Slow Cooker Potato and Corn Soup

We have a "wintery mix" in the forecast. Which means the weatherman pretty much doesn't know if it's going to snow, ice, sleet, rain, or a little of all. Really?

I know weather is unpredictable because Mother Nature likes to change her mind, after all, she is a woman. But with all the technology we have available today, you would think they could figure out if it was going to rain, sleet, ice, or snow.

All I know is, it's cold outside. Not just cold, but bitter cold where it rips through your clothes no matter how many layers you've bundled on. I'm so bundled up, I feel like the little brother in the movie, "A Christmas Story". You know the scene where his mom is getting him dressed for school and his arms stick straight out. That's what I've been feeling like.

That's not really bacon, its my vegan version of bacon. Hopefully, recipe coming soon!

So what's a Cali girl to do when an Arctic Polar front is headed towards the South? That's right, start making a soup to help warm me up from the inside out.

And for some reason, this Potato and Corn Soup was calling my name. Maybe it's because I've been eating a lot of potatoes here lately or maybe it just sounded good. It really does sound good, doesn't it? Whatever the reason, I made it!

As usual, I added my own little twist by using coconut milk instead of half and half or heavy cream. I also used yellow potatoes instead of Russet potatoes because they work better in soups and chowders.

Just look how yummy this soup is!

Talking about chowders, this soup isn’t going to be thick like a chowder and it’s not going to be thin like a bouillon based soup. It’s somewhere in between. The results, a creamy potato and corn soup that not only satisfies your hunger, but warms you up from the inside out.

Just what I've been needing!

Loaded version with shredded cheese, sour cream, & (vegan) bacon.

So whether you're in an area that will be getting rain, sleet, ice, or snow this Monday, this Potato and Corn Soup will be your new best friend to snuggle up with.

Slow Cooker Potato and Corn Soup

Recipe by Julie Murphy @ Sweet and Spicy Monkey

An easy, slow cooker Potato & Corn soup to help warm you up on cold winter days.

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 8 hours
Total time: 8 hours and 30 minutes
Yield: A whole lotta soup
Ingredients

• 5 yellow potatoes, cut into bite size cubes
• 3-12 ounces frozen sweet corn
• 1 medium sweet yellow onion, diced
• 4 stalks celery, diced
• 6 to 8 garlic cloves, mashed
• 32 ounces vegetable broth
• 32 ounces chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 16 ounces full fat coconut milk
• sea salt & pepper to taste

Cooking Directions

1. Add all ingredients into slow cooker EXCEPT coconut milk.
2. Cook on Low setting for 8 to 10 hours or High setting for 6 hours.
3. After potatoes have softened, place half the soup into a bowl and let cool to room temperature. For a blender, let contents cool before blending to prevent your blender from exploding the contents. Follow your blenders instructions for blending hot liquids. If you have an immersion blender, you can puree while soup is hot.
4. Pour pureed soup back into crockpot and continue cooking.
5. About 20 minutes before cooking time is up, stir in coconut milk and continue cooking for remaining 20 minutes.
6. Salt & pepper to taste.
7. Can serve topped with shredded cheese, sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, chopped green onions, and/or bacon.

Inspired by: April at Momma Loves Food.

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Slow Cooker Turkey Fajita Soup

As the holidays wind down, so does the year 2015.

Many people like to take this time to reflect on this last year and see if they can make any changes to improve themselves in the upcoming new year. While others look back at the lessons learned and how to prevent something like that again.

S-C-R-E-E-C-H ............HALT.

Not me.

I'm kicking this year to the curb and getting ready to soar higher into the new year with a new pair of wings. You can't change the past and last I looked, the world isn't stopping.

You have to step off that curb and adapt and overcome because only the strong survive and I'm not going to get trampled.

I can start this post by looking back on my recipes from 2015 like everyone else, but I'm forging a different path and I'm moving forward because you can easily look at my top four recipes located in the right hand side bar of this page. ----------------------------->

So today, on the last day of 2015, I’m sharing a new recipe with y'all, so we can end this year with a bang!

Well, not really a bang, but something with a little spice to help warm you up during these cooler months, Slow Cooker Turkey Fajita Soup.

It's full of good for you stuff like beans, corn, tomatoes, and peppers. Not to mention, you can toss everything in before you go to work and have a warm, delicious meal when you get back home.

Now that's my kind of meal!

Serve with chips and salsa and top with cheddar cheese, sour cream, diced avocados, jalapenos, or tomatoes. And if you're feeling really motivated, whip up some cornbread to serve on the side.

This slow cooker Turkey Fajita Soup will warm you up from the inside out and what better way to start a new year than that!

How do you look back on the old year? Do you like to reflect on things or move forward?
What New Year’s resolutions do you have for 2016? Do you have any?

Slow Cooker Turkey Fajita Soup

Recipe by Julie Murphy

An easy and delicious one-pot meal that's perfect for the cold winter nights.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 4 to 6 hours
Total time: 5 to 7 hours
Yield: 4 to 6
Ingredients

• 1 lb. turkey meat, boneless, skinless breast or strips
• 1 Family Size can (22.6 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup fresh salsa
• 12 ounces (1 package) frozen corn
• 1-15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1-16 ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 1-14.5 ounce can diced organic tomatoes
• 1-7 ounce can diced green chiles
• 1 green pepper, seeded and diced
• 1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced
• 1 Tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded (for topping)
• Salt & Pepper, to taste
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil

Cooking Directions

1. Add 1 Tablespoon olive oil into slow cooker and using a paper towel, wipe inside of slow cooker, bottom and sides.
2. Place turkey on bottom of slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients. Stir together.
3. Cover and cook on Low setting for 4 to 6 hours.
4. Remove turkey meat and shred using 2 forks. Add back into slow cooker, mixing together.
5. Continue cooking on Low setting for another 30 to 45 minutes, covered.
6. Serve in individual bowls topped with sour cream, cheddar cheese, diced avocado, salsa, diced jalapenos, and tortilla chips or cornbread.

Inspired by ~ Alyssa at The Recipe Critic.

 

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Pumpkin Soup

I just spent the first few hours of my Monday morning at my dentist office for an unplanned visit.

Rewind 24 hours back to Sunday morning when I was flossing my teeth and out popped my crown. After the initial freak out, I remembered some emergency adhesive my dentist gave me after my temporary crown fell out. Luckily I was able to find it in my medicine cabinet, mix it together, and slap it on the inside of my crown before placing it back over my tooth.

I don't know if you've ever had this happen to you, but it's a definite "Oh Sh*t!!" moment.

First of all, you're freaking out because this is NOT supposed to be happening, especially after what I paid to have it done! And second, because you're tooth is now vulnerable to all that goes in your mouth, hot and cold included.

Plus it was Sunday! Sunday morning!! Double freak out!!! Now I have to wait 24 hours to go to the dentist! Ugh!

I was afraid to eat anything because I didn't want to experience pain if something touched my uncovered tooth. So for lunch I had a protein smoothie and for supper, I had this Pumpkin Soup. Luckily, I had planned on making this pumpkin soup over the weekend.

This pumpkin soup has everything in it that reminds me of Fall: pumpkin, nutmeg, cinnamon, sage, and maple syrup. It's a savory and warming soup, not a sweet soup like one would think because of the maple syrup. The maple syrup just gives it a hint of flavoring that brings all the other ingredients together.

And I used fresh roasted pumpkin for this soup because there's a difference in taste between fresh and canned pumpkin. I don't think I have to tell you which one is better, do I? It's the fresh pumpkin!

If you've never roasted a pumpkin before, here's a link to my post from last year where I show you how and it's really easy, How to roast a pumpkin.

So whether you want a savory and warming soup tonight because it's kind of chilly out or you're like me and afraid to eat solid food right now, this pumpkin soup is perfect for you.

You can also serve this pumpkin soup as a first course for your Thanksgiving dinner as it has all the flavors of the fall season in just one bowl.

Pumpkin Soup

Recipe by Julie Murphy

A savory and warming soup that encompasses all the flavors of Fall.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 60 minutes
Total time: 2 hours and 10 minutes (includes roasting sugar pumpkin)
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients

• 1 sugar pumpkin, roasted
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup coconut milk, canned
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon rubbed Dalmatian sage
• 1 Tablespoon butter

Cooking Directions

1. Roast sugar pumpkin. If you don't know how, a link is listed above from last year's post that shows you how I roast my sugar pumpkins.
2. After roasting sugar pumpkin and it has cooled, scoop the pumpkin flesh from skins.
3. Place pumpkin flesh and chicken broth, water, coconut milk, and spices into a large blender. Puree until pumpkin flesh is smooth and all ingredients are mixed together.
4. Pour into a medium sauce pan.
5. Stir in remaining ingredients of maple syrup and butter.
6. Bring to a boil over medium heat while stirring.
7. After soup begins to boil, turn down heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally.
8. Serve immediately.
9. Can garnish with 1 teaspoon coconut milk swirled over the top and a sprinkling of nutmeg and rubbed Dalmatian sage (as in photo).

*Helpful Hints*

- I've also seen pumpkin soup topped with sour cream, bacon crumbles, and/or bleu cheese crumbles.

Inspired by ~ Food Network

All content and images are property of Sweet and Spicy Monkey. Please do not reprint this content without my permission. If you wish to include this recipe on your site, please re-write in your own words and use your own photographs and link back to this post for original recipe.

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