Creamy Ham and Potato Soup

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The holidays are over. We apologize for our brief hiatus… between spending lots of time with family, catching up with sleep, and some technical difficulties, we haven’t managed to post for a bit. But you can bet now that the new year has officially started, you can expect two posts a week again!

During the holidays, I’m sure you’ve had your fill of ham. If you need something to use up the last of those leftovers, we have got the soup for you!

With plenty of hearty veggies and salty ham, this soup is a crowd pleaser for sure! And you can stretch your leftovers for another week while still mixing it up!

What is your favorite way to use holiday leftovers? Let us know in the comments!

Creamy Ham and Potato Soup

Comfort Foods, Dinner, Holiday, Meals for a Crowd, Meat, Pork, Potatoes, Soup, Vegetable

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
6 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 bunch celery, sliced
8 potatoes, diced
1 onion, diced
8 cups ham, diced
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup flour
6-7 cups water
3 TBS chicken base
6 cups milk
Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large stock pot, combine carrots, celery, onion and butter. Cook over medium heat until butter is melted and onions become mostly translucent.
Add in potatoes and ham. Cook stirring often, until potatoes are just fork tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Gradually stir in flour until veggies and ham are coated.
In a small bowl, combine 6 cups of water and chicken base. Pour mixture into pot. Bring soup to a boil. Lower heat and add milk, stirring to combine. Add additional cup of water if you would like to thin down the soup.
Taste soup and season to taste.

October 21, 2019October 19, 2019

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

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Crisp leaves falling outside, temperatures dropping, sweaters being pulled out of the closet… Fall is absolutely the best!

One of the best parts of when the weather gets colder is you can finally pull out your favorite soup recipes! Sure, you can make soup during the summer, but you’ll heat up the house like crazy! And the best part of soup is eating it to warm up!

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This split pea soup is made in the slow cooker, so you can easily start it in the morning and come back to it after a fun romp in the brisk outdoors! So hearty and good, your family will beg to have it again and again!

Now you’re going to need a ham bone or something similar to make this recipe! We save our bones from when we buy pork shoulders to make pulled pork. I’ve seen others save the bones from their spiral hams or use smoked ham hocks. If you don’t have one saved in your freezer, you can likely find something at your local butcher’s.

This dump-and-go soup is one you’ll want to keep on hand all season long!

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

Comfort Foods, Dinner, Meals for a Crowd, Meat, Pork, Soup

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

Ingredients

1 ham bone
2 lbs cooked ham, chopped
16 oz bag dried green split peas
1 lb carrots, sliced
2 ribs of celery, sliced
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 tbs minced garlic
3 tbs dried parsley
1 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Instructions

Place the ham bone in the slow cooker.
Layer in the rest of the ingredients in listed order above, spreading through the entire crock pot. Pour over the chicken broth last, making sure broth covers everything in the pot.
Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Stir occasionally during cooking.
Once peas are tender, remove ham bone from the soup, allowing to cool for a few minutes. Tear off any ham on the bone and return to the soup.
Discard bone and bay leaf. Using a spoon, smash some of the peas against the side of the slow cooker and stir until desired consistency is reached.

Check out some of our other soups for chilly season! Tried any of them yet? Let us know in the comments!

October 7, 2019October 7, 2019

Creamy Oyster Stew

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Hey all! This week’s post doesn’t contain any pictures. We ate this stew so fast we didn’t get a chance to snag a pic!

Seriously, it is so good! We LOVE oysters in this house, but living where we do we don’t get them very often. Here they cost an arm and a leg and are canned. Though there’s nothing wrong with canned, you can’t beat fresh oysters.

We stock up on fresh seafood when we visit family in Oregon and freeze most of it for use during the next year. These oysters were the last of the ones from our last trip (yay for another trip in a few weeks!), and boy was it worth it to use them!

With soup season finally being here, this soup goes together fast and easy and is great paired with some fresh bread!

Creamy Oyster Stew

Comfort Foods, Dinner, Meals for a Crowd, Seafood, Soup, Splurge, Uncategorized

Ingredients

1 pint oysters in their liquid
2 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/2 sweet onion, minced
1 stalk of celery, minced
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
1/2 tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste
Garnishes (see below)

Instructions

Prepare the Oysters

Set a colander over a small bowl. Add the oysters into the colander, allowing the liquid to flow into the bowl.
Place a fine mesh sieve over another bowl and pass the liquid through it, filtering out sand, grit, and small pieces of broken shell from the liquid. Discard solids and set liquid aside for later.

Make the stew

In a stock pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the minced onion and celery, stirring, for 2-3 minutes or until the vegetables are softened and translucent.
Turn the heat down to medium low. Add the oyster liquid, milk, cream, and thyme. Heat slowly, stirring occasionally, until the broth just reaches a simmer. Do not boil! Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste.
Add the oysters to the broth and simmer for 2-3 minutes. The oysters are done once the edges start to curl.
Serve hot with desired garnishes.

Notes

We didn’t garnish ours, but some garnishes we would suggest would be celery leaves, Old Bay seasoning, a dash of hot sauce, and/or slivers of butter.

Do you love oysters as much as we do?! Let us know in the comments if you want more oyster recipes!

September 16, 2019September 16, 2019

Creamy Harvest Soup

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Along with cooking, I also love gardening. The smell of damp soil, the tang of a sun-warmed tomato, making my own fresh salsa – I can’t resist the fresh veggies!

Its budget friendly as well. As long as you can re-use your supplies year after year, you can save lots of money growing your own produce and prepping it for long term storage.

One of our favorite ways to use our spoils is to make this super hearty soup! Though there isn’t any meaty protein in it, this soup is ultra filling and it gives you a full feeling without being too heavy.

The only thing more amazing than the flavor is how easy it all is! Throw the veggies on a pan to roast, then blend them with some broth and dairy to add a touch of creaminess.

The best part is you can mix and match whatever you’ve grown in your garden! Keep it simple, keep it hearty, and keep it delicious!

Creamy Harvest Soup

Comfort Foods, Dinner, Meals for a Crowd, Soup, Vegetable

Creamy Harvest Soup

Ingredients

4 lbs Roma tomatoes
1 lb On the Vine tomatoes
8 cloves of garlic
1 yellow onion
1 red bell pepper
3 TBS olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp pepper
1 1/2 tsp dried basil
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
3 cups low sodium chicken broth OR 3 cups water, 3 TBS low sodium chicken base
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Cut all tomatoes into quarters. Peel garlic cloves. Dice onions and bell pepper.
Place vegetables into a large bowl. Add in oil and toss to coat.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Divide vegetables onto two baking sheets, making sure to leave plenty of space around the vegetables.
Place sheets into oven. Bake for 25 minutes, mixing vegetables after about 15 minutes.
Increase oven temperature to 500 and broil for about 3 minutes or until you see a slight char on the tomatoes. Remove from oven and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large soup pan, bring chicken broth to a boil. Once bubbling, add the vegetables. Using an immersion blender, blend until creamy and almost all vegetables have been broken down.
Add the seasonings, heavy cream, and Parmesan. Blend again until mostly smooth.
Serve hot, and refrigerate leftover soup.

As cooler weather rolls in and harvest time comes, what is your favorite fresh treat from the garden? Comment below!

Like the sound of this soup? Check out these others!

Slow Cooker Baked Potato | New England Clam Chowder | Slow Cooker Taco Soup

April 18, 2019April 15, 2019

Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

We are potato lovers in this house! When my wife was pregnant that is all she craved (then she ironically developed gestational diabetes, so no more for her!)

Nothing is better on a cool almost spring day than a hearty bowl of potato soup! This classic recipe brings everything you love about a baked potato into a bowl with creamy texture you will love to scarf down!

To make this the ultimate soup, you could really use an immersion blender. It makes is so easy, and saves you the hassle of having to blend it in batches in your standard stand blender. (Though if you love a classic blender, might we recommend Ninja?)

Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Cheese, Comfort, Comfort Foods, Dinner, Meals for a Crowd, Potatoes, Soup

Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients

8 cups of water
4 TBS chicken base
4 lbs red potatoes, chopped into 1″ pieces
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1 lb bacon, chopped, cooked, divided – reserve grease
1 1/2 cups of sour cream, plus more for garnish
1 lb cheddar cheese, shredded for garnish
1 bunch of green onion, chopped for garnish

Instructions

Mix water, chicken base, potatoes, onion, 1/2 of cooked bacon, and reserved bacon grease in a 6 QT slow cooker.
Cook for 3 hours on high, then 3 hours on low for a total cook time of 6 hours, stirring occasionally.
Using an immersion blender, blend soup until slightly chunkier than desired texture (we like it a little chunky).
Add in 1 1/2 cups of sour cream and blend to desired texture.
Garnish with remaining bacon, green onion, cheddar cheese, and sour cream.

Want to elevate this soup? We love this “Deluxe” version filled with Parmesan!

April 18, 2019April 15, 2019

Slow Cooker Deluxe Potato Soup

Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

As spring gets closer, some of those blustery in between days can get pretty chilly. We’ve had such whiplash between sunny weather and rain/snow that we aren’t ever sure what to prepare.

A good fall back is some soup to warm the soul in the slow cooker so you don’t warm up the house! The ultimate comfort food is the potato, and this soup celebrates it in an elevated way!

We have loved our immersion blender, and jump at any opportunity to use it! I couldn’t find ours available anymore, but this one on Amazon is a great price!

Slow Cooker Deluxe Potato Soup

Cheese, Comfort, Comfort Foods, Dinner, Meals for a Crowd, Potatoes, Soup

Slow Cooker Deluxe Potato Soup

Ingredients

8 cups of water
4 TBS chicken base
4 lbs red potatoes, chopped into 1″ pieces
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1 lb bacon, chopped, cooked, divided – reserve grease
1 lb Parmesan cheese, shredded, divided
1 bunch of green onion, chopped

Instructions

Mix water, chicken base, potatoes, onion, 1/2 of cooked bacon, and reserved bacon grease in a 6 QT slow cooker.
Cook for 3 hours on high, then 3 hours on low for a total cook time of 6 hours, stirring occasionally.
Using an immersion blender, blend soup until slightly chunkier than desired texture (we like it a little chunky).
Add in 1 1/2 cups of shredded Parmesan and blend to desired texture.
Garnish with remaining bacon, green onion, and more Parmesan.

Notes

Make this Vegetarian friendly by not adding bacon and using Vegetable Bouillon instead of chicken base.

A little to indulgent? Check out our classic Loaded Baked Potato Soup for a simpler take!

April 15, 2019April 12, 2019

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Spring is in the air – but if you live anywhere like we do, April still has a chill in the air. Around here that means soup time!

One of our heartiest and budget friendly soups is our Taco Soup! Filled with lots of protein and brimming with flavor, we can never have enough!

You can make this recipe even simpler if you want to use canned beans instead of soaking your own. Or make it faster by using a pressure cooker to cook up your beans!

Garnished with tortilla chips, sour cream, and green onions for a fiesta in a bowl!

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

Comfort, Comfort Foods, Dinner, Meals for a Crowd, Meat, Mexican, Pork, Soup

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

Ingredients

3 lbs pork shoulder, cut into bite sized chunks
1 1/2 cups dried pinto beans
1 1/2 cups dried black beans
1 1/2 cups dried kidney beans
5 TBS Taco Seasoning
2 cans of diced tomatoes
1 can of corn
7 cups of water
2 TBS of chicken base powder
2 medium Anaheim peppers, finely chopped and separated
1 bunch of green onion, chopped
1 lb of cheddar cheese, shredded
Sour cream
Tortilla chips

Instructions

Mix dried beans in a large bowl or pot. Fill bowl with enough water to cover the beans. Soak overnight. Drain beans.
Mix beans, pork, 4 TBS of the taco seasoning, diced tomatoes, 3 cups of water, 1 TBS chicken base and corn in a 6 QT slow cooker. Cook on high for 2 hours.
Add 1/2 of a medium Anaheim pepper. Cook for another 5 hours on high.
Add remaining water, chicken base, and taco seasoning. Cook for an additional 2 hours, bringing the total cook time to 9 hours.
Garnish soup with tortilla chips, remaining Anaheim peppers, green onions, cheese, and sour cream.

Notes

If using canned beans use 3 15oz cans of beans, drained, for each variety. They will not need to be soaked. Reduce cook time by 1 hour and cook on low instead of high.

March 5, 2019March 8, 2019

New England Clam Chowder

Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Soup is our go to when the weather gets cold. Its usually pretty budget friendly, filling, and its nice to wrap your hands around a big mug of soup while you sit on the couch and watch the snow fall outside your window.

This soup is more of a splurge. We love it, but only have it on rare occasion. Why?

Its spendy.
Its labor intensive.
We don’t want to spoil ourselves because its soooooooooooo delicious!

I cut the cost a bit by harnessing the inner Hunter-Gatherer in myself whenever I make a trip out to Oregon to visit my family. My dad and I hit the coast and go clamming every morning. A little effort, some time, and I come home with pounds and pounds of frozen clams that my family and I eat throughout the years.

We doubled this recipe recently and brought it to my wife’s sides monthly Family Home Evening dinner. It was a huge hit! Not to mention we had plenty for everyone plus leftovers – that’s 9 adults, 1 tween, 2 toddlers AND leftovers. You’ll need a pretty big pot to fit all that delicious flavor in – might I suggest this one?

I would also suggest reading the WHOLE RECIPE before preparing. Like everything good in this world, this soup does not come easy. It can be messed up pretty easily, and we wouldn’t want that!

New England Clam Chowder

Dinner, Meals for a Crowd, Old Fashioned, Soup, Splurge

New England Clam Chowder

Ingredients

1/2 lb of bacon, chopped
2 lbs of raw clams, chopped* OR 8 6.5oz cans of chopped cans, liquid reserved**
48oz clam juice OR chicken stock***
1/2 large sweet onion, diced
6 stalks of celery, thinly sliced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2/3 cup of flour
3lbs of red potatoes, diced into 1/2″ pieces
1/2 tsp dried thyme
4 bay leaves
16oz heavy cream
2 TBS fresh parsley, well minced
Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large stock pot, cook the bacon until crisp over medium heat. *If using raw clams, cook them during this step along with the bacon.
Add the diced celery and onions, cooking until they are very soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, only about 30 seconds.
Stir in the flour to coat all the veggies and meat. Cook until the flour is turning brown.
Very, very gradually begin adding the clam juice/chicken stock/reserved can juice. Add a small amount – about 2 TBS at a time – of liquid and stir it in until there is no more visible liquid. Then add a little more, completely combining each batch with the veggie flour mixture. Continue this way until you use up all the liquid.
Add the potatoes, thyme, and bay leaves. Raise the temperature to high and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce the temperature to low and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
Stir in the cream. **If you are using canned clams, add them during this step. Heat through. Remove from heat and stir in the parsley, seasoning with salt and pepper.

Notes

***You can use half clam juice and half chicken stock. If you are using fresh clams use the clam juice because you will not have any liquid to reserve from the cans.