Jan. Week 1 Smashed potato soup

Smashed Potato Soup -- This was supposed to be a variation of a crispy smashed potato that I saw on the food network and potato soup. I really dislike potato soups that are mushy so I wanted to make sure what I made was chunky and I thought the smashed potatoes were an interesting twist. It failed for the original concept, but sailed for the overall taste and what it ended up being in the end. I'm going to post the recipe for the original concept -- it will be made again, oh yes it will hehe.

Equipment:

Stockpot (used my 12-qt for the potatoes and then the 5-qt for the soup itself)
Good cutting board -- will need both sides; one for meat, one for veggies
Good knife
whisk
bench scrapper (optional but I used one lol)

Crispy Potatoes

1 lb new potatoes

Cook: Boil potatoes until fork tender. Take out and let cook slightly. On a clean cutting board individually press down on each potato until it just smashes. Crisp up in a frying pan with a smudge of olive oil

* I learned that red skin and new are NOT the same thing and so this is where the soup ended in a failure for the concept lol*

Soup

Rue:

3 T butter
3 T flour
1.5 C milk

Other ingredients

1 heart of celery chopped (I even used the leaves)
2 carrots
3/4 C chopped onions (I used red)
1 kielbasa
1/2 lb bacon -- oven cooked and then crumbled in towards the end)
basil, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper to taste

Cook:

While the potatoes are boiling. Start the rue by melting the butter in the smaller stockpot, add the flour and once combined for a few minutes add the milk while whisking to combine completely. Once combined add the herbs. Leave this to simmer and thicken slightly while working on the rest of the ingredients

Chop up the celery into smaller bite size pieces -- you actually do want to see them -- and throw into the pot

Peel and chop carrots and throw in the pot

Flip the cutting board and cut the kielbasa into small bite size rounds -- no need to quarter or anything else -- throw in pot

Once the potatoes are out -- if using the redskin like I did, I just smashed them with the bottom of a plate and tossed them in so it was chunky

Let cook together for approximately an hour on the stove top -- set at a simmer you don't want it to boil at this point.

before dishing up crumble bacon into it and stir in. Dish out into lunch dishes and pop into the fridge -- or if serving right away do as normal

** This does turn out really thick so ass more milk if you want more of a basic soup than more of a stew

Back again

I've had so many family members and friends ask for my recipes that I'm going to try and keep this updated more with what I make. I'm even going to try for pictures but don't hold your breath on that one lol

Menu for January

Week 1 - Smashed Potato soup
Week 2 - BBQ Salmon Burgers w/focaccia bread and cheesy cauliflower
Week 3 - Bacon/feta stuffed Chicken with Garlic mashed potatoes
Week 4 - Crockpot Chops with Chunky Veggies
Week 4 - Maple Turkey w/brown rice and veggies

seafood bisque and herbed fococcia bread

This one is being tweaked as I write it. The directions can be a bit tricky and I modified as I made it.

The basic ingredants are:

1 can minced claims
1 can tiny shimp
1 pkg of imitation crab meat
bacon -- I had 1/2 a pound frozen in the freezer and just cut three narrow strips
front the side, chopped that into smaller peices
3 large potatoes -- peeled and diced
1 1/2 C dice onion
1 can cream of celery soup + 1 soup can of milk
1 1/2 c milk
2 c boiling water
1/4 tsp curry
2 c cream or half and half
3 T cornstarch
thyme

In your largest soup pot (cause yeah, I need a bigger one) put in a dab of olive oil to start the bacon browning.

While the bacon is browning peel the potatoes and dice (I actually sliced and then dice but meh do what you want) and dice up the onion. Once the bacon is browned saute the onion for a few minutes and then throw in the pototes to start cooking.. let this cook for a while until the potatoes are softish

While all of that is cooking, drain the clams and shimp -- keep the juices those go in a large bowl, the meat goes in a small bowl. Add to the large bowl of juices the can of soup and all the milk, the curry and the boiling water. Add this to the pot and let it simmer for about 25 minutes.

Add clams, shimp and crabmeat -- let simmer for another 5 minutes

Combine the cream/half and half with the cornstarch and slowly add to the pot, stirring, let his simmer for a few more minutes

The bread, I'm not a bread maker so actually stole my bread idea from another blogger

http://joyinmykitchen.blogspot.com/

it's good ..

Long time no see

It's been awhile, but life has been busy.. Since I last updated, I've moved -- sharing a condo with a good friend of mine, I've been to a convention -- yayyy Origins, and have worked on breaking away from the crockpot. I also saw my brother leave on his deployment to Afghanistan with the National Guard -- he's out there somewhere, but the location is top top secret lol.

Making a promise to myself to keep up on this a bit better, however, life is crazy with work and school and the contemplation of a part-time job... soooo if it isn't updated come and find me cause I'm buried.

I'm still doing the menu by the month thing, so here we go

Seafood bisque w/herbed fococcia bread
Beef Stroganof
Honey ribs and rice
Meatloaf -- this one all of you know already lol

Sweet and Sour Sausage Dish

Ok .. it's easy and it's zomg delicious...

kielbasa
1 can pineapple chunks - drained
2 bell peppers -- I used a yellow and an orange
honey bbq sauace

Julienne the peppers, cut kielbasa in chunks and drain the pineapple -- and that is all the prep work for this dish.

Throw it all in the crockpot and let it go .. mine started to scorch a bit after 2 hours on high, so I'm going to go with the assumption that about 1.5 hours on high, then on low for a couple more.

Meatloaf

Mini-MeatLoaf

1/3 C packed brown sugar
1/3 C ketchup

1 pound ground meat – use your favorite
1/3 C finely crushed cracker crumbs
1/3 C milk or 1/3 C dried milk and 1/3 C water
1 egg

To taste: usually 1 ½ teaspoon

Beef powder
Dried garlic
Oregano
Italian seasoning
Basil
Worcestershire sauce
Dried mustard or prepared (honey Dijon is awesome)
Salt and pepper
Dried onion

The “to taste” items are really to taste; if you don’t like garlic don’t use it for example. The spices and seasonings can be replaced, extra added, less added. I love onions and so I end up doing about 2 tablespoons of onions. I rarely measure anything except for the few ingredients that have specific amounts listed.

In a large mixing bowl combine all your dry ingredients. Stir to ensure that everything is mixed up then add the meat; break it up a little bit if you need to. Add the wet ingredients and combine until well mixed.

Lightly spray a casserole dish with cooking spray so the meat doesn’t stick. Form the “dough” into four approximately equal mini loafs and place in the dish.

Mix the brown sugar and ketchup together, for variety add a little Worcestershire sauce for some added kick; and spread over top of the meat.

Preheat oven to 350 and bake for approximately 45 minutes or until done.

This dish makes 4 dishes of food. For the single that means your meal tonight, and three lunches at work. Add in some mashed potatoes and a veggie and you’re set for the week.

Variations:

This recipe makes excellent meatballs. Prepare as normal but roll the meat into small meatballs, place on a tray or plate to freeze if you want to keep them or cook them right away and add into your pizza soup, spaghetti or whatever you want for the night. The meatballs will freeze, wrapped in plastic wrap, for about 3 weeks.

Peach Baked Oatmeal

Ok, this one actually brought back memories of summer camp. Getting up early to be the first to the tables to dig in. And super bonues it's super easy. The only change I made was to omit the 1/2 C of oil *gag*.

1/2 C sugar/splenda
1 egg
2 C dry quick oats -- I used old fashioned, turned out fine
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
sale
3/4 C milk
Fruit

Spray the crockpot with cooking spray -- honestly this didn't seem to matter much

Throw everything in the crockpot, layer peaches on top -- can use any fruit you want and for the short cooking time don't worry about fresh. I used canned peaches and it was perfect

Cook on high for approximately 2 hours. You want the oatmeal to look dry when it's done.

If you save this for in the morning, microwave for about a minute, sprinkle with a bit of sugar and float in a bit of milk. yummy!!!
Notes:

Change nothing but the mix-ins.... other fruits, nuts... skys the limit.