Tag: #TasteofHome

Posted in #Recipes

Slow-Cooker Corn Chowder

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Discover the ultimate comfort food with our irresistible slow cooker corn chowder recipe. This hearty and creamy dish blends sweet corn with the rich flavors of bacon, potatoes and aromatic herbs. Perfect for chilly evenings or any time you’re craving a bowl of warmth and flavor. Our recipe promises a simple yet deeply satisfying soup.

The best part is, your slow cooker does all the work. Combine and refrigerate the ingredients for the corn chowder the night before, then pour the mixture into your crockpot and turn it on in the morning. When you come home from work, a hot, tasty meal awaits.

Ingredients for Slow-Cooker Corn Chowder

  • Milk: Milk is the main binder for this chowder. Its combination with the creamy soup creates a velvety base for the rest of the ingredients. You’ll need 2-1/2 cups of 2% milk but you can use 1% or reduced fat if that’s all you have.
  • Creamed corn: We’re not gatekeeping our secret to the creamiest corn chowder—it’s a can of cream-style corn.
  • Cream of mushroom soup: Condensed cream of mushroom soup also imparts lots of earthy, savory flavor and amps up the creamy factor in this slow-cooker chowder.
  • Frozen corn: Two types of corn add to the chunky nature of this chowder. We also used a bag of frozen kernels but canned or fresh would work too.
  • Hash brown potatoes: Traditional chowders usually involve onions and potatoes but we went one step further in the comfort food department with a cup of frozen shredded hash brown potatoes. It is a total game-changer in this soup.
  • Fully cooked ham: Ham and corn are a flavor-enhancing combination and sneak some protein into this chowder, too.
  • Onion: Sauteed onion bits add some sweetness to the soup and the chunky texture.
  • Parsley: A peppery herbaceous finish in the form of dried  (or fresh) parsley flakes is the right move.
  • Butter: For an extra silky, buttery chowder, you’ll need 2 tablespoons of butter.
  • Bacon: Although optional, crispy crumbled bacon is the ultimate topper for chowder.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

19 Favorite Restaurant Copycat Soup Recipes

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

It’s cold outside, and you’re craving your favorite restaurant soup. Skip the drive, the wait and the bill, and instead whip up one of these hot, steamy copycat soup recipes that taste just like their restaurant counterparts. And hello, leftovers!

We have all the copycat favorites right here in this list. Expect the iconic soups from Panera Bread, like broccoli cheddar and tomato soup, plus copycat Olive Garden recipes, like their zuppa toscana or minestrone. But there are so many more copycat options, too, like Wendy’s chili, Cracker Barrel’s chicken and dumplings, and Red Lobster’s clam chowder.

Of course, serve these soups with some restaurant-copycat bread recipes. Whip up Cheesecake Factory’s brown bread, bread bowls from Panera, Red Lobster’s cheddar bay biscuits and Olive Garden’s breadsticks.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

Navy Bean Soup

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

When soup season hits our house, we have a steady list of recipes on rotation. We love all the classic homemade soup recipes because they’re affordable and easy to make in bulk, and they can use up those vegetables in your crisper! This Test Kitchen-approved navy bean soup is one of our favorites, and you might even already have all the ingredients on hand.

Soaking beans overnight is recommended when cooking dried beans, which this recipe calls for. Though it means having to plan ahead just a bit, you’ll never regret cooking dried beans from scratch. As the beans simmer with the rest of the ingredients, everything melds together to create a creamy, delicious soup base. A minimal number of other ingredients, time and simple seasoning are all it takes to make a heart-warming, tummy-filling soup.

Ingredients for Navy Bean Soup

  • Dried navy beans: Cooking dried beans is important for this recipe because the cooking liquid becomes part of the soup base. If you don’t have time to soak them overnight, you can quick-soak dried beans. Soak the rinsed beans in boiling water for just an hour.
  • Ham: Ham is important here, as it adds a whole depth of flavor to this soup. Navy bean soup is one of those great leftover ham recipes you’ll want in your back pocket to use up leftover meat!
  • Chicken broth: You can use store-bought or homemade chicken broth if you have the time. In a pinch, you can also use vegetable broth or even water.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

17 Dump Soup Recipes That Practically Cook Themselves

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Some dinners start with a plan. Others start with a can of tomatoes and a prayer, and that’s when dump soup recipes become your secret weapon. They’re the kind of meals you pull together between errands, after work or on nights when sauteeing onions is one step too many. Just like shortcut soups, these recipes don’t ask for much. With a handful of pantry staples, a few minutes to combine everything and a little trust that it will all come together, dinner will be ready before you know it.

This collection has family-friendly dump soups inspired by tacos and hamburgers, vegetable-loaded minestrone and boldly flavored spicy sausage soup. Most are endlessly adaptable too. Swap in shredded rotisserie chicken for another meat or use a different canned bean or lentil if you don’t have the one the recipe calls for. Many of these easy soup recipes can be frozen for future meals—just make sure you know which soups freeze well and which you should refrigerate instead. If you are cooking for a crowd, these soups are easy to double since most start with canned and pantry-friendly staples.

Dump soups may be low on prep, but they’re not low on flavor. They work when you’re short on time, light on groceries or just need an easy dinner plan. Sometimes, that’s exactly what makes them the best kind of comfort food.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

Over-the-Top Baked Ziti

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

I adapted a ziti recipe to remove ingredients my kids did not like, such as ground beef. The revised recipe was a success not only with my family but at potlucks too. It’s so versatile: You can use jarred sauce, double or triple the recipe, and even freeze it. —Kimberley Pitman, Smyrna, Delaware Field Editor

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

88 Slow-Cooker Recipes to Warm Your Winter

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Come in from the cold and sit down to slow-simmered pot roast, loaded chili and breakfast-for-dinner, too. Even on the snowiest day, these winter slow-cooker recipes warm you from your toes to your nose.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

42 Make-Ahead Freezer Meals for Busy Nights

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

These convenient make-ahead freezer meals are for anyone with a busy schedule. We know it can be challenging to find time to make delicious home-cooked meals when time is tight. Luckily, with a little planning and creativity, you can enjoy flavorful make-ahead freezer meals like aromatic lasagnas, melt-in-your-mouth pot roasts and slow-cooked stews.

Simplify meal prep with our delectable recipes for casseroles, pies and soups. They freeze well and can be reheated in the oven or microwave, ensuring you’ll always have access to easy weeknight dinners. Whether you’re planning for a busy week, stocking the freezer to prepare for your baby’s arrival or streamlining meal prep, these freezer-friendly recipes make for quick homemade meals.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

Hamburger Stew

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Hamburger stew is a recipe that thrifty families have been making for years. The stew serves as an ingenious solution when looking for an inexpensive, delicious and nourishing meal—and with 16 servings, there will be enough left over to use as a make-ahead freezer meal down the road.

There’s another reason this hamburger stew recipe is a favorite: It’s incredibly easy to customize. Use different vegetables, add spices, make it with pasta instead of rice, or throw in a packet of onion soup mix for extra flavor. Everyone has a way they like to make this recipe their own, and they tend to pass their versions on to family and friends. That’s why some readers have renamed this “suggestion stew!”

Hamburger Stew Ingredients

  • Ground beef: Browning the meat is the first step to making hamburger stew. If possible, choose lean ground beef.
  • Onion: Fresh yellow onions work nicely in hamburger stew. Frozen, chopped onions also work to save a little time.
  • Stewed tomatoes: You can use store-bought, canned stewed tomatoes, or your own preserved garden tomatoes if you have them. Store-bought stewed tomatoes have added spices, vegetable extracts and sugar—so if you don’t want these extra ingredients, use canned whole tomatoes and break them up with a wooden spoon.
  • Vegetables: We chose carrots, celery and potatoes, but you can add a medley of vegetables to the pot. Slice or dice everything to the same size, so that the veggie bits will cook through at the same rate.
  • Long grain rice: Jasmine and basmati are some of the long-grain types of rice you can use to make hamburger stew. Brown rice can also be used; just increase the covered simmering time to 45 minutes. Skip minute or instant rice, since these will get too mushy as the stew cooks.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

Snickerdoodle Cake

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

A snickerdoodle warm from the oven is like a comforting hug in cookie form. With its slightly tangy flavor; soft, chewy and tender texture; and sweet cinnamon coating, the cookie couldn’t be cozier. This snickerdoodle cake recipe takes everything you love about a snickerdoodle cookie and transforms it into a moist and delicious three-layer cake.

Each layer features a cinnamon-sugar swirl to re-create the sweet snickerdoodle flavor. To complement the cookie’s slightly tangy taste, a cream cheese frosting flavored with cinnamon and vanilla tops the cake. Whip up this recipe when you need a cake for a special occasion, whether it’s a birthday, a baby shower or to celebrate successfully making it through another week.

Ingredients for Snickerdoodle Cake

  • Butter: Softened butter adds a rich, buttery flavor to the cake.
  • Canola oil: Using a neutral cooking oil, such as canola, adds extra moisture to the cake.
  • Brown sugar: Brown sugar gets its signature flavor and color from the addition of molasses. You can use either light or dark brown sugar in this recipe, but dark brown sugar has a stronger molasses flavor.
  • Eggs: You’ll use whole eggs and additional egg yolks in the cake batter. Separate eggs when they’re cold, but use room-temperature eggs for baking.
  • Sour cream: Sour cream adds moisture and a slightly tangy flavor to the cake.
  • Vanilla extract: Vanilla extract adds complexity to the cake’s flavor.
  • All-purpose flour: Flour contributes to the cake’s structure and light crumb. To make this cake gluten-free, use a gluten-free flour baking blend.
  • Baking powder: Baking powder is the primary leavener that helps the cake rise. Test your baking powder for freshness before using it.
  • Salt: A little bit of salt enhances the overall flavor of the cake.
  • Cinnamon swirl: Sugar and ground cinnamon are combined to swirl throughout the cake.
  • Cream cheese frosting: The cake gets covered in a tangy and sweet frosting made with cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon and confectioners’ sugar.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

Slow-Cooker Rotisserie Chicken

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

For many families, rotisserie chickens are a grocery store staple that makes it easy to assemble well-rounded meals in a snap. That said, very few Americans have access to a rotisserie, a rotating roaster that bastes the meat in its own drippings as it turns.

To make a chicken with the same sticky skin and tenderness at home, we employ the help of a slow cooker. The long cooking time in the appliance’s steady warmth softens the meat to an almost silky texture. You won’t get the same crispy edges as a rotisserie chicken, but adding a robust seasoning blend both under the chicken skin and on top of it ensures a juicy roast with a great backbone of sweet and savory flavor. And don’t skip the carrots and onions slow-cooked in the chicken drippings until they’re meltingly tender—they’re the best!

Serve your slow-cooker rotisserie chicken with mashed potatoes and peas for a classic roast dinner, then shred the leftover chicken to make any number of other rotisserie chicken recipes.

Ingredients for Slow-Cooker Rotisserie Chicken

  • Seasoning blend: Besides carving the meat at the end, the most time-intensive part of this slow-cooker rotisserie chicken recipe is measuring out the elements of the sweet and savory spice blend. The mixture is a comprehensive blend that starts with a base of seasoned salt, poultry seasoning, garlic powder and onion powder. Paprika helps burnish the chicken an amber color, while the addition of brown sugar helps the chicken to brown. A little lemon-pepper seasoning balances the sweet and smoky flavors with a tart edge.
  • Chicken: The star of this recipe is, of course, a whole, bone-in chicken rubbed with spices and slow-cooked to juicy tenderness in the steady heat of a slow cooker. Aim to buy a broiler or fryer chicken that weighs about 4 pounds. Larger than that, and you may have trouble fitting the bird into the slow cooker without crowding it. Make sure to remove any giblets from the cavity of your chicken before adding it to the slow cooker.
  • Carrots and onions: Chopped vegetables line the bottom of the slow cooker and cook to nearly melting tenderness in the chicken drippings.
  • Cornstarch: Tossing the vegetables in a little cornstarch helps thicken the chicken drippings slightly into a velvety pouring texture.

Taste of Home