Baked Potato Soup

So its been a rough couple of weeks around here since the seasons creeping crud made it into the house.  The good thing is it has made us want some comfort foods.  For me that turned into Baked Potato Soup. So once I could drag myself around the house I made a bee line for the kitchen.

Baked Potato Soup (the quick and easy way)

This is based off of some recipe I read once upon a time when I was still in college, working part time and living with my mother and craving the Panera potato soup that was out of my budget.  Over the years it got adapted and changed, and when I started working full time it was simplified for my need for quick and fast meals.  Its fabulous, I've been waiting for fall weather to start to justify making it. The recipe makes enough for two plus left overs.

Ingredients 
3-4 strips of bacon
3-4 Baking Potatoes
2-3 Cups of milk (I average this since it depends on how it thins out with the roux and cheese, also you can replace some liquid with chicken stock or broth for added flavor)
2-3 cloves of garlic
2 tbsps of butter
2 tbsps flour
1/2c cheese plus extra for sprinkling on top for that extra little flare of yumminess
1-2 tbsps of sour cream to taste
salt and pepper to taste

First cook up the bacon in the microwave (on a time crunch remember?) Cook it nice and crispy, drain and let it cool then chop it small and set aside. (Note: if you're feeling decadent cook the bacon in a pan and save the grease to make your roux. Your cardiologist will love this recipe)

Next poke those potatoes with a fork and stick them in the microwave until they tender. For me that's about 12-15 mins for four big potatoes. When they are done pull them out, cut in half and let them cool. You'll thank me for that later.

Now while the potatoes are cooling get yourself a pot for making soup, and stick some butter in there on low heat. Mince some garlic and let that simmer up a bit to get the garlicky goodness into that butter.   After about 2-4 mins of that throw the 2 tbsps of butter and whisk it for another 2-3 mins to make yourself a nice roux. Keep mixing so that it doesn't burn, it doesn't taste good when it burns.

When you have a nice roux together start adding the milk slowly while whisking continuously. Let it come to a bubble over medium heat mixing it every few minutes. While that is thickening head back to those Potatoes and start cutting them up. Skin on or off is your choice.  I prefer off. Cut them up into about 1 inch cubes. Take about 1/2 of those cubes and mash them, this will add to the texture of the soup and make the potato-ey goodness go throughout the whole thing.

Once your potatoes are chopped and your milk has thickened you can start assembling. Go ahead and put some of that bacon into the soup but save enough to sprinkle on top later for garnish. Add the mashed potato first and mix well then add the chopped potato.  Add the cheese again leaving some for garnish.  Keep stirring until everything is all mixed up and take it off the heat. Finally mix in the sour cream and Serve!

It sounds like a lot of steps but it really isn't. I promise. And its soooooooooo good. I served mine in bread bowls and had lots for leftovers for the work week.

General Tso's Chicken

Oh how I love Chinese food.  But it doesn't always love me. It's a shame really. Fortunately thanks to pinterest (my new favorite cookbook) I can make it at home. This one was a bit of a challenge. Mostly because making a caramel sauce scares me. Stuff of nightmares really. Hate it. But totally worth it.

So, if you want the link to an awesome DIY Chinese take out (great the next day for making co-workers drool at lunch time) here it is. Your welcome. It's worth it. Trust me.

Now if you looked at the link already (impatient thing that you are) that grocery list looks intimidating. Its not. I live in the middle of nowhere where's-the-nearest-outhouse-and-muskrat-skinning-shed eastern shore of MD. Seriously, when my mother moved here she went to the store looking for lasagna

noodles and ricotta cheese, and the store person didn't know what that was, let alone carry it. Its improved a bit over the years needless to say. But I digress....

This is totally worth the walk around in the ethnic food section of your store. Or better yet a visit to Wegman's (aka Mecca, aka My Happy Place).  It's like a game of hide and seek but you will find it eventually. And then you have the stuff to make LOTS of this stuff and feed your face FOREVER. Its just that good :)

So... Directions (again this is what i used feel free to follow the recipe link exactly, turns out good either way)

 Three chicken breasts still semi-frozen to make it easier to cut (I let them thaw the rest of the way as i got everything else together)

1 egg beaten mixed with about 1-2 tbsp water to make a nice egg wash

1 cup flour
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
3 tbsp ground ginger
2 tsp salt

1. Mix up the flour and stuff well.  Put half in one bowl and half in another. I hope you already have the egg wash in a third bowl..... Line them up! DRY, WET, DRY

2. Dip the chicken in the dry stuff, then the egg, then into the next dry set. Place on a REALLY well greased pan or tin foil. (Mine stuck a bit to the pan, but thats normal for me)

3. Repeat till all the chicken is done (terribly tedious) and then pop in the oven at 375 for about 25-30 mins until cooked. Flip it half way through if you are so inclined. (please be so inclined, it tastes better that way)

Next set!

The SAUCE!! (This is done in two parts, hang with me. Its worth it)

4 tbsp soy sauce
4 tbsp rice wine vinegar (white wine vinegar is fine in a pinch)
¼ cup water
2 tbsp toasted sesame seed oil
2 tbsp hot chilli paste or sauce (use more or less to taste if you don’t like it very hot)
½ tsp salt
2 tsp corn starch
3 cloves minced garlic
3 tbsp freshly grated ginger

1. Mix ALL that stuff up up together in a bowl and set it aside. (Side note I used 1.5 Tbsp of the chili sauce and that was the perfect amt for us. Also freeze your ginger afterwards to save it for later use)

1 cup sugar
¼ cup water

2. Put THAT stuff on a boiler. Your are going to make a caramel (insert scary music here). 

3. Bring it to a boil over medium heat and WATCH that stuff. Like HARD. And stir it alot. It takes time. I'm paranoid so I cooked at a lower heat and it took about 10 mins. Basically you boil and watch it until it starts to turn faintly brown. Thats the caramel magic happening. Once it turns brownish, yank it off the heat real quick.

4. Give the bowl of red ingredients a quick mix (You did leave the whisk in that bowl right?) and pour it into the caramel. Careful, it bubbled a bit on me and I had to whisk like a mad woman to keep it from boiling over. 

5. Put it back on the heat and give it a stir for a few minutes. This will help mix it for the yumminess you deserve.

Rice and broccoli

1. I like brown rice, but we only had white. So oh well... Cook that up. While you're at it steam up some broccoli. If you need directions, use the instant stuff and read the box. I made the boyfriend do it, so I don't have anything clever to write here. 

So now you get to build your own Chinese dinner!

I personally go rice, chicken and broccoli, cover in sauce. But it's your dinner, go for whatever you want. I won't judge. Much. 

Someday I promise I will get pictures. Someday.....