Chicken and Dumplings (Easy and Light version)

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cooked and shredded or chopped
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can chicken broth (low sodium or otherwise too salty)
5-6 flour tortillas, cut into 2" squares
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp celery salt

Place chicken soup and broth in a large sauce pan.  Bring to a boil.  Add salt and pepper and celery salt.  Add tortillas, slowly.  Keeping the broth mix @ a boil.  Lower heat to simmer.  Simmer until tortillas are tender (~20-30 minutes)

Taco Soup

Carolyn's recipe that is so delicious and best served with shredded Cheddar, sour cream, avocado and corn chips or tortilla chips.  This makes a huge batch!

2 lbs ground beef
1 med. yellow onion, chopped
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can pinto beans
1 can black beans
2 cans corn
1 can Rotel
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch mix


Brown beef and chopped onion.  Drain fat.  Add remaining ingredients (including juices).  Simmer for 30 minutes.  Serve.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

1 Qt water

3 chicken bouillon cubes

Boil until dissolved

Add small bag of frozen broccoli and simmer for 10 minutes

Melt 1 stick of butter or margarine and then add 1/2 cup flour to make a roux.  Stir into water with a whisk and mix until thick.  

Lastly, add 1/4 big block of veleveeta cheese.

Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice

This is not our favorite Red Beans and Rice recipe, but it is great because it's a Cooking Light recipe and easy for those Sundays when you want lunch to be ready when you get home.


3 c. water
1 c. dried red kidney beans
1 c. chopped onion
1 c. chopped green bell pepper
3/4 c. chopped celery
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp paprika
3/4 tsp ground red pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 (14 oz) package Conecuh sausage (or smoked sausage of choice)
1 bay leaf
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups hot cooked long-grain rice (we love Jasmine rice)
1/4 c. chopped green onion

Combine first 12 ingredients in an electric slow cooker.  Cover with lid; cook on high-heat setting for 5 hours.  Discard bay leaf; stir in salt.  Serve over rice; sprinkle with green onions.

Yield: 4 servings (1 c. bean mixture, 3/4 c. rice and 1 TB green onions)

Lentil and Red Pepper Soup with Sausage

This is a cooking light recipe that we love to make.  It such a filling soup and wonderful on a cold day.

6 oz hot Italian sausage (about 2 links)
1 tsp olive oil
1 c. chopped onion
1 c. chopped celery
1 c. chopped carrot
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (12-oz) jar roasted red peppers, drained
1-1/2 cups dried green or brown lentils
4 cups water
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 (14.5 oz) cans vegetable broth
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano
2 bay leaves

Heat a large Dutch oven over med-high heat until hot.  Remove casings from sausage, cook 3 minutes or until sausage is browned, stirring to crumble.  Drain and set aside.

Heat oil in pan over med-high heat.  Add onion, celery, and carrot; cook 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Add garlic, and cook for 1 minute.  Stir in sausage, red peppers, lentils, and remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 25 minutes or until lentils are tender.  Discard bay leaves.  Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Old School Lunch Vegetable Beef Soup

This recipe takes me back to McArthur Elementary School in Pensacola, Florida.  To add to the memory and deliciousness of this meal, you gotta eat it with a grilled cheese sandwich!


1/2 lb ground chuck
2 (28oz) cans diced tomatoes
4 cups water
1 can (14.5 oz) green beans, drained
1 can (15.25 oz) canned corn, drained
1 can (15oz) La Seur English peas, drained
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 potatoes, peeled and chopped
black pepper
red cayenne pepper
salt
garlic
bay leaves

Brown meat in a pam-sprayed stockpot.  Remove and rinse meat and wipe pot clean.

Return meat to pot.  Add tomatoes and water.  Simmer for 20 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients.  Simmer for 1 hour.