Beef Enchilada Slow Cooker Soup

When I first found this recipe, I ignored it because it called for 28oz of enchilada sauce.  

Man, that's a lot.  I thought the taste might be too overwhelming.

But after coming back to the recipe multiple times, I decided to "just try it out".

So glad I did. The enchilada sauce was definitely very 'front row' in this soup, but once I mixed in sour cream and fritos, it made for a very delicious soup!

compliments of Weary Chef

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. beef stew meat
• 28 oz. can red enchilada sauce
• 10 oz. can cheese soup
• 15 oz. can black beans, drained
• 15 oz. can whole kernel corn, drained
• 15 oz. can beef broth
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 c. shredded Mexican cheese
• sour cream, optional
• crushed tortilla chips, optional  (I used fritos)

Instructions:

1. Add all ingredients EXCEPT shredded cheese, sour cream, and chips to slow cooker. Stir together, and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 6 hours.
2. About 15 minutes before serving, stir in shredded cheese and continue cooking on low (or reduce heat to low).
3. Top individual servings with crushed tortilla chips and sour cream if desired. YUM!
4. 
   

Apple Snickerdoodle Bars

These bars are so moist and delicious. 

 They were the perfect side to my cup of coffee in the late afternoons!

photo and recipe courtesy of Cookies and Cups

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup diced apples (I used granny smith)
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°

How to Make

1. Line an 8x8 pan with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl combine melted butter and brown sugar with a wooden spoon. Once mixed, stir in egg and vanilla until smooth. Stir in salt, baking powder and flour until dough forms (it will be thick).
3. Stir in apples and spread into pan.
4. Combine granulated sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on top of batter.
5. Bake for 25 minutes until the edges are just golden and the center is almost set.
6. Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares.

White Bean Soup

Again, I love serving soup or chili on Sunday's during football season.

Yesterday's recipe was delicious! I served cornbread along with this soup.

White Bean Soup

photo and recipe courtesy of Chef-In-Training

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (4 oz.) can chopped mild green chillies
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 (15.5 oz) cans white beans, drained
• 2 cups cooked chopped chicken
• 3 cups chicken both
• 1½ cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 cup sour cream

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and saute until tender. Stir in garlic, chilies, cumin, and cayenne pepper, and saute 2 minutes. Add beans, chicken, and broth and bring to a boil. Take off heat and stir in cheese until melted. Add sour cream and stir until smooth.

Texas Tech

We spent last weekend at Texas Tech for Parents Weekend.

It was so good to see Nick after 8 full weeks of missing him!

We arrived on Friday evening just in time to meet him for dinner.  

You can tell from Brent's smile how happy he was to see his son!

We woke up early the next morning for the 11am football game.

We decided to walk from our hotel to the stadium (only 1.3 miles)

It was chilly and felt fantastic!

The girls were excited to sport some 'facial fashion' to the game

Texas Tech ended up losing the game to West Virginia, but overall it was so much fun!

I love college football games.

Kate spent most of the game watching Coach Kingsbury.

She has a slight crush on the man (I've heard a lot of fans do)

After the game and lunch, Nick took us on a walking tour of the campus.  The campus is HUGE so the walking tour took a very long time. Our legs were exhausted by the end of the day.

We ended Saturday with a nice dinner out, compliments of Nick's planning.  

Then after an early breakfast together on Sunday morning, we headed out to make the drive back to Dallas.

Such a fun weekend with Nick! So proud of him!

Wreck 'Em

(as a Baylor Bear, I never thought I'd say that)

Philly Cheese Steak Soup

Ingredients

3-4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds sirloin steak, cubed
6 cups low sodium beef broth
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
8 ounces American cheese, cubed
4 ounces cream cheese, softened for 20-30 seconds in microwave
2-3 sub buns, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
Salt and pepper, to taste
Shredded mozzarella cheese, for garnish
French fried onions, for garnish
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
 

Instructions

Heat 2 tablespoons olive olive in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft, 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a lightly greased slow cooker.
Add cubed steak to skillet and sear on all sides until meat is dark golden brown, adding more oil if needed. Add to slow cooker with onions and garlic.
Whisk together beef broth, flour, and Worcestershire sauce. Add to slow cooker along with mushrooms and cayenne pepper.
Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. One hour before serving, turn slow cooker to high heat. Add the American and cream cheese. Stir every 10-15 minutes as the cheese melts.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss cubed bread with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toast for 7-8 minutes, or until bread is golden and crispy.
Ladle soup into bowls. If desired, top with shredded mozzarella cheese, toasted bread cubes and French fried onions.