Friday, February 19, 2010

TGIF!


Ugh, I don't normally work on Fridays and really look forward to that whole day to myself when the rest of my family is at work/school! I get so much done, cleaning and generally puttering around the house, and usually find an hour or two of "me time" to read, watch a movie, whatever. Well, since I'll be out of town on Monday & Tuesday (more about that later), I needed to go in and make up those hours. So..I put on some cute shoes for consolation and trudged into the office.

Knowing that I wouldn't feel like cooking once I got home, I threw this little soup into the crockpot before I left. The original recipe is from My Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, copyright 1938.



Hamburg-Vegetable Chowder

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1 pound ground beef
3 tablespoons fat
2 cups canned tomatoes
2 medium carrots -- diced
1/2 cup diced celery
1 medium onion -- chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup rice -- or barley
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 quarts water
2 cups potatoes -- cubed

Brown meat in fat; put all ingredients except potatoes in large kettle and simmer slowly, about an hour.

Add potatoes and continue simmering 1 hour.

Serve with toast or cracers as main dish for luncheon or supper.

Serves 6 - 8.
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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 366 Calories; 27g Fat (65.4% calories from fat); 15g Protein; 17g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 70mg Cholesterol; 909mg Sodium. Appx 9 WW POINTS.


And now, my version:

Hamburg-Vegetable Chowder Redux

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12 ounces Boca® Meatless Ground Crumbles
2 cups canned tomatoes
2 medium diced carrot
1/2 cup diced celery
1 medium onion -- chopped
1/4 cup brown rice, cooked
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 quarts water
2 cups potatoes -- cubed


Put all ingredients except for rice in slow cooker; cook on low for 4 - 6 hours or until vegetables are tender. Add rice about 15 minutes before serving.

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 103 Calories; trace Fat (3.8% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 23g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 148mg Sodium. Appx 1 WW POINT.



The Verdict: While this was a bit bland for my taste, it was still a healthy, filling soup and a lovely to meal to find waiting after a long day! I would definitely make it again, any ideas about how to flavor it up just a bit?

Have a Beauty-Full Weekend,




4 comments:

  1. Once or twice a week my MIL looks after Twitchy for a few hours... Can you believe that rather than pamper myself, I do housework instead?!? :o(

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  2. If you are normally off on Friday, it would really stink to have to work. Thank God for cute shoes or it would have been really hell :-)
    I think your crockpot soup was a good weeknight idea. I think losing the boca crumbles and replacing with lean ground beef would have made a difference-A bit of cayenne pepper too. I like Boca crumbles but, it needs to be used in highly flavored dishes like chili or it just tastes like nothing.

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  3. Patsy, lol, I completely understand! When my kids were small I always used their nap times to clean instead of rest which is why I was totally exhausted! Try to pamper yourself now & then, ok? xoxoxo

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  4. Velva, thank you so much for the suggestions! Unfortunately none of my kids (or myself) eat meat so I couldn't use beef but you are so right about the crumbles. I wonder if the sausage-style would work better as they are more flavorful? And the cayenne would definitely help, thank you!

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