Stuffed Pepper Soup

Stuffed peppers are delicious, but if you've ever made them you will probably agree that they are time consuming and sometimes just too much work! I came across this recipe that has all the yummy ingredients of stuffed peppers, but in an easy-to-make, hearty soup. Give it a try sometime this week, it is delicious!

You will need:

1 lb ground beef

1 large bell pepper (whichever color you prefer)

1/2 C onion

1 can Ro*tel diced tomatoes and green chiles (with juices)

1 (10 oz) can tomato sauce

14 oz chicken OR beef broth

2 C rice (cooked)

1 T sugar

1 t garlic salt

S&P to taste

*Tortilla chips & shredded cheddar cheese for garnish

To begin, cook your ground beef, diced pepper

and onions in a large pot on medium-high heat.

Once beef is cooked through, drain excess grease. 

Add all of the remaining ingredients and stir well.

Cover and let simmer on medium-low heat for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend.

Serve with shredded cheddar cheese and crushed tortilla chips.

*When I made this soup, I had both red and green bell peppers, so I used a half of each to add more color to the dish. I also had spinach on hand so I coarsely chopped about 1.5 cups and added it in for the last 5 minutes of simmering. Feel free to experiment with other seasonings and additions!

Cheesy Chicken Tortilla Soup

With how cold and snowy it's been in northern Iowa the past week, making a crock pot of Cheesy Chicken Tortilla Soup really hit the spot. It's one of the easiest things to make, you literally just dump everything in the slow cooker and can even put it together the night before! The recipe is as follows:

2 C cooked, shredded chicken (canned chicken works well too)

2 - 10 oz. cans Old El Paso brand Enchilada sauce

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cheddar cheese soup

1 can black beans, rinsed

1 can Ro*tel diced tomatoes and green chiles

1 packet taco seasoning

2 C milk

1 C cheddar or mexican cheese

1/4 C onion

1 C rice (white, brown, or mexican)

*For garnishing:

Tortilla chips

Shredded cheddar cheese

Sour cream

Spray your slow cooker and add all ingredients. Heat on low for 4-6 hours, stirring every couple of hours. Enjoy once the soup is heated through.

Makes 4 - 6 servings

*I will warn you this soup has a little bite to it, but that's coming from me, and I am a whimp when it comes to spicy foods. It's an easy fix though, I promise! Just omit, or use a mild flavor of your Ro*tel diced tomatoes and green chiles.