A warm Home

WHEW!!  It has has been a crazy few weeks around this little house.  I've had a couple of big craft shows with my little business  over the last month and it has consumed me.  But I'm back and it's Thanksgiving and then it's Christmas and that means - it's time to cook!!!  I'm sorry for the lack of Thanksgiving recipes before Thanksgiving, But I'm going to give this blog some extra love over the holidays!  Now on with the cooking!

Like I said, we've been crazy busy the last few weeks and I've done very little cooking.  So yesterday I decided to get busy!  It was turning cold again (yea!) and was raining all day.  About 3:00 the kids and I settled into the den with blankets and warm chocolate chip cookies and a movie.  I would tell you all about the movie we watched, Nim's Island, but I slept through most of it.  A good nap on a Tuesday?  Heavenly-love a holiday!!!  After we finished the movie it was getting dark and was still a little rainy so we finished up the day with more warm, feel good, stick your bones potato soup.  Yum!!

Potato Soup

I like to cook my potatoes in my crockpot.  I put 4 large potatoes in on high for about 3 hours and they cook really good that way.  When they are done-just gut those suckers.  

In my dutch oven, but any pot would work, I put 1/4 cup flour (Pamela's) and 5 tbsp. of butter.  Melt the butter and flour together being careful not to let it burn.  Add 4 cups of milk and let it cook for about 5-6 minutes.  It will get nice and thick and will be a beautiful white sauce.

Ok, here is where my cooking gets annoying for those around me.  No measurements, just feelings.  You know-that much cheese just feels right.  Sorry!

Add "some" cheese to the white sauce.  It was about 5 oz. of shredded sharp cheddar.  Let it melt and mix in with the white sauce.  Next add in the potatoes.  I like to use my submersible blender to make it really smooth.  You don't have to that but I like the smooth texture.

Next add "some" sour cream.  This is how much I added.

About 1/2 cup

Stir to blend it all together and then add the bacon.  Yep, cheese, sour cream, butter and bacon-can't go wrong! This is what I use 'cause I'm too lazy to make bacon.

I used to dump the whole jar in the pot but then I actually read the label and that was about 11 pieces of bacon and even I can appreciate that that is a bit much.  So I use about 1/2 the jar.

Stir together and let simmer.  Stir often or the bottom will burn.  Once hot you can even turn the heat off and cover it and it will stay warm for a long time.

Serve it up and you get some happy people on a cold, rainy night

Shane and I love this!  I could eat it 3 meals a day.  Will likes it fine.  He ate it without complaint.  Jenny not so much.  I am a big "eat what's in front of you" mom, but this is what my baby girl looked like on Sunday.

She ate a grilled cheese.  

Soup and Shoes

I am icing my leg while I write this.  Why you ask.  Because it hurts.  It hurts because I have started running again.  I ran a half marathon last year.  You can read all about the weeping and knashing of teeth that it involved here.  At the camp we went to last weekend there was a 2 mile race/walk/ stroll/careful not to spill your coffee while you chat thing.  A friend looked at me at the starting line and said, " You're a runner, this should be a piece of cake for you.  Didn't you run a big race this year?" "Yes!"  I replied, but had to add, "I think you have to keep running after the race to be considered a runner." 

I started back running last week, but shin splints were getting the best of me.  Man! Those things are for real!!  But $120.00 (GAG!) later I have new shoes and they actually do help. I made it farther today than I have since starting back.  So somebody please ask me if I'm a runner!  Because today the answer is YES!!  

Anyway.  What does that have to do with food?  Well, I'm not sure why this happens to me every year.  I get the loose some weight, exercise bug every year about this time.  The time of year when I don't want to eat fruit and grilled chicken or drink water.  I want to eat chili, and cream soup and drink hot chocolate.  I want to eat this.

Taco Soup!

There are absolutely 100 ways to make this soup.  Whatever suits you works.  We are pretty plain jane over here so I keep it pretty simple.  And really if you look under the massive pile of cheese and sour cream the soup itself is not too bad calorie wise.  Here is how we make it at our house.  And by we I mean me.

1 lb. (or so) of ground beef, browned and drained.  (You can also use shredded chicken-yummy)

1 can rotel

1can chili hot beans (IMPORTANT!  This is the only really tricky ingrediant.  Check your can because some do have wheat.  For example:  The name brand is fine, Kroger brand is NOT)

1 pkg taco seasoning.  (McCormick is fine)

Corn- I use can creamed or fresh frozen or whatever I happen to have.

Put it in the pot and let it simmer.  The crock pot works great for this.  My husband is putty in my hands if he walkes in and smells this cooking.  It might be how I got away with $120 running shoes.

This is one of those great meals that you can cook and serve to guests and no one will think twice about it being GF.  Unfortunately because of the beans I wouldn't eat it at anyone else's house unless you knew exactly what brands were used. 

I happened to be the one who piled on the cheese and sour cream in the picture above.  I might have added fritos to the top when no one was looking.  So if you will excuse me I need to go run another mile in my cute new shoes.