More Make It Fast, Cook It Slow

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Put the potatoes into your stoneware, and add the onion and garlic. Sprinkle in the seasonings and pour in the chicken broth. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4. The potatoes should be fork-tender. You can use a potato masher or a handheld stick blender to mash the potatoes into the soup. You want to get rid of all large chunks of potato to make a smooth soup.

After smashing the potatoes, squeeze in both packages of cream cheese and replace the lid of your cooker. Cook on high for about 30 minutes, or until the cream cheese is completely dissolved. Stir a few times during this 30 minutes.

Garnish with crumbled bacon, green onion, or chives.

The Verdict

This is a fantastic soup, and my family thought that the bacon on top really sealed the deal. My kids both ate a bowl when it was first finished around 4:00 PM, and another later in the evening. Thank you to my Web site readers Jennifer, Jenny, Jenny Y., Julie, and Charlotte for this wonderful and hearty soup recipe suggestion.

CREAMY TOMATO SOUP

serves 4 to 6

The Ingredients

2 (14-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes

1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped

1 cup beef broth

¼ cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons dried basil

1 tablespoon gluten-free Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder (the secret ingredient!)

1 (14-ounce) can evaporated milk (to add later)

2 tablespoons butter (to add later)

The Directions

Use a 4-quart slow cooker. In a blender or food processor, puree the tomatoes and onion. Pour the mixture into your slow cooker, and add the broth, brown sugar, basil, Worcestershire sauce, and cocoa powder. Stir. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or on high for 3 to 4. Stir in the milk and plop in the butter. Cover and cook on high for 15 minutes, or until the butter melts and the soup is hot.

The Verdict

I am not a tomato soup eater. I don’t like the stuff in the can, and I won’t order it in a restaurant because I’m worried it will taste like the stuff in a can. This doesn’t, I promise. This tomato soup is rich, creamy, and silky, and I licked my bowl clean. My parents liked it, too!

END OF SUMMER HARVEST SOUP

serves 8

The Ingredients

4 zucchini, washed well and sliced in ¼-inch rounds

2 yellow summer squash, washed well and sliced in ¼-inch rounds

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered (depending on size)

⅓ cup dry white cannellini beans (this doesn’t sound like a lot, but they swell!)

4 cups chicken broth

1 cup prepared pasta sauce

1 cup water

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

½ cup pasta (to add 20 minutes before serving)

salt and pepper to taste

Grated Parmesan and Romano cheeses as garnish (optional)

The Directions

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Place the sliced squash into the slow cooker, with the diced onion and tomatoes. Rinse your beans in hot water and add to the cooker. Add the broth, pasta sauce, and water. Stir in the Italian seasoning.

Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or until the beans have reached the desired tenderness. Stir in the raw pasta 20 minutes before serving. Ladle into bowls and serve with grated Parmesan and Romano cheeses, if desired.

The Verdict

What a gorgeous and delicious soup! I was motivated to make this soup with garden vegetables after reading Barbara Kingsolver’s fantastic memoir, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. I loved how the tomatoes burst completely while slow cooked, and how the squash practically disappeared, so there was no need to chew it—the squash provides an awesome texture and flavor, and since it turns translucent, my kids ate it without fuss. I liked how the prepared pasta sauce gave the broth an oomph sometimes missing in homemade soups and provided a rich color.

LENTIL SOUP

serves 6

The Ingredients

1 pound lentils

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes

2 small onions, peeled and diced

5 garlic cloves, diced

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

½ teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon pepper

4 cups water

The Directions

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Rinse the lentils well in hot water. Put into the bottom of your slow cooker with the entire can of tomatoes. Add the onions, garlic, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and spices. Pour in the water. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours. Add a bit more salt to taste at the table.

The Verdict

This is a filling and comforting lentil soup, without the canned metallic taste. Lentils are uber-healthy, and are a super-inexpensive staple to keep in your pantry. My girls ate their portions, although it took a bit of persuasion to get them to try what they thought looked like “bowls of mud.” I added a bit more salt to my serving, and Adam added a shake of Tabasco sauce.

OLD-FASHIONED CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

serves 6

The Ingredients

6 cups water

1½ cups diced cooked chicken

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and chunked

1 cup broccoli florets

1 small onion, diced

2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules (check for gluten!)

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

kosher salt to taste (probably a good teaspoon, since the base is water)

50-cent-piece size or so handful of raw spaghetti noodles to add at the end (I used Trader Joe’s brown rice spaghetti)

1 large handful raw spinach leaves to add at the end

Grated Parmesan and Asiago cheeses as garnish (optional)

The Directions

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Pour 6 cups of water into your slow cooker and add the chicken. Add the potato, broccoli, and onion. Stir in the bouillon and vinegar. Salt to taste. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or until the sweet potato is tender and the onion is translucent.

Fifteen minutes before serving, put in the raw spaghetti noodles and a large handful of spinach. Cover and flip to high.

Garnish with Parmesan and Asiago cheeses, if desired.

The Verdict

This is such a wonderful, comforting soup. The balsamic vinegar does two things: 1) It provides a nice color, and 2) it brings the chicken flavor out nicely while leaving a touch of a tang. The tang is nice, because it fools your tongue into thinking it’s tasting salt—which is mostly what you taste in canned chicken noodle soups.

My big kids both had thirds! I think my head might have exploded.

SAUERKRAUT SOUP

serves 6

The Ingredients

8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced

1 small onion, peeled and diced

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups chicken broth

1 (14.5-ounce) can sauerkraut

1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed Italian-style tomatoes

½ teaspoon caraway seeds

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

The Directions

Use a 4-quart slow cooker. In a skillet on the stove, brown the mushrooms and onion in the olive oil. When lightly browned, put them into your slow cooker. Add the broth and the entire cans of sauerkraut and tomatoes. Stir in the caraway, celery, and carrot. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Serve with crusty bread.

The Verdict

I do like sauerkraut! I’m annoyed at myself for avoiding it for so long—I don’t know why I was so hesitant to give it a try. A great big thank-you to Rosalind for sending me this recipe. Taking the time to brown the mushrooms and onion in the olive oil is an important step as it provides a bit of fat from the olive oil and lots of flavor.

SMOKY BEAN AND CORN SOUP

serves 6

The Ingredients

1 (20-ounce) package bean soup mix, soaked overnight

1 tablespoon dried minced onion flakes or 1 medium onion, finely diced

1 (15-ounce) can corn (and juice)

4 cups chicken broth

1 ham hock with leftover meat, or ½ pound raw bacon, diced

The Directions

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Sort through the beans, and pick out any that are broken or shriveled. If your bean mix came with a flavor packet, toss it out. Soak the beans overnight in enough water to cover by 3 inches, or boil rapidly on the stove for 10 minutes, then let sit, covered, in the hot water for 1 hour.

Put the beans into the slow cooker. Add the onion and corn. Pour in the chicken broth, and add the ham hock or diced bacon. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or until the beans have softened completely and begun to split. Remove the ham hock and cut off any remaining meat. Stir this meat into your soup.

The Verdict

What a wonderful soup to come home to on a rainy day! The beans and corn pair with the ham or bacon to create a lovely, filling, balanced meal. I like to serve my soup with a loaf of homemade cornbread (I use a gluten-free mix).

ZESTY BURGER SOUP

serves 6

The Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef, browned and drained

2 (10.5-ounce) cans tomatoes and chiles, drained (Rotel)

1 (15-ounce) can whole kernel corn, undrained

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

4 cups chicken broth

shredded sharp cheddar cheese (optional)

The Directions

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Brown the meat in a skillet on the stovetop and drain the fat. Combine the meat, canned tomatoes, corn, and beans. Pour in the chicken broth. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or until fully hot and the flavors have melded. Serve with shredded cheddar cheese, if desired.

The Verdict

We all really liked this soup. The hamburger fills you up quickly, and the leftovers can be stretched into a taco or burrito filling for an additional meal. This is a filling comfort soup to come home to on a cold fall evening. The flavor is similar to a mild chili, and my kids enjoy sprinkling cheddar cheese onto their servings at the table.