Baked Potato Soup

You may be wondering why in the world I would choose to make potato soup in the middle of July? It's just too hot for soup, for sure. Well, I'll tell you, it's not cold here by any means, but it has been a wonderfully rainy day here in Texas, which is a much needed relief from the fierce drought that we have had this year. Of course, one day of rain has in no way resolved the drought, but it has been nice to watch and hear the rain falling today. So there you have it. There is nothing like a lazy rainy day to put me in the mood for some quick and easy Baked Potato Soup. Luckily enough, I had all of the ingredients in my kitchen, so in just 30 minutes, some rainy day soup was served. If you are lucky enough to be enjoying your own rainy day, you should definitely stay in and make some soup. Or even if it's not raining. It's pretty tasty either way.

Baked Potato Soup　


4 russet potatoes, cubed
4 cups water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
4 tbs butter
2 tbs olive oil
1 onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 cups milk
2 tbs light sour cream
salt and pepper to taste
cayenne, to taste
parsley, a sprinkle
shredded cheddar (optional)
cooked bacon, chopped (optional)
chives, chopped

1. In a large stock pot, melt butter with olive oil and cook onions and garlic until softened. Add potatoes, water, and bouillon cubes. Cover and simmer until potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes.
2. With a potato masher, mashed the potatoes while still in the pot. Pour in the milk and mix to combine. You can add more milk if you like a thinner soup. Add 2 large tablespoons of sour cream and mix to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste, cayenne, and a sprinkle of parsley. Mix well and simmer on medium heat another 10 minutes until thickened.
3. Let sit 5 minutes before serving. Serve plain or with cheddar, bacon and chives.
Serves 4

Italian Sausage Soup

So, I kind of have this thing for soups. They are definitely one of my most favorite things to make. I mean, they basically cook themselves after all. Throw in some stock, veggies, meat, anything really, let it sit, stir a few times, and you're done! Yep. There's nothing like a really good soup. And this one's a good one. If you've ever had the Zuppa Toscana from Olive Garden, this is basically the same thing, but "healthified". It's a bit spicy and has a lot of flavor for such a simple soup. I usually serve homemade breadsticks with this soup when I have some extra time, but any breadsticks would go great with this. Enjoy!

Italian Sausage Soup

Adapted from: eatbetteramerica.com

2 slices bacon
1/2 lb lean Hot Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
2-3 medium russet potatoes, cubed
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 cups water
2 cans chicken broth
4 cups chopped fresh kale
1 cup fat-free half-and-half or regular half-and-half

1. In large pot, cook bacon until crisp; drain on paper towel. Crumble bacon; set aside. Remove and discard drippings from saucepan.
2. In same pot, cook sausage over medium-high heat 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until no longer pink. Drain well on paper towels; set aside.
3. In same pot, mix potatoes, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, pepper flakes, water and broth. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cook uncovered about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Stir in bacon, sausage, and kale. Cook 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes and kale are tender. Stir in half-and-half; cook just until heated.

Chicken and Dumplings

These are, the best chicken and dumplings, I have ever eaten. Sorry Mom. I still love yours, but these are a completely different animal. Courtesy of The Pioneer Woman, this soup is hearty, flavorful, and the dumplings are oh so fluffy. These chicken and dumplings are so good it's ridiculous. I would eat them once a week until I got tired of them if my husband would let me. But I don't think he will, so I'll just make them a couple of times a month and call it even.

Chicken and Dumplings
Adapted from: The Pioneer Woman

2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Chicken Thighs
2 Chicken Breast
Salt And Pepper
½ cups Finely Diced Carrots
½ cups Finely Diced Celery
1 medium onion, diced
½ tsp Ground Thyme
¼ tsp Turmeric
6 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
½ cups Apple Cider
½ cups Heavy Cream

Dumplings:
1-½ cup All-purpose Flour
½ cups cornmeal
1 tbs (heaping) baking powder
1 tsp salt
1-½ cup Half-and-half
2 tbs parsley
salt to taste

1. Skin chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Melt butter in a pot over medium-high heat. Brown chicken on both sides and remove to a clean plate.

2. In the same pot, add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Stir and cook for 3 to 4 minutes over medium-low heat. Stir in ground thyme and turmeric, then pour in chicken broth and apple cider. Stir to combine, then add browned chicken. Cover pot and simmer for 20 minutes.

3. While chicken is simmering, make the dough for the dumplings: sift together all dry ingredients, then add half-and-half, stirring gently to combine. Set aside.

4. Remove chicken from pot and set aside on a plate. Use two forks to remove chicken from the bone. Shred, then add chicken to the pot. Pour heavy cream into the pot and stir to combine.

5. Drop tablespoons of dumpling dough into the simmering pot. Add minced parsley if using. Cover pot halfway and continue to simmer for 15 minutes. Check seasonings; add salt if needed. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.