Sunday, November 20, 2011

Baked Potato Soup (Crockpot)


Ingredients:
- 5lbs Russet Potatoes, washed but NOT peeled. Diced into 1/2 inch(ish) cubes
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 10 cloves of garlic (you can use whole, crushed, or minced)
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 16 oz cream cheese (I used 8oz regular and 8oz lowfat)
- 1 TBS seasoned salt or all-purpose seasoning

Garnishes:
- Crumbled bacon
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Green onions

Directions:
- Add potatoes, onion, garlic, seasoning and chicken stock to slow cooker.
- Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 10 hours.
- Remove and puree the garlic cloves (if you used whole cloves) along with 1/2 to 1/3rd of the soup.  -Return 1/2 of the pureed soup to the crockpot.  Add the cream cheese to remaining soup in the blend until well incorporated.
- Stir in the cream cheese and allow to melt. Stir every 10-15 minutes until soup is well blended.
- Top with your choice of garnishes & serve!

Yields about 10-12 servings.

Monday, November 14, 2011

Cranberry Cilantro Cream Cheese Dip


This is delicious!  These flavors all blend INCREDIBLE together.  My new favorite.  Thanks again to Jamie at Jamie Cooks It Up  :)

1  12 oz package fresh cranberries
1/4 C green onion, chopped
1/4 C cilantro, chopped
1 small jalapeno pepper
1 1/4 C sugar
1/4 t cumin
2 T lemon juice
dash salt
2  8 oz packages cream cheese

1.  Put your cranberries in a food processor.
2.  Chop the green onion, jalapeno, and cilantro.  Omit the seeds of the jalapeno if you don't want the heat.
3.  Add all the ingredients EXCEPT THE CREAM CHEESE into a bowl.  Mix well.  Cover and store in the fridge for at least 4 hours.  (If you don't give the sugar time to make friends with the cranberries, it will taste bitter!)
4.  When you are ready to serve, place your room temperature cream cheese on a plate and spread it around nicely and evenly.
5.  Pour cranberry mixture over cream cheese and spread evenly.
6.  Serve with crackers or tortilla chips.
 

Monday, November 7, 2011

Creamy Ranch Bacon Chicken (Crockpot)



Easy breezy.....beautiful!  Love this for a Manic Monday Meal!!!!

4 chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 packet dry ranch dressing mix
2 - 3 T bacon bits/pieces
1 tsp minced garlic
1 C sour cream
Pasta/Rice

Place chicken breasts in bottom of crockpot.  In separate bowl, combine soup, sour cream, garlic, dressing mix, and bacon bits.  Mix well.  Pour over top of chicken.  Cook on high 4 hours.  Remove chicken and shred or cube and place back in pot.  Serve over cooked pasta or rice.