Updates on Re-purposing

It's another wet and chilly day here in North Dakota. I did make potato soup out of the potato water and left over potatoes that I'd stashed in the freezer, and we had it for leftovers tonight. You can read about that here. It was delicious! (I can boldly say that my soup was delicious because my children said so, unprompted, and ate it!!!!)

Here is the recipe I used for my soup. The only modifications I made is that I cooked the bacon first and used that for cooking the onions in instead of using butter. I also added carrots, garlic and frozen broccoli to make the soup a little healthier and heartier. I keep the bacon aside, and don't add it back into the soup. We add "bacon sprinkles" at the table. Anyway, here it is:

<<Chunky Potato Soup

3 medium red potatoes
2 cups water
1 small onion
3 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
   Crushed red pepper flakes
   Ground black pepper
3 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup cubed ham or 1/2 cup bacon

Peel Potatoes and cube. Boil potatoes in water until tender. Drain while reserving potato liquid. Set potatoes and water aside. (If you have less than 1 cup potato water, add water.)

Cook onion and butter in saucepan over medium heat. (I cooked mine in the bacon grease instead of butter. I also added carrots and garlic here.) Cook until onion is translucent, but not brown. Add flour and season with pepper flakes and black pepper to taste. Cook 3 to 4 minutes.

Gradually add potatoes, reserved 1 cup potato water, milk, and sugar to onion mixture; stir well.
Add cheese, and ham or bacon. (Like I said, I didn't add the bacon here. But I added frozen broccoli.) Simmer over low heat 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Store leftovers, covered in fridge.--Taken from "Grandma's Kitchens, Treasured Family Recipes" collection>>

Yum!

Also, on a different note, remember how I said on Saturday that my compost pile wouldn't be going in due to weather? Well, even though it has been windy and or wet here the last three days, my hubby and girls surprised me by putting it in for me on Saturday. I took a picture of them from my deck because I didn't feel like getting super muddy. Isn't my clan awesome?

Cutie Pies Making My Compost Pile in the Mud

Lydia keeps asking me, "When is it gonna turn to dirt?" I keep telling her, I'm not sure. Hopefully it'll be a good science lesson for my cuties, as we add to it and watch it turn into wonderful soil/fertilizer for my garden and plants. Praise the Lord! I just need some fish heads to bury under my garden next!

Thanks for reading my post today! Please try the soup soon! It's yummy! Let me know what you think when you do make it. My houstonian friends, you may have to wait a few months to feel like eating soup, but when you do make it, I hope you enjoy!

Love, Amber