Crockpot Hash Brown Soup

Isn't it amazing how this time of year makes us think more about soup?? 

I know I've been having thoughts of soup slosh around in my head for sure!!!

Soup is good for chasing away the chills on these cooler autumn days!

And I've been using my crockpot...a.lot!  I have some great recipes waiting to be shared with you in the days and weeks ahead.

This is a wonderfully simple, and simply wonderful soup!

I found the recipe in a desk calendar from Taste of Home.

And we ALL know what great recipes they have to share!

This dish is just sooooo versatile & it's a Healthy Option besides!

There are so many ways you can 'change this up' to suit your family's taste buds.

I added diced Canandian bacon and let it simmer all day with the frozen hash browns.

I considered adding peas and carrots toward the end of cooking time, but then I found some leftover fresh cooked green beans in the fridge, so I cut them into bite size pieces and added them.

I also had a tad bit of leftover canned mushroom soup, so I diluted it just a bit and added it at the start.

You can top it with bacon & cheese, or add cheese to the soup itself. Use cheddar, swiss, Velveeta or pepper jack.

It's also easy to throw together.

Enjoy it for dinner tonight!

HASH BROWN SOUP

2 - 3 green onions, chopped

2 tsp. canola oil

1 pkg. (28 ozs) frozen O'Brien potatoes

(I think because of the length of time this soup cooks, it's best to use the chunky-not shredded-hashbrowns)

2 c. 2% milk

(I used 1%)

(I think it needed closer to 3 c.)

1 can (10-3/4 ozs) reduced-fat reduced-sodium cream of chicken soup, undiluted

6 turkey bacon strips, diced and cooked

1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

In a small skillet, saute the onions in oil until tender.  In a 5-qt. crockpot, combine the potatoes, milk, soup and onion mixture. 

Cover and cook on low for 5 - 6 hours or until heated through. Top each serving with 2 TB. bacon and 1 TB. cheese

Yield: 8 servings

Linked to Eat at Home Ingredient Spotlight
Wonka Wednesday
    Recipe of the Week

A Pinch of Salt

TODAY'S EDITION OF TUESDAY TIPS IS SHORT AND SWEET....er, uh...SALTY!

Some interesting facts....

credit: dailyinvention

I found these ideas for using salt in a Weight Watchers magazine and thought they were worthy of passing along to you...

"This kitchen staple has a variety of surprising uses - take a look....

ADD salt to boiling water to increase the temperature. Veggies and other foods will take less time to cook.  (Who knew?  Not me!)

BOIL eggs in salted water so that, once hard cooked, they will peel more easily. (I've always added salt, but wasn't sure why I was suppose to...now I know!)

BEAT a pinch of salt into egg whites you're beating for desserts - the whites will form high peaks faster. (did you know that?)

STIR a pinch of salt into a bowl of cold water containing peeled apples, pears or potatoes to prevent discoloration.  (We don't HAVE to have to use lemon juice after all!)

TIP: Bitter Coffee?  Just add a pinch of salt. (I know a friend who ALWAYS adds a dash of salt to the grounds before brewing)

Wonderful Butternut Squash Bread (Healthier Choices)

I'm loving this!

I have sooo many wonderful 'fall-ish' recipes and hope to have a few extra posts in the upcoming weeks to share my favorite fall recipes - apple, squash and pumpkin recipes..and soups too. 

Butternut Squash is my favorite fall veggie...all-time favorite squash.

So I was just de-lighted when I came across a recipe using it in a quick bread at My Baking Addiction 

credit: My Baking Addiction

(Jane - look out!I know how you love sweet breads! =)

This bread is deliciously moist and a terrific way to use up an abundance of squash.

I tweaked it just a tad and substituted some healthier options.

I took it to a ladies Bible study and had many good comments about it.

Give it a try and let me know what you think. It's MMMM good.

 Actually, I made 2 loaves - the picture below is of the one with chocolate chips...

 

I added craisins to the other and they were both very tasty.
And if you like cream cheese even a little bit, this bread is fantastic topped with cream cheese.

The flavors of this awesome bread blend even more after a couple of days.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH BREAD

1 cup butternut squash puree

2 eggs

(I used 1 TB. ground flax seed meal and

3 TB. water to replace one egg)

1/2 c. vegetable oil

(I used 1/4 c. applesauce +

1/4 c. oil)

1 c. white sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar

1-3/4 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 ts. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. cardamom

(I replaced with pumpkin pie spice)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour one 8" X 4" X 2" loaf pan.

In large bowl, mix together the squash puree, eggs, oil, and

sugars until thoroughly combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom.

Stir in the dry ingredients into the squash mixture. Combine just until incorporated; do not overmix. Pour into the prepared pan.

Bake 55 - 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center 

of the loaf comes out clean.

Add any 'extras' you'd like...dark, semi sweet, or white chocolate chips, nuts, craisins, etc.

Enjoy surprising your family & guests with a 'hidden' (healthy even!) ingredient!

Linked to Melt in Your Mouth Monday
       Totally Tasty Tuesday
   Wonka Wednesday
   Ingredient Spotlight
Gooseberry Patch - Harvest Favorites
Weekend Potluck

Chocolate Chip Treasure Cookies - Crazy Cooking Challenge

This is the 'second round' of The Crazy Cooking Challenge and I'm so excited to be a participant! Please take time to review the recipes at the end of this post and vote for your favorite....

  Over 100 of us are all posting a chocolate chip cookie recipe at the same time today - all across the country!     This is a fantabulous cookie recipe I found at Mels Kitchen Cafe!   I not only give these cookies a "Thumbs UP" rating....I also have to add a W.O.W. rating too!   I would really like to rename them...Magic Bar Cookies!  

You probably remember that awesome layered cookie recipe - some call them Hello Dollies, Seven-Layer Bars or Magic Bars.    This is a drop cookie version of that recipe and it's amazing.  I had to try it, but wasn't sure if maybe they would flatten all over the cookie sheet.   No way - they turned out just like cookies and they are somewhat sticky and chewy on the inside.  I love that about my cookies!  

I'm sure the 1/2 c. of flour added to the dough makes a difference.   The dough contains sweetened condensed milk and NO eggs!   Do hope you'll try them. They're definitely a new fave in my recipe file!  

CHOCOLATE CHIP TREASURE COOKIES   1-1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs (about 25 - 30 squares) 1/2 c. flour 2 tsp. baking powder 1 - 14 ozs. can sweetened condensed milk 1/2 c. butter, room temperature 1-1/3 c. coconut 2 c. (1 pkg.) semisweet chocolate chips 1 c. walnuts or pecans, chopped (optional) (I prefer mine toasted first)   Preheat oven to 350. In a small bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs, flour and baking powder.  In a large bowl, beat sweetened condensed milk and butter until smooth.  Add graham cracker crumb mixture; mix well. Stir in coconut, chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoonsful onto ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake about 10 minutes or until lightly browned. (the larger the cookie, the longer it takes to bake)   Options: Use low fat sweetened condensed milk.  Fat free would probably work too, though it contains more water and I'm guessing you'd need more flour?  

  Use half chocolate chips and half butterscotch, or even peanut butter chips.   Linked to Sweets for a Saturday                 Recipe of the Week          

Crockpot Pumpkin Spice Latte

I've had P-U-M-P-K-I-N going through my head for weeks now, but seems I've been using up the apples, zucchini and other squash that we've had in abundance.

Oh how happy I was when I saw this simple, but oh-so lovely recipe at my good friend Libby's blog - Cooking with Libby

I jumped out of my chair here and RAN to the kitchen to whip it up.  Oh how good it made the house smell.  YUUUUUMM!

It's that time of year...and combining pumpkin & coffee (plus whipped cream!!) is just what I needed to help me begin my day with a big smile on my face! 

This recipe is easily doubled if you have others to share it with...or if like me, want the whole recipe to yourself!

If you're in a hurry, you can fix this on top of the stove, but simmering it really blends the flavors. 

And you get the benefit of making the house smell like fall too!

CROCKPOT PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE

2 cups milk (I used 1%)

1/2 c. brewed espresso or 3/4 c. strong brewed coffee

2 Tb. pumpkin

2 Tb. sugar or sweetener

2 Tb. vanilla (yes, TB.)

1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

(or substitute 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, 1/8 tsp. cloves, 1/8 tsp. nutmeg, and pinch of ground ginger)

Place milk and espresso/coffee in crockpot. Whisk in pumpkin, sugar, vanilla and spices.

Cover and cook on high for 2 hours if everything is cold.

Whisk again before serving.

Ladle into mugs and garnish with whipped cream and additional cinnamon.

DOING THE HAPPY DANCE!!!

Linked to Full Plate Thursday
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