Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

It was such a beautiful fall day in Minnesota that as much as we wanted to grill tonight, we decided to hold true to our Soup Sundays.   So this week's soup is inspired by our favorite food from the grill - Burgers.  I was a bit skeptical, but this soup tastes just like biting into a delicious cheeseburger!  Yes, those are pickles.  If you are going to have a cheeseburger, you have to have pickles.  I personally think they make the soup by helping to cut some of the richness of the cheese.  Enjoy!

Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

   

Bacon Cheeseburger Soup                    

1 lb ground beef

1 cup onions, diced

1 cup carrots, shredded

2 cups potatoes, cubed

1/2 cup cooked bacon, crumbled

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

8 oz cream cheese, cubed

4 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup flour

1 cup milk

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp butter

1 tsp salt

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp pepper

Sliced Dill Pickles

Begin by browning the hamburger and drain if necessary. Finely chop a medium onion and saute over medium heat with butter in a large stock pot. Peel and cut two medium potatoes into half inch cubes. Coarsely grate two medium carrots. Once the onion has turned translucent and begins to brown, add chicken broth, ground beef, potatoes, carrots, bacon, cream cheese, garlic, and all spices to pot. Simmer on medium heat for an hour and a half, or until the potatoes become soft. Add milk and whisk in flour. Then slowly stir in the cheese. Continue to heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with sliced dill pickles as garnish. 

         

Chicken Enchilada Soup - Chili's Copycat Recipe

I am not going to lie, both the Hubby and I were sick this week, so we didn't do too much advance planning for tonight's soup.  As I was combing through recipes today, I ran across a copycat recipe for Chili's Chicken Enchilada Soup.  It's my favorite thing to order off of their menu (okay, well that and their margaritas), so I knew we just had to try it tonight.  Ours ended up being a little heartier than Chili's as we added corn and black beans, but it tasted just like the real thing.  Enjoy!

Chicken Enchilada Soup

Chicken Enchilada Soup

1 pound of chicken

3 cups of chicken stock

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup corn starch
1 10 oz can of red enchilada sauce

8 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 onion

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 can of black beans

1 can of sweet corn

1 small can of diced green chilies

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon minced garlic

sour cream and tortilla strips for toppings

Start by fully cooking the chicken and shredding it. Once you've got a good start on that, begin heating the oil in a large pot. Finely chop the onion and saute until it is clear. Then add the garlic and saute until you get a hint of brown. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add flour, corn starch, and chicken stock to the pot and whisk everything together. As this is heating up, add the black beans, corn, green chilies and dry seasonings. Stir everything together well and bring to a simmer. Slowly add in the cheese while stirring. Heat for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with sour cream and tortilla strips.

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

The Hubby was on his own to find a soup recipe today, as I was out helping my grandparents all day...so Chicken Wild Rice it is! I will give him the credit and let him tell you all about today's recipe:

The Wifey was away today so I went golfing with one of my friends this morning and then out to lunch. This ate up most of the day, so I had to find something easy for a late dinner. What could be easier than chicken, vegetables, and rice? So, I quick ran to the store and picked up some fresh veggies and wild rice and began prepping for dinner. Some of my best dishes happen when I don't look at what others have done and just cook. That's what happened tonight and I think it turned out great!

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

5 cups chicken stock

3 cups half and half

3 large carrots

1 medium onion

4 stalks celery

1 1/2 pounds of chicken breasts

1 cup wild rice

4 tablespoons butter

salt and pepper to taste

Bake the chicken until it is fully cooked, allow it to cool, shred it, and set aside. While the chicken is baking, boil 3 cups of water and a half tablespoon of salt in a medium pot. Add one cup of wild rice and cook covered for 50 minutes. When the rice is done, drain and set aside Once you've got the rice on, finely chop the onion and saute with 4 tablespoons of butter in the large pot the soup will end up in. Peel the carrots and then coarsely chop the carrots and celery. Add five cups chicken stock, carrots, and celery to the large pot and simmer until both the carrots and celery start to become soft. This can take about an hour depending on how soft you like your veggies. When the veggies are just about ready, add the chicken, wild rice, and half and half. Mix and heat the soup through and you are ready to serve.

Beer Cheese Soup Made with a Pumpkin Porter

I graduated from the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse, home to one of the largest Oktoberfest celebrations in the Midwest.  Seeing my college friends posting all of their photos from last weekend's festivities left me craving beer, brats, and cheese!  So this week's soup pays homage to my Wisconsin roots.  We decided to add a little taste of fall using Alaskan's Pumpkin Porter.  This definitely gave the soup a very dark color and smokey flavor.  If you prefer a more subtle flavor, I would recommend using a lighter beer like a Lager or Pilsner (or whatever you might have on hand).  To be honest, this wasn't our favorite soup. If we had to do this one over we would probably skip the veggies.  That said, we didn't think it was too bad the way we made it.  Enjoy!

Beer Cheese Soup made with a Pumpkin Porter

Beer Cheese Soup

1 Onion

1 Carrot

2 Stalks Celery

4 Tbsp Butter

1 Cup Half and Half

1 Cup Chicken Stock

1 Can/Bottle of Beer

1/3 Cup Flour

1 Tbsp Spicy Brown Mustard

2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

8 oz Sharp Cheddar

1 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Pepper

Popcorn to Garnish

Chop the onion, celery, and carrot finely. (We pulsed the carrot and celery a few times in our Ninja to get a finer chop.) Melt the butter in a pot and saute the vegetables until they become soft. Add chicken stock, half and half, beer, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Whisk thoroughly as the mixture heats up to prevent it from separating. Add flour, salt, and pepper and continue to simmer and whisk over medium low heat until the soup begins to thicken. Add cheese and stir while it melts into the mixture. Simmer for a few more minutes so that everything is heated through. Serve and garnish with popcorn.