I really don’t mind the winter months. I like not having the option to go outside and be active, because during the summer months I feel guilty if I just want to sit inside.
Winter decides my schedule for me; I come home from work, make dinner and cozy up on the couch or play games to pass the time. If the kids have activities it shortens our night and gives us something to do. However, the bitter cold and snow is a bit depressing, and all the illnesses stress me out as I strategically avoid touching anything. So I completely understand that the season itself can get old quickly.
But consider this thought: there is a town somewhere that actually celebrates this time!
The town takes advantage of being able to slow down, be cozy, eat comforting foods and just spend time together. They watch movies, sit by the fire to read books and drink coffee together. It sounds so wonderful! It’s not like that here, but a girl can dream.
To help with creating our own coziness I love to make soup. It makes me feel cozy and warm, and I love serving it with biscuits or cinnamon rolls. Being a working Mom who commutes an hour every day, sometimes I have to postpone my soup-making days to the weekends. So when I found a crockpot soup that is actually good that my kids will eat (every time), I knew I needed to share it with the Corridor.
Just to preface, you have to understand that I am not a recipe following kind of girl. I like to find a recipe and then make my own changes to it, either because I don’t want to buy everything or because the amount of onion they want you to put in everything always needs to be cut in half – at least. So I made this soup recently to track exactly what I do to it. Enjoy!
Crock-Pot Cheeseburger Soup
Adapted from a recipe found at Life in the Lofthouse.
Serves 8
Make Time – 20 min prep, 4-8 hours in Crock-Pot
Ingredients:
- 2 russet potatoes, cut as you wish
- ½ small white or yellow onion, chopped
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 tsp italian seasoning
- 32 oz organic vegetable broth
- 1.5 lbs lean ground beef, cooked
- 3 TBSP butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk (any kind you have)
- ½ tsp salt & ½ tsp pepper
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
Place potatoes, onions, carrots, celery, and Italian seasoning in a large Crock-Pot. Pour broth over vegetables. Cover with lid. Cook on low heat 6 to 8 hours OR on high heat 4 to 5 hours or until potatoes are tender.
About 45 minutes before serving, cook and crumble the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain any grease. Pour cooked ground beef into the slow cooker. Carefully wipe out hot skillet with paper towel then add butter. When butter is melted whisk in flour and cook until golden brown and bubbly (about 1 minute.) Whisk in the milk, salt, and pepper. Pour mixture into the crockpot and stir to combine everything.
Add the shredded cheese to Crock-Pot. Stir again. Cover with lid and cook another 30 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Serve and enjoy!
*Quicker option: Cook ground beef and place in the refrigerator to avoid the extra cooking time during the week. You can also add the cooked ground beef with vegetables and let it cook all day. That way when you get home you just have to add creaminess. It just has a different texture but still tastes yummy!
*Healthier option – Leave out the cheese, and eat it as Crockpot Hamburger Soup
Link to the original recipe: https://life-in-the-lofthouse.com/crock-pot-cheeseburger-soup/
What’s your favorite way to cozy up in the winter?
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