Cheesy potato soup

Sounds great doesn't it?

I totally made this recipe up myself.

So here are the ingredients

You have Red potatoes, russet potatoes. butter, onions cheese bullion and cornstarch. I also used a little milk.

First you wash the potatoes.

Use cold water and a stiff brush.
I then peeled the russet potatoes.

Then sliced ALL the potatoes into chunks.

Then I chopped up the onion and placed it in a pan with a stick of butter.

Sauteed the onions till they look done.

Then add the potatoes cover with water and boil.

I added a spoonful of the bullion that I use.

It looks interesting but works well.

I also added come dried celery.

You can tell that the potatoes are don when they mush up.

I then use a potato masher to mash those potatoes. You don't have to do a lot some chunks are ok.

I then add the cornstarch.

A little tip on cornstarch. never add it to a hot liquid without first dissolving it in a cold liquid. If you fail to do this you will have lumps.

cornstarch

add milk

stir

This will thicken up the soup.

I then added cheese.

Those red bits are the red potato skins. Not bacon. I dislike bacon. However my family added bacon bits to theirs.

Here is my bowl.

garnished with cheese

***

The verdict. 

Was amazing. Seriously. Go make some.

I made a huge batch and there was nothing leftover. Nothing. I thought I had enough to freeze some. I was wrong.


***Update***

Question was asked int he comments about the types of potatoes used. I used the red and russet because that was what I had on hand. This will work well with any potato. Also spice with whatever seasonings you want. taste ans see what you think might be good.

Meatloaf, twice baked potato cupcakes and steamed broccoli

Good morning.


Today I am writing about meatloaf twice baked potato cupcakes and steamed broccoli.

This was not a planned meal. This was a looking the kitchen and see what I can come up with meal.

So let me write down a quick ingredient list and directions for you. I used my own recipe as I have been making this for years. 


Meatloaf

•  3lb hamburger
• 2 eggs
• 4 slices of bread
• onion powder
• garlic powder
• Worcestershire sauce
• black pepper
• ketcup
• mustard 

In a large bowl, crumble the bread over the hamburger. add the eggs. Add the rest of the ingredients with the exception of the ketchup and mustard.  Use your judgment. Mix by hand. Place into two bread pans. Cover with ketchup add a little mustard. Bake at 350 degrees. until no longer pink in the middle.

Mashed potato cupcakes

• 10 potatoes 
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 1/3 milk
• 3 tablespoon french onion dip
• black pepper

Peel potatoes, chop into 1 inch blocks. Boil till soft and will mash. Drain. add butter and milk. Use potato masher and mash those potatoes. Add the french onion dip and black pepper. Mix well.  Place into cupcake pan. Bake at 350 degrees until tips are browning.

Steamed broccoli

• frozen broccoli. or fresh whatever
• butter
• salt and pepper.

Using a steamfresh bag place broccoli till limit. Add a couple table spoons butter. then add a bit of salt and pepper. Then microwave according to directions.



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So let's begin with the meatloaf.

I took about 3 lb of hamburger and threw it in a bowl.

Then I took out the heels of bread out of the freezer. No one wants to eat them so I keep them in a bag in the freezer for stuff like meatloaf.

Also I buy bread on clearance and freeze it too. Means I always have bread on hand,.

I rubbed the bread between my hands to make it crumbs.  Then topped with eggs and spices. You really use your judgment. You can also add bell peppers to this but I did not have any on hand. 

There really is no way to get around this. You have to mix by hand. I hate touching uncooked meat. But you have to suck it up and do it. Just remember to take off your pretty rings and put them in your pocket.  I wear an apron when I cook because I am a mess sometimes. So I put them in my apron pockets.

Put these into your apron pockets!

(The apron is the only apron that I own that I didn't make and can be found here)

Now divide and place into two bread pans

I them pour ketchup over it.

Then add a little mustard

Then I mix it.

Then bake it at 350 degrees until it is not pink in the middle. About and hour or so.

*********
 Mashed potato cupcakes !


I usually just make mashed potatoes but I was feeling bored with that and really didn't feel the need to make gravy.


You need to clean the potatoes before you skin them. No one liked a dirty potato.

Then you skin them. (I skinned one before I thought to take a picture.) (really it was to torture the rest of the potatoes, see what fate lays before you? *big evil laugh*)

LOOK THEY ARE NAKED!

After I have removed their skins I cut them up and put them in a pot. (That sentence could have been taken directly from a serial killer's journal) (am I the only one who thinks like that?......yes.....ok I will go sit in the corner now....)

Then cover with water.

The Boil.

When it is done boiling the pieces should be slightly transparent and be soft. They need to be drained.

(drain in the sink. I just pictured it on the towel because my sink had dirty dishes from other stuff I was cooking and did not want to show a dirty sink.)

I then put it back into the pot and added the butter and milk.  Using a potato masher I mashed the potatoes. You can also use a electric hand mixer or a fork.

I then add the seasonings. I usually put sour cream in my potatoes. But I was out. I did however, have french onion dip. So that went in along with pepper.

Mix well. IF you want to this could be your stopping point. I chose to make it a bit more fun. I placed them into cupcake cups!

Then stuck them in the oven with the meatloaf. I baked them until the tips and points turned brown.

**************

Steamed broccoli.

I wanted to serve a vegetable. We had lots of broccoli. I think I have enough to feed an army.

I also LOVE steamfresh bags. Makes having veggies so much more convenient. Here is a link to what I am talking about.

So I filled to the line and added a couple tablespoons butter.a dash of salt and probably too much pepper. (I LOVE PEPPER, L.O.V.E. )

It even tells you how long to cook it on the bag. How awesome is that?

I dumped it into a bowl for serving.



****************

Not too hard of a meal and very yummy.

Here is my plate.