Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Finally, right? Sorry to make you wait so long for this, Ang!!! Here is the creamy, yummy goodness!  (FYI: this is the recipe from the book, I didn't do everything they said, like I didn't cook the bacon in a dutch oven because I don't have one! :)  )

Loaded Baked Potato Soup
From The Cook's Country Cookbook

8 slices bacon, chopped
3 lbs russet potatoes, scrubbed
1 lg onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbls all-purpose flour
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp dried thyme
4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, plus additional for garnish
1 cup sour cream, plus additional for garnish
3 scallions, sliced thin

1. Cook the bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. While the bacon is cooking, use a vegetable peeler to remove wide strips of peel from the potatoes; reserve the peels. Cut the peeled potatoes into 3/4-inch pieces.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels.  Add the reserved potato skins to the bacon fat in the pot and cook until crisp, about 8 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potato skins to the plate with the bacon,

2. Add the onion to the fat remaining in the pot and cook over medium heat until golden, about 6 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and flour and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Gradually whisk in the broth and cream, stir in the thyme and potatoes, and bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 7 minutes.

3. Transfer 2 cups of the cooked potatoes to a bowl.  Puree the remaining soup in batches in a blender until smooth.  Return the soup to the pot and warm over medium-high heat.  Off the heat, stir in the cheese until melted, then whisk in the sour cream.  Return the reserved potatoes to the pot and season the soup with pepper.  Ladle the soup into bowls, and garnish with the bacon, fried potato skins, scallions, cheese and sour cream.

MMMMM!!!  Hope you LOVE it!

Three Bean Chili Deluxe

I found this recipe on the blog Design Mom. I'm not a huge fan of chili, but I was in the mood for some last winter and decided to try this. It is really yummy. I think the ranch adds a great flavor. Thanks Design Mom (and her kids who developed the recipe)!

Three Bean Chili Deluxe
from Design Mom

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 heaping tsp garlic, chopped
3 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 16 oz. cans light kidney beans
2 16 oz. cans dark kidney beans
2 16 oz. cans black beans
1 entire packet of Ranch dressing powdered mix
1 T cumin
1 T chili powder
1 t salt
2 teaspoons cream cheese

Brown the ground beef with the onions and garlic. Drain the fat. Add the rest of the ingredients (don't drain the beans) and simmer for 30 minutes. Or all day.

Here is what I do different. I use ground turkey instead of ground beef. It has way less fat and tastes the same for this recipe. I think you can use any combination of beans. Last time I made it I didn't have any cans of light or dark kidney beans. I had a can of cannellini (white kidney) beans, so I used that, along with a can of pinto beans. I cooked some dried kidney beans (about 1 2/3 cup cooked beans equals a can) and used those since I didn't have canned kidney beans. So my chili had 4 different kinds of beans (black, kidney, cannellini, and pinto). I thought it was still as good as the time I made it with the beans listed in the recipe.

Peanut Butter Popcorn

My friend, Lauren, has been making this ever since I have known her. I love it. I always wanted to make some, but I never had a popcorn popper. I finally bought one a couple of days ago and this is what we made to break it in.

Peanut Butter Popcorn
2 poppers popped corn
1/2 cup light karo (corn) syrup
1/2 cup honey
1 cup white sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
m&ms (optional)

Mix karo syrup, honey, and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes until the sugar is dissolved. Add peanut butter, vanilla, and salt. Mix til peanut butter is melted and all mixed in. Pour over popped corn and stir.

Easy, right?

Here is what I did different. I only used 1/2 cup sugar. I wanted to see if it would still taste good with less sugar. I didn't notice any difference. I wanted to add m&ms, but my husband doesn't like them, so I left them out.

Enjoy!

Eugenia's Potato Soup

My mom found this recipe in a book and tried it last week. Everyone loved it enough that she emailed it to all us girls. I tried it tonight and it was delicious! Potato Cheese Soup has always been my favorite, and I think this may even be better! And it's REALLY easy!!!

Eugenia's Potato Soup
4 lbs. potatoes
2 cans chicken broth
8 oz. monterey jack cheese (and/or pepper jack cheese)
1 pint half & half
2 cans cream celery soup
1 8 oz. sour cream
Cook potatoes in broth until tender but still firm, approx. 12 - 15 min. Grate cheese and stir into potatoes until melted. Add soups, half & half and sour cream. Cook on low, stirring constantly until hot.

SO yummy!