Cheesy Potato Soup

Ingredients:
1 Russet Potato

1 Medium Red Onion

1 Green Pepper

1/4 lb deli ham OR 1/4 lb taylor ham 

1 1/2 tbsp butter 

1 tbsp flour

1 cup 1% milk

1/4 lb block cheddar cheese shredded

2 tbsp sour cream

* Croutons

* Chives

* Cheddar cheese (shredded for garnish)

* Olive Oil

* Salt

* Black pepper

* Garlic Powder

Tools:

Large non-stick skillet with lid

2 qt saucepan

Preparation: 
Heat olive oil in skillet over medium high heat. Dice all vegetables and ham into 1/2" cubes, place in skillet and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Stir regularly and cover until potatoes are browned and all vegetables are tender. 

In a sauce pan, melt butter adding flour and milk to make a roux. Once steam begins to rise, add cheddar cheese and stir until well incorporated.  Use sour cream as needed to thicken but should otherwise have a brothy consistency. 

Add vegetables and ham once cooked to cream sauce and simmer on low heat. 

Garnish with diced chives, croutons, and additional cheddar cheese

Serving: 

Serves 2. 

Stuffed Cabbages in the Slow Cooker

This is a variation of the traditional stuffed cabbages (gulumpkies) that increases the health value and can be done in a relatively quick amount of time in a crock pot. 

Ingredients: 
1 Medium/Large Cabbage
3 Cans of Tomato Soup
1/2 lb Ground Pork 
112 grams of Soy Crumbles
1 cup of brown rice
Garlic Powder*
Onion Powder or Flakes*
Kosher Salt* 
Black Pepper* 

Preparation:
Place cabbage in a large pot and fill with water. Bring to a boil covered for about 5 - 7 minutes. In a bowl mix together pork, soy crumbles, rice and seasonings. Mix through until well incorporated. 

Remove core from cabbage and start peeling leaves off. Using a paring knife, remove the spine of the leaf and place an elongated handful of the meat mixture inside the leaf.  Roll by folding the sides over and rolling up into a cylindrical package. 

Layer in the crockpot side by side and on top if need be. Cover with 3 cans of soup and 2 cans of water. 

Cook for 4 hours on high or 7 hours on low. 

Nutrition Info: 
Typical serving is about 3 and this scores about 8 Weight Watchers points plus points. 

Ditalini & Peas

This soup is another quick and easy comfort food. 


Ingredients: 
1 Red Onion
1 Small Can of sweet peas
1 Can of Chicken Broth (vegetable broth if you are allergic to chicken)
56 Grams of Ditalini
Spray Olive Oil*
Kosher Salt*
Cracked Black Pepper*
Parmesan Cheese*


Preparation:
This can be cooked in either a dutch oven or a stainless steel saucepan depending on cooking time. The dutch oven will also cook down the broth quicker than the stainless so if you would prefer a more brothy soup, use the stainless. 


Heat pot over medium high heat with spray of olive oil.  Dice onion into 1/4" dice and add to pot, season with salt and pepper. When onion turns translucent, add in broth and increase heat to high. When it comes to a boil add in the ditalini and peas and stir frequently. 

After about 25 - 30 minutes, the pasta will be finished cooking and should expand in size. 


Serving:
Serve in soup bowl with parmesan cheese topping. 

Nutrition Info:
This scores 7 Weight Watchers Points Plus points. 

Pasta Fagioli

This is a simple soup to make when you need an easy yet home made/comfort food. 


Ingredients: 
1 Red Onion
122 grams of Cannelloni Beans
1 Can (12oz) Chicken Broth (substitute Vegetable broth if you are allergic to chicken)
56 grams of Ditalini
1 tbsp Safflower Oil
Kosher Salt*
Black Pepper*
Italian Seasoning*


Preparation:
This can be cooked either in an enamel pot (dutch oven) or in a stainless steel saucepan. The dutch oven will keep the soup hotter and reduce faster. 


In one of the above cooking vessels, heat up oil under medium high heat.  Dice onion into 1/4" pieces and mix into pot.  Season with salt and pepper and stir frequently until onions become translucent. Pour in 1 can of broth and 1 can of water, cover, and increase heat to high.  When liquid boils, add beans and ditalini and stir periodically to ensure that neither beans nor pasta sticks. 


Keep covered and heat on high for 25 - 35 minutes stirring occasionally until soup reduces down and becomes thicker. (approximately 45 minutes total cooking time). 


Remove from heat and let pasta absorb broth. 


Serving:
This serves 1 as prepared above and is best served with Parmesan cheese or crackers (or both). 


Nutrition Info: 
This dish is a fairly healthy one, the beans add fiber and make it filling without adding less than healthy other ingredients. This scores an 11 on the Weight Watchers Points Plus.