I’ll let you in on a secret: I’m a horrible cook. Over the years, I’ve learned a lot of ways to fake it and fool my guests, but I’ve decided to embrace my lazy unique cooking style, and let you in on one of my time, money and calorie saving cooking staples: canned soup.
It’s versatile, flavorful, and all you have to do is heat it up. I love a good bowl of chicken noodle on a cold day, but I tend to use my canned soups in less traditional ways.
Clam Chowder Alfredo
Alfredo sauce is frighteningly fattening, expensive by the jar, and time consuming to make. It’s replacement? Clam chowder. Honestly, I would eat clam chowder out of an oil pan, but it works perfect with pasta: it tastes great, has way less calories and fat, and is immediately ready to serve.
For a healthier alfredo, cook some whole wheat linguine pasta and steam a bit of broccoli or peas. Drain the noodles, and add the veggies and clam chowder to the pot. Heat through and serve.
Arroz Con Pollo
Mexican chicken and rice soup is perfect for this dish- it’s perfectly seasoned already. If you are cooking for one or two, drain most of the broth from the can or, for more people, make some brown rice and mix it in with the soup to thicken it up. It should be moist, but not drip when spooned. Heat the soup through and serve in a bowl, topped with cheese and a few tortillas on the side. Spoon the filling into the tortillas and top with cheese. Optional: add a can of black beans to bulk it up, and for extra fiber.
Cream of Mushroom Stroganoff
I love beef stroganoff but mine always ends up tasting like pepper and flour. My substitute? Cream of mushroom soup. Prepare egg noodles as directed. Cook beef chunks (that’s a culinary term) in a skillet until done. Drain fat and add soup. Simmer, then serve over noodles.
Broccoli Cheese Baked Potato
Oh man, this one is a crowd pleaser and takes basically no time at all. Microwave a pierced baked potato 6-12 minutes until done. Slice it down the center and scoop the potato into a bowl. Mix filling with 5-6 tablespoon of broccoli cheese soup. Fill the potato back up and serve with a dollop of sour cream and bacon crumbles, or for a healthier version, some ground turkey and extra broccoli.
