Creamy Potato Soup

On a cold day, there's nothing better than a hot bowl of potato soup.  My version  has potatoes, onions, celery and carrots in a creamy broth.

1.  On a cutting board, finely mince:  2 cloves garlic, 2 carrots, 1 stick of celery and 1 yellow onion.

Place in large pot with 2 TBSP heated bacon drippings.  Let cook a few minutes until onions and celery are transparent.

2.  On same cutting board, chop about 6-8 large potatoes that have been peeled.  I like to mix two kinds, here, I used russets and Yukon Gold potatoes.

3.  Pour into the pot:  1 can Swanson's Chicken Stock and enough water to finish covering the potatoes.  Add salt to taste. Bring to a boil and then simmer.  As potatoes get fork tender, mash some to thicken the soup.

4.  Dilute 1 can Cambell's cream of chicken soup with 1 can of milk.  Stir until smooth and fold into the potato soup.  

5.    Mix a little flour with water (in a container with a tight lid) to make a thin white sauce and fold that in at the end to thicken.  Continue to simmer.  

6.  When the soup has thickened to the consistency that you like, chop green onions on top and add coarsely-ground black pepper to taste.

Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Soup

Earlier this week, we had a pot roast for dinner.  As usual, there remain the couple of slices of beef and a few potatoes, but I like to use these remnants to make a hearty beef and barley soup.  It's such an easy soup to make!  I think you will like this soup that uses up beef leftovers.  Let's pull that storage container of cold beef and potatoes out of the fridge and get started!

Marcia's Beef and Barley Soup

Shredded beef

Cold leftover cooked potatoes, cubed

Handful of barley

1 C diced celery

1 C diced onion

1/2 C diced, peeled tomatoes

3 or 4 C water

1 can of beef broth or beefconsommé

  Place all ingredients in your slow cooker.  Cook on High for 2 hours, then turn to low until ready to serve.  I seasoned my soup with garlic salt, rosemary and freshly-ground pepper.  (This is great with a toasted everything bagel topped with cream cheese!)

Italian Chili with Pasta

 So good on a cold winter's night!

Since Hubby had a late meeting (after work) last  night, and I've been fighting a sore throat all week, homemade soup in the crockpot seemed like a logical choice!  Early in the day, I got out my Texas skillet and the ingredients and got started chopping celery, onions and garlic.  It was time to make Italian Chili with Pasta (its fancy name is,"Pasta e Fagioli"). This is sooo good when it's cold out!  I like to serve it with garlic bread.

My Italian Chili with Pasta

1 lb. ground beef

Chopped:  (1 large) onion, 3 stalks celery and 3 cloves of garlic

2 tsp parsley flakes

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Salt to taste

Large can of chicken broth (Swanson)

2 cans (Hunts) stewed plum tomatoes, broken up

1 can tomato sauce (I like Hunts)

1 can dark red kidney beans

1 can cannelloni (white beans)

Shredded Parmesan cheese for topping

Firm pasta cooked in well-salted water

  In a large skillet, saute onion, celery and garlic in 1 TBSP of olive oil until translucent.  Brown beef in the same pan 

And add seasonings at the end. 

  Dump skillet contents into a sprayed crockpot.  Add chicken broth, tomatoes and tomato sauce and the beans.  Cook on low all day.  

  Right before serving, cook a firm pasta like elbow macaroni just until it's done (do not overcook...and use enough salt in your pasta water!). Drain pasta.  Put a scoop of hot pasta in each bowl.  Top with chili and sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese.  Don't forget that garlic bread!

Old Recipe File: White Beans

When I was little, I remember my mom making "soup beans" when we had a fresh ham bone (always after Easter, but other times, too). When I saw this great recipe it sounded like the delicious, comforting "soup beans" from Mom's crock pot. Gotta make a pan of corn bread and cut up a "good onion", too! Love you , Mom.

White Beans

1 1/2 dried white beans
shortening
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 C chopped carrots
1/2 C chopped celery
6 to 8 C water
1 tsp parsley
Ham bean, no meat
1 tsp white pepper

-Sort and wash beans; place in a large Dutch oven. Cover with water 2" above beans; let soak over night.
-Drain beans and set aside.
- Coat a large skillet with shortening. Place over medium heat until hot. Add onion, carrots and celery. Saute until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove from heat.
-Combine reserved beans and vegetable mixture in a large Dutch oven. Stir in water and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Cover; reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours. Serve with quarters of sweet onion. Makes 6 cups.

I'll be at these swaps today:
-LifeasMom
-Prairiestory
-DesignsbyGollum
-Grocerycartchallenge
-Momtrends
-AnnKroeker
-Amysfinerthings

Cabbage Soup

You've gotta love a recipe for cabbage soup that adds a dash of Tabasco Sauce! I had to make a stop at the store this morning, anyway, so I got a small head of cabbage to make this soup. Also bought a heating pad-to warm up the sheets before we climb into bed...comfort...lots of comfort is what you need in January. I hope you have a good day!

Cabbage Soup
(Victoria Garbarino)

1 small cabbage, shredded
1 C chopped celery
1 C chopped onion
1 TBSP lemon juice
4 C finely-chopped tomatoes
4 C water
Dash of hot sauce, optional
4 beef or chicken bouillon cubes
Salt and pepper to taste
12 oz. club soda

Place 1 C water in the bottom of a large pot. Add cabbage, celery and onion; cook until tender (about 5 min.). Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 1 hour. Divide evenly. Each serving provides 3 1/4 vegetable exchange, 5 calories optional exchange.

I will be at these swaps today:
-Diningwithdebbie
-WeareThatfamily
-Kellythekitchenkop
-Kingscourt4
-Turningbacktheclock

Famous Pea Soup (w/ Ham)

I have a ham bone stashed way in my freezer (from the Christmas dinner). So when I found this recipe for Pea Soup in an old community cookbook that I have, it was a good fit. January is the perfect month for a pot of soup simmering on the stove. I talked to Mom this morning (who just happens to make the best vegetable soup anywhere!) and she said that WV is expecting several more inches of snow in the next two days. I know my mom well enough to know that Dad probably has some delicious soup or chili in his future during their snowy weather. Here's my recipe for today-stay warm!

Don Wray's Famous Pea Soup
St. Jude Parrish Cookbook

Ham bone, some meat and fat from bone
1 lg. onion, cut fine
1 stalk celery, cut fine
1/2 lb. split green peas
2 carrots, diced
3 potatoes, diced

Add peas to 1 1/2 to 2 qt. water. Add carrots and cook until peas fall apart. Add potatoes. Cook additional 15 min.

I'll be at these swaps today:
-Atthewell
-Gypsyscorner
-BeautyandBedlam
-Allthesmallstuff
-WhoisLaura
-33shadesofgreen

Jackie's Fish Chowder

That's "The Jackie!" I happen to be thoroughly enjoying an old cookbook this week from 1963. It's called The Congressional Club Cookbook, and I won't give out much more about it today, because I plan to write a review on it for tomorrow's post. If you are a new reader to this blog, I usually review one of my old cookbooks every Friday; it's a clever way to trick myself into sorting through my huge accumulation of cookbooks! I hope you will enjoy this feature of my blog. I try to give the ISBN or catalog number so you can find that particular book if it appeals to you. Here's a sample recipe from this intriguing book from 1963.

Fish Chowder
(Page 334) Mrs. John F. Kennedy, Wife of former President of the United States

2 pounds haddock
2 ounces salt pork, diced
2 onions, sliced
4 large potatoes, diced
1 C chopped celery
1 bay leaf, crumbled
1 quart milk
2 TBSP butter
1 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Simmer haddock in 2 C water for 15 minutes. Drain. Reserve broth. Remove bones from fish. Saute diced pork until crisp, remove and set aside. Saute onions in pork fat until golden brown. Add fish, potatoes, celery, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Pour in fish broth plus enough boiling water to make 3 C liquid. Simmer for 30 min. Add milk and butter and simmer for 5 min. Serve chowder sprinkled with diced pork. Serves 6.

I will be at these swaps today:
-Lifeasmom
-Prairiestory

***Book I'm reading now: Maximize the Moment by T. D. Jakes (a WV native)***