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.

Bacon Jam

Mmmmmmmmm

Its Bacon. Its Jam. Its perfect! Seriously, I had my doubts about this one when I read about it on my FB feed, but I have a party tomorrow and I wanted to try something different from the usual fare.

So we went hunting at our local grocery store and managed to russell up all the needed ingredients. Its pretty straight forward. The next time I will have all the prep work done in advance and all the ingredients pre-measured and ready to go (HAHAHA yeah I don't believe me either but its nice to have a goal in life).

Anyway, you can go here for the recipe, but just so you know I didn't follow it exactly (I know I'm terrible)

Here's what I used:
1 pound sliced bacon cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 large yellow onion, diced small
2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
3/4 cup brewed coffee


I pretty much followed the recipe exactly. My biggest suggestion is don't get distracted and over cook your bacon. Its a tragedy. Possibly even a crime in some areas. So watch the bacon!!

1. Place your bacon in a pan over medium heat. Stir frequently and cook until the bacon is lightly brown. There's gonna be a lot of bacon fat in that pan, so fish out the bacon when its done and place it on a napkin to drain and drain off all but maybe a table spoon of that grease out of the pan.

2. Place the onion and the garlic into the pan and cook (stirring frequently) until the onion is translucent. This can happen quick so, again, don't over cook it!

3. Mix in the remaining ingredients and stir it up and don't forget it get the bits off the bottom of the pan. THose are the yummies! Cook it all until its well mixed up and then stir in the bacon again and get it covered in the juices.

4. Now here's the fun part. Stick it in the crock pot. Just put it in there. Set it on high and stir it every once in a while for the next 3-4 hours. Don't put the lid. You want that juice to thicken up and get uber yummy.  Try not to stick a spoon in there and eat it yet.

5. Once its all thickened up a bit, and you've watched a couple of movies, stick it in a food processor and pulse that baby until its chopped up into bits and chunky. You do NOT want to turn it into a paste. Trust me you want that texture to be there.

6. Let it cool off and enjoy! I have been informed by the boyfriend that it would likely taste good on english muffins (hint hint). So English muffins will be next on my hit list!

Anyway we've already previewed this jam and its fantastic and I'll be passing it out to friends tomorrow! New christmas gifts possibly?