Ham and Potato Soup

I. Love. Soup.

It's true. I have a very deep addiction for soup and salad. Oh, and chips and salsa, but that's an entirely different subject. Crazy things to always crave and want; or so, that's what my husband thinks. I think it's perfectly normal. I must admit it has gotten so bad, though, that my husband has made limits and rules to how often or what types of soups I can make when. Once upon a time, we ate nothing but soup for dinner for 2 weeks. True story. Hence my limitations and rules. Don't blame him. It's good to have an abundance of variation-- but varying the type of soup versus eating a completely different meal item is apparently very different. :-)

Last night, even though our warm Texas weather is already beginning, I went against our rule of "no soup when the temperature is above 70 degrees" because I had a ridiculously large amount of ham that I couldn't figure out what else to do with. My husband grew up on a potato farm in Idaho and we have a very large soft spot for potato soup. Usually we have the "go to" recipe that we alway use, but I found something so much better that I have eaten 3 bowls since last night-- sadly, yet another true story. I ate it for brunch.  This recipe is so quick and easy to make and you can vary it with whatever you want-- adding or taking away veggies/meats! I love it!!

Ham and Potato Soup

3 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
1/3 C diced celery
1/3 C finely chopped onion
3/4 C diced cooked ham
3 1/4 cups water
2 T chicken bouillon granules
1/2 C carrots, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp pepper, or to taste
5 T butter
5 T flour
2 C milk

Combine all vegetables and ham with water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender. Stir in chicken bouillon, salt and pepper.

In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour, stirring constantly until thick (1 minute)-- making a rue. Slowly stir in milk so as not to cause any lumps. Continue stirring until thick (4-5 minutes). Add rue to stockpot and heat soup through.

Also, if you have never seen one of these before-- you are missing out. Seriously.

This little beauty was given to us for our wedding from my beautiful grandmother. When I opened it, I thought, "When will I ever use this? She could've spent her money on something a little more useful." And then, as a floundering new wife learning to cook, I gave it a go about a year later and it is now the most used item in my kitchen. It has lasted a good 5 years cutting zucchini, onions, potatoes, carrots, fruits, cucumbers, anything I can think of! It is amazing and everything is perfectly shaped in little squares when I'm done, I don't have to cry over cutting onions, and my mascara stays perfect. We're all happy. Here's a link to get it! HERE

Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

I was actually pleasantly surprised with this recipe. My youngest devoured it until his stomach was distended, but my oldest was on a hunger strike so he'll just have to enjoy it for breakfast *big momma grin*.
I don't know if this is just me, but it seems that whenever I use fresh rosemary, the taste is so strong I always regret using the amount they called for in the recipe. I must have secret soil that empowers my rosemary bush with extraordinary flavorfulness. Anyways, slightly strong on the rosemary for me, but everything else was awesome. Highly recommend this quick and easy recipe.

Adapted from SkinnyTaste.com

Potatoes:
1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled, diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 C milk
1/4 C chicken broth
2 T greek nonfat yogurt
Salt & Pepper to taste

Filling:
1 lb ground turkey
1 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 parsnip, diced
2 cloves of garlic, diced
8 oz mushrooms, diced
10 oz frozen mixed vegetables
2 T flour
1 C chicken broth
3 tsp tomato sauce
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp freshly chopped rosemary
salt and pepper
paprika

Directions:
Boil sweet potatoes and crushed garlic in salted water until soft. Drain and mash with chicken broth, yogurt, salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 400 F

In a large saute pan, brown turkey; season with S&P. When cooked, set aside on a plate. Add olive oil to the pan, then add onion and sauté on minute. Add the celery, parsnip, s&p to taste; cook about 12 minutes until celery is soft.

Add garlic and mushrooms; sauté another 3-4 minutes. Add flour, s&p and mix well. Add frozen veggies, chicken broth, tomato sauce, worcestershire sauce, rosemary, cooked turkey and mix well. Simmer on low about 5-10 minutes.

In a greased 9x13 glass pan, spread meat mixture then top with potato mixture. Bake for 20 minutes or until potatoes turn golden and mixture is bubbly. Serve warm.

Link to original recipe: HERE. Photo credit: SkinnyTaste.com

 

Baked Pasta with Sausage and Spinach

After being introduced to SkinnyTaste.com, I have to admit: I've been slightly addicted. She has great recipes that are easy to adapt to your lifestyle and I'm grateful for that. Here is one that my entire family loved when we ate it. And no, they did not mind the green stuff!

Ingredients:

• olive oil spray
• 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano
• 8 oz ricotta
• 8 oz mozzarella, shredded
• 14 oz uncooked sweet Italian chicken sausage, removed from casing
• 12 oz high-fiber or low carb rigatoni pasta
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 cloves smashed garlic, roughly chopped
• 2 c. fresh spinach, chopped (or 10 oz pkg frozen, thawed and squeezed of excess liquid)
• salt and fresh pepper to taste
• 4 cups Quick Marinara Sauce (I used canned marinara sauce)

Preheat the oven to 375°. Spray a 9- x13-inch baking dish with olive oil spray. 

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, 6 tablespoons of the Pecorino Romano cheese and half of the mozzarella cheese.

Meanwhile, in a large deep skillet, brown the sausage breaking up into small bits until cooked through; set aside. Add the oil to the skillet and sauté garlic about a minute, careful not to burn. Add spinach and season with a little salt and pepper and cook another minute. Return the sausage to the skillet and add the marinara sauce; cook on low about 2-3 minutes.

When the pasta water comes to a boil, cook pasta according to instructions for al dente, but undercook them by 4 minutes less; drain and return to pot.

Put half of the cooked pasta into the prepared baking dish and top with half of the meat sauce. Spoon the ricotta mixture on top of the sauce in an even layer. Cover with the remaining pasta and the remaining sauce. Top with the remaining mozzarella and Pecorino Romano cheese.

Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 6-7 minutes or until the mozzarella is melted and the edges are lightly browned.

Here is a link to the original recipe. Photo credit: SkinnyTaste.com

My 2 Favorite Oatmeal Recipes

There are so many variations of oatmeal recipes out there and I'd love to hear some of your own! We have two oatmeal recipes that my family constantly asks for. I'm a huge breakfast person and will likely have my breakfast for the week completely planned and ready to go vs. dinner. I don't know what's wrong with me, but I'm learning it's just life and who I am. I love to cook breakfast. So, without further ado, I would love for you to share my passion...

Amish Baked Oatmeal

1 1/2 C. oats (I prefer old fashioned rolled oats, but I've done instant before and it turned out)
1/2 C maple syrup
1/2 C milk (I've also done 1/4 milk, 1/4 water)
1/4 C butter (melted)
1 egg
1 tsp bkg powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla (vanilla paste will become your new passion if you allow it into your life. Oh. My. Heaven!)

Mix all together. Pat down in a 9 x13 pan or small cookie sheet if doubling. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Top with fresh fruit, jam, brown sugar, warm milk, or whatever else you feel like! Serve with warmed milk.

I usually have to double it for my little family of 4 and it gives us some extra.

Pumpkin Oatmeal (adapted from Deceptively Delicious cookbook)

2 c. milk (I usually use dry milk and just mix it all up. Tastes the same!)
Not quite 1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c. pumpkin puree (I usually use fresh stuff that I've frozen in the freezer-- it seriously is the best, but canned works just fine)
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
2 tsp peanut butter (optional)
Dried fruits or nuts (I use pecans... mmmm)

In a saucepan, combine the milk, sugar, pumpkin, vanilla, and spice. Bring to a gentle boil and stir in the oatmeal. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the oatmeal is soft and creamy. Stir in the peanut butter if using. Serve warm with milk, fruits or nuts on top. It can get pretty thick, so I usually add milk like a cereal.

Cream of Asparagus Soup

Since asparagus is on sale I thought I'd try this recipe from myrecipes.com.  I think it was actually in the Cooking Light magazine at one point.  And it was light so we had it with salad and bread and then it was perfect.  Kaden loved it too.

3 c (1/2-in) sliced asparagus (about 1 lb)
2 c fat-free, low sodium chicken broth
3/4 tsp fresh thyme, divided
1 bay leaf
1 garlic clove
1 tbsp flour (I used wheat and it was just fine)
2 c 1% milk (I used rice milk and thought it was just fine)
dash of ground nutmeg
2 tsp butter
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp grated lemon rind

Combine asparagus, broth, 1/2 tsp thyme, bay leaf, and garlic in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes.  *I would simmer a little longer next time because I think I'd like the asparagus a bit more tender*  Discard bay leaf.  Place asparagus mixture in a blender; process until smooth.

Place flour in pan.  Gradually add the milk, stirring with a whisk until blended.  Add pureed asparagus and ground nutmeg; stir to combine.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 tsp thyme, butter, salt, and lemon rind.  Makes 4 1-cup servings.

Here's the link to the recipe, and I got the picture from the website:
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/cream-of-asparagus-soup-10000000230698/

Caldo Verde

This is a Portuguese soup that is the only food that my husband still likes from his mission. My kids like it too. It sounds weird, but it is good, I promise. The only thing is, that it has a lot of onions and garlic. So you can't eat it alone - everyone has got to partake. Otherwise you will be the only one with stinky breath. 

This particular version came from Williams Sonoma. It is similar to the authentic versions. The only recommendation I have is that you score the potatoes before you thinly slice them. That way you don't get long stringy potato skins in your soup (so I ignore the recommendation to peel the potatoes). Ok, two recommendations: you have to chop the kale very finely. Like I am talking confetti style. So I slice it thinly and then I chop up the slices. This is so that it will cook quickly but also the texture is better for eating (again no long stringy things in your mouth).

Oh, for the sausage, I get smoked turkey or kielbasa. I also skip the mashing of the potato step. It dirties more dishes and the potatoes eventually fall apart any way if you slice them thin and cook them long enough.
 
CaldoVerde

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. chorizo, linguiça or kielbasa sausages
3/4 lb. kale or collard greens
1/4 cup olive oil
2 large yellow onions, chopped
3 or 4 potatoes, 1 to 1 1/4 lb. total, peeled and
  thinly sliced
3 or 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
6 to 7 cups water or chicken stock
2 tsp. salt, plus more, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Extra-virgin olive oil for serving

Directions:
Bring a saucepan three-fourths full of water to a boil over high heat. Prick the sausages with a fork and add to the boiling water. Boil for about 5 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the sausages to a cutting board and, when cool enough to handle, slice them. (You may discard the sausage-flavored water or reserve it for making the soup.)

Rinse and drain the greens, then remove any tough stems. Working in batches, stack the leaves, roll up the stack like a cigar, and cut crosswise into very, very thin strips. Set aside.

In a large soup pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the potatoes and garlic and sauté, stirring often, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the water and 2 tsp. salt, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the potatoes are very soft, about 20 minutes.

Scoop out about 2 cups of the potatoes and mash well with a potato masher or fork. Return them to the pan, add the sliced sausages and simmer until the sausages are cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Add the greens, stir well and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes. Do not overcook; the greens should be bright green and slightly crunchy. Season with salt and pepper.



 

Carrot Cake Pancakes

Whenever Kaden asks for pancakes for dinner, this is what he gets...lucky kid :-)  I got the recipe from 5dollardinners.com.

Pancakes
2 c whole wheat flour
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 - 1 3/4 c milk (or more, depending on how thick you like your pancakes)
1 egg
1/4 c applesauce
2 tbs maple syrup
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 1/4 c grated carrots
1/2 - 3/4 c raisins
1/4 c chopped walnuts
Syrup
1/4 c cream cheese
1/4 c maple syrup
cinnamon

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt.  Whisk in the milk, egg, applesauce, syrup, and butter.  Fold in the grated carrots, raisins, and nuts.  Cook pancakes on hot, greased griddle.  Repeat until all batter is used.  To make the syrup, whisk together the syrup and cream cheese.  Warm in the microwave.  Add in several dashes of cinnamon to taste.  Pour over hot pancakes.

We eat them by themselves, but I'm sure they'd be good with eggs, fruit, or whatever else too.