Baked Potato Soup Version 2.0

Baked Potato Soup Version 2.0

Ingredients:
6 russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into large pieces
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 carrots, chopped (or enough baby carrots to approximately equal the amount of chopped celery)
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 pieces bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces...or don't and crumble it later (more bacon is always welcome!)
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced
1/2 cup heavy cream or half n half
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (more cheese is also always welcome!)
season salt (I like Lawry's) and pepper to taste

Directions:
Fry bacon until crispy in your soup pot. Make sure you do this in batches so you don't overcrowd the bacon. Do NOT clean the pan. Pour off most of the bacon grease, but leave approximately 1 tablespoon in the pot. Add onion, carrots, celery, salt, and pepper to the pot and cook over medium high heat for a few minutes, or until the onions are translucent. Scrape the bottom of the pan as you stir the vegetables to get as much of the bacon remnants into the soup. Add garlic and chili pepper in adobo sauce and cook an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add potatoes to the pot and cook another minute or two.

Add chicken stock and heat soup to a gentle boil to cook the potatoes until soft (I use a fork to pierce the potato and when the potato chunk falls apart from my fork, it's time to mash!). Using your fancy-schmancy immersion or regular blender, lightly puree the soup (feel free to leave it as chunky as you like). If you don't have a fancy blending device, whip out your potato masher and go to town! Again, chunky soup is more than fine! Once soup is the desired consistency add the cream and cheese and stir well.

Just prior to serving the soup top with a few pieces of bacon, and additional cheese if desired. Fresh parsley makes a nice bright green garnish and can be minced and added to the soup if desired.

Note: if you're making a large batch this soup keeps well in the refrigerator, just place the bacon pieces in a separate container from the soup and add to the soup during the last bit of reheating. I tend to put soup in single serving portions in mason jars, and then tape a baggie of bacon to the top of the jar.

Crock Pot Stock

Crock Pot Stock

Ingredients:
Bones & other remnants from 1 cooked chicken (you can use bones from multiple split chicken breasts, from a de-boned rotisserie, or really any combination of chicken bones you've got! You can also keep a gallon bag in your freezer and add bones from cooked chicken as it adds up, and make stock once you've got enough - roughly 2/3 gallon bag).
1 onion, quartered with skins left on
3 garlic cloves, skins left on
2 celery stalks, chopped lengthwise into thirds
1 - 2 carrots, chopped into manageable sizes
4 - 5 black peppercorns (if you have them)
water to almost fill your crock pot

You can make variations to this by using different aromatic vegetables. Fennel is nice. You don't always need carrots and celery either. Mix it up and be creative!

Directions:
Add all ingredients to the crock pot, filling with water to 1 inch below the brim. Top and set on high for 5 hours, then reduce heat and cook on low for another 5 hours.

Using a mesh strainer separate your broth from remaining ingredients.

Allow broth to cool on the counter until close to room temperature.

Place broth in refrigerator overnight.

Skim congealed fat off top of stock and toss out. Separate stock into manageable containers and store as desired.

Stock can be kept in the refrigerator up to 3 days, or can be frozen for several months. I prefer to divide my stock into ice cube trays and 2 cup containers before freezing so that I can either add a bit of stock to a sautee dish or use 2 cups at a time to create soups or sauces.

Weekly Meal Plan: Mon, May 27 - Sun, June 2

Mon, May 27:
Roast Split Chicken Breasts, Baked Summer Squash, and Creamed Scallions on Pasta

Note: this squash dish was a huge hit, and very tasty! I added salt and pepper to the breadcrumb mix, but overall I would definitely make this again, next time with more squash!!

Also make: Crock Pot Fennel Infused Chicken Stock, Crock Pot Celery and Carrot Infused Chicken Stock, [Garlic] Naan Bread, and [Modified Peanut Chocolate Chip]Banana Bread Muffins


Tues, May 28:
Indian Butter Chicken & Mushrooms over Jasmine Rice with Homemade Garlic Naan Bread


Weds, May 29:
Chicken Fajita Tacos with Homemade Salsa Rice


Thurs, May 30:
Leftover Butternut Squash Soup with Amish Friendship Irish Soda Bread


Fri, May 31:
Fried Chicken from the Grocery and Salad


Sat, June 1:
I helped a friend run a party tonight where I worked mostly as a cocktail waitress, and I was able to eat the catered food while I was there. My husband was on his own for dinner!


Sun, June 2:
Chicken Chunks in Mushroom Mustard Cream Sauce with Baked Potatoes and Caesar Salad

Also make: Amish Friendship Bread Cinnamon Twists, Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Amish Friendship Bread

Prep for work week:
Strawberries with Vanilla Yogurt Dip in Mason Jars
Snow Peas and Carrots with Ranch Cottage Cheese Dip in Mason Jars
Watermelon cut into Chunks
Fried Chicken Salad (Chicken Salad made with the leftover Fried Chicken from Friday)