I recently came across a recipe on Pinterest by The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond.  I’ve long admired her rise from blogger to Food Network star.  She’s also a busy wife, mother of four, photographer and cookbook author who lives on a massive working ranch in Oklahoma. Her food is hearty, delicious and prepared with love.

7 Can Soup couldn’t be easier. As the owner of an always well-stocked pantry and a lover of soup on a bitter cold winter day, I had to try this recipe. This is my version, slightly modified from the original. Spence and I found it to be absolutely delicious!

7 Can Soup in a Crockpot

serves 14         Weight Watcher Smart Points 7

• 1 can black beans
• 1 can corn
• 1 can pinto beans
• 1 can kidney beans
• 1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chiles
• 1 28 oz can San Marzano tomatoes
• 1 can chili with no beans
• 8 oz velveeta white cheese – cubed
• 1/2 c chopped flat-leaf parsley
• garlic seasoning – to taste (I used a generous amount)
• 1 t salt
• 1 t pepper
• 2 T hot sauce (optional)

Drain and rinse the black beans, pour into crockpot. Open the corn, pinto and kidney beans, Rotel tomatoes and pour into the crockpot including liquid from those cans. Add the San Marzano tomatoes after chopping them as well as the liquid from that can. Finally add the chili. Stir gently to blend and turn the crockpot on low for two hours.  Add the garlic seasoning, salt, pepper and hot sauce, stir and turn crockpot on high for one hour. Add the parsley and cubed cheese, stir every five minutes until the cheese is full melted throughout the soup and serve.

This recipe lends itself to endless variations, check out the original version on Pinterest and enjoy!