Recently a friend of the family emailed me a few recipes that I would like to share. She is a fabulous cook and I hope that you enjoy them.

Soup is always a favorite for people. It is rather unusual to see a recipe that is mixed in a freezer bag, as this recipe instructs. I think that I would make it and put it into the crock pot for the evening meal.

But if you need a recipe that you need to make ahead, this is the one for you.

Preparing a soup recipe can bring out the creative side of a person because you can add ingredients according to what your family likes, such as an extra vegetable and your spices.

It has been said that soup is a good way to keep a person hydrated and feeling full, plus it gives your immune system a boost. Many soups are loaded with disease fighting nutrients.

Note that many canned broths are high in sodium, so it is recommended that you read the label’s ingredients and be watchful of too much sodium.

Crockpot Cheeseburger Soup

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef, cooked and drained

1/2 cup chopped onion

14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

3 cups beef broth

4 cups diced potatoes

8 ounces cheddar cheese,

shredded

Instructions

Place all ingredients (except cheese) in a freezer bag, mix well, freeze until ready for use.

Cook on low for eight hours after the ingredients are thawed. Thirty minutes prior to serving, whisk 1/4 cup flour and 1 cup milk until no lumps remain and stir into the soup.

Add cheese and stir again.

Cover and cook until soup is thickened, about 30 minutes.

Serve and enjoy.

Farm Casserole

This recipe sounds interesting so I will give this one a try as well, although you don’t have to live on a farm to bake this dish.

Ingredients

1 12-ounce bag frozen vegetables

1/2 chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped celery

2 cups cheddar cheese shredded

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cups shredded and cooked chicken

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup bread crumbs

5 tablespoons melted butter

Instructions

Mix all ingredients in a sprayed 8-inch-by-8-inch cooking dish, leaving out the bread crumbs and butter.

Melt butter. Add to bread crumbs. Toss and spread over top of the casserole. Cover the dish with foil and bake covered at 350 degrees for 70 minutes. After 50 minutes, remove the foil and let it brown for a few minutes.

Classic Bacon Meatloaf

There are many versions of meat loaf and here is one that I ran across that I hope you enjoy. Pretty simple and quick to mix together. A suggestion that I have seen in order to add more flavor to your meatloaf is Worcestershire sauce, minced onion or garlic and parsley to your meatloaf.

Ingredients

2 pounds ground round

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups bread crumbs

3/4 cup ketchup

1 teaspoon Accent seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup warm water

1 package onion soup mix

3 strips bacon

1 8-ounce can Hunt’s tomato sauce

Instructions

Mix the first eight ingredients thoroughly. Put into a loaf pan, cover with three strips of bacon. Pour over all, one 8-ounce can of Hunt’s tomato sauce. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Serves 6.

Old-Time Frozen Cherry Salad

Next to soup, one of my favorite foods is salads. Here is one that is considered a sweet one. It is very easy to make and great because it can be made ahead of time and refreshing to eat on a hot summer day.

Ingredients

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 can crushed pineapple and juice

1 can cherry pie filling

1 cup marshmallows (small)

1 8-ounce carton whipped topping

Instructions

Mix first four ingredients well; fold in whipped topping. Freeze. When ready to eat, remove from the freezer shortly before serving.

Orange Julius

Speaking of warmer weather that will be here soon, my children, when they were young, always loved it when I would make an Orange Julius drink for them. This is a delicious and refreshing drink actually any time of the year, not just when it is hot.

Ingredients

6 ounce can frozen concentrate orange juice

1 cup milk

1 cup water

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

8 ice cubes

Instructions

Pour all ingredients (except ice cubes) into a blender. Blend, then blend ice cubes (one at a time) into the mixture until smooth. This recipe serves 2 or 3 smaller drinks.

Loretta Krahling is a columnist with over 30 years of newspaper experience. Email her at krahling93@gmail.com with your recipes and tell her why they are your favorite.