the meat and then top with the remainder of the ingredients except for the cilantro.
Cook in the crock pot on high for 6-7 hours. (I cooked on high for 2-3 hours, then on low for 3-4 hours). Add the cilantro and then cook another 30 minutes.

Pasta e Fagioli Soup (Olive Garden copycat)

Just as it is pumpkin “everything” season, it’s also soup season! It’s not often that I would pick soup over lasagna, but when it’s Olive Garden’s Pasta e Fagioli, soup wins every time.

I’ve tried to make a copycat version before (recipe HERE), and while it was good, it just didn’t taste the same. It was missing certain spices that made it taste just like Olive Garden’s.

The recipe below is almost spot-on to the recipe we all love and adore from Olive Garden. If you closed your eyes, I bet you couldn’t taste a difference!

While we used ground beef, I would add mild Italian sausage next time, as I think Olive Garden uses a mixture of beef and sausage. Plus, sausage adds that nice kick of flavor that beef doesn’t always provide.

This copycat recipe comes from one of my my favorite blogs, Cooking Classy. Jaclyn, the blogger, has other copycat Olive Garden recipes that I want to try such their famous Italian breadsticks, minestrone soup, and zuppa toscana soup.

Don’t forget to top with grated Romano or Parmesan cheese, if desired. Enjoy!

Pasta e Fagioli Soup (Olive Garden copycat)

Source: Cooking Classy

Ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef or mild Italian sausage
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 cup diced carrots (about 2 medium)
1 cup diced celery (about 3 stalks)
3/4 cup chopped yellow onion (about 1/2 of a large)
1 large clove garlic, finely minced
3 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
3-4 cups beef broth
1 cup water
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
3/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 scant cup ditalini pasta, uncooked
1 (15 oz) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz) can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
Romano cheese (or Parmesan), for serving

Instructions

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large non-stick saucepan over medium high heat, crumble in ground beef and cook, stirring occasionally until cooked through. Drain beef and pour into a bowl, set aside.
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in same large saucepan, sauté carrots, celery and onion over medium high heat until tender, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, and sauté 1 minute longer.
Reduce heat to low, add tomato sauce, beef broth, water, canned tomatoes, sugar, basil, oregano, thyme, marjoram, cooked beef, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Cover with lid and allow to simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until veggies are soft. Meanwhile prepare ditalini pasta according to package directions, cooking to al dente.
Add cooked and drained pasta to soup along with kidney beans, great norther beans and additional 1 cup of broth if desired to thin soup, and allow to cook 5 minutes longer. Serve warm with grated Romano cheese, if desired.

Notes

The longer the soup rests, the more liquid the pasta will absorb so you can thin it with additional beef broth if desired.

Pam’s “2 x 4” Chili

August in Texas means mornings so humid and warm that its nearly unpleasant to go for a walk or run, scorching hot summer afternoons leaving your backyard looking like a dessert, back-to-school shopping, and last-minute vacations for those escpaing the heat and enjoying their last getaway before school starts.

As mentioned before, I write the resident recipe column for our monthly neighborhood magazine. For this month’s article, I featured a resident who discovered this “2 x 4” Chili while on a camping trip with her father in August. It’s a neat story, and a ridiculously simple yet delicious recipe, so enjoy! An excerpt from the article appears below:

“Road trip! Pack your bags,” Pam’s father announced. “We are headed for Blue Lake and Bear Mountain in Colorado where we’ll be camping in a tent and staying in a campground area!”

For those of you who know Pam, she is more at home at a spa rather than a tent, but she was only 12 years old and he was her beloved father. When they arrived at the campgrounds, they overheard the campers next to them talking about having “2 x 4” for dinner. Curious as they were, they asked for the recipe, which consisted of 2 pounds of beef, 2 cans of Rotel, 2 cans of minestrone soup, and 2 cans of Ranch Style Beans; hence the name “2 x 4”.

Who knew that this road trip would teach Pam an extremely quick recipe to share with her carnivorous friends and neighbors!

All you need are 2 cans Rotel, 2 cans Ranch Style beans, 2 cans minestrone soup and 2 pounds of beef.

Once the beef is browned, add the rest of the ingredients.

Combine ingredients, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

While this recipe originates on the campgrounds, you don’t have to go camping to enjoy this delicious chili. Pam and her husband have “2 x 4” for dinner at least 2-3 times per month, and even enjoy it served with their elegant Gianni Versace Medusa China, Waterford crystal and Grand Baroque sterling!

2 x 4 chili — Set a beautiful table with your finest of china, or simply eat on paper plates while camping. 🙂

Pam’s “2 x 4” Chili

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

2 lbs. ground round
2 cans Rotel
2 cans minestrone soup
2 cans Ranch Style Beans

Instructions

Brown beef in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat and cook until crumbly and brown.
Add Rotel, minestrone and Ranch Style Beans, and stir.
Cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes.
Serve with Fritos and shredded sharp cheddar cheese.

Pasta e Fagioli

When it gets cold in Texas, we all get super excited because it’s always so hot here. Case in point: last Monday it snowed!! To you northerners, it wasn’t much more than flurry, but hey…it stuck and the yards and roofs of our houses had a light dusting of white powder on top!

Since it was cold, what better way to enjoy dinner than with a big bowl of hot, steamy soup! While Taco Soup is my favorite soup of all time, I kind of burned myself out on it. Thus, I thought I try something new…this time, an Italian soup!

Since it was cold and I didn’t feel like going to the grocery store, I used what I had around the house and threw it all together in a pot. Okay, not really. If you know me at all, you know I’m a huge rule follower. The same goes with recipes. I like to precisely measure my ingredients so that everything turns out perfectly.

I had all intentions of making a sausage and bean soup with pasta recipe from the Italian Dish. I was going to follow the recipe exactly but I didn’t have sausage, I didn’t have ditalini pasta, I didn’t have cannellini beans and I didn’t have a bay leaf!!! So much for following a recipe….

So, what did I do? I made some substitutions and pretty much created my own soup that I was pretty impressed with. It was light yet filling. The meat and beans provide the protein while the pasta gives you those long lasting carbs. The soup is also pretty healthy! The only source of fat comes from the ground beef, or sausage if you choose.

Enjoy and stay warm, especially those of you living north of Texas!

The alley, covered in snow at 7 in the morning!

Brown the beef. Sauté the carrot, onion and olive oil for 5 minutes or until soft.

Add tomatoes, beans, spices and broth.

Simmer for 1 hour, covered.

Add pasta and cook until tender.

Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

Pasta e Fagioli
Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained (I used kidney…it’s all I had in my pantry)
1 pound ground sirloin or sausage, or a combination (I used sirloin)
1/2 medium red onion, diced
1/2 medium carrot, diced
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 garlic gloves, minced
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
6 cups chicken broth
1 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. oregano
salt and pepper
2 cups orecchiette or any small pasta
grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
1. In a large pot, brown the beef. Add onion, carrot and olive oil and sauté for 5 minutes until soft. Add garlic and sauté about a minute more.
2. Add the tomatoes, 6 cups of the chicken broth, thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes, some salt and pepper, and the drained beans.
3. Cover the pot and cook for an hour over low heat, at a gentle simmer.
4. Add the pasta and cook, uncovered, until the pasta is tender. Check the seasoning and add more salt and pepper to taste. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese on top and an extra drizzle of olive oil.

Yield: 6-8 servings

Albondigas (Meatball) Soup

The forecast in Dallas calls for a 100% chance of rain, and I couldn’t be happier! Rainy weekends are the best since I can sleep in, stay in my pajamas and do nothing. Well, maybe not nothing…. cooking, running and reading blogs is what I’ll be doing!

If you’re waking up to a rainy day as well, what better way to enjoy the day than to make a large pot of albondigas (meatball) soup to enjoy for the next few days! My mom made this soup the day before yesterday, and simply heated it back for dinner last night. (It was also raining and the soup was a perfect way to warm us up).

As far as taste goes, we both enjoyed it. The cilantro gave the soup a slightly spicy kick as did the cumin. As a healthy soup, the meatballs contain lean ground turkey for protein, rice for your carbohydrate source, and zucchini and carrots for your vegetables. Feel free to add mushrooms, spinach, corn or peppers for added sources of veggies.

I will admit, I think this is more of a “ladies” inspired meal. My husband and Dad were not here to try the soup, and while I think they would both enjoy it, I don’t think they would ever “crave” it. Most men (Matt and my Dad) would probably rather you throw a piece of steak, potato and roll on their plate rather than eat a bowl of soup.

Nonetheless, here’s a healthy new soup recipe for you to try and warm you up on those rainy days like today!

Combine ground turkey, rice, cilantro, parsley, cumin and salt.

Add the egg, mixing until everything is well combined.

Roll into 1-inch balls.

Saute onions over medium heat until soft, about 6 minutes.

Add garlic, chicken broth, water and tomato paste. Add carrots and bring to a boil.

Add meatballs and cook for 15 minutes.

Add zucchini. Simmer 10 to 15 minutes longer.

Stir in oregano, salt and pepper and then serve.

Garnish with your choice of sliced avocados, shredded cheese, tortilla chips, cilantro, and/or a lime wedge.

Albondigas (Meatball) Soup
Ingredients
MEATBALLS
1 pound lean ground turkey
1/3 cup rice
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten

SOUP
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 large zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch half moons
1 tsp. dried oregano
3/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 avocado, sliced for serving
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
1 lime, cut into wedges, for serving

Directions
1. To make the meatballs: Combine the ground turkey, uncooked rice, cilantro, parsley, cumin, and salt in a medium bowl. Use a wooden spoon to gently stir the mixture a couple of times to blend Add the egg, mixing until everything is well combined. Pinch off large walnut-size bits of the mixture and roll them in your palms to make 1-inch balls. (You can cover the meatballs and refrigerate for a few hours if you like.)
2. To make the soup: Heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 6 minutes.
3. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and 2 cups of water. Add the tomato past and stir to combine. Once the tomato paste is dissolved, add the carrots and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce the heat to medium-low and carefully add the meatballs, a few at at time. Cook the meatballs for 15 minutes, then add the zucchini. Continue to simmer the soup until the carrots and zucchini are tender and the meatballs are cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Stir in the oregano, salt and pepper.
5. Serve with avocado, if desired, a sprinkle of cilantro, and lime wedge on the side for squeezing.

Yield: 6 servings
Recipe from: Pretty Delicious Cookbook by Candice Kumai

Chicken and Dumpling Soup

I’ve been on a huge soup craze lately, and I’m not sure why….maybe because soups are low carb, maybe because it’s winter (although sometimes it feels more like spring in Dallas), or maybe its just because I’ve found some truly outstanding soup recipes.

Whatever the reason, you’ve got to try this chicken and dumpling soup that is extremely delicious. My mom discovered the recipe from the latest Bon Appetit magazine, and made it for my dad a few weeks ago. He was pleasantly surprised and ate three bowls of it the first night! One week later, I visited my parent’s house, and low and behold, she made the soup again. This time I got to try it; I concur with my dad, it is awesome.

The original recipe calls for gnocchi, but my mom did not have any ricotta cheese on hand (my dad went shopping for her, and since he does not like cheese, he probably “forgot” to buy ricotta on the grocery list – haha). Dumplings make a great substitute for gnocchi, and are what we used in this soup.

As far as taste goes, I would liken this recipe to a creamier chicken noodle soup. The broth has a savory flavor from the chicken thighs and cooked vegetables. The chives and parsley are a nice addition, and the Parmesan adds a unique twist you wouldn’t expect to pair with soup. I also discovered what a parsnip is… I’m not sure how to describe the taste, but it looks like a white carrot!

The recipe below looks long and extensive, but don’t let that scare you into making chicken and dumpling soup. The instructions are detailed, and the recipe surprisingly easy. Enjoy!

Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients

*Dumplings

2 cups flour

1/2 cup shortening (solid Crisco)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup water

*Note below

Chicken and Gravy
10 cups low-salt chicken broth
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
6 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 celery stalks, cut crosswise into 1/4″-thick slices
1 carrot, peeled, thinly sliced
1 parsnip, peeled, cut into 1/4″
1 leek, halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/4″-thick slices
1/4 cup chopped flat parsley
1/4 cup press chives
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
Shaved Parmesan

Directions

Dumplings

1. Mix the flour and salt. Cut the shortening into the flour until it is the size of peas. Add the water and blend.

2. On a floured board, roll out to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into 1/2 to 3/4-inch squares. Let dry for about 15 minutes.

Chicken and Gravy
1. Bring broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Add chicken; reduce heat to low, cover, and gently simmer until chicken is tender and cooked through, 20-30 minutes. Remove chicken; let cool slightly and shred into bite-sized pieces. Bring to broth to a boil and cook until reduced to 8 cups, about 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, melt buter in a small heavy saucepan over low heat. Whisk in flour until smooth and cook, whisking constantly, until roux is pale beige in color, about 15 minutes (do not brown).
3. Scape roux into simmering broth; whisk until thickened and broth coats the back of a spoon. Reduce heat to low and add vegetables. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add shredded chicken and herbs. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Chill, uncovered, until cold; cover and keep chilled. Rewarm before serving.

4. Drop dumplings into boiling soup. Cover tightly (don’t lift cover); reduce heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until done. Using a slotted spoon, transfer dumplings to bowl, dividing equally. Ladle chicken and vegetables with gravy over. Season with peppers and top with Parmesan.

Yield: 8 servings
Recipe adapted from: Bon Appetit

*Note – my mom substituted her homemade dumplings for the gnocchi since she forgot to buy ricotta cheese at the store. The original gnocchi recipe is below:

*Gnocchi

1 pound ricotta

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour plus more

1 large egg, beaten to blend

1 1/4 cups finely grated Parmesan

3/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 Tbsp. kosher salt

Directions

1. If using fresh ricotta that has excess liquid, you may need to drain it overnight. Line a fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth and set it over a medium bowl. Add ricotta; cover with plastic wrap and let drain overnight in refrigerator. If using supermarket ricotta, proceed with recipe; no draining required.

2. Gently mix ricotta, 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour, egg, Parmesan, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl just to blend (do not overwork). Form dough into a ball (it will be sticky); wrap in plastic and chill for at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Place dough on a lightly floured work surface. Divide dough into 4 equal portions and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Using your hands, roll 1 portion into a 1/2″-diameter rope; cut crosswise into 1/2″-thick pieces. Lightly dust gnocchi with flour and transfer to prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining portions of dough. Cover gnocchi with a kitchen towel and chill until ready to cook. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 months ahead. Freeze on sheets, then store, frozen in an airtight container.

4. Cook gnocchi in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occassionally, until gnocchi float to the surface, about two minutes (slightly longer if frozen).

Kenny’s Tortilla Soup

If anyone has lived in Texas, you know how crazy the weather can get, especially in Dallas! This past winter was extreme! In February, we received over 9 inches of snow and ice, thus school was cancelled…not for one day, but for FIVE full days in a row!!! The temperatures stayed in the 20s for four days, and we did not see above-freezing temperatures until the fifth or sixth day. (For those of you who remember, flights were delayed to Dallas for the Superbowl that was to be held that weekend.) Ask any Dallas resident, and most would say that they were sick of the weather after the second or third day.

Monday, the first day, was actually kind of fun. I stayed in bed all day, made lots of hot chocolate and baked. After a few hours of constant snow and ice, my husband (Matt) and I realized that we would not be going anywhere. Matt has a small car, with sporty, chrome wheels…not a practical vehicle to drive out in the snow. We couldn’t even back out of our own driveway!

By day two, Tuesday, I was bored. Dallas residents saw rolling power outages, and we were encouraged to stay indoors until the ice and snow melted off the streets. All I did was cook. I think I blogged every single day of my “vacation”. I wasn’t even able to run for three days in a row!

By the fourth day, Thursday, Matt and I were determined to get out and do something. Matt called his friend Kenny, who has a big SUV, to come and drive us around for a little scenery. We ate at Pei Wei. Pei Wei must have been trying to get rid of their extra food, because the portion sizes were enormous that day!

On the fifth day, Friday, Kenny had the brilliant idea that we go sledding. He knew the “perfect” spot in Plano with some great hills. Kenny came over to our house and picked up Matt and I. We had our inflatable swimming tubes all pumped up and ready to go. I should have worn my ski gear, because after only 15 minutes of sledding, I was crying because my hands were so cold! I felt like I was in beautiful Colorado, not Dallas, Texas!

Below: my husband taking off down the hill. Kenny watching…

I’m almost to the bottom…

Kenny about to sled down the hill…

When we returned home, I took a warm shower, and de-thawed my frozen hands. Kenny went home to make his homemade Tortilla Soup recipe, and came back to our house that evening for dinner and a movie.

With the soup already made, we simply reheated it for about 20 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Garnished with crumbed tortillas chips, Cheddar cheese, and avocado chunks (for those of you who like avocado…not me), and you’ve got yourself a complete meal!

Maybe you’ll be in the mood for soup sometime soon! Sorry, but it doesn’t look like we’ll see any 20 degree temperatures any time soon. Try more like 100 degree temperatures from now until October. Enjoy!

Kenny’s Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

1 whole chicken

1 large can of diced tomatoes

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 poblano pepper, chopped

olive oil

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1 bunch fresh cilantro

tortilla chips

grated Cheddar cheese

avocado

Directions

1. Boil one whole chicken (not frozen) in salted water for one hour. De-bone the chicken and place back in water. Add one large can of diced tomatoes.

2. Saute’ the chopped onion, poblano pepper, and garlic in a little olive oil until onions are tender and clear. Transfer onion mixture into the chicken and water and boil for 20 minutes.

3. Add 1 teaspoon of chili powder and 1/2 teaspoon of cumin. Cut up 1 bunch of cilantro and add to soup. Simmer for another 10 minutes.

4. Garnish with tortilla chips, cheese, and avocado.

Yield: 6-8 servings

Taco Soup

This is my mom’s classic taco soup recipe. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like it! It is a crowd pleaser, and is perfect for the fall season as the weather is cooling down for us here in Texas. Taco Soup serves a lot, so my mom will usually make it when my Dad is on business trips. She will just eat taco soup all by herself for a whole week. That was she can sew and not have to cook! Enjoy!

Brown meat with onions and green chiles over medium-high heat.

When meat is browned, add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil.

Simmer for 30 minutes.

Taco Soup
Ingredients
2 lbs. ground beef
1 small onion
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chiles (we used rotel instead)
1 tsp salt
1 package (1 1/4 oz.) taco seasoning
1 package (1 oz.) ranch dressing mix
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) hominy, undrained
2 cans (14 1/2 oz. each) stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 can (15 oz.) kidney beans, undrained
1 can (15 oz.) pinto beans, undrained
1 1/2 cups water

Directions
1. Brown ground beef with onion and green chiles on medium high heat in large dutch oven or pot. Make sure meat is not pink on the inside.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients, bring to a boil.
3. Simmer 30 minutes on low.

Yield: 10 servings