I can’t believe I’ve never made this recipe before! The Better Homes and Gardens Crockery Cookbook has been a decades-long staple on my cookbook shelf, the very first slow-cooker cookbook I ever purchased upon receiving my very first Crock-Pot when I wasn’t much more than 20 years old. Its cover and pages definitely belie their age, all tattered and splattered, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. This is one well-loved cookbook, friends.
So it really is a surprise to me that I’ve never made this recipe for Beef and Spinach Soup With Rice. I’ve been vegetarian pretty much since I bought this cookbook home, so naturally I would have used a beef alternative even back in the day, but no … there’s no indication that I’ve ever whipped this one up! A shame, really, as the instant I flipped to it I knew I wanted to make it as my second Resolution Recipe of 2025.
And make it I did on Sunday, putting everything in the Crock-Pot as soon as I got home from my morning run and setting it to Low to cook all day. It couldn’t have been simpler: Simply dump in some Gardein beef tips, baby carrots, a diced onion, a sliced yellow squash, some minced garlic, some spices, a dollop of white wine (I had some left over for cooking), and some veggie broth and let ’er rip. Eight hour so later, the house was smelling great, and just before serving I dumped in several cups of spinach and a half-cup (more like three-quarters of a cup if we’re being honest) of Minute Rice, let it all cook for 10 minutes more and took it up.
To be perfectly honest, the final product did require some additional salt and pepper, but once that was rectified this turned out to be a fantastic soup! It was hearty enough for a meal, but light enough to not make you feel overstuffed. And the prep couldn’t possibly have been easier, making it feel like a catered dish rather than something whipped up by my own hands! The Gardein tips held up beautifully after an eight-hour cook – they always do – and the rice added some lovely texture. To be honest, I think next time I’ll add a full cup of rice and see what happens.
And there will be a next time. Like last week, I asked LeeLee the Judgment Day Question: “Is this a recipe you’d like me to make again?” Once again the answer was yes.
Two weeks into the year and we’re off to a fine start recipe-wise! I wonder where this week’s cookbook will take us?
:)
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