Sausage Spinach Tomato Soup

*originally published on www.WGLR.com on 10-21-13*

This weekend was our first really chilly one of the season, so I HAD to make something to warm us up on Saturday! That meant a delicious soup was needed. This one fit the bill! I made a double batch and will be enjoying it for lunch all week at work, too.

Sausage Spinach Tomato Soup

• 1 lb. bulk Italian Sausage
• 1-24oz jar pasta sauce
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 can cannellini beans (white kidney beans), drained & rinsed
• 1 box (10oz) frozen chopped spinach
• 4 large carrots, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1 cup diced yellow onions
• 1 lb ditilini pasta (you can also sub rice)

Brown the sausage in pan before putting it in your crock. Throw in all ingredients except the pasta. (note...I subbed brown rice for the pasta in my soup. You can put 1/2 cup dry brown rice into the crock with everything and it will cook up just fine in the soup). Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4.

Before serving, cook pasta according to box directions. Add to soup and serve!

*Note: I used turkey sausage, and brown rice instead of pasta (as noted above), and I was lazy and just bought match stick carrots, all worked well for a delicious soup! And my version is only 230 calories a cup, in case you are looking for a healthier modification.

Crock Pot Savory Bean & Spinach Soup

Ok everybody, I have to warn you…the Jacobs’ household has started a “get healthier” goal for the new year, so the Crock of the Week will be taking a healthier turn for now, since I make everything the weekend before I post it to make sure it is good (if it is a new recipe) or just to make it to take a photo for the WGLR website! BUT, since I have a 3 year old in the house, I am making every effort to make DELICIOUS healthy recipes, which your whole family will enjoy, hopefully! This week’s recipe is an example of that. I was really happy with how this new recipe turned out. I made a double batch so my husband and I can enjoy the leftovers for lunch for a good chunk of this week. One serving of this soup (1 cup) is only 150 calories! We each had 2 servings for dinner last night, and with the beans in it, it really was quite filling, and only 300 calories! AWESOME.  I hope you like it, too! And you don’t have to be on a diet to enjoy it! This is meat free, so a good dish for any vegetarians out there, or if you are just trying to eat less meat in your diet overall. 

Crock Pot Savory Bean and Spinach Soup

• 32 oz vegetable broth (I did half veggie, half chicken stock)
• one 15 oz can tomato puree
• one 15 oz can great northern beans or white kidney beans, drained & rinsed
• 1/2 cup UNCOOKED brown rice
• 1/2 cup finely diced onion
• 1 tsp dried basil (I used oregano because I didn’t have basil on-hand)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 8 cups coarsely chopped spinach or kale
• finely shredded Parmesan cheese (I forgot to add this when serving, still was good!)

Mix together all ingredients EXCEPT spinach and Parmesan cheese in the crock. Cook on low for 5-7 hours or high for 2.5-3.5 hours. Add the spinach about 5 minutes before serving. Spoon into bowls and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top when serving.

One cup serving is 150 calories. Makes about 5-6 servings.

DIPS!

With our new & improved WGLR website, I can keep a fe recipes at a time on the Midday Buffet page at WGLR.com, so I am a bit behind moving som eover into the archives! These two dips were the Crock of the Week over Christmas & New Year. Both are good year 'round, and especially with the Superbowl just around the corner. Great for parties! Both can be kept warm in the crock pot for hours to serve and enjoy.

Crock Pot Reuben Dip

• 1 8oz brick cream cheese
• 2 cups shredded swiss cheese
• 1 lb. corned beef, finely chopped
• 1 can sauerkraut (about 15oz can), not drained
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup Thousand island dressing (depends on how soft you want the dip)
• 1 to 2 loaves rye or pumpernickel cocktail party bread

Cube up the cream cheese and add to the crock with the shredded swiss cheese and the corned beef. Give that all about a half hour on high to melt together. The add the can of kraut, stir. Add the thousand island dressing until it is the consistency you want (it will get a bit thicker as it cooks together). Continue to cook on high for about another half hour until it is all heated through. Then you are OK to keep it in warm to serve and enjoy for a few hours. Spread on the cocktail bread to eat. YUM! Store leftovers in the fridge, and just warm leftovers in the microwave.

Crock Pot Salsa Spinach Queso Dip

• 1 8oz brick cream cheese, cubed up
• 1 lb Velveeta, cubed up
• 1-10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach, drained
• salsa of your choice, about 12-16 oz (or 1 can Rotel if you want more kick)
• a handful of chopped up fresh cilantro (optional, but tasty!)

Throw the cheeses in the pot and add the other ingredients on top. It will take about an hour on HIGH for everything to melt together nicely, stir every 10-15 minutes to keep it all blended and melting evenly. Then just set on warm for people to enjoy for hours! We used tortilla chips, but I think chunks of bread or cocktail rye would work nicely with this dip too.
You can use light versions of the cream cheese and Velveeta (2%) if you would like.
Happy New Year! I hope 2013 is a great year for you all!