Mexican Tomato Soup

We may live in Texas now, but the cooler weather still makes you want to curl up with a warm bowl of soup for dinner! This recipe got rave reviews from my children... hopefully it will be a hit with your family, too.

Mexican Tomato Soup
Yield: Crock Pot Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 2 small onions, diced
• 1 Tbsp paprika
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (7 oz) can diced green chiles, undrained
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans beef (or chicken) broth
• 2 beef bouillon cubes (I like Herb-Ox brand)
• 2 (10.75 oz) cans condensed tomato soup (I like Pacific Foods brand)
• 1 (15 oz) can corn kernels, drained
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed

Directions

1. In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef and onions until meat is browned and no longer pink and onions are translucent. Add taco seasoning to the skillet. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker.
2. Add tomatoes, chiles, broth, bouillon cubes, and tomato soup to slow cooker. Stir to combine.
3. Cook on low heat for 6-8 hours.
4. Shortly before serving, add corn and black beans to slow cooker. Stir to combine.
5. Serve topped with shredded cheese, sour cream, guacamole, green onions, and/or crushed tortilla chips.

Recipe adapted from Plain Chicken.

How to Cook Burgers in the Oven

Before our long-distance move, we decided not to bring our grill along with us (it was old and dirty, plus we ran out of space in the U-Haul!). We have yet to replace it three months later. Luckily, I found a convenient way to cook burgers inside so we can still enjoy one of our favorite summertime dinners!

How to Cook Burgers in the Oven
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 8 ground beef burger patties (about 1/3 lb each)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Line sheet pan with foil using two pieces folded together that extend over all four sides of pan. (This makes for easy clean up later!)
3. Place piece of parchment paper on top of foil. Line up 8 burgers on parchment (leave space in between and do not overlap).
4. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until each burger reaches internal temperature of 145-150°F.

Recipe adapted from Iowa Girl Eats.

Crock Pot Sloppy Joes

With only four ingredients, this recipe is super simple yet packed with flavor. Better yet, it's comfort food at it's finest!

Crock Pot Sloppy Joes
Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients

• 3 lbs ground beef (or ground turkey)
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup yellow mustard
• 1 1/2 cups ketchup

Directions

1. Brown ground beef until no longer pink, then add to slow cooker.
2. Add remaining ingredients to slow cooker and stir to combine.
3. Cook on low for 3-5 hours. Stir before serving on hamburger buns.

Recipe adapted from Eating on a Dime.

Homemade Taco Seasoning

While convenient, those small packets of taco seasoning found at the store for a quick and easy Mexican dinner often contain gluten (and when they don't, they're crazy expensive). Chances are good that you already have the individual spices in your cupboard at home, so mix up your own blend of seasonings to save on the cost while still getting food on the table in a jiffy!

Homemade Taco Seasoning
Yield: seasoning for 2 lbs ground meat

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp paprika
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder

Directions

1. Mix spices in small bowl; set aside.
2. Brown meat (ground beef, turkey, chicken, etc.) in skillet over medium heat. When no longer pink, drain excess fat and liquid.
3. Add seasoning to meat and stir until well combined.
4. Serve with your favorite taco fixings!

Recipe adapted from my 7 Layer Dip.

Beef Stroganoff

This is one of my husband's all-time favorite dishes, so naturally I experimented with the usual ingredients to give it my own personal touch!

Beef Stroganoff
Yield: plenty ;)

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
24 oz container fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
16 oz container sour cream
10.5 oz can gluten free cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup milk
2 beef bouillon cubes (I use Herb Ox brand)

Directions
1. In large skillet, brown ground beef until no longer pink. Remove to plate lined with paper towel to drain excess fat.
2. In leftover skillet drippings, using additional olive oil as necessary, sauté mushrooms and onions until mushrooms have released all liquid and onions are tender. Add garlic and sauté additional few minutes, until garlic is fragrant.
3. Spoon beef back into skillet with vegetables. Add sour cream, mushroom soup, and milk; stir to combine. Crush beef bouillon cubes over skillet and stir to evenly distribute.
4. Continue cooking over low heat until heated through, stirring occasionally.
5. Serve over gluten free pasta noodles, brown or white rice, or cauliflower pearls (also called cauliflower rice) with a side of steamed broccoli or peas. Enjoy!

Meatloaf

During the cold winter months, nothing says "comfort food" like a hearty slice of meatloaf! This recipe is tender, moist, and full of flavor. I usually pair it with a side of mashed potatoes and either steamed peas or steamed broccoli. It makes for a healthful and satisfying meal the whole family can enjoy!

Meatloaf
Yield: 1 loaf

Ingredients
2 lbs ground beef*
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Quick Cooking Oats
1/2 cup gluten free dry bread crumbs
2/3 cup ketchup
3 eggs, room temperature
2 Tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

*For leaner meatloaf, use 1 lb ground beef and 1 lb ground turkey.

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 9x5-inch loaf pan.
2. Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Knead mixture with hands until well blended. Fill loaf pan with meat mixture, mounding top.
3. Bake 60-75 minutes, or until meatloaf is firm to touch and has shrunk from sides of pan. Thermometer inserted in center should read 160°F.
4. Pour off excess fat and let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Recipe adapted from "Meat Loaf" found on page 512 of The Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer.

Taco Soup

January seems to be the coldest month of the year in South Dakota, so a warm bowl of soup for dinner is always the perfect answer! This recipe is best described as a soupy queso filled with smokey Mexican flavors.

Taco Soup
Yield: Crock Pot Recipe

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork sausage
2 small onions, chopped
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese
2 (10 oz) cans Rotel
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
4 cups chicken broth

Directions
1. Place cream cheese, Rotel, and seasonings into slow cooker.
2. Brown ground beef until no longer pink. Ladle beef into slow cooker.
3. Brown sausage until no longer pink. Reserve about 1 Tbsp sausage grease (discard the rest). Ladle sausage into slow cooker.
4. Saute onion in reserved grease until tender. Ladle into slow cooker.
5. Pour chicken broth over mixture. Stir to combine.
6. Cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours. Stir before serving.
7. Garnish individual servings with shredded cheese, sour cream, and/or crushed tortilla chips.

Notes
* For low carb or keto version, omit sauteed onions.
* To serve as an appetizer: add only 1-2 cups of chicken broth instead of 4 and it becomes a warm dip.

Recipe adapted from Beyer Beware.

Zucchini Pizza

One of the hardest parts of eating gluten free is having to give up the good old standby: pizza. But let me back up for a minute. Remember how I mentioned in a previous post that my in-laws grow such a bountiful garden in Minnesota? Well, zucchini is another vegetable that they always have in abundant supply and luckily they are willing to share! So when I was talking to my friend, Steph, at playgroup one day about ways to cook with the zucchini, she shared this recipe with me. (I can only bake so many loaves of zucchini bread!) At the time, I was not eating gluten free. (Maybe it was foreshadowing?!) Fast forward to now, this dish satisfies my pizza craving!

Here's a look at the crust after the first round in the oven. I'm pretty sure I could just cut it up into slices and eat it as is! As a matter of fact, this could actually be a great appetizer recipe to bake in mini muffin cups for bite-sized portions that are perfect for hungry guests around the holidays.

A nice cross-section of the dish shows the zucchini crust from earlier on the bottom, the meat, onion and tomato sauce mixture in the middle, and a thick gooey layer of melted cheese on the top (my favorite!).

(Note: I didn't have a green pepper on hand, as called for in the recipe, when I made this for dinner, but it greatly adds to the dish flavor-wise, so I will make sure to pick one up the next time I make it.)

And last, but not least, the food on the plate! I'll admit that it's not too pretty to look at (we just scooped it out of the pan with a large serving spoon), but it is oh-so-delicious to eat (I promise!).

Zucchini Pizza
Yield: 9x13 pan

Ingredients
4 cups shredded, unpeeled zucchini (about 2 small)
2 eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
1 tsp oregano
green pepper, chopped (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Squeeze excess moisture from zucchini using paper towel. (May need to do this a couple times.)
3. Combine zucchini with eggs, parmesan, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, and 1/2 cup cheddar cheese. Press into greased 9x13 pan. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, cook beef and onion. Add tomato sauce and oregano. Spoon over cooked zucchini layer. Top with remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup cheddar cheese. Sprinkle with chopped green pepper, if using.
5. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and golden brown.

Chili Con Carne

Cooler weather outside means it's time to warm up with some hot chili inside!

Chili Con Carne
Crock Pot Recipe

Ingredients
2 lbs ground beef
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium onions, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup water
3 beef bouillon cubes (I use Herb Ox brand)
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
2 (16 oz) cans diced tomatoes with liquid
1 (15.5 oz) can kidney beans, undrained

Directions
1. Brown ground beef in large skillet. Stir frequently to break up clumps. When no longer pink, spoon meat into slow cooker and reserve drippings.
2. In skillet drippings, sauté garlic, onions, and green peppers over low heat until onions are tender. Spoon veggies into slow cooker.
3. Add rest of ingredients to slow cooker. Stir together until well mixed.
4. Cover. Cook on low 2+ hours.
5. Stir well to combine before serving.

Serving Suggestion:
* Top individual servings with shredded cheese, sour cream, guacamole, sliced green onions, sliced black olives, etc.
* Scoop with tortilla chips.

Recipe adapted from "Chili Con Carne Supreme" found on page 53 of Fix-It and Forget-It Christmas Cookbook: 600 Slow Cooker Holiday Recipes by Phyllis Pellman Good.