Crock Pot Cheesy Sausage and Vegetable Soup

Today we have a great post from my colleague, Debra, from Sweet Kisses and Dirty Dishes. Just the name of this soup makes this pregnant mama happy. Chow down! Thanks Debra.

When  Stacy asked me to do a guest post for Fix-It-And-Forget Friday, I was smile-from-ear-to-ear-and-giggle-a-bit excited. I immediately started to think about what I would make… and failed three attempts in a row (though don’t worry, the recipe below is a winner!) That lead to three *cough* interesting meals. The food would have been fine if it had been cooked correctly, but I did not know how to use the crockpot for those recipes.

It never occurred to me that I could not just pick up my slightly dusty crock pot and make an amazing meal. I tend to think I can do anything, which leads to a lot of humbling experiences. Ooops.  Chicken and broth. Chicken and broth. My crock pot did not realize it could do anything else. Except that one time it cooked meatloaf in a hotel overnight, but that was unusual circumstances.

Prepping for this post (and those three interesting meals) really got my creative juices going. Why don’t I use a crock pot? I used to get dinner done almost every day by 11 am. I LOVED that! Much better then “Oh, honey you are home!  Would you entertain the kids so we can eat dinner by 7?” Or, 8… which it has been WAY TOO MANY TIMES LATELY! I began using it to even make hot breakfasts. I’m a convert.

I NEED TO USE MY CROCK POT MORE! Thanks Stacy for helping me realize that.

After I finally googled a bit on crock pot techniques, I was able to convert one of my FAVORITE soups, Cheesy Vegetable, to a crock pot version. I changed it up a bit, and added sausage because EVERYTHING is better with sausage. Even cake…. maybe. Don’t make me eat my words, or that concoction.

Guess what? The soup was super simple with the crock pot! Much easier then my previous version! But, also REALLY delicious. Maybe even better, but don’t tell Cheesy Vegetable. We’ve been loyal friends for a while. Crock Pot Cheesy Sausage and Vegetable Soup combines all the fantastic flavors and comfort from a potato soup with creamy cheese and sausage, (because those make almost everything better) and several more vegetables to make it a nutritious, super delicious, fix-it-and-forget style meal.

What you need- 3 potatoes, a pound of carrots, a pound of link style sausage, 4 cups chicken broth,  1 onion, 3 cloves garlic, salt, 8 oz cheddar cheese, 2 cups milk, 6 T flour (white or wheat), and 1 lb of peas. This is enough to fill a 6 quart crock pot. I have serious issues with making small amounts of food. I grew up in a family of 10 and my mom cooked to have leftovers. You might want to half it if you are not feeding a small army, want extra for freezing, or are hosting a party.

Dice your potatoes into about 1/2” pieces (they are pictured bigger because the picture is from a less successful, but better documented attempt), cut your carrots into slices, and chop your sausage, onion, and garlic. I never peel my potatoes and only peel my carrots if they are super thick ones. I do not really see the need. Put all the vegetables except the peas, garlic, and sausage in your crock pot and add the stock. Salt it to taste if you are using homemade stock. I learned the hard way potatoes should not be cooked in unsalted stock. BLAH! Maybe the subtitle of this post would be… how Debra learns to NOT cook in a crockpot.

Turn the crockpot on high and forget about it for about 5 hours. Well, you won’t be able to forget about it completely because your house will smell so good.

One hour before serving mix together the milk and flour and grate your cheese. Add the peas, flour and milk mixture, and cheese to your soup and let it get nice and thick. You could add the peas at the beginning, but they will be REALLY mushy and over cooked. They will taste like canned peas which we all know is a conspiracy by those who, for some unknown reason, want kids to NOT eat their vegetables.

Best served with a nice big slice of buttered bread and sour cream. But I probably do not have to tell you that.

Debra is first and foremost a daughter of the King of kings. She and her husband live in Wichita, KS where they raise their two kids, a fantastic toddler boy and precious baby girl. Debra is a full time homemaker whose ministry begins with her family. She spends her days being a helpmeet to her husband, loving on, teaching and nursing her two kiddos, cooking healthy food, learning how to use a crock pot, keeping home, crafting, and then chronicling the ensuing excitement on her blog Sweet Kisses and Dirty Dishes. You can also find her on facebook, where she shares quick tips, awesome links, and funny sneak peaks into her day.