Soup Weather

 It's finally feeling like Fall in Ohio and this wonderful weather just screams, "Eat Soup!" It's funny, Mother Nature decides what's for dinner in our household quite often. I don't like to cook when it's hot outside because it makes the house hot, and I despise being hot unless I am laying by the pool and have a quick means to cool off, so we grill a lot and order our fair share of pizza over the Summer! I figure it all evens out since I cook the majority of our meals during the other 3 Seasons! Cheesy Potato Soup is one of our Fall family favorites, I like to serve it with fresh baked French Bread(Okay, so it's a Take and Bake Loaf from Kroger) My FAVORITE pairing with this soup is actually a recipe my best friend makes-Pretzel rolls! They are delish! I believe she got the recipe from pinterest, but I haven't made them myself, yet! Luckily, there is plenty more cool weather to come...maybe next time I will try to make them! (Or wrangle my best friend back from Atlanta, bribe her with soup and convince her to make rolls...hmm)

Cheesy Potato Soup

Ingredients:

6-7 Red or Yellow Potatoes, peeled and diced into bite size pieces

1 stalk of celery, chopped or minced(I prefer minced in a creamy soup)

1 small onion, chopped or minced

1 32oz. carton of Chicken Broth(4 Cups)

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup(I used Cream of Chicken and herbs)

1 tsp. garlic powder(or more or less to taste)

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

2-3 Tbsp. Real Bacon Bits or Pieces

12 oz.(3 Cups) Finely shredded Cheddar Cheese(I used 1 Cup Sharp and 2 Cups Mild, you can use whichever kind you like)

2 1/2 cups Milk, warmed up (2 minutes in the microwave)

5 Tbsp. flour

*Optional: 2 green onions, thinly sliced for garnish

Directions:

Add the first 9 ingredients to the Slow Cooker, stir and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours.

Add the Worcestershire sauce, bacon bits and cheese and stir.

Warm up the milk, sprinkle and stir in the flour until smooth. Add mixture to the Slow Cooker and stir.

Cook on HIGH and additional 30-45 minutes.

Serve with a sprinkle of cheese, green onions, and bacon bits.

Crockpot Chicken Tacos

Crockpot Chicken Tacos

Ingredients:

Taco Seasoning (I use a local spice mix called Sazon, but any taco-like seasoning will do!)

6 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts(thawed, if frozen)

1 16-ounce jar Salsa (My favorite is Chi-Chi's Original Recipe Medium Salsa)

*Optional: ½ can of whole kernel corn and Can of black beans-drained*

Directions:

Lay chicken in bottom of crock pot, pour all other ingredients in on top of it, place lid on crockpot and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours. When done, the chicken should shred easily when stirred with a fork.

Serve with taco shells, on taco salad or burritos. We like to top them with cheese and sour cream, but you can add any toppings you prefer!

(Any leftover chicken and the leftover ½ can of corn is great to use in Tortilla soup!)

These are a family favorite in our household, and definitely my "go-to" meal for an easy dinner! On days that I know I will be out running errands/volunteering at the kids' school, etc. it's great to just toss this in the crockpot and it is done when we get home, no fuss-no muss!