Cheesy Potato Chowder

2 cups diced potatoes
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup sliced carrots
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups water
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded cheddar(sharp is best :-) )
1/4 cup flour
1/4 lb ham diced

Mix veggies, salt, pepper and water in pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes until veggies are tender. While veggies are cooking, in separate small pan melt butter and then stir in flour. Add milk and cook for 3-4 minutes or until heated, stirring occasionally. Add cheese and stir until melted. Do NOT drain water off of cooked veggies. Add cheesy sauce and ham to veggies, simmer for a few minutes until ham is heated.
Enjoy! :-) This soup is soooooooo good! I like to double the carrots and celery and have a thick soup. The original recipe called for cooking the whole thing in the microwave, I adapted it for stove top.
Stacie

Old Fashioned Colorado Green Chili

This is a simple recipe that can easily be modified to suit your taste.
Ingredients:
2 lbs. cubed pork
1 tbsp. minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
1/4 tsp pepper
3 tbsp. flour
2 cups diced fresh tomatoes (you can substitute 1 14 oz can)
1 14.5 oz can chicken broth
1 cup water
2 ½ cups diced green chilies (about 20 chilies)
2 cups diced onion.
Salt & pepper to taste.
Instructions:Brown pork in skillet with garlic and pepper. Add flour and brown as well. In crock pot, mix pork, garlic, tomatoes, water, green chilies and onion. Simmer for at least 2 hours. Water can be added to thin down and flour can be added to thicken.(You can also cook it in a large pot on the stove at low heat.)Hint: Let simmer at least an hour before tasting and modifying by adding chilies, more tomatoes, garlic, etc.This is a very meaty, very slightly thickened chili – thin for Colorado style chili. If you like really thick chili, use 4-5 tbsp. flour rather than 3 and/or reduce the water.Makes approximately 3 quarts. Serves 8-10.

The following is a note from Karen:

I made this recipe yesterday and it went over very well. I doubled it so I had enough for 2 meals and some to freeze. I added 2 pureed jalapenos as it was pretty mild and it turned out about the right spiciness. You could spice it up or down according to your taste. I had frozen some whole tomatoes from the garden last summer that I used instead of the fresh and they worked well. Instead of chicken broth I used bullion cubes. I made it up in the morning and cooked it all day in the crock pot - you wouldn't have to cook it that long. Yesterday we ate it over tortillas with refried beans, lettuce, cheese, sour cream and picante sauce. Today we ate like a soup with cheese, sour cream, picante sauce, and tortilla chips/and or tortillas on the side. Both ways it was good.
Karen W's recipe...sent by Grma Susie

Jamaican Stew

2 tsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup chopped red pepper
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1 small can diced green chilies
1 can diced tomatoes
4 cups cubed(1/2 inch) sweet potato
1/2 cup water
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp pepper

Stir in right before serving:
3 Tbsp peanut butter

Serve with:
chopped dry roasted peanuts
lime wedges

Heat oil in skillet, saute onion and garlic. Mix with remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer for 45 minutes or cook in crockpot for 8 hours on low.

I like to throw in some cooked chicken as well. This is one of our favorite soups!
Enjoy! Stacie

Soup with Stuff in it

1 lb hamburger, browned
1 can each of:
Stewed tomatoes
Special tomato sauce
Sliced carrots (or diced)
Sliced potatoes
Wax beans
Green beans
Kernel corn
Chili beans (NOT drained!)

one chopped onion
1/4 cup brown sugar
water as needed
cheese to top with when serving

This is so easy! Just add it all together and simmer it for awhile or throw it in the crockpot and let it sit. This is very freezable too! It's pretty flexible too - add other beans, different veggies or whatever you've got on hand. Enjoy! Melody