Week 3 - Easy Crockpot Broccoli Cheese Soup PLUS Ranch BLT Pasta Salad

This has been a very busy week and I needed to pick recipes that would be EASY. I've been wanting to try soup in the Crockpot for awhile and I thought the weather was perfect for that. I found both recipes on Pinterest, of course!

Super Easy Crockpot Broccoli Cheese Soup - http://pinchofyum.com/super-easycrockpot-broccoli-cheese-soup

Ingredients:

• 2-3 large heads of broccoli (I used 2)
• 2 cans cream of chicken soup
• 1 can milk (just refill the empty soup can)
• 2 cans evaporated milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• cheddar cheese for topping

Chop broccoli into bite-sized florets.

Place soup, milk, evaporated milk, and broccoli in a slow cooker.

 

Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8.
Blend 3-4 cups of soup until broccoli has broken into small pieces, about 10 seconds. Add back to the pot and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper and top with shredded cheese. **I kept worrying that the soup wouldn't thicken, so I unplugged the Crockpot once it was done cooking. I'm not sure if that helped, but when I scooped the soup out it was nice and thick.**

I wanted something to have with the soup so I found this pasta salad - http://www.cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com/ranch-blt-pasta-salad/

• 8 ounces radiatore pasta (or another type of medium-sized pasta)
• 1 bottle Hidden Valley® Original Ranch® Salad Dressing
• 1 + 1/2 cup diced tomatoes, seeds removed
• 1 cup shredded mozzerella cheese
• 1 pound bacon, cooked crispy and chopped
• 2 cups finely chopped romaine or iceberg lettuce

Cook the pasta according to package directions to al dente in plenty of salted water.
Drain pasta, toss with dressing to lightly coat so they don’t stick together and refrigerate until cold.

In a large bowl toss the cold pasta with the tomatoes, cheese, bacon and lettuce.
Add enough dressing to generously coat everything. Stir well and enjoy!

For an easy night of recipes, we definitely ate well and enjoyed both dishes very much!! 

Stay tuned for Ben's birthday Sunday Funday next weekend!