Slow Soupers~ Potato Soup

I love baked potato soup. In fact I posted on my recipe in 2006~ I notice at the time there was no picture (:-0) and my niece was still trying to help Holly figure out how to work blogger. A lot has happened in 3 years. It is still a favorite potato soup recipe that actually calls for baked potatoes.
This slow soup is a recipe by Anne. She says~ this is a recipe I got at a Weight Watchers meeting years ago...it is very easy to make, and can easily be adapted for different tastes.

Baked Potato Soup
Olive oil (to cover bottom of pot)
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4-5 cups chicken broth
1 30 oz. package shredded potatoes (don't get flavored, or cubed; just plain shredded potato)
1 package country gravy mix (I use non-fat)
Salt & pepper to taste
Saute onion, pepper, celery and garlic in olive oil over low-medium heat until onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add about 1/2 cup of broth and stir; make sure nothing is stuck to the bottom. Turn up heat until soup is bubbly. Add rest of broth, then add frozen potatoes. (Make sure they aren't all in one clump... I bash them on the counter to break them up before I open the package... picture what you would do to bust up a bag of ice before pouring it into the ice chest).

Make sure you have enough broth. You should be able to stir, and the soup should be somewhat thin at this point. Reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring frequently, for about 20 minutes. Once the potatoes are soft, you are ready to thicken the soup.
Take 1 cup of hot water, and stir in the gravy mix. Make sure you have WHITE gravy (i.e., country gravy), not brown gravy!. Make sure you don't have any lumps, and stir into the soup. Soup should be bubbly, but not boiling before you add the gravy. Make sure you mix the gravy into the soup well. Turn down to a simmer, and cook for another 10 minutes or so. Soup should be very thick now. Add salt and pepper to taste.

The gravy mix has a lot of seasoning in it, so make sure you don't season till after that is in. I also add about 2 tsp. of dried basil. Sometimes I add more garlic powder...just up to the cook!
This is your basic soup. Makes about 10 cups. Without any other additions, it is 1 point per cup, for you WW members out there. You can top it with shredded cheese, bacon bits and chives, or just have it plain.

Variations: Add a can of creamed corn for corn/potato chowder. Add chopped ham for ham/potato soup. Leave out the garlic if you don't like it. Add more if you do! This is a very flexible recipe...I can't wait to see what all of you do with it. Freezes well.

This is a great basic soup recipe. I made mine early, and had a recipe that called for 70 oz of potatoes. I ended up with a huge pot of potato soup. I doctored it up with my rosemary garlic grinder and some red pepper flakes. I served it with a bit of parmesan cheese and some Italian taralli. Everyone at work loved it.

We especially liked that it was right on our 'Scale Back Alabama' path.
Y'all enjoy!
Sandi

Photo Hunt ~Nautical

The photo hunt for this week is 'nautical' .This is one of my favorite sights when riding on the north river near Boston.
I'll be there soon.

Y'all enjoy!

Sandi

Love is in the clouds~

It's Valentines Day

Love is in the air...

or is that in the clouds?

I saw this one day and thought I saw a heart...

What do y'all think?
Sandi

and the winner is...

I have put all the names into the hat to draw for our One World One Heart event. We had a total of 54 people leave comments. Thank you so much for stopping by the cafe and I hope y'all will come back again, and again.

The whole idea of this worldwide bloggy event is to visit new blogs and to meet new people. I have traveled around the world, there are some fabulous blogs out there!

Now for our giveaway~

I drew the name out of my new sun hat... The winner is Melissa! She has not one, but two blogs The Land of Foo and Mixing it up in the Land of Foo is her cooking blog. I took a quick peek, and can't wait to spend some time in the land of Foo.

I will put a gift box full of WhistleStop goodies in the mail as soon as I get her address.

Thanks y'all for playing,

Sandi

Super simple side

I recently posted my recipe for Lemon Caper Chicken and served it with grilled broccoli for a healthy dinner. Lianne asked for my recipe for grilling broccoli. I am almost embarrassed to admit how simple it is.
~And here y'all have been thinking I am some fancy super southern cook. There is nothing difficult about roasting broccoli in the oven.
It is quick and easy and goes with anything!

Grilled Broccoli
2 cups broccoli florets
1 onion, cut into wedges
3 Tbs olive oil
Kosher salt/ garlic salt
Preheat oven to 400°
Toss the broccoli and onions with olive oil to coat. Spread onto a cookie sheet, sprinkle with salt. Roast in a hot oven for 10 minutes until caramelized and tender.
Now y'all know my secrets!
Sandi

2 days left...

Y'all know that I have been taking part in the One World One Heart bloggy event this year, along with 911 other crafty bloggers.

This year I am giving away a box of WhistleStop goodies... A cookbook~ signed by the author:-) A box of WhistleStop Chili mix.

Some Fried Green Tomato batter mix.

An Apple Crisp for dessert.

...and whatever other treats I can find in the warehouse.

My Giveaway was posted on January 19th. For some reason (in spite of a multitude of emails to Lisa) I never made it to the main list... but I am still going to follow the rules.

The winner will be announced on Thursday. I will pull the name out of a hat at noon on Feb 12th. You have until then to post a comment HERE.

Now, I'm off to get my name on some of the other lists.

Sandi

Sweets for the sweetheart

Valentines Day is around the corner. I can't resist making a few sweets for my sweetheart. I know that these homemade cookies are not on the scaleback diet... but I just couldn't resist.
Maybe he'll be able to eat just one.
Or 2 little cookies

Y'all enjoy!
Sandi

Slow Soupers~ 5 Islands

It is time for another Sunday Slow Souper specialty. This is Sheena's favorite soup, I'm sure it is warm and filling for those cold Canadian evenings. She wasn't sure how it got the name of 5 island chowder... there is enough seafood in it to account for 4.

I served it at our 'Souper Bowl' party last weekend. With roast beef and gorgonzola sandwiches, cheese dip and wings, this soup was just perfect.

5 Island Chowder

Sheena says~This recipe serves 12, and leftovers do not freeze well. Unless you are feeding a crowd either cut the recipe in half, or divide and freeze a portion when you get to the ‘may be prepared ahead to this point and frozen’ bit.

1 cup butter

2 cups chopped onion

4 cups chicken stock or clam juice

2 cups chopped celery

6 carrots – chopped

2 tsp salt (now that we watch our salt intake I greatly reduce or omit salt)

¼ tsp freshly ground pepper

2 lb haddock fillets cut into chunks

4 cups whole milk

2/3 cup all purpose flour

2 cans baby clams

1 lb cooked small shrimp (reserve a few shrimp for garnish)

1 lb crab (I sometimes omit the crab unless it is in season (i.e. cheap) or I am making the chowder for a special occasion)

In a large saucepan or soup kettle melt the butter. Add onions and cook over low heat for a few minutes until soft. Stir in stock, celery, carrots, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, or until carrots are tender. Add fillets, cover and cook for 5 minutes.

(May be prepared ahead to this point and frozen; thaw and reheat before continuing to next step)

Stir enough of the milk into the flour to make a smooth paste. Gradually stir paste into the soup, then stir in remaining milk and simmer until the mixture thickens slightly. Just before serving stir in clams, shrimp and crab, leaving on stove for long enough for these additions to heat through. Taste and adjust seasoning.

The next time I make it I will cut back on the butter for sure and maybe half the recipe! Other than that it was a great and filling soup.

Y'all enjoy!

Sandi

Photo Hunt ~Bridge

The photo hunt for this week is 'bridge'

I had to choose from London, Florence, Venice, Rome...

but when you think of bridge, there is only one that comes to mind.Tower Bridge!

Y'all enjoy~

Sandi

Lemon Caper Chicken

We are still trying to 'scale back'. My scale doesn't seem to be moving very much. I am still trying. As long as the food is yummy...

Here is another great light recipe... good food= satisfaction in my book. With something healthy in front of me I am more likely to keep it up.

Lemon Caper Chicken

4 chicken breasts

10 cloves garlic

3 T olive oil

Juice of one lemon

1/4 cup chicken broth

1T capers

1 T oregano

Place chicken breasts on top of the garlic cloves. top with olive oil, lemon juice and broth. Cover with capers and oregano. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, uncover and bake until the temp of the chicken reaches 160° -165° .

Serve with rice and some grilled broccoli , a salad on the side and that is healthy eating.

Y'all enjoy!

Sandi

Go Red!

Just a reminder that tomorrow is Go Red for Women Day. Feb 6 has been chosen as the American Heart Association's day to recognise heart disease in women.

Check out their National Wear Red Day campaign and add your support.

Also...

*know your numbers

*eat baked not fried

*choose to move not sit

*be empowered

*show your support by wearing RED

Thanks y'all,

Sandi

Daily posting in February

My Slow travel friends and I are all posting everyday in February. Thank goodness this is a short month.

There are about 30 of us... more than I will have time to visit everyday. I will try my best.

Now, if I can just find something worth blogging about~

Y'all stay tuned!

Sandi

Bundle up...

Well, by now I guess y'all have seen the news. Punxsutawney Phil has seen his shadow... 6 more weeks of winter.

In my neck of the woods we have Birmingham Bill... he saw this shadow too. He lives at the Birmingham Zoo. To tell the truth~ I think this is rigged, because yesterday was a nasty, cloudy, rainy day. The only way a ground hog could have seen a shadow would be with the aid of the bright television lights.

This just goes to show that Reality TV just might be skewed.

Which reminds me~ What is up with the bachelor? He sent home the perfect mommy for Ty. I still want to know when DeAnna is coming back in the picture.

Maybe Phil could predict “most dramatic rose ceremony ever”?

Y'all stay warm!

Sandi

Centerpiece of the Month ~ January

It is time for January's centerpieces of the month. I haven't had as many sent in this month, so had to do some trolling around the bloggy world.

I am sure there are some great centerpieces out there that I have probably missed... Y'all send them in !

Layla's Lettered Cottage is kicking off spring with some daffodils in the guest room. Layla is always simple, but perfect.

Between Naps on the Porch showed off a beautiful centerpiece on her porch... the very one she can nap on. I could sit a spell right there!

Picket's Place found something to replace those Christmas decorations on her kitchen table.

Pat at Back Porch Musing has posted a simple rooster on her kitchen table... It looks great to me! She posted this as a part of her Tuesday Tablescapes.

Rhoda at Southern Hospitality has been growing paperwhites, I can smell them from here.

My favorite of all is Just a Beach Kat. She made this creative centerpiece just for her superbowl party. That looks like a party to me!

What's on your table?

Y'all enjoy!

Sandi

Split Slow Soup

I have never been a huge fan of pea green soup... probably because of a jump rope saying that still echo's in my mind. Do kids even do that anymore? We would jump rope for hours and sing songs about Cinderella kissing a fella, and soup...

This week's Slow Soup is Split Pea Soup, Marcia's choice. She found the recipe in Bon Appetite, and tweeked it to perfection. This recipe calls for leeks, dried split peas, and fresh green peas... the combination is good. The fresh dill makes it fabulous!

Split Pea Soup with Dill

3 T extra virgin olive oil
1 large leek (white and pale green parts only), chopped (about 1 and 1/2 cups)
1 bay leaf
1 cup green split peas, rinsed
5&1/2 cups vegetable broth, divided (can use chicken broth, too, or a ham bone for seasoning).
1 cup frozen petite green peas, thawed
4 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill, divided
Salt &Pepper
Shredded Parmesan for garnish
Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium high heat. Add leek and bay leaf. Saute until leek wilts, about three minutes. Add split peas and stir to coat. Add 5 cups broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until split peas are just tender, about 35-45 minutes. Remove from heat. Transfer 1 cup soup solids, bay leaf and remaining 1/2 cup broth to blender. Add petite peas and 3 Tablespoons dill. Puree until smooth. Return puree to soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls. Sprinkle with remaining 1 Tablespoon dill and shredded Parmesan for garnish.
Makes about 4 bowls
(If you like the idea of whole green peas in your soup, then only puree half of the petite green peas, add the other half to the soup).
I left off the parmesan and added more dill. Yum!
Now if I could just get that ditty out of my mind!

Y'all enjoy!
Sandi