Slow Cooker Taco Soup

Photo of my sister Cookie's version

SLOW COOKER TACO SOUP

adapted from https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/slow_cooker_taco_soup/

serves 6

prep time: 10 minutes

slow cooker time: 6-7 hours

I was going to be out all afternoon and then having a guest to dinner, so I was looking for a slow cooker recipe and found this on Simply Recipes. It's very simple and very tasty. It could also be cooked on the stove if you prefer; just cook the beef all the way through in step 1, add the other ingredients, and heat up for a while.

My guest couldn't eat spicy food, so I left out the chili powder and green chiles and reduced the cumin to 1/2 t., and the dish was still very tasty. I look forward to cooking it again with all the spices, and with either turkey or TVP (textured vegetable protein), as suggested by commenters on the Simply Recipes website.

SOUP

1 T. olive oil

1 lb. lean ground beef (or ground turkey or TVP)

1-1/2 cups diced yellow onions

2 cups chicken or beef broth (can use up to 3 cups for more broth)

1 15-oz can diced tomatoes

1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 15-oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed (I used white, but red would also be fine)

1 4-oz can chopped green chiles

1-1/2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen (defrosted)

2-1/2 t. chili powder

1 t. ground cumin

1 t. paprika

1/2 t. salt

GARNISHES

tortilla chips, lightly crushed (I used homemade chips, recipe here)

sour cream (lite is fine)

chopped cilantro

chopped red onion

lime wedges to squeeze the juice

diced avocado (about 1 small avocado for 3 people)

1.     (Can do this step a day or two ahead): Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the beef and onions and cook for several minutes, breaking up the beef into small pieces, until the ground beef is browned but not completely cooked and the onions are starting to get soft. Remove from the heat and use immediately, or you can refrigerate for a day or two if you want to make the soup later.

2.     Combine the browned beef, onions, and the remaining soup ingredients in a slow cooker and stir.  Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours.

3.     Serve the soup in bowls and top with the various garnishes.

Chickpea Curry in a slow cooker

I love the idea of a crockpot/slow cooker, but don't have many recipes that use it.  It's great for beef stew, but I haven't made that in years. I've never been happy with any of the chicken recipes I've tried.  But this chickpea curry is a keeper.  I'm always on the lookout to expand my repertoire of vegetarian recipes (I tend to cook the same few when we have vegetarian friends to dinner), so the combination of a vegetarian main dish and the slow cooker led me to try this out.  I'd call this a "homey" recipe--doesn't make the cut for an elegant dinner party, but just fine for a simple meal with good friends.

SLOW COOKER CHICKPEA CURRY WITH SWEET POTATOES & RED PEPPERS

makes 8-10 servings

adapted from http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/slow_cooker_chickpea_curry_with_sweet_potatoes_and_red_peppers/

1 T. olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 pound dried chickpeas, rinsed

2 T. curry powder

1 sweet potato, peeled and diced (about 1/2" dice)
1 large or 2 small red or yellow peppers (about 1/2 lb)

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes

1 15.5-ounce can coconut milk (lite is fine)

1/2 cup water

3 cloves garlic, minced (from jar is fine)

1 jalapeno, serrano, or fresno chili pepper

1 t. salt (or less)

6 cups spinach, roughly chopped, to serve

1/2 cup cooked brown rice, per person, to serve

curry condiments, e.g., chopped cashews, raisins or currants, chutney (I like hot lime relish)

Using a 6-quart or larger slow cooker, put the olive oil in the bottom. Add diced onion and stir to coat. Pour dried, rinsed chickpeas on top, then sprinkle the curry powder evenly over the beans.

Follow with the sweet potato, bell pepper, tomatoes, coconut milk, water, garlic, chili pepper, and salt.  Do not stir; leaving the chickpeas on the bottom helps everything cook evenly.

Cook on low for 8-9 hours. Total cook time will depend on your slow cooker and your chickpeas. The curry can be served any time after the chickpeas are soft and tender. It's fine if the curry cooks a little longer. The recipe is very forgiving—the curry will get thicker and creamier the longer it cooks. [The original recipe said to cook for 6-8 hours, but I left for 9-1/2 hours—just how it worked out in my day--and was happy with the results.]

Stir the curry well. Taste and add additional salt if needed. In a bowl, put 1/2 cup cooked brown rice and a handful of chopped fresh spinach.  Spoon the curry over the top and add further curry condiments as desired.

Alternate shorter cook time: To reduce cooking time, soak the chickpeas overnight, skip the extra water, and cook on high for 4-6 hours.  (I haven't tried this alternative. I liked the simplicity of using the beans right out of the bag, and it was convenient to assemble right after breakfast and have it finish up just at dinner time.)