"Ever wish you could get that restaurant-style rotisserie chicken at home? Well, with minimal preparation and about 5 hours' cooking time (great for the weekends!) you can! I don't bother to baste the bird, though some like to for the first hour. The pan juices always caramelize at the bottom, and the chicken will turn golden brown...fall-off-the-bone good!"

                                                                               9 h 10 m8 servings586 cals

Ingredients

     ✔4 teaspoons salt

     ✔2 teaspoons paprika
     ✔1 teaspoon onion powder
     ✔1 teaspoon dried thyme
     ✔1 teaspoon white pepper
     ✔1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
     ✔1/2 teaspoon black pepper
     ✔1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
     ✔2 onions, quartered
     ✔2 (4 pound) whole chickens

Directions

• Prep
  10 m
• Cook
  5 h
• Ready In
  9 h 10 m

(1)  In a small bowl, mix together salt, paprika, onion powder, thyme, white pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. Remove and discard giblets from chicken. Rinse chicken cavity, and pat dry with paper towel. Rub each chicken inside and out with spice mixture. Place 1 onion into the cavity of each chicken. Place chickens in a resealable bag or double wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight, or at least 4 to 6 hours.
(2)  Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
(3)  Place chickens in a roasting pan. Bake uncovered for 5 hours, to a minimum internal temperature of 180 degrees F (85 degrees C). Let the chickens stand for 10 minutes before carving.

*here are some photos for you and more ideas as well 😊 and please i would love to see you on facebook or twitter.

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If you’re bored with your own weeknight dinner rotation (hello, Taco Tuesdays), consider holding a soup swap with your friends. These events are great ways to socialize while sharing home-cooked food. Here’s how to plan your own soup swap – a delicious idea for a chilly night!

One Month Before

Invite people. You’ll want to plan in advance so that there are a few weekends before the event. Be sure to let everyone know they will need to bring six quarts of frozen, labeled soup (that’s 24 cups). You’ll need at least seven swappers (including you), but probably no more than about 20.

The Week Before

Make, freeze and label your own creation. Six quarts is usually at least two batches, so get out a couple pots (or fire up the slow cooker) and start cooking. Try an old favorite or branch out with something you’ve always wanted to try. There’s no need to buy expensive storage containers — sealable freezer bags, frozen flat, work great.

Here some top-rated soup suggestions:

Hearty

• Delicious Ham and Potato
• Italian Sausage Soup with Tortellini

Slow cooker

• Slow Cooker Chicken Taco
• Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup

Veggie-rich

• Vegetarian Kale Soup
• Pumpkin Soup (video)

The Night of the Swap

Write it Down. As guests arrive, write their name and their soup on a big piece of paper. Have name badges on hand and ask guests to fill in their name and the name of their soup (it’s a great way to get the conversation going).

Pick a Number. Write out numbers on scrap paper, one for every swapper, and have them draw at random.

Telling of the Soup. The person who picked number one goes first. This is a chance to offer a minute or two of fun facts — ingredients, history, health benefits or even the sad story of how it would have turned out better if only you hadn’t gotten distracted with the immersion blender and ended up with puree all over the kitchen.

Swap! Starting with the person who picked number one, begin to pick your soups. Once you’ve made it through six rounds, everyone will have six containers of brand-new soups.

Bonus Points

Give Back: If you have a friend with a new baby, or know someone struggling with illness, suggest a “bring a seventh quart” option. Your guests can help someone fill their freezer with nutritious meals for weeks to come.

Offer Prizes: Award prizes for silly categories like first one picked, first to run out, most exotic ingredients, best recipe name, or best story. Give old cookbooks (a cheap find at thrift stores or garage sales) or other cooking-related items as prizes.

Collect Recipes: Ask everyone to email their recipes to you and create a virtual cookbook for the group.

Find inspiration in this delicious collection of soup recipes , including steamy potato, miso, chicken noodle, and more.

"This delicious, cream-like soup is served at our family's Thanksgiving dinner every year."

                                                    1 h 15 m8 servings114 cals

Ingredients

✔6 cups chicken stock
✔1 1/2 teaspoons salt
✔4 cups pumpkin puree
✔1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
✔1 cup chopped onion
✔1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
✔1 clove garlic, minced
✔1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
✔5 whole black peppercorns

Directions

(1)  Heat stock, salt, pumpkin, onion, thyme, garlic, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes uncovered.
(2)  Puree the soup in small batches (1 cup at a time) using a food processor or blender.
(3)  Return to pan, and bring to a boil again. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for another 30 minutes, uncovered. Stir in heavy cream. Pour into soup bowls and garnish with fresh parsley.

"This wonderful soup will warm your insides, delight your taste buds, and fill your stomach on a cold winter's night. It is full of dark green kale, potatoes, and cannellini beans."

                                                                           55 m8 servings277 cals

Ingredients

✔2 tablespoons olive oil 
✔1 yellow onion, chopped
✔2 tablespoons chopped garlic
✔1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
✔8 cups water
✔6 cubes vegetable bouillon (such as Knorr)
✔1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
✔6 white potatoes, peeled and cubed
✔2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans (drained if desired)
✔1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
✔2 tablespoons dried parsley
✔salt and pepper to taste

Directions

• Prep
  25 m
• Cook
  30 m
• Ready In
  55 m

(1)  Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot; cook the onion and garlic until soft. Stir in the kale and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in the water, vegetable bouillon, tomatoes, potatoes, beans, Italian seasoning, and parsley. Simmer soup on medium heat for 25 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

"This soup is a traditional vegetable soup with a little extra. I added homemade dumplings like my mom use to make for me. She made her soup with all the leftover vegetables in the refrigerator and then added dumplings. Good vegetarian soup without the meat."

                                                                    6 h 30 m8 servings333 cals

 

Ingredients

6 cups vegetable broth
1 (16 ounce) package frozen mixed vegetables
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 large onion, diced
1/2 cup barley
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup vegetable shortening (such as Crisco(R))
1/4 cup vegetable broth, or more if needed

Directions

• Prep
  30 m
• Cook
  6 h
• Ready In
  6 h 30 m

(1)  Combine 6 cups vegetable broth, frozen vegetables, tomatoes with their juice, potatoes, onion, barley, garlic, parsley, oregano, basil, salt, black pepper, and bay leaf in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on Low for 5 to 6 hours.
(2)  Place flour in a bowl; cut shortening into flour using a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 1/4 cup vegetable broth; stir with a fork until dough no longer sticks on sides of bowl. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface; roll out 1/8 inch thick. (3)  Cut dough into strips or small squares. Add to slow cooker; cook until dumplings are soft and cooked in the middle, 1 hour.

Tips; -Easy Cleanup- Try using a liner in your slow cooker for easier cleanup.

"You can call this soup or chili, but either way it is wonderful! This recipe is also very adaptable to your personal taste. I recommend using Bill Echols' Taco Seasoning from this website. Serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips, if you like. I hope you enjoy!"

                                                                      7 h 15 m8 servings434 cals 

Ingredients

✔1 onion, chopped
✔1 (16 ounce) can chili beans
✔1 (15 ounce) can black beans
✔1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
✔1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
✔1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer
✔ 2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
✔1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning
✔3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts
✔1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
✔sour cream (optional)
✔crushed tortilla chips (optional)

Directions

• Prep
  15 m
• Cook
  7 h
• Ready In
  7 h 15 m

(1)  Place the onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, beer, and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for low heat, cover, and cook for 5 hours.
(2)  Remove chicken breasts from the soup, and allow to cool long enough to be handled. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup, and continue cooking for 2 hours. Serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips, if desired.

• Tips; -Easy Cleanup- Try using a liner in your slow cooker for easier cleanup.