Slow Cook Friday: Potato Soup

It is getting the season for soup.  I had potatoes that are starting to sprout, so:

(Added a couple chilis I got at the farmer's market.  No mashing potatoes)

• 6 large baking potatoes, peeled, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 quart low sodium chicken broth (for vegetarian use vegetable broth)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (or pressed)
• 1/4 c. butter
• 2 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1 c. cream or half-and-half cream
• 1 c. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 3 T. chopped fresh chives or scallions
• 1 c. sour cream (optional)
• 4 slices bacon, fried & crumbled, optional (for vegetarian, eliminate bacon)
• cheese, for sprinkling, if desired

Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup is the perfect comfort food on a cool night.  This recipe can be altered to be used for a vegetarian recipe too – just omit the bacon and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

1. Combine first seven ingredients in a large slow cooker.
2. Cover. Cook on High for 4 hours or Low for 8 hours (check to make sure potatoes are tender).
3. Mash mixture until potatoes are coarsely chopped, and soup is slightly thickened.
4. Stir in cream, cheese and chives/scallions.
5. Top with sour cream (if desired), sprinkle with bacon, more cheese (if desired) and chives/scallions.

http://www.getcrocked.com/2011/09/14/crock-pot-loaded-bake-potato-soup/

Garden Update

I've been looking through my garden at my different plants.  Both of my Pepper plants are ready to bloom their flowers.  I can see the white bud on both.

I have not been watching my bean plant carefully.  I realized today I had more than just flowers, I had bean pods as well.

Several failed seeds and transplants that never worked were next to my bean plant.  I though I saw something and left that area open.  This is what it looks like now.  What is it?  I'm not sure.

Everything but the peas seem to be doing well.  I look forward to my wandering my patio and seeing how my fall garden is doing.

GAL #21, #22 and #23

I just skimmed my blog and realized I'm missing squares from the GAL.

This is Sherlock (Sherlock Holmes).  I love the new BBC version, and I have been listening to the complete works of Sherlock Holmes.   I'm even more excited because BBC America just announced they will be showing the series, so I plan to set my DVR, since last I saw, they were still not on Amazon Prime.

My first real console game was an Atari 2600.  When I wanted to learn about computers, I found the 2600 Programming Cartridge was not worth the cost.  Where did I finally find the cartridge?  An Atari Computer Store.  What caught my attention?  The Atari 400 and 800 home computer.  Within a few months, after visiting the store a lot, was my own Atari 400.  It had 16K  (Not Meg), and an audio cassette recorder to store programs.  I later traded a bunch of cartridges for 48K of ram, giving me 64K of ram.  Hard to believe were computers went from there.

I stated that the 2600 was my first real game console.  I said that, because it was not my first console game.  Atari could change games, but my first console only had one game.  There were a few versions, but it was still one single game.  This is the game that changed not only the game console market, but was the first arcade game as well.  The first game was?  Pong!

Slow Cook Friday: Taco Soup

Crock Pot Taco Soup - from GetCrocked.com

1 lb. lean ground beef, browned and drained
2 pkgs. taco seasoning mix
16 oz. tomatoes with green chilies, undrained (Home Canned w/o chilies)
16 oz. black beans, canned, undrained (In the mood for kidney)
16 oz. corn, canned, undrained
1 can black olives, chopped or sliced
1 onion, medium, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, chopped (2)
4 tomatillos (optional), chopped
Dried Peppers (I'm out of fresh peppers)


1. Place everything in a large crock pot, add water, if necessary, to fill.
2. Cover. Cook on Low for 5 or more hours until flavors are blended.
3. Top each bowl with a handful of shredded cheddar cheese.
4. Serve with sour cream, taco chips and salsa on the side.
Happy Crocking!  

Garden #2

I went a little crazy at the garden center and Plant World.  I do have places to plant everything in pots, but there is some sharing. 

• My Existing bean plant
• Something in the middle?
• Basil

•  Anaheim Pepper
• Hot and Spicy Oregino
• Jalapeno

•  Lemon Catnip  (Yes I think there might end up being a few chew marks)

• Peas

• Apple Mint

Lets see what my fall garden looks like this year.  I'm past seeds, but I did get a couple and I know I will start early next year.

Knitting and Garden

Knitting:

After months of on and off work, my Fangtastic socks are done.  They are so named, because of the fangs in the heel, and the bats within the design..  Wendy from Knitter's Brewing Company is a creative designer, so I enjoy her patterns.

These socks do have an interesting side story.  I want to my old high school Friday, because they were celebrating their 50th Homecoming game.  Many Alumni from past years came to the game.  The socks were photographed by a friend, saying I was knitting him socks.   

I've also worked on the Hot Chocolate Run Polar Bear, which supported the Safe Passage charity.  I think the body is too large to the arms and legs, but most still think he is cute.  I will do another soon.

I am enjoying my newest knitting bag.  It was a special limited seasonal release from Slip Stitch Studios.  I found out about the site after hearing a Marly Bird interview.  I'm looking forward to my next bag.

Garden:

I  was dispointed this year, that most of the seeds I got started, did not survive transplant.  I have a bean plant that has been transplanted twice, and has been doing great.  It has two flowers already, so I hope for several bean pods.  I have a small bean plant that has started slowly.  After wandering through pots, I have found a few remains of transplants that have started to grow.  One I think is from a cotton seed.  A couple others I an still not sure what they are, but I hope will grow and mature.

I hope to check out the home improvement and garden store to see if they have any fall plants.

Slow Cook Friday: BEEF STROGANOFF

From the eBook:  Get-Crocked-450+-Slow-Cooker-Recipes

BEEF STROGANOFF

2 lbs top round steak, sliced thin across the grain

1 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 medium onion, sliced

1/4 tsp thyme

3/4 cup dry sherry  (Not so much sherry)

3/4 cup beef broth

3/4 tsp dry mustard (Mustard Seeds)

1/4 tsp garlic salt
- Worcestershire sauce 

1-1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup Wondra flour

Put all this in the Crock Pot, stir well and cook on low for 8 hours. Turn heat to high and

mix 1-1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 cup Wondra flour, cake flour works too, heat on high for

40 minutes. Serve over rice or noodles.