Pasta Fagioli Soup (like Olive Garden's) in a Crock Pot

This is a great food storage recipe. Lots of canned goodies and few fresh ingredients! Gotta love the crock pot too, right?



Pasta Fagioli Soup in a Crock Pot(Olive Gardens Soup)

2 lbs. ground beef
1 onion, chopped carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 (28 oz.) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (16 oz.) can red kidney beans, drained
1 (16 oz.) can white kidney beans, drained
3 (10 oz.) cans beef stock
3 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons pepper
6 teaspoons parsley
1 (20 oz.) jar spaghetti sauce
8 ounces pasta

1. Brown beef in skillet.2. Drain fat from beef and add to crock pot with everything except pasta.3. Cook in crock pot on low 7-8 hours or high 4-5 hours.4. During last 30 minutes on high or 1 hour on low add pasta.5. For extra zip add a little ketchup to individual bowls.
This serves 12-14 people 7 pts plus

Coconut Chicken Curry-Stove top or Crockpot

This is yet another delicious recipe from Mimi. Mine was a little spicy, but I did add some cayenne pepper to it. The good spicy, you know, where it makes your nose run a little! :) Todd didn't like the potatoes in it (Lisa and I did). I may tweak it next time by adding bamboo shoots and some red or green pepper. I like my peppers a little bit crunchy so I may saute them seperately just until tender and add them in right before serving. Or you could add them in raw for the last 5 minutes or so of simmering Enjoy!

Oh, yes....almost forgot crockpot instructions: Make the recipe right up to the part where you are supposed to simmer it for 30-40 minutes. Put it in the crockpot and cook on low for 4-5 hours.

Coconut Chicken Curry

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut in 1/2 inch chunks
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 T. canola oil
2 T. curry powder
1 1/2 tsp. paprika (or substitute cayenne if you like the heat-I put less cayenne in)
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 medium red potatoes, cut into chunks
1 (14 oz.) coconut milk (light if you can find it)
1 can stewed or diced tomatoes, Italian style (I put mine in the blender as we don't like chunks)
1 can tomato sauce
1 1/2 T. sugar

Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Heat oil, curry and paprika over medium low heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes (don't let it burn). Turn heat to medium and stir in onions and garlic and saute for another 7-9 minutes, until onions are transparent. Add chicken and toss to coat chicken with curry oil. Cook until chicken is no longer pink and nearly cooked through (it will continue to cook in the simmering stage). Add potatoes, coconut milk, tomatoes, tomato sauce, sugar and any other additional ingredients: bamboo shoots (drained) NOT peppers at this point. Stir to combine. Cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally until potatoes are cooked. Add red or green peppers, cut in small chunks during last 5 minutes of simmering (or saute them seperately and add in just before serving). Serve over rice.

Serves 10! Makes great leftovers. I've been eating this for lunch all week! 6 pts plus if made with light coconut milk(not including rice).

Crockpot Beef and Bean Burritos

2 lb. london broil
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 cup onion, chopped
1 T. vinegar
1 small can chopped green chiles
1 can refried beans
12 tortillas
1 1/2 cups monterey jack cheese, shredded
1 1/2 cups chopped plum tomato
3/4 cup sour cream

Trim fat from the meat, rub taco seasoning on both sides. Place in slow-cooker that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Add onion, vinegar and green chiles. Cover and cook on low for 9 hours. Remove meat from slow cooker, reserving liquid. Shred beef with two forks. Combine meat with reserved cooking liquid. Stir well.

Warm beans and tortillas according to package directions. Spread 2 . beans down middle of each tortilla. Spoon a heaping 1/3 cup meat mixture on top of beans. Top each with 2 T. cheese, 2 T. tomato, adn 1 T. sour cream. Roll up.