2/5/13
Black Bean Soup with Cilantro Lime Rice
12/16/12
Beef & Bean Stew
11/1/12
Pumpkin & Butternut Squash Chili
I follow Our Best Bites like a stalker. Every recipe of theirs that I have ever tried has been a win. I bought my sister their first cookbook last year and got her hooked on them as well, so last Thanksgiving we tried many recipes--you can't go wrong. I'm officially putting their second cookbook on my Christmas list! ...So, when they posted a recipe for Black Bean and Sweet Potato Turkey Chili a couple of weeks ago, both my sister and I noticed it right away.
We have been trying to eat a more plant-based diet so I tried this as a vegan recipe and made a few alterations to include butternut squash and it was a hit. My husband is definitely a carnivore but he raved and raved about this and took it for lunch the next day. All that to say, if you couldn't care less about being vegetarian, vegan, or eating your veggies, you could actually like this! Don't freak out that it has a can of pumpkin in it...it doesn't even taste like pumpkin AT ALL.
Pumpkin & Butternut Squash Chili
adapted from Our Best Bites
1 Tb. oil
1 large onion, chopped--any color is fine
1 bell pepper (any color) or poblano, chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded and minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz button mushrooms, chopped
3 1/2-4 c. butternut squash, chopped (about half of a large butternut squash)
2 cans black beans, drained
1 can pinto or Northern beans, drained
1 15 oz can 100% pure pumpkin puree
2 tsp. smoked paprika
2 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
32 oz vegetable stock (beef or chicken stock would be perfect too)
Heat a stock pot over medium heat and drizzle in the olive oil. Saute onions, peppers and mushrooms until they just begin to soften. Add in garlic and butternut squash and saute another 4-5 minutes. (At this point you could absolutely pour everything into a crockpot and cook on low all day.) Stir in beans, pumpkin, seasonings, tomatoes and stock. Bring to a simmer and lower heat to medium-low and cook another hour or until butternut squash is soft, stirring frequently. Serve with cornbread, topped with cilantro, avocado and/or sour cream if you're so inclined.
http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcrackedupkitchen.blogspot.com%2F2012%2F11%2Fpumpkin-butternut-squash-chili.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-IXgB3CRgBJw%2FUJMT7OymlAI%2FAAAAAAAAAOE%2Fb2So7QPqjSM%2Fs1600%2Fbutternut%2Bsquash%2Bchili2.JPG&description=Cracked%20Up%20Kitchen%3A%20Pumpkin%20%26%20Butternut%20Squash%20Chili%2C%20Vegan
1/16/12
Enchilada Soup
I saw this recipe and it looked so great I had to make it! I've now made it five times!! We usually make it vegetarian so I'll include both the chicken and vegetarian version in this post, the picture is of the chicken. I made a few changes to the original recipe and this is now one of our winter favorites!
After much taste-testing I've decided my favorite enchilada sauce is the Market Pantry from Target, super gourmet I know! It is very good and not bitter like some seem to be.
Enchilada Soup
adapted from Real Mom Kitchen
2 10-oz cans red enchilada sauce
15 oz can black beans, rinsed
15 oz can fire roasted tomatoes or diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, any color, chopped
1 1/2 c. frozen corn (I prefer Trader Joe's super sweet frozen corn)
1 can cream of chicken soup (cream of mushroom for vegetarian)
1 1/2 c. milk
2 chicken breasts (sub an extra can of beans of your choice for vegetarian)
In a small saute pan, cook the bell pepper and onion until soft. Combine all ingredients in the crockpot and cook on high 3-4 hours or low all day. Before serving, shred the chicken breasts with two forks if using chicken. Serve with crushed tortilla chips, sour cream, and cheese.

1/4/12
Spaghetti & Meatball Soup
I did adapt the recipe a bit but overall the basis is the same and it was really good! I think next time I'll add some diced bell pepper with the onions.
Spaghetti & Meatball Soup
adapted from Skinny Taste
For the soup:
2 tsp. olive oil or cooking spray
1 onion, chopped 1/3 c. set aside
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
8 c. chicken stock
4 c. water
2 c. marinara sauce (canned or jarred is great)
1 Tb. dried parsley
1/2 Tb. dried basil
pinch of crushed red pepper
salt & pepper to taste
12.5 oz box thin spaghetti, broken in pieces (I used wheat)
For the meatballs:
1 lb. ground turkey
1 lb. chicken or turkey italian sausage
1/3 c. chopped onion, reserved from above
2 eggs
1/2 c. seasoned breadcrumbs
1/3 c. grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried parsley
In a soup pot heat olive oil or cooking spray over medium-high heat and saute onion for a few minutes until it starts to soften. Add in garlic and cook another minute. Stir in stock, water, seasonings. Heat over medium-high heat until it starts to bubble and let simmer for 5 minutes. In the meantime mix together the meatballs and roll into small, 1 inch balls. Drop the meatballs into the broth and let cook 5 minutes. Drop in the broken spaghetti and cook according to package directions, until al dente. Be careful not to overcook the noodles because they will continue to absorb liquid as the soup sits. Enjoy with a slice of crusty bread or rolls.

12/16/10
Spicy Beef Stew
Another not so fantastic picture. The lack of lighting in the winter is killing me! We are GOing to buy some lights to help my pictures look better!
This stew turned out really well and usually any kind of soup is not looked upon favorably in my home but my husband was mmm-ing while he was eating and said I should make this more often so I'll take that as a good thing.
I had some cheap steak in the freezer that I wanted to use up so I planned to make a recipe my friend gave me a long time ago called "Chili Spiced Stew". Then at 4 pm when I started making my dinner I couldn't find the recipe so I just threw it together and tried to write everything down that I did. It wasn't really "spicy" to us because we like things really hot, but feel free to add less red pepper to yours.
Spicy Beef Stew
1/4 c. flour
1 1/2 lb beef chuck roast, london broil, or stew meat cut into 1'' cubes
chili powder, granulated garlic, salt & pepper
2 Tb olive oil or vegetable oil
1 c. red wine
1 28 oz can tomato puree
3 cans beef broth
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tb dried oregano
2 Tb brown sugar
1 tsp crushed red pepper
2 tsp chili powder
sea salt & pepper to taste (start with 1 tsp salt and go from there)
dash or more of cayenne pepper
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 c. frozen corn
1 c. frozen green beans
Season the cubed beef well with chili powder, salt, pepper, and granulated garlic. Measure the flour into a large ziploc bag and shake it well to coat. In a soup pot heat the oil over medium-high heat and brown the meat on all sides. Add in the wine and reduce heat tomedium and cook for 5 minutes. Then add in broth, onion, garlic, tomato puree, brown sugar, oregano, crushed red pepper, chili powder, salt & pepper, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium or medium-low and simmer for 35-45 minutes. Taste broth and adjust seasonings. Add in potatoes and cook 10 minutes. Add in carrots and cook another 10 minutes. Then stir in the frozen vegetables and cook another 10 minutes or until all of the vegetables are tender (but not mushy). Serve with crusty rolls or french bread and dip it into the broth. Yum.

12/9/10
Lasagna Soup
YUM. Just looking at this picture makes me want to make this again. I originally got this recipe off of the Family Fun website when my friend told me she had made it.
This is a great winter recipe because it's warm and comforting. And fast. And easy.
Lasagna Soup
1 pound italian sausage (I used turkey. Sweet or Spicy italian sausage would work)
1 large onion, finely chopped
4-6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp (or more) crushed red pepper
2 Tb tomato paste
(2) 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes (I used the seasoned tomatoes)
4 cups chicken broth (there's about 4 cups in each carton of stock)
2 bay leaves
8 ounces of short-cut pasta (fusili, bow ties, wagon wheels...)
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil (this is really optional. It's really good in there but if you don't have your own basil plant you don't really need to buy a $3 pack of basil for this.)
8 oz ricotta cheese
1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp salt
pinch of pepper
shredded mozzarella cheese
In a soup pot cook the sausage over medium-high heat, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Drain the meat and addx the onions and saute until softened. Add in the garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes and saute for a minute. Add the tomato paste cook over medium heat until the paste has turned a rusty brown color. Stir in the tomatoes, undrained, the chicken stock or broth, bay leaves and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
Stir in the pasta and increase the heat to medium-high and boil the soup until hte pasta is cooked...but not overcooked. Keep a close eye on it. Tasste and adjust seasonings adding salt and pepper if needed.
In a small bowl stir together the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, 1/4 tsp salt, and pepper. To serve the soup, put a heaping Tb of the ricotta mixture in a bowl, ladle soup over the top and sprinkle with fresh basil.
(1 c. of soup has about 265 calories, not too shabby)

4/8/10
Chicken and Dumplings AND Chicken Stock
I need to post this recipe real quick before it gets too hot to even think about this kind of meal! I was just craving some chicken and dumplings so here's what I did. It turned out really great and I even have a couple friends to vouch for it. Don't be afraid of the canned biscuits which you'll use as "dumplings". It's super yummy and you don't have to deal with flour at all.
I have to say that usually I don't make my own stock....but I've decided that I will from now on because it is SO good. You just can't buy this quality in a box or can. (I included the stock recipe at the end of the post.)
Chicken and Dumplings:
Boil your whole chicken 30 mins or until cooked through. Pull all of the chicken off and set aside and save the carcass for making stock. In a soup pot heat the olive oil and saute the onion, carrots and celery until they begin to soften--about five minutes. Toss in the chopped garlic and cook another minute. Add in parsley, pepper, chicken, stock, chicken soup. Mix well and bring to a bubble. Taste the soup and adjust salt and pepper. Bring the soup to a boil and open up the cans of biscuits, cut them into quarters and drop them into the boiling soup. Cook, stirring occasionally until the "dumplings" start sinking--that's when they're done. Add in the peas. Mix the cornstarch with 1 Tb of the broth from the soup in a small bowl, slowly pour it into the soup to allow it to thicken. Serve it up in bowls and enjoy!
Chicken (or turkey) Stock

4/1/10
Barbecued Chili
I made a few changes to the original recipe because there was no beans and I like beans, I also used ground turkey because I had gotten some on sale that needed to be used up but ground beef would work great too.

1/19/10
Black Eyed Pea Soup
I got some of these chorizo sausage links on a special event day at Costco so I used that, but I'm sure that spicy italian sausage links or some fully-cooked spicy chicken sausages would work too. BUT I will say that those stinkin chorizo links were deeee-lish so try to find some!
The night before: cook your sausages and slice. Soak the black eyed peas. The next morning: rinse the peas and toss them in the crockpot with everything else. Cook on high 6 hours, or low all day. (Note: if you can't find collared or mustard greens (P.S. I prefer mustard) you can buy a can of greens, drain them well and stir them in at the last minute) Serve with some good ole southern corn bread.

1/9/10
White Chicken Chili
White Chicken Chili
4-5 cups diced cooked chicken
12-16 ounces salsa
4 cups water plus 4 tsp chicken base (or 4 c. chicken stock)
3 cans white beans (not-drained)
4 garlic cloves
1 Tb cumin
pepper to taste
8 oz block pepper jack cheese, shredded or cubed
Put all ingredients in a crockpot. Cook on high until the cheese is melted. (2 hours is plenty) I topped it with crushed tortilla chips. OR you can put eveything except the cheese in a stock pot and simmer 20 minutes adding the cheese at the end and stirring until melted.
1/1/10
Taco Soup
In a frying pan or the bottom of a soup pot brown the beef or turkey with the onions. Drain well. Add in the garlic and seasonings/spices. Saute a minute or so. If using a crockpot, dump the beef mixture into the crock and add in all other ingredients and cook on high for 4 hours or low 6 hours. OR If using a soup pot add in all other ingredients and simmer on medium/low for an hour. When you check on your soup, if it seems too thick add in a bit of water. Top with shredded cheese and sour cream and crunched tortilla chips.
11/1/09
All-American Chili
You can add corn, diced carrots, celery, any kind of bell pepper to bump up the veggies and definitely substitute beef broth or a bottle of beer for the red wine. OR just leave it out completely. And you can easily make this chili vegetarian by using the soy "beef" crumbles from the freezer aisle, I recently did that to make some for a family in our small group that are vegetarian and we really liked it. (Although I didn't disclose the soy part to my family until after they ate it!)
I made the equivalent of 5 batches of this chili for Halloween yesterday and we have lots leftover but it was a HIT with the neighborhood and we passed out lots of leftovers to the neighbors at the end of the night. AND I used all lean ground turkey and no one noticed!! Ha Ha guys, I tricked you!
*Note, I used the pinto beans I had cooked up earlier in the week, but good ole canned beans are just great too.
All-American Chili
1 lb. ground beef or turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped or pressed
2-3 Tb. tomato paste
1 cup red wine
2 Tb. brown sugar OR bbq sauce
1 24 oz can diced tomatoes with the juice
1 28 oz can tomato sauce
3 cans pinto beans, drained (or kidney beans, black beans or any combo of beans)
1-2 cups water
2 Tb chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
salt & pepper to taste
In a soup pot or dutch oven brown the ground beef/turkey with the onions and green pepper. Drain off fat and add in garlic and saute until fragrant. Add in tomato paste and cook until it starts to turn brown. Pour in the wine and bring to a boil and cook a few minutes. Add all other ingredients and cook on medium-low for an hour or longer OR in a crockpot on low for 4 hours. Taste and adjust seasoning as you like. More sugar for a sweeter flavor, more chili powder for spicier. (Cayenne pepper will boost the spice too.)
10/27/09
Baked Potato Soup
You need to be careful when boiling the milk, because milk scalds easily and will make all of the soup taste burnt...which is a total bummer. Also, the original recipe called for bacon and I used turkey bacon instead which turned out really well when I chopped it up and fried it up in a hot pan with a little bit of Pam. BUT then the neighbor came to the door and I burnt the first batch of bacon...so keep an eye on the bacon too!
Baked Potato Soup adapted from Cooking Light recipe
3 lbs baking potatoes, baked & peeled (I baked mine in the microwave)
2/3 c. flour
6 c. milk (I used 1%)
1 c. Reduced-Fat sharp shredded cheese (plus extra for sprinkling on top)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 c. fat-free sour cream (Only use Name-brand fat-free sour cream. Store brand fat-free is gross)
4 green onions sliced
6 slices bacon chopped and fried crisply
Mash the potatoes in a bowl, set aside. Measure the flour into your soup pot and sloooowly whisk in the milk. Heat milk mixture over medium heat stirring frequently until thick and bubbling. Add the cheese, potatoes, salt, pepper, and garlic. Reduce heat to low and add sour cream and half of the sliced green onions, cooking just long enough to heat through. Sprinkle each individual bowl with bacon, green onions, and extra cheese.
10/14/09
Roasted Tomato Soup and Cheesy Garlic Bread
For the soup recipe click the link below. The only thing I did differently was use dried herbs instead of fresh, add a few extra cloves of garlic, aaaaand add a little splash of cream in each bowl to finish it off. Next time I may try a little drizzle of white truffle oil.
Roasted Tomato Soup
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sunny-anderson/roasted-tomato-soup-recipe/index.html
Cheesy Garlic Bread
1 loaf french bread--or ciabatta which I used
3-4 Tb butter or margerine (I use Smart Balance Light)
Granulated Garlic
Salt, Pepper
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 cup cheddar cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
Slice the loaf of bread in half lengthwise. Spread on butter or margarine. Sprinkle with a healthy dose of garlic and a little salt and pepper. Put the cheeses on top of the butter. Bake at 400 5-7 minutes and then turn on the broiler for a minute to brown the top.

