Comfort in a Bowl :: Tomato Potato Soup

Now that February has come to a close, and spring is upon us we will slowly stop cooking our comfort dishes and turn to bikini ready foods right? Salads filled with freshly picked fruits and veggies.

More time outdoors less time cuddled up with a blanket.

It's not quite spring yet, and we have a few cold days left- so I have another comfort food left to post.

>>See, just around thanksgiving I truely came to know the real meaning and feeling of comfort food.

Thanksgiving day Aubrey and I sat with Steph and some family eating a delicious meal when mid turkey we got a text saying our Grandma, who we so admire and love, unexpectedly was going to pass away, probably that day.
I didn't really process what all that meant. I think I just had too much going on, or maybe I tucked it away so not to have to deal with what really was happening in the middle of my dinner, and have an emotional break down. ??
After dinner we said goodbye to our guests and quite literally as I walked into the kitchen to start cleaning up *ding* went my phone.
She was gone, passed from this life to the next and that was when it hit me like a ton of bricks and i cried and cried, to joined byAubrey a few minutes later we just cried together.

Our Grandma was one special lady. She was one special cook, we had just eaten several dishes for thanksgiving that were her recipes.

Two days later Aubrey and I were packed up with 6 kids driving a 12 hour drive in one day in one car.
talk about torture.
We are wrestling kids, and eating greazzy food, tired out of our minds, missing our Grandma, heart sick for my Grandpa. Bleh.

We pulled into our other Grandparents house, ready to keel over. I was completely depleted of everything... energy, emotion, you name it... And I walked into Grandma H's house I smelled the smell of comfort. How had she known? that's just her, she's pretty perfect herself. :)
Love my Grandma H. so so much.

I ate two hearty bowls and felt filled. (But not in a filled food way) in a -
I had a little more strength to buck up and get bed set up, put kids to bed, and wake up to a funeral of my precious Grandma Doxey.

Since our lil' trip I've had cravings for this soup when I've had a long hard week, or I've been sick. It's defintly clicked with my emotions. this soup, my stomach and my heart have all got some crazy chemistry goin on.
From this whole experience I definitly view "comfort foods" in a new light. There are comfort foods and are tastey filling goodness, and then there are comfort foods that remind you of grandma's cooking in your darkest hour. Or your mom's homemade dinner after a lonely day in junior high (ewe jr high)
so, here is my comfort dish from this winter, I hope it brings you some too.

Here is a picture of my Sassy, Beautiful Grandma Doxey- she is to the left.
you can read & see more about her here
(and my Sweet Beautiful Grandma Harding in the middle)

Also, at the bottom are some links a few of Grandma Doxey's wonderful recipes featured on our blog :)

Tomato Potato Soup

Ingredients

6 large red potatoes

6 raw carrots

1 onion

3 celery stalks

1/4 head of shredded cabbage (this is what makes it taste so good)

1 lb hamburger

2 cans of diced tomatoes.

1 (32oz) carton of vegetable broth

2 tsp salt (divided)

1 tsp seasoning salt

1 bay leaf

1 tsp ground sage

1/2 tsp pepper

Directions

Fry hamburger, onion together 1/2 tsp salt. drain fat.

In large pot, add remaining ingredients.

Bring all to a boil, add hamburger and onion.

Simmer until until tender.

If needed add more salt to taste.

ENJOY!!

other Doxey recipes

Her caramel corn + Jazz game = heaven

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Slow-Cooker Curry Chicken: Chicken Recipe

yearsandyearsandyears ago, Nate and I sat, on our newly carpeted floor (we had no kids who would spill or make messes)  next to our Japanese friends eating curry for the first time. Lucky us, our dear friends were also our neighbors. Naomi surprised us with dinner, bringing over bowls for all of us.

I remember eating it, thinking how good it was- and looking up at Nate who looked at me the exact same moment. He had the look in his eye like he had just found gold. From then we were hooked. I, being nosy ol me, had to ask for the recipe. Thank goodness it was easy. I wasn't much of a cook back then. I worried more about studying and finals, and playing- than I did about cooking.
The Answer was this simple box.

Even though I have made this dinner hundreds of times EVERYTIME I pull out the box I feel like its in code. takes me forever to decipher it.

Naomi had cooked the "hot" version for us, but now we always just get the mild. The rest, I cook just like her. I tried it in a crock-pot this last time and it was 10x easier than in a pan. BUT it can be cooked either way. stove-top or slow-cooker.

The box is really just a paste of spices. so easy. It saves you the time of opening 100 different bottles of spices. measuring. closing the spices. then reorganizing the spice cabinet to make them all fit again. right?!

Slow Cooker Curry Chicken

Ingredients

3-4 chicken breasts

2 1/2 cups of hot water

4 potatoes cut into chunks

3 celery sticks chopped

2 cups of chopped carrots (or cheat and just use baby carrots like I did)

one small-med onion chopped

one box of golden curry sauce mix

Instructions

in crock pot put 1 cup hot water and chicken breast.

put in rest of chopped veggies.

in small bowl break sauce mix into small chunks.

pour 1 1/2 cups of HOT water into small bowl and stir till curry paste is dissolved.

pour into crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

if you are home and available stir a few times through out the cooking process...

1/2 hour before serving stir and shred chicken.

Serve over rice...any rice. this Coconut Rice is awesome, Jasmine rice also pairs well.

cut chicken in to bite size pieces.

in 2 TBS of oil cook chicken and onions till chicken is pretty much done.

Stir in other veggies.

add water.

break apart curry paste and stir till dissolved.

Let simmer till potatoes are done and tender. Stirring occasionally.

Serve over rice...any rice. this Coconut Rice is awesome, Jasmine rice also pairs well.

Stove top directions-
cut chicken in to bite size pieces.
in 2 TBS of oil cook chicken and onions till chicken is pretty much done.
Stir in other veggies.

add water.
break apart curry paste and stir till dissolved.
Let simmer till potatoes are done and tender. Stirring occasionally.

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Baked Garlic Parmesan Fries-Garlic Garlic Garlic!

Food trucks is nothing new for any of you right? You see them on the corner of here and there, bad parts of town or camped out in a parking lots every day- same time same place. And I'm sure they have all sorts of enduring love names...like my favorite is "Roach coach!" On Friday nights there is a whole roach coach infestations here. ok, actually is called Food Truck Round up, its so fun. All sorts of food trucks  {some are even famous} come and park in the best buy parking lot. Sell tons of food to suckers like me- and I, along with all our friends sit on camping chairs eating deliciously fatting foods. Its been one of my favorite summer activities. Good food and good friends in the summer evening. who wouldn't love that. 

Besides killer carne asada tacos, I have found great garlic blue cheese fries......wait, I'm savoriing the memory......

ok. I can talk about them again. 

They are sooo good. A little too greasy, worth it once in a while. 

They are the type you can't help but crave all the time!! 

SO here is my version....I know there are many Blue chesse haters, so try parmesan instead. 

ps.... there is a lot of covering and shaking, so....if you have a big bowl or batter bowl with a lid this is the perfect time to use it. I had a pampered chef one and it worked great. Somthing a lot like this. Love it.

I just put the lid on shake. I did use plastic wrap one time. 

Baked Garlic Parmesan Fries

Ingredients

8 garlic cloves, minced

6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

6 medium russet potatoes  cut into wedges, about 8 cups

4 tbsp cornstarch/cornflour

2 tsp coarse sea salt

2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp garlic powder

parmesan or blue cheese for topping

Instructions

Preheat oven to 440° F.

Combine the garlic and oil in a large bowl, (infusing the garlic into the oil.mmmmm) in microwave for about 1 minute. You want to be able to smell the garlic :)

Transfer 3 tablespoons of the oil (leaving the garlic in the bowl) to a foil lined baking sheet, coating it well.

Add the potatoes to the bowl with the garlic and SHAKE.  Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and microwave on high power until the potatoes are translucent around the edges, cook for 2 minutes, shake again, cook for 3 more minutes. {about, cooking times may vary due to different microwave powers)

Combine the cornstarch, salt, pepper, garlic powder in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the hot potatoes and toss AGAIN! 

Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake at 440 until deep golden brown and crisp, 30 to 40 minutes. (turn half way)

Sprinkle with Parmsean Cheese and serve with this fry sauce !! or my absolute favorite is to sprinkle with Blue Cheese.

TRY THIS FRY SAUCE

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Potato Kielbasa (don't let the name fool ya, 30 min meal!)

A Follower of our blog recently send me a recipe she happened upon. She made this for her family and her exact words were "it was beyond amazing!"

SO, because I like complicated words and it did sound quiet amazing. {Who doesn't like kielbasa? and potatoes..and sugar?} I decided to give it a go.

My kids wouldn't even let me take pictures. They sat right by me eating off the plate. Even the baby. My 15 month old could not stop grabbing my picture perfect play (ha)

thank you Heather!!

Potato Kielbasa

Ingredients

10-12 red potatoes, cubed 

3 tablespoons water

3/4 pound smoked kielbasa or Polish sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices****

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon pepper

4 cups fresh baby spinach

5 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled*****

Direction

Place potatoes and water in a microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on high for 4 minutes or until tender; (mine took a while till tender) drain.

In a large skillet, saute kielbasa and onion in oil until onion translucent.

Add potatoes; saute 3-5 minutes longer or until kielbasa and potatoes are lightly browned.

In a small bowl combine the brown sugar, vinegar, mustard, thyme and pepper; stir into skillet. 

Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. 

Add spinach and bacon; cook and stir until spinach is wilted.

Prep/Total Time: 30 min. Yield: 4 Servings Nutritional Facts 1-1/2 cups equals 576 calories, 39 g fat (13 g saturated fat), 88 mg cholesterol, 1,695 mg sodium, 31 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 25 g protein.

*****I had polish sausage already in my fridge so I used that. It can be found by the deli meats in your grocery store.

*****I used fully cooked bacon (also found in the deli meat isle), heated in the microwave and chopped.

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{the basic} roasted red potatoes.

We love sweetness of red potatoes.....I usually buy a bag of them, which means I need to come up with a few ways to use them so that I actually use them and not let them go bad. ;) 

variety. 

This an easy meal for me. It can be paired with anything...grilled chicken, sunday roast or something a little less fancy like frozen meatballs (heated of course) hey- we all have those nights. 

{the basic} roasted red potatoes

Ingredients

red potatoes

olive oil

sea salt

fresh ground pepper

seasoning salt

1tsp of dried thyme

1 tsp of dried rosemary

handful of carrots or peppers

Instructions

wash and quarter potatoes

place in cooking pan

Most of the time I do this on a cookie sheet lined with foil

drizzle (you don't need much) olive oil

sprinkle sea salt and fresh ground pepper

add seasoning salts, herbs and carrots

Toss together

Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes

~you can make these into Cheese Potato Fries by drizzling over the sour cream sauce and cheese, place in oven for a few more minutes to melt cheese.~

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Potato Salad in January

I know right? who makes potato salad in Jan? ME! We had a hawaiian friend who had a birthday, and for the birthday dinner I was to bring potato salad. I'm pretty sure hawaiians eat potato salad all year round? Every hawaiian restaurant I've been to serves potato and macaroni salad all the time.

I had some people asking for my recipe to my salad....and so I thought I would post it, even though it doesn't really seem like the season to.

One thing I learned from my mom, who always a makes stellar potato salad, is the simpler the better. Potato salad can become a hodge podge of spices and add ins- but it gets to be too much. Roll your eyes if you must- but I promise every time me or my mom make this we get asked for the recipe. promise.

Here is how I did it...

Potato Salad

Ingredients

3 reg russet potatoes

4 red potatoes

(or just do 6 reg russet potatoes)

6 celery stalks (thinnly sliced)

4 green onions (cut)

about 1 cup mayo

1/4 cup honey mustard

1/4 cup yellow mustard

5-6 hard boiled eggs- cut up

(you may want to save one, sliced up nice for the top)

salt and pepper

Instructions

Boil halfed (or quartered) potatoes in salted water.

{do you know you should always cook potatoes in salted water...just like your noodles}

Cook till fork tender.

Cut into bite size pieces.

you can choose to peel them or not. I usually choose to not, because I like skins and the added texture. my mom always does. after you boil them a lot of the skin will peel off anyway when you cut into bite size pieces. I discard those pieces and just throw in the meat of the potatoes.

In a separate bowl mix the mayo and mustards, gentle stir in onions, eggs, and celery pour over potatoes and stir gently. add Salt and pepper to taste.

and last, nicely sliced egg on top and paprika..if so desired.

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a different kind of sheperd's pie.

but alas, it is that time of the year where the sun goes to bed WAY to early, and therefore my pictures of food look way to orange (dispute my white balance manipulation...). 

When I think of Shepards pie...I think leftover meat. or ground beef. cream of something. green beans. left over mashed potatoes.

THEN I had one of our contributor's 'Superhotsteph' shepard's pie, and was in love.
I loved the thyme. I loved the non-gloppy no cream of something.

I loved the cheese.

Last night I had nothing in my fridge. but I had potatoes. and meat. so I thought I would try to recreate her recipe.
I did a pretty dang good job.
Later I got the actual recipe...I didn't add the soy sauce, {which apparently is the secret ingredient} or the parsley {but I never add parsley...nothing against it. just lazy}and I added 2 carrots {it does look pretty carroty in the pictures} but the rest was pretty close.

A Different Kind of Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients

1 Tbs salt

3 large potatoes, quartered

2 Tbs butter

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

¼ to 1/3 cup milk

1 Tbs olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 pound lean ground beef or turkey

1 large carrot, grated or chopped

1 Tbs chopped fresh parsley

½ clove garlic, finely chopped

½ tsp dried thyme

1 Tbs soy sauce

Instructions

In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil; stir in salt. Add potatoes and boil gently for about 15 to 20 minutes or until they are soft. Drain off water and add butter and salt and pepper. Mash the potatoes, adding enough milk to make a smooth mixture. Set aside. (I usually make more potatoes that this)

Preheat oven the 375 degrees. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the onion and stir-fry until tender. Stir in ground beef; then add carrot, parsley, garlic, and thyme. Cook until beef is thoroughly browned, stirring frequently. Drain off any excess oil. Add soy sauce and stir well. Taste, and add more salt and pepper if desired. Spread the meat mixture evenly in the bottom of a deep pie dish. Top with mashed potatoes. Bake in preheated oven for 20-30 minutes or until top is lightly browned.

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