Whether you’re contributing to a potluck party or just having a family dinner at your home in Birmingham, AL, slow-cooker meals are ideal during the winter and holiday season. Nothing beats a hot dish on a cool evening, and a slow cooker can provide a wide range of options for you to choose from. Moreover, this method is convenient and easy, as you add the ingredients and let the cooker do its work for a few hours. Thus, try and share these two with your family and friends this season.
Hamburger Soup
This soup takes 30 minutes to prepare and just two hours to make in the slow cooker. Furthermore, it makes 10 servings, so there should be plenty for your family to eat. Firstly, assemble the ingredients, which are the following:
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1 onion, minced
- 3 celery ribs, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup barley
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 3 (10-ounce) cans of beef broth
- 1 (10.75-ounce) can condensed tomato soup
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- 4 carrots, minced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 bay leaf
To begin, heat the slow cooker to medium-high and crumble in the ground beef, cooking until it is browned. Secondly, drain the ground beef and get rid of any extra grease. Next, you’ll want to stir in the onion, carrots, celery, and barley. Then follow this by adding the seasoning— bay leaf, parsley, garlic, thyme, and pepper. Afterward, bring this to a boil and then reduce the heat. Cook for two hours and enjoy.
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Potato Soup
This creamy, delicious soup will be a winner with your family members this winter. This soup requires more cooking time; however, the results will be well worth the effort. You’ll need to slice 10 red potatoes into cubes and 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. You’ll also need the following ingredients:
- 3/4 cup real bacon bits
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
- 1 tablespoon ranch dressing mix
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, or to taste
- 1/4 cup chopped green onion, or to taste
Firstly, you’ll want to put the potatoes at the bottom of the slow cooker. Then coat the potatoes with flour and toss, coating them well. Next, place garlic, bacon bits, ranch dressing mix, red onion, chicken bouillon, parsley, seasoned salt, and black pepper over the potatoes. Lastly, add the water and cook for seven to nine hours. Then you’ll want to add the half-and-half at this time and cook for an additional 15 minutes. Top the soup with green onion and cheddar cheese.
Without a doubt, these two slow-cooker meals are ones you can enjoy this winter. Try them out as soon as you can.
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