Beef Ramen Noodle

Ingredients:
Chuck roast or chuck shoulders
Ramen noodles (throw away flavor packet)*
Beef broth (wing it with amount, I used about 1.5 of the larger cartons)
Ginger
Garlic 
Green onion
Pepper
Red pepper flakes
Soy sauce
small splash of rice vineger (or apple cider vinegar)
couple scoops sambal oelek
couple scoops red curry paste
Basil
Honey (or brown sugar)
Lime
Brocoli 
Carrots
Mushrooms (if you want, I do not)

*for gluten free, use rice noodles

Topping options:
Jalapeno
Basil
Lime
Cilantro
Sriracha 
Toasted sesame seeds

Directions:
(Optional: sear the sides of the roast on a skillet with olive oil before beginning) Place roast into crock pot with a little broth (don't submerge it) as well as some fresh ginger, garlic, green onion, and soy sauce. Cook on high for about 3-4 hours (crock pots vary). Once cooked through but not falling apart, remove from crock pot and slice into bite size strips (and give the fat to your dog). Pour broth from crock pot into large stock pot and add sliced beef back into it. Cook on high and add all remaining seasoning, as well as more of what you had already added to he crock pot if desired. Add all to taste. (it's best to get the broth flavor right before adding the veggies to cook). Once boiling, toss in the veggies and ramen noodles. They both cook very fast!  Serve and enjoy with whatever toppings you prefer. 

  

Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

Chicken breasts or thighs

Chicken broth

Carrots

Sweet potato

Onion

Garlic 

Chopped Spinnach 

Ginger

Lemon

Thyme

Rosemary

Cinnamon

Nutmeg

Pepper

Red pepper flakes

Parsley

Salt
Egg noodles

Directions:

Bring broth to a boil and add chicken.  Cook for a while, sauté onions and garlic then add everything into pot and let it all cook on low together.  Add noodles last.

Spicy Thai Soup

Ingredients:
Chicken
Chicken broth
Bok Choy
Green onions
Carrot sticks
Broccoli
1/2 Can coconut milk
2 tbsp Apple cider vinegar 
2 Cloves garlic
Shredded ginger
1 Sweet potato cut up
1/8 Cup soy sauce
1 Lime
2 Scoops brown sugar
1 tbsp sesame oil
Rice noodles
Paprika
Basil
Red pepper flakes
Cayenne pepper
Sriracha
Top with: Cilantro 


Directions:
(from scratch optional): Cook whole chicken in pot of boiling water for 1 hour. Dump out all liquid and rinse chicken, add back to pot and boil for another 4 hours. While cooking chicken add lots of fresh ginger, along with pepper, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, garlic powder or fresh garlic, basil, and green onions.

Remove all good meat from chicken and set aside in fridge, placing all of the bones back into the broth. Cook for another 1-2 hours, adding the apple cider vinegar. 

Strain all of the junk out of the broth and place broth into large glass bowl (or a couple glass bowls) so you can see the fat rise to the top as it cools. Skim off the fat using skimmer or spoon. (pour some fat over your dogs kibbles!)

Re-add broth to large stock pot and return to medium low heat, adding all of the veggies and additional seasonings, sauces, sugar, etc. (add more fresh garlic and green onions that were lost when broth was strained). Return to high to boil, and cook for about 10-12 minutes or until the diced sweet potatoes can be easily stabbed with a fork. Depending on type of rice noodles, cook time varies, but generally they cook very fast with minimal heat. I used very thin noodles and added them at the very end, turning off the heat as I added them and stirred them around. 

Top servings with cilantro and enjoy! 


Simpler version: 
Cook and shred chicken (I prefer putting it in the crock pot all day). Put everything other than noodles into large pot and bring to boil, reducing heat and cooking for 10-12 minutes or until sweet potatoes are desired softness.  Add noodles.  They don't take long to cook at all!  Serve with listed toppings.

Spicy Thai Soup

Ingredients:
Chicken
Chicken broth
Bok Choy
Green onions
Carrot sticks
Broccoli
1/2 Can coconut milk
2 tbsp Apple cider vinegar 
2 Cloves garlic
Shredded ginger
1 Sweet potato cut up
1/8 Cup soy sauce
1 Lime
2 Scoops brown sugar
1 tbsp sesame oil
Rice noodles
Paprika
Basil
Red pepper flakes
Cayenne pepper
Sriracha
Top with: Cilantro 


Directions:
(from scratch optional): Cook whole chicken in pot of boiling water for 1 hour. Dump out all liquid and rinse chicken, add back to pot and boil for another 4 hours. While cooking chicken add lots of fresh ginger, along with pepper, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, garlic powder or fresh garlic, basil, and green onions.

Remove all good meat from chicken and set aside in fridge, placing all of the bones back into the broth. Cook for another 1-2 hours, adding the apple cider vinegar. 

Strain all of the junk out of the broth and place broth into large glass bowl (or a couple glass bowls) so you can see the fat rise to the top as it cools. Skim off the fat using skimmer or spoon. (pour some fat over your dogs kibbles!)

Re-add broth to large stock pot and return to medium low heat, adding all of the veggies and additional seasonings, sauces, sugar, etc. (add more fresh garlic and green onions that were lost when broth was strained). Return to high to boil, and cook for about 10-12 minutes or until the diced sweet potatoes can be easily stabbed with a fork. Depending on type of rice noodles, cook time varies, but generally they cook very fast with minimal heat. I used very thin noodles and added them at the very end, turning off the heat as I added them and stirred them around. 

Top servings with cilantro and enjoy! 


Simpler version: 
Cook and shred chicken (I prefer putting it in the crock pot all day). Put everything other than noodles into large pot and bring to boil, reducing heat and cooking for 10-12 minutes or until sweet potatoes are desired softness.  Add noodles.  They don't take long to cook at all!  Serve with listed toppings.

Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Courtesy Pinch of Yum (slightly modified)

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked wild rice
1 pound chicken breasts
2 cups mirepoix (onions, carrots, celery)
Zucchini
Broccoli
6 cups chicken broth
½ cup butter
¾ cup flour
2 cups whole milk
a few tablespoons white wine (optional)
up to 2 cups additional milk or water

Salt

Pepper

Sage

Thyme

Onion herb mix

Directions:
Rinse the wild rice. Place the uncooked wild rice, raw chicken, mirepoix, chicken broth, and poultry seasoning in a crockpot. (best to sauté onions first)  Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours. The chicken should be cooked through and the rice should be soft. There will be extra liquid in the crockpot; do not drain.
Remove the chicken breasts from the crockpot and allow to cool slightly. Using two forks, shred the chicken. Return the shredded chicken to the crockpot.
When rice and chicken are done cooking, melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and let the mixture bubble for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the whole milk until a thick, creamy mixture forms. Stir in the wine.
Add this to the rice and chicken in the crockpot and stir to combine. Add extra water or milk to adjust the consistency as you like it. Season with additional salt and pepper.

Pearl Soup

Ingredients:
Chicken in crock pot
1 cup Pearl Couscous, NOT cooked
2 cans (15 oz. each) Beans, drained
1 cup carrots, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped.
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 can (14.5 to 15 ounce can) Diced Tomatoes
1 cup Spaghetti Sauce
32 ounces Chicken Broth (4 cups)
1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Olive Oil

 Directions:

Cook chicken for 3-4 hours in crock pot.   Sautee onion, pepper, and carrots in olive oil before adding.  Put everything in crock pot, cook for 2-3 hours (until couscous is cooked).

Lentil Florentine Soup

Ingredients:

Tomatoes (3-4 sliced up)
Chicken (2 breasts) (optional)
Chicken broth (1 box) (or veggie)
Lentils (half a bag)
Spinach
Chopped onion
Chopped carrots 
Shredded zucchini 
Cream cheese (few scoops)
Oregano
Basil
Cayanne Pepper
Black Pepper
Garlic (lots)


Directions:

Cook chicken in crock pot or oven and shred.  Cook lentils on stop top (20-30 min, should be chewy) until ready and sautee onions a little before adding.   In large soup pot on stove, add chicken broth, diced tomatoes, lentils, chopped spinach, and seasonings (if adding carrots and onions, cook a bit first so they soften..).  When hot, add cream cheese and cook until melted.  Amounts depend on taste, just wing it, should be a thick soup.

Veggie & Beef Chili

1 lbs Ground beef (or turkey)
1 can Black beans
1 cup Cooked lentils
Chopped spinach
Shredded carrots
1/2 Chopped onion
Zucchini
2 bulbs Fresh garlic
Red pepper
1 can diced tomatoes 
1 can Fire roasted tomatoes
3 cans Tomato sauce 
Chili powder (lots)
Garlic powder
Brown sugar (couple spoons)
Rosemary
Thyme
Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy
Basil
Paprika
Cumin (more for more Mexican flavor)
Oregano
Greek Yogurt & Cheese on top!

Directions:  Sautee onions, garlic, peppers, etc. before adding.  Cook beef before adding.   Cook all in large pot for a while, enjoy.

If lentils dry, cook them first.  Black beans too.

Mexican Chili

Many variations, I mix and match ingredients depending on what I have on hand.

Ingredients:

1 small box Veggie broth
2 Cans Tomato sauce
Diced tomatoes
Diced red or green peppers
Diced poblano pepper
Chopped onion
Diced jalapeno
Cilantro - just chuck some in
1 Can Black beans
1 Can red kidney beans
1 Cup(ish) Quinoa or brown rice
Frozen Corn - just chuck some in
Cumin - add to taste (lots)
Chili powder - add to taste (lots)
Few cloves fresh garlic
Shredded chicken (optional)
Ground beef (optional)
Oregano
Lime

Top with: Greek yogurt and Avocado!


Directions:

Put veggie broth (can add water to stretch it a bit), quinoa or rice, and tomato sauce in large pot and bring to slight boil as you do everything else. Just keep adding the other stuff like onions, garlic, etc. By the time you're done adding it all, the quinoa or rice will probably be cooked. Gets yummier if you let it all cook on very low for a while before serving.

Optional: saute onions and peppers in olive oil before adding

Beef Stew

Or soup, or just roasted beef and veggies...

Ingredients: 

Beef chuck
Baby reds
Carrots
Broccoli
Garlic (or powder)
Chopped onion
Beef broth
Green beans
Rosemary
Thyme
Pepper

 Directions:

 Throw meat in the crock pot first with just the onions.  As it cooks add the veggies and seasonings.  Depending on type they will cook slower or faster.  Carrots, fresh green beans, and whole or halved baby reds take longest (at least 5-6 hours).  Broccoli, frozen beans, frozen carrots, and smaller cut baby reds only need a couple hours.  For the last 2 hours or so add the gravy and broth (both are optional, broth makes it more of a soup, gravy more of a stew, or neither more of just roasted meat and veggies.  Add amounts as you wish it).

Make sure you fully stir the meat on the bottom at some point, I've noticed without stirring it well the beef can remain super pink and uncooked looking.  Might be fine, but I'm a pink meat phobe.