Perfect Potato Soup

I would say that these cool, crisp mornings and evenings have sparked a craving in me for a steaming hot bowl of comforting soup. That is part of it. But, the truth is, potatoes were on sale at our local grocery store. I'm a frugal mama anyway, and trying to feed five hungry mouths hurts the pocketbook. So, when I found a 15 pound bag of potatoes on sale for the same price as a 5 pound bag of potatoes, I quickly decided we would be eating potatoes for a while. French fried potatoes, baked potatoes, potato soup, potato salad, hash brown potatoes, roasted potatoes, potato skins, cheesy potato casserole....I could go on an on in true Bubba Gump form. But, I'll stop and get on with the potato soup tutorial.

The first step is to make a roux using 3 TBS of butter and 1 TBS of flour.  It should look something like this:

Next, pour in 1 can of chicken broth and let that come to a simmer. The broth will thicken slightly when the roux dissolves into the broth. 

While that is simmering, I added in 3 cloves of minced garlic, 2 cups of water, 1 1/2 tsp. pepper, 1 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. onion powder.

Earlier this morning, when I was dreaming of potato soup, I took one potato and cooked it in the microwave. Once it cooled, I peeled it and used a fork to mash it up. I then added it to my simmering pot for even more thickness. That may sound confusing, but it's really simple, see:

Next, I peeled and diced 6 medium, uncooked potatoes into bite sized pieces, and tossed those into the pot.

I sat back and watched a little Family Fued while I let that simmer a few minutes to soften those potatoes up a bit. I love that Steve Harvey. 

And, for the final touch, I poured in 2 cups heavy cream, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, and 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese. (Technically you could just add in 2 cups shredded cheddar, but I was running low so I substituted with some parmesan cheese I had on hand. It worked, and quite well might I add.)

And, voila! That's it! Spoon that hot deliciousness into a bowl and top with shredded cheddar cheese, bacon bits, and green onions. 

I've gotta say, I love that I have green onions growing in a pot on my back porch. It feels so good to walk right out the door and pick off a few pieces. Maybe that will be my next blog? 

Buffalo Chicken Poboys

Buffalo Chicken Poboys

( I got the recipe for the french fries pictured above here:  http://allrecipes.com/recipe/50223/homemade-crispy-seasoned-french-fries/  These are the best homemade french fries I have ever made! I highly recommend that you check the recipe out and give it a try!  They were so crispy and so delicious. Not to take away anything from the recipe, I believe it is fabulous just as is, but here in the South, we like our food heavily seasoned and every home has a can of Tony's Creole Seasoning at the table.  So, based on personal preference only, I will probably add an additional tsp of Tony's and seasoned salt to the batter next time. I also used 1 cup of water in my batter and that worked out just right.)

Life is busy. Trust me, I totally get it. Between work, school, shuffling kids to dance practice, and football practice, the endless piles of laundry, there's just no stopping. Who has the time and energy to spend all day slaving over a hot stove? And cleanup---sheesh! Ain't nobody got time for that! But, everybody loves to come home to a hot, home cooked meal. That's why this is the dish for you, my busy friend. 

This recipe is so simple, this will be a short tutorial. But, the simplicity of this dish isn't the biggest perk of this meal for me. Being a frugal mom with five mouths to feed (including my hubby and I), I love how cheap this meal is to make! A mere eight bucks feeds my entire family, with leftovers. 

So, let's jump right into it. Time's a wastin'!

Once you've slurped down that cup of coffee and stumbled out of the shower, the rat race begins. As you're racing around getting ready for the day, just don't forget to do one thing:  Put 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the crockpot on low heat. Add in 2 TBS butter, 1/2 tsp. paprika, 1 tsp. onion powder, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. Cheyenne pepper, 1/8 tsp. garlic powder, and 1/4 cup Louisiana Hit Sauce (http://www.louisiana-brand.com). Put the lid on that bad boy and get to work! 

Eight hours later, when you return from work, supper is ready. All you have left to do is shred the chicken. 

It soaks up all that great flavor from the juices it's cooked in. 

For my poboys, I toasted my poboy buns, spread ranch dressing in both sides of my bread, then I added the chicken and shredded lettuce. My daughter likes hers with pickle. I'm sure you could add on crumbled blue cheese, or anything you would like. 

See what I mean? It's so quick, so easy, so cheap, so delicious! Keep this recipe close. You will make this again, and again. 

Here's that recipe one last time:

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 TBS butter

1/2 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. Cheyenne pepper

1/8 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 cup Louisiana Hot Sauce

Toss all the ingredients into crockpot.  Cook on low heat 6-8 hours. Shred chicken and serve on toasted poboy buns with lettuce and ranch dressing.

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Now, get some rest you busy bees!

Magic Soup

Magic Soup

Prescribed by Doctor Mom

     I got that dreaded call today, from the father of my two children that my oldest daughter was feeling under the weather. Instantly, those super mom instincts kicked in, and I had to go to the rescue!  I stopped by the store to pickup a few cold and flu season staples at our house, and I grabbed all the ingredients I needed to make  my special, magic soup.  
    Magic soup is nothing more than my chicken noodle soup recipe.  I call it magic soup, because the kids are more curious and excited about eating soup if they think that it truly is magical.  This little trick also works for grown men that are particularly pitiful when they are feeling puny.  Keep this little trick up your sleeve, ladies. ;)
    Before I jump into the recipe, I thought I'd share some cold and flu season tips that I use around my house with myself and the kids. I'm a single mom of two kids. I hate the ugly looks and sighs of disappointment I've gotten from supervisors in the past when I've had to miss work to take care of my sick kids...and it always seems we pass it back and forth, and back and forth.  I've learned a few tricks for prevention and recovery over the last few years for this reason though.  
     These tips are not a guarantee that you or your family will not get sick.  They are not a cure all.  You must take yourself and your children to see your physician as needed.  Magic soup does not actually contain magical properties.  Magic soup is not an actual cure for sickness or disease.  This is nothing more than a list of little things I do myself during cold and flu season.  I think that just about covers the disclaimer. If there is anything else I may have left out, please exercise common sense.
    During a doctor's visit last winter, my doctor asked me how we managed to dodge the flu that year.  I told him we were oozing with vitamin C.  I am a big believer in products such as Airborne, EmergenC, etc.  We take our vitamins daily, especially during cold and flu season.  I don't always buy the name brand products.  Today, for instance, I found this multi-vitamin:  

Again, please consult a doctor before beginning any vitamin regimen. I am NOT a doctor.  I am a mom.  
     In my home, I also increase our intake of fruit juices high in vitamin C such as lemonade, made with real lemons, orange juice, there are other great options that incorporate mango juice and/or pineapple juice also. We eat fresh fruits such as mango, pineapple, grapes, and apples.  I love unsweetened applesauce, but my kids are not fans.
     
     For stomach bugs, I like to get the frozen lemon treats usually found in the ice cream section at our grocery store.

 I also like to sip on lemonade, root beer, and/or ginger ale.  Once I am able to hold the liquids down, I start to slowly nibble on salty crackers. My favorite salty cracker treats are the Chicken Crackers pictured here. And, avoid greasy foods.
    
     Of course, during cold and flu season, you mush wash your hands, wash your hands, and then wash your hands!  When one of our household family members gets really sick, I wash the bedding, disinfect the door handles, light switches, and sink faucets.  For runny noses and coughs, I break out the humidifier, swab everyone down with Vick's vapor rub, take a nice, long, hot bath, and get PLENTY of REST!  Check out my blog post: http://blogworthybyabby.blogspot.com/2012/11/pin-worthy.html for information on how to prepare a detox bath.  I swear by it! 
     Take care of yourselves mom's!  Get your rest too! Start sipping on that vitamin C you're pedaling to everyone else, and throw some of this magic soup in the crock pot.  This is a good time to snuggle up under a warm, cozy blanky watching movies with the kids.

     So, without any further rambling, I present to you the recipe for magic soup:

Magic Soup

1 pound shredded chicken     

1 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 TBS minced garlic

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground black pepper

1/8 tsp. sage

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

2 bay leaves

2 cans chicken broth

egg noodles

As far as the chicken goes, you can go to the trouble of boiling and de-boning a chicken if you would like, or you can buy a precooked rotisserie chicken and de-bone it.  One of the two previously mentioned methods would be my preference for a better flavor.  But, if you are in a hurry, you could just put 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the slow cooker.  Toss everything except for the egg noodles into the crock pot.  Cook on low heat 6 hours or high heat 4 hours.  Add in 8 ounces of egg noodles.  I usually buy a 16 ounce bag, and pour about 2/3 of the bag of egg noodles into the soup.  Continue cooking until the egg noodle are soft, usually about 10-20 minutes.  Serve with crackers.

Note:  I only used half of the carrots I bought, and I only chopped half of a yellow onion. I had enough of all my ingredients left over to make another pot of magic soup.  I hate to be wasteful when I have leftovers.  If you have a large family to feed, you could double the recipe.  But, if you're a single mom of two small ones like me, you can freeze the additional ingredients for next time.  I put all of the ingredients (seasonings included) except for egg noodles and chicken stock together in the freezer.  (I was out of Ziploc bags, so I improvised.)  But now, the next time I need to make a pot of magic soup, I can just empty my bag of ingredients into the crock pot with chicken stock, and add in the egg noodles later.

While, I proclaim there are no actual magical properties to the soup, I do admit there is a bit of method to the madness.  To read more about the medicinal properties of some of the ingredients, please feel free to check out a few of these websites: 

http://www.stylecraze.com/articles/amazing-health-benefits-of-onions/

http://authoritynutrition.com/11-proven-health-benefits-of-garlic/

http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/benefits-of-cayenne-pepper/

http://www.besthealthmag.ca/best-eats/nutrition/how-sage-can-help-your-health

 

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

The Thanksgiving leftovers are all put away, and the Christmas tree is up. I'm feeling the Christmas spirit, so I wanted to do something with my kids to spread the Christmas cheer. I have never made a gingerbread house before, but I always wanted to give it a try. I'm not one to buy pre-packaged kits, I wanted to do something original. So, I gathered my supplies while at the grocery store today. Here's what you will need to do this project:

- Ginger snap cookies (for the roof)

- Graham crackers (for the base of the roof)

- Wafer cookies (for the frame of the house)

- Assorted cookies (to decorate the house)

- Ginger bread man cookies (because what's a 

cookie house without a gingerbread family to live in it)

- Butter cream icing or royal icing to glue it all together

First, round up your little helpers, and lay two graham crackers on your cake plate. Outline them with icing as a guide for cookie placement when you start building your house.

Now, remove the graham crackers and start laying the foundation. The wafer cookies are great for building the walls. The thickness of the wafer makes it easy to stand them up with a little icing to glue them in place.

Lay the wafers for the front of the house down lengthwise, as shown here. And, stand the wafers for the sides up vertically. If you notice on the back, we laid the top horizontal wafer down flat, so that it would be level with the vertical walls. 

I know it looks ugly now, and I had that horrified moment of disappointment at this point. But, I was determined to finish our project.

So, we finished building the walls, my kids ate a couple icing dipped wafers, and we began laying the roof.

For the roof, use a little icing to stick two graham crackers flat on the top of the house. And, you will need something to give height to the top of the roof. So, use icing to stack a few wafer cookies to the center, like this:

Now, you can use icing to attach two more graham crackers to the sides of the roof at an angle. Once the angled sides are in place, you can start icing ginger snaps onto the roof. 

If you want, you can go ahead and stick a decorative cookie to each side of the house as "windows", and a graham cracker to the front of the house to make a door, like I did here.

I wasn't sure what to do about the big, hideous gap showing on the front and back "attics" of the house, so I took a graham cracker, broken in half, and cut angles at the top. I used all the pieces and iced them into place. 

 Now that the foundation of the house and roof is built, you can start the really fun part, decorating! 

You can do this any way you want, but me and my two little cookie-filled ladies decorated by spreading a bit of icing around on the cake board. Then we sprinkled powdered sugar around on the top of the house, and the girls tossed cupcake sprinkles on top of that also.

We used icing to stand gingerbread men all around the sides of the house. and a little more icing to stand decorative cookies all around the "yard" of the house. A few chocolate chips made a nice, little walkway to the front door, and our cookie house was complete. Hmm..or maybe it was complete, I may go back and put a candy cane or two up...that is, if the kids don't eat the house first! Have fun with this project, and let me know how yours turns out!