Broccoli Cheese Soup

2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 cans cream of celery soup
2 cans cream of broccoli soup
1 12 ounce can evaporated milk
2 soup cans water
1 pound Velveeta cheese
1 bag frozen, chopped broccoli

Mix soup, evaporated milk and water in your crockpot. Heat on low until hot throughout (about 2 - 3 hours). Add Velveeta and frozen broccoli. Heat another 1 - 2 hours until cheese is melted and broccoli is cooked through. Serve hot. This recipe can easily be cut in half.

Opal's Beef Stew

Ingredients:
2-1/2 lbs. beef stew meat
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon oil
1-1/4 cups beef stock (could be beef bouillon cube w/water)
2-1/2 cups cubed potatoes
2 cups sliced carrots
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped/diced celery
1 garlic clove minced
4 cups tomato juice - Don't add this until you add the vegetables
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme (can be omitted)

Season the beef generously with salt and pepper. Add oil to kettle. In the cast iron kettle over medium-high heat, brown the beef on all sides (should take approximately 5 minutes). Reduce heat to medium/medium low, add 1 cup beef stock and slow cook beef approximately 1 hour. After meat is tender, (the approximate 1 hour), add the remaining ingredients. Cook over medium heat for 30 to 45 minutes. Remove bay leaf, serve with crackers or corn bread.

Chicken Pumpkin Corn Chowder

Ingredients:
2 Tbs butter
1 small onion, minced
1 (10 oz) package frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
1 (16 oz) can pumpkin
2 cups water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 Tbs sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups half-and-half cream
1 large chicken breast (cooked and chopped)

Instructions:
Melt butter in Dutch oven. Add onion and saute' until tender. Add corn and cook, stirring occasionally, two to three minutes.

Stir in pumpkin and next five ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer five minutes. Stir in half-and-half and cook until thoroughly heated. Do not boil. Pack in a thermos for a hot meal on the go.

yields seven cups

Southwestern Soup

Southwestern Soup:

1 lb. lean ground beef drained
1 can pinto beans (do not drain)
1 can black beans (do not drain)
1 can red kidney beans (do not drain)
1 can original Rottel(small can)
1 big can of tomatoes
2 cups of water
2 cans shoepeg corn (optional)
1 chopped onion
1 pkg. mild Taco seasoning
1 pkg. originial Ranch dressing mix

Fry the hamburger with the onions in it.
Drain and put in a large pan.

Mix all ingredients and cook for at least 30
mins.

Potato Chowder

INGREDIENTS 8 cups diced potatoes 1/3 cup chopped onion 3 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) chicken broth 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cubed 1/2 pound sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled, optional Minced chives, optional	SERVINGS 12 CATEGORY Soup METHOD Slow Cooker PREP 15 min. COOK 480 min. TOTAL 495 min.
DIRECTIONS In a 5-qt. slow cooker, combine the first five ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until potatoes are tender. Add cream cheese; stir until blended. Garnish with bacon and chives if desired. Yield: 12 servings (3 quarts).

Bread Bowls, Clam Chowder, and Spinach Dip

This recipe and picture was intended for a Super Bowl party, but I do these bread bowls at Christmas with spinach dip. I'll give the recipe for the spinach dip also at the bottom of this post. But, no matter what you decide to put in your bread bowl, it always looks pretty on the table. Not to mention less clean up! And if you don't have time to make the bread yourself or if you don't have a bread machine, you can pick up a round bread from your local bakery.

1/2 cup water (70 to 80 degrees)

1 cup warm milk ( same temps)

2 tablespoons butter, softened

2 tablespoons sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

4 cups all purpose flour

2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast

1 egg white, beaten

Vegetable Chowder:

1 large onion, chopped

3 celery ribs, chopped

6 tablespoons butter

3-1/2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4-1/2 cups milk

4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules

3/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS:

In bread machine pan, place the first seven ingredients in order suggested by manufacturer. Select dough setting (check dough after 5 miutes of mixing; add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or flour if needed).

When the cycle is completed, turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into six portions; shape into balls. Place on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes. Brush with egg white. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.

To make bowl, cut the top fourth off of the bread; carefully hollow out bottom of each, leaving a 1/4 inch shell (discard removed bread or save for another use). For chowder, in a large saucepan, saute onion and celery in butter until tender. Add mixed vegetables. Sitr in flour until blended. Gradually stir in milk until combined. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in bacon, bouillon is dissolved. Serve in bread bowls. Yields:6-8 servings.

SPINACH DIP

1 cup mayonaise

1 cup sour cream

1 pkg Mrs. Knorr vegetable soup mix (I like this brand best, but Lipton or your favorite vegetable soup mix will work too!)

1 pkg spinach (frozen) cooked and drained well.

Mix mayonnaise, soup mix, and sour cream. Stir in spinach. Chill 2 to 3 hours. Pour in bread bowl just before serving. Use crackers, vegetables, or hollowed bread pieces for dippers.

Meal In A Mug

ingredients
1 pound ground beef
2 cups water
1 can (21 ounces) pork and beans, undrained
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 envelope sloppy joe mix
1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
directionsIn a large saucepan, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add water, pork and beans, tomatoes and sloppy joe mix. Bring to a boil; add macaroni and reduce heat. Cover and simmer 10 minutes or until the macaroni is almost cooked. Pour into thermoses.

8 Servings

Here's what Bethanie had to say about this recipe....

"Tried this Tuesday. It was really really good. I browned the hamburger with onion and green peppers and put it all in the crock pot. However I did learn that you cannot cook this too long. If you do it turns to mush. But, it was still good. Live and learn. Also, I used a box of mac-n-cheese and just before serving I mixed cheese powder with a little milk and poured over all. I would say a good cooking time is 2 hrs-maybe 3 hrs on low."

Grandma's Tomato Soup

ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 cups tomato juice
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cooked wide egg noodles
directionsIn a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add flour; stir to form a smooth paste. Gradually add tomato juice and water, stirring constantly; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add sugar and salt. Stir in egg noodles and heat through

Yield: 2 servings