Chicken Potato Soup

Packet of Bacon
1 Onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 lbs potatoes, peeled and sliced. (I usually do about 7-8 potatoes)
1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breast
2 cups carrots, sliced (I usually do about 5-6 carrots)
1 parsnip, sliced
8 cups hot water
4 teaspoons better than bullion chicken
4 teaspoons better than bullion garlic
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper


Cook bacon in a pan on the stove, you want the bacon to start to get crispy because it's easier to chop when it is. If the bacon gets overly crispy don't worry, just leave the bacon out of the pan for the next step

Add the chopped onion and the minced garlic to the ban with the bacon grease, (and the bacon if it isn't too crispy, you don't want it to get burnt.) Cook the onion and garlic to soften it before putting it in a slow cooker or crockpot.

Place the chicken on top of the bacon, onion mixture. Add the vegetables on top of the chicken.

Make the broth by mixing the better than bullion pastes with the hot, almost boiling water. Once it is made pour it in the slow cooker.

Sprinkle the spices on top of the broth.

Cook on low for 8 hours

Once the 8 hours are up, pull the chicken out of the crockpot and shred it.

While the chicken is out of the crockpot blend the soup before adding the chicken back in and mixing the soup.

Enjoy!

Lentil Soup

This recipe is my modified version of the original (http://www.food.com/recipe/egyptian-red-lentil-soup-94673)

5 c. water
1 bullion cube
1 c. dried lentils
2-3 frozen onion squares
4-5 frozen garlic squares
2 med. butternut squash, peeled and cut into mashed potato sized pieces
2 t. ground cumin
3 t. zatar
salt & pepper

Add water, bullion cube, onion, garlic, squash, & lentils into a large soup pot.  Cover and bring to boil. (Be careful because it will overflow the pot just like potatoes do when cooking them.)  Lower heat and simmer 15-20 minutes or until lentils & veggies are tender.  Remove pan from heat.

In a frying pan, place dry spices in an unoiled pan.  Toast spices.  Stir frequently to prevent burning.  Once toasted, set aside and let cool for a moment.

Place spices into soup and then begin pureeing the soup.  I puree small batches in my blender.  Just be careful because the mixture is hot and if you put too much in your blender it will explode on you.  I only fill my blender about 1/3 full each time.

Once soup is ready, add salt & pepper if needed.

I would think this soup could easily be made in the crockpot although I have never tried it.

Sister Davis' Soup

1 can kidney beans or red beans, not drained
1 onion, chopped
carrots, peeled and chopped
1 can baked beans
1 kielbasa
2 Tbs. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. ketchup
1 Tbs. mustard
1 Tbsp. cidar vinegar
1 can corn, not drained

Place all ingredients in crockpot and mix.  Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7-8.  Eat!