Loaded Broccoli and Cheese Soup

 September is National Preparedness month.  All month I've been thinking of being prepared.  All I can thinking of is prepared for what?  I live in the high desert of Colorado.  I live on a hill so no flooding here.  Tornado,ummm unlikely.  I do have to cross a bridge to get into town, and if all 4 bridges out of here fail I could be in trouble.  The biggest threat?  A massive blizzard.  That is a real possibility.  We have had snow day's around here.  Wet snow two feet deep.  Not bad, but if the conditions were just right I could have to deal with a blizzard.  So in light of National Preparedness Month I've decided to use some of our prepping items, and then tell you about them.  We love Augason Farms Cheesy Broccoli Soup Mix.  It is wonderful to have on hand, and has a shelf life of 10 years.

Tonight for dinner I used up the last of my Cheesy Broccoli Soup Mix.  I hope you enjoy this recipe for Loaded Broccoli and Cheese Soup. 

Loaded Broccoli and Cheese Soup
4 Servings.
2/3 cup Soup Mix
3 1/2 cups Water
1lb Ground Beef
1 cup Green Beans
1/2 cup Carrots

Mix water and soup mix.  Turn stove on and bring to a boil.
Add green beans and carrots.
Boil 13 minutes.
Brown ground beef. 

Add ground beef to soup.

Enjoy~

I served our soup with Grilled Cheese Pull-A-Parts.  This was a very satisfying dinner!

Canning Green Beans

I have finally mastered growing Green Beans!  It took me 3 years to get it right and I'm so excited to finally have a huge green bean harvest.  I love home canned green beans in the winter and have grown to hate the store bought stuff.  I know exactly what is going into my jars, and what kind of seeds I planted.  

Before Shot

Snap off the ends.

 Snap in half

 Save the ends for the chickens










Wash green beans.  

Pack into jars leaving 1 inch of head space. 
Add 1 teaspoon of Salt (optional).
Add water leaving 1 inch of head space. 
Wipe rim.
Add lid and ring.  Tighten fingertip tight.  
Process in a Pressure Canner.
25 minutes for Quarts 
20 minutes for Pints. 
Label with contents and date. 


Enjoy the fact that you know everything that went into your jar. 

It takes me about 2 hours to pick enough green beans for 6 quarts.  Another 2-3 hours to snap them all so that they are ready to pack in to jars.  This is a great activity to do while watching a movie or two.  

Canning Stew/Soup Veggies

I hope to be busy teaching classes for my local charter school this fall.  This means lesson plans, grading, and being out of the house.  I thought this would help with some quick meals.  Pop open a can, add some cooked meat and Viola! Dinner!  So here is what I did.
Cube potatoes 2 cups for each jar
Cut tops and tips off of carrots
Snap tops and tips off of green beans, snap into bite sizes
Fill jars with 2 cups potato, 1 cup carrots, and 1 cup green beans.
I though it would be fun fill them in layer.
Fill with water 1 inch to the top.
Wipe rims, add lid and ring.  Tighten till finger tight.  
Process for the longest veggie time.  In this case the potatoes at 40 minutes.  

~I can't wait to use these and give you the recipes I come up with!

Oven Steamed Green Beans

 I smacked my head when I figured this one out!  I didn't want to microwave, or boil these beauties.  I already had the stove on so I figured might as well give this a try.

Oven Steamed Green Beans
Green Beans
Butter
Liquid Smoke

Wash Green Beans.  Snap off the ends.


Place Green Beans, Butter and Liquid Smoke on aluminum foil.  Close up ends and steam in the oven for about 45 min to an hour. 

Enjoy~

And yes it was that simple!