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Mouthwatering Monday – Potato Soup

ShannanB — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 11:23:25 +0000

It’s Monday and that means it’s time for MOUTHWATERING MONDAY!

If there is one thing I can’t get enough of in the winter it’s soup. Here’s a recipe for a baked potato soup I made this past Friday. I like this recipe because it uses chicken stock instead of milk- something I hadn’t really seen a lot of in my search for a good recipe.

Having just made it, I think Its the kind of soup that tastes better after simmering for a long time. I’d recommend making it the night before you want to serve it.

Baked Potato Soup

INGREDIENTS
3 (14oz) Cans of Chicken Stock
10 Medium Potatoes; Cubed
2 Cloves of Garlic; Minced
2 tsps Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Chopped Celery
1 Medium Diced Onion
1 Cup Diced Ham
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Shredded Cheese
Chives

DIRECTIONS
Place the potatoes in a large pot with water. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.

(While the potatoes are cooking)
In a medium pan, saute the garlic, celery and onion with the olive oil. When you start to notice the celery and onion softening, remove from heat and place in large a large crock pot. Add 1/2 of the chicken stock and the diced ham to the celery, garlic and onion mixture.

When the potatoes are finished cooking, drain and return to the pot you boiled them in. Using a hand mixer, slowly add in the remaining chicken stock, pureeing the potatoes until smooth. Add the pureed potato mixture to the crock pot, stir and cook until heated through.

Serve topped with chives, cheese and finely diced cubes of ham.

For more Mouthwatering Monday recipes, click here!

Camping Out – Tasty Meals included!

ShannanB — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:23:00 +0000

Tomorrow we’ll be heading down to Mammoth Cave National Park for a weekend of camping. It’s become a tradition and it’s something the boys love doing.

This year The Husband has put me in charge of planning the meals (it was a challenge of sorts…). Now, those of you who read Mommy Bits regularly know that I have NO meal creativity what-so-ever. I can cook three things and they are all pasta based – veggie lasagna, homemade mac-n-cheese, and spaghetti.

I really want to surprise The Husband with my creativity so this morning I turned to my friends on Twitter for help and they didn’t let me down! My goal – come up with three days worth of meals that do not involve pasta!

Here’s what I have come up with so far:

Breakfast:
Oatmeal/Cold Cereal
Baked pancakes (courtesy of Andrea at UDandi and Laura at World’s Best Burger)
Breakfast Burritos

Lunch (nothing fancy):
Sandwiches
Hot Dogs

Dinner:
Rachel’s Mouthwatering Campfire Burgers (courtesy of Rachel at From the Land of Monkey’s and Princesses)
Red Beans & Rice

Snacks:
Backpacker Trail Mix
S’Mores (Courtesy of Justin Rains)

I think this is a pretty good start. I’m definitely coming out of my culinary (I use this term loosely) comfort zone, which was part of the challenge. I’ll let you all know how it goes…… Wish me luck!

Photo courtesty of Rachel!

The Dreaded New Year’s Resolution

ShannanB — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 14:16:00 +0000

I have battled back and fourth for about a week as to what my New Year’s resolution(s) would be this year. Each year I have gotten out my pen and paper, sat down, and wrote my goals down for the new year – only to have completely disregarded the list about a week later. This year I am putting my goals – in writing – on my blog. Maybe this will be enough pressure to ensure I follow through. Without further ado, here are my resolutions for the 2007 year:

1) Spend more time with my family With work and volunteering it can often feel like I am constantly on the go. This year I hope to spend more quality time at home, playing with my children, hanging out with my parents, and spending time with my friend Allison before she moves.

2) Diet, Diet, Diet Carried over from my 2006 list, I hope to loose the remaining 15 pounds that I gained bringing my two beautiful boys into this world. So bring on the Lean Cuisines, the Propel water and the peanut butter granola bars – I am in it to win it this year!!

3) TOP SECRET. I know what this one is, and I hope to accomplish it.

4) Cook More For those of you who know me, you know that I have minimal (at best) culinary skills. For the better part of my marriage I have skidded through my night to cook with various renditions of spaghetti and hot dish. While I am grateful to have a husband that is a foodie at heart and a wonderful cook, I vow to prepare at least one meal a week that does not contain a noodle….

5) Finish the Basement Since moving in 4 years ago we have done a lot of work to our home. The one area that has not progressed much however is our basement. This year I promise to set aside the time to paint the walls (still cafeteria green..) and to redo the floors – pulling out the dingy grey carpet and putting in hardwood (of course all with my husband’s assistance).