Potato, Potah-to

I love fall and winter for many reasons, but one of them is that it is SOUP weather.  I love it.  This soup is so easy, with so few ingredients that it is definitely a go-to recipe in our house.  Plus, it's really delicious.  The toppings can be changed.  This time we just added salt, pepper, and some grilled onions.  It was awesome.  Enjoy the cool weather!

Potato Soup
3 cups fat free milk (or any kind is fine)
1 can condensed cream of potato soup
2 c. frozen Southern-style hash browns
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese (cheddar is the best but you can use other kinds, too)
bacon
green onions

Mix milk and soup in large saucepan.  Stir in hashbrowns.  Bring to boil on high heat, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat to medium-low, simmer 10 minutes stirring constantly.  Top with cheese, bacon and onions.

Pea Soup and Genius Husbands

Stick to your ribs soup.  Warm you up soup.  So good.

Split Pea Soup

1 lb split peas

 garlic powder

Mrs. Dash

Pepper

Oregano

2 Bay Leaves

2 chicken bouillon

1 medium onion, chopped

3 medium carrots, sliced

small ham chunks

1.  Rinse peas.  In large pot, place 12 c water, peas, ham, onion, seasonings, and bouillon.  (I didn't have bouillon so I just subsitituted chicken broth - 8 c. chicken broth, 4 c. water but it could have had more water I think and been fine.) Bring to simmer - cook uncovered 1 1/2 hours.  Stir every 15-20 minutes or so.

2.  Add carrots and cook continuing simmering another 2 1/2 hours.  Keep stirring.

3.  Remove bay leaves.  Serve as is or blend in blender or with immersion blender.

Tilt your head to the right. 

That is genius right there. 

No, not me.  I can't figure out why blogger isn't putting this picture up right.  It's driving me bonkers.

My husband is the genius.  We kept losing our cups.  We'd set it down and then forget which was ours.  So he just put some soap dishes up above the sink and voila!  We always know which cup is ours!  He also put two up for sponges, etc and a bracket for a washcloth to clean up the kiddos.  The paintbrush isn't usually there.  :)  It is so nice to have everything clean and organized around the sink. 

Thanks sweetie!

Mummy Dogs

Mummy Dogs are definitely going to be a Halloween tradition around here.  Andrew loved the mustard eyes.  I'm not a huge hot dog fan but for some reason these are soooo much better.  Just wrap strips of cresent dough around hot dogs cut in half.  Bake according to dough instructions and add mustard or ketchup eyes.  Yeah, it's basically pigs in a blanket, only with a much less gross name. :)