Welcome to Happylifeblogspot! A food blog with drool worthy recipes
Looking for the ultimate party food to feed a hungry crowd? Or maybe you just need a new and exciting weeknight family dinner recipe? Well Meatball Sub Casserole is kinda both! This easy oven meal is savory and SO delicious. If you’re a meatball sub […]
Typically March Madness means I’m outraged because I’m SO. Over. This. Snow!!! But this year’s a little different. We’re all about basketball right now here in Buffalo. Our hometown team, the University at Buffalo, pulled off a huge upset! If you know Buffalo sports, you know that […]
Ok so is it Soup-er Bowl or Super Bowl??? Either way I’m ready!! Happy Sunday Everyone!! The big game is finally here and we’ve got one more husband approved, game winning recipe to share with you. Cheeseburger Soup is a winter favorite in our house. This hearty soup is perfect to serve for a crowd on game day. It’s super versatile too. Serve it up as an appetizer, a halftime snack, or even the main course. It’s loaded to the brim with meat, cheese, and potatoes….literally every man’s dream come true! This All-American recipe will be sure to score you some major points!! Plus we’re all going to need a big ole bowl of comfort food AFTER the game. All you Jack Pearson fans out there know what I’m talking about!
Here’s all you’ll need: ground beef, butter, onions, carrots, celery, dried basil, parsley flakes, potatoes, chicken broth, flour, Velveeta cheese, milk, salt, pepper, and sour cream.
In a Dutch oven or soup pot, cook and crumble the ground beef over medium heat. We sometimes substitute ground venison in this soup. You’re hunting buddies will love it!! Drain off the grease and set the meat aside. The recipe calls for 1/2 pound to 1 pound of ground beef. I grabbed a package that was just under a pound and tossed the whole thing in! If you like it meaty, I say, just go for it!! This soup is too meaty….said no one ever!!!
In the same pot, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Saute the onions, celery, and shredded carrots until tender, or for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The measurements call for 3/4 cup of each veggie. I found that to be about 2-3 carrots, 2-3 stalks of celery, and about half a good size onion if you’re not into all that measuring.
Add the ground beef back to the pot. Mix in the potatoes, chicken broth, basil, and parsley flakes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. This soup is SO hearty!!
Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Add the flour and heat for 1-2 minutes to form a thick paste. Add the flour mixture to the soup and bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. This will give us a nice, thick and creamy base! Comfort food at it’s finest….which you’re gonna need if you plan on watching This Is Us tonight after the Super Bowl!! Get those tissues ready! Is Milo Ventimiglia not the best TV dad ever?!? Thank goodness for flashbacks!!!
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the milk, Velveeta cheese cubes, and salt and pepper. Cook and stir until all the cheese melts. The Velveeta Mexican cheese would make for an awesome variation! I think I’m going to try it next time. With tortilla chips in place of soup crackers. I’m drooling just thinking about it!!
Remove from the heat and blend in the sour cream for that nice little tang! Trust me it’s just the right amount of flavor.
Top with shredded cheddar, soup crackers, additional sour cream, chopped green onions, paprika, the list goes on and on! OMG!! How awesome would bacon be on top??? BACON Cheeseburger Soup!!! I always feel like my soup is naked if it doesn’t have a little cheese or crackers or something on top! Serve piping hot and enjoy!! Ok so be honest, are you watching the Super Bowl tonight for the football, the commercials, or are you just trying to kill time before This Is Us????
We’d love to hear from you! Leave us your comments and love down below!
Soooo….you know I love me a good no bake last minute recipe! With the Super Bowl less than a week away, I wanted to bring you this super easy, super delicious party snack. Just because a recipe comes together quickly doesn’t mean it can’t be […]
It’s no secret that I love ALL things pizza!! I’ll take it in any way, shape or form….JUST GIMME ALL THE PIZZA!!!! No really. All that gooey, cheesy goodness gives me heart eyes. And our Cheesy Pizza Dip is no exception! It’s the perfect party […]
Alright people! With Super Bowl Sunday fast approaching, it’s time to get your head in the game! It doesn’t matter which side you’re on. I don’t care if you love the Patriots or hate em. We’ve got more important things to talk about right now….like…..THE SNACKS!!! Obviously!!! Soft pretzels are my favorite stadium snack! There’s something about the way a big, soft pretzel pairs perfectly with sporting events. Mmm!!! And what’s a Super Bowl party without beer?!? Am I right?!? Well I’m going to do you a solid and combine the two! These beer pretzels are super soft with just the right amount of beer flavor and the perfect snack to serve on game day! So grab a six pack, five for you and one for the pretzels, and let’s get started already!!!
Here’s all you’ll need: beer, yeast, butter, sugar, salt, flour, water, baking soda, an egg yolk, and pretzel salt.
Combine the beer and the yeast in a small sauce pan. Heat over medium heat but do not boil. Stir until the yeast is dissolved. The key to cooking (or baking) with beer is to use a beer that you love and would normally drink. Bud Light is always the go to in our house. Kids attending the party??? Swap out the big kid beer for the non alcoholic kind!
In a large bowl, combine the sugar, 1-1/2 teaspoons of salt, and 3 cups of flour. Add the melted butter to the bowl. Then add the beer and yeast mixture. Beat with a hand mixer on medium speed until smooth. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to form a soft, sticky dough.
Knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 6 minutes. Cover and let rise in a warm place for an hour. The dough should be doubled in size. Got a bread maker? Toss in the ingredients and set to the dough setting!
Now here’s the fun part! Divide the dough into 8 balls, even in size. Time to play! Roll each ball into a 24 inch rope (like a super duper long play doh snake!)
Ok now if you totally want to skip this part, I get it. It can be tricky at first but you’ll get the hang of it. Fold the left side over (top left). Now overlap it with the right side (top right). It actually almost looks like a pretzel already, but there’s nothing to hold it in place. Twist the right side over the left. Basically you’re going to twist the right side of the rope with the left side of the rope and when you end, they’ll be in opposite places (bottom left). Secure in place by pushing down with your thumb (bottom right). It can be a little hard to see at first, but once you get the hang of it, I promise you’ll be a master! Plus you get 8 different chances to practice. BUT….if you’re like nope…..ain’t gonna happen…..then just roll out your rope and cut into little pretzel nubs instead. Same great taste only bitesize! All the rest of the steps will be the same.
Add baking soda and 10 cups of water to a Dutch oven. Heat until boiling. Drop pretzels into boiling water 1-2 at a time. Boil for 30 seconds, remove with a slotted spoon and drain. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or sprayed with cooking spray. I’m just addicted to parchment paper. My name’s Lisa, and I have a problem. I really do love it though! It’s makes everything fabulous and makes for easy cleanup.
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of water to make an egg wash. Brush over the pretzels. This will help give the pretzels that nice golden brown color. Sprinkle with pretzel salt (you can find it on Amazon or if you can’t…any coarse salt will do).
Bake in a 425 degree preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until pretzels are golden brown in color. Remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack. Don’t they look ahh-mazing??? Are you ready for some football????
Serve with ice cold beer on game day and watch them get devoured!!! What’s your favorite game day snack?
We’d love to hear form you! Leave us your comments and love down below!
Calling all beer lovers!! I’ve got the perfect soup for you…..Beer….Cheese….Soup!! This soup is so creamy and decadent that it almost feels like a sham to call it a soup. It’s filled with so much cheesy goodness, not to be upstaged by all that beer […]
ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL????????? College Football, that is! We’re so amped up for the Penn State home opener that even the doggies have their own jerseys!! WE ARE!! PENN STATE!! Tell me they aren’t the most precious little PSU fans you ever did […]
Hi There! I’m Lisa. I’m a lover of all things crafty, creative, DIY, and delicious!!! Oh yeah and puppies too! I love cooking and baking for my friends and family but especially WITH my friends and family. I show my greatest affection through food. If I cook or bake for you, it means I really like you!