Cream Cheese Potato Soup

I’ve been wanting to share this but it was so warm it didn’t feel like soup season, but today feels chilly so I’ll hurry and post this. I just made this for the first time and it is so easy, fast, with few ingredients, and it’s really good. It’s a good recipe that you could keep the ingredients on hand in the freezer and the rest you usually have on hand.
Cream Cheese Potato Soup
6 cups water
7 tsp. chicken bouillon granules
1 pkgs (8 oz each) cream cheese, cubed and softened
1 pkg (30 oz) frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 1/2 cups cooked ham, cubed
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp. dill weed

In a large pot, combine the water and bouillon. Add cream cheese; cook and stir until cheese is melted. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Simmer, uncovered for 18-20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Makes about 3 quarts, approximately 12 servings.

Tips: Ore-Ida brand has a 30 oz bag of hash browns perfect size for this, but I accidently bought the cubed hash browns and it was really good, I liked the chunks of potato. After everything has simmered for a few minutes it said to mash the hash browns with a potato masher to break them up, but not like mashed potatoes, but I didn’t do this cuz I like the soups to have chunks. Also you can buy the ham already diced and cooked in the lunchmeat section in an 8 oz size bag and it was perfect. Oh, and next time I think I’ll warm up the cream cheese in the microwave before because I could never get it all melted, there were little chunks still. Hope you like it.

Corn Chowder

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Another quick and easy recipe we like at our house and everyone eats it. :) I got it years ago from my friend Emily. I think this would be a really easy recipe to throw into the crockpot and cook since the only thing that really has to cook through is the potatoes. For the bacon, I often use the precooked bacon crumbles. Makes it super easy.

Corn Chowder

1 medium onion, chopped
2 Tbsp. butter
3 cups diced potatoes
1/2 lb. bacon, fried (really crispy) and crumbled
2 cans creamed corn*
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. parsley
1/4 tsp. paprika
black pepper, to taste

Melt butter and saute the onions, soon followed by the potatoes. Saute for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and cook over low heat for 1 hour. Stir often (or potatoes will stick to the bottom of your pan!). Serves about 6.

*if you don't have creamed corn on hand, you can use regular corn and add a scoop or two of sour cream.

White Chicken Chili

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Here is a quick and easy recipe that I love to make a few times each Fall/Winter. I got it from my friend Mindy Giles, and I believe she said she got it from the back of the can of beans. :) So, it's a pretty basic and easy recipe but it's always a hit at our house.

White Chicken Chili

3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1-4 oz. can chopped green chiles, drained
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2-16 oz. cans Great Northern Beans (with liquid, don't drain)
1-14.5 oz. can chicken broth
1 1/2 cups finely chopped cooked chicken breast (I have used canned chicken when I am going ultra easy on this and it works great for this recipe)

In large skillet, cook onion in oil for 4 minutes or until transparent. Add chilies, flour and cumin; cook and stir for 2 minutes (mixture will be really thick and pasty). Add beans and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 10 minutes or until thickened. The "paste" of chilies, flour, and cumin will start to break up as the chili simmers. Stir often. Add chicken; cook until hot.

Garnish with cheese, sour cream and salsa, if desired.